Page 49 of Lunar Bound
“Lunar, please,” Poppy begged. “We need more time.”
Lunar led her away from the others. Her warmth reached for his darkness as it always had, the resonance between them vibrating at frequencies that defied measurement.
"One of us has to go. Eclipse is too weak.” He stopped short of saying Harris had screwed up. "Without intervention, the field will create a micro-singularity that will scatter them across dimensional planes."
“I don’t know what that means,” Poppy said.
"I must go," he said simply, his shadow essence reaching to brush her cheek.
"I know you think that," she whispered, tears tracking down her face.
"I think it because it must be," Lunar tried to explain.
A loud thud sounded behind him.
"Is he…?" Rowan began.
Harris was on the ground, holding his head. "Pudding."
"He's fine," Lunar dismissed.
Harris stood and stubbled in circles.
“If one of us doesn’t control the energy, the ship will be lost,” Lunar explained. “Solar, Dani, all those aboard, will die.”
“Can’t Harris…?” she tried to argue.
"A Galaxy Brides trainee cannot deliver critical intelligence," Lunar denied. "The council will dismiss him without verification from an authorized entity."
"Solar?"
“Someone needs to return with Solar. My people will not trust him if he’s alone,” Lunar persisted. "My presence will help balance his. We will both be needed if Eclipse is not there to represent neutrality."
Poppy’s eyes filled with tears. Her mouth opened to argue, but no sound came out. He felt her pain like a physical blow, her energy signature spiking with distress. She wrapped her arms around him. He felt her tremble. "You're saying you have to go."
"Yes." He hated that he was the reason for the look of sadness on her face. He tried to find the words, but human language still did not have the capacity to explain all he felt.
"But you'll come back, right?" she whispered.
"The council will require detailed testimony. As a Shadow Intelligence Specialist, my report carries authority."
"That's not an answer," Poppy insisted.
The helicopter sounds grew dangerously close, beating against the air like phaser blasts.
"I will return if possible," Lunar told Poppy. He didn't want to lie to her. But these emotions inside of him were not something he could put words to. Earth did not carry adequate phrases to make her understand. "Council protocols for intelligence matters are extensive."
"How long?" she asked, her words rushed as is she felt the seconds ticking away from them.
"Unknown."
Poppy's eyes glistened with tears, but her voice remained steady. "Then I'm coming with you."
"Not possible," Harris interjected. "Human physiology is not compatible with the extraction field. Would cause catastrophic molecular disruption!"
"He means you'd die," Lunar translated gently. "That I cannot allow."
"Fine," Poppy said to Lunar, her voice breaking. "Go and come back to me."
