Page 72 of On a Rogue Planet
“Markers are embedded at the mouth of the portal.” Zayn didn’t look up from the controls as he slowed the ship and lined them up with the entrance. “The portal is a natural formation, but the tech holds the portal open and steady for ships to transit through.” He tapped the screen again. “I enter the gate codes, then it locks us on the right trajectory for a smooth entry.”
“Can you enter without the codes?” Malin asked.
“Yep.” He shot a grin back over his shoulder. “A few crazy buddies in the Strike Wing tried it. They said it was a hell of a rough ride. Puked all over their cockpit. Not to mention you risk smashing into the side of the portal, which wouldn’t be a pretty way to go.”
“Eww,” Malin said.
“Yeah, eww.” Zayn’s grin widened. “Worse still, you enter the bridge on the wrong course, and you could get spat out in the middle of nowhere.”
“Not good,” she agreed.
“Nope. Okay, one downside of bridge travel is that communications are delayed. We won’t have instantaneous contact. We’ll be able to send static messages, but they’ll have to travel to the portal and the portal markers will transmit them. So, if anyone needs to contact their wives, do it now.” Another grin, this one a little soppy. “I’m calling my sweet assassin.”
Dathan stood. “I wouldn’t let her hear you calling her that. I’ll call Eos.” He pulled a face. “And no doubt spend most of the call talking with the pink-haired horror.”
The affection Xander detected in the man’s voice told him that Dathan wasn’t too upset about spending time talking with Lala.
“No one to call?” Xander asked Malin.
“No.” Her sigh was almost silent.
“You wished you did.”
“All girls want to fall in love, Xander. I know you don’t believe in love, but I want to have someone who cares for me.” Her gaze turned inward. “My mother died when I was four. I only remember her a little, but what memories I do have are her and my father kissing in the kitchen. They were always smiling and holding hands.” Now, her face turned sad. “After she died, that’s when Dad starting traveling the galaxy collecting salvage. It was like he just couldn’t sit still, the memory of her was toostrong. He never had a romantic relationship with anyone ever again. He loved her that much.”
Xander watched Malin’s expressive face and knew that even if he did believe in love, a love like that was not possible for him. His duty to Centax was his reason for being. Not another person. He felt that sharp pain in his chest again.
Malin turned to him, purple eyes luminous. “I want to be the center of someone’s universe. To know if I’m in trouble or hurting, they’ll come for me. To know that nothing else is more important to them.” Her shoulders slumped. “A nice little daydream, but I’m thinking I might be reaching for the impossible.”
He hated seeing her like this. “Malin?—”
Zayn strode back in. “Coming up on the bridge portal now. Strap yourselves in. This should be smooth, but you never know.”
As Malin turned away, Xander swallowed a curse and sat. Everyone strapped in and watched the shimmer of silver fill all the ship’s windows.
“Here we go,” Zayn said.
The console was beeping. Zayn adjusted the controls with practiced ease, and smooth as silk, theInfinitasslipped into the bridge portal.
Star-studded space disappeared, replaced with a stream of silver outside the windows. Xander stared at it. It was like flying through a cloud.
It also seemed to dampen noise on the ship, leaving a muted, hushed quality.
“Welcome to the Via Maris Bridge.” Zayn unbuckled and stood. “Now, everyone kick back and relax. We have nothing to do for four days but wait, prepare, and maybe play a few games of Crossfire.”
Xander felt a need to scowl. Waiting was not his strongest skill. He wanted the Antikythera in his hands.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The sound of Malin’s multi-tool striking metal echoed in the cargo hold.
Thank the stars Zayn had salvaged parts for theInfinitasin here that needed stripping down or she’d be going crazy.
They’d been on the bridge for twenty-four hours. For the first few hours, the hushed transit had seemed…relaxing.
Now it was excruciating.
The only thing saving her sanity was the familiar weight of her coveralls, the grease staining her fingers, and her work. Reaching over a section of engine, she grabbed a fuel filter and worked it back and forth until it came loose. She blew on it to dislodge some dust, then set it aside.
