Shadow Of The Past Trilogy ∞ THE DISPLACED

123 ∞ painful choices

Days Twenty-three to Twenty-five 

"NO WAY," Danny muttered to himself as he marched around Paulux. "No way we're agreeing..." The very thought of it made his head pound so loud, he couldn't hear his own voice.

He looked up as he entered the space between the ships. The benches were empty, and Mickmi stood in her spacesuit outside Deymos' entrance, waiting for him.

—Mickmi, I know what's bothering you. But we're not letting Selina push us—she doesn't understand...

Halting at the top of the ramp, he met her gaze through their helmets, and a wave of sadness washed through him again. A deep furrow formed between Mickmi's brows.

—I apologize, Daniel. I have much to contemplate.

He stared at her. —What? Come on, you can't seriously be considering what she's suggesting?

"Ready to work?" she asked through the comms. She held his gaze a moment longer before stepping into her ship's airlock.

She wasn't about to discuss it now. He would have to wait till evening.

"Yeah," he said, clamping down on his indignation. He stepped in beside her, feeling stiff inside.

∞

The day couldn't pass fast enough for Danny. He almost succeeded in keeping his mind off the subject altogether to focus on the work, despite the unsettled agitation in the pit of his stomach. It tried its best to interfere with his appetite too that evening, but he was just too hungry not to eat. By then he'd settled on the decision to wait on Mickmi. He wouldn't try to communicate with her until she was ready to talk.

No matter how much it chafed at him.

They'd probably talk about it when they retired for the night. They'd talk about it, and everything would be alright. Then they'd fall asleep in each other's arms...

Refreshed and with his equilibrium almost restored, Danny waited by the sleeping bench, staring out the view screen without seeing. He tried to picture the throne inside the virtual crystal dome Selina had created at the crowning, with the two lions flanking the entrance. Mickmi would sit on it, and he'd be... standing beside her holding a tall shield? With a spear in his other hand?

That sounded so medieval, instead of being four thousand-plus years into the future...

Maybe his designation was a symbolic one.

Danny paused, expecting some facts about the royal palace Mickmi would ascend to, to pop into the fore. But his mental library remained silent on the topic, leaving his fertile imagination to reference picture books he'd read as a child and movies he'd watched.

A soft swoosh-swoosh of the hygienic door opening and closing interrupted his thoughts, and he spun around to meet Mickmi halfway across the floor.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his arms encircling her.

Her hands pressed against his chest as she heaved a deep breath. Pushing him back, she pulled herself out of his embrace and met his gaze.

"I am conflicted, Daniel. You are in my heart..."

The uneasiness returned with a vengeance, constricting Danny's heart. He searched her eyes. "But?"

She directed him to sit facing her on the padded bench. For a while, they sat silent, holding each other's gaze.

—Mi?