I finally reached the last two pillows and pulled the heavy blankets back to slide into the soft, cool sheets and pulled the blankets up to my chin with a contented sigh. After a few moments of silence in the darkened room, I caved and reached over to grab the communication orb off the side table. I gave it a twist and waited.
Sam’s hologram flashed into existence, her smile in place, but tired.“Hey. How’s things going with the Neldre? The Queen seemed pretty open to helping us when we spoke over the links before you two left.”
She was still dressed in a tan tunic and pants, paperwork held in her hands like I’d interrupted her still at work. I wasn’t sure what time it was on Korsal. Time zones between planets could be wildly different. Like weeks and months apart. Though, most Unity and out planets were more or less on the same week usually.
“It’s going. They’ve agreed to help, but there is opposition. Mostly from Rema’s family. Our courting stuff starts tomorrow.”
“Ah, yeah, Izari warned me there would be. She said Rema’s family are jerks, though she used more colorful language,”Sam said with a grimace before her face smoothed out with a soft smile.“So, are you looking forward to the big day? I wish I could be there. I know it’s not like a normal wedding, but still, you should have someone there for you.”
I smiled back, snuggled back against the pillows. “Sam, I’m pretty sure the wedding part of the ceremony is Rema and I fucking.” I gave her a sly look. “Not that you wouldn’t mind watching, dirty little voyeur that you are.”
She blushed, clearing her throat.“Oh. I— That was one time.”
“And you hope for more. Is that why you wanna be here? I’m a bang up performer. I’d give you the show of a lifetime.”
I laughed at her red face, her grin wide enough to crinkle the skin at the corner of her eyes.“You are horrible.”
The weight pressing down on my chest lessened. Sam had a way of soothing worries, just by being herself. All the stress I’d been ignoring seemed lesser now that I was looking at her face.
“I am. But you love me. So, how are things going? Don’t give me the everything is fine line either, Sam. Spill it.”
Her smile faded a touch, her skin clearing of redness as she took a deep breath, blowing it out hard enough to fluff up her short bangs off her forehead.“I have never been more stressed out in my life, Patty. As soon as I fix one problem, another alien is behind me with a new one. Like today, I’m corresponding with Ambassador Elook, he’s from Glaussis, a really tiny moon that decided they’d throw their hat in our ring, and another Ambassador from a different planet caught wind of it, and threw a full on toddler tantrum. Apparently he and Elook are ex lovers, and he would rather Elook die a fiery death thanwork with him. It was a mess to sort out. And that doesn’t even touch the supply line backup we have going on.”
I settled in as Sam’s rant took on a life of its own, ranging from traffic jams, to too much mud from the recent rains on Korsal, to the casualty reports from the battlefield.
When she finally took a breath, it was a relieved one.“Thanks. I really needed to talk about all this. I could go to Izari or Ghix, but they are both as busy as I am.”She stopped and frowned.“Not that you aren’t busy,”she continued in a rush,“I just find it easier to talk to you. Probably the whole same species thing. Things aren’t going well with the fleet, and I know there isn’t anything I can do, and it’s driving me crazy.”
“Just because there are casualties, doesn’t mean things aren’t going well. Are we losing?”
She shook her head. “No. No, we aren’t losing. But it isn’t the sound defeat like it was on Korsal. On the ground, we had the advantage, as our Korsal fighters are more… savage? I guess that’s the world I’d use, and we had Jack, and Ohem, and Rema, and you… and Aga. Can’t forget about him and his damn sword. But now it’s their fleet against ours, even with the Solus, it's a more even match. They sent way more ships than we first anticipated, and it’s only the addition of so many Rijiteran ships that we are winning. You should see the vids coming out from the front, Patty. It’s insane.”
My heart squeezed as my stomach churned at her words. “We got this, Sam. Anu and Amee know what they are doing. You just focus on what youcando, and try not to think about what you can’t. One thing at a time, ya know? Rema and I will be back in a few more days, and then I’ll help you. Jack is coming with her people, remember that. And trust me, when Hella, Jack’s mom, gets here, we will win so hard it’ll shock you.”
Sam breathed a sigh, nodding her head.“Yeah, you’re right. I can do that. Just one thing at a time. No problem.”
Sam’s mind worked on a thousand things at the same time, so I could add being a bad liar to her list of admirable traits. “Sure you can. Any news on Callie or Aga?”
She shook her head.“No. Not from them directly. Though we did get some information from some of Aga’s spies that a ship docked at the pirate station with its crew dead and only one survivor… a female.”
A slow, cruel smile spread. “That’s our girl.”
“The spy’s relay was coming from a separate system much closer to us, so we can’t be sure on the accuracy of the information, but I’m hopeful.”
“It’s accurate. Remember, Callie isn’t entirely human anymore. And she’s pissed. Take the news that she’s alive and apparently kicking ass as a good sign. Aga will get there soon, and then they’ll blow that station to smithereens together. Try not to worry about them.”
Easier said than done, but I could lie better than her.
“You’re right,”she admitted with another sigh.“Thank you, Patty. Call me again when you can, okay? I have to go, someone is knocking on the door, and it’s probably the scorned lover here to yell at me again.”
“Tell him to get under someone else, and get over it. Call you later, love you.”
“I’ll try that. Love you, too. Bye.”
Her hologram clicked off, and I sat the orb down on the side table again. When I settled back in the pillows, I felt a little lighter. Callie was alive. She’d kicked ass and was about to give that station what for. Everything else would work out. Anything other than that outcome was unacceptable and I refused to think about it.
The lights in the room dimmed until they went dark automatically as I lay still, staring at the peach colored canopy with a scowl.
How the hell had we gotten ourselves into this? We were atwar.Actually fighting in an alien war, alongside aliens that had become like family in a super short amount of time. I’m sure a psychologist would have a field day with this situation and with us. I mean, Sam was helping run a goddamned war council right now. She’d been a child genius turned medical examiner not three months ago. Shy and socially awkward to competent and stressed, not to mention pursued by one incredibly single minded, highly motivated, and relentless alien that looked like a villain out of a comic book.
