Defying The Alliance: ERUPTION (Novokin Alliance Invasion 3) by Bobbi Ross Page B

least that's what my dad used to say. The other night I saw you toting crates of something heavy into cargo bay two. Which was weird seeing you struggle like that considering your boyfriend could probably lift a tank and he’d do anything for you.”
    I arched an eyebrow at her use of the word boyfriend as she obviously meant Trex. Was he my boyfriend? Not quite. We hadn’t made any sort of commitment to each other. We didn’t get to it. Didn’t get the chance and now I probably never will. An overwhelming sadness, an unbelievable sense of loss filled my existence and a tight fist squeezed my heart as realization set in. That I’d probably never see him again. The icy grip tightened. I’d never see Trex again.
    Unaware of the emotions she’d stirred up inside me Julie continued on, “Anyway, on your last trip, I snuck in after you."
    I nodded in understanding, and was quickly gifted with another wave of nausea. I probably had a concussion. Maybe more than one. Hell, I probably had a whole family of concussions, with little baby concussions and maybe a weird old uncle concussion that just sat there on the couch unable to take the hint it was time to go home.
    Julie held my face steady in her hands. “Captain you don’t look very well. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
    “I’ll be fine,” I said, gently pushing her arms away. “Please go on with your story. It helps me to focus on something else.”
    "Well, after you finished loading the fighter, which as I mentioned was very odd, particularly by yourself and at a time when most of the crew was asleep. So, I took a peek inside. I saw the Ratrium you loaded the ship with and looked it up in the Razor’s database. Loading the small fighter with enough explosives to bring down a small moon felt wrong and foreboding. I knew you’d need my help and here I am. I couldn’t leave you alone Captain.” Her rosy cheeks blushed and her lips pulled into a heartfelt smile."
    She took a piece of cloth she'd torn from her own shirt and let it sit under the pipe. She wiped what I was sure was blood and grime from my swollen face, and not drool and snot from my recent open-mouthed floor nap. Hmm, what a nap! I closed my eyes as my senses were filled with him, bringing me peace and calm. If only for a moment.
    “Ouch! Easy there fireball!”
    “Sorry Captain. I’ll try to be more gentle. As I was saying, I took some of the explosives out, so I could fit in the cargo hold. If you were going somewhere, I decided I was going with you." I held back a smile because the truth was my face hurt too much to smile, but I was grinning inwardly at her moxie.
    "I made sure to be hanging around the lower decks the next day. When I first saw you walking with Trex, it didn't set off any alarms. When I heard him banging on the wall screaming bloody murder, I figured you were making your move so I crept into the cargo bay and hid inside the ship. Captain you've done so much for me, you saved me. I couldn't let you do whatever you were planning alone.”
    "Great," I managed to eke out. "Now you can die with me."
    She snorted. "No Captain, now it's my turn to save you. You'll be glad I'm here soon enough. Trust me."
    I glared at her like she had just peed in my ear and told me it was hot rain. Her eyes unfocused on me as she spoke, the look on her face almost whimsical. "That's just it. They roughed you up on the way in here, but I didn't even get so much as a bruise. The sub commander was holding my arm the entire time, and he wouldn’t let any of the soldiers near me."
    I narrowed my gaze at her. My sister's recent betrayal swam through my mind Gelarpian barracuda style. A slat in the wall opened and a tray was slid through before it was slammed shut again. It was a tray of gray gruel. Yum.
    I turned to Julie who had her nose wrinkled up. She waved me off. I sniffed it and a chemical scent scratched at the inside of my nostrils. No way. How stupid did they think we were?
    I palmed