Standing on a stage in front of his people had always felt natural after years of leading the starbase. But with the human wing joining his force, the squadron had become something more.
The lines between their two species had begun to blur. A person’s value depended less and less on one’s species, gender, or the length of a human’s hair.
These weretheirhumans.
Jaiya’s Lime Wing put on a show. Their scrappy style of fighting added another flavor to his squadron’s collection, giving him a new resource to pull from when needed.
It felt strange to be fighting with their wing, instead of against them. Now he had a wing trained under the same regimen as their enemy, and he was going to use that to his advantage.
First, he needed the Lime Wing to swear fealty to him, but until then, this victory was a step in the right direction.
At the pivotal moment of the battle, Jaiya had swooped in and shot the suicidal Vresqoxk vessel as it was about to destroy Raizxl’s wing, blowing it up as Idris’ heart stopped beating.
She could have been blown apart in the explosion. Only when her fighter appeared from the cloud of dust, bypassing the debris effortlessly, did his heart remember how to beat again.
Jaiya’s selfless action had saved a male who had believed his life didn’t matter anymore, ever since he lost his mate in a battle against humans. She had proven that some humanscouldbe trusted.
War led to death; he understood that after many years of endless battles, but to lose her before he had the chance to tell her how he truly felt? He wouldn’t be able to live with himself.
She was the first female who didn’t cower under his attentions, who didn’t paw after him in order to prove she was worthy of his offspring.
No, she challenged him to be better, to want something more in life than politics and battle. She gave him something to work towards, and to fight for beyond this seemingly endless war.
And now he could ask her to stand by his side, as his starmate.
He scanned the lively crowd in search of her.
Idris located her effortlessly amongst the sea of Daextru. Tucked in near the back wall, the earth-colored skin marked the Lime Wing apart from the rest. Her crew laughed and hugged, enjoying themselves as Jaiya watched, leaning against her fighter. Zaera said something to her, making Jaiya give a playful shove back.
It was then that her eyes met his.
She tilted her head in the Daextru greeting, her lips curling in a small smile.
Their moment broke when a youthful male tackle-hugged her, acting as if he was going to kiss her. She laughed and shoved him away, rolling her eyes. An older male grabbed the offender by his collar and pulled him away.
Who was this male who dared to disrespect his captain? How dare he attempt to steal her away from him with such a display?
Something within him snapped.
Instead of silencing the hangar bay in order to deliver his speech, he jumped the stage, landing effortlessly on the ground. The crowd of his gathered squadron pilots, crewmen, and staff backed away instantly, parting to give him room to pass.
Murmurs and questions followed his path across the hangar, but he was too far gone to care.
As the crowd parted into groups of wings, the Lime pilots scrambled to fall into line, confusion and shock etched into all of their faces.
Jaiya pushed past her pilots and stood before him, Zaera stepping up next to her in support. All twelve humans stood at attention, but only one met his gaze.
He ignored her—for now—and walked up to the youthful male who stood beside the second male who had defended the captain. He could see the easy remembrance between the two—they were brothers.
Idris took in the height difference between him and the Lime Wing pilots. The top of Jaiya’s head came to his chin, along with most of her crew members, this child was the shortest of the group, barely reaching to his chest.
“You dare disrespect your wing captain, boy?”
“Prince Idris, my crew doesn’t speak Dzexet,” Jaiya hissed, stepping between him and the offending male. “And I would appreciate it if you didn’t talk down to my crew, especially when you are throwing around false accusations.”
“He tried to kiss you,” Idris growled, in CTA Common, to fulfill her wishes.
“Look, dude—Prince—Sire—or whatever,” the young brunette male said, gripping Jaiya’s shoulder as he peered over it. “I wasn’t disrespecting my wing captain, and I have absolutely no desire to kiss her. I owe her. She was the only wing captain willing to give me a chance, regardless of my age and lack of filter. Too many virtual games growing up, what can I say?” He shrugged. “Beside the point. I was teasing her, asking why she hasn’t run up and kissed you yet. I mean, she has been eye-fuckin’ you since we got here. I don’t understand what’s stoppin’ her.”
