Page 35 of Possessed By the Dragon Alien
Madrian unclipped himself and, in the gravity-free space, floated down to her. He reached over and took her hand. His fingers were warm and strong, and when he smiled at her, she saw a spark of light in his eyes.
“I heard your instincts are never wrong,” he said teasingly.
She leaned forward. “Where did you hear that?”
“From a very wise female,” he said. “She’s right about most things, although her taste in male companions is questionable.”
“Shut up, Madrian,” she teased right back, before plucking at the safety straps. “Can you get me out of this? I want to see the stars.”
He obliged her by unclipping her, and together they glided to the front of the ship where they crowded Rien by clustering at the curvedplastoidthat separated them from the cold abyss of space.
Nena pressed her hand against the clear surface, her breath catching in her throat. Outside, the stars sparkled in all directions. She’d never seen them so clear, so brilliant, and unmarred by Central’s dome or the purple-streaked atmospheric field that had always filtered the sky.
Back on Settlement 112-1, she’d spent countless nights staring up at the stars through the ever-present haze. Even then, they’d brought her peace. But at the settlements, a swirling storm had dominated the sky, obscuring the stars from view. Through it, Axis ships would come and go. She knew now thatit was a massive wormhole, but the swirling darkness was so immense and constant, the Terians believed it was some kind of eternal storm. Now, she could see it for what it really was—the Axis’ gateway between worlds.
But the stars…the stars wereexactlyas she’d always imagined they would be. Pure points of light against the infinite black, each one a distant sun with worlds of its own. Her chest filled with something she’d never felt before. Not just peace, but freedom.Realfreedom.
For the first time in her life, nothing stood between her and the vast universe beyond.
Somewhere out there were people she loved, answers they needed, and the chance to build something better than what they’d left behind.
It would be dangerous. It would be difficult.
But they’d face it together.
And for now, that was enough.
EIGHTEEN
Madrian tried to ignore the way his body still hummed with residual combat energy. The engagement with the pursuit craft had been brief, but his muscles remained coiled with readiness. Old habits.
“Stealth cloak is holding,” Rien said from the pilot’s seat. Her fingers moved across the console with practiced efficiency. “We’re invisible to all sensors. I set a heading, but we don’t have a destination, yet, so we’re just…going.”
That worked for him. Through the viewport, space looked empty except for distant stars. No sign of Axis Central or the ships they’d left trapped behind the dome shields. For the first time in longer than he could remember, Madrian felt truly free of surveillance. And it was the strangest, most untethered he’d ever felt in his life. “Good. Thank you, Rien.”
Rien looked surprised to hear the thank-you, and he supposed it was something he didn’t say very often in his life as a high chancellor. She said nothing as she pulled up a tactical display. “I’m accessing my network. Give me a fewpiksto reach my contacts.”
Nena had moved to one of the side stations, likely not to crowd Rien’s navigation space. She still stared out at the starswith wonder in her eyes. The sight of her made something warm settle in his chest. She belonged out here, far away from the cold corridors of Axis Central.
“Your network,” he said to Rien. “How extensive is it?”
Rien’s hands paused over the controls. When she looked back at him, her expression was carefully neutral. “Extensive enough.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“No, it’s not.” She turned fully in her seat to face him. “Because the real answer is complicated.”
Madrian felt his tactical instincts sharpen. During theirmig-cycles working together, he’d learned to read Rien’s moods. She was nervous now, but not afraid. More like someone preparing to reveal a carefully guarded secret.
“Explain,” he said. Then added, “Please.”
Rien glanced at Nena, who had turned to listen. “Perhaps it’s time you both knew the truth. I’m not loyal to the Axis. Haven’t been for a long time.”
The words hung in the air between them. Madrian processed the statement, running through hundreds of interactions and trying to recall any signs he’d missed. There had been small things, like her reactions to certain orders, or the way she sometimes hesitated before relaying intelligence reports. He’d attributed it to professional caution.
“How long?” he asked.
“A while.” Rien’s voice was steady. “Since they obliterated the Kesari Station.”
