The Fringe Wars

3.21

Crew Changes

Torrent Headquarters, Terra

Corps General Anders led the fleet from Terra that same day. The Unity remained in orbit, a ghost ship filled with the dead. Until the CUF sent disinfectant teams with the fungicide, the ship would continue to linger above Terra.

Reyne had waited all day for the CUF fleet to depart Terra's orbit to safely make his own departure. By then, it was well into the night, and he, Sixx, and Boden decided to wait until morning to leave. He slept restlessly throughout the night, anxious to get out and search for Throttle. By sunrise, he was running through pre-flight sequences.

"How's she look?" Sixx asked as he entered the bridge.

"Everything's in the green," Reyne said. "Once Boden gets here and runs through engine checks, we're good for departure."

When Sixx didn't speak, Reyne turned to find him leaning against the wall, thinking.

"You okay?" Reyne asked.

Sixx looked up. "Are you sure you're good with us leaving during the Campaign?"

"Yes," he replied, "Unequivocally. The Campaign is over, at least for us. It's up to Seda to handle the politics. Besides, it's long past time we focus on finding Throttle and Qelle. After that, we'll see which direction the wind blows us."

Sixx gave him a sideways glance before agreeing. He pushed off from the wall. "I guess I'd better say my goodbyes."

Sixx headed off the ship, and Reyne shifted his concentration back to his pre-flight checks. While he was scanning systems, a small ship docked next to him. A Chital, if he wasn't mistaken. He'd never seen it around before. Something tickled at his curiosity, and he paused the scans and casually strolled outside and toward the other ship.

The Chital's door opened when he'd reached halfway between the two ships, and a pretty woman—though looking quite disheveled—stepped out, holding a hand of a little girl who clutched a teddy bear in her other hand. The woman looked around, and when she saw Reyne, she called out, "Hey, you. I need a wheelchair over here. Can you find me one?"

His jaw slackened, and his entire body froze. He couldn't even breathe. One step moved him forward, then the next. Soon, he was running up the ramp and into the ship. The ship was so small it only had a cockpit area with living space around it. His gaze fell instantly on the black-haired woman in a long gown, unstrapping her seatbelt. Disappointment stung—Throttle was blond and would never be caught dead in a dress—until he realized that the way she moved was too familiar.

"Throttle?" The question came out like a plea.

She turned, and Reyne nearly collapsed.

"Reyne!" she said and held out her arms.

He ran to her and held her tight as he murmured, "I thought you were—I thought—doesn't matter. I love you."

"I love you, too, Dad."

He didn't miss the fact that she'd called him "dad." She'd never called him dad to his face before. His eyes welled with tears that soon streamed down his cheeks. He sniffled and wiped his eyes. "Come on, let's get you out of here."

He lifted her from her seat and carried her off the ship and into the fresh air outside. The ship had smelled beyond ripe—the air purification system clearly needed work. Though, he realized when he carried Throttle, she hadn't showered in a long time.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Long story," she said. "I'll fill you in later. Right now, I could really use some real food. Shane had only stocked cavote bars and blue tea on the ship." She shivered. "Ten crates of cavote bars and twenty gallons of blue tea."