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Aisha & Quinton

'Thanks for taking some time out for us,' Quinton said. 'I know you want to spend as much of your time together.'

'It's no problem,' Silo said. Silo had reasonable skill with the R86 flight shuttle configuration. The others did not. 'Somebody's got to fly it. Besides, we've got the rest of our lives together.'

Karina smiled up at him. She was standing by his side at the flight controls as they all gazed through the viewing window towards Rictor 5. It was a rather beautiful planet. A bright blue. Prettier than Zibon 8, though much smaller.

'We'll go to quadrant 6 first,' Silo said. 'Them move to 8, 4 and 2.' He looked at Miktar. 'It'll be in the daytime for you but the coordinates you've given me are relatively isolated and there is thick bushland nearby.'

'Whatever you say.'

Drake folded his arms. 'Captain Ream is going to kick our butts for this.'

'Yeah, well, what are you going to do?' Roco said. 'The man will discover the import once he has his own mate.'

'Can you imagine it?' Silo said. 'How could he agree to it?'

'He has no choice. None of us have any choice,' Quinton said. 'He either complies or gets booted back to Zibon 8. No job. No authority.'

'We'll just have to make it quick. No longer than thirty minutes tops per rendezvous,' Silo said.

'Not long.' Roco raked his hand through his short stubbly hair and Quinton saw that it was trembling. I have some serious unfinished business.

'Do you need longer?' Quinton asked him.

Roco's sharp eyes darted to his. 'Maybe.'

'Not recommended,' Silo said. 'If the Rictorians spot us ...'

'What's wrong?'

They were all looking at Roco. He was trembling all over now, his face red, his hands balled into fists. He glanced at Karina. Silo got the message.

'Wait outside, Karina,' Silo told her.

She frowned. 'Why? Say whatever you got to say; you can say it in front of me.' They were all staring at her, waiting quietly. She sighed. 'Fine.' She trudged out of the cockpit, the door snapping shut behind her.

Roco released a breath. 'I'm going back to murder the son of a bitch who hurt her.'And he explained what he meant.

Quinton felt his eyes growing wider and wider. He thought of Myeong and her gentle nature. He thought of his little Aisha and how any man could ever do such a thing. Unexpectedly, he felt himself grow hot. The anger swelled in his chest.

'But how could he do such a thing?' Tor said, aghast. His neck was red and his yellow eyes were blazing.

'The same question I've asked myself countless times.'

'But don't they have laws?' Miktar said. 'Don't they have protection?'

Roco laughed darkly. 'To an extent. But ultimately what happens behind closed doors stays there. So she tells me.'

'The scars ...' Drake mused.

'They really can be animals, can't they?' Quinton said in disgust. 'The men, at least.'

Nobody questioned Roco's intentions. Nobody dared argue against him. None of them would do any less. Quinton imagined himself in his position. He would break the culprit's nose. He would shatter his jaw. He would break his arms and legs until he was crawling, weeping and bloodied upon the floor.

'I wish I could do it,' came Silo's quiet voice. 'You're lucky in that respect, Roco.'

Silo was also glaring at Rictor 5. He suddenly began talking about Karina. His voice was a monotone, hollow and dead. How could it not be? How did the words even escape his lips? By the end, Quinton was shaking. Drake slumped into a seat. Tor leaned against the wall, his face contorted in horror.