“She had eyes like storm clouds.” Ben.

The blue stripe on the purple helmet went almost unnoticed. The pilot struggled free and tossed her black hair. Heaven, Ben, and the pilot stood at the bottom of the ramp; the shuttle was cloaked, yet, the pilot had landed among the cover of trees.

The pilot smiled. “I am Zwi'Jar. Zwi for short. Down that street,” she said, pointing, “is a small house with no obstructions. You should have a clear view in all directions. We've made an extensive sweep and are almost certain the area is free. Nevertheless, we'll remain in orbit and continue monitoring.”

The pilot retrieved a leather satchel she had placed by her feet. Handing it over to Heaven, Zwi'Jar said, “A few guns and charges. Also, the key to the house. If you need anything, call. I'll come right away.”

“Thanks,” said Heaven.

The pilot donned her helmet and waved. “Got to go.”

Heaven pulled Ben into a slow stroll down the street. She heard and felt the shuttle lift away, but she did not look back. “Another hideout,” said Heaven with a sigh.

Ben replied, “We should be alright. I mean,” he pointed skyward, “they're right over us.”

They came to the small house. White paint, window planters, and a cute front porch were its humble hallmarks. Ben reached out for support and sat without grace on the front step. With a hand on his head, Ben exclaimed, “Whoa!”

Heaven sat close beside him, putting the satchel away and reaching to lend comfort. “What is it?” she asked in alarm.

Ben shook his head and stammered, “I didn't know memories hurt so much.”

Attentive, Heaven said, “Tell me before you forget.”

Ben looked up, then closed his eyes as he looked into the memory. “Theesana,” he said. “I see her head in my lap. She has a bump on her head. I can't believe Cosmo would hit a woman.”

“What else?” asked Heaven.

Ben looked at Heaven and blinked. “Gray-brown skin, soft, cool, iridescent. Chocolate hair. She had eyes like storm clouds, moving, shifting. I see her in a high seat in a big room full of people. The Nashtatra.” Ben shook his head. “We. Well, maybe I shouldn't tell you that part.”

Heaven sat back with a pout on her lips. She slapped Ben on the arm. “You best not be flirting in your memories. Well, come on. Let's get inside. The twins are bringing groceries.”

Ben smiled. “Alright! Spaghetti!”

Heaven pulled him to his feet. “Of course,” said she.

“Aggi! Affe!” Ben called in a loud happy voice.

He ran to the Bergs. Each held a tote brimming with grocery items. Affe reached out and slapped Ben on the shoulder. “There you are,” he said.

Aggi rubbed the other shoulder and smiled. Ben said, “I'm glad you're back.”

Heaven came from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. The twins walked around Ben, who quickly closed the door, and followed.

Aggi waved a document over her head. “We've been called back, but not right away.”

Heaven hugged Aggi and took the tote. “I knew you'd be OK,” she said.

Ben exclaimed, “Wow! That's great.”

Affe turned and pressed his tote into Ben's arms. “Yeah, big sigh.”

“Let's sit in the kitchen,” said Heaven. “I'm making coffee.”

That evening, Ben stood in the kitchen door wiping up the last spaghetti sauce from his plate. Heaven stood with the twins by the front door. Heaven spoke softly to them; their reactions told Ben the conversation was both urgent and important. He would not interrupt Heaven in her duties. Besides, he had told his story to the twin's delight. Heaven touched her wrist comm to each of theirs and they left.

Darkness surrounded the small house. The heating kicked in and Ben could smell burning dust. He felt as though he had hurried in the bathroom only for Heaven to take forever. How silly of him to miss her. She was just in the other room. The small sofa faced the wall-mounted streamer, but Ben did not feel like watching it.

Heaven walked from the bathroom drying her hair with a towel. Her uniform top fell over her belt and the bottom button was unfastened. Her free-flowing hair could not have been more perfect. Ben felt as though he saw an angel. He stood and Heaven smiled.

As she approached, Heaven said, “She was right about the view, but they should have put up some exterior lighting.”

“Will we be alright?” asked Ben.

“We should be,” replied Heaven throwing the wet towel around her shoulders.

She stood just in front of Ben, and Ben could smell the shampoo. “You smell sweet,” said Ben.

Heaven draped her arms across Ben's shoulders and looked hard into his eyes. Ben waited for Heaven's words. “Theesana is the past,” said Heaven. “You and me, we're now. It's just us. Got it?” Ben nodded.

Heaven leaned in and placed her lips against his. He felt it throughout his entire body. At first wide-eyed, Ben's eyes slowly closed. He wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her close, lost in the moment.

They rose before the sun. Ben stumbled from his room yawning and rubbing his face. “I miss my pajamas,” he complained.

Heaven, fully dressed, tossed her coat on the sofa and turned to Ben. She gave him a quick hug and said in his ear, “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

Ben blinked repeatedly; his eyes felt heavy and dry. Heaven hooked a finger in his belt and led him into the kitchen. She tapped on the lights and the brewing machine. Ben sat and yawned. The rich smell of coffee touched his nostrils, he inhaled deeply and smiled.

“I love coffee,” he said.

Heaven had pans on the heating unit. She felt around in the cooling unit for bacon and eggs. “Don't just sit there,” she said to Ben. “Make some toast.”

“Right,” said he, rising. “They don't eat toast on Nashtatra.”

“Is that so?” asked Heaven as she laid strips of bacon in the heated pan.

Finishing a large and satisfying yawn, Ben said, “They have toasted crackers.”

Heaven chuckled. “Toast by any other name,” she said.

Without warning, Heaven's wrist comm sounded a shrill alarm, startling Ben fully awake. He walked to Heaven. The alarm sounded a second time. Ben and Heaven locked eyes, question marks between them. A loud voice issued from the comm, it was an anxious female voice. “Run! Run now! Hurry!”

Heaven tapped off the heating element and ran from window to window, even though it was too dark to see. She donned her coat and placed the charged weapons behind her belt.

“Cut off the lights,” she said to Ben.

Ben hastily complied, and they met by the kitchen door, where they clasped hands.

Heaven whispered, “There's a lake west of here, through the woods. They have cabins. Follow me.”

Holding Ben's hand, Heaven cracked the back door and drew one of her weapons. She looked in all directions while her eyes still adjusted to the dark. She took a careful pace down three cement steps.

“Where's your coat?” she asked.

Ben answered. “I don't have one. Remember?”

“This way,” she said. Slightly crouched, Heaven led Ben toward the dark impression of trees. “When we get into the trees, run like hell.”

She disliked the sound of dry pine needles beneath her feet, but Heaven pressed on. She had her bearings, yet, it was still so dark. Ben walked beside her, clasping her hand. He wanted to speak, ask questions, but he dared not, as he felt her sense of urgency.

Heaven dropped her hand. “Now,” she said in a quiet voice. “Run.”

Ben tried running on his toes, but the sound of dry pine needles was tell-tale loud. He could run much faster but chose to keep pace with Heaven. Ben took note of light in the starry sky as the sun rose in the east; he could smell the lake ahead of them.

“Do I get a gun?” he asked.

“I'll let you know,” said Heaven. “Try to keep up.”

Ben smiled to himself. “You're in good shape. You must run a lot.”

Heaven, somewhat testy, answered, “We're running for our lives. How can you be so chatty?”

Ben replied, “I can run and talk at the same time.”

Heaven said in a stern command, “Mouth shut. Eyes and ears open.”

Ben asked, “How do they keep finding us?”

“Damn it, Ben!” said Heaven. A moment later, she said, “Sam thinks they put a tracker in your body.”

“We should try to find and remove it, don't you think?” asked Ben.

Winded, Heaven replied, “We will. Just keep running. We have to find somewhere to hide.”

They came to a broad treeless area with walkways and benches. Heaven strode to the nearest cabin and kicked in the door, happy that she did not have to embarrass herself with a second kick. “Hurry,” she said to Ben.

Ben entered. “What if we wake the occupants?”

“The camp is out of season,” answered Heaven. “Help me block the door.”

They pulled over the heavier furniture and wedged each piece against the door. Then Heaven tapped on her comm. A moment later came the sleepy voice of Affe. “Ja.”

Heaven said, “I'm going to need that ride. West of Lake Kaneq. There's a store on the west bank. An inn farther up. Hurry.”

“Gotcha,” said Affe. The connection ended.

Heaven took a deep breath and exhaled. She said to Ben, “Let's check all doors and windows.”

Ben could physically feel Heaven's anxiety. He raced to the windows, placing cabin furnishings before them. There was a back door, Ben helped Heaven move the cooling unit and kitchen table to block it. Heaven ran to the southern and east-facing windows. The rising sun gave her a clear view. If they arrived on foot, they would approach from the east and the south.

“There,” said Ben, pointing through the eastern window.

Heaven saw the murky shadows of tall aliens moving among the trees. She estimated some thirty to fifty assailants. Heaven took the spare weapon from her belt and pressed it into Ben's hand. “We have extra charges,” she said.

The solid log construction of the cabin took the brunt of alien fire. Even the more powerful weapons did little damage. Heaven returned fire from behind a tall bedroom cabinet leaned against her window. Ben stood behind an upended sofa and made good use of the alien's timing flaw.

The aliens marched forward in a line, alternating fire. Glass and sofa stuffing exploded past Ben as he leaned casually aside and returned fire from the eastern window. Heaven had more trouble returning fire as the alien firing pattern kept her pinned in a crouch.

Ben saw an alien in the back ranks testing a flame thrower. “They have flame throwers,” said Ben.

“That won't do,” said Heaven. She got off a shot and crouched. “Can you take it out?”

Ben shot the flame thrower causing a large explosion. Bodies flew into the air trailing fire, but those in the front ranks continued their inexorable march. A shadow came past the tree line, and an alien craft settled over the ranks. It fired on the cabin and the cabin shook.

“Damn!” said Heaven. “What was that?”

Suddenly, a bolt from the sky shattered the craft into flaming shards. It fell into the left flank of the advancing aliens. In a brief and confused pause of enemy fire, Ben took down eight of them.

Ben called to Heaven, “Is that the Mar'Shilae? You should call the pilot. She said she'd come right away.”

Heaven stood to fire. When she did, the window frame exploded inward, the wrist comm on her arm sprayed bright sparks, and she fell to her back. Heaven's alarmed cry brought Ben quickly to her side. He removed the ruined communication device and saw that Heaven's skin was singed, though not badly. By the time he returned to the eastern window, the old line had been replaced by a new. Some sixteen aliens marched on the cabin alternating fire.

“I'll check the other windows,” Heaven called.

She raced away as Ben continued to drop aliens in the front line. He was rocked by an explosion from overhead. He saw what was left from an alien craft fall into the tree line and explode a second time. Then he heard Heaven firing through one of the north-facing windows. They were surrounded, yet, they had the assistance of the Mar'Shilae. Ben was not yet worried. He ran to the eastern window in a side room and shot five aliens.

Ben returned to the front and fired through both windows. He heard Heaven call from the back of the house. “There're too many of them!”

“What about the lake?” called Ben. “We should make a run for it.”

Ben could hear strafing shots from the Mar'Shilae. They were loud and struck the earth outside the cabin in a thunderous manner. He also heard a different kind of firing, the kind that would come from a smaller ship closer at hand. The aliens were tied up. It was time to make a break.

Ben broke the glass of a western window and climbed through. He helped Heaven through and crouched; they ran for the lake.