Galactic Gambit

Chapter 27

According to Sirah, Mahina was an exo-moon that was currently in orbit around a gas giant in the Chronos nebula. The journey there would be pushing the limits of her ship, and her fuel capacity, but she knew she didn't have a choice. Saving Pax was worth it. They refueled on Cenus, and Neo gave Sirah the option of staying or coming with. She told her that she couldn't stay, and the way she went about telling her, told Neo that she was running from someone or something, but nevertheless, Neo was glad to have her come along. She needed her connection to whoever they were going to be meeting on Mahina to help Pax.

The entire span of the journey, Pax had not settled down, and Neo worried that he was injuring himself in the process of all his rage and thrashing, but the fact that he was still going was a positive. In the distance, she could see the turquoise gas giant, and floating just in front of it was Mahina. A tiny little thing in comparison, but she was relieved that they made it, and rushed to land. They landed during nightfall, so they decided to wait until morning to venture out for help. It was dark, but the night still held a deep emerald glow that she could just make out the shape of trees through the window. She was anxiously waiting for morning, and she was full of regret and worry. Not that she didn't love Asa, but she still felt bad for the way things happened with Pax, and she didn't want him to die with the way things were between them.

There was a knock at her door, as she stood by the porthole window staring out. "Come in," she said, not taking her eyes off the dark view. The door opened and Asa walked in with two glasses in his hands.

"Captain," he said with a smirk. Neo turned from the window, her heart fluttering as it usually did when she laid eyes on him. "I figured you would still be up, so I thought I would try to help," he said as he held out a glass to her. She brought it under her nose, breathing in deeply.

The scent was slightly familiar, but she couldn't place it. "What's this?"

His smirk deepened into a mischievous grin. "Oblivion," he stated.

"Oh, no. I'm not drinking that stuff again," Neo asserted as she set the glass on her desk.

Asa laughed as he said, "Trust me. This won't mess you up like last time. I told you; it's meant to be added. Small doses are the key."

She looked at him warily. "I swear, if I throw up, I'm going to make sure it's on you."

He put his hand on his heart, smiling as he said, "I promise you won't."

She took a seat in her chair and took a sip. He had mixed it with rum and diluted it with Whip Slapp, and honestly, the flavor was better than she expected.

"It's good, isn't it?" he said as he sat on the sofa.

She shrugged, "It's not bad." She swirled the ice and stared into her glass. Her worry had been persistent since they left Cenus, and she didn't know if she would ever be able to make things right with Pax, to tell him the truth about everything, and no amount of alcohol would erase that feeling.

"He's going to be okay, Neo." Asa said, as if sensing her emotions.

"You don't know that for sure though. You know what she said. None of this is guaranteed to fix him—it's just a chance," she replied as she fought against her own emotions.

"If anyone is going to beat this thing—it's him. He's strong, and he's a fighter. Maybe not as strong as me," he said with a teasing smile, trying to lighten the heaviness that she felt. "But he is strong. I can't say that I'm not worried too, but I know he's going to pull through this."

"I hope you're right. I don't want him to die hating me."

Asa set his drink on the floor beside his boot, and said, "Come here, I'm going to tell you a story." Neo stood, leaving her drink on the desk and walked to the sofa. Asa caught her hand as she went to sit beside him and pulled her into his lap.