“Very well. I will permit you to accompany the other warriors on their mission. Druxik has been chosen as the leader, so if you have questions or concerns about anything or need instruction, he is the one you should speak to.”
Cora nods, swallowing hard. Her blue-green eyes make me think of water, and they seem to shine with an inner light.
“Thank you, my king,” she says, bowing her head respectfully. “I appreciate you giving me this chance to help my people.”
“You may sit.” The king gestures to an empty seat near Cora. “The rest of what we speak about will be necessary for you to hear, since you’re going on the mission as well.”
She sits as instructed, her expression turning focused and intent as she listens quietly while the rest of the business is discussed.
It bodes well for her part in the mission, I think to myself. She’s strong and determined, smart and outspoken, but also able to take direction and listen to others. Those are all vital qualities on any military exercise or mission, but especially one like this.
“According to our intel,” Khrelan continues, “the auction where the women are being placed for sale will occur in a little over twenty-five days. You’ll need nearly that amount of time to get to Nierra, so you’ll have to move fast. Druxik, can the team be ready to leave tomorrow?”
I nod firmly, forcing myself not to keep looking over at Cora. For some reason, it’s difficult to keep my eyes off her ever since she walked in. She’s very pretty, with light brown hair that curls around her face, pale skin, and delicate features. But it’s more than just her physical appearance that seems to draw me.
“The team will be ready to leave by midday tomorrow, my king,” I tell Khrelan. “We’ll prepare tonight.”
“Good.” He sits back, looking satisfied. “If there’s anything else that needs to be discussed before you leave, you may find me privately and speak with me. Until then, the council is adjourned.”
As the meeting begins to break up, I see Emma get up from her seat and walk over to Cora, embracing her friend as she says something quietly to her. I find my gaze lingering on Cora again as I hang back, watching the petite woman with the light brown, wavy hair as she leans against the table and speaks in low tones to the queen.
Even what I know of her from our time on Monri isn’t much. I know that she was quiet and kept to herself often, much like Emma, and that she wanted to be a teacher back on Terra before her abduction.
I’ll get to know her better on the ship, I think to myself, and I’m surprised by how much I like the idea.
I didn’t expect this to happen, and I certainly didn’t expect to be looking forward to having her around, and to learning more about who she is. But I am, and as I leave the council room to head back to the barracks, I can’t quite seem to shake the thought of her.
The next day, the team assembles right around midday as promised, with the sun high in the sky above us. The air is fresh and crisp, and I have a momentary flash of regret that we have to leave so quickly. This time of year on Kalix has always been my favorite, but it’s a brief season. By the time we return, it’ll be nearly over.
But, as always, the mission comes first. And this is a particularly important one, well worth missing a season at home for.
The warriors fall in line, ready to board the ship at my command, and I feel a wash of pride as I survey them. It means a great deal to me that Khrelan has chosen me to lead this mission. It’s a validation of my skill and leadership, of all the things that I’ve worked so hard for all of my life to cultivate. I’m no stern warrior like Malav or Tycran, but I’ve devoted myself to being the best pilot and warrior I can possibly be.
Some of the Terran women have come to the docking bay as well to see Cora off, and I glance over at them as I instruct the men to begin boarding and loading supplies. Cora’s small stature and petite frame are even more noticeable next to the other women, her features very delicate in comparison. But there’s something so alluring, so eye-catching about her that I realize it’s impossible to look at any of the other women when she’s around.
During my time as a warrior, I’ve met many attractive females of a variety of species, and there are plenty of beautiful women among the Terrans. But for some reason, when I look at Cora, everyone else seems to fade into the background.
No one stands out like she does.
I shrug it off, shaking myself back into the present as I board the ship and make my way toward the captain’s deck. Behind me, I can hear the sounds of the other men loading supplies onto the ship and depositing them where they’ll be needed in the galley, the cabins, and the storage areas. Their easygoing conversation creates a quiet hum.
It’s been a long time since we’ve had such a straightforward mission with a definitive goal and end to it.
Fly in, rescue the women, and return.
The battles with the Orkun over the years have felt endless, as if we were beating back an unceasing tide of enemies who would quickly gain back any ground that we took from them. It felt for a very long time as if we were fighting to our deaths, for no other reason than that we refused to die in slavery or defeat. It didn’t feel as if there were ever a victory in sight. And even for warriors like us, who have known all our lives what the fight was, such a thing is demoralizing over time.
But now, there has been a victory. If the Orkun do manage to gain back ground, it will take them a very long time. I can feel that morale is high, and it makes me doubly excited to lead this rescue operation.
Once everyone is on board and in position, I take my seat in the captain’s chair, setting the controls to prepare for takeoff.
“Everyone get ready to lift off,” I instruct over the comms unit, flicking the final switch to bring the ship to full power. “We’re off in three… two… one…”
I expertly guide the ship out of the docking bay, but as we begin to make our ascent in a smooth glide, I notice Cora watching me from out of the corner of my eye. Were I a different member of the Alpha Force, I’d ignore it and continue on in a cool, professional manner.
But for all my skill and discipline as a warrior, I’m still myself. And I can’t resist showing off a little.
As we increase speed, barreling forward toward the edge of Kalix’s atmosphere and out into space, I hit the throttle, launching forward. With a flick of the steering apparatus, I send the ship into a barrel roll and then arc upward as we come out of it. I can hear the annoyed grunts of a few of the other warriors as they’re jostled by my maneuver, but the only reaction I care about is Cora’s.
When I glance over at her, I see a startled grin on her face, and she laughs a little, giddy from the rush. As I straighten out the ship, I can see that she’s impressed, and it brings a smile to my face too.
Once we’re out of Kalix’s atmosphere and on our way, I set the course to Nierra and turn control over to the AI unit. The ship will essentially fly itself for this part of the journey, so there’s little need for me to be on deck the entire time.
The men are unbuckling themselves from their assigned stations for takeoff, and I glance over at Cora.
“If you’d like, I can show you to your sleeping quarters,” I offer, a little surprised to hear the words coming out of my mouth. “The others are familiar with the ship’s layout, but I know it’s been a while since you were on board one of our vessels, and this is a smaller one than usual.”