Kiera's Home

"Which is why you wanted to check the mines this trip. You can't melt down all the spaceships?"

A'Ran rose and pulled her up with him. "As the strategic battle planner for Anshan, you know that is not a safe option. There are too many people waiting for our guards to drop."

"But it's an option," she insisted.

"A poor one."

"This coming from the man who blew up his own planet?" Kiera rolled her eyes.

He gave her the look, the one that said the hardened warrior she'd fallen in love with hadn't yet learned how to take her challenges.

She knew very well what kind of danger Anshan was in. The rest of the Five Galaxies considered A'Ran a loose cannon after he exploded the surface of his planet to get rid of invaders. He had then declared war on the only possible ally he might have in their solar system, further alienating potential allies. The Five Galaxies as a whole were watching what he did with Anshan, valued for being the source of the malleable grey metal that made up everything from their swords to their spaceships to their furniture. If the planet remained uninhabitable and A'Ran unable to regain his position as its leader, every one of the members of the Council would declare war on Anshan to wrest the mines from their rightful king.

The very idea of being homeless and at war in space scared her yet A'Ran handled it all with calmness that amazed her.

"Come," he said. "We should have the readings we need."

"And we know I can still help the planet."

"I never doubted."

"Oh, but I did!" She sighed.

They returned to the ship. Two of the four warriors were back. The door closed behind them, and the man with the goo-gun approached with another small device the size of a pencil. A'Ran held out his arms. The device sparked and sent a visible electric charge through the gelatin exoskeleton. Kiera watched as it hardened, cracked and dropped from his body.

She held out her arms as the warrior approached her and braced herself. First a light, tickling current went through her, then the shards of hardened goo fell.

Despite confirming she still had the ability to help the planet, she wasn't confident about succeeding the way others wanted her to. She had the urge to fold herself into A'Ran's arms and talk more with him about how she was supposed to help. The Anshan protocol was strict about public signs of affection. Instead, she watched him with warmth and longing as he studied mine readings from a small device a warrior handed him.