Page 23 of Rogue Starfighter

“You can send them a message through the training system,” Jamie said. “Nothing about where you are or what happened. The program is strict about that until they graduate. But you can tell them you’re safe.”

Priya’s face brightened. “Really?”

“Aryk will authorize it. I nearly drove him insane asking for the same thing when I got here.”

“You did not nearly drive me insane,” the general said.

Jamie looked at Priya. “He was already most of the way there.”

General Aryk sighed and walked away.

“I’ll take you to communications tomorrow,” Jamie promised. “Then Mia and Lily will want to meet you, and we’ll find you clothes that don’t look like you escaped from a bad sitcom.”

Priya glanced at her wrinkled shirt. “I did escape from a sitcom. My friend Alvarez was going to attack Vesh with an office chair.”

Jamie laughed. “You're perfect. You’ll fit right in.”

"I hope so." Priya moved closer to me, although I was certain she was unaware of the small shift.

Jamie's smile was full of mischief. “I’m always right. Ask Alex.”

Alexius sighed. “She is frequently right.”

Priya laughed. The sound struck me harder in person than it ever had through the training recordings. Open. Warm. Unrestrained. I wanted to be the reason she laughed like that. I wanted many things involving Priya. Desires that grew more and more difficult to ignore.

Jamie looked at me. Then at the mark on Priya’s neck. Her grin returned. “Vesh, you actually left base to collect her yourself. Somebody alert the historians.”

“I leave the base frequently.”

“For enemy territory. Not women.”

“She is an Elite Starfighter.”

“Sure, big guy. I'm sure that's all she is.”

Priya laughed again. I was going to strangle Jamie Miller. Alexius met my gaze and smiled. He knew I would never harm his female.

“Starfighter Anand needs rest,” I said.

“Translation,” Jamie told Priya. “He wants to get you alone.”

Oh, fuck. Did these females have to say every single thought that came into their heads? And was Jamie laughing at me?

Jamie winked at me and turned to face Priya. “Fine. Go. But come find me tomorrow. We have years of gossip to catch up on.”

Priya hugged her once more. “Deal.”

Bonded pairs received shared quarters. Regulation. Nothing more. I repeated that fact during the entire walk from the docking bay.

Our new quarters had a common room, food unit, bathing chamber, and two bedrooms connected by a single door. I showed Priya how to order food and operate the shower. She absorbed each instruction with the same concentration she gave an approach vector. Her stomach growled while I demonstrated the food unit.

Priya pressed one hand over it. “Apparently, interstellar travel makes me hungry.”

“You have not eaten since your shift began.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Was that in my file, too?”

“I watched you through the tower cameras before entering. You had coffee. No food.”