Jaiya hurried along the corridor. Her brother’s ID burned in her pocket as she made her way to Zaera’s cabin.
Zaera needed to be warned about her unannounced vacancy. She would rather do it in person, hoping to defuse any confusion or anger before she left. Time was quickly running out, and she still needed to cut her hair to match Aydin’s.
Jaiya rapidly tapped the call button as soon as she came upon her destination, hoping her Rear Wing Captain would wake up and answer her page. Out of everyone in her wing, Zaera was the best member to confide in. Jaiya hoped she would be able to lead the wing while she was away, rather than having a stranger take over. She didn’t need some rising pilot fresh out of the academy to try and steal the position she had worked so hard to attain. It wasn’t her fault she was born without something dangling between her legs, into a family name that was faulted for starting the war.
The door slid open, revealing an annoyed woman wrapped up in an elegant crimson and gold robe.
“What in Stars are you doing here, Cap?”
“I need to talk to you.” She glanced down the hall, making sure it was clear. “Alone. I hope I am not interrupting anything.”
The brown-eyed bronze-skinned woman studied her as she pulled her robe closer. Flicking her curly onyx hair behind her shoulder, Zaera stepped to the side.
“Come on in. I am sure you have a story to go with this late visit.”
Jaiya stepped across the threshold, taking in her living space in its dimmed light. Everything was spotless and organized, like something out of an electric shopping catalog. All of the black, red, and green items were decorated lavishly in gold as if Zaera was some princess in her own palace.
“Thank you for letting me in unannounced.” Jaiya turned toward her Rear Wing Captain, trying not to make this conversation anymore awkward than it needed to be. “I won’t take much of your time, but I need to ask you a favor.”
“Spill it.” Zaera fell back on her lounge chair and crossed her legs. “It’s not every day I see you out of uniform.”
“You are right. I know I haven’t been the best when it comes to—”
“I get it. We all do,” Zaera huffed. “Broken family. Tarnished name. We understand why you would focus all of your energy into studying the Daextru.” She shrugged. “Some thought you had some vendetta against them—until you let that blue-scaled devil go.”
“A vendetta?” Jaiya asked, confused. She had never thought about placing the blame onthem.Who knew what had been said or done during those peace talks? It was her father’s blind rage when he ordered his fleet to attack full force, which had set the war in motion.
She was too young to remember her mother, especially because she had rarely been around to take care of her, and her father hadn’t been much better until he lost his rank. If anything, she put the blame on her father for the predicament they were in; unlike Aydin, who blamed the Daextru.
“Yeah. Without them, your mother would still be alive, along with everyone else who died over this worthless war.” Bouncing her foot, Zaera eyed Jaiya as she played with her robe’s fringes. “I take it that venting about our higher-ups or discussing the finer things in life, like men and exotic foods, isn’t the reason why you are here.”
“No, but if I ever need to have a girl-chat about any of that, I will make sure to ask you first.” Jaiya shot her a quick smirk. “In all seriousness, I need to warn you about something, and ask you for a favor, Captain to Right Wing Captain.”
Zaera stilled her bouncing foot and sat up, fully aware of the serious edge the conversation had taken on.
“What is it, Cap?” Her voice lost its playfulness, turning focused. “You can tell me.”
“The Rear Admiral called me into his office this afternoon to discuss a top-secret mission. I can’t go over the details, but you should know that I will be away for some time. I am hoping they will allow you to fill my spot until I return, but I am not sure of their intentions.”
“You are hoping I will take care of the wing for you?” Her eyes narrowed. “You don’t think you are coming back, do you?”
Jaiya sighed. “There is no use lying to you. It’s a possibility.”
In an instant, Zaera jumped to her feet and crossed the room. Jaiya took a step back in shock from the sudden burst of action, only for Zaera to grab her hands, preventing her from retreating any farther.
“What are you not telling me?” Zaera demanded, shaking Jaiya’s hands, throwing protocol to the wind.
Jaiya took in a deep breath and exhaled, preparing herself for what was to come. She’d expected Zaera to demand answers, but not this intensely. Just like her, Zaera was also trying to make a name for herself. Out of all the wings in the fleet, theirs had the most females—five out of the twelve members.
“I am protecting the wing by going on my mission alone,” Jaiya revealed, locking her gaze with Zaera’s brown eyes. “We can’t afford to send anyone along with me when there is a war to be won. It would be foolish to risk our wing when there are more important tasks for you to do.”
“Who asked you to play the martyr?” Zaera demanded. “I sure in the Sun’s blazes didn’t, and I know our wing—your wing—didn’t either. What is going to happen when they find out? Or if you don’t return? We were supposed to be a team—a family. We all knew you had some hang-ups and kept your distance, but you are still a fair leader, and we trust you.” Zaera gripped Jaiya’s shoulders and shook her. “This isn’t how I wanted to earn my own wing. I don’t want this responsibility!”
“If it’s offered to you, then you will take it,” Jaiya hissed. “I am not going to let someone swoop in and take over what we have built. If something happens to me, you need to accept your turn to move up in the ranks without regret. Can you do this for me?”
“Why me?”
Jaiya shrugged and tilted her head. “Who else? You are my Rear Wing Captain for a reason. I trust you to take care of those under my command and to cover my back when things get heavy. If I can’t rely on you, then we’re both not doing our jobs.”
