Planet Athion: The Complete Series by Angel Lawson

36

Mercy

Exhaustionand the hum of the ship lull me into a deep sleep and I wake feeling better than I had since leaving Athion. Not that the nervous knot in my belly is gone. No, it lingers like a bad case of food poisoning, but I feel safe for the moment. Or semi-safe. Maybe it was just the solid eight hours of sleep that provide a little clarity that things could be worse.

On a whim, I check the door and find it unlocked.

I consider it a gesture of trust on Damon’s part and although I believe his story, I would feel better if I could talk to the guys on my own. I don’t know if I can travel with this group for two weeks and not speak to them and let them know I’m okay.

I also want to know how they’re doing, too.

The ship is quiet—nothing but the soft hum of the engine. I didn’t really eat the night before and my hunger has shifted to a painful ache. I make an effort to re-trace my path from the following night (only getting lost once) and find the kitchen. On the counter is a loaf of bread. I cut a thick slice and coat it with a type of fruit spread I recognize from the cafeteria on Athion.

It seems weird to me that no one is awake—but there are only three people on this ship, as far as I know. Taking a bite of bread, I leave the kitchen and use the opportunity to explore.

I don’t open any doors but many are marked. I pass a small one designated “medical,” along with a supply closet and laundry. In the middle of the ship I find a lounge with couches bolted to the floor and a wide screen on the wall. There’s a computerized gaming table and I discover what I recognize as an old-school gaming console shoved beneath the coffee table. Damon is a human man and human men love their video games. Enough to transport one from Earth?

I pass the area I assume is housing quarters. At the very end the door says, “Captain.” I don’t go down there, fearful of running into the Trad, Amias. I know Damon said he’s a partner but that means nothing to me. I don’t want to ever be alone with him.

At the end of a long hall I see a flight of stairs. The area above it is open and the flicker of light catches my attention. I quietly climb the metal steps. At the top I see lights from the computer systems and a massive window looking out into space. In front of these are chairs—pilots' chairs.

One is occupied.

I move to step backwards. “Did you need something?”

Damon’s voice is soft but strong and I hesitate. “I wasn’t looking to bother anyone. Just exploring a little.”

He turns, the chair swiveling and gives me a good look at his profile. His features are strong, cut with sharp edges. I swallow the last piece of bread. “You’re up early, did you sleep okay?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

We stare at one another in awkward silence.

“Are you sure you don’t need something?”

My men, I want to tell him. I want to go back to them now. “No,” I say instead, then something out the window catches my eye. I step forward. “What is that?”

It’s a cluster out in space—a million different colors.

“It’s a nebula. Beautiful, right?”

Beautiful is an understatement. It’s like fireworks in the sky—supercharged.

I can’t tear my eyes off of it. Off the fact we’re in space. I went from feet down on Earth to feet down on Athion. But this…this is incredible.

“Here. Sit,” Damon says, spinning the co-pilot’s chair to face me. I glance down at him and he nods encouragingly. I ease into the seat and again, watch the light show in the distance.

“How did you end up here?” I ask after a few moments.

“Here?”

“Away from Earth,” I clarify.

“I was an astronaut for NASA. Not like, Neil Armstrong, man on the moon stuff, but the new generation of astronaut. Pilots shuttling from Earth to beyond.” Something on the screen in front of him blips and he presses a few buttons in reaction. “When the galaxy opened up to us…I took the chance. I left.”

“You just left Earth?”

“Didn’t you?”

“Well, circumstances were different for—well, women. Me.”

The back corner of his jaw tics. “Women weren’t the only ones taking losses in the invasion.” There’s a hint of something in his eyes. Pain? Hurt? It’s shrouded and deep. “So yeah, I ran. Just like you did.”

“I didn’t run,” I bite back. “I have a skill that is needed here. I came here to work and help people.”

“So did I.”

“By affiliating with a monster? Willingly?” I roll my eyes.

“I told you, it’s complicated.”

“What about the Trad downstairs?”

“You’re still focused on that? Mercy, he’s part of my team and not a threat to you in any way.”

“You just want me to trust you?” Trust is something I learned to hold in high regard after the invasion. I took a risk with my men, but I also took a risk with Kane and look how that turned out. “I can’t just do that.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way, because right now we’re all you’ve got.”

My anger is over the top. Unreasonable, but I can’t help but feeling out of control and confused by the man sitting next to me. He’s a Custo and I know they’re honorable but I can’t get past the fact he was even in the position to purchase me for a slave owner. That he associates with a Tradrych.

I take a deep breath and face him. “I know this may not be the right time, but I do need to ask you for something.”

His eyebrow raises and the smirk isn’t unnoticed. “Go ahead.”

“Can I contact one of the guys—any of them. Kai. Dimka. Alex.”

A line slashes his forehead. “No.”

My heart drops. I didn’t even realize how desperately I wanted to talk to them. “What do you mean, 'no'?”

“It’s too risky.”

“Don’t you communicate with them?”

“We have our means.”

“Let me do that, then. I need to let them know I’m okay and not to do anything stupid.”

He laughs. “First of all, they’re not going to do something stupid. Second, I’ve told them you’re fine.”

“So you can talk to them and I can’t.”

He crosses his stupid, big, muscular arms over his chest. “Yep.”

My hands ball into fists at my side and I groan in frustration. “You’re an ass, you know that?”

“Actually, I have heard that before.”

I throw up my hands and storm away—done with him. I thought maybe we could have a conversation. That maybe I could understand why the guys called him a brother. Nope. Nothing.

I start down the stairs and stumble onto Amias, jumping back when I see him.

“Good morning, Mercy.”

I stare blankly at him for a moment and keep going, doing everything I can not to touch him before rushing off to my room. Behind the door I take a deep breath. Two weeks, Mercy, I tell myself. Two weeks and I’ll be back with the men I love and away from this ship full of dangerous misfits.