CJ tilted her head, looking the other woman up and down. “Yes, that is what I said.”
The woman took a step closer, Domik growling in a low rumble. He didn’t like this.
“And he said his name is Domik Vo’Ress, is that right?” She ignored Domik’s growl and walked closer, stopping just out of striking distance.
Smart woman.
“You have a translator.” CJ moved out from behind Domik, resting a hand on his forearm.
He had to trust that she knew what she was doing. He wasn’t one for politics or talking. Just get in, do the job, get out. That was his motto. The dancing around and word play? That was his brother Oren’s forte, not his.
And he felt very much out of his depth here. And outgunned. It was a distinctly uncomfortable feeling.
Domik watched as the two women eyed each other, CJ’s discomfort obvious.
“I’m Major Sarah Adams. You’re famous, you know.” The woman grinned, stepping forward to grip CJ by the shoulders.
“Ah, no. I’m not, ma’am,” CJ replied.
“No, no. You really are. All the survivors are.” She rattled off a list of names, ticking them off on her fingers. With each name said, CJ’s face became more pale until Domik held up a hand to make her stop.
“Oh, sorry. That was insensitive of me.” She grimaced. “You said you wanted to see General Russell, is that right?”
CJ nodded. “Yes, ma’am. We have an urgent message to give him.”
She turned, linking her arm in CJ’s leading her toward the gate. “Let’s get you two to the General then,” she said, gesturing for the marines to fall back and let them pass. “Leave the truck, we’ll take care of it. Come with me.”
Domik retrieved the plasma pistol and their pack from the truck before following CJ and Major Adams to a military truck nearby. They climbed in, and began moving through the barriers at the gate, bouncing along the long road toward the center of the base.
The major chatted animatedly as they drove, Domik tuning her voice out, instead watching as the dawn light spilled over the road, the streetlights winking out as they passed. After a few minutes, they approached a cluster of buildings, CJ pointing to them.
“That’s the hospital where your brother was, and where Amelia worked,” she said, giving him a soft smile.
Those few days of not knowing what had happened to Oren were some of the most harrowing of his life. His brother had a job that kept him offline for days, or sometimes weeks, at a time. That was true. But when he had crash-landed on Earth, it had been a different matter entirely.
Shaking his head, Domik watched as they passed the hospital. The looming brick building cast in an orange glow in the morning light.
“Here we are,” she said, slowing the truck and turning down a side road and toward a series of low buildings. She pulled the truck to a stop in front of the central building and turned off the engine. They climbed out and moved up a set of steps that led to glass double doors with gold lettering embossed on them.
Domik looked at CJ with an eyebrow raised.
“Space Force Central Command, Earth Operations,” she read for him.
He appreciated she understood his need to not feel on the back foot. He needed to know what was going on.
The major walked to the door in front of them, waving her badge at the guard, who opened the door for them to enter. They entered a foyer with a single metal desk bolted to the floor, behind which a marine stood, looking up as they approached.
“Good morning, ma’am,” the young human male said, saluting. “Please sign your guests in.”
Domik bristled at the layers of bureaucracy preventing him from talking with the human general. It felt like every second was ticking past, wasting time that they could use to communicate with the Taureans.
A doorway to the right was flanked by two guards, heavily armed with Taurean plasma weapons. The general must be in an office behind that door somewhere. Domik turned, approaching the guards.
“Tell them to let me through,” he said over his shoulder, not breaking stride as he marched toward them.
“Stop!” they shouted in unison, lifting their rifles.
Fools. Don’t they know how to use those?
