An Unforgiving Desert – Chapter 3

“Can you believe my luck?” I’m careful to dip my head and speak out of the corner of my mouth to Amira while I grab my tray of food. A big bowl of salty ramen will get me through to tomorrow. After a full day of classes and simulations, while slightly hungover, I’m famished.

“You mean in the choice of flying partners? Yeah, I can believe it.”

“Thanks.”

“I mean, I feel like this school is testing you on everything, not just flying. Really. You catch more flack here than I’ve seen in the last ten years of schooling.”

Amira and I are a lot alike. She’s from a space-faring family as well. My family flies the Duo Systems for Kawabata Holdings, our family business. Hers has flown ships for five generations as cargo haulers. All she’s ever wanted to do was fly, like me. She’s a loner, like me. Her family has pressured her to start her own relationship network, like me. I think I may have gotten more tail than her, but it’s hard to say. She keeps mum about the details.

Amira stares at my bowl. “We’re not going to spend the night drinking, are we? I’m not sure my liver can take it.”

“No. Definitely not.”

She takes her bowl of fried noodles with protein-printed pork and blows a breath of relief. “Good.”

I turn and almost knock into Damian. We both freeze in place as the soup in my bowl sloshes around. “Oops. Sorry, sir. Didn’t see you there.”

His handsome face, quite young for someone pushing sixty, breaks into a nervous smile. “Sorry, Kawabata. I was distracted. Go ahead.”

He gestures for us to pass, and I let out a held breath. That was close. I almost doused the man with my dinner.

“Besides,” I continue, “I think I’m out of booze. Did we drink the last of the vodka last night? After the wine?”

Amira’s lips pull in. “Maybe that’s why I feel like utter shit.”

We chuckle as we find a table on the far side of the cafeteria. As much as I love the food here, it’ll be good to move on from this place. They do an outstanding job of rotating the specialty items and keeping everyone’s varied diets happy, but it’s not the same as what I can get back home, on my ship, or at my cousin Vivian’s house. Her mates are all stellar cooks. I sink into my seat with a heavy sigh. I hope I’m half as lucky to meet so many great guys.

I throw a healthy amount of chili pepper flakes onto my ramen, press my hands together for a quick thanks, and tuck in.

Amira shifts in her chair as she picks up pan-fried noodles with her chopsticks. “You’ve been quieter than usual.”

I shrug my shoulders and slurp up some noodles. Oh, they’re excellent tonight! Chewy with a satisfying bite.

“Been thinking.”

Amira stays silent while I work through my thoughts.

“We’re almost at the finish line. I have years of uncertainty ahead of me, you know? I kinda don’t want this to end, but I do.”

She nods, swirling the noodles around on her plate. “I hear ya. I’m not sure I’m ready to ‘settle down,’ but it’ll be all my mom will talk about when I return to the ship.”

“I have a matchmaker with oodles of men lined up, just ready to become a part of my network.” I roll my eyes. As if some twenty-eight-year-old noncommittal pilot with no assets except a promised shipping empire has anything to attract men to a relationship network. When my mom was my age, she already had two men in her network, and I was toddling around the ship.

“I hope they enjoy begging for their dinners,” Amira quips.

“Preferably on their hands and knees.” I purr and flip my hair, intent on making her laugh. It works, and we both throw our heads back for a good chuckle.

Amira sighs. “My parents have two men they want me to meet when I return. I wish I had a matchmaker.”

“He’s tough to please, but I’m not sure where my family would be without him.”

“Hey, ladies.” I look up from my bowl to see one of the cafeteria workers, Scotland, an old and graying man who makes amazing omelets, sidle up to the table. He places two bright oranges next to our trays with a smile. “Good luck tomorrow. Everyone’s talking about the final exam. We’ll miss you around here.”

“Aw, thank you!” Amira stands to hug him, and I follow as well. These people have been kind to us the last few months.

“Thanks so much,” I say, giving him a squeeze.

He smiles and heads off to the kitchen, and my eyes focus on the table two spots away.

Kalvin and two of his buddies, Neem and Tomas, are staring at us.

“See what I mean?” Kalvin shrugs. “Princess.”

My meal turns in my stomach, and the rage I felt earlier gallops on back. I check to see if Damian is paying attention across the cafeteria, but he’s reading on his datapad, his knee bouncing under the table. Whatever he’s into, it must be stressful. He never shows any anxiety in classes. None of my business, though. I’m just glad he’s distracted.

I turn to Kalvin. “Why? Because he brought me a present and wished me luck?”

“Isn’t that what most subjects bring to their sovereign masters?”

The quirk of his lips is… interesting. It’s not hatred I see. He’s either annoyed or turned on, but I honestly can’t tell which.

I must be falling out of practice.

I approach his table slowly, bringing the orange to my nose and inhaling.

“Mmmm,” I hum. I choose my words carefully. “Smells ripe.”

I turn and push my ass onto the table between him and Tomas. Tomas slides out of the way, oohing under his breath.

“Tell me, Kalvin.” I dig my nail into the orange, letting the skin release the pure citrus scent into the surrounding air. Kalvin’s sleek jaw works side to side. “What makes you think that a princess like me cares what a peon like you thinks of her?”

I pull the skin down, and I’m rewarded with a gorgeous section of orange.

“So, you admit you’re a princess, then.” His shoulders raise, triumphant.

“Depends. What sort of land and riches are we talking about here? Do I get a castle? What about an honor guard?” I pop a section in my mouth and think. “Oh! Will I be pillaging the countryside?”

I hold out a section to him that he ignores while Tomas and Neem laugh. Amira brings her hand to the side of her mouth and yells, “All hail, Princess Skylar!”

Several heads turn in the cafeteria, and Kalvin’s expression tightens.

“We all know who your family is. Don’t pretend you didn’t buy your way onto the class list.”

I hop off the table and turn around. “I paid my tuition just like everyone else. Taken every test myself. Hell, you were in the simulator today with me. Did I suddenly become someone else?”

Kalvin comes to his feet to stand in front of me, barely giving me an arm’s span of space between us.

“You can’t fool me. I know privilege when I see it. I’ve heard the rumors. So has everyone else.”

Oh, there’re rumors about me? I press my lips together to stop a smile. Hmmm, something tells me someone with privilege has burned this guy in the past. A former girlfriend? A rival?

He’s now a puzzle to figure out.

I don’t like it when I can’t win someone over. Everyone has a sore spot or a pain point. Eventually, I can figure out what makes them tick.

I tip my head to the side. “I’ll leave you to your dinner. See you on the ship tomorrow, Kalvin! Be sure to bring your A-game.”

“It’s you who needs to bring their A-game,” he calls out as we grab our trays. “Don’t kill me tomorrow.”

“Only if you’re lucky,” I throw back at him.

If you’re not lucky, I’ll just maim you, Kalvin.

—-

I’m in my room going over my notes about tandem flying again when my wristlet buzzes. For a second, I consider ignoring it. I have a few more hours of studying before I can go to sleep, and I want to be fresh tomorrow morning. This is the end of this journey, and I’m ready to be done with it. I’m ready to return to my family.

Something itches at the back of my head, telling me to check the alert. Fine. I tip my wristlet over and succumb to my curiosity.

Speaking of family…

I accept the incoming call, and Vivian pops onto my screen. I smile at her as I move the image from my ocular implant to the desk in front of me.

“Hi, you. I wasn’t expecting a call today. Did I miss our schedule?” I check my calendar. There wasn’t a call planned for tonight. We usually plan these things so we won’t go too long without seeing each other’s faces.

“Nope. I didn’t schedule this. I just missed you.” Vivian takes a deep breath and lets it all out. She runs her fingers through her hair and twists it off her neck and over one shoulder.

“Your hair is so long,” I say, sinking into my chair. “When was the last time you got it cut?”

“Oh, you know, like an eon ago. No time around here for anything other than work.”

I blink a few times. “Vivi, you have four men in your network, handling everything from the food to the books to, you know…” I raise my eyebrows twice. “How do you not have time for yourself?”

Her smile is wavering but amused. “The plants don’t seed, water, and fertilize themselves.”

She has a team of people to do that, but I won’t poke her anymore about it. I know what she’s going through, trying to make miracles out of nothing.

“How are things back home?” I change the subject, eager to hear something nice. Vivian’s home has become my home over the last few years. I grew up on ships, not on a planet. And certainly not a castle like Mr. Asshole seems to think of me. When I left Mom’s ship, I promised myself I wouldn’t go back there to live unless it was mine.

“Things are okay. Ilaria is getting bigger. She’s asking for you all the time. She got sick the other day, don’t know why. But no one ever tells you that someday you’ll catch your own child’s puke in your hands.”

She holds out her hands like a cup and retches.

“Ew! Oh my God.” I grimace, imagining it. No vomit, ever, please. I can handle blood and broken bones but not throw up. Gross.

“Yeah. Wonderful, right?” She sighs. “And I think Jin and I are ready to move on to baby number two.”

Her smile is smaller than I expect.

“Are you excited about that?”

She laughs this time. “Except for the inevitable exhaustion, yes, I am. I hoped I would be pregnant again by now, but Jin has been away a lot. Our schedules haven’t meshed well.”

I frown, knowing he’s gone because he’s been supervising the overhaul of my ship, the Amagi, at Lee Shipyards.

“He’s almost done with the ship, so that’s good news.”

“It is.” She props her chin on her hand. “So, I wanted to run something by you if you have a moment.”

This sounds important, so I set my datapad aside and give Vivian my full attention.

“I have time, and then I have to study.”

“Oh!” She pops up. “The final exam is tomorrow. You’ll be a graduate within two weeks!” She claps her hands together. “I can’t wait to throw your party. I have it all planned out.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Please tell me there will be booze and hot men.”

“I’ll do my best. Anyway, I’ll keep this short. Ken was hoping you’d consider sitting in on a Flyght Security Task Force as soon as you’re done with school. They’ve been having a lot of trouble in the Californikos System with hijacks and pirating. And he’s looking for experienced pilots to give their opinion on what we can do to stop it.”

This sounds like a great way to increase my social equity and give me a few more credible boasts for my future network.

“Really? He wants me?”

“He does indeed. You know he respects you and all the hard work you’ve done.”

I guffaw with laughter and have to cover my mouth to keep myself in check. “He respects me now. Remember how hard on him I used to be?”

“Yes, yes, I do. I think you once called him ‘an arrogant prick,’” she says, her voice amused.

“That sounds like me. Anyway, yeah, I would love to help. It would be an interesting way to meet more people. Get my name out there.”

Vivian’s eyes become dreamy again, and I access my wristlet, tapping into my universal clock. Well, no wonder. It’s past midnight there.

“You should be in bed,” I say, knocking her out of her reverie.

She rubs her face. “One more thing before I go. Have you ever thought about not taking over for your mother when the time comes?”

“What? Why would I not take over?”

“It’s just… I want you to consider that maybe your future holds more than carrying on the family legacy. There’s no reason you need to follow in your mother’s footsteps if you’d rather do something else.”

Is she trying to push me out of the family business?

Anger floods through me before I see what’s really in front of me. The family saddled Vivian with carrying on the business, and it almost killed her. Looking at her now, she’s worn and tired. Does she regret it a little? I know she doesn’t regret the men she’s chosen or her daughter, but she sacrificed a lot to get there.

I let the anger go as hastily as it came and smile at her. “Vivi, there’s nothing I want more than to fly for the family business.” I bring my hand to my heart. “Honestly. I love flying. I love my ship, and I love working and being with you. Being here these past few months, away from you all, has been super difficult.” I struggle to keep the emotions out of my voice. Tender and Emotional Skylar is not a thing that exists. “I’m looking forward to getting back to life as soon as school is done.”

She examines me for a minute through the connection and nods once. “Good. But if you ever, and I mean ever, want that to change, you tell me, okay?”

“Okay. I promise.” I cross my heart, and she crosses hers.

“Get some sleep. Big day tomorrow! We’re all wishing you luck. Knock ‘em dead, Sky.”

I laugh, thinking about how Kalvin doesn’t want me to knock anything dead.

“You got it, cousin. I’m going to ace it.”

She shakes her head before waving. “I have no doubts.”