But she didn’t feel like celebrating. She felt downright dejected as she stood in a corner, out of the way and no longer a part of this group. She could no longer see Zee, and that was even more depressing.
“Ellie?” Zee said, startling her out of her malaise.
“What?”
He smiled. “My superior was wondering if you would be willing to take me back to Ateles. He’s offering to repair your ship and reimburse you for time and resources.”
“That’s kind of him.” And convenient. She wasn’t ready to see the last of Zee just yet. Procrastinating it until he reached his homeworld seemed like a perfect idea.
But the end would happen soon enough. She knew that, even if she didn’t want to admit it to herself.
“Come on,” he said, reaching out with his hand. “We’re done here.”
“What about the military?”
“They’ll remain here for the time being. There’s a lot involved with an event like this. They’ll need to board the ships, detain the crews, and interrogate them.”
She didn’t honestly care about the fleet anymore. That was in the past, but if she could drag her feet, she would. Ellie accepted his hand, and he led her outside. The day was darker now than it had been earlier. She looked up, and the clouds were dark gray, almost black. A storm was coming in. It matched her mood.
They walked through the settlement slowly, neither of them in a rush. It struck her that it was very quiet, and she realized that she had yet to see any actual civilians since getting here. “Why is there no one outside?”
He looked around, taking in the quiet, empty paths. “It’s the middle of the day. Everyone’s probably sleeping. Plus, they might have received an alert to remain in their homes because of the fleet.”
She nodded, though she couldn’t see where staying in your homes was the safest option when dozens of ships wanted to bomb you into smithereens.
Before long, they reached the Independence. It didn’t shine because of the dark clouds overhead, giving it more of a space gray feel than usual. She smiled, though, happy to be home.
But would it still feel like home when Zee walked out of her life? She wasn’t so sure.
They reached the cockpit, and she turned to Zee as they buckled in. “Do you have new orders from command?”
He shook his head. “Not quite. I’ve been ordered to meet my commanding officer once we touch down on Ateles.”
She didn’t honestly care what his orders were. She just didn’t want this to end. Her eyes teared up as her body pressed into her seat. Her ship wasn’t back to normal yet, but it would do. They just had to get to Ateles, where the military would fix it up as good as new.
Ellie smirked, feeling sorry for the poor soldiers who would have to work with Victoria on the repairs via comms. These ships were Victoria’s babies, and she didn’t like anyone else working on them.
But the mirth didn’t last. As they reached space, she looked at Zee and felt defeated. In no time, they would never see each other again.
It nearly broke her heart.
The trip back home was uneventful and all too short. They’d spent every moment together, desperation in their every encounter. Zee sighed as the ship touched down, not able to look at Ellie. He couldn’t hide his expression. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to. Zee felt destroyed.
Flipping the harness over his shoulders, he stood and left the control room. As he walked through the hall, it occurred to him that this would be the last time he ever walked this path. It felt surreal, like he wasn’t quite occupying his own body.
Just beyond the ramp exiting the ship, he spotted a team of mechanics ready to get to work. Ellie walked past him, approaching the team. “The AI is called Angus. Ask him to comm Victoria when you’re ready to start repairs. She’s the ship’s designer.”
The mechanics agreed, asking her more detailed questions about the damage.
Zee scanned the grounds, stopping on his superior officer. He saluted.
“At ease,” the older man said, stepping forward. His gaze shifted to Ellie.
Zee frowned. Why was he looking at her? “I’m ready to be debriefed,” he said, trying to distract him.
“Yes, of course. We’ll wait until she’s finished. I would like her involved as well.”
Zee froze. Why did he want her at a military debriefing? She wasn’t military or, hacht, even Ateles. But they waited until Ellie turned, the mechanics filing into the ship behind her.
“This way,” the jerunt said, marching off toward the office tower.
Ellie looked at him questioningly, pointing at herself without a word.
Zee nodded and shrugged, not knowing what to say.
The military base was on the outskirts of Ateel, their capital city. It sprawled over most of the mouth of the valley, serving as a buffer between the city and the rest of the planet. They walked to a building that matched the construction of every other building in Ateel—metal and glass with slanted walls.
“It’s beautiful,” Ellie breathed as her neck craned to look up.
No, you are.
Zee turned back to the glass doors and shook his head, disgusted with his own behavior. Why couldn’t he accept this was over, that they couldn’t make this work? He held the door open for her as she passed.
Inside, the jerunt held an elevator door open for them.
“Thank you,” Ellie said as she walked past him.
Zee nodded before standing at attention against a wall. His stomach sank as they started rising. It stopped before he’d even grown accustomed to the sensation, and the superior officer led them down a hallway and into his office.
As they stepped inside, Zee approved. The space was authoritative without being pretentious. On a storage cabinet against the wall, pictures of what looked to be the jerunt’s family bogged down the surface. Other than that, the office was utilitarian, every item having a purpose.
“Sit.”
Zee nodded and sat in front of the desk. Ellie followed suit.
His superior officer leaned back in his high-backed chair. Zee recognized the ergonomic setup, common for people with prior neck injuries. “I’m sure you’re wondering why I brought you here.”
Ellie snorted. “Yeah, a little.”
The officer smiled. “I was impressed with the reports I’ve received thus far.” He pulled up the display on his desk, touching it occasionally. “Your unique tactics saved Balaena, saved Ezzaruh, and all it’s people. Not many military forces could have pulled that off with a single ship, and yet yours is a cargo ship.”
Ellie shrugged. “Well, I can’t take the credit. Victoria created the pulse weapon.”
“Victoria?”
She nodded and smiled. “My friend. She’s a genius.”
He scratched his chin, muttering under his breath. “We might have to commission her in the future.”
Ellie shook her head, confusing Zee. What? Being hired by the Ateles military was a fantastic opportunity for anyone.
The officer leaned forward, and Zee noticed his name for the first time: Axt. He’d never had to report to him directly before and hadn’t actually known his name. In the field, they used ID codes for communications. It was more secure. The unit leader would have been the only one to report directly to Jerunt Axt.
Axt focused in on Ellie. “In the execution of our duties, we often have to transport precious cargo. Would you consider a contract to transfer goods for the Ateles military? It would require a Special Forces unit on board for security, and your ship would need to be retrofitted with weapons and better shielding, but it would be quite the opportunity for you.”
Zee stared in shock at Axt, not believing his ears. He turned to Ellie, and her eyes rounded while her mouth mechanically opened and closed without making a sound. “Ellie?” He held his breath. What was she thinking? Would she agree to this? For the first time, hope surged within him. This just might work.
She jerked to look at him, his voice breaking her ou
t of her shock. “Yes?”
He nodded at Axt.
“Oh, right.” She turned to the jerunt, then back to Zee, looking uncertain.
This was his chance, he realized. The moment he’d needed. He turned to Axt. “I would like to volunteer for this assignment, if you would be so inclined,” he said respectfully, hoping it was enough.
Ellie shifted forward, suddenly energized beside him. “I’ll do it… if Zee is on the team. That’s non-negotiable.”
Axt grinned. “That can be arranged.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Zee stood at attention days later as, above him, a spaceship approached the landing area on base. Beside him, Ellie pressed close. Today, he was in a dress uniform, unlike the armor he’d worn all through their adventures together. It was black, with ribbons and medals and embroidery based on ranks, units, and past achievements.
He rarely wore a dress uniform, so he’d never really paid much attention to the adornments other than making sure they were up to code. But as he’d dressed in his apartment today, Ellie had been fascinated, asking him about them. He’d felt a little embarrassed as he told her why he’d earned each one, but it had been worth it for her smile.
He let out a deep breath and stood up taller as the ship activated vertical thrusters in preparation for its final approach. The engines had a throaty roar that spoke of power and destructive force. The faint scent of something burning tinged the air, hinting at the events to come.
Around him, bodies moved forward as the dull black ship settled into place on the tarmac. Some were soldiers like him. Others were family members. Many, he didn’t know.
The ramp for the ship opened, exposing the dark interior. Everyone waited in stillness as moments ticked by. Ellie touched his arm, and he looked over at her. She had an encouraging smile on her face, and he returned it, pulling her into his side.
Finally, movement disturbed the interior, and the first body bag started coming down the ramp, carried by four men. Everyone showed their respect in a flurry of motion as the first body was carried through an aisle made in the crowd and to one of the platforms just behind them. He took in a deep breath that shook a little as the four men laid the body gently on the platform and moved back to the ship.
There were enough platforms for his entire unit.
The sight of it was a little alarming, making his heart jump in his chest. He didn’t want to look, but he knew he had to. It was his duty to show respect for the men who’d given their lives, men he’d called friends. Emotion made it hard to breathe as he turned back to the ship, waiting for the next body to be taken out.
His arm gripped harder around Ellie’s waist. She squeezed him back and leaned into him further.
Out of respect, each body was taken out separately, giving them their individual moment in death. But it did make for a long, drawn out ceremony. A lot of men had died, and he had a hard time giving them the attention they deserved. It was hard to think of them dead, and this made it impossible to forget, to ignore. He wanted to kid himself, to tell himself it wasn’t their bodies in those bags, or that they would walk out of the ship at any moment, but he’d known loss before. This wasn’t the first time he’d lost a fellow soldier in battle. And it wouldn’t be the last.
Finally, the last body bag was taken out, and everyone turned to the platforms. They were made of metal and covered with a cloth that held a history of the soldier’s service for all to see. Family members had pinned articles that represented the deceased’s home life as well. Pictures with their loved ones. Favorite possessions. Or just words and farewells.
Officiants stepped forward and, again, each soldier had their moment to shine. They spoke of the individual’s accomplishments and of stories given to them by family and friends. When every story had been told, the officiants stepped back, lifting remotes in their hands. With the press of a button, the platforms erupted in flame. It was hot enough that, even near the back as he was, the heat felt like it cooked his face.
They could no longer see the bodies. The flames consumed all.
With a sigh, he said under his breath, “You’re finally free.”
Epilogue
Ellie lounged across Zee’s lap, enjoying the heat he radiated. Sadly, he was wearing his body armor, so she couldn’t enjoy the whole experience, but just being with him was enough. God, she’d never thought it would be possible.
Behind them, a commotion rose as the rest of the unit assigned to her ship argued over who got to use the equipment in the gym first. She snickered. It had been interesting figuring out how to live on her small ship with a half dozen soldiers. They had enough sleeping quarters so long as the others didn’t mind sharing.
She smirked, her face blushing red. Even she and Zee shared.
The problem came about with the rest of the facilities. They had one tiny kitchen and a gym that could comfortably fit two at a time. Unfortunately, being Special Forces, they always wanted to work out. They’d had to cordon off space in the cargo bay for floor exercises.
Zee touched her chin, angling it up to look at him. “Ignore them.”
“Not a problem,” she said, leaning up to kiss him.
Their lips had barely managed a ghost of a touch when Angus broke in. “You have a call from Cass.”
She groaned and laughed, thinking how dismayed Cass would be for cockblocking her. “Put her through.”
Cass’s bright purple hair of the moment took up most of the screen. “Damn, hot stuff.” She licked her lip.
“Down, girl,” Ellie said, drawing her friend’s attention.
Cass waved a hand. “Oh, don’t worry. He’s all yours.”
“How magnanimous of you.”
Cass smirked. “Unless you want to share. I wouldn’t mind.” She winked at Zee, who growled at her.
Damn, but that was sexy.
Zee didn’t seem to like Cass’s sense of humor. His arms pulled tighter around her.
Ellie patted him. “Not gonna happen, Cass. And quit teasing Zee. I would actually like you two to get along.”
“Sorry, Zee. I’ll try to behave.” Her expression said she wouldn’t try very hard.
“So, what’s the occasion?”
Cass waved again. “Oh, I was just planning another job. You might not hear from me for a while.”
Ellie smiled, but the expression was difficult to pull off. She still hadn’t told Zee her friend was a pirate. She didn’t know how he would react. As it was, Ellie wasn’t always happy with her friend’s choice of career. A niggling of unease hit her. “How safe is this job?”
“Oh, it’s super safe,” Cass said, waving the question off.
Translation: If they catch me, I’m dead.
“Well, congratulations on the man candy. He’s quite a catch,” Cass said with a wink.
“Thanks. I know.” Ellie leaned in to kiss him, forgetting entirely that Cass was still watching. “God, I love you.”
She felt him smile against her lips. “Me too.”
Ready for More?
This series will continue with Cass in Shifting Loot.
The job is simple. Knock out the crew, disable the ship, steal the loot. But things don’t go to plan, and Cass gets more than she bargained for…
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About the Author
Danielle Forrest is a Paranormal SciFi author and Medical Laboratory Scientist based out of Indianapolis, IN.
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Also by Danielle Forrest
The Darkest Day Series
Mila’s Flight
Mila’s Shift
Tristan’s Choice
Terra’s Fate
The Darkest Day Collection
A Shift in Space Series
Shifting Sides
Shifting Cargo
Shifting Loot
Mila’s Shift - Excerpt
Mila took deep breaths to calm her pounding heart, anxiety eating her alive. She’d picked a table that backed up against a wall so no one could sneak up on her. The table sat on the café’s patio on the far edge nearest the alley, perfect placement for a quick getaway.
Shifting Cargo (A Shift in Space Book 1) Page 20
