"Something she needs," D'Rett finishes.
"Yeah."
Silence. D'Rett studies me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he glances at Chelsea, who gives him a look so pointed it could pierce armor.
"The settlement hasn't been surveyed yet," L'Tarne says from the bed, his tone thoughtful rather than objecting. "Sending ashuttle with a pilot and an architect to assess conditions would not be without strategic value."
I could kiss L'Tarne. I won't, because he could snap me in half, but the impulse is there.
D'Rett turns back to me. "You fly every run on tomorrow's schedule first. No one's workday gets disrupted because you want to play tour guide."
"Done."
"Take a shuttle with full emergency provisions. Maintain regular comm check-ins, at least every hour."
"Absolutely."
"And Goober." His voice shifts, and the commander who was granting a favor is gone. "I never thanked you properly for what you did with the keth'ra. Putting yourself between that thing and Chelsea." His jaw tightens. "I would have done the same. Any mate would."
"You don't need to thank me for that."
"I'm not finished." His gaze pins me in place. "I'm grateful. But I'm also concerned. Because it's not just Chelsea, is it? On Osti, you were practically the first one through the door of the testing facility. You always take the most dangerous assignment. You always make yourself the one who's expendable." He pauses. "Protecting my mate is instinct. I understand that. But what I saw in that hangar wasn't just a man protecting someone he cares about. It was a man who didn't think twice about his own life. And that's a different thing entirely."
The hallway is very quiet. Behind him, Chelsea has gone still on the bed. Even L'Tarne has stopped moving.
"I've commanded warriors for a long time," D'Rett continues. "I know the difference between a man who risks his life for someone and a man who doesn't value his own. One of those things I honor. The other one gets people killed." His goldeneyes hold mine. "You have someone who needs you. So start acting like your life matters. Because it does."
I want to crack a joke. The impulse is so strong it's almost physical – some quip about D'Rett going soft on me, something to steer us back to safe ground. But the look on his face won't let me. And behind him, Chelsea is watching me with an expression that's stripped of its usual teasing, and it hits me that she sees it too.
"Noted," I say. And for once, I don't follow it with a punchline.
D'Rett studies me for another beat, then nods. When he speaks again, the edge has eased.
"Be back before the second sun sets. I mean it. The desert is dangerous after dark, and we don't have enough survey data on that area to risk a night landing."
"Understood. Thank you, D'Rett."
"Don't thank me." He sighs. "Just take care of her. She's been through enough."
"I will. I promise."
He nods, and I can see that the conversation is over from his end. But Chelsea isn't done.
"For the record," she calls as I turn to leave, "I had money on dinner being the night you two finally got together, so whatever just happened, I need details. Tomorrow. Don't think you can avoid me."
"Good night, Chelsea."
"I will find you, Cody Johnson!"
I'm still grinning as the door slides shut behind me.
The corridor is silent. The ship hums around me, and somewhere behind a closed door, A'Vanti is settling into bed, hopefully still thinking about our kiss. I press my hand to the gho'ba carving in my pocket and feel its small, familiar weight in my palm.
Tomorrow, I'm taking her to Brishar. And I can't wait to see her face when she realizes where we're going.
CHAPTER 10
A'Vanti
