6
Kassius
Lieutenant Graves escortedus from General Jennix’s office to the launch bay that served the Starfighter teams aboard the BattleshipResolution. Our first stop was the mission prep area, where we were brought our flight suits. Graves waited while Mia and I changed from our standard black uniform into the sleek Starfighter space suit. The material was thin and comfortable, but I knew the suit would protect us from small laser blasts, was fireproof and, with the retractable helmet all Velerion space suits had stored in the collar, capable of keeping us alive on a spacewalk, if necessary. The uniform looked almost exactly like the standard Starfighter uniform, except the space suits had the integrated helmet and the swirl on the chest was silver, not black.
Once we were in our flight gear, Graves walked us through the small launch area. There were two Starfighter Pilot teams serving on the Resolution, and their sleek fighting ships shone with a glowing metallic black that made me think of danger and war and death. Their larger ships were meant for combat, loaded with weapons and fuel. The MCS ships would be just as fast but smaller. Sleeker. With limited weapons and most of the interior loaded with communication and computing equipment rather than cannons.
I was guessing, of course. I’d never seen one, only in the training simulation I’d completed with Mia. The stealthy MCS ships were so secretive that no one but the Starfighter specific mechanics’ teams were allowed anywhere near them. And that was only with permission from the Starfighter assigned to the ship. As the pilot and secondary MCS officer, I was there to serve in a support role for Mia. Make sure she arrived safely, evaded enemies and survived to fight another day.
Although I was the pilot, The Phantom was Mia’s ship, not mine. Her position as the lead MCS officer on our team meant the ship belonged to her, as I did. Body and soul. I wished for more time alone with her. To get to know her. Inside her head. Inside her body. That would have to wait… for now. I wasn’t sure if I could hold off long. I wanted to touch her. Watch her as I made her pliant, as I made her scream.
Mia had a spring in her step.
“Headache gone?”
She grinned at me. “Mostly. I can’t believe I’m going to see the Phantom. For real.”
Her excitement was contagious, and I grinned back as we increased our pace, causing Graves to lift a brow as he hustled to remain a step ahead of us.
I thought I was mentally prepared to meet my future head-on. However, when I saw the Phantom for the first time, my entire body went taut with a feeling of dread… and elation. The ship was a living, breathing nightmare to my senses. It was darker than deep space. Staring at the outline of the hull, I squinted as the edges blurred, moved, and reappeared in a state of constant change. Like a river of black water flowing along its banks. At night. A highly advanced network of contrasting panels made the outer hull literally shimmer like a gloomy mirage, despite the fact that Mia and I stood less than ten paces away.
This was a ship that dealt in secrets. Shadows.
Death. And I’d hacked into the systems to be here.
“Oh my God.” Mia seemed hypnotized by Phantom, her whispered words sending a chill from the base of my skull to my chest. She recognized the importance of this moment as much as I. She’d worked hard to be here. Not just in the training program but in her life skills, her Earth job. She was brilliant, and it would pay off while we were fighting the Dark Fleet.
Graves motioned the two mechanics in the area over to us. One male, one female, they appeared to be young but walked with confidence. “Starfighters Mia and Kassius, meet your pair-bonded mechs, Vintis and Arria. Mechs, meet our newest Starfighter MCS bonded pair, Mia Becker of Earth and Kassius Remeas, former shuttle pilot at Eos Station.”
The two looked like twins in their dark blue uniforms, the silver Starfighter insignia swirling bright on each of their chests.
Mia held out her hand, thumb pointed toward the ceiling. “I’m Mia. Nice to meet you.”
The two stared at her offered hand for a few seconds, confused. Finally Arria held out her hand in turn. Mia grabbed Arria’s hand, squeezed, and lifted her hand up, then pulled it down several times before releasing her.
“It’s an honor, Starfighters.” Arria’s wide smile held no hint of deception while she studied Mia as if looking at a goddess in the flesh. I was awestruck, so it was no wonder others were too. As long as I was the one taking her to my bed, I would share.
Done staring, Arria turned to me and touched two fingers to her temple in a standard Velerion salute. I responded in kind as Mia grabbed Vintis’s hand and followed the same odd sequence of events with the much larger male.
“Vintis,” she said by way of greeting.
“Proud to be part of your team, Starfighter.”
“As am I. We will keep your ship in perfect shape, sirs,” Arria assured us. “Vintis handles the heavy lifting, and I squeeze into the tight spaces. We’re the best mechs on the Resolution.”
Vintis scoffed. “Best on Velerion.”
I liked their attitude.
Graves took the opportunity to clear his throat. I had completely forgotten he was there. “Buy your new mechs a drink when you return alive from your mission, Starfighters. The target vessel will be passing through Velerion space in a few hours. You need to move.”
Vintis looked disappointed but knew his job. “You’re ready to go. Fuel and power backups are at full capacity. Weapons loaded and armed. The entire system has been inspected three times over since we got her on board. The Phantom is ready to fly.”
Mia glanced over her shoulder at me, her eyes glowing with excitement. “Kass?”
I wanted to grab her, kiss her, make her whimper with need.
So I did.