Free Flight by J.A. Huss

to play games and there's obviously something you're not telling me, so fucking spit it out."
    "You own Lucan, just like I own you. Because he loves you now. And that's the only reason he let you and Tier go away like that. Because he knows, and Tier knows, that it can't go anywhere. Ever. As long as you're on the team, you can't just fuck the captain, Junco."
    I shrug and catch my breath. "So, maybe I'll quit. Problem solved."
    He smiles up at me. "Right, you do that. After this mission. You will not be with Tier in any capacity except as his ninth warrior until the day you do quit. You got it now?"
    "Yeah, I get it."
    "And tomorrow I'm gonna twine you to me and that's the fucking end of it. I'll be in your head every fucking minute of every day. Even after you quit, Junco. Until I die."
    I swallow as it hits me. "Why didn't anyone tell me this?"
    "You gotta wonder, right? Why didn't they?" And then he gets up and walks out of the tent. Leaving me there alone.
     
     
     
    I sit there for a while full of questions and then follow him outside. He's lying on his back by a small fire, smoking a cigarette. I lie down next to him and he offers the pack. I take one and touch the striker as I inhale. "I know why you guys always leave this shit a mystery until the last minute."
    "Yeah?" He turns slightly, his hazel eyes glowing in the firelight. "What is it, then?"
    "You don't trust me, do you? You all thought if I knew I'd quit and break my promise." I look up and see stars and smile at Orion. On Earth Orion isn't visible to the RR in June. "What more do I have to do to make you believe in me, Isten? I mean, I thought you guys wanted Tier to be saved."
    He inhales and then blows out a cloud of smoke towards the night sky. "Everyone hates Tier except us, Junco. Why else would those fucking Archers let him rot in jail like that, put him on trial, make him look like shit in front of everyone?" He looks over to me, the light dancing over his face. "Why did they make you slice your fucking chest open to wipe away a debt that never mattered to them in the first place?"
    He looks away and takes another drag before continuing. "Lucan gave him all those gifts. All those unsanctioned, illegal fucking gifts and then all of us have to pay the price for his stupidity. And I get it, Lucan picked him long before the 039 ever came into existence. So whatever, I've gotten plenty of gifts from him too. But it's gone way beyond that. They're afraid of him now, Junco."
    I recall Tier poking his finger into Lucan's chest the other night and it begins to make sense.
    "Not even Lucan can control him. Not after what you did to boost him. That fucking freak show of a mess you made out there on stage that night? You do realize it was a plan by Sera to oust Lucan, right? Give Tier control over everything? He might as well be running the whole show now."
    "Wait, what?"
    Isten sighs deeply. "Fuck, Junco. I am having a hard time reconciling the two sides of you. Ruthless, skilled killer and helpless, naive teenage girl. Who are you today? Just so I know how slow I should talk?"
    "I have–"
    "No idea what I'm talking about. Right, I get it – you can pick out Alcor, but not the full moon. Anyway, now Lucan's in love with you, too. It's like some goddamn Greek tragedy playing out before my eyes."
    "He doesn't love me like that, Isten."
    Isten laughs. "Uh-huh. Right, Junco. He just wants to shower you with gifts and protect you. Fuck, you need to grow up a little." He turns and sits up and I pull back just in case he gets the urge to attack me again.
    "It doesn't matter, tomorrow it's over for both of them. Because it's me and you from now on. And I don't know why they never explained it to you, Junco, I really don't, but this was always in the plan. The last time we all talked it over together the purpose of saving you was to get the 039 our ninth warrior and since your skills merged with mine, well, it was perfect. This whole coincidence of you actually turning