Jake rounded the table and cameafter her. Once he’d caught up with her in the hallway he said,“She didn’t mean anything to me.”
“Then you shouldn’t haveslept with her.”
“You can’t really love thisguy. You only knew him a month before you married him.”
She bristled with anger at hisinsensitivity. “How dare you! Michio is a wonderful man and I lovehim deeply.”
“You married him on therebound. You’re still in love with me.”
Toemeka turned and faced him.“You arrogant ass! The only feeling I have toward you is anger.”
“You wouldn’t be angry if youdidn’t care.”
She heard the pain in his voiceand replied, “No, I’m angry because you won’t respect that I’mmarried and love my husband.” She spun away and headed for hercabin.
Jake didn’t follow.
Her head was pounding. Sheshouldn’t care what Jake thought or said, but she did. They’dbeen close friends for seven years and lovers for the last three ofthose years. She hadn’t wanted to start a new relationship so soonafter breaking up with Jake, but she’d fallen in love with Michiowhile they were working to free Jaipar. Michio was the most amazing,dynamic man she’d ever met. Her team’s orders were to returnimmediately to Alandra. Just before their spacecraft was about todepart, Michio arrived at the ship and asked her to marry him. Thoughtorn, she decided to take a leave of absence from the Coalition andstay with Michio. War separated people and she didn’t want to risknever seeing him again.
She couldn’t explain all thatto Jake. What right did he have to be critical anyway? He was the onewho cheated on her!
The next morning, Toemekasleepily reached out for Michio. The sheet was cold and sheremembered she was stuck on a starship until the Coalition gaveCommander Quintary orders to fly to planet Borko. She missed wakingup beside Michio. They’d been separated more than together in theshort time they’d been married.
The other women sharing the cabinwere already gone; she’d overslept. In fact, she’d slept soheavily she hadn’t even heard them leave.
She felt revitalized. As wasoften the case, the second trimester of her pregnancy was easier thanthe first trimester. No more morning sickness or dizziness. Sheclimbed out of her bunk and dressed in one of her new everydayuniforms, then headed to the mess hall. After a quick breakfast, shewent to the computer station she’d been assigned to. Jake and theten other analysis team members were already working at computers inthe relatively small room.
She crossed over to Jake to gether assignment, annoyed that Commander Quintary made him team leader.She wasn’t ready to face Jake after their argument. “What’s myassignment?”
“You’re late.” Hisexpression was stern and uncompromising. “I’ll cut you some slacksince you were tired from your long flight, but from now on I expectyou to arrive on time.”
She tensed. So that was how itwas going to be.
“Sit down.” He gestured atthe open computer station beside him. Once she was seated, hecontinued. “The data on the matrix crystal was downloaded onto allthe computers in this room, which are linked together so we can shareinformation. We’re searching through the data to find somethingthat might be useful to defeat Samrat Condor’s space fleet andprevent the takeover of planet Borko. Do you realize this is our onlyhope of saving Jaipar? The Coalition only has this one starship toSamrat Condor’s eight starships that are headed to Borko.”
Toemeka leaned back in her chairfeeling stunned. “Really! This starship is the only one left?” Henodded and a lump formed in her throat. “Are the people on thisship the only personnel who survived the war on Alandra?”
His expression softened. “Someof the Coalition’s top leaders and headquarter staff escaped andare in hiding. A few smaller ships survived and the Coalition hasposts on other planets, but basically the heart of the Coalition wasdestroyed. We’ll rebuild, but not in enough time to help Borko.”
“No wonder Commander Quintaryonly sent a small team to help Jaipar.”
“It also explains why he riskedsending you and Erling to Flo Shah to steal information. I haven’tforgiven him for that. You’re both too valuable to send on asuicide mission.”
“A suicide mission?” Suicidemissions were ones where the agents had little chance of survival andno backup. She hadn’t realized the mission to Flo Shah wasclassified a suicide mission.
Jake’s eye bore into hers. “Youmust have realized how risky the mission was.”
“I knew it was too dangerousfor Erling to go alone. He didn’t want me to come along.”
“I would have felt the sameway.”
“Jake, Borko isn’tdefenseless. Erling organized the defense of the entire planet. He’sbeen working with all the top world leaders. I worked with him andcan share what I know about the planet’s defense plans.”
“You said Erling was recoveringfrom being wounded.”
“True. Currently Michio, myhusband, is leading the defense until Erling’s fully recovered.”
Jake cocked an eyebrow. “Hemust be a pretty capable guy.”
“He is.” Tension had risenbetween them again at the mention of Michio.
“You also told CommanderQuintary that Jaipar was at war with Haklute because their ruler KingZanton joined forces with Samrat Condor. A divided planet has nochance against the Raptor air fleet.”
“You make it sound hopeless.”
“It would have been, but now wehave a chance with the stolen information you brought, including thekey to decoding the Raptors’ encrypted communications. I’veassigned three members of our team to work on decoding and reviewingall the recorded messages we’ve picked up. Computers are sortingthrough and condensing messages to help with the task. It’s crucialthat we figure out when the attack will take place and on which keytargets.
“The remainder of the team isgoing over the rest of the information. I’ve divided it up intosections. I want you to look over the whole picture and come up withsome plan based on what you find. I’m counting on your brilliantmind to figure out something to save Borko.” He turned back to hiscomputer monitor and continued reading.
BrilliantMind?For a moment, she wondered if he was flirting, but his expression wasgrim and he was already back at work. She liked knowing he respectedher abilities. He’d never needed to feed his male ego by claimingto be superior to her as some of the other cocky male agents andfighter pilots did.
