“Can’t get air like this on Arys-27,” they both said at the same time.
Betta shook her head. “I’m not sure I’ll get used to this, but it feels… right.”
“Hormones and chemicals can fool us into thinking anything is right. I’ll call in a medic when we get back. There has to be a way to reverse this.” Jadis groaned at the pain in his side. In the midst of breathing normally again, he’d forgotten about the wound.
“Okay. We can talk about that if you survive. If you don’t, I guess I’ll have to work it out on my own. Keep holding that. There’s a med kit in the lower compartment, right?”
“I think. Maybe. I don’t remember. How do you?”
“I remember everything. It’s my curse and my gift.”
Betta disappeared from view. Jadis concentrated on laying still, holding his wound, and breathing. He heard the compartment open and soon Betta was standing over him again, her face covered in sweat, and her short locks now damp and sticking to her skull.
“You promised me we’d save our child,” Betta said.
“The memory will fade when the hormones wear off.” As much as he wanted his words to be the truth, he knew they were a lie. And he knew that she knew it too.
“My memories don’t fade. I remember everything, every sensation, every thought I shared when we were all one. I’ll never forget what it was like to hear my child’s thoughts, to feel you as a part of me. I want it back, Jadis. Now, let me see.”
He removed his hand from his side and felt the blood pour out.
“Dammit!” Betta swore. The sound of tearing, then she sprayed something that burned all the way to his spine. “Stopped the blood at least. Can you get us back on course?”
Jadis opened his interface with the ship and reactivated the engines. He studied the fuel consumption and sighed. Nothing was ever easy.
“That Antogin—” Betta started to say.
“He’s dead,” Jadis interrupted.
“How’d he know where to find us? Where’s his ship? It was like he was dropped off here, waiting for us.”
“Yeah. Makes sense. We slowed to study the debris. They had to know we survived the attack on your station.”
Betta nodded, though she looked unconvinced.
Jadis activated the distress call module and forced the engines to a low burn with a slow acceleration. They’d get close, but Endeavor would need plenty of help to fully reach the station. The airlock was flickering with little black dots that threatened to completely cover his sight again. “I want you to know that I’m sorry I did this to you.”
“You didn’t do anything to me. I was the one who touched you, remember?” Betta put a hand to his cheek. “You were doing your best to keep me away. I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I chose to pursue this. I don’t regret it. I’m thankful. I doubt anyone in the whole universe has ever experienced what we did. No one. Rest, lover.”
“I’m not—” he started to protest only to have his world go dark.
The light was dim and the room was familiar. A med tech widened his eyes and rushed into the corridor. Jadis could move his head, but the rest of his body was numb. He waited, allowing his mind to access his latest diagnostic report. It was pretty interesting. His hearts had to be stopped and restarted twice to get them to beat properly. There were two arterial veins that were replaced and seemed to be working properly. He had new prosthetic ribs to support his chest. The paralysis was probably to keep him stable while he healed.
Manager Tylen walked slowly into the med bay, his face covered in a new line of scars. “Why is it every time you leave this station, you come back nearly dead?”
“Good to see you alive too. New face?” Jadis asked.
“We had a few issues, but they were taken care of.”
“Betta?” Jadis tried to get into a better sitting position, but his body didn’t respond.
“Some oxygen deprivation, damage to her lungs, and a few broken ribs, but the feds arrived in time to save you both. She’s recovering nicely.” An eyebrow rose. “Should we finally ready ourselves for Mrs. Ter?”
Jadis decided not to answer was the best way to handle this. “And my ship?”
“The Endeavor went through a great deal and I’m afraid you don’t have the marks to fully repair her.”
Jadis accepted his fate. At least he was alive. “And any other issues with the Antogin?”
“Well, there are reports of an Antogin Armada only a few weeks away. The feds are not equipped for this challenge, and, I hear they are asking Betta Reganta to negotiate your fate.”
“I suppose it could be worse.” Jadis regretted those words the moment they left his lips.
“Princess D’yanna has taken one of the faster cruisers to rendezvous with us within a few weeks. She is accompanied by her mate. Her father follows with a fleet of Drafer Protectorates.” Tylen ran a finger across his pencil thin mustache. “I’d say you are the most wanted and hated creature in this sector.”
“Don’t get too far ahead of yourself, Tylen. They haven’t met you yet.” Jadis groaned as his previous movement caught up with his pain receptors.
“Look at you, all flattery. The paralysis should wear off soon and then the real fireworks will begin. You may want Betta back on her station when the princess arrives. No need to flaunt your new lover in front of your ex.”
They traded a few more quips and Tylen left him in the hands of a med tech that didn’t shake every time he turned his head. Betta arrived an hour later. His flesh was starting to tingle at this point and the muscles in his leg jerked a few times involuntarily.
“I think that means you’re happy to see me.” Betta gave a small smile, though her eyes looked tired.
“Maybe you should be resting too,” Jadis suggested.
“And miss you waking up? I can’t sleep anyway.”
Another apology was about to surface when Betta put a finger to his lips.
“Don’t,” she said softly. “We are in this together. So, next steps. I hear your girlfriend is on her way and she’s got a fleet backing her.”
Jadis decided again that it was best to remain silent.
“I’ve been in touch with some Lyten royalty in the sector and we’ve got some support there. The feds are a nonstarter. They’re already stretched thin.”
“And Pilo?”
“Pilo is Pilo. They are watching to see where they can capitalize. I believe Teena said something to the order of ‘you brought them out of stasis, so they’re your responsibility.’”
“There is another option.” Jadis hesitated to continue.
Betta beamed, the fatigue seeming to be no match to her amusement. “I know exactly what you’re going to suggest, you know?”
Jadis couldn’t hide his own grin. “A wager then? If you get it right, we do it. If you’re wrong, I get seventy percent of whatever we find on that asteroid.”
Betta’s smile faltered. “Seventy percent? You really are a thief.”
“Well?”
“You want to run away. You want to us to run away to Alpha and find your magic scientist.” Betta folded her arms and sat back in her chair.
And spend the rest of creation with you, he thought. “So, we go.”
“We don’t. I owe these people not to leave them in a lurch,” Betta said firmly.
“And if we settle things?” Jadis asked.
Betta stood up and leaned forward. She kissed him softly on the lips. The monitors in the room gave a cry of distress, his hearts suddenly pumping blood at a furious pace. “What was it you said about us ‘not working’? I’ll see you in the morning, Jadis. I have a lot to do and you need your rest.”
Chapter Twelve