Chapter 23

AVA

What follows is a long and wayward journey through countless space stations. We move from vessel to vessel, once landing on a planet and taking some sort of train filled with supply crates to a different station where we take off on yet another ship.

We jump between stretches of boredom and sexual tension traveling through space, to moments of high anxiety of sneaking through the back corridors of space stations, doubling and tripling back to make sure no one is on our tail.

Olean and about a dozen other of Koza’s men, led by Zynett, join us at the fourth space station. It has been long enough that Koza’s eye is no longer swollen shut, but not so long that the bruises have faded completely.

“It has been an age since I saw you in such a state, boy,” Olean addresses Koza in way of greeting in the hallway of the tiny space station where we are reunited. “Do I need to take you back to the training grounds?”

They clasp hands firmly, the emotion of the moment clear on both their faces.

“You should see the other guy,” I quip, mentally cringing when it earns me only a blank stare from everyone present.

“You know, because he’s dead,” I continue, my mouth working independently from my brain, apparently.

Zynett lets out a sound that seems suspiciously like a snort of amusement, and I resist the urge to fist bump him. If this whole space adventure has taught me nothing else, it’s that stress does very weird things to me.

Our newly reunited group boards yet another ship, then do a terrifying sort of mid-space transfer in full-body suits with rocket blasters, literally floating through goddamn space. I almost throw up in my helmet.

Thankfully, I’m clinging to Koza’s back like some sort of space koala during this maneuver, my eyes clamped firmly shut until I feel the shudder of his feet landing on the floor of the ship we were aiming for.

I am assured this is the final ship and that we are now thoroughly off any sort of radar. Two days of boring space travel later, I see a planet in the distance through the window of the mess hall. I watch it grow larger and larger, the green-and-blue surface looking remarkably like Earth.

The land masses are all wrong though, so I would know it isn’t Earth even if I hadn’t been told it was impossible to go there.

Koza comes up behind me, staring over my shoulder, the heat of his body warming my back.

“That’s where we’re landing?” I ask him, knowing the answer is obviously yes. I’m not sure why I ask at all.

“Yes. That is Multia. Ryden has built a base there, as well as a sanctuary for former slaves. We will join them, and continue our work from there.”

He gives my shoulder a soft squeeze, moving away from the window. I stay, staring at the planet until it fills the window completely, and the order is given to secure for landing. I join the others in the hall, where seats drop down from the walls for takeoff and landing, buckling myself in quickly and without trouble.

~Oh, just look how far I’ve come, buckling all by myself.~

The ship shakes and rattles as it enters the planet’s atmosphere, and just when I think I may throw up all over the hall, the movement lurches to a halt as we touch the ground.

The men start unloading right away. We are not only dropping ourselves on their doorsteps, thankfully, we are bringing them a ship full of supplies as well. I hang back as they unload the crates, knowing I’d just be in the way otherwise. When the last of the hold is emptied, I make my way down the ramp, taking in my new home with awe.

Koza and Zynett stand with a third man, who shares their features and must be Ryden. Koza has his arm thrown over the man’s shoulders companionably as they speak to each other.

There are aliens in the clearing everywhere, opening the crates and shouting orders for where to take them. Beyond the chaos is a village. Small stone houses are lined along a pathway that leads to a massive structure at the far end of the village. Framing the city on all sides are tall trees, vines dangling down from the branches and sprawling sideways from tree to tree.

It’s practically a jungle, and I sort of love it.

I stay where I am, not wanting to stumble through the fray, simply taking everything in, when I hear my name being called from across the clearing.

“Ava! Oh my god! Ava!” the feminine voice cuts through the chaos, and I turn toward the sound, thinking maybe Hannah is here. I never was able to see her again since I took over her delivery job.

Instead, I see a streak of flaming-orange hair flying out from behind a figure weaving through the crates spread out on the ground, hurtling toward me.

I recognize her a second before she crashes into me, laughing and wrapping her arms around me in an enthusiastic hug.

“Steph?! It’s you! How are you here?” I ask her, laughing and pushing her unruly curls out of my face as she jumps up and down in excitement, her arms still wrapped around me.

“How are YOU here?” she responds. “This is crazy.”

She steps away, grinning at me, and her joy and enthusiasm is such a change from the days I knew her at the market.

“Oh, you know,” I say, waving my hand like it’s no big deal. “Just fleeing the Coalition after being exposed as rebels. Took like a dozen ships to get here,” I say, dropping my casual act and gripping her shoulders. “I floated in space, Steph. Just stepped out of a ship into nothing and zoomed across it to another ship.”

She grins up at me, and I return the smile, dropping my hands and stepping away from her. “It’s really good to see you, Steph. You look great.”

“Yeah, it took me a while to believe it, but it’s pretty great here. Come, meet Ry.”

She takes my hand and drags me toward the three friends. Ryden steps away from Koza as soon as he sees her, cupping the back of her head and greeting her with a kiss.

~Well damn, Steph. Get it, girl.~

“Ryden, this is Ava. We were in the market together. She was great. She learned so much and made sure she taught all of us too. She really helped me keep my shit together.”

I blink back tears at her unexpected words, touched that my obsessive, controlling need for information was useful after all.

Ryden turns toward me, extending a hand for a human handshake, which I give without hesitation.

“I am grateful to meet you, Ava,” he tells me sincerely. “And welcome to the revolution.”

End of Book 1