Page 23 of Aura Awakened
“Anyway, now the Coalition spans twenty-four sectors of space, though it started out with eighteen. There are thousands of us enlisted in the fight. Our headquarters moves every year, both so as not to favor any one planet and to remain as hidden from the enemy as possible. But even with all of that, we’ve never been able to defeat the Malifects. The best we can do is sort of stalemate them. Thwart their plans, steal back their slaves, that kind of thing. This intel you and I got? About the Somnambulis? This could really turn the tide.”
“I hope it does. And I’m happy I helped. Or, well, maybe not helped. Participated? I don’t want what happened to me to happen to anyone else. And I got away relatively unscathed. It must be so much worse for all the others,” Aura says.
I tell her more about some of the planets in the Coalition, the interesting societies involved. By the time we reach our destination, she’s pretty well briefed.
“Now what?” she asks as I halt the craft behind a chunk of rock.
“Now I call Ramp.” I send a message on long-range communications, letting him know I’m here. “Once he gets this, he should respond and come get us. Our normal ship has a lot more room,” I tell Aura. “And a shower. And food.”
“Oh, my god, I can’t wait.”
“While we wait,” I add, “there’s something I want to ask you.”
She’s been studying the asteroids through the viewscreen, but now she turns to me. “Okay. What?”
“I told you we could take things at your pace, and I meant it. I’m not trying to pressure you. But after these last few days, I need to know what you’re thinking, feeling. About me, I mean. Us. The bond. Whatever it is, good or bad, I need to know.”
She sighs and toys with a curl. “You are unlike anyone I have ever met. Everything about you—your life, your job, your world—interests me. And our physical connection…these have been the most intense sexual experiences of my entire life. I understand now what you meant when you said the bond enhances that aspect of a relationship. Feeling your emotions along with my own is…indescribable, really. Like nothing I ever could have imagined.”
“But?” I prompt.
She points at the rocks floating around us. “But everything. I’m attracted to you, obviously. More than that, I like you as a person. I’m interested in your culture, your planet, your way of life. I’d like to get to know you better. Meet your family. See your home. Explore what’s between us, because I admit it, there’s something here.” She gestures to the space between our bodies, as if our connection lives there. “But I have a life on Earth. A simple one, as a florist. I don’t know anything about aliens and space battles and saving the galaxy. This isn’t who I am, Fillian.”
I cock my head and study her, trying to make sense of the emotions swirling beneath her surface. “Are you sure about that? You might be a florist, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t brave and adventurous. Were you really happy with your life at home? Or did you long for something more? You’ve told me you were bored. How much you enjoy action movies.”
“There’s a huge difference between wanting a little excitement in life and getting tossed into the middle of a galactic war,” she points out.
I reach over and take her hand, giving it a squeeze of reassurance. “I completely understand that. And I would never ask you to join the Coalition or go on patrols or anything. I only meant that maybe there’s more to life for you than the plans you had on Earth. Maybe this, us, is what was missing.”
“Maybe. I admit, once the immediate danger receded, I had some fun. But all the same, I can’t just give up on my life back home. I need to at least try to find a way back. Even if I don’t end up ever returning to Earth, I want the option. To know the choice was mine.” She must spot my wince, because she leans forward intently. “Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I want to leave you. Please don’t think that. I absolutely feel things for you, Fillian. Things that are getting more complicated. It’s not just lust or fascination. I need to know more about what this is, bond or no.”
I start to respond, but I’m interrupted by the crackle on the long-range comm. “Coalition Command to nanocraft one-twelve. Come in.”
I lean forward and activate my end of the system. “This is Fillian,” I say.
“Fillian, you have new orders. You’re to return home to Acacia for debriefing at the local Coalition post.”
I frown. “But I’m supposed to meet my partner out here. Rampion should be en route.”
“Negative. Everything will be explained on Acacia. Report there at once.”
Once we’ve landed and disembarked, I try to decide what to do with Aura. The shuttle dock has locker rooms, so we take the quickest of showers, but there’s no time to take her on a tour of the planet. There’s also no need for her to attend a Coalition debriefing, and I don’t want to just leave her at the palace to fend for herself, either. I have a private home, so she could go there, but it might be unsettling for her to be completely alone on a strange planet. Still, it’s probably the best option.
“I’ll drop you at my residence before I report in,” I tell her. “There’s no one there, so you can relax and make yourself at home.”
She shakes her head, curls bouncing. “I’d rather not, if it’s okay. I’d like to come with you. For one thing, I was with you on the mission. Maybe I’ll have something to contribute. And even if I don’t, I want to talk to them about finding a way back to Earth. I know you said it’s not possible, but I have to at least ask.”
I consider it. She makes a good point. “All right, if that’s what you want. I just need you to know, though…” I trail off and she frowns.
“What?”
“We’ll definitely ask. It’s possible that Coalition scientists are working on technological advances I know nothing about. But I don’t want you to get your hopes up. I do think if we had the means to travel that far, in a short span of time, I’d know about it. But there’s something else to consider.”
Her brow furrows. “What do you mean?”
“There are other human colonies in nearby sectors. They wouldn’t be Earth, but if you miss your own kind, you could consider those options. Of course, I’d love for you to stay here with me, but I would understand. The Coalition and I will do everything we can to help you.”
She nods and takes my hand, staring deep into my eyes. “Thank you. For all you’ve done, and for being honest about my chances. I understand that it’s very likely I’ll never see my home planet again. I’ve known that ever since you first told me. But I can’t just give up on it. Not until I’ve exhausted all the possibilities.”