Spoilerific Sneak Peek: PMF 6! (Patreon)

I'll admit, I kinda struggled with whether or not to share this part. Hard to know what spoilers are *too* spoilery.

But here you are signed up for a Patreon for stuff like this, and it's a moment some readers may have been waiting for since the end of Book Three, and I know I've been a little thin on the sneak-peeks lately, ssssooo... spoiler warnings?

Monthly story drop coming in a couple days!

-----

Glass doors opened with a push, the distinctive beep of hospitality systems now silent. None of the usual monitor lights glowed, either, but only half the lounge’s lights were dark. Empty chairs and tables spread out around a central circular bar with classy black tiles and fixtures that gleamed more during service hours. A soft breeze blew in from the open balcony area that made up most of the lounge’s boundaries.

“Why the open-door setup?” Tanner nearly whispered to Lynette at the sight of unrestricted night sky. “What’s with the fucking drama?” The room didn’t answer, either. The pair ventured inside, halfway between tactical vigilance and casual annoyance.

Past the bar, a light flickered out against a round support column, noticeable only by its loss. “I’m over here,” came a voice—feminine, dry with an echo of their irritation, and familiar. She stood from her seat to end the search. Her jet-black hair had changed, still short but now in an asymmetric sweep with one side mostly shaved. Her black leather coat and civilian ensemble struck a contrast to the vac suits and uniforms she wore in most of Tanner’s memories. He still instantly recognized Alicia Wong.

“Oh my god.” Tanner rounded the bar with long strides and wide-eyed surprise. He stopped just short of her, clearer thoughts taking hold. “Can I hug you?”

“Yes, dummy,” she answered before crossing the last steps herself. Shorter than Tanner, Alicia buried her forehead against his shoulder and held every bit as tightly as he did.

His first breaths shook. No tears came, but he wouldn’t have fought if they did. He wasn’t in a hurry to let go. “Missed you,” she said. The words in his shoulder put another tremor into his breath. It meant the world to him.

“Um. Hey.” He let go, mindful of Lynette standing patiently beside him. “This is Alicia. She was with us on Fairhaven.”

“I remember.” Lynette shook her hand. “It’s good to see you again.”

“Same. Ah, it’s still Captain Kelly?” asked Alicia.

“Lynette. Professionally, sure, but it’s Lynette.”

“Thanks.”

Then Alicia slugged Tanner in the arm, much like another recent reunion. “What the fuck, Tanner? A whole pirate-spy conspiracy and you didn’t tell me?”

“I didn’t tell anyone!” Tanner protested.

“He didn’t,” Lynette grumbled in confirmation.

“I know,” said Alicia.

“Okay, so?” said Tanner.

“So, you didn’t tell me?” Alicia pressed.

“I—when? When could I say anything? I wasn’t sure until… late,” he sighed. “I probably shouldn’t get into it. I didn’t know for sure until I busted them, and that was three days after we all got home from Fairhaven. You had family waiting for you. What was I gonna say?”

“That there was a fucking pirate-spy war crime conspiracy! God!” She shoved him again. “We used to be so close!”

“I saw you once every week or two on Beowulf for years,” Tanner protested. “You were always deep in marine country doing marine shit.”

“You always said you didn’t care about labels.”

“Yeah, but the marines did. Our bosses did. Also you didn’t want to make your boyfriend uncomfortable.”

“Oh my god, I was nineteen,” Alicia groaned. “I’m complicated. I told you I was complicated then, too. Haven’t we all grown out of that by now?”

“Hey, speak for yourself. Those were emotionally stunted years in the military. I’m knocking off two of them at least.”

“They weren’t emotionally stunted for me,” said Lynette. “Are you saying I’m more than just a few years older than you?”

Tanner gave her a look.

“What?” said Lynette.

“You went to the academy. You just told me the other night how ridiculous academy life was. Do you really think those years count the same as normal college or a normal job?”

Lynette opened her mouth to object, but stopped. She looked away. “Oh my god.” Then the next thought hit her. “Wait, am I dating you to make up for something in my early twenties?”

“I—” Tanner shut his mouth. “If you’re happy with me, does it matter?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Nice save. You still suck.”

“Tanner!” Alicia shoved him yet again. “Pirates. Spies. What the fuck. And then you never wrote to me? You stayed in touch with Jesse and Sanjay and not me? And the gunny?”

Lynette snorted, but couldn’t hold back the laugh.

“Janeka relayed a message through Lynette when I got picked up on Minos. I didn’t want to get in trouble,” he mumbled.