Blink: 3003 (Book 1)

08

The impulse to relax and enjoy himself had been driven from Darien's mind by the incident. He didn't much like Seb. Hell, he detested the other boy's arrogant manner and constant competitive undercutting, but that didn't mean he wished a Summit Grade mission on anyone. The memories of his one and only venture into that most dreaded territory still burned raw in his mind.

He knew Niamh would make sure the others took advantage of the time off. All of them understood, except Amber of course. He hated himself for not having the spine to explain everything to her from the outset but he couldn't recount the episode, not yet. It was the first and only casualty Hammerhead Squad had suffered in his tenure as leader and it had left a wound in his heart that ached every time he thought about it.

Seated on his bed, he flung the rubber ball at the wall of his quarters. It made a satisfying thump as it bounced back for him to catch. Try as he might, he couldn't drive the thoughts of that ill-fated mission from his mind. Knowing that out there somewhere another group of operatives were facing something just as bad made his stomach knot. All he could do now, however, was pray that Seb and the rest of Raptor Squad made it back in one piece.

A whole day had passed and they hadn't returned. That didn't automatically mean something had gone wrong – he'd been on missions that had lasted days – but it simply piled unease upon worry, angst upon fear.

"Damn it all," he cursed under his breath, bouncing the ball again. Then the door chime of his quarters bleeped rudely, interrupting his thoughts.

He glared at the door for a moment. "Who is it?"

"C'mon buddy, open the door," Idas answered, his voice muffled by the thick plated door.

With a sigh he stood and crossed the room, pressing the release panel on the left side of the door frame. The slab of metal slid aside, revealing Idas standing with his hands in his pockets and a rueful smile on his face.

"You okay?" he asked simply.

"I dunno." Darien turned, slouched back over to the bed and sat down to resume bouncing the ball. Idas followed him in and the door slid shut behind him.

"You know," Idas said, sitting beside him. "You can't stay in here forever."

Thump.

"What happened on that planet could have happened to anyone. It wasn't your fault any more than it was mine, or Niamh's, or anyone else."

Thump.

"Keep this up and you're going to put a hole in your wall."

Thump.

"Darien, at least look at me when you're ignoring me."

Thump.

Idas reached forward and caught the ball before it could reach him and Darien let out another heavy sigh.

"How many times do you want to have this conversation?" he said. "I can't help how I feel about it. I picked her – I was the reason she was there and the reason she died."

"We all lost someone that day," Idas said, his tone hardening. "Moping about in this room won't help how you feel."

"What would you suggest?"

"Get off your self-pitying behind and go do something constructive."

Darien glared at him, and then held out a hand. "Give me back my ball."

Idas was about to reply when the door chime sounded again, and before Darien could ask who it was he heard Niamh's voice from the other side, shrill with urgency.