“The cloak’s not ready,” Krystal spoke up. “I can’t put troops in danger like that.” She sat back, arms crossed over her chest, as if daring anyone to question her.
T’arq suppressed a smile, a warm wash of pride filling him as he watched her square off against not only her only family, but the captain of a Taurean starship.
“I’m sure—” Laila began.
Krystal cut her off. “You don’t know. You weren’t there!” She turned to face T’arq, eyes pleading with him to help. “Tell them, T’arq! I can’t put more people in danger.”
T’arq held her gaze, eyes roving over her face. As if he could refuse her anything. He turned to look address Zac. “She needs to know.”
Zac’s eyes met his as he nodded. “I’d been thinking the same thing myself.”
Laila sat upright in her seat, slapping a hand on the table. “What? No. She’s—”
“I’m what, Laila? A kid? Too young? Do you really want to finish that sentence, because I am done with you,” she gestured around the table, “thinking you can decide for me!” She stood, her chair falling backwards in her haste.
“Sit down,” Karik said, though his words were warm and a small grin tilted his lips. He raised his hands in surrender with a chuckle.
“What?” Krystal whispered, finally looking at T’arq, who helped right her chair as she sat back down.
He smiled and nodded, whispering, “I lied because I had no choice. I’m sorry.”
Her eyes widened. “What?”
“Do you know what we do, Krystal?” Zac asked, waving a hand to include the group seated at the table.
“I know you do more than what you’ve told me. There’s no reason for an advisor,” she inclined her head to indicate Laila, “and a troop trainer,” she nodded toward Zac, “to be gallivanting all over the place. At least not together.” She scoffed.
Karik laughed and then quickly brought Krystal up to speed with the purpose of the team of humans and Taureans. “So, we want you to be attached to the team.”
“Oh,” Krystal managed, her mouth dropping open, eyes skipping over first Laila, then Zac and finally resting on T’arq.
“Do you accept?” Laila asked, leaning forward across the table.
“Yes, of course,” Krystal said, eyes darting back to her sister.
“Good. The first thing is to get that cloak sorted,” Karik said.
“I still feel the cloak’s not ready,” she said.
“She’s right. If we send ships out without a working cloak, the Xakul response will be swift and, unfortunately, predictable,” T’arq agreed.
A gasp from next to him made him glance back at the little human engineer.
“You’re a genius!” She exclaimed, clapping her hands together before pushing back from the table and racing for the door.
She disappeared, leaving a stunned silence in her wake. T’arq and Zac looked at Laila, who shrugged. “She’ll be—” Laila was cut off by Krystal dashing back into the room, hands grabbing the door frame as her hair whipped wildly around her face.
“Sorry! I know how to fix it. Give me a few hours?” she said, before disappearing through the door once more.
T’arq burst into laughter, shaking his head. “Once she gets an idea…”
