“Nupan!” Doctor River waves, happy to see her, but the elation leaves her face as she takes in the detective’s expression.

“Are you alright?” Felix asks.

Nupan sluggishly walks toward us, still in her spacesuit, helmet discarded, eyes cast down.

“Where’s Jual?” Blaze questions.

Clenching her fists, Nupan’s lower lip trembles before she bites on it, steadying herself. “Jual was supposed to set the timer for ten minutes,” she croaks, “then alert you when there was two minutes to go.” She takes a deep breath. “The timer is automatically set to one minute, and Silvereye configured the self-destruct system in such a way that the timer could only be manipulated in one codebase and the activation button in another. By the time we realized this, it was too late. It would’ve taken hours to download the codebase with the timer in it, and so… we didn’t have that kind of time. Their ship would’ve figured out we were stalling. And Jual…” A single tear runs down her cheek. “He didn’t want us to wait for him to jump back to our ship. We had to clear the explosion range and lower the possibility of debris damaging DeLarge. He called Blaze, he waited a minute and pressed the activation button… one minute wasn’t ever going to be enough. Jual”—her voice breaks—“sacrificed himself.”

Tears run down Doctor River’s face, Thomson stares glumly at the floor, and Felix punches a cabinet, startling us. I didn’t really know Jual, but I’ve never been good at blocking other people’s emotions from affecting mine. The sadness radiating through the room weighs on me.

“Why didn’t you stop him?” Felix asks bitterly.

“Felix!” Doctor River reprimands.

“If I did,” Nupan looks him straight in the eye with exaggerated calm, “you’d be dead. We’d all be. I wish more than anything there was another way. If we had the time to prepare… then maybe. But we didn’t. He made the choice, and I respected it, because it was either him or the five hundred other Cosmics on this ship.”

Felix turns away, pinching the bridge of his nose. Doctor River strides over to Nupan and envelopes her in an embrace. To my surprise, Nupan hugs her back with equal fervor. The doctor briefly kisses Nupan on the cheek then murmurs soothing words in her ear, and I wonder if their relationship goes beyond doctor-patient, beyond friendship.

Walking over to the women, Blaze places a hand on Nupan’s shoulder. Doctor River withdraws so Nupan can face Blaze. He tells her, “He’s a Titan.” I don’t think he means the ship Titan, nor the moon, but the giant deities of an ancient civilization.

Nupan swallows and nods.

Thomson and Blaze’s shift in the command center commences, and Doctor River remains to console her lover. Is “lover” the right word?

“I’ll need to find another pilot,” Felix states numbly as he escorts me back to his cabin.

I open my mouth to solace him, but change my mind. What the hell good is saying “I’m sorry” anyway? It’s not going to bring the man back, so I don’t speak.

“I relied on him,” he continues. “I don’t allow anyone in the command center unless I trust them with my life. I set a high bar for working the stations.”

I try not to ask, but curiosity gets the better of me, “Then why did you bring me there?”

“Obviously, not because I trusted you.” He turns to look at me, smirking half-heartedly. “I brought you there to keep an eye on you. Naturally, you disobeyed me, but you also saved Thomson. You risked your own survival to protect one of us and… either you proved me wrong, or you’re playing a deadly game.”

I look away from him and stare straight ahead. “I knew if no one intervened, he would die. I didn’t think. I just moved.”

Felix grudgingly admits, “Now he looks at you… differently.”

“Does he? After the blood transfusion, he’ll be fine.”

Felix sighs, frustrated. “He looks at you as though you’re the bloody Sun.”

I laugh, “Ridiculous. You know, if you stare at the Sun too long, it’ll blind you.”

“Ailee, don’t pretend you’re too dense.” Felix grabs my arm, and we stop walking in the middle of the hallway. A Cosmic coming from the opposite direction picks up the pace as she passes by, but Felix doesn’t move. His eyes look almost translucent as they drill into mine. “I’ve known Thomson for two-thirds of my life. We grew up together, trained together, went on countless missions together. We may not always share the same views, but he’s like a brother to me. I know him. He’s never paid another woman that sort of attention.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“I don’t mean to stereotype, but there’s no way he hasn’t…” Thomson reminds me of those party boys I used to avoid at school.

“Sex and love are two different things, darling. I can’t afford to lose another person I depend on. Don’t break his heart.”

I scoff, “What, you want me to date him?”

“No. I want you to stay away from him.”

“Fine.” I throw my hands in the air. “Next time he’s dying, I’ll let nature run its course. As of now, Timour is officially my boyfriend, and you can make an announcement so that the entire ship’s aware, just in case somebody else has happened to fall in love with me within the last two days! This is—you’re—” I want to slap him so bad. Stay away from Thomson? As if I have any input in this situation at all! Thomson may be grateful I rescued him, and perhaps he thinks I look attractive in this stupid dress Felix forced me to wear, but love doesn’t even—Thomson’s infatuated, nothing more, which means he’ll get over it.

“Ailee—”

“I’m going to be executed in fifteen hours anyway!” The truth of that statement hits me, and I turn away from Felix, not desiring him to witness my tears.

“No, you’re not,” Felix reassures, attempting to get me to look at him. His palms sear the skin on my arms. “Or you wouldn’t be standing here and breathing. I know how Boss works. I know his style.”

“You seem to know a lot of people and a lot about them.”

“The benefits of being second-in-command… and Felix Oringo.”

I roll my eyes, take a shuddering breath, and confront him with puffy eyelids. “You know how Boss works? His style? Then tell me.”

Uncomfortable continuing this conversation in the open, Felix glances around warily and tugs on my arm. “Come on.” He holds my hand and pulls me the rest of the distance to his cabin. I glance at the floor each time we pass by Cosmics, no doubt bewildered at what their Captain is doing with a prisoner. We enter his bedroom, and the door locks shut behind us. Felix resumes explaining, “Most likely, he wants you to work for him.”

“Work on what?”

“You’re a prodigy who’s a Sergeant in the IF. He must believe you are capable of handling whatever complex plan he wishes to carry out.”

“Could this have something to do with my father?”

“The Admiral? I wouldn’t rule it out, but I don’t think so. Boss isn’t interested in the IF or the UE. Not yet, at least. I can’t be certain until we’re there, but Ailee—” He holds one of my hands between both of his. “I promise you, if Boss himself doesn’t tell me first, I will find out.” He sighs, wheels turning in his mind as he stares at me. “We didn’t start off on the right foot, for conspicuous reasons, but I am choosing to trust you. And in return, I am asking you to please trust me.”

I stare at him, frustrated, and query, “Answer me truthfully: Why choose to trust me?”

“Because I want you to trust me.”

He’s dodging. I question, “What do you expect to happen when we get to Titan?”

“Something big.”

“What’s your intention?”

“I’m unable to provide that information at this time.”

“Unable or unwilling?”

“Both. I need to know more before I say something contradictory. After we arrive on Titan, and I find what I’m looking for, then I’ll be able to tell you.”

In the end, I decide that despite his cryptic answers, I am half-convinced. Felix is a walking sarcastic joker card, so something about his current humorless manner impels me to agree, “Okay, I am also choosing to trust you.” It’s in my best interest to cooperate, and honestly… I’m curious as to what lies below Titan’s exterior. “But I’m warning you now, if you double-cross me, I’m dating Thomson.”

* * *

The ceiling I fell asleep to resembles the one I observe now, but isn’t identical. The lights have moved. The surface below me is too soft. I sit up in the dark room, sorting out my muddled memories.

I’m in Felix’s enormous bed, and he’s sprawled on the ground to my right, head near the foot of the bed and feet almost touching the nightstand, breathing quietly as though he doesn’t want to disturb me even in slumber.

I distinctly recall insisting on sleeping on the ground while Felix sleeps in the bed. He must’ve moved me in the middle of the night, because now he’s roleplaying a guard dog. Scanning the rest of the room, my eyes lock on the door, and I have a brief impulse to escape before recollecting I’m supposed to trust Felix. I wouldn’t go as far as to say he’s my ally, but we’ve reached a mutual agreement. He protects me, I follow his rules.

I covet independence, and I wish I didn’t need anyone else’s protection, but humans are collaborative beings. We thrive when working together, so if Felix is offering help, why wouldn’t I take it?

Maybe the only reason you’re accepting help is because you don’t have any other alternatives, Ailee.

I sigh.

Lying down, I wonder how Timour is doing. It feels like I haven’t seen him in ages, and something about fighting alongside Cosmics and making a deal with Felix, while Timour’s shackled to his hospital bed, puts a bad taste in my mouth.

Maybe Boss wants to recruit him too, otherwise according to Felix, Timour would be dead.

And maybe Boss isn’t so bad—

Alright Ailee, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I’ll deal with this tomorrow. I shut my brain off and close my eyes.