Page 16 of Rogue Starfighter

He snorted as if I was a complete fool. "That is what they tell the citizens of Earth. We monitor your planet and have for many years. They lie and have attempted to take control of the gate many times."

"What?" Secret space programs? Ships that could zoom around in outer space. Shit. I'd seen tons of lunatics online making the same claims, but I didn't believe them. Guess the tinfoil hat crowd was right about that, too.

Wait, did he say remaining nanotech? That implied I already was infected with…something. Something alien.

I lifted my free hand to the back of my neck, to the warmth that continued to intensify in Vesh's presence. "What do you mean remaining? Do I have alien stuff inside me right now?"

Vesh sighed. "The training program administers the minimum number of nanos required to allow you to interface with the game, and with me. However, it's not enough to operate our ships or systems once we get to Velerion. And the particles need time to integrate properly."

"I have alien stuff inside me already?" Oh my god. What the hell? "Since when? Since I first started playing? Does everyone on Earth who's playing the game have alien nanos inside their bodies? Because that's just wrong. You should have told us. Does the government know?"

"Of course they do. Priya, if you do not wish me to battle your police, we must go. Now."

"I…" I decided to ignore the fact that I had alien stuff in my body and was about to get more of it. Whatever it was. I looked at my supervisor, who'd met Gina at last year's holiday party. “When Gina comes looking for me, tell her I made one spectacularly questionable life decision and will contact her as soon as possible.”

“I am standing right here,” Alvarez said. He knew Gina, too. Had given her a tour of the tower a couple years ago. I tossed my cell phone to him.

“You’re also wearing my headset. Try to keep the planes from hitting each other. And give Gina my phone.”

“Have fun in outer space.” Alvarez was actually smiling as he sat down in my chair.

“That’s the plan.”

I turned back to Vesh. “Okay. Will you be there when I wake up?”

He went completely still. I had not meant the question to sound important. Based on his expression, it was. “Yes,” he said. “I give you my word.”

“All right. Do it.”

He pressed the device to the side of my neck. Pain exploded through my skull.

“Son of a⁠—”

My knees buckled. Vesh caught me before I hit the floor and pulled me against his chest. Then everything went black.

3

Vesh

Priya slept the entire way to Velerion. I should have secured her in the medical restraints. Every recruit was placed there for the first Gate crossing. The shift between spatial corridors could cause nausea, disorientation, convulsions, and occasionally violent attempts to escape a ship that was no longer traveling through normal space.

Holding her was medically irresponsible. I did it anyway. She fit against my chest too well. One arm beneath her knees. The other around her back. Her head rested on my shoulder, and every breath moved warm air across the side of my neck. I told myself I was monitoring her response to the integrations.

Lie.

I told myself she would be safer if I kept her airway clear. Another lie. The truth was much simpler. Putting her down felt wrong. That was not a tactical assessment. I had no intention of examining it further.

The Wraith flew the return route without assistance. I sat in the small transit bay with Priya in my arms and studied the female the Starfighter program had assigned to me.

Her dark hair had escaped whatever arrangement held it during work. Several strands lay across her cheek. I wanted to move them. I wanted to feel their texture between my fingers and discover whether they were as soft as they looked. I kept my hands where they were. Barely.

She wore clothing from her job. Dark trousers. A pale blue shirt buttoned nearly to her throat. The material was loose enough to be respectable and fitted enough to make respect difficult. Her breasts pressed against my armor with every breath. My cock had been hard since I carried her onto the ship.

Uncomfortable. Inconvenient. Entirely her fault. Priya shifted and tucked her face closer to my neck. I stopped breathing.

“You had better be asleep,” I warned her.

She did not answer. Good. The Gate alarm sounded. I tightened my hold as the Wraith entered the transition corridor. Space folded. The ship vibrated around us. Priya made a small sound and clutched the front of my armor. Her fingers held on even after the crossing ended. I looked down at her hand.