Shadows of Justice (Peacemaker Wars Book 5) by J.N. Chaney & Terry Maggert

Author:J.N. Chaney & Terry Maggert [Chaney, J.N. & Maggert, Terry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Variant Publications
Published: 2024-06-05T00:00:00+00:00

18

The conversation with Rav and his crew was enlightening and productive, until they circled back around to the Gravity Goblins. Strangely, no one knew what to do about them.

What could they do? They were a race of aliens that defied science and were absent from the shared cultural record. Mark’s thoughts continued to flit back to Tan and their discovery in the Junkway—the bizarre, spherical gravity beacon. He secretly wondered if the device and the strange race hadn’t presented them with an opportunity.

He listened to the others talk but worked internally to build, deconstruct, and recreate his plan. It would have to be perfect when he pitched it to Perry, as the bird would find any chink or flaw in the logic. Until then, Mark would keep it to himself and allow it to finish baking.

Valint stepped in front of him when they returned to the docks, blocking his path and allowing Drogo and Perry to continue on without them. Mark read her eyes. There was something there, she just didn’t seem to know how to easily broach the subject.

“What is it?” he asked.

The worry lines on her forehead deepened, and in that moment, Valint looked more human than he’d ever seen her.

“Remember our talk, the one about what we would be leaving behind? Our legacy?” she asked.

Mark nodded.

“Here it is, without any preamble,” Valint said but paused. “I’ve actually been struggling a bit with how to say this. And truthfully, that makes me angry, as I loathe when people… how do you say it, beat around the bush?”

“Yes. Straight to the point,” Mark agreed, then threw her a wink and clasped his hands around hers. Even with her tall build and strong, dexterous fingers, his large, calloused hand easily wrapped around it.

Valint’s left eyebrow ticked upward. She tolerated his sarcasm, but only just. And for Mark, that was enough.

“You and I... we have a legacy now.”

It took him a moment to interpret what she was saying, but thankfully, her eyes told the story better than her words. Her gaze had softened again and gained that bit of warmth—the tenderness he saw back at the lake.

“Are you talking about a baby? A child?” Mark asked, although his throat tightened, and he could only mouth the second question.

“Yes, Mark. Our baby.”

His eyes instinctively dropped to her belly, and he released his grip on her hand, meaning to reach out and touch it. But Valint caught him by the wrist, the firm grip stopping him short.

“That’s where I went after the lake, to take out a bit of insurance on our future. We will collect it once the chaos plaguing the Guild is remedied.”

“It?” Mark asked. “Insurance? You sound like you’re talking about a house or a tractor, not a—not our progeny. Our future.”

“I’m sorry. This part... well, I knew our differences would likely cause problems. You are a deeply caring person, guided by the need for emotional connection, as well as romanticized symbolism.”

“Romanticized symbolism? Now you’re starting to sound like the Army shrink.

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