by H. E. Trent
He’d barely waited for Alex’s acquiescence before he disconnected without farewell.
Alex sent ahead the coordinates and adjusted his speed and altitude.
“I’ll never cease to be in awe of how easily you network yourself,” Oreva said. “I daresay you’re the only man on the planet who could just stumble into the Ciprianis and McGarrys.”
“I didn’t do the stumbling. Ais did.”
“My point stands. You’re still a peripheral recipient of someone else’s luck.”
“Not a circumstance I would condone, I assure you.”
“Oh, come off it. You can’t truly be so disenchanted with Mr. McGarry that you’d do anything to sabotage his connection to your sister.”
Alex ground his teeth. He’d actually considered sabotage early on. He’d pondered numerous ways to separate Ais and Owen, because, like Alex, Ais belonged on Earth with the Hauges. She was of royal blood and should have been reaping the perks associated with being the daughter of a prince, but for whatever reason, she wasn’t interested. She liked her little life on Jekh with her socially stunted husband and her son who rarely slept.
“No. I won’t do anything to hurt Ais,” Alex demurred with a grumble. “And I’ll do everything in my power to stop others from hurting her. I’m simply stating the situation isn’t ideal. Had I been able to get to her sooner, things would be different.”
“Different doesn’t necessarily mean better, friend. Yes?”
“I’ll concede that.”
“Good.” Oreva stood, clasped Alex’s shoulder, and then made his way to the rear of the ship. “I’m going to try to clear this glut of messages while horizontal.”
“Sounds like the perfect recipe for a nap.”
“And?”
Alex laughed and locked in the autopilot. “No comment.”
___
“Are you fucking kidding me?” The next evening, Luke didn’t bother double-checking his landing coordinates, because he didn’t need to. Duke’s sleek silver ship was unique enough that he would have recognized it on the ground from a kilometer away. How the man had managed to get ahead of him, Luke didn’t want to know. He’d been hauling ass, probably breaking speed records, and Duke had still trumped him.
He didn’t bother sending a ping down to the ground. Duke was there, so they were already expecting them.
“Touching down in a minute,” Luke called back to the Rays. “You might want to claim a jump seat and strap yourselves in. It’s windy and descent’s going to be turbulent.” For the most part, he’d stayed in the cockpit for the past day. Although his ship generally had a pretty good automatic piloting system, he wasn’t comfortable with his circumstances. He needed to be at the controls so he didn’t have to talk.
That was new for him. He’d always been able to instigate conversations and keep dialogue cordial and comfortable, but he couldn’t get a handle on Autumn. She was hard to engage, was uncommunicative, and when she did give up tidbits of information, they were things that he could have easily found out on the Internet.
Cree, on the other hand, was much more vivacious. Enthusiastic and curious, she always had a question queued up for him. She was a sweet kid, but he wasn’t supposed to be marrying Cree. He wasn’t even convinced that Cree was supposed to be on the fucking planet. If Autumn had cleared the arrangement in advance, information about the minor accompanying her would have been indicated in the documents the immigration office transmitted to Luke.
He’d find out, though, as soon as he could get a secure connection to the net.
Or maybe Owen could start poking around…
Luke was reaching for one of his listening buds and about to call his friend when Cree poked her head into the cockpit.
She was grinning like she’d eaten half a bag of Reese’s Pieces in one sitting.
“What’s up?” he asked and crooked his thumb toward the steering console. “You might want to take a seat unless you’ve got powerful magnets in your shoes and won’t get knocked over when we hit an air pocket.”
“This one looks good.” She plopped gracelessly into the copilot’s seat and fastened the harness. “So, where are we, exactly?”
“The Sisten Desert. We’ll spend the night here and get some food and fuel. In the morning, we’ll start the next leg of the trip. We’ll move much more quickly from then on out, except for when we pass through the mountain range. It’s kind of like the Bermuda Triangle for low-flying ships.”
“Eek.”
He shrugged. “Unfortunately, it’s the most direct way to the part of the coastal region where my friends and family reside.”
“Coastal elites, huh?”
He laughed. “Something like that.”
She spun the chair, one circle after another, and Luke felt vicarious nausea from watching her. He’d grown disenchanted with thrill rides at fifteen.
Kids.
He pinned his gaze on the windshield and concentrated on setting down the flyer. Then, spotting a certain dark figure, he rolled his eyes.
If that isn’t Duke sitting on the landing platform, I’ll eat my COM strap.
“This is an adventure, huh?” Cree asked, still spinning.
“I guess you could call it that.” He risked a sideways look at her. “Is adventure something you want?”
And is it something your sister really wants?
She was sure as hell going to get one whether she craved one or not. That was Jekh in a nutshell—adventure with the occasional bolus of sexual frustration poured in for good measure.
“Doesn’t everyone want adventure?” Cree asked.
“Dunno.” Luke hit the thruster dampeners and then leaned on his armrests. “Some folks get it whether they want it or not. Some folks seem to be genetically predisposed to finding it.”
“Are you some folks?”
He chuckled, and not because the answer was so amusing, but because her delivery of the question was genuinely curious. “I guess you could say I’m some folks.”
“Do you like it?”
He shrugged. “Sometimes. Do you?”
Still spinning, she furrowed her brow and tapped her chin. “I dunno. I don’t think I’ve ever had a real adventure. Lots of trips out of the country, but they were all pretty routine. Some folks could say that riding the subway in New York City is an adventure, what with all the labor cuts and scheduling disasters as of late, but I don’t know if that’s in the same bailiwick. Do you think it is?”
He gave his head a grave shake and nudged the ship’s nose down a few hairs to compensate for wind lift. “Maybe you’re asking the wrong person, though. I’ve spent a good chunk of my life working in gigs that got me shot at. My standards may be skewed far from normal.”
“But Jekh isn’t that kind of adventure, right? I don’t want to get shot at.”
“I doubt you’ll get shot at.” He cleared his throat and concentrated on the designated rectangle of landing pad beside Hauge’s ship. “But then again, that might depend on how long you’re here.” He cut her a querying look that she entirely missed. “It was nice of you to chaperone your sister all this way. I’m sure your trip back will be much less entertaining.”
Cree stopped spinning long enough to look at him. She was one of those young women who couldn’t mask her expression and conceal what she was feeling, but Luke couldn’t make out what her round-eyed expression meant. Not yet. Given time, he’d have all of her expressions mentally cataloged and he’d know what she was going to say before she said it.
She started spinning again. “So, you live on a farm?”
Shaking his head, Luke let out frustrated a breath and didn’t speak again until he’d set the ship down beside Hauge’s. “Yes. I live on a farm. It’s pretty much the same as any family farm on Earth.”
“But with aliens?”
“We’re the aliens here, honey.”
“Oh.” She furrowed her brow. “Right.”
Luke initiated the ship’s shutdown sequence and
pondered leaving the fuel latch unlocked. It’d save him the trouble of getting inside to do it later if their hosts already had fuel ready for him, but he also didn’t want to risk getting a heap of sand stuck in the opening. The wind was vicious, and he didn’t doubt all the rock particles flying around were giving the ship’s exterior a buffing he didn’t need or want.
He undid his harness then stood to stretch, and cracked his back. “I should probably run down a few of the cultural rules in communicating with this group. Think your sister wants to hear them?” He could have just walked to the back and relayed them to her, but the way he saw it, she could have just as easily walked to the front when she felt the ship touch the ground. Apparently, she wasn’t the curious sort.
That might be a problem.
Cree shrugged. “Probably.” She bounded out of the seat and into the bunk area.
All the human people at the farm called Luke’s still unnamed ship “the RV” because the inside was configured like one. There was a pilot and copilot’s place in the front, the primary door situated just behind the copilot’s seat, and then just beyond two jump seats was a living space. It featured a fairly functional kitchenette, a lounge chair with COM docking outlets, and then beyond the curtain were four bunks, stacked two and two. The lavatory was just on the other side of the bunks, so every time Luke needed to take a piss, he had to disturb them.
For the most part, Autumn had kept the curtain to her bunk drawn, so even if she’d heard him, she hadn’t extended any greetings.
He leaned his head left, and then right, then started at the rap against his windshield.
Duke was standing on the other side looking fresh as a daisy and holding his hands up in a, “Well?” gesture.
Luke shook his head.
Duke mouthed, “Open the door.” The bastard had some of the whitest teeth Luke had ever seen in real life. He probably had diamond dust in his toothpaste or something.
Luke didn’t want to open the door yet. He wanted to tell the Rays how to interact with the locals and try to get a handle on Autumn before royal pains in his ass distracted him. So he mouthed back, “Just wait.”
Cree returned to the room with Autumn just behind her. Autumn’s hair was fixed in the same severe bun she’d had it in the day before. Her makeup was fresh and posture impeccable. She had her big purse dangling from her forearm like a Fifth Avenue princess. That made him sigh, but that wasn’t the most pressing of his concerns. Her clothes were.
Luke pulled in some air through his teeth. “Do you have anything else to wear?”
She raised a pristine eyebrow and looked down at her attire. She was wearing a gauzy, see-through shirt with a camisole beneath, both of which were tucked into belted, slim-flitting black slacks. On her feet were what he thought he’d once heard Courtney call ballet flats. They were okay. The rest of her attire might earn her the side-eye treatment from the locals.
“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” she asked tartly.
“For one thing—”
“Should I change?” Cree interrupted. She looked down at her clothes as well, but hers were fine. She was wearing an off-the-shoulder sweatshirt with what must have been her prep school’s name emblazoned across the front, faded jeans, and expensive-ass sneakers.
“You’re fine,” he told the teen. “Casual is better with this group. You don’t want to engage with them and immediately make them feel as though you’re trying to one-up them.”
“But this is my typical attire,” Autumn said. “I try to dress respectfully.”
“That may be so, but—”’
Duke knocked again.
Luke waved him off without turning to look. “As I was saying, that may be so, but these people don’t know you and they don’t know Earth’s customs. Perceptions are reality for them. First impressions matter.”
“On Earth, one would try to make the best possible first impression.” She untucked her overshirt and loosened her hair bun the tiniest bit. “Is that better?”
“Is that the best you can do?”
“With the bulk of my clothing being in the hold under your ship right now, yes, I’d say that’s the best I can do. This was the only clean outfit I had left in my bag. Though, if you’d prefer, I’ll wear my pajamas. I’m not entirely certain that’ll create the sort of impression you’d like, either, since they’re made of silk and have see-through panels.”
“Actually, I think that would go over swimmingly, but whatever.” He scrubbed his hand down his face and then rubbed his eyes. “Anyway, the Jekhans you interacted with on the ship from Earth are accustomed to working with Terrans. They change their expectations accordingly. These folks won’t do that unless they like you. And just so you know, many Jekhans—especially the children—tend to openly stare at people they’re curious about. Don’t be offended if you notice someone ogling you.” He looked pointedly at Cree. “Don’t flirt with anyone who hasn’t flirted with you first. The women probably won’t be offended, but attached men probably would be if you show interest in their partners.”
Autumn shifted her weight nervously.
Cree narrowed her eyes. “How can I tell if they’re flirting?”
“Good question. It’s not always easy to tell. Jekhans aren’t overt in that way, especially groups like this one who haven’t fully integrated with the Terrans on the planet. You’ll have to guess based on their proximity to you. If a man hovers around you and keeps coming back for some other thing, he’s probably flirting. If he gives you fruit, he’s definitely flirting.”
“So…only accept fruit from women?”
“Chances are good that around here, only a woman would give you any, but now you know what to look out for.”
“Got it. Anything I should say or not say?”
She was asking all the right questions. Luke had to give her that. He wondered if she’d had some experience traveling to isolated locales. Her sister, on the other hand, didn’t seem nearly as engaged with the briefing. If that was how she was going to be going forward, she wasn’t going to last a month on Jekh.
Maybe that’s for the best.
“Just be yourself,” Luke grumbled, “but careful. Hold back on saying anything that might be perceived as critical unless you’re asked for your opinion. Compliments will get you a long way. And just…” He ground his teeth and turned to Autumn. “Just try not to look like you’re miserable. Okay?”
“Okay!” Cree said cheerily.
Autumn didn’t respond, except to shift her purse to her other arm and roll her shoulders back.
“Okay, then,” Luke muttered. “Let’s not keep the folks waiting any longer.”
Fuck. This is going to be a disaster.
CHAPTER SIX
Autumn let Cree take point. She doubted she was as overdressed as Luke made out, but she knew how to work a situation to her advantage and exploit whatever resources she had at her disposal. At that moment, her little sister was a resource. She didn’t think Cree would mind. People tended to be so distracted by Cree’s huge personality that they didn’t pay attention to Autumn until moments later, if they ever did.
Sometimes, being ignored was for the best. People couldn’t underestimate her or insult her if they were ignoring her.
They trudged down a sandy path, past some massive piles of junked machinery, keeping a safe distance back from Luke and Alex Hauge. The men were whispering furiously to each other about something she couldn’t make out. If Cree could hear them, she didn’t seem too put off by the conversation. She was taking selfies as she walked.
Autumn sighed. Only Cree would illegally transport herself to a planet and not even try to be discreet…Not that it took all that much for her to get anyone’s attention. Like her mother, she was model-tall, thin, and beautiful and smiled like she was afraid teeth were going out of style.
“Kinda reminds me of Egypt a little,” Cree said, waiting for Autumn to catch up to her.
“And when, pray tell, were you in Egypt?”
/>
Cree scrunched her nose and tapped her chin contemplatively. “I forget. Last spring, I think?”
“How could you possibly forget? It’s Egypt, not Poughkeepsie. You didn’t tell me about that. Who’d you go with?”
“Oh! It was last spring. I didn’t tell anyone about it. That was spring break. I was supposed to have been in Daytona Beach with my school group, but Heather and I changed our plans and went with her brother to Africa.”
“Just like that?”
Cree shrugged. “Have passport, will travel.”
“Aren’t you supposed to have some sort of letter of consent to travel internationally without your parents?”
Cree just grinned.
Autumn sighed.
Right.
How quickly she’d forgotten whom she was dealing with. Cree’s mother indulged her whims and would have moved the sun and the moon to get her what she needed. Her behavior was rife with privilege. Autumn had been doing all she could to train the girl not to exploit her position in society, but it was impossible to know how much of the lesson had clicked.
They rounded a large dune on the right, and a village of single-story round structures came into view. The dwellings appeared to be made entirely out of sand, save for the windows and doors, and were sunken half into the ground, with earthen ramps leading down into them.
Autumn put up her hand to shield her eyes from the glare. The sand had the same texture as sand on Earth, but was brighter. It reflected the sun in a harsh way that made her eyes burn, and looking at the structures straight on for any significant stretch of time was difficult.
She had to admit the location was stunning, though. If she had her druthers, she’d be the first to develop a golf course in the area—something sustainable, and perhaps just for ladies.
“Hmm.” She fidgeted the strap of her bag and notched her teeth into her bottom lip. “That’s not a bad idea,” she whispered.
“What’s not?” Cree asked.
“Just thinking aloud about vacation spots for women. Someplace they could travel to solo and play golf and relax. Maybe meet some like-minded ladies to network with.”
