It would be easy to lose our way.” I indicated to the lights on the ship. “For all I know, we could be in a completely different solar system all together.”
Krey took another bite of his apple, chewing noisily before swallowing. “The ship’s navigation system has not failed, Galan. We are in Idalia and,” he tapped a light on the dashboard, “headed straight for Draax. I promise.”
I closed my eyes, waiting for the nausea to settle as Krey said, “You know, if you traveled more by ship, the space sickness would not be so bad.”
“I do not like traveling by ship,” I said.
Although I couldn’t see it, I knew Krey was grinning when he said, “You have never enjoyed space travel, not even as a small boy. I thought the mandatory pilot lessons we took when we joined the King’s Guard might have cured you of your fear, but I believe it made it worse.”
“The simulated crashes that Oren made us endure every single day could be the reason for that.”
Krey laughed. “They were occasionally… terrifying.”
I cracked open one eye and stared at Krey. He had finished his apple and he had his feet up on the dashboard of the ship, his fingers interlaced over his flat stomach. “You took to flying right away. Why did you not join the Draax Space Division instead of staying in the King’s Guard? You know that Oren would have put in a good word for you. You were always his favourite student.”
“I always thought it was you that was his favourite,” Krey said.
I grinned. “Truthfully, it was probably Quill.”
Krey nodded. “You are probably right.”
“Why did you not join?” I asked again.
“I love piloting a ship,” Krey said, “it is why I volunteer for as many of the trips to Earth as I can, but I love fighting more.”
I laughed as Krey patted the handle of the sword that was around his waist. “Besides, I am a mediocre pilot at best, but an excellent fighter.”
“Calling yourself mediocre does not inspire confidence that we will arrive safely home.”
“Relax, Galan,” Krey said. “You must learn to have faith in me. You do not hear Sigan complaining, do you?”
I glanced at the door that separated us from the rest of the ship. “Only because Sigan rarely speaks unless necessary.”
“It is true. Our kadana is a quiet Draax. But excellent at healing our sick.”
Krey sat up, dropping his feet from the dashboard. “Why did you come on this trip, Galan?”
“Because our king asked me to,” I said.
Krey cocked his head. “You have turned down Quill’s requests to go to Earth on many other occasions.”
I didn’t reply and Krey said, “At first, I assumed it was because you wished to lay with a female. How long has it been? Six moons?”
“Longer,” I admitted grudgingly.
Krey shook his head. “Which is why I was so shocked when you disappeared from the Earth bar last evening.”
I rubbed at the back of my neck. “I am sorry for abandoning you and Sigan like that, Krey. I should have said something before I left.”
Krey waved his hand at me. “Do not trouble yourself about it. Besides, I handled both the little females after you left.” He grabbed his crotch and gave it a tug. “They were equally sated this morning when I left their bed.”
“Did Sigan find a female to bed?” I asked.
“I never asked,” Krey said. “Why did you leave?”
I just shrugged. Truthfully, I didn’t know why I’d left. For the first time in my life, none of the soft and beautiful human females appealed to me. There were plenty to choose from last night, and while I, as well as Krey and Sigan, refused to offer a bit of gallberry juice as incentive for them to sleep with us, I still would have had my pick of females. There were plenty of human females who were breeding incompatible with us, but still enjoyed taking us to their bed for an evening or two.
“If it was not to fuck, why did you come on this trip?” Krey asked.
“I am head of the King’s Guard,” I said. “With Quill’s mate so close to giving birth, he did not want to leave her. It is my duty to take his place at the meeting with Earth’s officials.”
“True, but more often than not, Teo is happy to go.”
When I didn’t reply, Krey said, “Do you think this new system with the humans will work?”
“I believe it will,” I said. “Look how many females have already agreed