As they discussed the specifics, I took a moment to absorb what had just happened. The jungle around us teemed with life—birds calling to each other, insects humming their night songs, and the sweet scent of exotic flowers wafting through the air. This wild, beautiful planet had become my home, and these people my family.
THIRTY
AEON
I watched until the Earth ship’s thrusters faded to pinpricks against the darkening sky, feeling the weight of what we had just accomplished. Two hours of tense negotiation with Dr. Naomi West and the CyberEvolution operatives had culminated in an uneasy but workable truce. The colony on Planet Alpha would remain autonomous, with guarantees against forced repatriation or reactivation codes. In exchange, we’d share medical research and establish limited trade routes.
Now that Naomi and her associates were finally out of our orbit, I went to look for Olivia. I soon found her in the medical bay finishing some notes. The sight of her—her brow furrowed in concentration and her hair falling across her face—sent a surge of emotions through me.
“Come with me,” I said, reaching for her hand. “There’s somewhere I want to show you.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly with suspicion that melted into curiosity. “Lead the way.”
I guided her through our settlement, past the illuminated structures nestled among the jungle canopy. Colonists nodded as we passed, their expressions a mix of relief and newfound respect. The path took us beyond the perimeter lights and into the verdant twilight.
“Are you kidnapping me again?” Olivia’s lips quirked into a smile. “Because I should warn you, I’m much more difficult to manage now.”
“I’m well aware.” I squeezed her hand. “You’ve made that abundantly clear to everyone, including Naomi and her associates.”
The jungle path opened to a small clearing where a cascade of water tumbled over moss-covered rocks. Planet Alpha’s twin moons had risen high in the night sky, bathing the pool below in silvery light that danced across the rippling surface.
“This is... breathtaking,” Olivia whispered.
“I found it during a perimeter sweep. Kept it to myself.” I watched her face as she took in the scene. “I wanted something that was just mine in a place where everything belongs to the colony.”
Olivia turned to me, moonlight illuminating the soft angles of her face. “And now you’re sharing it with me?”
“Now it can be ours.” The words felt strange in my mouth—not from difficulty pronouncing them, but from the raw vulnerability they represented.
I pulled her closer, my hands finding the curve of her waist with confident familiarity. Physical intimacy came easier than emotional expression. Her body fit against mine perfectly, as if designed as my counterpart.
“What happens now?” she asked, her voice barely audible over the waterfall’s gentle roar.
“I don’t know.” The admission should have troubled me—I’d always functioned best with clear objectives—but instead, I felt exhilarated by the uncertainty. “But I know I want you beside me while we figure it out.”
“I stood in front of an armed Earth contingent today and refused to leave with them.” Olivia’s fingers traced the scar along my forearm. “I think that makes my position fairly clear.”
“Say it anyway.” I tilted her chin up, needing to hear the words.
“I love you, Aeon.”
I crushed my mouth to hers, kissing her with all the passion I’d once believed myself incapable of feeling. When we broke apart, I rested my forehead against hers.
“I love you, Olivia Parker. Even when I didn’t understand what that meant, I loved you.”
I woke before dawn the next morning, Olivia’s warmth still pressed against my side. The memory of last night at the waterfall lingered—her skin silvered in moonlight and the way she’d said she loved me. These sensations had become precious to me in ways I couldn’t have imagined when I’d first brought her to Planet Alpha.
The morning light soon shone through the window of my quarters as I traced the curve of her shoulder. She stirred, blinking up at me with sleep-softened eyes.
“We need to bring everyone home today,” I murmured, brushing her hair away from her cheek. “They’ve been in those caverns too long.”
She nodded, fully awake now. “Let’s go get them.”
The trek to the caverns took us through dense jungle, vibrant with Planet Alpha’s peculiar flora. Olivia walked beside me, occasionally brushing her fingers against mine—small points of contact that sent waves of pleasure through me. I’d never anticipated how deeply physical touch could affect me.
“Do you think they already know about the truce?” she asked, ducking under a low-hanging vine.
I shook my head. “Communications are limited in the caverns. That was deliberate—harder to track.”
