A bristle of panic rippled through me. Phocida looked shocked that Xiphio was in possession of the cruiser, and I guessed that didn’t bode well for us. What if Killick had reported the ship missing? What if he’d gone back on his promise? He hadn’t seemed like the kind of guy who’d do that, but then, I had honey-trapped him and stolen his ship.
“What if it is?” Xiphio said defiantly.
“We received word a while ago that the honorable Killick Loligo had given his most expensive ship to a band of heroes in need. If you have his ship… that band of heroes must include you.”
“And my crew, of course!” Without missing a beat, Xiphio turned the conch so Phocida could see us all. We waved lamely, not really knowing how to respond. She didn’t seem to know what to do with the information either. Still, I was glad that Killick had kept his promise to us, even if he had used the incident to indulge in some bragging rights.
Phocida frowned. “Killick said your mission was top secret, though you must understand that nothing can be secret from the Fed. Tell me, what are you up to? What is this mission of yours? Perhaps we might be able to offer some assistance, if you would consider informing the Loligos of our part in all this.”
Xiphio smiled, flashing us a triumphant look. “Now that you mention it, there may be something you can do to help us. If you would permit me a moment to speak with my fellow heroes, I shall inform you further once I know more.”
“Of course, Agent Xiphio. We should be delighted to help any friends of the Loligos, in any way we can.”
Setting the conch down, Xiphio gathered us all quickly in the far corner of the cockpit. “What should we say?”
“Tell them everything,” I cut in, before anyone else could speak. “We don’t have time to waste with concealing the truth. We need to tell them what we’re facing, and we need to tell them now. If they agree to help us, that puts us in a much better position when we actually reach Earth.”
The others nodded—all except Stone, who was standing in front of the hologram, still looking bored. Xiphio hurried back to the conch, while the rest of us looked on. I’d hardly dared to hope that the Fed would help us without us having to get on our knees and beg. By the looks of things, fortune was on our side for once.
“Phocida, I have spoken with my colleagues, and we have concluded that we should like your assistance,” he said firmly. “You see, we are on a mission to save a troubled nation. In fact, this planet is part of the Embryo Project, though they have somehow been overrun by Vysanthean rebels. I have it on good authority that there are not many Fed agents stationed on the planet itself, what with it being a relatively new nation, which is why I believe these rebels have managed to infiltrate and sneak in under the noses of our fellow Feds.”
Phocida looked stunned. “It is part of the Embryo Project, you say?”
“It is, and so it is our duty to come to their aid. I trust you will assist us?”
I’d never seen Xiphio express himself with such confidence before, his voice clear and authoritative. Glancing at Lauren, I saw her watching him closely, a small smile tugging at the curve of her lips.
“Of course, if these rebels are in violation of the Embryo Treaty, then we must do all we can to remove them. Tell me, what is the name of this planet? I must know if I’m to set plans in motion,” Phocida declared.
Xiphio nodded. “It’s a planet called Earth. I shall send the coordinates to your ship, if you would be kind enough to pass the message on to the rest of our fellow agents. We need all the backup we can get, especially as there are other forces at work who may further threaten the existence of the Earthen residents. Queen Gianne has set her sights on the planet, you see, and so urgency is very much of the essence.”
Phocida gaped at him. “Queen Gianne? As in… the Vysanthean Queen Gianne?”
“The very one, Phocida.”
“Goodness. And here I was, expecting today to be a quiet one.” She sighed heavily, her expression anxious. “I shall rally as many troops as I can here and follow your ship. Do you plan to contact the Fed branch who are supposed to be watching this planet?”
“I am, Phocida. As soon as we reach Earth’s solar system, we shall reach out to the lycan Fed agents who are stationed nearby and request their immediate assistance.”
“Should you not contact them now, so they may gather their resources?”
Xiphio shook his head. “Indeed not, and neither should you. We don’t wish for them to launch a premature attack on the rebel base, which may give away our larger strike. The last thing we need is to have this rebel scum running for the nearest escape route. They must be punished according to Fed guidelines.”
“Of course, Agent Xiphio. Although, you realize that the lycans may not wish to cooperate with us?”
He shrugged casually, giving off an air of certainty. “If we are bound in a mutual cause, I see no reason why we can’t put our differences aside. Lycans and merevins have always tolerated one another well enough, and if they do not like us giving the orders, then we can always install a facilitator who can make the orders more palatable to a lycan strike force.”
“An excellent idea, Agent Xiphio,” Phocida said, with a hint of surprise in her voice. “Honestly, I should not have recognized you as the agent you were a year ago. Your time with Killick Loligo must have worked wonders. You seem so wise now.”
Xiphio beamed. “How very kind of you, Agent Phocida.”
“So, what shall I call this operation? It will require a name if we are to swiftly put it into motion.”
Xiphio froze, his mouth opening and closing uncertainly, his large eyes looking over at us with desperation. Rising out of my chair, I rushed over to where Xiphio stood and smiled up at the female agent. She peered at me curiously, her eyes narrowing.
“We are forming a Universal Alliance, Agent Phocida. Since we’re made up of various species, we thought it only right to be inclusive.”
She nodded in appreciation. “I like it… I like it very much. Tell me, who are you?”
“I am—”
Xiphio placed his hand on my shoulder. “She is Riley, and she is the captain of this ship,” he said, before I could answer. I looked up at him in surprise, not knowing how to respond to the title. I didn’t think of myself as the leader of this ship, by any means. Still, nobody swooped in to correct him. I just hoped this didn’t mean everyone would expect me to start making executive decisions. We were very much a team, and I was determined for us to stay that way.
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Riley. I trust we shall be seeing more of one another, upon our arrival on Earth?”
I nodded, feeling my stomach churn at the prospect. “I imagine so, Agent Phocida. Also, I’ll ensure that my pilot sends over some blueprints to you so that you can change the engines on your ships. It’s a reasonably quick fix, but we have to get to Earth as soon as possible, and we can’t rely on the speeds of normal engines.”
“What will these changes do?” Phocida wondered, her tone suspicious.
“They’ll open up your ships to deep-space technology, allowing you to move more quickly through the universe. Unfortunately, this technology has fallen into the hands of Queen Gianne, so we’ve got to do everything we can to keep up.”
Phocida looked overwhelmed, her scales growing pale. “I shall see to it that these changes are made. We will set a tracker on your ship, if you don’t mind, and follow you as soon as we can. It should only be a minor delay, once these changes have been made.”
“Thank you, Agent Phocida. You have no idea what this means. My planet thanks you.”
“It is our pleasure, Captain Riley. If the Loligos have put their trust in you, then so must we. After all, it is our duty to protect and defend, and this planet called Earth is in need. We shall be close behind you—look out for us.”
“We will, Agent Phocida.”
With that, the call ended, the hologram disappearing back into the end of the conch shell. As soon as the female age
nt was gone, Stone broke easily out of his cuffs, the two magnetic bands clattering to the floor as he stretched out his wrists. He looked irritated, the happy-go-lucky demeanor dwindling.
“Never trust a Fed,” he muttered.
“We’re going to have to,” I fired back. I really hoped we could trust them to come to our aid. Out of everyone in the universe, I supposed I had more faith in them than anyone else.
“Well, I ain’t goin’ into battle with only Feds at me back. I know better than that,” he said firmly, turning his attention to Alfa. “Hey, Alf, don’t suppose you could give your old pals back home a buzz, could ye? We could do with folk like them at our backs. Rather have a handful o’ good guys than a load o’ incompetent agents.”
Alfa grinned, flashing his fangs. “Already did. I sent them the coordinates last night—my buddies are meeting us there.”
“Nice one, Alf. Can always rely on ye.”
I was doubtful. “I’m not sure about getting Rexombra involved. Not after that spy incident.”
“Relax, Ri, Alf’s pals are the best in the biz,” Stone replied. “Trust me, they’re good. Ye won’t regret having ‘em on yer side when the fightin’ starts. Best warriors in the ‘verse. They’re worth it for the one or two bits they might snatch on the way—‘tis a tiny price to pay.”
In my mind’s eye, I saw the flickering invisibility suit of the Rexombran spy, and the way she had bitten down on the poison pill, her body decomposing in front of my eyes. Rexombra were spies and assassins for hire—how far could we trust a species who killed for cash, offering their skills to the highest bidder? Then again, who was I to say no to more allies?
Chapter Thirty-Seven
After Bashrik had sent over the necessary information, we slowed our cruiser down a bit to give the Fed time to rally their troops and catch up. Although we were eager to get to Earth as quickly as possible, it would be a big mistake to arrive there without our backup.
There wasn’t much to do on the ship, given that we were just moving through the vast expanse of the universe, heading for home. There were games and a music system, but we’d pretty much exhausted those.
Bashrik and Ronad sat in their usual spots by the controls, though Ronad’s eyes were closed and he was snoring softly, his feet up on the dashboard. Angie was in Bashrik’s lap, and the two of them were laughing quietly, enveloped in their own little world. Stone, Alfa, and Dio were clustered around a table, playing a variation on stabscotch, while I was snuggled up on one of the armchairs with Navan. Xiphio had gone to take a long soak in the enormous tub of the main bathroom. Lauren was sitting in the corner with a book spread out on her lap, her gaze flitting toward the windshield every couple of minutes. She seemed distracted, her manner antsy.
“I’m going to train for a bit in my room,” she announced, putting away her book. “If anyone wants me, just call.”
“You want some company?” I asked.
She smiled, shaking her head. “Not right now. I just want to go through some moves with my staff—keep my skills sharp before we reach home, you know?”
“Cool. Well, let me know if you need a sparring partner. I’m no good with a staff, but I can figure it out.”
“Will do.”
I had a feeling that home was precisely the thing that was bothering her, because it was bothering me, too. It’d been so long since we’d been back there, and we weren’t exactly returning under the best circumstances. What if we couldn’t save it? What if we got there, and it was all too late? I shuddered at the thought, trying to keep a positive outlook.
As Lauren exited the cockpit, Stone got up from his seat and hurried across the room, making some garbled excuse to Dio and Alfa about wanting to call it an early night. They looked at him as though he’d grown a second head, their expressions making me laugh. I doubted Stone was the kind of guy who’d ever had an early night in his entire life.
Reaching the cockpit hatch, Stone glanced over his shoulder and shot me a pointed look. This was the moment of truth—he was going to tell her everything. I smiled at him with all the encouragement I could muster, falling short of giving him an embarrassing thumbs-up. I wasn’t sure which way Lauren’s feelings would turn, but I couldn’t help wishing him the best of luck. Against all odds, the three-eyed bastard had won me around.
“What was that all about?” Navan whispered.
I smiled secretively. “He’s going to tell her.”
“Just in the nick of time, too.” Navan nodded toward the cockpit entrance, where Xiphio had just walked in wearing nothing but a towel. My mouth fell open at the sight of him in all his glory, though it was interesting to see the rippling pattern of his striped scales a little more closely. Usually, most of it was buried beneath his uniform.
“Rask’s sake, Xiphio, put some damned clothes on!” Bashrik muttered. “There are ladies present.”
Angie grinned. “Hey, these ladies can speak for themselves. I, for one, am not complaining.” She nudged Bashrik, chuckling at his sour face. Soon enough, a smile broke out on his lips, though his arms held her just a little bit tighter.
Xiphio looked down at his half-naked form. “Oh, sorry about that—I had just finished up my bath when I felt an urge to come in here and say something. Sadly, it could not wait.” His large eyes peered around the room, his expression disappointed. “I don’t suppose you know where Lauren has gone, do you?”
“She went to lie down for a bit,” I lied, wanting to give Stone his moment to confess his crush. He definitely didn’t need to be interrupted by his one rival.
“No, she didn’t. She went to practice with her staff,” Alfa chimed in cheerfully. I shot him a look, prompting him to shrug his muscular shoulders in confusion. Dio leaned over and whispered something in his crewmate’s ear. Alfa’s face morphed into a mask of shock.
Xiphio frowned, walking over to where I sat. “Please, Riley, tell me which one it is. I should hate to wake her up if she’s sleeping, but this really cannot wait.”
“I’m sure it can, Xiphio.”
“No, no, it really cannot. I had an epiphany earlier, speaking with Agent Phocida the way I did. I felt in control, my entire being brimming with confidence and courage. Did you see? I did not falter once, though she expected me to—they all expected me to,” he explained, puffing out his chest, his gills flapping.
“You dealt with that situation better than anyone could’ve, Xiphio, but I don’t see what that has to do with Lauren. She said she didn’t want to be disturbed.” I was determined to put him off.
“Don’t you see? I must ride the wave of this newfound courage and express my true feelings for Lauren. I thought it could wait until our battles were over, but now I see that it cannot. I must tell her before we arrive on Earth, so she may know that I love her, and I may know her feelings. I would charge into the fray with so much more vigor if I knew she felt as I did.”
My heart clenched at his sweet admission. I knew how he felt about Lauren—it was obvious for anyone to see—but I had not seen this coming. Why did it have to be now, when Stone was doing the exact same thing? I grimaced, remembering why I’d sworn not to get involved in other people’s romances again.
“Not now, Xiphio,” I urged.
“It has to be now!”
“Let her finish her training, then you can speak with her.”
He frowned. “Why are you trying to stop me? My love cannot be restrained.”
“No, we can see that.” Angie snorted, getting a playful smack from Bashrik.
“I just think she needs some time to herself, that’s all,” I insisted, feeling exasperated. In desperation, I looked to Navan for help.
“Yeah, maybe you should hold off for a bit,” he said, but I could see there was no convincing Xiphio. His face was set with determination, and he clearly wouldn’t settle until he had all of his cards out on the table for Lauren to see.
He turned and marched out of the room without another word, striding away with his towel flapping.
Rolling my eyes, I clambered out of Navan’s embrace and chased after the merevin, grateful that he hadn’t taken off at a sprint. I caught up to him a few yards from Lauren’s room, hurtling around him before coming to a halt, putting myself between him and the door. He eyed me curiously and attempted to push past, but I put my hands out to stop him, feeling the cold of his scales beneath my palms.
To be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure why I was stopping him from reaching Lauren. I mean, I had no idea which guy Lauren liked more. Maybe Xiphio was the preferred choice, and I was standing in the way of the wrong one. I supposed I felt like Stone deserved his chance to tell Lauren how he felt, considering he wasn’t nearly as open about it as Xiphio was. Even if she rejected him, he was entitled to that opportunity.
“What is the meaning of this, Riley?” Xiphio asked sternly.
“I don’t think you should disturb her, Xiphio.”
He frowned. “And why not? Why are you so insistent on coming between me and my dear, sweet Lauren?”
“It’s just not a good idea, that’s all.”
A strange smile pulled at the corners of his plump lips. “Riley, I must say, I am flattered that you would consider me in a romantic fashion. Had I not already fallen for dear Lauren, I might have been swayed by your affections. Alas, my heart is already set on another.”
I gaped at him. “What? I just got married, Xiphio!”
“There is no need to be ashamed, Riley. I, too, have endured the suffering of unrequited love.”
“There’s nothing unrequited about it—I don’t like you like that! I’m Navan’s wife and more than happy to be so!” I hissed, struggling to keep my voice down. “Look, the truth is, Stone is with her right now. He had some things he wanted to say, and I think you should back off and let him say them.”
“That wretch is in there with her? What is he saying? Is he confessing his love? No, I will not allow it! He has no right.” Xiphio shook his head. “He ought to know that I displayed my affections first. Does he not understand the code of chivalry?”