Neutral Space(48)

“Jeannie, I could kiss you.”

She grinned. “I remember a time you did.”

“What does Stephen do, anyway?”

“He’s a banker; his family owns the Sirus Bank.” I laughed. “Thanks, Jackson. He’s coming around and learning to accept who I really am.”

“Don’t trust him with this yet, Jeannie.” I was worried about her.

“I won’t.” She promised. “I have a different ship for you, too. Its more maneuverable but not as fast.”

“Kheda can fix that. But, she’ll want ours back eventually.” I told Jeannie.

“It will be here waiting for you.” She looked at me concerned. “Build a good case before you do anything, Jackson. If they want this war, they’ll do whatever they can to shut you up.”

“I know. I’ve already left an encrypted file in the cliff house of everything that’s happened to us so far.” She nodded.

“Rest tonight and head out tomorrow. You’ll have to stop at a trade ship. There are no supplies at the safe house.”

“We’ll take what we can and buy the rest.”

Kheda and I scavenged Aya’s ship for supplies that night and had them waiting on the hanger for the new ship to arrive in the morning. There wasn’t much we’d need, but it was enough to make us stop at a trade ship. We had one more night of peaceful sleep before another three weeks of travel.

Jeannie arrived first thing in the morning with a brand new ship. It was exactly like the ones we’d fought days ago. Light maneuverable and built for trouble. Kheda saw my eyes light up and grinned. They were four-man ships made for reconnaissance missions and quick strikes into enemy territory and ready for a dogfight if need be.

“Well, it’s going to be a little more cramped than what you’re used to. However, she’s what you need at the moment.”

“Thanks, Jeannie.”

“Get going you big lug before I miss you.”

I gave Jeannie one last hug before she left in her transport. We loaded the ship and headed out.





Chapter 20





I



t took three weeks to get to the safe house on an unnamed moon. We only stopped at the trade ship for a few hours. With our ship displaying Jeannie’s beacon, that’s the only place we ran into trouble. Five Kelsairans realized who Kheda was, despite her disguise and surrounded her. They hadn’t noticed me ten feet behind her. We fought our way out and ran for our lives back to the ship. I thanked Kheda profusely for her training. I escaped with only a broken arm whereas before I probably would have been dead. She thanked me for my help as well, since she couldn’t have taken on five Kelsairans by herself.

We fixed my arm with the onboard med kit. It took another week to regain my strength in it. Kheda complained because it kept me from helping her unload some of our supplies. There were a few things we couldn’t get with the problem at the trade ship. Luckily, we dropped off most of our purchases before they found Kheda. We’d just have to make due.

The safe house was just as utilitarian as the one on Sirus Three had been. But it was well defended, and Jeannie had the files there waiting for us.

We fell into a similar routine as we had on our way to Sirus Seven combat training, sorting through files and making love whenever we felt like it. That is when we could. We started getting closer to the truth, and the picture got uglier. I found my whole world falling apart, and Kheda was my only anchor. It was a conspiracy plot beyond what either of us imagined dating back to before the war started. Those in government saw to it the war remained an ongoing thing. There were contracts with arms dealers, medical suppliers, shipbuilders you name it it was there. The same was true of the Kelsairans only we had less proof.

There were still a few key pieces missing, and it was taking forever to find them. Kheda and I, in the meantime, were enjoying not being on the run for once. We weren’t looking over our shoulder, and we slept in the same bed every night. We’d been married five months and here three. It finally felt like we were a real couple.

Kheda came to me one night while I was still working and said she was going to bed. That was it not that she wanted me to go with her, just that she was tired. I was worried because it wasn’t like her. I asked her if anything was wrong and she said there wasn’t. I thought perhaps I lost count of the week. Just the same, I turned off the monitors and went to bed.

The next afternoon she was ill and didn’t want to do any combat training. I thought for sure I lost track of the weeks. I lay down to take a nap with her and fell asleep in her arms. I woke a short while later with her sitting beside me. She’d been crying I could tell, but she was trying to hide it from me.

“Kheda what’s wrong?”

“I messed up, Jackson.” She was miserable.

“Kheda please,” I couldn’t stand to see her like this. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I miss counted somewhere. Jackson, I’m pregnant.”

I didn’t know whether to be relieved or severely worried. Although, I couldn’t help being ecstatic. I pulled her down to the bed with me. “Is that all? You acted like the world was going to end.”

“You’re not mad?”

“Should I be? I admit it’s not the best time,” She started to cry “but it’s our child, Kheda. How could I be mad about that? Besides, you’re not the only guilty one here.” She laughed a little.