The success of this strike was imperative. It was a warning to the Novae of the Alliance’s strength and willingness to defend their turf. The aliens had made insane demands, and Valiant was proud to put foot to ass for his people.
After this mission was complete, his unit had twelve hours to coordinate with the other two and evacuate three HiCaste families of political importance before the air strike was ordered.
He couldn’t shrug the feeling they were about to make a mistake.
Zeke snuck up beside him and stared over the rooftop ridge. He placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder, sensing how tense he was. “Cosmic, Val? Are you sure you want to be the one to do this? We can switch.”
Valiant’s lips thinned. “Let’s get this over with.” He inhaled deeply and rocked on the spot. “If anything goes wrong haul ass out of here, you hear me? Always live to fight another day.”
“Nothing’s going wrong.” Zeke held his gaze. “You got this.”
Valiant grinned to cover his unease then vaulted over the edge of the roof.
10.
“I’m not okay with this,” Max declared. When Kali didn’t respond, he narrowed his eyes in that presumptuous way he knew irritated the quarks out of her. He contemplated what her flushed cheeks and sparkly eyes meant. She’d had a dazzled look the whole day, and kept staring into the middle distance when she was supposed to be listening to him. “You really like him don’t you?” In Max’s mind that meant there was something to be worried about. If there was anything he’d learnt, Kali attracted trouble like a magnet. “Of all the people to fool around with you pick Blue Erikson? He works with me at Pluto’s, and he’s … well that’s just it. I don’t know that much about him. I can never remember anything other than he has some funky enhancements. That is warning enough. Yeah. You shouldn’t go.”
Kali tapped her bottom lip, making sure it looked rosy and plump. “I like his enhancements.”
Max’s argument was soaring way over her head. Yes, Blue’s cosmetic morphs were a little startling and difficult to avoid staring at, so what? He was dangerously attractive in a seraphic way. Was silent yet intense. Strong. Something within him compelled. She did not see his uniqueness as something to avoid or be afraid of.
For what seemed the thousandth time, Kali checked herself over in the five-foot hallway VidSee.
One thing she was proud not to have hang-ups about was her body. It was the definition of hourglass. All she had to do was wear clean lines and complimentary colours to look good. Kali wore a knee-length manila tunic that moulded to her small waist and flared hips. The scooped-neck showed off her broad shoulders and graceful neck. Underneath she wore black leggings that tucked into chunky moon boots. The clothes regulated body temperature and offered protection from traces of radiation that occasionally got past the decontamination checkpoints. The dusky colours made Kali’s skin glow and offset the golden tones. Humming to herself, she looped the specially made holes on her long sleeves over her thumbs, and pulled on a sleeveless cloak that reached her ankles.
Max gaped. “You’re wearing your cloak?”
“Looks good on me, doesn’t it?” Snorting, she adjusted the deep hood so it fell across her shoulders and back. “I wish I got to wear it more.”
“The Virgin help us, she’s not hearing me.” He rubbed his face. “I’ve tried to be nice, but subtly isn’t working. Time for tough love.”
“Declaring you don’t approve of my choice and saying outright that I shouldn’t go on this date is subtle to you?”
“His genetics are fuxed, Kal. It’s painfully obvious.”
“And I’m caring about that because…?”
“You can’t see this as a potential match. I thought you were just having some fun, but–”
“But what, Maximilian August Vox the Third?” She turned to face him, body stiff. “You date LoCaste girls all the time.”
“Yeah, but even if I thought one might be the girl for me, I would never bring her home to meet my mother, or consider giving her my family name.”
“I can’t believe you said that out loud.”
“It’s the reality of who we are. I know it’s bad, but your social standing compared to his is too different. Our Caste will never see him as equal, will never accept you if you do–”
“Accept me? Look at me, Max.” In a society that pandered to the old age dictum that pale porcelain skin equalled wealth and beauty, she was a colourful splash of genetic disharmony that contradicted everything they believed in. Her prominent Delphi genes demoted her LoCaste, but her adoptive family made her the most eligible debutant the Alliance had to offer. Most girls of similar standing had droves of engagement requests by the time they received their adulthood licence. Despite her rich prospects, Kali had none. “They don’t accept me, and never will because of something I can’t change. Guess what? I don’t give a quark anymore.”
“Standard, but that doesn’t mean you should settle for less than you deserve.”
“Trust me, I’m not settling for anything. He’s breathtaking.”
“Bloodcurdling, you mean.”
“I like him, I’m dating him, and I’m wearing my ceremonial cloak because he’s special, and deserves that honour.” She tugged roughly on the toggles running down the front of her cloak as she did them up. The expensive material suddenly felt oppressive. “Get over it already.”
Pushing the wearisome saga of her Caste aside, Kali twirled, and gave her reflection a high five, because Max refused to show love.
Kali had taken such care with her appearance, and that told her a lot. She was hoping for the beginning of a real relationship with Blue – something that was non-existent in nearly all HiCaste family units.
They were cold and dysfunctional.
Kali craved the kind of love her parents had. Most HiCaste unions were of convenience, but she’d seen a love match in action, and knew it was possible have love and success.
Looking pretty was not the formulae for a lasting relationship, but it could act as a catalyst.
Blue had messaged her less then an hour after she’d left the range and she’d been thrilled. She’d been checking her TalkMe every five minutes. Despite feeling like a stalker, she’d spent hours staring at his BeepMe profile, shovelling iced cream into her mouth.
Considering how much information the profile could hold there wasn’t a lot.
He had one RecRom encounter logged, was four years older than her modest eighteen, and had lived in Quadrant18 after moving away from his birth quadrant when he turned sixteen. He’d worked for Pluto’s for the last two years. He’d spent credits on cosmetic eye enhancements and not corrective ones. That puzzled her, but the opticals looked good on him. He had an approved procreation license too, which was odd for a male. It wasn’t unheard of for applications to be submitted by females as soon as they turned sixteen as they took years to process and were valid for a decade. Many women disliked getting married then having to wait years before they could take the risk of getting pregnant. The fine for illegal breeding was severe financially and on the reputation.
Kali had one in processing even though she’d already decided breeding was not for her.
Completely ignoring Max’s spluttering about how Blue was strange – normal was so subjective – Kali shot a nervous look at him. “Do I look okay?” She grabbed her bag and slung it over her head. The strap crossed her front and the nylon bag sat on her hip.
“Why are your clothes so tight?” Max pinched her sleeve and rubbed the material between this thumb and forefinger. “Are you looking to rec?”
“Do you think of nothing but sex?” Admitting to herself he was not far from the truth was discomforting. Kali yanked the fabric from his grip. “Why are you still here?”
He sighed. “Curious, I guess.”
She glowered as she smoothed her top. “We’re going stargazing. His HoloVid mentioned Quadrant18.”
“Stargazing is boring, and Quad18 is dangerous. Already this isn’t
working out.”
Being so close to the OutRim was dangerous. Criminals and LoCastes converged in Qudrants17 and beyond for recreational activities, but Kali took solace that actual crime reported was exceptionally low. That could be because nobody cared to log the violence or those subject to it never got to tell the tale.
Her life had been sheltered, but she wasn’t a coward. Blue wouldn’t take her anywhere she could get hurt, Kali was certain of that.
She had such a strong feeling about him.
“Only you could think of dangerous as boring.” She scowled. “And I think it’s romantic. I haven’t been stargazing since I was a minor, and he said he’d bring food.” Kali rubbed her stomach. “Already this date is going well. I like stars and I love food.”
Max leaned his shoulder against the wall and crossed his arms. He studied her. “Did you tell your parents?”
She avoided his gaze. “Yes.”
It wasn’t an outright lie. She told them she was going out out of respect. She was legally an adult, and they gave her freedom to do pretty much what she wanted as long as she was sensible. They assumed it was Max taking her out and that was on them. It wasn’t as if she was worried they might say something about Blue being LoCaste. Her parents were the most politically correct and benevolent people she knew. Kali didn’t want them to worry, or force her to choose between the date and bending to their will.
They could be oh so wilful when they thought she approached trouble, and Blue had a powerful energy that might set her parents’ protective instincts off.
“Did you tell them where you’re going and who with?”
She glared at Max’s reflection in the VidSee, knowing standing where he was he wouldn’t see her.
Her silence was enough.
He smouldered in silent protest. He would never say a word to her parents because it would be a serious breach of trust. She’d covered for him after his countless shenanigans, and she wasn’t even doing anything wrong.
The doorbell chimed and the fluorescents bracketing the door turned green as the BodyScan signalled a friendly presence. People who wore suppressants to conceal weaponry turned the scan result orange, and had Blue displayed characteristics considered threatening the colour would have flashed red.
Still fussing over her reflection, she glanced at Max. “Green. See, he has no immediate plans to hurt me. Would you get the door?”
“Do I look like a FetchMe?”
Ignoring him, she smiled brightly in the mirror. Smoothing a hand over her neat ponytail, Kali turned her head side to side to check her profile and make sure her hair was even. The end bobbed at the middle of her back jauntily. She vainly brushed strands from her side-swept fringe that covered one of her hazel eyes, and flattered her face. The baby hairs on her hairline looked airbrushed onto her skin they were so fine. She was thanking her stars she’d worked on the settings of her make up box the night before. The natural cosmetics applied looked subtly provocative. Her coffee-coloured skin looked dewy, and her cheeks pleasantly flushed. Lightly coated in black mascara, her upper lashes looked lush, and her lips dusky pink.
Most women had the cosmetic pigments tattooed directly into their epidermis, but Kali liked to wake up, look in the mirror, and see her natural face staring back.
Confidence securely in place, she skipped to the door, but changed that overly excited bounce midstride to a slow, hip-rolling walk.
“Stars,” Max muttered. “This should be interesting.”
Howl sniffed the door. He scratched at it, and she shooed him away. Creighton would blow bosons if he spotted claw marks.
Okay, she was nervous, and a little sweaty. Her heart pounded. Kali felt the skin over her pulse jumping at the side of her throat. This was never a fun moment. Blue didn’t seem to have picked up on any of her smaller tics when they were at the shooting range, but he was about to see a pretty embarrassing one. The butterflies in her stomach were making her ill they flapped so hard.
He’d either accept her repetitive behaviour as cute, or see it as demented and rush off babbling some lame excuse.
Excited, she opened the door and beamed. He looked better than Kali remembered. All black leathers made his white hair that much more angelic. His full-face helmet was tucked under his arm, and a shell of dark tissue paper rested by his thigh. His FloBi was parked on the curb, dangerous looking, and she freaked inwardly at the thought of having to actually get on the thing.
Blue hesitated on the stoop. When he shifted his weight to step forward, Kali shut the door in his face.
Humiliated, she opened the door, this time stepping aside, her cheeks red from blood not cosmetics. “Won’t you come in?”
Striding past the threshold, Blue glanced at her questioningly, but let it go.
Closing the door twice more, Kali breathed a sigh of relief when she didn’t feel any anxiety. She’d held the door open longer than she usually would have been able to without having a full-scale meltdown.
Blue spun and thrust out an arm. A fat bunch of brightly coloured wild flowers was held in his fist wrapped in a neatly coiled sheathe of black paper. “You’re lovely.” His gaze roamed her body appreciatively before focusing on her face as he offered this quietly sincere compliment.
Blooms were incredibly expensive, and bought at memorable occasions. Kali’s family unit had them in the habitat because Rikard particularly loved them. She was stunned. Nibbling her lip, Kali calculated how much credit he must have blown to get these. They were just perfect. She couldn’t see any hereditary flaws or signs of genetic crossbreeding at all on the waxy pink petals.
Ducking her head shyly, she accepted them. He brushed his fingers against hers, and smiled, a devastating show of pearly teeth that Kali wanting to babble and blink a lot. She broke eye contact and rubbed her arm, feeling discombobulated. Rather than allow herself to feel intimidated, she closed the gap between them and kissed his cheek to say thank you.
He smelt beautiful. There was the zesty lime smell most people had from passing through decontamination checkpoints, but overpowering that was a spicy, more earthy scent that was all his own. Kali sighed at the cool and soft skin under her lips, and stars, did she nuzzle him?
Realising she lingered too long, Kali backed off with a nervous giggle.
His eyes turned from sea blue to forest green with hazel flecks.
There was nothing normal about Blue, but he was trying. That was what counted, was all that mattered to her. He could be eccentric, a little odd, as long as he cared for her.
“Thank you for the flowers. I’ll pop them in a suspension beam then we can take off.” She turned and collided with Howl who sprawled on her boots, head cocked inquisitively. “Oh. Blue, this is my FetchMe, Howl. Would you mind if he sampled you? Do you have a companion?”
Seeing intelligence in the creature’s eyes, Blue inclined his head and offered his palm. “Yes,” he answered. His eyes flicked up to bore into hers. “My Hypatia is a raptor breed. Then there is Caesar.”
Howl set his nose on Blue’s hand and inhaled deeply.
The FetchMe catalogued Blue’s scent. If Kali wanted to program the borg to accept voice commands from Blue, or track him, she could now. The FetchMe would remain relaxed, and no longer perceive Blue with stranger status.
She fiddled with a flower, stroking the waxy stem. “You have an avian? They’re so … rare.” Avians were not so much rare but illegal. “And you named her after the Roman philosopher, the first female mathematician.” Did that mean Blue respected women of intelligence, or was the naming a chauvinistic insult? Unable to make a judgment call, not seeing how he was with his FetchMe, she shelved it for later inspection. “What a big name for such a small creature. I can’t wait to meet her.”
“If I’d known I’d have brought her, but the breed is not exactly welcome in these quads.” He smiled faintly, and she’d like to think it was tinged with affection for his companion. “Shall I summon her now? Hypatia can easily avoid the drones that woul
d try to shoot her out of the sky.”
“You have a direct ComLink to your borg?” She gawped at him. “I wanted that so badly, but Papa refused the neural implant.” She shook herself. “Please, don’t take the risk. Give me a nanosec and we’ll take off.”
Fascinated, Kali spun to ditch the flowers, so they could leave.
Max still leaned by the arched doorway, watching them. “Erikson,” he grunted by way of a greeting.
Not exactly loving his standoffish tone, Kali sent him a look of warning as she passed to reach the kitchen.
Max was pissed she wasn’t taking him but she so didn’t care. This was the first date she’d had in years that she was excited about and had faith in. It might lead to something interesting. Kali was not about to let him tag along to make fun of them, or make things weird. She knew he would on purpose for his own entertainment if he felt Blue was wrong for her.
“Max,” Blue responded in the familiar, frowning, trying to work out why he was there. “You’re joining us?”
“By the Virgin, no.” Kali spun and lowered her voice. “Um, I mean, not tonight.”
Max bit back laughter. “Kal wants you to herself.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Kali slumped, knowing to bicker with him would mean getting hot and bothered.
“Take care of her,” Max ordered. “You’ll have people to deal with if you don’t.”
Blue heard the threat loud and clear. “I’m taking her to Quadrant18 on my FloBi. It’s surrounded by SafeZones, and shares one border with the OutRim.” He leaned in. “She’ll be safe.”
Max let Kali go, and all but shoved her away. “Your FloBi, the silver one? I’ve seen you around on it before.” Both males eyed each other warily, and Max’s chest puffed out a little. “A sweet ride.”
“You want to see it?” Blue asked. “Unless Kali thinks that’s rude–”
“Stars, no.” Max crowded him back out the way he came. “She won’t mind. She’s female. She’ll probably check her makeup and clothes in the VidSee ten more times before you leave.”