Rebel's Quest (44 page)

“Gods, if you look at me like that, I’ll show you proactive…Do you have any idea how utterly beautiful you are?”

Andreia curled up on Roshan’s lap, fatigue overwhelming her, but she was reluctant to let go. “I think you’re the stunning one, but I won’t argue with you. It makes you cranky.”

“Cranky?” Roshan pressed her lips against Andreia’s hair. “I’m never cranky.”

Laughing at
that
exaggeration, Andreia closed her eyes. She felt Roshan settle in against the pillows, cradling her. For the first time in a long while, Andreia felt completely safe and that she could briefly let go of duties and obligations. So sure that Roshan would watch the universe for her, she allowed herself to drift off. Roshan’s scent of soap and leather filled her senses, and the happy thought that they’d still be together when she woke up made it easy for Andreia to fall asleep.

The convoy of three ships steered through the vastness of space. It had been several days since they’d left Gantharat, and Rae stood in her office, as usual, contemplating the stars while she sorted her thoughts. She twisted and turned a keep-hot mug of Cormanian coffee between her fingers, occasionally sipping it absentmindedly.

“Are they for sale?”

Rae jumped at Kellen’s sudden voice behind her. “What?” She turned around and placed the mug on her desk.

“Your thoughts.”

Still not understanding, Rae placed a hand at the back of her head. “Say that again?”

“Are your thoughts for sale?” Kellen enunciated.

Rae felt a broad smile break out on her face. “You mean, as in ‘a penny for them’?”

Kellen looked confused. “If that’s the going rate,” she said hesitatingly, with a faint smile. It transformed her face as it always did, and Rae knew now that they were on their way back toward SC space, Kellen had a lot to smile about.

“Actually, I was thinking of our arrangement with the resistance. It’s something you can be very proud of, Kellen, and also another significant step toward Gantharat’s freedom.”

“It wasn’t just my idea. You were the one who suggested Revos Prime.”

“Only because you didn’t know of its existence. You suggested that all the prisoners return with us to SC space.” At first the idea hadn’t sounded feasible, but when Kellen explained why it was not only impractical to leave them on Gantharat, but also impossible, Rae knew she had to find a way. So many of the rebels were in even worse condition than they’d anticipated. If the former prisoners remained in the different resistance base camps, valuable, able-bodied rebels would be tied down caring for their fellow resistance fighters, rather than fighting the Onotharians.

When Rae began to think of the situation as a Retrograde Operation for the Gantharians, she realized they could evacuate them to Revos Prime, which belonged to SC space, but was governed jointly by Earth, Corma, and Imidestria. Used mainly for military exercises and war games, it was also a beautiful spot for recreation and had a benevolent equatorial climate.
We get to “play” in the north and south and have R&R in between.
Rae smiled at the military saying as she sat down on the edge of her desk.

They had also thought it better to transport the rebels to Revos Prime before the Onotharians woke from their nightmare scenario regarding Andreia. Loading them all onto the six spaceships, they made sure their basic needs were met, but knew the trip would still be very rough on them. Roshan’s medical personnel had worked around the clock, along with the SC medical officers.

“They’ll thrive by the Credarian Ocean and under the care of our specialists. I just talked to Father, and he’s issuing orders to establish a Medical Reception Station. I sent enough information for him to make the Revos Prime medical teams aware of the rebels’ condition. Once they’ve healed, we’ll retrain the ones with a clean bill of health and help them devise a new Gantharian Force.”

“Excellent. You finally managed to reach Ewan? How’s Armeo?”

“From his squeal in the background, he’s beyond thrilled that we’re coming home. Father also granted us a whole two-week leave. Very generous.”

“It is,” Kellen agreed readily.

Rae was grateful to her father, not only for granting her the expertise the rebels of all ages needed to help them recuperate, but also for keeping Armeo’s spirits up the way he had. It made up for all the time she’d felt misunderstood and misjudged as a child and a young woman.
Perhaps he had to go through raising me to be ready for Armeo, Prince of Gantharat. Go figure.

“…will stay and oversee it all.” Kellen looked at her under raised eyebrows. “Rae?”

“Sorry. I was thinking about Armeo. What were you saying?”

“I think Revos Prime will be a good place for Andreia and Roshan to stay for a while. They need to be out of the public eye.”

“Absolutely. Andreia will find her bearings as Andreia O’Daybo and get used to her altered appearance, and Roshan will see if she’s been compromised. It’s possible, since she was involved with Andreia openly before her assassination.” Rae scowled. “It feels strange to even say it, though I know it was all for show.”

“Yes.” Kellen joined Rae, leaning her hip against the desk. “Owena pulled it off almost too well.”

“When Leanne and I finally hauled her inside the shuttle, she was frantic with worry that she had actually killed Andreia. We had two Onotharian surveillance ships on our tail when we took off. Good thing Leanne was at the helm after all. I’m a good pilot, but not in her class, or yours.”

Kellen smiled again and ran her fingers through Rae’s hair. “True.”

Rae laughed. It felt so good to be able to do so, for the first time in ages. She was exhausted now, yet excited about going home. A strange energy filled her with new strength.

“So Roshan and Andreia will be the spokespersons for the 37,000 Revos Prime rebels,” Rae summed up. “It’s a very good idea, in fact.”

“It seemed logical,” Kellen said.

“And tell me, why are we taking this volatile kid, Ayahliss, home with us to Earth?” Rae folded her arms and leaned back a bit so she could study Kellen’s face. “Do you have
any
idea what my mother will have to say about that girl?”

“She needs guidance. Half trained in the art of Gan’thet, she has the physical skills, but not the mental training or sense of how to use it. I have to train her, it’s my duty.”

“And isn’t it also that you see something of yourself in her?”

“Perhaps.”

“Fair enough.” Rae stretched. “I’m tired. How about we check on the bridge and hand the conn to Owena for the evening?”

“Good idea. I’m tired too.”

Kellen sounded utterly astonished at Rae’s suggestion, which made Rae burst out laughing again.

“I’ve missed your laughter,” Kellen said, her smile going from faint to wide. “It’s such a happy sound.”

“Well, no wonder. You make me very happy, whether I’m laughing or not.” Rae leaned in for a soft kiss. “You make me very, very happy. I love you, darling.”

“I love you too.” Kellen returned the kiss with so much passion that Rae began to question how tired she really felt.

The hum of the
Gallant’s
powerful propulsion system vibrated steadily beneath them as they strolled back to their quarters. As Kellen undressed, illuminated only by the starlight coming from the view port, Rae watched with the same ache in her heart she’d felt all those months ago when she first saw this extraordinary woman. She loved her with every atom in her body, and always would.

When Kellen turned around, gloriously naked, Rae was already undressed, eager to hold her. Rae wanted to get back to Earth for several reasons, but this wasn’t one of them, not at this moment. Out here, in the middle of outer space, they belonged to each other in every way, and she couldn’t wait a second longer to make love to Kellen while blessed by the stars.

Gun Brooke,
a former NICU nurse, lives in an 1800s cottage in Sweden with her family and her beloved dog. In the calm and quiet countryside village, which dates back to the Viking era, she enjoys the closeness to nature and writes full time. Gun has won two Golden Crown Literary Awards for 2005 with her fi rst novel,
Course of Action
and her first science fiction novel,
Protector of the Realm.
In 2006 she published her second romance,
Coffee Sonata.
Gun has also published three short stories in three different anthologies. Currently, Gun is working on her fifth novel, the romance
Sheridan’s Fate.