Page 4 of Breakaway
"The Intergalactic Alliance is hiring us?" Skia asks, his voice rough. It's always on the gruff side, but he also doesn't talk very often. Isha always has enough to say for the two of them anyway.
"The woman is a witness in a human smuggling trial," I tell them, knowing it'll be enough to get at least one, if not both, of them over their unease of having to witness the woman go through her heat and be in her mind for it. We've all been to Rythar at some point or another, so we're all acutely aware of just how intense some of their thoughts can be.
Most species are terrible at keeping their minds locked down. They never needed to learn how to keep a shield around their thoughts since there was never a threat that someone like us would come along with the ability to hear everything they're thinking. Sombrans are taught from a young age to lock things down, to keep others from infiltrating their minds. We don't get our abilities until we're close to adulthood, but other Sombrans can get into our minds if we don't learn how to protect them. It's second nature to us, and unless we want to share, we don't. Other species haven't quite learned the benefit of the skill.
Skia's shadows wrap tight around his torso, almost comically trying to protect him from what he's about to agree to. "I can handle the human."
Isha lets out a long breath, her shadows falling around her to pool on the ground. They're all relieved they don't have to go through it. I don't blame them.
Sombrans have no interest in romantic relationships at all until we find the other half of our soul. Once we find them, though, we realize everything we've been missing out on. Or, at least that's what we've all been told growing up.
"I'm guessing you're taking the other job?" Isha asks, pressing her lips tight together as she glares at Kolos, who is already wagging his eyebrows like he's planning on doing something to get under her skin as soon as Skia and I are off the ship.
"I am," I tell them. "I was requested specifically. I'll be leaving the ship in about an hour. Skia, your job will be here in about three weeks. You can stay in the safe house as soon as you want, but once you're down there, don't come back until the job is done."
He gives me a short nod before returning his attention to his comm to go over everything he needs to know about his client. Knowing him, he's going to pack up a bag, some books, and head out shortly after I do. He enjoys his solitude, and if he wasn't as powerful as he is, I have no doubt he'd be living his life on some remote mountain on Sombra.
"You're going to watch a pop star?" Kolos asks, his laughter barely hidden in his tone. "When you said you were requested specifically, I thought it would at least be something serious."
"A woman is being stalked and harassed, her home was broken into, and her belongings were violated," I snap at Kolos, his face heating with embarrassment now that he's realized he's gone too far. He does that sometimes, but thankfully, he's never been so proud as to not apologize.
"Sorry, I didn't mean she doesn't deserve to feel safe, I just, you don't normally work these kinds of jobs."
He's not wrong. I usually spend most of my time vetting cases for the others, or on the off chance I'm expected to work, it's an interplanetary dignitary or some top-ranking Intergalactic Alliance lawmaker that I'm watching over. I haven't worked a lower-level job like this one since the first few years of starting this business. But I was asked for a favor, and since I don't get many of those from my family on Earth, I took the job without question.
Kolos isn't the only one interested in what makes this job so special. Skia looks unaffected, but Isha is staring at me, waiting for me to explain why I'm going to Earth. My shadows curl up my pant legs like dark smoke, tightening against the fabric as they cling to me, attempting to climb up my body even though they've been told repeatedly to stop acting up.
Go. Now. Leave. Find. Go. Need.
I ignore their incessant thoughts as the shadows scramble for purchase on my clothing. They try to force themselves up, no matter how much I'm trying to push them back down.
All Sombrans have shadows, the part of us that allows us into others' minds. They're separate from our own consciousness, but they're always there, always talking, always making sure we're aware they are part of us. I've never lived life without their short overlapping thoughts interrupting my own, and I've never thought of what life would be like if I didn't have them. Not to mention, the fact that I have them is precisely why I've been able to create this life for me and my crew.
When my shadows refuse to do as they're told and relax, I shake my head and allow them to do whatever it is they want to do because fighting them isn't worth it right now. They immediately climb my body, some of them perching and falling from my shoulders before scrambling back up, others twining around my throat and seeping up over my head through my hair that's tied back. They're in an overly optimistic mood today.
I let out a sigh and tell the others why I'm headed down to Earth before they can start asking questions about why my shadows are acting up. I'd love to give them a reason, but even I don't know what has them so worked up. It's one of the reasons I'm going down to Earth. They started acting like this after we read over the file for the human woman we're requested to protect while she deals with the whole stalking situation.
"I received a request to watch over a pop star who goes by the name Empress. Based on the intake paperwork, her information was recently released to the public, and she and her agent weren't prepared for it. She's been anonymous and famous at the same time, and it caught up with her before she had safety precautions in place. Three days ago, someone broke into her apartment and defiled some of her belongings and took others. Her agent specifically asked for me to be there."
"Was it your mom?" Isha asks, and I give her a quick nod. Kolos isn't the only one with a human mother, though I see mine more frequently than Kolos sees his.
"Things should be easy enough. She has three Lokan bodyguards already, so I'm just there as extra security. If I need backup for any reason, I'll contact Isha."
"How far will you be from the safe house?" Skia asks, looking up from his comm.
"Too far for you to be who I call," I tell him, laughing internally when he gives me a quick nod and returns to his own job.
"Heat security." Kolos shakes his head in Skia's direction, already bored with bothering me. His smug smile reappears now that his chastisement from earlier has worn off. "As if I didn't need more reasons not to want to go to Earth."
Isha rolls her eyes, "Are you still on about that girl?"
"That girl?" Kolos gasps like he's been injured, and I just shake my head. At least they waited until the briefing was over before starting up their nonsense.
Skia doesn't even say goodbye as he walks out of the room. He heads out, still reading over the information we have for the human woman he'll be watching over. I'm glad he was the one to take on that job. Not that I don't trust Isha to do a good job or be respectful, but her way of working with people is different than Skia's.
"If I have to hear about your heartbreaking rejection one more–"
The door slides shut behind me, leaving Isha and Kolos to continue their bickering. It'll be some variation of the same argument we've heard time and time again. Not that I don't sympathize with Kolos, but the man has made it difficult to feel too bad for him when he spends his free time attempting to sleep with as many species as he can. Once a Sombran meets their mate, they start feeling the desire to be with them in all ways, and since Kolos was rejected before bonding to his, he's free to do as he pleases.
