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“He did help, I think,” Samuel said. “If not for him, there may not be a way to find the young lady.”

Quin didn’t even respond, he just continued out of the residence, not uttering a single other word.

Ba Re’ smiled at Vivian.

“I think you’re brilliant! You did the best thing by helping her,” Vivian said.

Ba Re’ went from a smile to a wide grin. “That’s what Elisha said. I knew she’d be proud.”

“And that’s why you did it, right?” Vivian asked.

“Kind of. It was the right thing to do regardless, but making Elisha proud is the only reason I ever do anything anymore. Well, that and when I get to train with Rokai.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you got a chance to return to the ship and serve with Rokai before too much longer,” Vivian said with a chuckle.

“I hope you’re right, Sirena. I mean no offense, but I am anxious to return to my brothers in the Elite forces.”

“And Elisha?” Vivian asked. “I have not had much chance to speak with her since arriving because of everything with Alexandrus. What does she want?”

“She’d like to return to the ship as well where she can serve as an interpreter.”

“Can’t she do that here?” Vivian asked.

“She can, and will to some extent, but they know her aboard the ship and she is very, very respected. She is called upon often to serve there where as here, there are others who have worked in that capacity for a very long time,” Ba Re’ said.

“I understand. Well, I make no promises and I’d hate to see you both go, simply because I love you. You’re family to me, too. But if that’s where you honestly wish to be, I’ll see what I can manage to make Quin understand. I know he wanted to see to retraining you himself, but it’s clear to me in the way that you jumped in to help with security when everything blew up that you still instinctively know what it is you need to do. Besides, you were training with the Elite forces before we decided to move to Cruestace.”

“Thank you, Sirena.”

“You’re welcome,” Vivian said.

“I’ll be in my quarters if he wishes to bellow some more,” Ba Re’ said, unable to contain the smirk that crept back onto his face.

“I’ll let him know.”

Chapter 29

Quin tried Rokai multiple times and got no response. He didn’t want to make the fact that Ba Re’ had helped Mirilla before they knew she was safe common knowledge by relaying the information he’d been given to just anyone, so simply calling the ship was out of the question. He didn’t even want Bart to know that Ba Re’ had had a way to track Mirilla all this time. Regardless of the whats and whys, Ba Re’ was still his oldest friend, and he loved him. As far as he was concerned, no one but he and Ba Re’ would ever know Ba Re’ was responsible for helping her get off the planet.

Thinking on it for only a second or two longer, he made a decision and contacted the ship. As soon as he recognized the voice answering his com, he pressed the button for vidcom. His image flashed onto the screen of the Communications Master on the Command Deck aboard Command Warship 1. He resisted the urge to smile when the male on the other end of his vidcom realized who was on his screen and began trying to get out of his chair to properly salute.

Quin simply held a finger up in front of his lips and shook his head.

Vennie looked around to be sure that no one noticed him accepting the communication, then he went through the necessary processes to move the vidcom from the main communication system to his personal mobile communicator. He managed to get out of his chair and squelched across the floor to the doors that granted entrance to the command deck.

He made a show of grumbling, which he usually did, so that no one would suspect anything as he left the command deck. He squelched along until he reached the lift and stepped onto it. The moment the doors slid closed he pressed the speaker. “Missy,please stop the lift and stop listening or recording any verbal communication on this lift until I step off of it.”

“Yes, Vennie.”

He lifted the hand still holding his personal communicator and tapped it to wake it up.

“I’m ready, Sire. I am alone in the lift. I’ve ordered Missy to stop all monitoring and recording. What is it that I can do for you?”

“I need to speak with Gaishon. Privately. And I need all traces of this vidcom to disappear.”

“Of course, Sire. I will go to him right now. Should I give him a message, or do you wish to do so yourself?”

“I’ll speak to him myself.”

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