Page 83 of Nova Academy

‘Xander, what are you doing here? Don’t you have too much to do today to visit me?’

The smile I gave her was meant to be reassuring, but it felt more like a grimace on my face. ‘Something’s come up and I have to leave the ship for a bit. I just wanted to let you know in case I come back late.’

‘Oh? What happened?’

Stop asking questions, my love, please.‘It’s nothing to worryabout.’ I made a show of checking the time on my holo-tab. ‘Look, I don’t really have the time to be down here but I just wanted to let you know. I have to get back up there, so I’ll see you later my love.’

I bent down to press a kiss to her cheek and then left to the background music of her protests. Should I have been honest and upfront with her? Maybe. I knew she would be angry when she found out, but if this meeting went south – which I had a feeling it would – then I didn’t want her to worry about me. No matter what happened I would be fine. It wasn’t like I didn’t have a place to go if everything else failed. My parents had always let me know that the family business was always there if I wanted it.

Running a café wasn’t a passion of mine, but it was a job. My parents had made a decent life from opening their own. There was no reason I couldn’t do the same.

I knew I was kidding myself, but I kept repeating those reassurances in my head whenever the doubt hit too hard. It helped me to focus.

Jorna was already waiting for me in the hangar, her posture rigid while she stood with her hands clasped behind her back and her chin held high. It might have come across as a prideful stance to anyone who didn’t know her, but I knew otherwise. I missed my friend.

She saluted me when I took my place slightly in front of her, a gesture that I returned with a nod. I usually ignored her when she behaved as if we were strangers, but today I didn’t have the energy to try to pretend everything between us was okay.

I lifted my holo-tab in front of my face and spoke clearly for it to pick up my words. ‘Open hangar doors,’ I commanded, and the click and whirl of the locks disengaging sounded followed by a whoosh of wind that ruffled my hair and clothes when the doors first parted.

An entire precinct worth of enforcement officers were waiting on the other side, prepared to board. The chief, an exceptionallylarge, emerald green Tornu by the name of Kir Pemmel, stepped forward first, reaching out to clasp my hand inside his larger one.

‘Captain Hironimus. It is a pleasure to see you,’ he said, his voice the same gravelly bass I remembered so well.

Though my smile was strained, it was genuine. ‘If only it were under different circumstances,’ I told him.

Right hand still encasing mine, he clapped his free hand over my shoulder and squeezed gently. The action was familiar and achieved the desired effect of loosening some of the tension that had been building for so long now. Kir was here, and he was going to help me. I wasn’t doing this alone anymore.

‘There is much to discuss,’ he said, gesturing for his people to come on board.

‘Ah, actually my friend, I’ll be leaving you to have that discussion with my first lieutenant. I have an urgent matter to attend to,’ I informed him.

He frowned, his forehead crinkling as the skin was pulled lower. ‘What kind of matter?’

‘Nothing to do with the situation on board The Carina, Kir,’ I assured him.

He didn’t look convinced, but he let it go. ‘Then come see me when yoururgent matterhas been tended to, and we shall talk over drinks.’

That got a grin from me. ‘Sounds like a plan.’

It was when the new passengers had all boarded that I noticed the other man waiting outside, his black monochrome attire blending into the sea of people at the docking gate, but a beacon to me.

‘On that note, I must leave you to it. Kalsur, you can take it from here.’ Jorna was quite obviously confused by my sudden departure but didn’t dispute it. I waved at Kir as I left, then moved towards the man in black.

‘Captain,’ he greeted me. ‘Please follow me.’

He didn’t wait for me to accept the command before he turned on his heel and walked away with long but fast strides. I matched his pace, keeping up easily enough, but I knew he only did it to test my physical capabilities. We’d done this song and dance before.

We veered through the streets, taking the back alleys deeper and deeper into the underbelly of the city until we came to a stop outside a nondescript door. The building was hidden away from most viewpoints, which made it the ideal spot for a clandestine meeting.

The man in black tapped his knuckles against the door in a pattern, three knocks in quick succession followed by one, and then another two. Six knocks for the six stars that decorated the colonel’s chest. The door opened on silent hinges to reveal none other than the colonel herself, which caused my internal alarms to start blaring.

The colonel never greeted guests at the door, which meant this was more serious than I had previously believed, and I had no idea where I came into it.

‘Get in,’ she hissed. ‘Quickly.’

We did, and while I kept going until I was in the centre of the small space, the man in black remained by the door, standing guard.

‘This way, Alexander,’ the colonel gestured for me to follow her. The shock factor even greater when she used my given name was quickly chased by the sinking sensation of dread in the pit of my stomach. Our relationship had never been informal, so did her dropping my title and rank mean I no longer had it?

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