| |
Laughing, we arrive back at the ship in one piece. “I almost peed myself when I saw those women,” Jax says, his voice quivering with awe. “Wasn’t Sherdra amazing? And to think she is in charge of her sect of the rebels.”
“Jax, you need to take a step back. Her life isn’t all sunshine and roses. She has to fight for every crumb they eat, make sure her people are safe and evade the Polzenian patrols.” Sawyr warns.
Jax’s shoulders slump, “I know that, but it still is awesome.”
Roberd bumps his shoulder. “You would hate the rebel life. You said you wanted to see the galaxy. The way to do that is not to fall for a rebel. Plus, she would be a cradle robber.”
I watch as Jax’s back becomes rigid, “and what would be wrong with that? Is age that important?”
“Settle down,” Roberd gestures with his hands, “I was teasing. Unless you are underage, which we both know isn’t the case, it doesn’t matter. I just don’t want you giving your dreams up now that we have a chance to finally dream.”
“Speaking of dreams, I think it is time we start really looking at what you five want to do with your lives.” Akiyra interrupts, like a splash of cold water over us.
We look at each other and I can see the guys responding the way I feel, “Uh, yeah, guess we should.”
“Crap! I didn’t mean it like that Jax.” Akiyra grabs me in a hug. “You guys are becoming like the brothers I didn’t know I needed in my life.”
Jax snickers, “From what I hear, you and Fynn better not be siblings.”
Akiyra’s face turns red and I slap Jax upside the head. “Don’t be crude!”
“Hey! She was the one who went there, I just said what we were all thinking.” Jax smirks, rubbing the back of his head.
Akiyra gives him the stink eye, very reminiscent of the look Roberd gives anyone who speaks to him before he has had his Edetraxi Java in the mornings. “Watch it or I will make sure the forcefield isn’t active next time the storage room door opens.”
“Oh!” Jax runs and hides behind Sawyr, a smile flitting across his face, “Save me from the big mean space pilot!”
“He can’t save you!” Akiyra stalks towards Sawyr, who raises his hands in defeat, a rare grin splitting his face, “Only total submission can now.”
Jax zips around Sawyr, but Akiyra catches him around the waist and starts tickling him.
“I. Beg. You. Oh. Great. Captain. Please. No. More.” he says between fits of laughter. “Going. To. Puke.”
Akiyra jumps away from him like he has a case of space nits, to all of our laughter. The sour look on her face has us laughing even harder.
“When you boys are ready to have a real conversation, let me know,” she turns with her nose in the air to walk to the kitchen.
I watch her, admiring the way she moves in her leggings. I might have been staring because I didn’t hear the conversation the guys were having until Jax hit me upside the head. “Hey, Loverboy! Space rocks, you are gone.”
I turn to look at Jax, “Three days in space and you start swearing? What are we to do with you now?”
“Oh! I don’t know. Maybe—”
“Fynn, I’m not sure he is swearing. I think it might be a more personal comment.” Tobis interrupts Roberd.
I raise my eyebrow, waiting for what I know will start a fight between the two.
"This could be serious if you are referring to them as space rocks. Are they hairy? Low-hangers? Or malformed?"
“Come on guys! Akiyra is right. Now that we are free we need to sit down and talk about where we go from here,” Sawyr says, breaking up the fight that is bound to start. He wraps his arm around Jax’s shoulders, dragging him into the sitting area.
“Come on Tobis, let’s get some drinks. This could be a long conversation.” I say as I walk into the kitchen area.
“Oh, time to raid the liquor cabinet!” He does a little foot number from one of the songs in the show. “I wonder what Akiyra drunk will be like, considering we missed the fun part of her passing out.”
“Shh! Don’t let her hear you say that!” I look over my shoulder to see Akiyra talking with Sawyr. I turn back to Tobis, lowering my voice, “But if we just happen to drink a little much, I wouldn’t mind finding out what the result is.”