On a Barbarian World

On a Barbarian World

Anna Hackett

On a Barbarian World

Published by Anna Hackett

Copyright 2015 by Anna Hackett

Cover by Croco Designs

Edits by
Tanya Saari

ISBN: 978-0-9943584-7-9

This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, events or places is coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form.

What readers are saying about Anna’s Science Fiction Romance

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At Star’s End
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On a Rogue Planet
.” – KatieF, Amazon Review

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“Action, danger, aliens, romance – yup, it’s another great book from Anna Hackett!” – Book Gannet Reviews, review of
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Official Document

Galactic Institute of Historical Preservation

Acquisitions Planning Memo #001-78-1163

Subject: Future expeditions beyond the galaxy’s edge

To the Future Expeditions Team:

Since the discovery of the Terran starship wreck of the
Nero
by Justyn and Nissa Phoenix, well beyond the galaxy’s known edge, I am ordering a detailed analysis of whether the Institute should invest in expeditions in this area.

Terran colonists evidently made it out this far, so it is possible other wrecks of great historical importance could be in the area of the
Nero’s
last resting place.

Please prepare a detailed holo-presentation for next week’s Acquisitions meeting with recommendations on search areas, logistics plans, and cost estimates.

Regards,

Dr. Niklas Phoenix

Director of Acquisitions

Chapter One

It was the prettiest thing she’d seen the entire trip.

Aurina Phoenix touched the controls of her small scoutship and whizzed past a small, rocky moon. Her gaze was on the large gas giant ahead—it was covered in stunning bands of blues and purples. She smiled.
Beautiful
.

But her destination was beyond the planet. She spotted the deep-space convoy, and her smile widened. It was a rag-tag line of starships of all shapes and sizes. A group heading off into uncharted space, pitting themselves against the unknown in the hope of finding a new life.

She zoomed closer and adjusted the
Ariel’s
course to the largest ship at the head of the convoy.

The
Sky Nomad
. Home.

Some might argue that a starship couldn’t be considered home, but for Aurina, that was definitely the case. It was certainly a world away from what passed as “home” during her childhood. Her fingers stilled on the controls. Yep, she’d come a long way from the overcrowded, dirty, manufacturing world where she’d been born.

As the deep-space scout for the Phoenix Convoy, she got to see some incredible things. On every trip she discovered something new. Most people would think she had the best damn job in the galaxy. Or technically, out of the galaxy, since they were beyond the galaxy’s edge.

And they would be right.

She figured life didn’t get any better.

So why, despite being happy to see her brothers, did she feel like something was…missing?

Aurina wrinkled her nose and shook off the melancholy feeling. She had an interesting job she was good at, a bank account filled with e-creds, and the opportunity to frequently indulge her little obsession—collecting shiny, sparkly gemstones.

Okay, so she didn’t get to wear her gorgeous jewels much out here in the middle of space. She wiggled her toes in her practical boots and glanced down at her dark-blue flight suit. It didn’t matter, she loved collecting polished stones and shiny jewels. Some she found herself on planets out here in the middle of nowhere, and others she bartered for ferociously. After her next bonus, when they got back to Galaxy’s Edge, she was nabbing herself a Lumina sapphire she’d spotted in the space station’s jewelry shop on her last stop.

“
Ariel
, I’ve opened the hangar bay door for you.” The smoky, feminine voice filled the cockpit. “Welcome back.”

Aurina adjusted her controls, aiming the
Ariel
for the hangar bay on the
Sky Nomad
. She could see the door was open, and caught a shimmer of the purple huma-field that covered the entrance—keeping the atmosphere in the ship, but allowing solid objects to pass through.

“Thanks, Nissa.” Nissa was the
Sky Nomad’s
pilot and captain. She was also the wife of the youngest of Aurina’s brothers, Justyn. “Did I miss anything while I was away?”

“Only Dare reprimanding one convoy idiot who decided to head off on a little joy ride to see a volcanic world up close and personal.” Nissa snorted. “Your big bro can be
scary
.”

Yes, he could. Dare Phoenix, Convoy Master extraordinaire, had control down to a fine art, especially when it came to obeying the convoy rules.
His
rules. Anyone who stepped out of line was swiftly reprimanded. Out here, they all depended on each other for their survival, and one wrong move could spell disaster.

“Sorry I missed it. Okay, I’m on approach now.”

“Aurina, you’re coming in too fast.” This voice was deep, masculine and terse.

Aurina rolled her eyes. Rynan, her middle brother, was in charge of convoy security. She liked coming in a little fast, while Ry liked everyone to follow his safety rules to the letter. He was all about minimizing risk. Even in his personal life. He never let the same woman spend more than one night in his bed, and never let emotions get in the way.

“I hear you, Ry.”

“So why aren’t you slowing down?”

“You’re breaking up a bit there. Say again.” She grinned. He really hated when she did that. She touched the controls and did a slight course correction.

She whizzed inside, activated the reverse thrusters, and slowly touched down in her usual spot. Well away from Rynan’s prized security cutter, the
Pathfinder
. Stars help her if she ever scratched his pride and joy.

The bay also held several shuttles, Justyn’s new runnership, the
Smooth Trader
, and a few personal ships owned by people who had taken passage aboard the
Sky Nomad
for the convoy trip.

She unstrapped her harness, and pushed out of the cockpit. She loved her little ship, she liked flying, but she also liked to stretch her legs. Occasionally, she felt a twinge of claustrophobia. Nothing drastic, just that buried urge to breathe fresh air, see the sky overhead, and have space around her. She certainly hadn’t had much of it on the overpopulated Vashon V where she’d grown up. She and her mother had lived in a tiny, shitty box of an apartment. The streets had been teeming with people just like them—too busy working in the factories to enjoy life, and only making enough to scrape by.

Aurina slapped a hand against the electronic lock to open the ship door. She hurried out, breathed in a lungful of recycled air, and left her crappy memories behind. The past was the past, and she’d left it in the dust years ago.

Rynan was waiting for her, arms crossed over his broad chest. “There is nothing wrong with your comms. You can’t take risks when you land. You not only risk yourself, but the lives of everyone aboard—”

Aurina smiled and sashayed up to him. She smacked a kiss to his cheek. “Missed you, too.”

“Aurina—”

“Ry, how many times have I landed the
Ariel
in here?”

His scowl deepened. “I don’t have the precise number. Thousands.”

“How many times have I come in too fast?”

He heaved out a breath. “Thousands.”

She patted his muscled bicep. “See my point?”

“Yes, but I still don’t like it.” He grabbed her strawberry-blonde braid and tugged it.

That was Ry’s way of saying
hi, love you,
and
you’re forgiven
. He wasn’t a man of many words. “Come on.” She looped her arm through his and started out of the hangar. “I need to debrief you guys, then I want a shower.” She sniffed herself. “I smell like I’ve been dancing all night in a sauna.”

“You smell fine.”

Men
. “Ha, you would say that.” Her face turned serious. “I do need to head back out shortly, though.”

“You just got back.”

“I didn’t make it as far as I wanted, and I know we need a planet to land on to rest and take on supplies. I haven’t found one yet. But, a couple of possibilities did show up on long-range scans. I want to get back there and take a better look.”

“Can’t keep you grounded for long, can we?”

She winked at him. “Too much to see, my brother. Why would I want to be stuck in one place?”

“Maybe because you find ship-board life a little confining. You like rocks and animals and plants. The kinds of things you don’t find on a starship.”

She frowned. Damn, the man was too perceptive sometimes. “I love being a part of the convoy.”

He patted her arm. “I never said you didn’t. Some people are made for life in deep space, for others, it’s just a short-term adventure. Besides, someday, some guy is going to finally get a good grip on you…and I don’t mean those young, pretty boys you occasionally play with at the space stations. Someone you can’t wriggle away from with a wink and that beautiful smile of yours.”

Aurina tossed her braid over her shoulder and shook her head. “Will never happen. I don’t need some man bossing me around, getting me knocked up, then swaggering off to his next conquest.”

They turned into the corridor heading to the bridge.

Ry was quiet for a moment. “You know it isn’t always like that. Look at Justyn and Nissa.”

Yes, those two were completely in love and they…fit. Justyn clearly respected Nissa’s skills as a captain and pilot. They seemed to give each other the support the other needed to flourish. But it was the first time she’d seen a relationship like that. Growing up, she’d seen worn-out women like her mother, juggling work, raising children, and taking care of their homes…while the men headed off for drinks at the pub, or who just took off and never came back. Nope, Justyn and Nissa were the exception to the rule.

The uncomfortable sensation in her gut made her voice sharp. “This is all impossibly rich, coming from you. You are hardly the person I’d listen to for relationship advice.”

Rynan grunted.

“Maybe some woman will sweep you off your feet and convince you that you want to keep her around for good?”