Jackson didn’t want to leave while Raisa was upset with him, but there was little he could do about that now. The port near Ogden’s base, Fortress Hold Sixty, wasn’t welcoming. It sold overpriced fuel out of a rusty pump, offered cooked meals that looked as if they’d been pulled out of the sewage system, and was run by a Gelertan proprietor who didn’t give the impression that he was interested in much beyond the handheld viewing screen adhered to the wall. The man’s appearance seemed humanoid until he moved. His skin looked like a sack around gelatinous insides that rippled slightly. This caused his facial features to droop. His clothes were dirty, stained down the front with the same color as the food.

This was no place for a lady.

Jackson glanced around. A faded biohazard notice was posted on the wall. The print was unreadable.

This was no place for any humanoid.

“What can you get for this recipe?” Rick asked Raisa, pointing at a bucket of the sludgy food.

Raisa wrinkled her nose and whispered, “Arrested for cruelty and attempted murder.”

Rick chuckled. Jackson frowned at them both. This wasn’t an outing. He was waiting to make contact with someone who would take him to the base.

“Honestly, it’s not worth many space credits,” she continued, her voice low. “There has to be a population that wants to eat it, and I don’t think Mr. Stinky over there counts as a population.”

“You should get back on the ship,” Jackson said, giving a meaningful look to Rick. Why he thought Rick would understand and listen to his silent plea was beyond him. The pilot simply grinned wider and placed his arm over Raisa’s shoulders, as he redirected her toward the window overlooking the fuel dock where they were parked.

The dock looked like a thousand others Jackson had seen in his travels, only more rundown. He’d been there before, years ago. Rust and age had taken its toll on the metal structure he was now in, and the neglect spread over the cracked lot outside. Tiny gray rodents could be seen nesting in corners of debris. The planet was one of many previously uninhabited locations that the Federation had laid claim to. The low pressure levels made the air feel thin, not enough to hamper breathing on the surface, but enough to be noticeable. The rocky landscape had few plants, and all of those were low to the ground. The planet designation was simply, Federation Hold Sixty.

Fortress Hold Sixty located on Federation Hold Sixty.

The Federation Military wasn’t known for its creativity when it came to such things. Where they excelled was secrecy.

Jackson went to Raisa and unceremoniously lifted Rick’s arm off her shoulders and replaced it with his own. She leaned into him but kept looking out of the window.

“How will he know you’re here?” she asked. “I haven’t seen anyone approaching.”

“I have to do this alone.” Jackson couldn’t take his eyes off her. “You can’t come on the base with me. It will go better if I’m alone. If you are there, they’ll see how I feel about you. Until I know what is happening, I won’t let them use you as leverage.”

“Don’t go,” she whispered. “I’m scared you won’t come back.”

“We have to be practical now. If I don’t return, I don’t want you to wait.” The words hurt to say. The idea of her with anyone else caused a physical reaction inside his chest.

“Fine. I won’t stay in here. I’ll go back on the ship.”

“No, I mean I don’t want you to wait for me if I don’t come back. It’s not fair of me—ouf!” Jackson let out a surprised breath as she hit him in the gut.

“Don’t ever say anything like that to me again,” she warned. “I love you. That’s not going away. So if you don’t want me waiting around, get your ass back to me.” She arched a brow expectantly. “Tell me you understand.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Good. Now tell me you love me and get this over with. The sooner we are off this dock, the better.” Raisa clasped his arm tight and lifted up to kiss him.

Jackson wanted to do as she commanded. He wanted it more than anything. When their lips parted, he said, “I love you.”

She nodded. He saw tears in her eyes, even as she tried to act strong.

Jackson took a deep breath and walked toward the proprietor. The man glanced away from his viewing screen for all of two seconds before turning his attention back to the screen. A tiny image of two gelatinous woman wiggled in a way that could only be described as disturbing, yet the proprietor seemed to find it worth staring at.

“You’re a pretty princess,” Jackson stated.

Raisa made a small noise as if her voice was caught between a gasp and a laugh. She hit his arm. “Jackson, be serious.”

The proprietor reached over and pushed a button before pointing up. He didn’t look away from the screen.

Jackson glanced up to where a security orb lowered from the ceiling. He held up his hand in greeting, knowing the device sent his image to the base computer. He held still, letting it record his face. It would be all the introduction he needed. It blinked with green lights.

“What is that?” Raisa whispered.

“It’s how the general knows I’m here.” Jackson lowered his hand.

“Ah, because no one would ever call that man pretty,” Raisa concluded, understanding the code.

“They’ll send a transport soon.” Jackson glanced to where Rick poked the tray of food with a stick-like object. “Rick, you need to get her back on the ship before my ride gets here.”

Rick must have recognized the seriousness of his tone because for once, the man didn’t have a smartass retort. “On it.”

“I love you,” Raisa said, as if she needed him to know. “I’ll see you soon.”

Jackson tried to smile.

Rick looped his arm into Raisa’s. “Come on, baby cakes. Jackson knows what he’s doing. Besides, if he doesn’t come back, that just gives us an excuse to go after him. It’ll be more fun than floating around space.”

She looked back several times as Rick led her toward the spacecraft. All Jackson could manage was a nod.