T’arq nodded with a small laugh. Laila was a capable fighter in her own right, and the co-commander of their secret special forces team alongside her husband Zac, who had learned his lesson early about trying to keep her away from the action.
But this mission? The Taurean Purists were fanatics, and that made T’arq nervous. The group had popped up seemingly out of nowhere after Taurus and Earth had formed an alliance. They were extremists who believed that forming alliances with “lesser races” watered down the strength of Taurus. The most extreme factions had been responsible for death threats to humans and Taureans working alongside them.
And a death threat to the Supreme Commander himself, Karik Za’Rell, if rumors were to be believed.
“What have I missed?” Oren pulled up a chair between T’arq and Domik and settled into it gracefully. The older Taurean intelligence operative moved so quietly that he made even the battle-hardened T’arq jump in his seat.
“Stop sneaking up on people!”
Oren leaned forward to clap him on the back with a chuckle. “It’s part of the job, T’arq.” His piercing aqua blue gaze sparkled with laughter, the lines at the corner of his eyes crinkling. The older brother of Domik, they were very different in looks. Oren shaved his head to silver stubble, which stood out in bright contrast to his skin, which was the typical Taurean bronze. Domik was much darker in coloring, his skin more dark brown than bronze. His hair was almost black, shaved at the sides and longer on top, so much so that he had pulled it back in a braid that hung to his shoulders so it wouldn’t flop over his face. Where Oren’s eyes were aqua blue, Domik’s were almost black. It was hard to believe they were brothers, but they were.
“You haven’t missed much,” Zac said. “Laila and I are heading off to chase up a lead on the Taurean Purists’ threat. We need you and Domik to head to Irith’s Moons to see what you can find out. T’arq can’t go with you. It will look too suspicious if he returns so soon.”
T’arq shifted in his chair. He hated being left out of a mission, but he understood the reasoning behind it. It didn’t mean he had to like it.
“What’s the cover?” Domik asked.
Zac smiled. “It is a pleasure station, Domik. What do you think?”
The giant Taurean looked blankly at Zac.
“Oh, never mind. Can you two think of something?”
Oren rubbed his hand over his whiskered cheek. “Irith’s Moons doesn’t get supplies from the… usual sources,” he mused. “They like to keep their clients’ identities a closely held secret, and are suspicious of outsiders. Nobody really knows who owns the station, not really. The primary contact is an AI, and the workers never see the owner. There are more rumors about who actually runs the place than I can keep track of.” Oren shrugged, looking around the small group. “It’s difficult to get an invitation; it was pure luck that T’arq was allowed to dock there after having,” he shot a wry look T’arq, “engine trouble.”
There were a few groans.
“What about healthcare?” Domik asked.
The three others stared at him.
“Well, the people who work there need to have check-ups, don’t they?” he asked.
Oren sat back in his chair, eyebrows raised, a slight frown on his face. “It’s actually a pretty good idea. I don’t recall the station having more than an automated medical center. The only problem is that we don’t have a doctor. CJ is a good medic, but she’s not a doctor. If she actually has to do medical exams, our cover will be blown immediately.”
“The solution is obvious,” Domik said. “Let’s bring the human doctor, Amelia.”
“No,” Oren said, slashing the air with his hand. “It’s too dangerous.”
“It makes sense,” Zac said, ignoring Oren’s protests. “There are humans on Irith’s Moons, and it would give the perfect excuse. How else would they get the actual medical care they need? Taureans aren’t familiar with the differences between us and humans, and humans aren’t used to trusting AIs yet.”
“No.” Oren’s scowl was murderous.
“Can you think of a better solution?” Zac asked.
Oren clamped his lips shut, glaring at his commander.
“I didn’t think so. You’re the closest to Amelia, you convince her. You leave as soon as we can arrange it.”
Oren stood stiffly and stomped away; his hands clenched in fists as he left the hangar.
T’arq’s gaze followed him, surprised at the uncharacteristic display. “What’s wrong with him?”
Domik answered, not looking up from the tablet in his hands. “Nothing. He’s just in knots over his feelings for Amelia.”
That was new.
Domik looked up from his tablet. “He moped for weeks after he crashed on Earth. That only stopped when she was posted to the Zataras. But something must have happened at Zac and Laila’s wedding. Ever since then, he has been very short-tempered whenever her name comes up.”
T’arq’s eyebrows shot into his hairline. He couldn’t imagine the usually calm and reserved intelligence officermopingover a woman. He would never fall in love and make an idiot of himself. No way.
He laughed at the thought as he headed off to the training rooms for his daily workout.
