The Dark of the Stars

Chapter Six

I took a seat awkwardly in one of the chairs. This lobby seemed darker. There were no pictures of green scenery on the walls, just the brown stone and the torches. I was curious how long we would be here, and even more what Dixie could possibly talk about with the King of Jupiter that she didn’t want me knowing about. I understood that we just met and I was the enemy, but earlier she had told me information about how the rebels are getting some supplies. 

Surely that must’ve been more important that this, because that was concerning the war, that seemed to be everything to the rebels. Then the thought crossed my mind that Dixie may not take this war as seriously because she wasn’t from Tau. I was quite satisfied with that answer. Here was this young girl who didn’t take much seriously, only caring about her appearance telling me secrets of war, I wondered why the rebels had even allowed her to stay. 

That question was also satisfied with a simple answer; the rebels were unintelligent. Of course, why would they even rebel in the first place? Everyone always said that they had no chance against the royal army. They must be completely unintelligent. 

Time droned on and I started getting irritated by how long this was taking. What could Dixie possibly discussing with the King? Finally after over an hour later Dixie emerged. Her expression was hard to read, it was almost like she was wearing a mask, shielding all her emotions from me. 

I stood up as soon as I made eye contact with her, eager to get out of here. Dixie joined my side and then took a longing glance back to the great double doors. 

“What did you guys talk about?” I asked nonchalantly. 

Dixie snapped her neck to look at me with that cold stare that she does so perfectly. My heart actually skipped a beat because it was so terrifying. Maybe that was why the rebels kept Dixie around, because that look might be able to stop an army and send them crying back to their mothers. 

“Earth matters” she said, clearly shaking me off. I wasn’t eager to bring that up again. We walked back through the winding tunnels through the main lobby and back on the street again. 

Dixie still held me with her cold fingers. Her touch was feminine but so firm. Her fingers clasped my wrist with an icy hold. It was cold like a corpse, but had the warmth of a beautiful woman in the summer. 

Her walk was different after the visit to the Jupiteer Embassy, she was less on a mission, and now enjoying the walk through the city, looking around as if she hadn’t been here for several hours already. She walked along side of me, instead of in front guiding me like before. 

We walked back to the same warehouse that we landed at. I wondered how it was that we had managed to find it again, but Dixie must know this planet very well, because she didn’t seem the least bit uncertain of where she was going the entire time. 

Ignoring the men loading the cargo of the ship, Dixie and I boarded again, and found ourselves in our quarters soon enough. Actually, it was more like Dixie decided that we would go to our quarters and so we did. 

The rest of the day went by quickly. We ate some disgusting food in the ship’s cafeteria, and soon enough the ship took off and we were on our way back to Tau. I watched as Augusta disappeared from view from the ship as we got farther away. I had always known that I would visit Augusta, but I never pictured it would be like this. 

This night it was easier to get to sleep because I was less confident in my theory that Dixie would try to sexually assault me in my sleep, but I still didn’t sleep easy. 

The next morning I awoke stiff and with an empty space next to me again. But this time Dixie was not in the room with me still. I freshened up and went down to the cafeteria for breakfast, which, sure enough was where I found Dixie. I felt stupid, being her hostage and going to her when I find myself alone. I suspected that she may have set it up that way for me.