Page 28 of Bonded

Ryne.

Fear wrapped its cold fingers around me, immobilizing me as I listened to a garbled message full of equal parts static and broken words. It sounded like a may day message as she was about to go down.

My friend was gone. Likely, all the faces I had seen were gone. An overwhelming sadness filled me, and I didn’t realize I was crying until Gizmo offered me a blanket. I wiped my face on the plush fur and sobbed, clutching it against my body.

Devastated, I pulled myself toward the back of the shuttle. There was a cute little bunk bed, and I wanted to wallow away in it. It was nice and small and full of soft pillows.

This must have been a storage area, or the pillows were their version of trying to get a bed together. No matter, I pulled myself into it, dragging the blanket behind me and allowing my sadness to wash over me.

VRYEK

We could finally get on our way. The ship mentioned Priya was still sleeping, so we did not want to wake her. Even Ruzan agreed she should rest.

“You should approach the station now.”

Ruzan confirmed. “We are approaching Honi Trader via the south landing.”

“Good. Based on my marks, I’m about ten minutes behind you.”

I despised this space station; it was too rundown, with the possibility of thieves and mercs around every corner. However, they at least allowed for an hourly docking rate, and they were pretty loose regarding identification materials. That was the most important part when you were piloting a ship that used to belong to a private corporation sponsored by the Intergalactic Republic.

“So, what is the plan?” Ruzan asked.

“Same as before. Ithran felt like routine would keep things running smoothly. We are going to meet up with the Kaza twins in the cantina. Hopefully, they won’t cause much trouble.”

“They better not. I want this done as quickly as possible,” Ruzan answered.

“Well, I’m sure if you are your normal persuasive self, you will get this done in record time.”

“What does that mean? All I do is stand there and look at them.”

“That’s exactly my point,” I said.

Ruzan answered with a barking laugh. Good. A confident, battle-hungry Ruzan was what I needed at the moment, not the doting mate that he was turning into. He could be one in the privacy and security of the ship, but not while on a mission.

I saw an alert on my console. It was a private video wave to me. Unusual. I hit it and as soon as Ithran came into focus, I asked, “Is everything all right, Captain?”

“Is this a closed channel?” he asked in greeting.

My pulse quickened. Something was wrong. “You know it is, Captain. What is wrong?”

“Ruzan can’t hear you, correct?”

If I hadn’t been nervous before, I became so now. I shut down the link between me and the ship. “He cannot, and I shut down our link just in case. You’re making me nervous, Captain.” The only reason the Dirsigian warrior would be this cautious and specifically refer to Ruzan would be because of our soul.

I sent a silent prayer to the ancestors that I was wrong.

“I cannot find Priya.”

My heart stuttered. “What do you mean you cannot find Priya? Where does the ship think she is?”

“That is the problem. The ship still claims she is asleep in her bunk. However, I went to look in on her, but she was not in her quarters. And before you ask, I did not go into her private space unannounced. I had one jack check it first. They found no life form in her room. Only then did I enter to see for myself.”

The captain was a blur of movement on my vid screen. He seemed to be walking through the ship. The whirr of jacks echoed his movements. “I also checked the med bay and other places. I am now following her scent. It is leading me deeper into the ship’s bowels.”

“Captain, you don’t need—”

Ithran cut me off as he came to a halt. He stared into the video, the image pristine once more. “I promised I would keep her safe. I do not know where else to check, but the ship is not worried and still insists that she is asleep.”

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