Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1)

Chapter 26 Loss

The repairs to Solaris had been completed, and Rynah ordered them back into space. Having spent over a week fixing the ship, she did not wish to waste another moment getting back to her mission. Solaris flew the ship herself on autopilot, giving Rynah a break. None of them were aware of the ships following their movements.

Brie slumped on the table in the eating area, her head resting on her arms. She released a puff of air at her side bangs, forcing them to fly outward. A bout of homesickness had struck her, a constant companion, as she thought about her mother and sister, wondering how they got along without her. Not wanting to disturb the others with her worries, she chose to be alone, but solitude was difficult to find on a ship with five people.

As though to prove a point, Rynah marched past them in a huff; her foul mood over Obiah leaving had grown stronger. She looked at Brie a moment. Sighing, Rynah snatched a chipped cup from the cabinet, her face perfectly reflected in it, and boiled a kettle water for tea; she preferred the bitterness of black as it matched her mood. Her fingers drummed on the counter; flakes of paint fell to the floor as she waited for the water to heat up.

She glanced at Brie's moping form again. Knowing what bothered the girl, but not caring at the moment, she ignored her, or tried. The water boiled. With robotic movements, Rynah ripped open the tea package and placed the bag in her cup while pouring water over it. The refreshing aroma filled her nostrils, but did little to calm her anger.

Brie remained silent.

Rynah didn't know why, but Brie's demeanor bothered her. She sat down in front of the girl with her steaming cup of tea. "Hey."

"Hi," mumbled Brie, wishing Rynah would go away.

"What's wrong?'

"Nothing." Brie did not want to tell Rynah the truth. She knew how Rynah felt about her homesickness and just wanted to be alone until it passed. Unfortunately, Rynah refused to be accommodating.

"You're homesick again, aren't you?" The words pierced the air the way a person stabbed another.

"Well, yes, but I'll be fine," said Brie. She lifted her head, realizing that Rynah had no intention of leaving her alone.

"Sure you will," scoffed Rynah, allowing her bad attitude to mar the situation.

"What's your problem?" challenged Brie.

"Nothing."

"Horse manure," said Brie. "You have been on my case since the day I first arrived here. Always riding on me, belittling me, cutting me down. What did I ever do to you?"

Rynah sipped her tea. She stared at Brie with a callous expression, refusing to answer.

"And while we're here, why don't we talk about you," shot Brie.

"What do you mean?" Rynah's face went cold.

"Why are you here? You gave us that nice speech when we arrived about wanting to save your world and the planets of other star systems, but what is your real reason?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Sure you do," said Brie, unsure of where this newfound confrontational attitude came from, but had seen jilted lovers before—high school was full of them—and Rynah's actions from the moment Brie had met her betrayed that part of her past. She read the tone of Rynah's voice every time she spoke Klanor's name—the distaste filled every syllable—and she knew more existed between them. "He crossed you. He betrayed you. He destroyed your home and used you to do it. Don't deny it! I see it on your face."

Rynah rose to her feet. "You do not want to go there."

"You are too frightened to go there," Brie also rose to her full height. "He betrayed you and you want revenge. That is your real reason for kidnapping all of us and bringing us here. You're just as selfish as he is."