Outside the viewport, space engulfs us in its infinite embrace. Stars strewn across a black canvas, flickering like distant flames. Diamonds scattered across an infinite expanse, each one a story, a secret, a seduction.
"So beautiful," I whisper, more to myself than to him.
"Space or Hurj?" Behtu's voice cuts through my reverie, a smirk playing on his lips though his gaze remains locked on the abyss ahead.
"Both," I confess, letting the darkness wrap around me like a lover's caress. "There's something... liberating about flying off into the stars.”
"Spoken like a true Star Maverick,” Behtu murmurs, his words vibrating with the thrill of our flight, the promise of danger and passion intertwined.
“Comparing me to a space pirate, Behtu?” I smirk and raise a brow at him.“Except, I’m not a thief.”
“You have the heart of a pirate, running into danger half-cocked,” Behtu growls. The console lights dim, and the ship's low hum vibrates through my bones.
Behtu turns to look at me, his glossy blue skin catching the starlight. The eyes of his sivot flash an intense white piercing the semi-darkness of the cockpit before returning to a pale blue. "What in the bliking dund were you thinking?" he reprimands, though I detect an underlying concern. "Coming after me like that. If the Stryt had discovered you were human, you would have endured a fate worse than death."
My heart races, not just from the adrenaline of recalling our violent escape from Vont 4 but from the intensity of his gaze. "And you would be dead if I hadn't," I retort, meeting his ire with equal fervor. "I wasn't about to let them execute you without a fight."
“You are human. You know nothing of the Universe or the dangers it holds.”
"Maybe not," I concede, my breath hitching from the intensity of his stare. "But I couldn't stand by while they..." My words trail off, choked by the memory of his capture, and the helplessness I felt watching him being dragged away.
Behtu's expression softens, the anger ebbing away as quickly as it surfaced. "I'm not worth your life, Jules."
"You were worth the risk to me," I whisper, the air between us igniting a different kind of heat, one that has nothing to do with danger.
His eyes search mine for an explanation, a map to my madness. The atmosphere crackles with tension, heavy with unspoken words neither one of us is ready to put a voice to.
A flicker of respect passes across his cool gaze, softening the hard lines of his face. Dangerously captivating. Even in the dimness of the cockpit, he shines like a star too bright to look away from. "Impressive how were you able to navigate the city," Behtu says softly. "Your resourcefulness was... unexpected. Vont 4 is a disorganized maze of structures.”
"I’m a New Yorker," I say proudly, my voice steady despite the flutter of my heart. "Manhattan is the city where I was born and raised on Earth—sprawling, chaotic, alive. It's where I developed my sense of direction. I learned to look up, use the skyline, and pick out usual buildings as landmarks to help me find my way.”
The tension between us shifts, becoming something lighter, and I seize the moment. "Speaking of our grand escape," I tease, a smile playing on my lips. “You were totally wearing that hover car like a circus bear in a tiny suit.”
I toss my head back and roar with laughter, recalling how ridiculous Behtu’s sivot looked crammed inside the tiny car.
“What is a circus bear?” Behtu scrunches his brow at me, his lips twitching upward as I continue to horse laugh.
“A large furry animal,” I chuckle, wiping tears from my eyes. “Sorry. I shouldn’t laugh at you, but you were huge and that car was so small.”
“You mean, you’re sorry for laughing at my sivot,” he corrects.
"Wait," my voice wavers, anxiety coiling in my gut as uncertainty grips me. "I thought your sivot was just you all hulked out."
“I am the sivot and he is me, but also more than that,” Behtu answers vaguely. “Shall we discuss how you came to be aboard my ship? Last time I checked, you were in your room asleep on Pryt.”
“How could you possibly know whether I was asleep in my room or not?” I cross my arms, irritation replacing tender feelings. “You didn’t bother to stop in and say goodbye. I’m pissed at you about that."
"How did you stow away on my ship without me knowing, Jules?"
“I’m stealthy and I followed you. There, I answered your question, so answer mine. Why are you diverting when I ask about your sivot?” I challenge. “Since I’m having sex with both of you, I think I have a right to know more about your beastly alter ego.”
"Jules—" Behtu begins, but whatever he intends to say is lost as the ship jerks violently. A shrill alarm suddenly blares through the ship as we slow to a stop.
I clutch the edge of my seat as the viewport flickers, revealing a menacing silhouette of a ship materializing from the void. It's sleek and predatory, like a dagger poised to strike. A radiant light emanates from beneath the vessel and explodes outward.
"Bliking Grymloks!" Behtu curses, his fingers flying over the console with practiced ease. “Shields are failing.”
"What do they want?” I gasp, struggling to keep my voice steady amid the blaring alarms.
