In the Wake of Stars

Chapter 18: Back to Business

The ship was alive with the steady hum of preparation. Nora and Cal had barely a moment to breathe after saying goodbye to Olsen, but there was no time to dwell. The chart on the holo-display showed the asteroid belt looming in their path, with just over thirty hours before they’d reach the edge. Cal’s in-depth piloting experience meant he’d be responsible for navigating the Endeavor through the treacherous field, and he looked as cocky as ever, barely glancing at the blinking coordinates.

“So,” he drawled, watching Nora’s meticulous organization of the supplies list. “Ready to move some real weight, princess?”

Nora rolled her eyes, ignoring him. “We have a ton of gear to test and transfer to the descent module. If you’re not going to be useful, at least stay out of my way.”

Cal smirked, picking up the list she’d created. “Surface drills, pop-up greenhouse, habitat modules, transmission towers... Hope you didn’t sprain anything typing it all up.”

“Ha ha,” she muttered, already making her way to the lower deck storage area. They had a full array of supplies packed precisely for the mission—the equipment they’d need to start a functioning colony on the surface of their destination planet, as soon as they deployed the Endeavor to orbit like a high-tech ISS above them. But right now, with only the two of them to do the grunt work, the gear felt more like a mountain than a lifeline.

When she reached the storage area, the scale of what they were moving really hit her. Hover platforms were lined up, but the crates and equipment they needed to load onto them were massive, requiring both finesse and muscle. Nora squared her shoulders, testing the weight of one of the cases labeled *Terrain Vehicle Parts*.

The case didn’t budge.

She leaned back, scanning for an alternate grip, and pushed again with all her strength. The case inched forward, but she felt her arms trembling.

“You’re going to throw your back out like that,” Cal commented from behind her, hands on his hips as he watched her with that infuriatingly smug look. “Move aside.”

She spun to face him. “I don’t need your help.”

“Really? Because it looks like this crate is winning.” Cal nudged her shoulder playfully as he took her place. With a roll of his shoulders, he grasped the edge of the case and lifted it with ease, setting it onto the hover platform with one swift motion. He flashed her a smirk. “It’s all in the technique.”

Nora clenched her jaw, refusing to let him get under her skin. “I could’ve done it. You didn’t have to step in.”

“Sure you could’ve,” he replied, leaning in a little too close. “But you’d still be here until next week. Someone’s got to make sure we’re not late to the asteroid belt.”

Ignoring his cocky grin, she turned her focus back to the list, hauling smaller equipment and supplies onto another hover platform. She could feel Cal’s gaze following her every time she wrestled with a crate, watching her with that amused glint as he effortlessly lifted the heavier gear. By the time they’d loaded half the equipment, she could feel the burn in her arms, the sweat sticking her hair to her forehead.

As they reached the larger items—the pop-up habitat, solar panels, and the terrain vehicle parts—Cal stepped in again, his teasing growing more pointed with each piece.

“You know, I didn’t realize this mission came with a damsel in distress,” he said, hoisting another massive crate. “Good thing I’m here to save the day.”

She glared at him, wiping her brow. “You’re insufferable.”

“And yet, you keep letting me help.” He grinned, clearly enjoying himself.

Nora set her jaw, grabbing the next item—a pack of seeds labeled *Vital Food Crops: Handle With Care.* This was something she could manage. She ignored him, tucking the pack carefully on the platform. Cal let out a low chuckle as he arranged another heavy crate beside her.

They finished moving the supplies, finally arriving in the docking bay where the descent module was waiting. The sleek module was compact but sturdy, equipped to carry all they’d need to make their initial settlement functional. The closer they got to landing, the more real their mission felt, and the more Nora could feel the pressure building in her chest.

Cal seemed unfazed, as if he did this every day. He slid one final crate onto the platform and dusted off his hands, leaning against it casually. “Not bad for a princess,” he teased, his eyes gleaming with a darker edge. “Guess I don’t have to babysit you all the time.”

“Oh, how generous,” she muttered, her patience wearing thin. “I’d love to see how you’d fare without a single engineer on this ship. Have fun flying solo with a power failure.”

Cal’s gaze sharpened, his expression darkening as he closed the distance between them. “Trust me, sweetheart, I know what I’m doing,” he murmured, his voice low, a teasing darkness flickering in his eyes. “And maybe you’re a little more helpless than you think.”

Her breath caught, his words challenging and irritating her all at once. She stepped closer, meeting his gaze with all the defiance she could muster. “I can handle myself just fine.”

He held her stare for a moment, and she could feel the tension in the air, thick and almost tangible. Then, he smirked, pulling back just enough to give her space but not without a lingering, cocky look.

“Well, then. I guess I’ll let you prove it, starting with this.” He gestured toward the last item—a small crate containing a set of heavy solar batteries. She hesitated, eyeing the weight of it. Cal’s grin widened, a glint of satisfaction lighting his gaze as he watched her debate with herself.

Before she could decide, he stepped in again, effortlessly lifting the crate and placing it on the hover platform. “Consider it my last favor,” he murmured, a teasing note in his voice. “Don’t get used to it.”

Nora’s cheeks flushed, and she rolled her eyes, determined not to let him get to her. “Trust me, I won’t.”

As they secured the equipment in the descent module, she couldn’t shake the awareness of his presence—how he moved with confidence and control, how he always seemed to find her weakest moments and push her to her limits. Yet, beneath the irritation, she felt something else—an undercurrent of respect, begrudging and unspoken.

Maybe he wasn’t wrong about her needing him, but she’d never let him know that. And he, as always, seemed more than willing to remind her.