Chapter 6
Fifteen till Midnight
CristOF stood at the top of the Prime building, where his shuttle was being loaded with supplies. His carefully chosen team was checking their weapons and supplies. These warriors were the best of the best.
There were five of them, including CristOF. He had chosen another tracker named Warrior TorIS, who came highly recommended. There was an interrogator named Warrior FinlEY, who had trained with CristOF many years ago. His most controversial choice had been a young warrior, untested in battle but with a good attitude and a willingness to learn, named Warrior SimON. To complete his team, he was grateful to have included one of the older warriors who had taught him when he first started his warrior training: Warrior RusEN. RusEN had come out of retirement to assist him. He was also one of the few friends CristOF had always been able to count on; he’d even attended the burial rites for CristOF’s grandparents.
“Sir, the shuttle is ready,” Warrior SimON told him eagerly.
“We’ll take off, then.” CristOF turned to face Commander TylOR, who came out to see them off.
“We’re turning off all tracking for the next fifteen minutes to allow you to go unnoticed as you leave this region,” Commander TylOR told him.
“We will be leaving immediately.” He hesitated before asking something he never thought he would. “If I could request a favor?”
TylOR looked surprised. “Of course.”
“The female, Tera Kincaid. Would you make sure that someone looks after her? Especially if I don’t return. I would like to ensure her safety and happiness.”
“I thought you just met her.” TylOR couldn’t hide a knowing smile.
“It is true that I’ve known her a short time, but...we have developed a friendship. She has no family and very few friends here, and I worry about her.”
“My mate and Prima Lindsey have befriended her. She will be well taken care of.”
“Thank you.” CristOF turned to go up the ramp into the shuttle. He felt a little better about leaving Tera knowing she was safe and among friends.
He sat in the co-pilot’s seat next to Warrior RusEN. His mind couldn’t help but go back to the previous afternoon, when he’d spent time with Tera in her suite. Her place was smaller than his, only meant to accommodate one person. He’d liked that, because it meant he had her all to himself and didn’t have to worry about being interrupted.
They had come back from the park and sat on her small sofa. He’d never felt such an immediate connection to anyone before. Though he longed to make love to her, he held back. There was a chance he wouldn’t come back from this mission, and he didn’t want to rush things for the wrong reasons. CristOF would not hurt her in any way if he could help it.
So, they talked and kissed, and he held her in his arms. It was the most time he had ever spent with a female without making love to her, and it certainly was more fulfilling to him. He learned so much about her. The time he spent with her only solidified his feelings that she was the female from his dream, and that she was somehow meant to be his. His thoughts wandered to their conversation.
*****
“You have a big family. I’m surprised they would let you travel to Katiera alone,” he told her as he sat next to her on the small sofa, both of them turned slightly to face each other. He couldn’t help but reach out and touch her shoulder lightly.
“You have to understand the situation on Earth. It’s overpopulated, and our food supplies were starting to run extremely low. The EWG was already regulating births by requiring a license first. Unauthorized pregnancies resulted in the pregnant mothers going to jail and the children taken and placed in orphanages. They’d also started working on rationing food and supplies before I left. Only the essentials needed for day-to-day living were given out.”
“That sounds horrible,” he told her, and he pulled her closer to him as if to protect her. CristOF couldn’t imagine living in a world where even people’s basic needs couldn’t be met.
She shrugged. “It is horrible. The children taken to orphanages are cared for, but not loved, as all children should be. That’s why I jumped at the idea of creating a school for the orphans to attend when they come here. I want to make sure that they have a safe and warm place to learn and grow. Lindsey also asked me help them interview the foster families. It’s exciting, and to be a part of helping these children find a home is rewarding in ways I hadn’t anticipated.”
“It will also help to remove as many people as possible, allowing our scientists to start regenerating the natural resources,” CristOF added. “But it must be tough leaving behind those you love.”
“My family loves me, but they knew that there wasn’t much of a future for me on Earth. My sisters were a little too young for the relocation program, and they weren’t allowing families to come at the time. I promised to bring them here to live with me as soon as I could get approval.”
He was surprised to hear that. “Are you hoping that your work with the school and orphans will earn your family’s passage here?”
“I have to admit, I would’ve done just about anything to get my family here, but I’m proud of the work I’m doing. I didn’t even ask, but when Primas Cassie and Lindsey heard about my family, they both promised me that they would speak to their mates to request that they be moved here.”
“I’m sure that it will be done then. Both males love their mates and would do anything to make them happy. And you’ve proved yourself truly valuable to our people.” He cupped her cheek and rubbed his thumb over her silky-soft lips. Goddess, he wanted to kiss her again.
She cleared her throat. “What about your family? Does they live here in the city?”
He shook his head. “I never knew my parents. My mother died when I was born, and my father died in battle later, when I was a mere child.”
“I’m so sorry, CristOF,” Tera said, placing her hand in his and giving it a squeeze.
