This week’s snippet is from the Epsilon universe.
Sam Cooper is Lucas Ross’s second in the Resistance. Mac Desantis is Aaron Taylor’s pilot and temporary partner while he’s assigned to the Borderworlds, doing what the regular military can’t–supporting the Resistance in their bid to keep the Borderworlds free from the Imperium.
A funny thing happened when Sam met Mac.
They fell in love.
This never-before-seen scene is an imagining of a could be scenario that doesn’t fit into the current scheme of projects in the universe but I can’t help but share.
Snippet below the break.
“You know, I can never seem to stop thinking about how stupidly dangerous what I do is,” Mackenzie said quietly, staring at the ceiling as he sat on the floor next to the bunk. “I’m out here using my real name to help the Resistance and my boss is an Alliance spy that’s using his real name to do the same thing.”
“In your boss’s defense, his real name might get him killed in the Resistance,” Sam said, rolling onto her side above him and draping one arm across his chest. “You okay? You don’t usually wax philosophical like this.”
“Yeah, well, Wil and Dr. Ross don’t usually go off by themselves, either.” Mackenzie sighed and looked up at her. “You ever think of what would happen if I got recalled tomorrow? If they wanted me to go home and take another post?”
Her nose wrinkled and she looked away. “I try not to. I don’t want to think about it. I know it’ll eventually happen, but I can’t—I won’t think about it. Not until the day it happens.”
“What if I asked you to come with me?” he asked softly.
She looked at him sharply. “What?”
“If that day ever came, what would you do if I asked you to come with me?”
“I—” she cut herself off, hesitating. Sam sat up slowly, chewing on her lower lip and turning the possibilities over in her mind. “I don’t know, Mac. I guess…I guess it would depend on the circumstances. There’s no real guarantee that they’d let me immigrate at this point. I might never get citizenship. They might even send me back out here.”
He stared at the wall, brow furrowed. “There are ways to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“I’m sure that my application to the Academy’s expired by now, Mac, if that’s what you’re talking about.” She exhaled quietly. “Besides, if I decided to do that, I’d be stuck on Epsilon for at least four years and then who knows where I’d end up posted.”
“That…that wasn’t what I was getting at, Sam.”
“Then what were you—”
“Marry me.”
Sam sat there, blinking, staring at him. There was raw emotion in his eyes, only half smothered by the seriousness of his expression. “Mac—”
“Look, don’t say no just because you think I’m doing it so you’ll have a way to run to the Alliance if things go sideways out here. I’m not—”
“I know you’re not asking because of that,” she whispered. “I know that, Mac.” She slid off the bed and sat next to him, leaned against him. He put his arm around her and squeezed her tightly. “I would marry you any day of the week and twice on Sunday.”
“Good,” he said. “Let’s go find Father Alex.”
“Right now?”
“Do you really want to wait until Dr. Ross gets back here and finds a way to surgically remove my balls for daring to ask for your hand without his permission?”
She smiled, eyes stinging a little. “You’re right. Let’s go find Father Alex. And Ren.”
“Ren?”
“Someone’s got to witness this, Mac. Otherwise it’s not official.” She kissed him lightly and got up. “Do you have a ring for me?”
Mackenzie blushed and dug it out of his pocket. “I’ve had it since after Castion.”
It wasn’t anything that spectacular—just a platinum band with a wine-colored garnet sunk into it. She kissed him again as he slid it onto her finger. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.
“So are you.” He squeezed her hand and let her lead him off the ship in search of friends and Father Alex to get the job done.
Don’t miss the first appearances of Mackenzie Desantis, Samantha Cooper, and their cohorts in Epsilon: Broken Stars.
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