Gemma rested against me, her long hair soft under my hand. I stroked gently, trying not to wake her. I didn't want to spoil this perfect moment.

Outside, the world moved on. Stars shone bright in the night sky and the constant whisper of capsules traveling up and down the skystalk made a soothing background. It was the sound of home, the sound of my clan.

Having Gemma here was different, though. So very different, and special. I felt relaxed in a way I'd never thought possible, and it was all due to the human female in my arms. Can I really send her away?

I sighed, my dark doubts looming again like a storm about to break. How could I not? She'd already nearly died, and I tried to imagine how I'd feel if I failed to protect her. As bad as sending her away was, losing her more permanently would be even worse.

Sea and Sky, this is an impossible choice, I thought. Slowly, reluctantly, I slid out from under Gemma, gently lowering her to the bed. She murmured unhappily under her breath but didn't wake, and I wrapped her carefully in the blankets before stepping away.

I could hardly take my eyes off her. So different from a Crosan female, and so beautiful. I could watch her sleep for hours without getting bored, but no. Not now. I had other things to do.

Moving through to my study, I settled down to meditate and clear my mind. It was a usual trick before battle, not something I was used to doing in other circumstances, but I needed to do something to help me think. One thing about having Gemma in my bed — as wonderful as it was, it didn't make thinking any easier.

The study window looked out at the skystalk, the literal joining of sea and sky. I let my mind go blank as I watched it, the repetitive whispers of movement forming the beat to which I breathed.

Ancestors, what should I do?

My eyes drifted shut and I looked inward, letting the peace of the night take me away. It felt as though I was drifting through the clouds above, carried by the strong winds that circled the planet. But rather than being exhilarating, exciting, the sensation was calm. Peaceful.

"My son," a voice said behind me. I felt no shock at the sound of my dead father's voice. Deep in the trance, nothing could surprise me.

There was a sense of melancholy joy, though. A bitter-sweet feeling of being with him again and knowing that this wasn't real. Some believed that the ancestors stayed with us to guide us personally. Not me. Where the dead go once their lives are over I didn't know, but it wasn't here.

"Father," I said anyway. I might just be speaking to my memories of him, but even the shadow of the man who'd raised me deserved my respect. "Father, I do not know the right course to take."

"That, my son, is because you are a man of action," my father's voice was deep, full of fond emotion. The voice that had formed so much of my childhood. "Like me, you prefer problems that can be solved with fist and spear and sword. Problems of the heart, though, those are different. No amount of violence will make this choice for you."

"I have to protect her," I said, quietly. I could almost feel his hand on my shoulder. Strong, comforting. "Gemma is so vulnerable, and I cannot let her die just because I want her."

A warm chuckle behind me, not mocking but amused. "Corvax, you are a good man. You want what is best for everyone, yourself and Gemma and the clan. And even the other clans. But you cannot let fear rule you."

"I am not afraid," I snapped, feeling my heart speed up as my calm left me.

"Not of harm to yourself, no," my father responded, voice steady but sounding more distant. "But your fear for her guides you. Fear is like fire, a useful tool but only when under control. Let it master you and it will consume everything."

I snarled at that, the peace of meditation fading fast. I could no longer feel my father's touch, and I could barely hear his words. Try as I might, I couldn't get my emotions under control.

There was so much I wanted to ask, I thought as my mind drifted on the currents of thought. It would have to wait for later, though. All I could do for now was hold onto the wisdom I'd already gathered.

Whether it came from my father's spirit or from my own subconscious made no difference — either way, it was what I'd needed to hear.

When my eyes opened again, dawn was breaking. Birds sang and the cool morning breeze washed over me as I settled back into awareness.

It was only then that I realized I was being watched. Gemma sat curled up in my office chair, blankets wrapped around her and a smile on her face.

"Good morning," she said, eyes twinkling. "I didn't want to disturb you."

"How long have you been watching?" I asked, and she shrugged.

"I don't know. A while." She shook her head. "I could watch you forever."

That gave me pause — it was the same thing I'd thought about her, earlier. We fitted together in so many different ways.

"What were you doing?" Gemma asked, unfolding herself from the chair and standing up. Somehow her bare legs emerging from the blanket she'd wrapped around herself was more distracting than her being naked would have been.

I shook that off. Not the time to be distracted. "I was meditating. Trying to clear my mind and find an answer to my dilemmas."

"Oh? Have you come up with anything?" Resting her hand on my shoulder, she looked into my eyes. So many emotions showed there. Joy and excitement and worry and fear.

Are those her emotions, or mine reflected back at me? I sighed. It was hard to tell, and the clarity I'd felt from my meditation was fading already. Gemma was simply too distracting.

"I don't want you to be harmed," I said finally. "That much I am clear on."

"Then don't send me away!" Her answer was instant, fierce, and unshakable. "I don't want to go. You don't want me to go. Let me stay with you—"

I put a finger to her lips, smiling. "Let me finish, little one."

Gemma's blush was beautiful, and distracting enough that I nearly dragged her off to bed again. But no, we needed to finish this conversation. I'd put it off too long as it was.

"I live to protect my people," I continued. "That is my duty and my privilege, and I'm proud to do it. You, Gemma, are one of my people whether you stay here or not. I will not let you be hurt. Remember that you were attacked the day you arrived, and I fear it was my enemies that did it. Then your flier was swept away in a storm, and you nearly died. The pirates, the zhak... This is a dangerous world for you, and that won't stop. If my enemies were behind the attack at the spaceport, they'll try again. You'll never be safe, not until you leave the planet."

Again she started to speak, but I shook my head. I had to get this out, now. If I got distracted I might not be able to.

"Gemma Wexler of Earth, I love you. That means that I cannot fail you, no matter what that costs me. But I have come to know you, as well, and I know that sending you away will hurt you as badly as it would me. So I have come to a decision: you will stay with me here until the next ship to Earth arrives, and then the choice will be yours. If you will accept the dangers of Crosos, then I will face them with you and protect you. If not, we will have those happy days together to remember for the rest of our lives."

Her eyes lit up with a beautiful passion and I felt my heart race as she practically bounced into my arms. Lifting her, I kissed her hard and powerfully, spinning her around as a shared joy filled us.

"You know I'm going to stay, right?" she told me, eyes shining, when we broke the kiss. "There is no way that I'm going back to Earth."

"We shall see what you say when the ship arrives," I told her firmly. "But for now, let us think of other, happier things."

"Don't you have to work?" she asked, sounding breathless and giddy. I laughed, pulled her close, kissed her again.

"That will wait another few hours," I told her firmly. "We have better things to do."