Astra: Synchronicity (44 page)

He turned around and saw no curtain or door
sealing the shower from the rest of the room. In its place a
bouquet of orange daisies hung upside-down from the rod. The leaves
still felt fresh, as though she'd picked them within the last few
days. It seemed an odd hobby for her to engage in out of the blue,
but he thought nothing more about it before leaving the room.

Instead of redressing in distressed apparel,
he wandered into the engine room and gazed up at the glistening
crystal in the ceiling. Light from the cylinder played through its
multitude of facets and scattered light throughout the chamber like
a diamond. The area was brightly lit, yet the only true light in
the room came from the vessel of churning liquid. Much like the
clouds of Nuage, he could stare at its swirling motion for hours
and lose himself in its magic.

After he walked into the control room, he
spotted the suitcase sitting in the back where he remembered seeing
it. He pulled out a comfortable pair of pants and put them on when
he noticed the top of Amii's mousy head resting against the
headrest in the pilot's seat.

"You did a good job back there," he told her.
"Could've been a little bit quicker, you know, so I didn't have to
get stabbed."

No response. She wasn't one to pass up on the
chance to toss out a backhanded zinger so he stepped toward her.
Amii rested in the chair with her eyes closed. Her legs stretched
out in front of her with her feet crossed. She wore the leather
coat turned backwards and held it around her like a blanket. Her
deep breathing told him she was asleep.

Magnius couldn't resist grinning at the
sight. In that moment he lost more of his heart to her. Come what
may, he would do his best to keep her safe by his side. He owed it
to her, and Nadine would've wanted it that way.

Part of him felt torn because he knew he'd be
so better off alone. He wouldn't have to watch her grow old and
die, worry she'd meet another man who'd sweep her off her feet, or
wonder if she felt the same about him as he did about her. He
wanted to be able to put his finger on something that showed she
cared. Anything. But she always left him grasping at straws.

He brushed his fingers over the soft, ashy
hair on top of her head. "Thank you," he whispered. But his love
for her was quickly masked by fear.

While he couldn't be certain if they'd ever
see Tiyuri again, he did know this much—next time it would take
more than a gunshot wound to the shoulder to stop him. Unless
Aliane had other plans, nothing would prevent him from hunting Amii
until he killed her. Even rumors of his failure undermined his
status as a ruthless assassin, a reputation he strove to uphold at
any cost.

By then, Astra could be in turmoil. The
Xuranians planned to conquer them by any means necessary, and
unless the cream of the Allied Fleet could steer humanity to
victory, their days as a free people were numbered.

Magnius sat on the floor next to the helm and
rested his head against the side of her leg. He wondered what the
future had in store before deciding he'd rather not know. It seemed
far too soon to wish for a happy ending, but as long as they had
each other, both of them might live to see it.

####

About the Author:

Lisa Eskra graduated from the New Mexico
Institute of Mining and Technology with a master's degree in
Chemistry. Science fiction has inspired her imagination since
childhood, cultivating a life-long fascination with the universe.
She lives with her husband, son, and two dogs near Chicago—at least
until an outpost is constructed on Mars.

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http://stubberella.livejournal.com