Space Soap Opera!

I'm STILL not serializing this book.

White House Marine Guard commander Daryl Price appeared in time to witness Colonel Clarke’s wife Lorretta arriving in an aircar on the Oval Office patio.

Lorretta’s on-call CH Banks bodyguard pulled Brandon and Captain Price into a pow-wow on the topics of anticipated threat level, distribution of fighting drone assets, and whether to eat lunch now or later.

Captain Price told Brandon, “I don’t mind tagging along for the party, but I thought you were functioning as the President’s shadow.”

Brandon said, “I’ll be right there, and that was my intention, but I’ll leave it up to you. She and I are on a date.”

Kevin, Loretta’s bodyguard, said, “Way to go, Mr. Lopez, sir.”

The mini-spaceboat carried eight occupants in four rows, separated by a narrow center aisle. Captain Price and Kevin the bodyguard took the front, Colonel and Mrs. Clarke next, Brandon and Carmen, back row.

The spaceboat’s Oma thanked Captain Price for attending the pilot’s seat saying, “This one is compelled by experience to practice caution.”

The boat popped out of N-Space a kilometer off Ruksa Zila’s port bow. The sun glowed from the east under blue skies and puffy clouds. A mild ocean chop shuffled mirror pools from peak-to-valley, the glare almost too harsh to look at.

Amil Leyta’s historic flying residence meandered lazily windward, a towering obsidian axe, sharp edge down, capped with soil, trees, a lake, a stream, a waterfall, and buildings.

Captain Price yawed the boat. His passengers gaped. Carmen breathed the word, “Wow.”

Brandon leaned across the aisle to gaze over her shoulder, catching a scent he recognized by name — ‘Beautiful’ by Estee Lauder.

Carmen rested a hand on his forearm. “This’ll be a tough act to follow for a second date.”

Electricity flowed up his shoulder. He said, “There’s a lot to see on Jivada if you can take time away from work.”

She looked in his eyes, lips close enough to kiss. “I’ll make the time.”

Captain Price hovered at two-hundred meters, waiting for another spaceboat to vacate a landing spot. He spoke without turning around. “Two minutes.”

Brandon took a chance and stole the kiss. He said, “If there’s music, we should dance.”