Chapter 6
SIX
Kim chatted with Amelia, but stayed acutely aware of Klae, who stood apart from them with Taron. They were both large, muscular males who emanated power and confidence. Taron had a reckless air about him, while Klae was serious and cool.
The sight of the cargo ship’s crew being evacuated on levitating stretchers wrenched her attention away from Amelia.
All eight of them were sitting up and appeared fine.
What bothered her was that Klae spared them only the briefest glance before checking the settings on his wild-looking space suit.
It appeared to be constructed of thousands of shards of a dull metal pieced together.
Instruments blinked on screens built into both forearms. He looked magnificent, with a sleek helmet tucked under one arm.
And yet, doubts had crept into her mind.
Maybe she’d misjudged him. He seemed to care much more for his cargo than the people transporting it.
Kim held her breath as he began walking toward her. Amelia’s words faded out as her vision filled with Klae in his space suit. She blinked up at him, taking in the very alien appearance of him.
“I am taking my shuttle to the damaged ship to inspect the cargo,” he said.
“Is your crew okay?” she asked pointedly, hoping for a reaction, for some show of genuine concern.
He frowned. “They’re fine, for now.”
She didn’t like the dark edge to those last two words: for now. Would they be punished for failing to deliver their cargo? The thought made her nauseous.
They could have been killed, and it appeared Klae’s only concern was for his precious cargo.
If profits came first, that would explain how he’d built such a large trade empire.
Was this something she could live with? Could she commit to a male who put profit first in a place where attacks and abductions were possible all the time?
The thought hit her like a slap. A chill ran through her. The answer was a definite no.
“Good luck, Klae.” Her voice sounded icy. “I hope your cargo wasn’t damaged.”
He stared at her with what looked like genuine confusion, then shook his head and walked to the shuttle.
Amelia eyed him curiously. “Not going so well, huh?”
“It was.” Unexpected tears stung Kim’s eyes. “But… Oh, can we talk about this later? I want to hear about you.”
“Okay, but I know a delay tactic when I see one. You’re not getting out of talking.” Amelia put an arm around Kim’s shoulders. “Why don’t we get something to eat and sit somewhere comfy? I do have a lot to tell you.”
Kim nodded, grateful to lean into Amelia.
It was good to get Klae out of her head for a while.
They went back to her suite, where the food replicator turned out snacks and tea of some variety.
It definitely wasn’t English breakfast, but it was warm and earthy and tasted good.
She and Amelia each settled into a couch with a mug in their hand, much like they had on Earth together.
Amelia told Kim about her adventures with Taron.
Some worlds they’d been to sounded incredible.
Amelia had been to Virilia many times, since Taron was out of exile now.
She described the two cities of Exir and Tagja, their differences and the growing number of human women who lived there.
For a long time, the survivors of the virus had despaired of rebuilding their population, but Amelia talked of a society infused with new life.
The match program was a success. A new generation of Virilian-human hybrid children was entering schools and filling the corridors with youthful voices.
Kim couldn’t help but smile. The excitement and happiness that shone from her friend was addictive. Amelia sat back after telling her all about Virilia and the friends she’d made there.
“And there’s one more thing, but I wanted to wait to tell you because it might dominate the conversation for a while.”
Kim raised her brows. “What’s that?”
“I’m pregnant.” Amelia’s face bloomed into a wide, beaming smile. “Can you believe it? Well, you probably can. Taron and I have been boning like rabbits. It was a matter of time, right?”
Kim scooted off her couch and onto Amelia’s. With a squeal, she gave her friend a hug. “Congrats to the two of you!” She glanced down at Amelia’s still-flat belly. “How far along are you?”
“We just found out before we came here. That’s why we were late.” Amelia took a sip of her tea. “I have a way to go, obviously, but we want you to be one of the baby’s star guardians.”
Kim blinked. “I’m honored, but what is that, exactly?”
Amelia laughed. “Nothing to worry about. It’s like a godmother, I guess, but in Virilia, a star guardian is someone trusted to look after a child and be a special person to them.” Amelia took her hand and squeezed. “There’s no one else I’d choose, Kim.”
Kim’s heart ached at the thought of being a part of Amelia’s child’s life.
She wanted it so badly and wanted to say yes immediately.
“Amelia, I don’t know if I’m the best choice.
” She felt her face fall and saw the joy slide from her friend’s face.
“I am here with Klae, but I’m not sure it’s going to work out between us.
I can’t be here for your child if I’m back on Earth. ”
Amelia tilted her head and studied Kim. “What happen—” She was cut off by a ping at the door. It slid open and Klae strode in. His hair was ruffled and his jaw set. His eyes had a focus on Kim, which slid to Amelia, then back to Kim.
“I need to speak with you.” The tone of his voice made it clear that he meant now, and Amelia got the message.
“Welp, we can finish catching up later. I’m going back to my ship. We should be docked here for a while longer.” She leaned over, hugged Kim, then got up. “See you later, Klae.” Kim saw the dark look she aimed at Klae before exiting the room.
When they were alone, he faced her. His expression was inscrutable. “Tell me what is wrong.”
Kim bristled. It wasn’t a request, but an order.
He was used to giving them, so why should she be exempt?
Her worries coalesced into a sinking feeling that the old cliché was true: if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
“Klae, I’ve had a wonderful time on your ship.
We have the better part of a week remaining of my stay, but at the end of it, I will be going home. ”
“Will you tell me why?”
“It doesn’t matter,” she replied. “We—our lives—are just too different, and I don’t think I can live like this.”
“Like what?” He spread his arms. “With a male who adores you? Who wants to spend his life with you?”
Kim put her hands up. “With a male who values things more than lives.”
“What?” His brow furrowed.
“I saw how you were with the cargo ship and it’s just not something I can be okay with. This?” She motioned between the two of them. “It’s just not going to work out.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but if we are over, then we’re over. If you’ve lost your feelings for me so easily, then we obviously had nothing real in the first place.”
“This is… I mean, I…” Kim trailed off and squeezed her eyes shut.
Her stomach dropped and rolled into a knot.
He truly didn’t seem to understand what she was talking about, and she was struggling to articulate her feelings.
She had little experience sharing and explaining how she felt, when so much of her life was taking care of how others felt.
He let out a sigh. “I still care for your happiness, so after Taron and Amelia depart, I will return you to your home on Earth.” With that, Klae turned and walked out, leaving her alone with her swirling thoughts.
Kim needed to get things straight in her head.
She had enough sense to know that something wasn’t fitting together.
Swiping a tear from her eye, she got up and left her suite.
She remembered the turns and lifts to get to the hangar, and found the big, black ship docked to Klae’s.
She approached the thick double doors that separated the two ships and glanced nervously at the pair of big, stern-looking guards on either side of them.
“Um, hi,” she said. “I was wondering if I could see Amelia Ward? I’m her friend.”
One guard turned his steely gaze down to her and frowned. “No admittance.”
Kim nodded, swallowing. She wished she had a way to contact her friend. She was sure Amelia would let her through.
The other guard narrowed his eyes. “What’s your name, female?”
“Kim Humphries.”
The guards exchanged glances, then the doors opened. “Apologies, Miss Humphries. We were told to admit you.”
“Oh. Thank you.” She stepped through the doors into a long, tubular corridor. She got to the end where another set of doors opened into a wide-open space. There were crew members walking around speaking to each other through communicators.
One of them, a tall, impossibly thin being with nearly transparent skin, stopped and looked at her. “Hello. Are you supposed to be here?”
“Yes. I’m Amelia’s friend Kim. Please tell me where to find her?”
“Amelia is in her quarters right now.” They gave her a wary look. “Let me contact her.”
Kim waited as the translucent being spoke into their earpiece. Kim tried not to stare. She had never seen an alien like this before, and it was hard not to stare at the pulsing brain visible inside their head.
“Amelia will be here in a moment.” The transparent alien made a face that looked like a smile. “Or faster than a moment—look.”
Kim looked up to see a blur of a woman hurtling towards her.
“Kim! Thank goodness you’re here. I’ve been dying to know what happened after I left. It didn’t look good.” She hooked her arm through Kim’s. “Come on, let’s go sit down and talk.”