Lost Among the Stars
Copyright© 2025 by Sol Tangoran
Chapter 26: An Alliance on the Edge of War
The galaxy was shifting.
For the first time in history, the Kha’reli and the Narn—through me—had made tentative peace. But trust was fragile, and the warlords’ patience even more so.
As I returned to the G’Tarok, my mind raced. Had I just signed my own death warrant? The Kha’reli weren’t known for diplomacy. They respected strength, not words. If Va’karr thought I was deceiving him, this alliance would be over before it began.
But there was no time to dwell on doubts.
Because the universe wasn’t waiting.
### A Moment of Peace
Back aboard the ship, the tension was thick. Tor’Vek looked like he was about to punch a bulkhead. “I still don’t trust them,” he growled. “And I sure as hell don’t trust you alone in a room with that warlord again.”
“Noted,” I said. “But for now, we need them.”
Sa’Kari watched me with her calculating gaze. “If this alliance is to hold, you will need someone to ... smooth things over.”
“Someone like you?” I asked.
She tilted her head. “Perhaps.”
Ny’Vara snorted. “Or someone a little more likable.”
I smirked. “You volunteering?”
She flicked her tail. “No, but someone has to keep you from getting yourself killed.”
That was Ny’Vara—sarcastic, sharp, but always watching my back. She was the kind of woman who’d rather take on a squad of soldiers than admit she cared. But I’d caught the way she tensed when I went on that ship. The way her golden eyes lingered on me a second too long.
I wasn’t blind.
But there was another problem.
Because Sa’Kari had been watching me too.
### The Dance of Fire and Ice
Later that night, I found myself on the observation deck, staring out into the void. The weight of everything pressed down on me. The war. The alliance. The knowledge that something worse was coming.
I didn’t hear her approach, but I felt her presence.
Sa’Kari moved like a shadow, graceful and precise. “You shouldn’t be alone with your thoughts for too long, Captain. Dangerous things grow there.”
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