Galactic Gale

Chapter Thirty-Six

Behind Closed Lips

Paradise was gone.

Obliterated by the Celestial Watch or the King during the small war, no one aboard Retch's cruiser seemed to have the right answer.

All that was left of Retch's precious station was a few scraps. Alex claimed it was the Watch who had taken it out, that Commander Zuccard Gray and his fleet had made sure Paradise was lost in the commotion. Cyre claimed the station was taken out by one of Kallhan's waste balls. Everyone had their own story.

Talk of Paradise had distracted the crew and Kael had made no attempts to steer their conversation back to its previous topic. For the time being, he welcomed any talk aside from that concerning Kallhan and the Gundru under his command.

He did not dare to say it, but Kael firmly believed Paradise had fallen due to the attacks from the King's small gunners. The station had hardly been firmly built. But to suggest so would insult their host. A station so perfect it had been named Paradise could not have been destroyed by such simple means – not in Retch's mind, anyway.

The cruiser was crawling through the First Region. Escaping the remaining Celestial Watch vessels had been easy enough for the Red Runner pilots. Kael didn't doubt it was something they were not accustomed to doing daily.

Amara sat in her captain's chair, swinging back and forth. Redness lingered around her eyes, but she was well and more than willing to fight with anyone who requested she retreated to her quarters for rest.

"Captain on deck," Alex said, saluting to Retch as he entered the Rapid's head. He had two of his Red Runners flanking him, but their weapons were holstered. His hair was drawn back, and he was wearing his second suit of the day; a crisp white shirt with a blood-red jacket and waistcoat.

Kael, having not been given the chance to clean up, shifted self-consciously on the floor. He kicked some playing cards under Meri's abandoned boots before Retch could catch sight of them. The last thing Kael wanted was to be drawn into a game with Retch.

Had the Rapid not been dependent upon Retch's massive cruiser for a place to lay low whist being repaired, Alex's comment would not have been allowed to go unchallenged. There was only ever one captain of the Rapid and she was currently spinning on her chair.

Since they had dropped onto Retch's cruiser, Amara and Kael had spoken little. They had remained on the hallway floor until Alex had threatened them into moving. Somehow, they had made it to the Rapid.

The sleek ship had been picked up by the cruiser thanks to Alex's presence onboard and the crew had enjoyed the luxuries of Retch's finest ship. They had even been promised a safe drop-off.

It seemed Retch appreciated Alex more than the young woman had allowed Kael to believe.

Kael had caught Amara alone in Rapid's cargo hold just long enough to ask her why the blackhole had taken them here. She had only shrugged and muttered something about trying to direct them towards the Rapid. Indeed, they had only landed one floor above where their ship was being held.

He let his eyes slide towards his captain.

Swinging on her chair, Amara showed no sign that she was frightened or concerned or even pleased with what had happened. She had achieved the impossible. Space jumping alone was a legendary deed, whispered in fables.

Kael could only imagine the stories that would come of what Amara had done. How she had teleported them without a ship shielding their bodies.