over my head," I said, honestly â feeling even more embarrassed. "Can you just tell me what you wanted my opinion on?"
"Of course. Sure." Dar was looking at me, with a troubled expression on his face.
"Dar?"
"What?"
"What did you want my opinion on?"
"We were thinking about sending a small team through the wormhole."
"Into God knows what? That's a suicide mission," I said, appalled that they were even considering it.
"Exactly," Mana said, giving Jared a look.
"I wouldn't care," Jared said, without a trace of his usual charm. "Sounds like the perfect mission for me."
DAR
Was Jared willing to volunteer for a suicide mission?
"Jared," Mana said, apparently upset at his words. "Don't talk like that."
Jared's eyes looked dead, and he stared at the floor as if he didn't care whether he lived or died. That's when I realized that we were wrong about him getting over his girlfriend's death. He had been acting for our benefit, playing the part of the happy guy. Maybe sometimes he did forget for a moment, but inside he was still hurt and grieving. I sighed deeply.
Kenna looked sad.
"You're outnumbered, Jared," I said. "And my decision is that we shall not begin such a mission unless there is no other choice. We need you here too much. Whether or not you value your life right now isn't important. We will value it for you until you can once again appreciate the miracle that you are."
It is ingrained in Susohnnan culture to treasure life in all its forms above all else.
Jared looked at me for a long moment. Then his eyes looked bright, and he turned away, trying to control his emotions.
"For now, we wait."
"Wait?" Kenna said, wrinkling her nose in distaste.
"Wait. There is nothing else to do. We need information. Perhaps they will strike again and then we will know what we are up against."
Either that or we would be dead too.
----
"Dar." It was Kenna, running to catch up to me after our meeting adjourned. "Dar."
I slowed down but didn't stop. I had much to do. There were samples to analyze. I needed to do another brainstorm myself to see if I could come up with any more ideas of how to prepare for what might come through the wormhole.
My mind went on making a mental list of all the things I needed to do.
I also needed to talk to Earth's President Mahaar. She and I needed to figure out how to rebuild the space station as soon as possible.
We couldn't leave the wormhole without personnel. Someone would think we weren't taking care of our responsibilities and report us, which could jeopardize our status in the Union or lead to hefty fines. Neither of these outcomes was particularly appealing to me. It would certainly be bad news for her, as her planet was much less affluent.
"Dar," Kenna said again, more forcefully, waving her hand in front of my face.
"Yes, what, Kenna? I know we decided to wait, but I have many things to do."
"Don't talk to me like I'm one of your staff," she said, irritated.
"I'm sorry, but I'm very busy and I don't have time to chat right now," I said barely able to focus on her face as my mind kept thinking.
"I don't want to talk," she said, pushing me suddenly against the wall of the spacecraft and kissing me soundly. Her soft body was flush against mine, and I closed my eyes as she wrapped her arms around my neck.
My mind completely shut down as I got lost in the sensation.
When we came up for air a minute or two later, I gazed at her, my eyes unfocused. I couldn't remember what I had been in such a rush to do.
"You need a break," she whispered, pressing her hips towards mine, where I felt myself getting hard. I was starting to agree with her. Our quarters were on the other side of the vessel. I looked around. Across the hall and down a few doors was the med bay. I grabbed Kenna's hand and pulled her towards me.
I scanned my retina, and the door slid open silently. We stepped through, and I shut the door, locking it so that no one but me could get in. When I turned around, Kenna
"Of course. Sure." Dar was looking at me, with a troubled expression on his face.
"Dar?"
"What?"
"What did you want my opinion on?"
"We were thinking about sending a small team through the wormhole."
"Into God knows what? That's a suicide mission," I said, appalled that they were even considering it.
"Exactly," Mana said, giving Jared a look.
"I wouldn't care," Jared said, without a trace of his usual charm. "Sounds like the perfect mission for me."
DAR
Was Jared willing to volunteer for a suicide mission?
"Jared," Mana said, apparently upset at his words. "Don't talk like that."
Jared's eyes looked dead, and he stared at the floor as if he didn't care whether he lived or died. That's when I realized that we were wrong about him getting over his girlfriend's death. He had been acting for our benefit, playing the part of the happy guy. Maybe sometimes he did forget for a moment, but inside he was still hurt and grieving. I sighed deeply.
Kenna looked sad.
"You're outnumbered, Jared," I said. "And my decision is that we shall not begin such a mission unless there is no other choice. We need you here too much. Whether or not you value your life right now isn't important. We will value it for you until you can once again appreciate the miracle that you are."
It is ingrained in Susohnnan culture to treasure life in all its forms above all else.
Jared looked at me for a long moment. Then his eyes looked bright, and he turned away, trying to control his emotions.
"For now, we wait."
"Wait?" Kenna said, wrinkling her nose in distaste.
"Wait. There is nothing else to do. We need information. Perhaps they will strike again and then we will know what we are up against."
Either that or we would be dead too.
----
"Dar." It was Kenna, running to catch up to me after our meeting adjourned. "Dar."
I slowed down but didn't stop. I had much to do. There were samples to analyze. I needed to do another brainstorm myself to see if I could come up with any more ideas of how to prepare for what might come through the wormhole.
My mind went on making a mental list of all the things I needed to do.
I also needed to talk to Earth's President Mahaar. She and I needed to figure out how to rebuild the space station as soon as possible.
We couldn't leave the wormhole without personnel. Someone would think we weren't taking care of our responsibilities and report us, which could jeopardize our status in the Union or lead to hefty fines. Neither of these outcomes was particularly appealing to me. It would certainly be bad news for her, as her planet was much less affluent.
"Dar," Kenna said again, more forcefully, waving her hand in front of my face.
"Yes, what, Kenna? I know we decided to wait, but I have many things to do."
"Don't talk to me like I'm one of your staff," she said, irritated.
"I'm sorry, but I'm very busy and I don't have time to chat right now," I said barely able to focus on her face as my mind kept thinking.
"I don't want to talk," she said, pushing me suddenly against the wall of the spacecraft and kissing me soundly. Her soft body was flush against mine, and I closed my eyes as she wrapped her arms around my neck.
My mind completely shut down as I got lost in the sensation.
When we came up for air a minute or two later, I gazed at her, my eyes unfocused. I couldn't remember what I had been in such a rush to do.
"You need a break," she whispered, pressing her hips towards mine, where I felt myself getting hard. I was starting to agree with her. Our quarters were on the other side of the vessel. I looked around. Across the hall and down a few doors was the med bay. I grabbed Kenna's hand and pulled her towards me.
I scanned my retina, and the door slid open silently. We stepped through, and I shut the door, locking it so that no one but me could get in. When I turned around, Kenna
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