Page 91 of The Space Traveller's Lover
“It seems we can’t agree,” Rothwen mutters. “Let’s talk about this … after we finish our mission on Omega Centauri.”
Kuzhma-Or opens his curled mouth to respond, butThe Prestige’s timely broadcast interrupts him.
Stage Three, T-400, Starting Grand Fleet apex alignment.
He reluctantly backs down, his searing eyes slitting in a furious scowl as Rothwen calmly announces, “And now, if you’d excuse us, Shaillah and I would like to admire our Invincible Grand Fleet. I’ll start the next departure sequence soon after Stage Three.”
Kuzhma-Or fumes while rushing towards the flight deck’s dashboards and data holograms.
“Well, even though I was expecting it, it went beyond any of my predictions!” Athguer remarks as he follows Kuzhma-Or.
“I must admit, he planned it to the very last detail”—Kuzhma-Or seethes, looking at the sequence data; but he can’t help an annoying feeling of admiration for Rothwen—“which angle to enter the hyperspace tunnel, when to deploy the destroyer-crafts in protecting mode, the strength of the magnetic field … every single detail … to win her back!”
“You were right, My Commander. Rothwen would never give Shaillah up. And Shaillah would never give up on the humans,” Athguer notes.
“After all, Athguer, I must prioritise our goals. We can see to the humans later—now that we have them under control. What we cannot do now is replace Rothwen. If I had to choose between the largest globular cluster in our galaxy, with its millions of star systems, and a feeble yellow star with its tiny rocky planet, I must surely be inclined to go with the former.”
The supreme commander pauses as Shaillah’s desperate plea for his mercy keeps ringing into his head. Through his ancient memories, he searches for the face of the woman who once saved his life. His iron heart thumps so violently he has to tighten his chest muscles to make it slow down. Ten thousand years ago, she loved him, risked her life for him. Still, he can’t forget her. He swallows his pride as he grudgingly admits, “Besides, maybe Shaillah is right. There’s more to these humans than we care to accept.”
“Shaillah is a testament to that,” Athguer states, his deep assertive gaze fixed on Kuzhma-Or’s pondering expression.
At the side gallery’s panoramic viewport, Rothwen leans back against the smooth surface separating him from the vacuum of space.
Shaillah wraps her arms around his neck. “I am so grateful, Rothwen, for what you did.”
“I know what it means to you. In the end, I couldn’t bring myself to destroy your heart, Shaillah.”
“What will become of the Earth and the humans?”
“I completely replaced Stage One to make the destroyers-crafts protect the entire solar system against any further Rom-Ghenshar invasions. The humans are protected, not destroyed,” Rothwen gloats while exultantly smiling at her. “They’ll be able to live with the robots, understand them, even change them … who knows? Humans are so capable, so determined. I learned that from you.”
“You risked everything for me, Rothwen. I was so frightened of Kuzhma-Or’s reaction,” she says, her voice trembling with a mixture of gratitude and worry.
“But, Shaillah, we were never in any danger.” He calms her while caressing her cheeks. “He needs me more than you can imagine.”
“Does he?” Shaillah looks inquisitively at Rothwen.
“You should know this. I’m not only the Master Navigator ofThe Prestige. I’m the Master Navigator of the entire Invincible Grand Fleet!”
“Oh!” She looks at him, open-mouthed in total awe and admiration. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
“I wanted to leave all my complications behind when I was with you. But then being with you got complicated,” Rothwen admits with a bemused smile.
Stage Three, T-200, Braking sequence starting.
The stabilising vacuum waves keep drumming on the fuselage, slowing down the mothership to a braking speed while its synchrotron rings’ blue rim lights keep flashing ever faster.
Shaillah’s heart is rapidly pounding as she repeats to herself the desperate question lingering in her mind. She holds Rothwen’s face with both hands while intensely gazing at him and asking, “Why did you do it? Why did you change the sequence?”
“It took me a long time … but when you tried to leave on the scouting-craft, at that moment, I realised I was fighting for you”—he pulls her up and she wraps her legs around his hips—“Unequivocally, I wanted you. So I made the decision, there and then, that I would never … let you go.”
They keep staring at each other as if they have suddenly rediscovered their deep unbreakable bond. Rothwen takes the Quark-Star diamond from inside his uniform’s vest and places it around her neck as he keeps intensely gazing at her.
“When I look into your eyes, I see myself in the two brightest stars of this universe,” he exclaims, shaking his head, hardly believing what he is feeling, the irresistible passion taking over him.
He presses his lips fiercely against hers as if in a desperate act of futile rebellion.
But Shaillah soothes him with her gentle kisses as she speaks to him, “Say it, Rothwen. Say it. Let it flow out of your head.”
