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pain.”
    She calmed slightly, not even noticing until just then how worked up she was. “And I am in pain. None of the painkillers here work on me for long. Not since…”
    He put his arm out again, and she took it, letting him help her balance her silently screaming body. They headed to the VIP docks and she scanned out with a tight smile. Her bags were checked, and she swayed with exhaustion, kicking herself for not being stronger.
    “Farewell, Agent Geller. You will be missed.” The officer smiled at her and handed her her bag.
    She took the bag back and looked at it, hefting it lightly. She opened the bag and found the small, blinking unit. With a grimace, she took the tracker and grabbed the officer, putting the unit in his mouth and waiting until his reflexes made him swallow the object slightly larger than a walnut.
    Other officers gathered around. “He will be fine as long as he doesn’t leave the station until that passes. It is an explosive round primed to blow when it passes the beacon.”
    The officer was blubbering and holding his hands up as the weapons were redirected from her to him after a burst of chatter through their coms.
    She straightened, flipped her ponytail over her shoulder and looked at her captain. “Ready to leave?”
    He caught her as she fell.
     

Chapter Five
     
     
    The bed was soft, the sheets smelled fresh, and when she rolled to her side, she had space to move. Mel blinked when she realized where she was, felt the engines beneath her, as well as the compressors providing atmosphere.
    Her bodysuit was open, and she removed the IV from her arm before she pulled the suit into place. Mel slid off the bunk and got to her feet. Her body was still sore, but it wasn’t the all-consuming ache.
    Her senses guided her down the hall to the command area. She paused as she heard Dornin-tah speaking to someone in low and soft tones.
    “She is doing better, but there is far more damage than was initially disclosed. No, she is currently sedated. I will try, but she is very strong minded.”
    She realized she was hearing half the conversation and the other half was on a headset. Not feeling great about sneaking up on him, she cleared her throat.
    “And the sedative is no longer effective. She is awake. I will see you in two hours, Doctor.”
    He pulled the headset off and got to his feet. “You shouldn’t be up.”
    “I hate staying in bed.” Well, she hated being there alone. With someone else, it was kinda fun.
    “Come and sit. I will get you something to drink.”
    She smiled and took the empty seat, enjoying the warm press of the cushion against her back. She curled up and stared out at the stars. He returned in a moment and handed her a warm cup of caf, but there was a nutty scent that made her inhale gratefully. “Thank you.”
    “You are welcome. How is it that you can move at all? Your entire spine and hips are black and blue with hints of green and yellow. That can’t be comfortable.”
    “It isn’t, but moving is preferable to lying down on it. The true downside of being a softy. My blood pools in my skin very easily. Even a massage can bruise if done properly.”
    “You make that sound like a good thing.”
    She shrugged. “It can be. My body is repairing itself and I don’t have to do anything. That is a very good thing.”
    She sat with her legs drawn up on the seat, sipping at the caf. The stars in the distance glowed with promise and a nebula spun with the grace of an exploding dandelion.
    “I have only ever flown through space like this once, and I was in a mass transport.”
    He settled back in his chair and turned his head to face her. “When was that?”
    “When I went from my home moon to Makuada station, two years ago. I lived for my job and enjoyed every minute of it, right up until the end.”
    Dornin-tah gave her a wry smile. “You aren’t dead. You are merely embarking on another life with new duties and a new family of sorts. Your life