When the transport deposited Ekatya, her Gaian crew, and her temporary Alsean crew on the landing field at Blacksun Base, they were hailed as returning heroes. Joyful warriors overran the field, greeting and saluting everyone they could, and in a few cases enveloping a returning Alsean in a full-body hug. Ekatya couldn’t help smiling at those, knowing now what a public hug meant.
Then a body thumped into hers and she was pulled into her own hug by a breathless Lhyn.
“You did it! They did it! I still can’t believe it!” Lhyn whooped and let go just long enough to dive in for a passionate kiss. It was the first one she’d offered since their rift, and after a moment of surprise Ekatya took full advantage. When they finally broke apart, she couldn’t take her eyes off the sparkling joy in Lhyn’s face.
Candini bumped Baldassar with her elbow. “Hey, you were right. They’re a couple.”
“Very funny.” But he was smiling. “You’re a little late making it public, you know.”
“So, Lhyn, does that mean she’s out of the brig?” Kameha asked.
Lhyn wrapped an arm around Ekatya and turned. “It means things look different when you’re watching ground pounders explode over your head. And when you hear that a certain ship came within a second of blowing sky high. I’m so happy to see all of you, and so fucking proud that I want to kiss you all.”
“Well, it’s about time,” Candini said, and came toward them with her lips pursed.
Laughing, Lhyn grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her first on one cheek, then the other, and then right on the lips.
Candini stepped back, her cocky grin not quite up to its usual standards—most likely due to the flush that was suffusing her cheeks.
“You should have realized by now that Lhyn doesn’t know how to bluff,” Ekatya told her, laughing with the others. “I’m proud too, of all my crew. I already told the Alseans that I’d recruit them into Fleet any day.”
“Who are you kidding?” Lhyn said. “They’re going to build their own fleet.”
They looked up at the sound of engines and saw another transport coming in at a very low altitude. It roared over their heads, waggling its wings, and the warriors on the field began shouting and laughing, thrusting their fists up to the sky. The transport flew back around and settled to the ground, its door opening before the engines had even spooled down. Lancer Tal stood in the entry and raised both fists in a victory salute. Her uniform was filthy, but her face bore the biggest grin Ekatya had ever seen on her. The sea of warriors surged toward her as she walked down the ramp, accepting their salutes and offering her own arm-clasp greeting to every warrior in range.
Ekatya and her crew stood alone, apparently forgotten as the Alseans pushed and shoved to get near the Lancer.
“Well, we were heroes for a few minutes, anyway,” Ekatya joked.
Lhyn tugged her closer. “You saved Blacksun. They saved their world.”