Page 63 of Tarek

Nick groaned. “Oh, that was bad.”

“It was terrible,” Darren agreed, although he was smiling.

The pilot did not share the children's enthusiasm. “Copy that, Bob,” he replied with a snort. “Um. Hahaha.”

“You'll do,” Bob announced.

I exchanged a glance with Darren. “Was that supposed to be funny?”

Darren snorted, and I couldn't help joining him. Bob had certainly made an impression, and we hadn't even reached the planet yet. It certainly was going to be interesting living and working with New Haven’s AI.

“Clearance granted,” Bob continued, his tone turning brisk and professional. “Follow my guide beam. Maintain the assigned approach vector, reduce speed at the designated marker, and do not attempt to bypass the automated landing sequence. I'll have the approach corridor cleared and the landing pad prepared for your arrival.”

“Copy that,” the pilot replied, sounding considerably more relieved to be receiving actual instructions, and we could feel the shuttle begin its descent.

Although we couldn't see the planet from our seats, Bob's announcements kept us informed as we approached. The pilot gave us updates as the shuttle descended through the atmosphere, following the guide beam towards the designated landing pad. The boys grew quieter as they realised we were nearly there.

“Landing in thirty seconds,” the pilot announced at last.

Darren reached over to squeeze Matt's hand. Evan sat very still, his eyes fixed on the cockpit door as though he might somehow see through it.

The shuttle touched down with a gentle bump, and the engines wound down. For a moment, nobody moved.

Then Matt whispered, “We're on another planet.”

“Yes, buddy,” Darren said, smiling. “We are.”

The pilot opened the door, and a rush of warm air swept inside, carrying the scent of grass, earth, and something floral I couldn't identify before coming out of the cockpit. We scrambled to get out of our seats and leave. Reaching the door, I paused to take in the moment.

New Haven. Real ground beneath our feet. I had spent years travelling between ships and stations, sleeping in cabins that all looked more or less the same and waking to the hum of engines. Now I was standing at the threshold of a world that was going to be our home. I placed my foot on the ramp.

Darren stepped down beside me, Laura in his arms, while the boys followed with their car cases. Skye came next, her ears pricked and her tail wagging as she sniffed the air. She seemed delighted by the smells and the open space, and I suspected she'd be even happier once she had grass beneath her paws. The pilot passed her leash to Sarah, who took it with a smile. I felt chagrined. I’d been in such a hurry, I’d forgotten our fur child again. But then, so had Darren. I decided not to say anything, as Skye didn’t seem to mind, given the circumstances.

The landing area was busy, with other shuttles coming and going and a hangar nearby where crews were unloading cargo. Signs in English and several alien scripts directed passengers towards customs and arrivals which was really simply an open hangar door. We had barely stepped away from the shuttle when two men approached us, one human and one Dragonii, accompanied by a male child. I knew immediately he had to be Jason, seeing as the two males matched the images provided by Grix of Thalen and Evan. Their attention was fixed on Vrann, unsurprisingly, who looked at them shyly.

“There you are!” the human exclaimed, dropping to one knee to greet the young Dragonii. “We were beginning to wonder when you'd arrive.”

Vrann's expression brightened, and forgetting his earlier hesitation, he stepped forward to greet them. His new parents welcomed him warmly, thanking Darren and me for looking after him during the journey. Jason was already asking Vrann questions about the trip and his likes and dislikes, and within moments the three were talking as though they'd known one another for years.

I watched them for a moment, pleased to see how easily Vrann seemed to settle into his new family. Then Nick and his children were approached by a Dragonii male who introduced himself as Rethan, Nick's mate. Rethan had a small farm near Vrann's new family's property, and he greeted Nick with a large smile.

Nick's children immediately began asking him about the farm, and he answered them with patient enthusiasm. Nick looked as though a weight had lifted from his shoulders. He'd come to New Haven for a fresh start, just as we had, and now he had a mate and a place to belong.

I turned back towards Darren, intending to ask whether he was ready to go through Customs, only to discover that he was staring at someone approaching from the opposite side of the hangar.

Sarah's mate.

Doran, as I recalled from the information we'd been given, was a Dragonii male whose expression changed completely the moment he saw her. He crossed the distance between them with barely concealed eagerness, and Sarah stood very still as he approached, looking up at him with a mixture of wonder and nervous excitement.

“Doran?” she asked, feeling stupid because, of course, he was.

He nodded, a soft smile playing around his lips. “And you must be Sarah.”

“Yep, that’s me.”

He peered around me, his lips turning down when he saw only Sweetie.

“Where are the kits?”