Page 16 of Surrendering the Skies

“Walker’s not letting me go with you. Not for the whole time anyway.” Her shoulders slumped and she leaned against the closed door. “He’ll let me attend the funeral, but then I have to turn around and fly right back.”

His mouth twitched to one side. “It’s better than nothing.”

“Barely.” She debated telling him about the rest of her conversation with the admiral and then decided against it. “I hate the thought of you traveling alone at a time like this.”

“I’ll manage. We all will, somehow.” Bending over, he set his bag on the floor. “If you’re not coming now, though, I hope you won’t mind if I leave tonight.”

“No, of course not.” Pushing off the door, Geneva crossed the room and wrapped her hands around one of his. “Go, do what you need to do. If you want, I can send a message to Marcus, and my mother, and anyone else we can think of. Anything I can do to help.”

“Thank you.” Ash nudged his luggage with his foot. “I think I’m just about packed, so I should probably make arrangements for the shuttle.”

She folded her arms around his waist, nestling her cheek against his chest. “I love you,” she said, her voice partially muffled. “I know I don’t say it enough, but you know that, right?”

“I do.” He returned the embrace for another moment then stepped away. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

She closed her eyes as his lips brushed against hers in a quick farewell kiss. “Have a safe trip.”

Chapter Eight

“Now entering the Caloray star system. Destination: Dorann. Dorann, the third planet of the system, is known for—”

Groping around, Geneva slammed her hand on the button to mute the automated announcement. The monotone voice had awakened her, and she stretched out her arms and legs as much as she could in the cramped shuttle. Yawning, she checked the travel system’s display for an estimated time of arrival.

Efforts to make herself look presentable proved a challenge in the small space, but she was determined to make a good impression on Ash’s family. After shedding her clothes and stuffing them into her knapsack, she wrestled with a pair of dark pantyhose, taking care not to tear the delicate fabric. She unzipped the hanging garment bag holding her dress uniform and wiggled into the stiff black jacket and skirt. Smoothing out any wrinkles would have to wait until she was able to stand.

She brushed out her hair and arranged it into a neat bun at the back of her head. Afraid to move around too much lest she disrupt any of her preparations, she sat up straight on the seat and looked out the window. The green-blue orb of Dorann loomed ahead of the shuttle. Anticipation knotted in her stomach and made her jiggle one foot against the floor. Communication from Ash had been sparse, which she understood, and she couldn’t wait to see him again and offer him the support he deserved.

The spaceport stood in the center of an open field, with nothing but emerald-green grass and rolling hills stretching in every direction as far as the eye could see. Geneva would have appreciated an extra minute to take in the serene beauty of the landscape, so different from her urban home planet, but obligations beckoned to her. Slinging her knapsack over one shoulder, she disembarked from the shuttle and made her way toward the terminal. As she navigated through the wide building, she tugged back her sleeve and tapped some buttons on her wrist communicator.

Outside the terminal, the ride she’d arranged waited at the curb, suspended several inches off the ground. After greeting the driver and confirming her destination, she slid into the backseat of the hovercar. The verdant scenery whizzed past the windows as they zoomed down the street. She composed a quick message to Ash to inform him of her upcoming arrival then sat back to take in some of the views.

The site of the memorial service was a one-story brick building at the edge of a tranquil pond. White birds glided through the water, swimming around clumps of tall reeds swaying in the wind. It was a nice enough spot for such an event, Geneva thought, the location likely chosen in an attempt to grant visitors some sort of peace. She confirmed her electronic payment to the driver and exited, heading toward the main entrance.

Inside, she dropped her bag onto a table in one corner and looked around for Ash. He stood in the front of the room with a small group of people, wearing a uniform similar to hers. She lingered near the windows to wait for an appropriate opportunity to make her presence known, but as soon as he spotted her, he excused himself from any ongoing conversation and made a beeline for her.

“I’m glad you made it,” he said, sweeping her up in a crushing hug. “It’s so good to see you.”

“I got here as soon as I could.” She drew back to study him. “How are you holding up?”

His brow creased and he shrugged. “Ups and downs, I guess. Sometimes I think I’m okay…and then I feel anything but okay a minute later.”

“I wish I had something better than the usual platitudes to offer,” she said, frowning.

“You being here is plenty.” Ash took her elbow and tugged her toward where he’d been standing a moment ago. “Come on, let me introduce you to everybody.”

“Now? Are you sure?”

The tension in his face lessened, though he didn’t manage a full smile. “Well, if you’re going to be spending the night at our home, you have to meet them eventually. It’ll be fine. Let’s go.”

She breathed a quiet sigh of relief at the return of some of his usual lightheartedness. With his hand still on her arm, he led her across the room and positioned her in front of a short, dark-haired woman. “Hey, Mom, look who’s here.”

Geneva offered what she hoped was a sympathetic smile. “Mrs. Ashford, I’m so sorry about your husband,” she said. “It’s great to finally meet you in person, though I wish it could have been under better circumstances.”

“Please, call me Bridget.” Striking blue eyes, a common familial trait, looked her over as she took Geneva’s hands in hers. “Thank you for flying all the way out here. I know it must have been a long trip.”

“I would have loved to have gotten here sooner, but I hope A—I mean, George explained our regulations about leave time and everything.”

“There’s no need to apologize,” she said. “I appreciate it nonetheless, and I’m sure it means a lot to my son, too.”

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