Home Front (Star Kingdom #7) - Lindsay Buroker Page 0,93
some hoodlum with a gun. Be careful.
Kim arched her eyebrows. He was having something sent to her? On this station? All she could think of was the psychedelic mushroom trail mix in the gift shop.
If I am successful with my current endeavor, I will be leaving the system soon. I would offer to deliver messages to your family and friends in System Lion, but they would be suspicious of any missives routed through me.
Yes, her father and brothers had heard of the notorious criminal Tenebris Rache. Everyone on the planet had. If the chance to bring him to a family dinner ever presented itself, that would be a very awkward meal.
I have searched the area near the gate with a slydar detector of my own that I’ve acquired, Rache went on in his letter, and Dubashi’s ship is not currently here. He could be anywhere in the system. But as I already warned Casmir, I think it’s likely he’s trailing behind those mercenaries. Remember, cabinets.
Take care of yourself and… should you ever feel the urge to compose another story and send it in my direction, I would be delighted. By ever, I mean in the next week. I fear my time may be limited. I know it’s a lot to ask, but I was pleased that you shared the last one. I hope you live a long life and have time for both writing and research and development in it.
For my closing, I thought to insert a poem, perhaps from Shakespeare or Elizabeth Barrett Browning, to say without saying the thing that has been on my mind but that I’ve feared to confess, knowing that our time is likely limited, knowing that we should never have met, and knowing you’d likely have preferred that fate hadn’t inserted me into your life. We can’t blame fate for all those kidnappings though. At some point, people should acknowledge that they wish to be together, whether it makes sense or not.
Kim felt her eyebrows drift upward again at the uncharacteristic ramble.
I should have said this in person before we parted last, but I was too focused on my plans, and perhaps that is still true. My fatal flaw, if you will. But I will say it now, on the chance that I never get the opportunity to do so in person. I love you.
~David
Kim leaned her hand against the counter, aware of Natasha in the room and wishing she’d thought to read the letter in private. So she could sit and consider it in private. And maybe cry a little for someone who knew his obsession was doomed but couldn’t stop from pursuing it anyway.
Did she love him back? She cared for him and was depressed that he’d chosen this path for himself, but feeling fondness and wanting to spend time with someone… Was that love? How would she even know? She’d never fallen in love before, never truly believed she was capable of it.
Maybe if there was time, she would write the story he’d requested and let the words of a character say the things she’d never been capable of saying in person.
A chime sounded, followed by a familiar voice. “Hullo? Is this lab open for visitors?”
Kim attempted to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat and said, “That’s Casmir,” in case Natasha was tempted to shoo him away. She’d lost all track of time, but she thought night had come around again. If not another night and morning. “Back here, Casmir,” she called.
A moment later, Casmir stuck his head through the doorway. Bags darkened the skin under his eyes, his shirt was rumpled and stained, and his shaggy hair was more unkempt than usual.
“Have you slept?” Kim asked.
“Last week, I think. I have to go get changed into the armor that Tristan found me. I’m taking my fleet out to fight mercenaries and look for Dubashi.” He pointed ceiling-ward, then, likely after reconsidering the way the cylindrical station spun on its axis inside the asteroid, pointed floor ward.
“You have a fleet?” Kim looked from him to Natasha and back. “Did I miss something while I was looking at viruses?”
“Probably so. In other news, Rache captured some astroshamans and is forcing Moonrazor to fix the gate. For good or ill, we’ll be able to get messages through soon.” He grimaced. “That means, among other things, that Jager is going to learn about his son’s death and that we haven’t been the most loyal Kingdom minions.”