Heaven Saga 3: Sojourn Into Despair Read Free Page A

watching it on the monitor and hearing it going on outside. “Saying
that, it never stops being funny.”
    “How
do the other engineers feel?”
    “They
laugh about it as well. In private of course, not to their faces,” Daes
answered.
    “On
another subject, who’s going to leave with Kivi for the new ship?”
    Daes
looked at the monitor again. “If I remember right, Kivi said either Jesela or
Dreka would be perfect. To be honest, I think Dreka’s the one to go with her.
He’s waited for a long time to get a promotion and has the stuff to be a chief
engineer.”
    “What
about Jesela?” Seles asked. “You did say that she was an amazing engineer.”
    “Jesela’s
great, but not a leader right now. In a few more years I can see it, but not
yet,” Daes said.
    “I
can’t imagine it feels great having all the talent sucked away like this,”
Seles said.
    “No.
I wish they could stay forever, but life dictates otherwise. Kivi will be
leaving soon, along with a number of crew members. Even you’ll feel the pull.”
    “I
know. Kaela’s leaving as the leader of the mobile suit units.”
    “That’s
your top pilot,” Daes observed. “Not to mention the increase in responsibility
put on you.”
    “Change
is like that. We just have to adjust to it,” Seles said.
    “You’re
starting to sound more like him every day,” Daes pointed out.
    “I
certainly hope you’re wrong about that,” Seles said.
    “What
do you mean?”
    “Brian
has a way of saying strange and sometimes foolish things,” Seles explained.
    “That’s
quite true Seles, it really is.”
     
    * * *
     
    Brian’s
vision began to blurring as the headache grew worse. He tried shaking it off,
closing his eyes. How is it possible I’m getting a migraine? I need to see
Celi once everything’s quieted down. He thought before opening his eyes. As
he opened them a feeling dread filled his entire body. Right in front of him
stood a creature he’d hoped to never see, a Grey staring him in the face with
its unfeeling black eyes. He drew his rakna and tried striking the creature,
but it vanished right in front of his eyes.
    “What
the hell was that!?” He shouted, pounding his fist on the wall behind where the
Grey stood. “Where are you!?” He shouted, receiving no answer. He frantically
turned in circles, looking all around him. Something’s not right. Brian
thought before focusing all of his mental energy to stave off the headache. I’d
better get to the Mjolnir and fast. I have a bad feeling something terrible is
about to happen.
     
    * * *
     
    “How
are you and Brian getting along these days?” Celi asked Mira as the two worked
on their ultimate project.
    “Hit
and miss,” Mira said. “Seles and I agreed to alternate nights, but the duties
we’ve been under lately have cooled things off.”
    “Be
glad he cares about you as much as he does,” Celi said. “There are times when
I’m jealous of you two. I’m even jealous of the captain at times.”
    “You
can always make a move,” Mira said. “I’m sure Seles would understand. Of course
I wouldn’t think anything of it.”
    “What
about the captain?” Celi asked, smiling.
    “Now
that may be a problem,” Mira said, laughing. “She does have the higher rank.”
    “He’s
due for a physical,” Celi said as a grin appeared on her face. “Maybe I should
take him up on his offer to play doctor.”
    “What?”
Mira asked. “He really said that?”
    “A
long time ago,” Celi said. “I’m sure it was a joke, but I’m thinking of taking
it seriously. Callun Daimya is just not for me.”
    “I
thought you were open-minded?”
    “I
am, and I understand why two Kalaidians would do that,” Celi said. “But, it’s
not for me. And given that he’s the only male around of a compatible species it
makes things rather difficult.”
    “If
we figure out how to mix his genes with ours we can make a ton of men,” Mira said
playfully. “Why not going with a ratio of two males for