“Copy that,” Chayden said, without looking up. “I will fly like I’m hauling eggs.”

“Unless you run into League ships. Then you better fly like your life depends on it.”

“’Cause it does,” Chayden fearlessly finished for Nykyrian. “Again, copy that, Commander. Now, let me concentrate so I don’t miscalculate and wind up in the wrong galaxy or splattered against an asteroid.” He flashed a devilish grin.

One Nykyrian returned with a look that promised a painful death would be Chayden’s if he spoke another annoying word.

Hauk wedged himself between them and gently nudged Nykyrian back. “We’re all good here. You might want to go help the mothership with your unruly spawn.”

Nykyrian hesitated before he inclined his head to them. Turning around, he went back to where Thia and Darice were now both absorbed by their electronics. He paused to stare at his daughter, but Hauk knew what he was really doing. He was mentally assuring himself that she had everything she needed, and that she was properly fastened in.

Something Nykyrian verified for himself an instant later by tugging at her harness and double-checking the buckles before he left them.

Amused as hell, Hauk retracted the loading ramp behind him and closed the door.

Thia let out a tired sigh as she pulled her headphones from her ears to glare at the ramp her father had just used. “He really doesn’t think I can do anything for myself, does he?”

Hauk tsked at her as he double-checked the seal on the door. “Ah, Thee, this isn’t about your competence. It’s about his fear over his own.”

“How do you mean?”

Hauk glanced to Darice, who had them all completely tuned out. “It’s something you won’t understand until you have kids yourself. But don’t take it to heart, kisa. All of us still want to cut up your uncle Darling’s food before he eats it, and he runs his own empire.”

That succeeded in making her laugh. “Does he know this?”

“Yeah. And like you, he hates that we mother him.”

She fidgeted with the small MVM in her lap as she looked past Hauk, toward the flight deck. “You think I could sit up front for the launch? I’d like to learn to fly.”

Yeah, right.

“Uh… no.”

She curled her lip at him. “You’re just as horrible as he is. I’m not a child anymore, you know?”

“Trust me, we know. Why do you think I’m not letting you ride up front?”

Rolling her eyes in a way that would make Darice proud, she put the headphones back in her ears and turned the music up so loud that even a human would be able to hear it clearly across the room.

Satisfied the two of them were safe and occupied, Hauk returned to the flight deck, where Chayden was firing the engines. “Are they secured?”

“Yeah. Nyk tucked Thia in before he left.”

“Of course he did.” Chayden passed a wicked grin to Hauk. “I’d be just as bad, if not worse if I had a daughter that age. That pretty. She’s what? Twenty-two now?”