Chapter 6 - Samantha
I’m completely distracted. Ever since we got Logan’s holographic message announcing his imminent arrival, I haven’t been able to focus.
Well, “imminent” is a relative term when it comes to space travel.
First, his messages take hours to reach us, and then it takes him days—depending on where he is in the galaxy—to get back to Gekkaria.
According to the calculations Mom and I made, he should be arriving today or within the next couple of days.
That’s why we came back to the colony last night, to stay in the little house we keep here, just Mom and me. Every time Logan and Ayden visit, we spend a few days at Gekkar Creek before heading back to our Gekkari home.
We handed the store over to Rebecca a few years ago. Mom and I just couldn’t live under the same roof as a man who was constantly drunk anymore. And it had become painfully clear that he had no intention of getting up in the morning to run the shop.
Since then, we’ve spent most of our time with the Gekkaris, making balms and ointments. Once a week, we bring our goods to Rebecca, and she trades them for whatever supplies we need. Our products have genuine medicinal value, and space travelers always need creams for scrapes, bruises, or burns.
Whenever Logan’s here, Dad is less aggressive, especially now that my brother is taller than him and built like a tank.
The days of our father taking his frustrations out on him are long gone.
Now the old man spends most of his time alone in his studio.
The rest of the time, he hangs around the saloon, the colony’s local spot where people go to relax and grab a drink.
At first, the drinks were mostly fresh-pressed juices or herbal infusions.
But Dad, in what seems to be his one ambition in life, figured out how to distill dates and has been selling date liquor for the past few years.
That’s all he does—if you can even call that work.
Funny how his only real contribution is producing more of the very thing that ruins him.
Unfortunately, a few months ago, my father found a new business opportunity on Gekkaria.
He realized that some gullible folks were willing to pay good money for a guaranteed boost in "performance.
" Just like the snake-oil salesmen back on old Earth, my father now sells powdered Nalgou horn—taken from a sweet, gentle herbivore native to the northern plains. Without a hint of shame, he describes these peaceful creatures as ferocious predators over ten feet tall. Supposedly, ground-up horn powder is the miracle cure for erectile dysfunction. And this is coming from a drunk who hasn’t touched a woman in years.
The real problem is that removing these horns does the animals serious harm.
They’re not decorative; they’re essential.
They use them to dig for food and survive.
Without them, they’re vulnerable and far less self-sufficient.
The process of cutting the horns is also incredibly stressful and painful, often causing infections.
Stripping them of their horns means stripping them of their dignity and their ability to live fully.
But Dad doesn’t care. I’ve lost count of the arguments we’ve had about this.
“You’re distracted,” Mom says, snapping me out of my gloomy thoughts.
“Yeah? Sorry. Let’s go get the house ready before Logan gets here.”
“What’s there to prepare, really? As always, the boys won’t want our beds.
They’ll crash in the living room on their inflatable mats.
But you’re right, we can definitely cook something real for them—a nice break from those awful nutrition bars they eat in space.
Just the thought of nibbling on dried-up tablets day after day makes me queasy. ”
“What I really couldn’t handle is being cooped up all day in their tiny little ship. No trees, not even a breeze…”
“You’re right. But it’s the life Logan chose. And he seems happier that way than he ever was here. And Ayden—well, Ayden is not only a charming young man but also ridiculously good-looking. Do you think Logan would’ve told me if there was something going on between the two of them?” she asks.
“I don’t know, Mom. Logan keeps that stuff to himself.”
That question really throws me off. Why have I never thought of that before? They’re always together. And Ayden is—let’s be honest—absolutely irresistible. Maybe I never considered it because I’m drawn to him and I don’t want to imagine him with someone else?
Then I remember that one time when my brother called us from the cockpit of their ship. He was alone, laughing, saying Ayden was “busy with a curvy brunette” back at the base. I’d felt a sharp stab of jealousy before brushing it off and telling myself it made perfect sense.
But now that I think about it again, I feel reassured. Logan and Ayden are just partners. Loyal friends. Nothing more.
Even so, the thought of having feelings for Ayden feels like a betrayal to my brother.
“Anybody home?” Logan’s voice suddenly booms through the house.
“Oh, baby boy!” Mom gasps, dropping the spoon she was holding.
“Baby boy… not so much anymore!” he laughs, wrapping her in a one-armed hug. “Hi, Mom.”
“Oh my goodness, what happened to you?” she asks with concern.
I quickly scan my brother and notice one of his arms is in a composite brace, held up by a sling.
“Nothing serious, don’t worry,” he replies, grinning mischievously. “Just figured out a clever way to score a few weeks off!”
Still worried, my gaze darts toward Ayden, who’s just stepped through the doorway. I give him a quick once-over and silently exhale in relief. He’s perfectly fine.
“Hey, short stuff,” Logan greets me, planting a kiss on my forehead. “You’ve grown again.”
“Give me a break,” Ayden scoffs. “Hey there, kiddo.”
“I’m not a kid anymore!” I shoot back, glaring at him while puffing out my chest.
Was that a flicker in his eyes when he glanced at my chest? Maybe I imagined it. He immediately comes back with:
“Pffft. You’re knee-high to a grasshopper.”
“I’m not short, you two are just giants. I’m seventeen Polar years old now!” I announce proudly.
“Hello, Olivia,” Ayden greets my mom, turning to her with a smile. “As Logan said, we’ll be around for a few weeks until his arm heals. If you prefer, I can find a place to stay in the colony so you can have some family time.”
“Ayden, are you seriously insulting me?” my mom exclaims. “You’re part of the family. Of course you’ll stay here! Unless the comfort level is beneath you, of course,” she adds with a teasing tone.
“Mom, we sleep in drawer pods,” Logan laughs. “Anything’s more comfortable than that! So… what’s cooking? It smells amazing.”
While Mom starts listing everything she’s made for the feast, my eyes wander to the man who’s taken up way too much space in my thoughts lately. Is it just me, or is he even more muscular than the last time I saw him? No, it’s not just in my head. Both he and my brother have bulked up.
Ayden’s got dark hair, unlike Logan’s golden-blond. They’re both tall—easily a full head taller than me.
I find myself comparing how they’ve changed over the years. Logan used to carry so much frustration and bitterness, but now… he’s calm, solid—like Ayden.
That shift fascinates me. They both seem unshakeable, like sentinels standing between the galaxy and chaos.
And yet, I can never read what they’re thinking. That quiet strength they carry only adds to their mystery.
Suddenly, a deep, dark gaze catches mine, catching me red-handed checking him out. Crap.
“You need something, kiddo?” he asks.
Ugh. I swear he calls me that on purpose—like when we first met. But he can’t possibly still see me as a child, can he? If he does… well, I plan on changing that before the week is over.
“I was just wondering where you were while my brother got himself injured,” I reply sweetly, giving him my most innocent smile. “I’m glad to see you made it through without a scratch.”
“Ayden wasn’t in the same sector when it happened. I was sleeping—fell right out of my bunk—while he was out investigating with Vlad,” Logan jumps in.
Of course. Those two always have each other’s backs.
“Ahh, that makes sense. A heroic napper, huh?” I smirk, turning back to my brother. “Saving the galaxy one snooze at a time. Impressive.”
“Haha, you get it! Even my snoring is legendary,” Logan laughs.
“Unfortunately, that’s true,” Ayden sighs dramatically.
“Dinner time, kids!” Mom calls out. “We’ll continue this thrilling discussion over my stew.”
A little later, we’re all sitting at the table, listening to Logan and Ayden excitedly recount their adventures on distant worlds. One thing’s clear—Logan really is happy with the life he’s chosen.
He and Ayden travel the galaxy to… well, officially, they scout for terraforming candidates and catalog new lifeforms. Unofficially, they hunt down soul traffickers and planetary exploiters.
Mom jokingly calls them her “space sheriffs.” We all got a good laugh out of it—though originally, she said “space cowboys,” which Logan immediately corrected.
“There are no cows in space, Mom!” he had argued.
So “sheriffs” it is—and the name stuck.
Gekkaria—or at least the colony part—is a dry, dusty land that looks like those old Earth westerns, all wide plains and endless sun.
Out of humor or nostalgia, the settlers started naming things accordingly.
That’s how our colony became Gekkar Creek, a nod to the planet with a bit of retro-futuristic charm.
When the meal ends, Logan stretches and says,
“Alright, I’m off to see Dad. He in his studio?”
“Probably. If not, try the saloon. That’s where he sells his ‘Albert’s Virility Powder,’” I say dryly.
“His what?” Logan chokes.
“‘Albert’s Virility Powder.’ He hunts down a few poor Nalgous, chops off their horns, grinds them up, and sells the powder to desperate men for a fortune.”