The heavy line he was trying to unhook from the enviro port suddenly became lighter. Looking over his shoulder, he found Nerin and Lazil helping him lift the line. The three of them were able to unhook it without droid assistance and pull it away from the ship.
“What are you two doing here?” Miran asked, surprised to find his team in the chaotic bay. “Weren’t you assigned tasks?”
“Of course we were,” Lazil said. “But you needed us more.”
“We heard Nova’s missing,” Nerin said. “We’re here to help you get her back.”
Miran wasn’t able to speak.
Thankfully Nerin was able to say what Miran was thinking. “We are brothers, Miran. We wouldn’t let you go without us any more than you’d let either of us run into danger alone.”
“What Nerin said,” Lazil said with a scowl. “But when we get her back, we’re chaining you together.” Then he stomped off to pull the safety stops out of the engine start coils.
If the situation wasn’t so dire, he might’ve laughed. He exchanged a look with Nerin, then they got to work. Even without the help of droids, they got the ship ready quickly, although they skipped through several safety checks.
It wasn’t long before they were loaded, getting clearance from the bay controller, and launching. There were so many ships launching that no one questioned their purpose.
They were halfway to the Diniki space station when the Ardent demanded a comms link. Miran braced himself for a reprimand as he opened a link.
Before he could even speak, the section commander bellowed through the link. “What do you think you’re doing? I told you to find Nova and move to the Assist. Now you’re in a gunship and traveling to the Diniki space station? Do you realize what that looks like?Turn around right now!”
“Nova is with the envoy,” Miran said, keeping his voice calm but strong.
“She is not,” Belor said. “We contacted the envoy while they were en route. She wasn’t on their ship. They’ve docked at the space station now and if you keep going, you’re going to ruin any chance of negotiating a peaceful resolution.”
Miran didn’t get a chance to answer. Someone else on Ardent spoke to Belor, loudly enough for it to come through the comms link.
“Section Commander Belor, Hisum is reporting that Nova is on the Diniki station! They don’t know how, but she was hiding on their ship. Hisum said that they were greeting the Diniki, and she seemed to appear and took over the conversation.”
There was a beat of silence before Belor let out an aggravated roar, highly uncharacteristic of the usually calm and controlled leader.
“Leave it to Nova to push Belor past his breaking point,” Lazil whispered only loud enough for Miran and Nerin to hear.
A light and chime on his console indicated there was another comm link request from an unexpected source.
“Section Commander Belor, the Diniki station is asking to talk to my ship,” Miran said.
“Answer it and try not to start a war,” Belor snarled. “Leave my comm link open so I can hear what is said.”
“Yes, Section Commander Belor,” Miran said and tapped on his console. Someone speaking in heavily accented Space Standard asked a question before he could say anything.
“Is this Miran?”
“Yes, this is Miran of the—”
“You are late!” the Diniki snapped. “Ambassador Nova refuses to continue our negotiations before you get here. Are the other husbands there?”
“Other husbands?” Miran repeated, thoroughly confused.
“Nerin and Lazil,” the Diniki clarified impatiently. “She said all of you were supposed to be here but that it might only be you. Are all three of you on the ship?”
“Oh, yes,” Miran said, realizing he needed to follow Nova’s plan, even if he had no idea what it was. “All three of us will be docking soon.”
“Good, keep the link open for docking instructions,” the Diniki said and then was replaced by an automated system giving them coordinates and procedures.
“I guess I’m a better kisser than I thought,” Lazil said. “I went from teammate to husband. I didn’t even know that was a rank I could get in the military.”
Miran glared at Lazil. “Not amusing.”
