15
Jamie
“We did it!”Trax yelled from behind Alex. Those guys were big, and the space behind us was tiny. I couldn’t look behind the high backs of our seats, but I imagined them to have their knees in their noses. But the happiness radiating from Trax’s voice didn’t sound like he was uncomfortable.
Alex reached out and set his hand on my shoulder, his fingers squeezing. I looked his way, met his dark eyes.
I had no idea how long I’d spent alone in that rock cell. It had been long enough to think through everything Alex had ever said to me. Every action. Nuance. Glance. Touch. All of it. Then I processed what he’d done… capturing me and the Valor for the queen.
He was good. He should get an Academy Award, because I’d believed him. That probably had been what had saved us all. I’d been devastated by his supposed betrayal. There was no way I could have faked that. But his words, it’s only a game for humans, had been so glaringly inaccurate it stopped all my thoughts except one.
Why?
Why had he said that? Why had he lied about that? Why would he?
That had made me come around to the answers. He’d done it to keep us alive. He’d never told me what he’d done before I’d completed the training program. Not one word. That had crossed my mind as well as I worked through it all. Another why.
Why hadn’t he told me about what he’d done before we became Elite Starfighters?
Because he couldn’t. Because he would have had to lie.
“I’m sorry,” he said again.
“You were undercover,” I said. He nodded. “With those two.” I thumbed over my shoulder.
“I had to give you to the queen. Fuck, that was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.” His eyes were bleak and tortured.
“I understand.”
He shook his head. “You don’t. Not yet. When we’re back on Arturri, I’ll tell you everything.”
“General Aryk’s going to want a debrief,” Nave commented.
I’d missed the one from the skirmish, being unconscious and all, but I had a feeling this was going to be a long one. It wasn’t often there were three double agents exposed after turning in the first Starfighter from Earth and her ship. Yeah, he was going to be pissed.
“Fuck,” Alex muttered. “I have other plans for you as well, bondmate.”
“Hey, we’re on this starfighter too,” Trax said.
Alex’s jaw clenched. “Get your own bondmates,” he told them.
“Can’t wait for the day,” Nave muttered back.
“We’re out of the asteroid’s airspace. We better comm in,” Alex said. I nodded and he continued, “Arturri base command, this is the Valor.”
“This is Arturri base. We have you on radar. Identify yourself.”
I glanced at Alex. “This is the Valor. We escaped Syrax and are returning to base with two extra on board.”
“We have shoot-to-kill orders for you, Elite Starfighter.”
Fuck. Jamie looked at me, eyes wide.
“This is Elite Starfighter Jamie Miller of the Valor. Do not shoot. Repeat, do not shoot. No enemies are on board. I have two friendlies along for the ride. Tell General Aryk we know the traitor and he better not have us blown up.”
There was radio silence for a stretch as I held my breath. I didn’t really think about the fact that Alyx would be considered the enemy after what he’d done. I liked him alive and had to keep it that way.
“That’s good to hear, Valor. Arturri out.”