I’ve seen
in a long time. By the stars even the prospect of dealing with your
sister didn’t seem to bother him.”
“Tara?” Peyton did her best to ignore the heat that climbed into
her cheeks at the reference to her changed relationship with the ship’s
commander and the intimacies they’d exchanged. “Why would he
have to deal with her?”
“She’s incensed over the idea you are being reprimanded. I did
my best to explain it all to her, but I get the impression she’s
somewhat of a rebel when it comes to the rules. She even managed to
get permission from Minoa to gain access to the bridge.”
Tara was a scientist by profession, but a free spirit by heart.
Peyton shook her head. “She can be very determined. I did my best to
talk her out of going to Epsilon months ago when she accepted the
assignment. The reports on the military frequencies about the
instability problem were frightening. She found the prospect of
analyzing a dying planet fascinating. I still don’t understand why they
didn’t begin the evacuations earlier.”
“I don’t either,” he admitted. “If my family were there, I would
have gotten them out right away. I was told some of the colonists
were third and fourth generation. They refused to leave their homes
until it became clear the situation was out of control. A mass
evacuation is difficult to manage but most of them got off in time.
The party you rescued was the last of them willing to go and at that,
they waited too long to send a distress signal.”
She was well aware of the situation because of her sister. Peyton
gazed at him curiously. “Do you have a family? Brothers,
sisters…wife?”
Under His Command
45
“Am I married? No.” He shook his head. “I have two younger
brothers, both civilians. My parents live in the First City on Minoa.
What about you? Anyone besides the militant Dr. Valmont?”
“You have my personnel file, Colonel. I’m sure you know both
Tara and I are half-bred. Our mother is from Earth and though they’ve
never married, our parents are fond enough of each other they still
communicate. She decided to go back to her home planet once both
my sister and I became adults. We went to visit her last year.”
“My mother is half-bred, so I’m only three-quarters S-species
myself,” he said matter-of-factly. “I’ve never been to Earth, though
I’ve thought about it. It seems like I’ve been everywhere else. Tell
me, what’s it like? I’ve seen the data, but it can’t be the same as with
your own eyes.”
He really did seem to wish to talk. Peyton obliged, describing the
mountains, the vast oceans, the odd variation in temperatures due to
the planet’s orientation to its one sun so it was warm in the middle
regions and frigid in the north and south. While she spoke he asked
questions and refilled her glass. Though he didn’t have Kelton
Gallico’s distant reputation, he was professional in every way and she
certainly had never had a casual conversation with Colonel Naiad. It
relaxed her without her even realizing it was happening, and it wasn’t
until she looked up and caught the singular gleam in his aqua eyes
that it occurred to her he’d done it on purpose.
Peyton dwindled off in mid-sentence and shot an accusing glare
across the table. “I believe, Colonel, I’ve done all the talking.”
Broad shoulders lifted in an unrepentant shrug. “We’re going to
get to know each other on a personal level. It seemed like a good
place to start. We can move on if you like.”
* * * *
The beautiful young pilot that had shown such wild daring the day
before looked adorably confused. Not caught up in the usual
46
Annabel Wolfe
regulation style, her shining hair was loose around her slender
shoulders and the tiny garment she wore revealed more than it
covered of what he’d imagined under her uniform. Jake lounged in his
chair, well-aware the minute he stood she’d see his erection, now
in a long time. By the stars even the prospect of dealing with your
sister didn’t seem to bother him.”
“Tara?” Peyton did her best to ignore the heat that climbed into
her cheeks at the reference to her changed relationship with the ship’s
commander and the intimacies they’d exchanged. “Why would he
have to deal with her?”
“She’s incensed over the idea you are being reprimanded. I did
my best to explain it all to her, but I get the impression she’s
somewhat of a rebel when it comes to the rules. She even managed to
get permission from Minoa to gain access to the bridge.”
Tara was a scientist by profession, but a free spirit by heart.
Peyton shook her head. “She can be very determined. I did my best to
talk her out of going to Epsilon months ago when she accepted the
assignment. The reports on the military frequencies about the
instability problem were frightening. She found the prospect of
analyzing a dying planet fascinating. I still don’t understand why they
didn’t begin the evacuations earlier.”
“I don’t either,” he admitted. “If my family were there, I would
have gotten them out right away. I was told some of the colonists
were third and fourth generation. They refused to leave their homes
until it became clear the situation was out of control. A mass
evacuation is difficult to manage but most of them got off in time.
The party you rescued was the last of them willing to go and at that,
they waited too long to send a distress signal.”
She was well aware of the situation because of her sister. Peyton
gazed at him curiously. “Do you have a family? Brothers,
sisters…wife?”
Under His Command
45
“Am I married? No.” He shook his head. “I have two younger
brothers, both civilians. My parents live in the First City on Minoa.
What about you? Anyone besides the militant Dr. Valmont?”
“You have my personnel file, Colonel. I’m sure you know both
Tara and I are half-bred. Our mother is from Earth and though they’ve
never married, our parents are fond enough of each other they still
communicate. She decided to go back to her home planet once both
my sister and I became adults. We went to visit her last year.”
“My mother is half-bred, so I’m only three-quarters S-species
myself,” he said matter-of-factly. “I’ve never been to Earth, though
I’ve thought about it. It seems like I’ve been everywhere else. Tell
me, what’s it like? I’ve seen the data, but it can’t be the same as with
your own eyes.”
He really did seem to wish to talk. Peyton obliged, describing the
mountains, the vast oceans, the odd variation in temperatures due to
the planet’s orientation to its one sun so it was warm in the middle
regions and frigid in the north and south. While she spoke he asked
questions and refilled her glass. Though he didn’t have Kelton
Gallico’s distant reputation, he was professional in every way and she
certainly had never had a casual conversation with Colonel Naiad. It
relaxed her without her even realizing it was happening, and it wasn’t
until she looked up and caught the singular gleam in his aqua eyes
that it occurred to her he’d done it on purpose.
Peyton dwindled off in mid-sentence and shot an accusing glare
across the table. “I believe, Colonel, I’ve done all the talking.”
Broad shoulders lifted in an unrepentant shrug. “We’re going to
get to know each other on a personal level. It seemed like a good
place to start. We can move on if you like.”
* * * *
The beautiful young pilot that had shown such wild daring the day
before looked adorably confused. Not caught up in the usual
46
Annabel Wolfe
regulation style, her shining hair was loose around her slender
shoulders and the tiny garment she wore revealed more than it
covered of what he’d imagined under her uniform. Jake lounged in his
chair, well-aware the minute he stood she’d see his erection, now
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