Stron walked over to Adryel and held out his arm as well. "May I escort you?"
"Certainly."
The four of them climbed aboard the vessel that Khalzin owned. It wasn't the largest transport, but it was nicer and would be sufficient for the tour. He could have had a guard fly them so he could sit with her, but he decided he would instead just fly himself.
The guards waited on the platform. One headed toward the ship, as though he was going to board as well, which would have made the seating tight--there was only room for four inside.
Stron stopped him. "We have this, guard, but thank you for your service."
The guard nodded and took up position on the platform.
"So, we truly do have you two to ourselves," Adryel said as she sat down in one of the seats.
"Would you prefer the guards?" Janae asked as she sat down next to Adryel. Stron took the position in the copilot's seat.
Khalzin had hoped Janae would sit next to him in front. But they would have time together alone, later, in any case. Still, he would have enjoyed riding next to her.
"Not particularly. I've seen enough of them already." Adryel twisted and shifted as she got comfortable before putting on her restraints. "These are so weird to sit in."
"What is wrong with the seats?" Khalzin asked.
"Not the seats. The clothing," Adryel said.
"You'll be fine once you get used to it," Janae said.
"I guess," Adryel replied. "It is just not at all what I signed up for. Explosions. Armored dresses. Guards everywhere."
"Currently, they are necessary until this situation is resolved," Stron said.
She sighed. "I know." She stared out the window. "It just isn't what I expected."
"What did you expect?" Stron asked.
"A new place to be that was safe."
The ship went silent with Adryel's words.
Khalzin felt a wave of guilt.
This isn't how he had wanted any of this to progress. It should have been a simple ceremony with each male picking a female and entering a Courtship. Mating and creating a new generation of Kantenans was the end game.
All to prove his father wrong.
Prove that he was a worthy scientist.
The guilt doubled.
Tripled.
Quadrupled.
Because now there were Kantenans and off-worlders who were dead.
Because of his ego.
Stron must have noticed something because he raised his eyebrow at him as Khalzin started their ascent into the sky.
He waved him off. The engine’s whine overpowered any ability to speak for a few moments. The wind pulled on the vessel as he brought the ship to full power. As he rose over the landing platform, the wind kept jostling the vessel.
