Chapter 4

Vaarn leaned forward in the pilot"s chair, tapping out final pre-flight sequences on the illuminated console with the ease of long practice. The engines hummed, primed and ready for departure.

His comms console crackled to life.

"Chief Engineer T"Kaan, we"re sending a human engineering consultant to join the mission. Please hold position pending arrival."

He frowned. They were sending a human? Now?

He stabbed a hard finger at the transmit button. "You are aware that I am engines hot on the deck, waiting for a departure window? I don"t have time to wait for a suitable human to be assigned. I"m leaving now."

"We are aware. Please hold position."

He glared out of the view screen. Shuttles glided between the runway bridges extending from the bay hub. One bridge over, a sleek F"Kata transport taxied into position, purple hull shimmering. Behind it, a bulky cargo hauler sat docked, its bay doors sealed shut. Bay crews in their high-vis sashes tended to the various ships, inspecting exterior panels and checking fuel lines.

He glanced down at the viewscreen below his feet, built into the floor. It gave him a view of the hangar below and the massive bay doors he would exit through when he dropped from the docking cradle.

Frowning, he tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair. He had no time for delays. Every minute he lost here was a minute that another buyer could swoop in and buy up all the stocks of T'aantrilithium he needed for the new style TX-14"s.

Growling under his breath, he carried on with his final systems checks, reviewing the transport"s readouts on the various display screens surrounding him to ensure they were ready to depart. Engine output optimal. Fuel cells charged. Navigation calibrated. He would be ready to leave the minute control gave him a departure slot.

"Control, I am quite capable of handling this mission myself," he said between gritted teeth. They knew he worked better alone. He had no use for a human distracting him, no matter their credentials. "My departure window is imminent. I will not postpone this mission for an unnecessary addition."

"There is no need to postpone," Control said smoothly. Too smoothly. The hiss of pressurized hydraulics reverberated through the hull, telling him that the boarding bridge had been extended. The heavy ka-chunk of magnetic locks engaging preceded the airlock"s cycle sequence and the sound of compressed gas hissing reached his ears as the inner seal depressurized in preparation for the human"s arrival.

The airlock cycled open, and he turned in the pilot"s seat, back rigid as the inner door opened. Sadie walked through, eyes wide and her body language tense. His eyes narrowed. She offered a hesitant smile that only stoked the fire raging inside him.

"What are you doing here?" he growled. He couldn't take her on this mission. She was far too beautiful… far too much of a distraction.

She blinked. "I"ve been assigned as the engineering consultant for this mission."

She clasped her hands in front of her, all prim and proper. He gritted his teeth, wanting to grab her and shake her until she saw sense. If the engineering bay on the most defensible Latharian installation within seven systems wasn"t safe enough for her, then a trade trip in a tiny transport definitely wasn"t either.

Then he saw the whiteness of her knuckles and the tiny tremors that ran through her frame. She was nervous. Under different circumstances, he might have softened at the realization, but not now. Not when fury rolled through his veins, blinding him.

"This is unacceptable." He turned to stab at the comm panel again. "Control, the human consultant is not qualified for this mission. I demand her immediate removal from my ship."

She grabbed the back of his chair and spun it around to make him face her, her eyes blazing.

"Now wait just a minute," she said, her expression tight. "I am qualified to consult on the TX-14 model"s and their components. I may not have much experience with Latharian technology but a chip is a chip. Human technology in this regard is very similar. So?—"

"You would be nothing but a liability out there." He cut her off, shoving up out of his seat to loom over her. She stood her ground, glaring up at him.

"I am not some damsel in distress." She jabbed a finger toward his chest. "And I can handle myself."

He knocked her hand away.

"We are traveling into an unsecure area of space," he snarled. "There will be no human security forces to come running if you scream."

She refused to back down. "Prince Rohn approved my assignment himself. He said I would be safe. Are you questioning his judgment?"

"Of course he did. Rohn is a draanthing pain in the ass." He snarled a vicious curse.

She crossed her arms, a mulish expression on her face.

"You"ll have to pick me up and throw me off the ship. Are you going to do that?" She arched an eyebrow. "Or are we launching on schedule?"

His jaw worked. Muscles bunched and released as he fought for control.

"I will allow you to stay." He bit the words out. "But you will remain on board during the negotiations."

She opened her mouth to argue.

"That is non-negotiable," he growled.

A crackle from the console interrupted their stare-down. "Chief Engineer T"Kaan, this is Control. Please confirm your departure status. Your launch window is expiring."

He broke eye contact first, whirling to stab at the transmit key. "This is T"Kaan. I am departing as scheduled. Clear all vessels from my departure vector."

"Acknowledged, T"Kaan. You are clear for immediate launch. Safe travels."

He dropped into the pilot"s chair, hands flying over the controls to re-initiate the launch sequence. Sadie hovered by his side, eyes darting between him and the activity visible through the viewport.

"Sit down if you"re going to," he said, the words little more than an order as he nodded toward the co-pilot"s chair.

Final checks complete, the launch lights switched from amber standby to bright green. Clear for takeoff.

"I want one thing clear between us," he rumbled as they dropped from the cradle. He kept his focus locked on the viewport, guiding them down toward the bay doors. Their exit vector lit up in pulsing green lights moving away from them.

"You will follow every order I give to the letter, without question or argument." He slid a glance at her. "My orders are not up for debate. Your compliance is mandatory at all times. Do you understand?"

She opened her mouth to protest, but he silenced her with an upheld hand.

"I am dead serious about this, Sadie." He snarled. "You know nothing of the dangers we face out there. I cannot guarantee your safety if you defy me."

His knuckles whitened on the flight controls as they left the bay and dropped out into the yawning darkness of space beyond. "So you will obey me instantly and without fail. Or there will be severe consequences."

"You expect me to follow orders blindly? I don"t even get a say in anything that happens?"

"You get no say!" His roar filled the small cockpit, and she shrank back. "I am in command here. You will do exactly as I say at all times."

He turned the ship and laid in their route, the massive bulk of Devan Station behind them.

Her lips thinned into a mutinous line, but she gave a small nod.

"Say it," he demanded. "I want to hear the words."

She huffed out an irritated breath, folding her arms. "Fine. I understand. I"ll do whatever you say."

* * *

The silence was sotense you could cut it with a knife.

Sadie bit her lip as she sat in the co-pilot"s seat, feeling the gentle hum of the engines through the padded cushions. The lights in the cabin were dim, shrouding everything in shadow. She slid a glance at Vaarn. The hard lines of his face were highlighted by the lights of the pilot"s consoles in front of him. His expression was grim, unamused, and he hadn"t looked at her since they"d left.

She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Although the ship was tiny compared to the station, it was still Latharian, so she felt like a kid curled up on the seat. A shiver hit her and she drew her jacket tighter around herself. The environmental systems were set to Latharian standards, which, for her, meant bloody freezing.

She glanced at him again. Yeah... he was definitely annoyed at her. She didn"t regret coming along, though, a thread of excitement rolling through her. She would get three days alone with him, so at some point he would have to talk to her.

His attention remained fixed on the control panel, carrying out in-flight checks with quick, efficient motions. She studied his stern profile, feeling guilty and not sure what to say to ease the tension.

She looked at the displays on the console, watching the station shrink away from them in one of the rear-view cameras as they headed out into open space. Excitement hit her again. The first time she"d left Earth had been to travel up to Devan Station, and now she was headed out into space. Actual outer space. The idea made her feel small but filled her with wonder all at the same time.

Their course set, Vaarn engaged the thrusters to propel them forward, the sudden burst of speed pushing her back into her seat. As the ship steadied into its cruising speed, some of the tension eased from his shoulders.

She hesitated, then decided to risk speaking, hoping to break the uneasy silence between them. "The ship handles really well," she said. "Is this a personal craft? It didn"t look like the others in the bay."

He didn"t respond, his eyes fixed on console readouts. They looked like they could be readings from the engines, but since they were in Latharian, she couldn"t be sure. She thought he wasn"t going to reply, but then he nodded.

"It is. I upgraded the thrust capacitors and heat exchangers myself. She"s not built for luxury, but she"ll get where she needs to go."

She smiled at the hint of pride in his tone. "Well, she certainly has some pickup. I barely felt the power shift when we detached from the station."

The corner of his lips quirked up. "I"ve flown her often enough to know how to compensate for the transitional forces." He paused, then added, "But it"s nice someone noticed for once."

There was a small flutter in the center of her chest. He was talking. Only a little, but she took it as a victory.

"Vaarn, I know me being here… well, I know you didn"t want me to come along. But I want you to know I"m not trying to cause trouble or anything. I"m just here to do a job and support you however I can."

He was silent for a long moment, then slid her a glance. Finally, he gave a small nod, some of the wariness leaving his expression.

"I appreciate that. Let"s focus on the mission… for now."

His voice hinted at something she couldn"t quite place, but it sent a thrill down her spine. Tamping down her excitement, she turned to watch the star-filled void slide past as they powered on toward the Krantav system.

After a while, she reached into her bag and pulled out a small container. Cracking the lid revealed the collection of small cakes nestled inside. Their golden tops were cracked and glossy, and a rich aroma filled the close confines of the cockpit.

"I made more cakes," she said, holding out the container toward him. "Chocolate chip. I thought you might like to try some. They"re from my grandmother"s recipe."

His gaze flicked to the cakes, then back to her, expression unreadable. "You should have brought weapons instead of baked goods," he said gruffly, but reached out and took a cake.

She watched as he bit into it, his eyes closing for a moment, the faintest look of pleasure crossing his face before it was quickly schooled back into impassivity.

"It"s… acceptable," he muttered after swallowing the last crumb.

She smiled to herself. That was high praise indeed coming from the less-than-talkative engineer. Popping the lid back on, she put the container down on a spare space on the console in case he wanted some more.

"So how long have you been assigned to the station? You seem very familiar with the ships and systems."

His attention remained fixed on the control panel, as he made adjustments to their course. "I arrived not long after the conversion started."

She nodded. "And before Devan, did you serve on one of the other Latharian ships?" she prompted, trying to keep the conversation going.

"Yes," he said, still not looking at her.

She bit her lip. Okay… blood out of a stone here.

"Prince Rohn tells me you"re interested in learning more about manufacturing methods on Earth," she began. "I worked in quality control at a plastics fabrication plant. What would you like to know?"

He turned to look at her, one eyebrow raised in interest.

"You worked in fabrication?" he asked.

"How many units were you responsible for overseeing?"

"About five thousand units daily," she replied, her voice steady and confident. It should be, she"d spent countless hours ensuring quality.

"And the materials you worked with, what were they?"

"We worked with triphasylene derivatives and advanced quadpolynate composites," she said. "Each had its own set of challenges, from durability to temperature resilience."

"What standards and tolerances were mandated at your facility?"

"We had a range of them depending on which contract we were working on," she said, ticking off the most critical on her fingers. "We adhered to IVNO standards, specifically IVNO 18290 for quality management systems. Tolerances were tight, often not more than a hundredth of an inch. It was crucial for the components we fabricated."

He grunted an acknowledgement. "You have more experience than I expected. Perhaps you can be useful on this mission after all."

She bit back her smile.

"I"m happy to share anything that might help improve manufacturing," she said. "Earth methods may be primitive compared to Latharian technology, but we"ve learned a few tricks over the years."

He nodded. "Primitive, perhaps, but durable enough to endure. Much like your people." He gave her an assessing look. "You continue to... exceed expectations."

She inclined her head, ignoring the flush on her cheeks. "Well… thank you. Glad you approve."

He still watched her, a speculative look in his eyes.

"How is Ollie doing?"

A burst of pleasure filled her. "He"s doing great, thank you. Much better now and running me off my feet."

His stormy gaze remained fixed on her face. "Ollie"s sire. Is he… still around?"

"His sire? You mean his father?" she asked with a frown. The question had taken her by surprise. He hadn"t shown any interest in learning anything about her before. Taking a steadying breath, she shook her head. "No, Ollie"s father passed away a long time ago. It"s just the two of us."

He gave a slow nod, his eyes never leaving her face. She thought she saw a flicker of something there… Satisfaction or relief? She couldn"t tell, and it was gone before she could be sure.

"I"m sorry for your loss," he rumbled. "It cannot have been easy, on your own with a child."

She looked down, tracing a finger along the crease in her jumpsuit pants. "It had its challenges, but we"ve managed alright. Halle has been my rock, I wouldn"t have been able to cope without her."

She lifted her gaze back to meet his. "What about you? Any family on Lathar or on the station?"

His expression shuttered briefly before he answered. "No, no close family. My mother was a victim of the plague, and my father passed away during my first combat posting. I have some cousins scattered throughout the empire. One on the station."

She blinked in surprise. "Oh? Who is that?"

He slid her a look. "S"aad V"renn. A med-tech with the Mate Program. The talkative one. I"m told he"s popular with the unmated females."

She shrugged. "I"m afraid I haven"t met him. I"m not registered with the Mate Program yet, so I don"t know many Latharians outside of Halle and Kaas" circle."

One corner of his lips quirked up. "No? Why haven"t you registered yet?"

She lifted one shoulder in a small shrug. "I"ve been focused on Ollie mostly. Haven"t had time yet. Perhaps it"s time I considered it."

She held his gaze. Was he telling her that she should register? For what reason? Did he hope they would be matched? But if he was interested in her, why didn"t he just say so? As far as she understood Latharian culture, he could express a claim for her without needing to go through the Mate Program…

"The program has its benefits for both species. But the choice is yours." He turned his attention back to the console, adjusting their course.

"So I"m told," she said, shifting to get comfortable in the huge chair.

A rumbling gurgle erupted from her stomach, loud in the cockpit. She pressed a hand to her belly, heat blooming over her cheeks. "Oh my word, sorry about that."

"Why are you sorry? Your body is just telling you to eat." He glanced at her, his brow furrowing. "You require sustenance. When did you last eat?"

She gave him a sheepish look. "I was too excited about the mission to have breakfast."

He arched an eyebrow and growled in displeasure. "Yet you had time to bake… That won"t do. You are far too small to skip meals."

Levering himself from the pilot"s seat with more grace than a man that big should be capable of, he moved to a storage locker at the back of the cabin. She twisted in her seat, looking around it curiously as he pulled out a small packet and what looked like a portable heating unit. He set them both on the open door of the locker where it created a shelf to work on.

With quick, efficient motions, he tore open the packet and upended the contents—a brown, crumbly mixture—into a square bowl. A look of concentration on his face, he poured water from a container into the mixture, then slotted the bowl into the heating unit. When he tapped a button on the side the device sprang to life and a low hum filled the cabin. Within moments, a rich aroma filled the air.

"What is that?" she asked, her mouth watering at the heavenly scent.

"Field cake." He watched the bowl. "Standard combat rations, concentrated for nutritional content."

After a few seconds, he removed the bowl from the heating unit. The brown crumbs had transformed into a moist, fudgy cake that looked like chocolate lava.

He held out the bowl and offered her a spork. "Careful, it"s hot."

She took it carefully, but the bowl was cool to the touch. Balancing it in one hand, she used the other to scoop up a small bite, blowing on it before lifting it to her lips.

The flavor exploded across her tongue… it was the most exquisite rich, velvety chocolate, with gentle spicy notes she couldn"t quite place. Moist and tender, it was less cake and more mousse-like.

"Oh my god." She moaned in delight. It was heaven in a bowl, and the most decadent chocolate cake she had ever tasted. "This is incredible! I"ve never tasted anything like it."

One corner of his mouth lifted in a hint of a smile. "I"m pleased it meets your standards."

He settled back into the pilot"s seat but angled himself to face her as she ate. She savored each luxurious mouthful, the rich chocolate warming her from the inside.

When she had finished every last bite, she set the empty bowl aside with a satisfied sigh. "And that"s combat rations for you guys? I can see why, I"m absolutely stuffed… and it"s delicious!"

He nodded. "Every warrior has their own recipe and method for preparing field cake. We make the mixture ourselves… some use more water, some use less. How long you heat it for matters as well. You can eat the mixture cold if there"s no opportunity for heat. My father taught me before he passed. His cake method was legendary in our family."

She smiled at his gruff words. "He must have been a wonderful cook. My grandmother was the same. Her recipes are sacred to our family."

"You come from a line of artisans then," he said, his rumble approving.

"I wouldn"t call myself an artisan..." She ducked her head, oddly pleased by his words. It felt like something had shifted between them, just a little.

A light flashed on the console, and he looked away to tap at the controls. She sat back in her chair, biting her lip as triumph filled her.

Forget three days, she"d only needed three hours to get him to start talking to her.