Destin's Hold (The Alliance #5)(21)
Destin stood on the beach for almost an hour, staring out at the ocean, his mind filled with regret. In another life, it might have been different, but with the challenges and new dangers now facing Earth, it was better to leave love and hope for someone else.
“Someone who isn’t an ignoramus,” Destin murmured, tossing the word into the wind with a shake of his head and a chuckle when he remembered her saying she loved that word. “What a woman!” he added with a deep sigh.
7
“What’s the plan?” Destin asked Razor the next afternoon.
Razor glanced at the small group of men sitting around the dining room table. The men, namely Hunter, Ajaska, and Dagger’s brother, Trig, had converged on Razor and Kali’s place shortly after noon. Destin had remained at the house when Razor had taken Kali and Ami over to Hunter’s place.
Kali, Ami, and the other women would travel with Scout, Dagger, and Saber to the mountain village where Scout and Shana had a home. It was remote, and Razor and Hunter felt comfortable with the other men staying there.
“I will journey to the Alliance Headquarters to present what happened here and reiterate the information we discovered on Dises V,” Razor said, glancing around at the small group. “Ajaska will journey with me before returning to his own world to address the council there.”
“I will stay here,” Hunter replied, glancing at Trig. “The attack on our soil has shown we need to improve our defenses here. Destin, Trig will journey with you back to your world.”
“I’ve already alerted Cutter to the situation here. I’ve also ordered additional Battle Cruisers dispatched to your world. We will not lose it now that we finally have peace and reconstruction is being maximized,” Razor stated with a grim expression. “Jag will command the deployment in space. The advanced technology of the Kassisans and the Elpidiosians and the added support of their military give us a decisive edge over the Waxians and the Drethulans.”
“I’m still set to leave tomorrow, aren’t I?” Destin asked.
“Sooner. I’ve already alerted Jag,” Razor stated. “You and Trig leave in an hour.”
Destin whistled under his breath. “It’s a good thing I told Kali and Ami goodbye this morning,” he muttered, clasping his hands together when he thought of another woman he wished he could see one more time before he left. “You guys don’t waste any time, do you?”
“Not when it comes to dealing with those bastards,” Trig replied, sitting back in his chair. “I’ve dealt with both. I’d sooner kill them on sight. The females are just as bad as the males, so you can save any sympathy you might have. The Drethulan young have to be caged so they don’t kill each other. They’ve been known to cannibalize their siblings.”
“From the information our informant shared, the Waxians just teach their young to kill,” Ajaska added with a shake of his head and rose from his chair. “I have to return to my world first, Razor. There are things that I must prepare for, as you know. I’ve given all the information that I have.”
“I understand,” Razor said, rising from his seat as well. “Thank you, Ajaska. Safe journey.”
“Remember, what I told you,” Ajaska murmured.
“We are taking precautions,” Razor assured Ajaska.
Ajaska gave a brief nod to each man, his gaze lingering on Destin for a moment before he pulled it back to Razor. A strange sense of warning filled Destin and he glanced at Razor’s stiff face. Something was going on that the two men weren’t sharing with the rest of them. He glanced down at the table before glancing out of the corner of his eye at Hunter. The same tense expression was on Hunter’s face.
“It was good meeting you, Ajaska,” Destin commented, rising out of his chair and grasping the huge man’s hand. “Safe journeys.”
“You as well, Destin,” Ajaska replied, staring into Destin’s face as if he wanted to say something more before he nodded. “You are a good man, Destin Parks. It has been an honor to meet you.”
Destin gave Ajaska a puzzled smile when the other man shook his hand in a firm grasp before releasing it and turning away. Destin could tell the meeting was over when Trig stood up and stretched. He grinned. Trig reminded him a lot of himself. Both of them had a problem with authority figures and didn’t like being cooped up for long. In fact, Trig was the only one of the group at Saber’s bachelor party who could keep up with him.
“I’ll grab my stuff,” Destin said, turning to leave.
“I’ll be waiting by the transport. We’ll head to the port and take a military cargo shuttle to the Star Raider,” Trig replied.
Destin stepped into the room he had been using and glanced around to see if he had forgotten anything. His hand automatically moved to his chest to touch the medallion before he remembered that with all the turmoil from last night he had forgotten to get it from Sula. A part of him regretted the loss of it, but another part was glad that she had it. Perhaps he could get Sula to give it to Kali or Razor.
At least he now had some new memories to replace it. Kali had given him a photo of Ami, Razor, and her. He could have a new medallion made. Kali looked so much like their mother when she had been Kali’s age that it would be like having her there. Destin grabbed the duffel bag he had brought, slung it over his good shoulder, and exited the room, shutting the door behind him. Perhaps one day he could come back, this time to stay.