“My father organized this meeting?” That news took Zac by surprise. He had not spoken with his father since that day in the hospital, months ago.
“You didn't know that he was keeping tabs on you, hey?” Karik smiled, almost wistfully.
Zac swallowed and fought to focus his thoughts. If his father had cared enough to keep abreast of what had happened to Zac, then maybe he was wrong about him. What else had he misjudged?
“I have a proposal for you,” Karik began, and Zac narrowed his eyes. “You know the war with the Xakul is not going well for us. The past few years have seen an increase, not a decrease, in the number of host planets the Xakul have turned into nurseries, and ultimately destroyed. This trend will not lessen unless something drastic is done.”
“I agree with you. How do I fit in?”
Karik pressed his lips together, his expression contemplative. “I need—we need—you for a special task.”
Zac sat up, “Tell me more.”
Karik leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees, and met Zac's eyes. “The data drive that was brought back by you and the human, Captain Storey, holds some valuable information. Our intelligence officers have retrieved some initial information from it, and are working hard to access the rest.”
Zac lifted an eyebrow. “What does this have to do with me?”
“YouandCaptain Storey, actually.” Karik stood and walked towards the large windows that flanked one side of the room, staring out across the manicured lawn that led towards the palace gardens. The peaceful scene outside was at odds with their discussion of war.
“The expansion of the Xakul is a problem. One that needs to be solved quickly. When my father was Supreme Commander, there was much resistance to accepting new information. People didn't want to know. They wanted their safe, insignificant lives to continue unchanged. My father indulged them, and we both know that was foolhardy. But now that he's gone and I am in his place, well...”
“What do you have in mind?”
“I want you and Captain Storey to command and train a team of elite forces. Officially, you will not be part of the Taurean Forces, or Earth's Space Force, but something separate from both.”
Karik continued, “I need people I can rely on. I need you to take up the position I offered you. Officially, you will be an advisor, but in reality you will work in secret to uncover any advantage you can to get the Xakul taken care of, once and for all.”
Zac narrowed his eyes at the other man. “That is not going to be easy.”
Karik ran a hand through his hair and leveled a hard look at Zac. “No, it isn’t. Are you up to it? Is Captain Storey?”
Zac appreciated the man's honesty. “Would I get to pick my team?”
“Yes.”
Zac’s immediate instinct was to accept on the spot, but then reality crashed down. He had wanted to get back into active duty for so long, an offer like this was a dream. He could really make a difference in this war; use his skills and experience to save lives. And the chance to keep working with Laila? It was better than he could have imagined.
But he couldn’t decide until he had spoken with Laila. He didn’t want to be apart from her again. He had finally found something—someone—that meant more to him than his career, and he was not about to lose her before they even got started.
“I can't speak on behalf of Captain Storey. She'll need to make her own decision. And my decision will depend on hers.”
Zac left the meeting with Karik, feeling hopeful for the future.
He now knew what he wanted to do. The purpose that he had been lacking for so long had returned with a rush, and he welcomed it. It also came with a significant amount of uncertainty. Zac wasn't sure how Laila would react to this opportunity. Her dream had been Space Force.
What if she wanted to return to Earth?
