25. Astrid

25

ASTRID

The woman from station security came through. I still didn't know her name, and I hadn't seen her since she helped us save Alice. But I was sitting in front of a special arrival bay with a scowling Commander Henner speaking on the comm to the ship that was only a few minutes away.

I squeezed Zyrus's hand, feeling the warmth of his skin against mine. A pang of longing hit me as I thought of our absent friend. "I wish Alice was here to see this," I murmured, my eyes fixed on the arrival bay.

Zyrus's deep voice rumbled beside me. "I'm sure she's happy to be heading towards her family." His words were reassuring.

"I hope so." But I couldn't imagine leaving the station without saying goodbye to the people I'd spent the last ten years surviving with.

There was a rumble, and the outer doors of the station shuddered and opened, revealing a ground transport ship hovering outside the entrance. It slowly inched forward until the doors closed behind it, and its landing gears came out before it set down.

My people were finally home.

Or, well, not home, exactly, but no longer stranded without hope of escape.

A med team hustled towards the cargo bay door, their equipment clattering as they rushed inside the transport. The minutes dragged on, each second feeling like an eternity as we waited for any sign of movement. Even the station security crew who had run this retrieval mission remained out of sight.

My heart pounded, and I found myself holding my breath, straining to catch any sound or glimpse of what was happening within the ship. The air felt thick with tension, and I could sense Zyrus shifting uneasily beside me.

And then Maddie and her parents stepped off the ship, and I could finally take a deep breath. Maddie was nine years old, one of the first kids born in our little settlement. And if there was ever a child with a hundred parents, it was her.

Then there was Solara. Galen. Kai. Rook and his family. I counted them all off in my head, a mental census to ensure that everyone really was there.

Davis was the last off the ship, limping and leaning on a cane made from a sturdy branch. That was new.

Zyrus squeezed my hand one last time before releasing it. I sprang into action, my heart racing as I darted past the handful of station security personnel who stood at attention, their presence more for show than necessity.

Ignoring their watchful eyes, I pushed through the secure door. The metallic hiss of the door closing behind me barely registered as I sprinted towards my people, my feet carrying me faster than I thought possible. The familiar faces before me blurred as tears of relief welled in my eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.

A whoop of joy pierced the air, echoing through the arrival bay. I couldn't pinpoint its source, but it sparked a chain reaction of elation among the reunited group.

Before I knew it, arms enveloped me from all directions. The embrace felt like it came from a hundred people at once, their warmth and relief palpable. Tears flowed freely, mingling with laughter and exclamations of disbelief. The emotional whirlwind swept us up, blending joy at our reunion with the raw ache of loss for those who didn't survive. Amid the chaos of hugs and tearful greetings, I caught glimpses of hope in their eyes—a tentative optimism for what lay ahead. The cacophony of voices and sensations overwhelmed me, yet I clung to each moment, imprinting every detail in my memory.

It was all there in a miasma of people who had once lost everything and now had a chance at going home.

We were herded farther into the station so the crew could clear the transport ship, and I finally made my way to Davis. "How'd that happen?"

He narrowed his eyes and scowled. "Rabbit hole."

I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. "You're supposed to look where you step."

"A few weeks on this station and you've gone soft." Then we were both smiling and hugging, and the years of strife fell away for at least a little while.

A few crew members were waving the survivors forward and taking down names as well as handing out rooming assignments.

"They've cleaned up Sector J for you," I told Davis, trying to keep any thoughts of Vastrien or what happened there off my face. "Plenty of space, plenty of warm water and food you don't have to kill yourself. It took Alice a bit to get in touch with her people, but I'm thinking things will get a little easier now."

"They stranded us down there for an extra month. What makes you so optimistic?"

I shrugged. "Sometimes things do go right."

He didn't look convinced.

I spent hours talking to whoever I could, catching up on what had happened since I left, assuring people that Alice was alright, and explaining the room situation.

I had missed this.

I'd been a leader on Nebula, someone my people came to when they needed help. It mostly meant putting out fires—sometimes literally—but it also meant making sure our meals were prepared, that people were doing jobs they were suited for, that we were patrolling our territory to keep the smugglers away. I'd been so busy down there that I almost hadn't had time to feel a decade passing.

Things were different now, but I wasn't going to give this up.

And as I talked and laughed and grieved with my people, I made a vow to myself that I would make sure everyone got what they needed. Whether that was a ride off of this station to a family back home or a job here so they could stay or anything else that we could dream up together.

We were together again, and anything was possible.

And then there was my mate.

He'd wandered off. After several hours of reacquainting myself with my people, catching up on their struggles and triumphs, I finally broke away from the crowd. My feet carried me back to my quarters, where I found Zyrus hunched over a tablet, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the screen.

The soft glow illuminated his face, highlighting the intense concentration in his eyes. More reflex-building games, I assumed, watching him for a moment. Reflex building games, he called them. But I recognized the furrowed brow of a man trying for a high score.

After another moment, he looked up. "You're back." He said it with a smile. Those smiles were still rare, a precious gift. I hoped I would see more of them, the longer we were together. I'd savor every one.

"I'm back. Everyone's getting settled. And they're all exhausted. I have a feeling almost everyone is going to fall asleep as soon as they get to their quarters. But I'll be busy helping them soon enough." It was a warning. I wasn't going to ask permission, but I didn't want my mate to think I was ignoring him.

He rose from his seat and drew me into his arms, his warmth enveloping me. The familiar scent of him—a mix of metal and something uniquely alien—filled my senses. "You have your responsibilities," he murmured, his breath tickling my ear. "And I have mine. I wouldn't expect any less from you."

I leaned into him for a moment, savoring the brief respite before duty called again. Then I pulled back slightly, meeting his gaze. "Speaking of your responsibilities …" I trailed off, thinking of what he'd told me about Kyric, the new Detyen who'd arrived on the station just two days ago. The situation with the newcomer had been weighing on my mind, another potential complication in our already complex lives.

"He's still not talking. Drex says everyone's like this in their first days, but I don't remember. Was I really like that?"

I reached up and traced my finger over his cheekbone, cupping his face. The warmth of his skin seeped into my palm, a reminder of how close we'd come to losing this. "It meant that you survived long enough to find me," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. The weight of those years apart hung between us, but I pushed it aside. "I can never be sorry for that. Not when it brought us here, together." My heart raced, the urgency of our connection thrumming through my veins. We'd overcome so much, and I was determined to face whatever came next, side by side.

His lips crashed against mine, and I surrendered to the kiss, my body melting into his embrace. When he lifted me up, I clung to him, my arms wrapping tightly around his neck. My fingers traced the contours of his muscular shoulders, marveling that this incredible creature was all mine. The heat of his skin seeped through our clothes, igniting a fire within me. As we broke apart for air, I gazed into his eyes, now tinged with red, a testament to the intensity of his emotions. My heart raced, and I knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, we would face them together.

"I love you, Astrid." His voice was soft, as though he feared the words might spook if he said them too loud.

"I love you too."

I kissed him again. Without fear. Full of hope. Certain, finally, that this was exactly where I belonged.