3013: SYNERGY: A 3013 Novella (3013: The Series) (6 page)

Orion felt the warmth of Morgan’s love
wash through him as she reached over and placed her bare hand on his arm. He
swallowed tightly as he imagined the darkness his life would have been had he never
met her. Placing his hand over hers, he held on, wanting that physical
connection with her.

“Are you sure about this?” Blaiz asked
carefully.

Orion nodded. “If you want the
position, I’ll tell Adric and Iyana that you are my choice. They’ll agree with
me, and with their backing, the Conclave will appoint you.”

Blaiz stared down at the table for a
long moment. He cleared his throat as he looked back up. “Thank you, my friend.
If the Conclave agrees, I would be honored to take on the duty of becoming an
ambassador.”

Orion smiled. “Good. I will speak to
them tonight.”

Daven shoved Blaiz good-naturedly.
“Looks like I’ll be traveling with you. Orion has Morgan to keep him in line, so
I’ll have to do my best to keep you out of trouble.”

Blaiz groaned, and they all laughed.
Orion raised his glass, glancing at Morgan with a wink before smiling at his
friends. “Let us toast to new beginnings.”

“To new beginnings!”

CHAPTER SIX

Beginnings
…

It was something she’d had plenty of
recently, Morgan thought as she stared out of the observation window, admiring
the beautiful starscape in front of her. She found comfort in the vastness of
space, with the brilliant display of colorful stars and gases that only added
to its beauty. Somehow, witnessing just how small a part of the universe she actually
was helped her deal with whatever problems she faced each day.

The observation deck on the fifth level
was supposed to be reserved for VIP guests only, since that was where the guest
suites were located. She was the only one in the observation deck, but that
wasn’t unusual. It was late, and most of the VIP guests were either in their
suites or enjoying themselves down in one of the bars.

Orion had a suite on this level, and
she had agreed to stay with him there after he’d asked her. She hadn’t expected
Orion, Blaiz and Daven to move all of her stuff up to the suite after they’d
left Asylum, but Orion had insisted. She knew he disliked her quarters, and
didn’t see a reason to argue when the guest suites were so much nicer.

Morgan had enjoyed getting to know
Orion’s friends. Although they didn’t share blood, Orion, Blaiz and Daven were
definitely like brothers. Instead of making her earn her place or treating her
like she was an outsider, they all accepted her into their circle.

For the first time since she’d lost her
parents, she felt like she belonged to a family.

They had ordered their evening meal
from the food console in their suite, and they’d spent the evening together,
laughing and telling stories. It had been wonderful hearing about the
adventures the three of them had together in the past, and she’d loved hearing
about Orion as a young boy. 

After they’d eaten, Daven and Blaiz had
chosen to return to the lower decks to join in the festivities. Since most of
the crew didn’t have to work tomorrow due to the grand opening celebration, the
parties were expected to go all night.

Orion had contacted Adric and Iyana
M’Dor earlier, and was currently meeting with them down the hall in their
suite. He had invited Morgan to go with him, but she’d declined, wanting a
little quiet time to herself. In the last few days, she hadn’t had any time to
herself, and though she loved being with him, she wasn’t used to being with
someone all the time.

When the space station had been
traveling to its current position, this had been Morgan’s favorite place to
come when she wanted to be somewhere quiet besides in her own quarters. She
liked the open space, and since the elites on board hardly ever ventured to this
section of the station, it was almost always empty.

The deck was appointed with beautifully
crafted, comfortable lounge chairs and couches so people could relax and enjoy
the view. It seemed like a waste, since no one was ever there. It had been
built when X21 had been slated to take over for one of the older space
stations. If that had happened, all of the guest suites would be filled, as
would the levels that housed the crew.

Right now, the Alliance was interested
in forming a treaty with the Xenon, and having a location close by Xenthian was
one way to make that happen. However, Commander Jacobson had limited the amount
of personnel on board until the Alliance confirmed that the Xenons were indeed friendly.
Otherwise, if they were attacked, too many lives would be lost.

Morgan had taken that risk when she’d
accepted the transfer to X21 in order to start a new life. Being in a city as
crowded as the Capital had been a nightmare for her, and she’d hoped that she
would get a fresh start on the new space station. Despite missing Earth, Morgan
had begun to make a life for herself, but she still hated her job and the
overload of emotions she had to deal with.

But all of that could change.

Now, she had the chance for another new
beginning. Orion was offering her the opportunity to live on the D’Aire home
world with him. Their bond gave her a filter against other people’s feelings,
but she wondered what it would be like to live on a world with the D’Aire who
weren’t ruled by their emotions.

It was a dream come true, so why was
she hesitating?

Morgan glanced down at the large craft
bag at her feet that she’d brought into the lounge with her. The bag had once belonged
to her mother, and one of Morgan’s fondest memories had been watching her
mother crochet at night while her father had tried to teach her how to play
chess. It was an old craft that wasn’t practiced much anymore, but Morgan liked
the hobby of creating things with her own hands.

She pulled out the three small baby
blankets that she’d made, one which she still had to finish the final touches
on. The blankets were for her friend, Alexis, who had just given birth to
twins. Morgan had started making the blankets when she’d first found out her
friend was pregnant, but she hadn’t known the sex of the baby.

Morgan had made one blanket that was several
shades of blue with silver accents, while the other had been made with several
shades of pink and silver. Since Alexis had given birth to two boys, Morgan had
started on another blanket, this time using gold with the various shades of
blue. She only had a few more rows to complete, then she would wrap them up and
send the gifts to her friend.

Setting the two completed blankets
aside, she began to work on finishing the last one. As she formed the last
double row with her hooked needle, she looked down at the pretty blanket in her
hands and realized that this was the reason she was still holding back…because
she would never make one for her own child.

No matter what Orion said, she worried
he would regret having a keeper that couldn’t give him children. No, that
wasn’t right. This wasn’t about him at all…it was about her. It had always been
about her wanting children, and until she accepted that it was her problem, she
would never truly be free to live her life with him.

 It would be foolish to let
something she couldn’t change hold her back from being happy. There was nothing
to stop her from leaving X21 and starting a new life with Orion. A life free of
worry and doubt. The more she thought about it, the more she recognized how
stupid she was being not jumping at the chance.

It wasn’t easy to admit that the
Alliance’s stance on infertile females had tainted her view of her own
self-worth, but it had. She’d been foolish to let it. How strange that she had raged
against others that had treated her differently because of the star on her face
when she had been doing the same damn thing. She had been doubting her
relationship with Orion because she had thought he deserved better.

But that was going to stop right now.

Orion was a miracle to her, but she had
to remember that she was the same for him. He had been alone for years, and had
traveled the universe hoping that he would find her. Now that he had, they
would have a full life together. A life filled with laughter and love.  She
just had to stop second guessing herself and believe in their bond.

Finishing the blanket, she cut the yarn
after she tied it off. Stroking her hand over the soft material, she let go of
the bitterness she’d been carrying for years, and got ready to embrace her life
with her keeper.

Morgan couldn’t wait for Orion to get
out of his meeting so she could tell him she wanted to go home with him. He and
his friends were scheduled to leave a few days after the grand opening ceremony
tomorrow, and now that her decision was made, she couldn’t wait to get off this
space station.

“What is that you were doing?”

Morgan jumped as a voice came out of
nowhere. Suddenly, a female appeared sitting on the chair across from her that
had been empty a few seconds ago. Shocked, she saw the glowing gold eyes of a
Dragon Warrior staring back at her. There was curiosity in that gaze, but
Morgan couldn’t sense any emotions coming off the female.

“Ah…hello. I’m Morgan Ch—D’Sil.”

“I am Eden Nazira.” The Dragon Warrior nodded,
then frowned. “Ch—D’Sil. That is a very strange name.”

Morgan blushed. “It’s D’Sil. My name
used to be Chavez, but I recently bonded with a D’Aire. He’s my mate,” she
explained, using the term the Dragon Warrior would understand. Mate, keeper,
consort, bonded…the label depended on the race, but the meaning was basically the
same. “It’s still difficult to remember that my name has changed. I was making
baby blankets for my friend who just had twins.”

“Strange that you would make it with
your hands.”

Laughing, Morgan said, “I don’t have
magic like you, so I have to make it by hand. I thought my friend, Alexis,
would appreciate the gift.”

“I am sure she will.” Eden cocked her
head to the side and studied her for a moment. “You do not seem frightened of
me.”

“Should I be?”

The Dragon Warrior shrugged. “The
others that we have met so far have been.”

“It might be a little understandable
after…ah…I saw you in Asylum earlier.”

Eden sighed. “My older sister, Amari, does
have a temper. She was a little angry when that male shoved her, however, we
did not mean to cause a scene. We are very curious about humans, and did not
expect for our first visit to be so…eventful.”

Eventful was an interesting description,
Morgan thought. It wasn’t everyday that someone burst into bloody dust in front
of her. “It’s unusual to see something like that in a sanctuary. So, is this
your first visit to an Alliance space station?”

“Aye. We thought it was time to
discover this part of the universe on our own.”

Fascinated, Morgan asked, “Is this your
first time away from your home world?”

“I have only visited Arcadia for the
first time just recently,” Eden explained. “Amari was born there, but since
then, my family has made our home out among the stars. Right now, my fathers,
mother, and younger brothers are helping another race acclimate to a new planet
we relocated them to, but Amari and I were given leave to make our journey. We
stopped at our home world for a visit before coming here.”

Morgan’s eyes widened. “You moved an
entire race?”

“It was not difficult. The Nuraya are a
benevolent race of beings that are best described as firebirds. The star that
heated their small planet was dying, and the race would not have survived when
the star exploded. Normally, we try not to interfere with a species, but the
Nuraya are special. We had enough time to find a suitable home for them before
their planet was destroyed, but some small changes need to be made in order for
them to thrive.”

“That’s amazing! You must be proud that
you were able to save them.”

“They are truly remarkable creatures. I
find them to be great companions, and they love to fly with us when we are in
dragon form. I bonded with one of the firebirds, and he expressed an interest
to come with me. Nym can communicate mind to mind, but he is still a little
wary around Rhys, so he is content to stay in his room.”

“Who is Rhys?”

“He is my sister’s argos. I believe an
argos is similar to what you would call a lion.”

Morgan blinked. “You have a lion and a
firebird on your ship?”

“Aye. They are both very loyal.” She
paused before saying, “I am remarkably easy in your company. I thought it was
due to the fact I have not spoken out loud to anyone in quite some time, but
perhaps it is because you have had a very different reaction to being around me
than any of the other humans I have encountered.”

Morgan smiled. “I guess I’m not as
nervous as others would be since I’m friends with a Dragon Warrior. I sort of
expect the unexpected from her and her mates.”

Interest brightened Eden’s glowing eyes.
“You know another Dragon Warrior?”

“Remember the friend I told you I made
these blankets for?” Morgan explained how she’d known Alexis when they’d both
been Liaison Officers in the Capital. When Xavier and Galan Tesera, and Thorn
and Brydan Volis had come for a visit, they had discovered that Alexis was
their mate. After they had converted her into a Dragon Warrior, they had left
Earth to travel the universe together.

Eden nodded. “I have heard of the
Teseras. They are from the Isle of Mist, while my fathers grew up near the
Palace in the Clouds located high in the mountains. This is why I have been so
eager to travel to this section of the universe. I have heard that many of my
race have found their mates here.”

“Are you and your sister searching for
yours?”

Eden laughed. “My sister would rather
be skinned alive. She has—what you would call—control issues. Even though she
is older than I, she does not want to mate yet. But I would like to find my
mates. It is why I asked my sister to join me on this journey to celebrate my
two hundredth year. My brothers are only fifty-seven, so that is why they
stayed to help my mother and fathers.”

Only fifty-seven…and holy nova, Eden
was two hundred!

Morgan shouldn’t have been surprised
since she was aware that the Dragon Warriors could potentially live forever,
but it was still jarring to hear. Eden looked like she was the same age as Morgan,
not an ancient being who could shift into a dragon that breathed fire.