“Close the door,” he commanded. “Wait for me. I’ll only be a moment.”
He dressed quickly. Next to his uniform, Dia’s evening gown lay on the floor, shimmering in the meager light of the moon filtering through their window. He sighed. The night had been spectacular. He’d enjoyed it, mainly because Dia had been with him, looking like an angel in her silver gown, charming generals and influential men and their wives, a perfect complement to his more reserved demeanor. For once he hadn’t felt like an outcast at a social gathering. He’d been less focused on others, and spent his evening enjoying her company. It made the entire thing more bearable.
Now, some idiot from his platoon had gone and ruined the night, dragging him from his warm bed with his wife.
He met the captain in the hall and followed him silently to the banquet hall.
He heard the riot before he saw it—the sound of breaking glass and splintering wood, curses and the thud of fists against flesh. Clenching his teeth, Onyx approached the horde of drunken, brawling soldiers.
Filling his lungs with air, he allowed his voice to carry in a way he never had before.
“Enough!”
It bellowed across the room, louder than even the music, bringing all activity to an almost instant halt. It was a skill he’d never needed before—a necessity for the Ethelenians, who often had to speak loudly to be heard over the whipping winds whistling over the sand dunes of their planet. It was yet another one of those things that made him ‘unnatural’ to them. It had come in handy, though.
The crowd of guilty-looking men all turned toward him. Most of them were his men, as the specialist had reported, and seemed to realize how much trouble they were in the moment they laid eyes on him.
In their midst was his newly-promoted first lieutenant, Cronius March. The sight of him, so drunk he could barely stand, his face and knuckles bruised, filled Onyx with fury.
And they call me a barbarian.
“Have you all gone insane?” he said, more quietly this time. “We are guests in Avaron, and this is how you behave? I am ashamed to claim you as part of my squadron.”
Heads hung in embarrassment; not one of them responded. Turning, he found his ensign coming toward him from across the room. Unlike the others, he was untouched, and didn’t appear drunk.
“Captain,” he said as the man reached his side. “Tell me what happened here.”
Isaias cleared his throat, hands clasped behind his back. “I wouldn’t want to speak against my fellow soldiers, sir. Please don’t ask me to do that.”
Onyx understood the camaraderie that existed between his soldiers. To ask his ensign to snitch on them would only make him a pariah. They’d never let him live it down.
He sighed. “Very well. I want you to oversee the men as they clean up this mess they made.” He turned to glance at the bedraggled bunch. “No one leaves until every piece of glass and broken furniture has been picked up. My ensign will be responsible for ensuring the job is done.” He turned back to Isaias. “Take the day off tomorrow, you’ve earned it. Thank you.”
“For what, sir?”
“For not following the crowd,” he replied. “I appreciate that.”
Glaring at his first lieutenant, who looked as if he wished the floor would open up and swallow him, Onyx scowled. Having his sleep interrupted had him in a foul mood.
“Lieutenant March!”
Cronius stepped forward and saluted. “Sir?”
“I want to see you first thing in the morning. Come in uniform.”
Several pairs of eyes fixed on Cronius, many in pity. His conduct had put him in a world of trouble, and almost everyone there knew what would come next.
The lieutenant would be decommissioned.
❦
Isaias watched the last of the men trickle from the banquet hall just before sunrise. They made a pitiful sight, but he couldn’t feel sorry for them. Things had happened just the way he’d planned, and now he had an opening to influence events further.
He stood and stretched, crossing the room toward Lieutenant March, the last man in the room apart from him.
“Are you all right, sir?” he asked, putting on his ‘concerned’ mask again.
Cronius sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “I’m ruined,” he murmured, not meeting Isaias’ gaze. “My career is over.”
He clapped the officer on the shoulder. “Don’t think that way. Maybe the major has gotten some sleep and will be in a better mood this morning. It’s not too late to fix this.”
Cronius shook his head. “Everyone knows that once he makes his mind up about something, there is no changing it. Besides, I have no right to make demands of him after what I did. I shouldn’t have let that guy get me all riled up. I don’t even know him! The whole thing was my fault. Drinking… it does things to me, and I knew better.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Isaias encouraged. “You’re a man, and men make mistakes. That might be hard for an Ethelene to understand, but… hmmm…”
“What?” Cronius asked when he trailed off.
Isaias tapped his chin with his index finger and pretended to think it over. “Well, I was just thinking… the major is stubborn, but there is one person he listens to. His wife.”
“Dia? I don’t think involving her is a good idea.”
“Why not? I heard her telling my wife how grateful she was that you comforted her when the major was missing. I’m sure she’d be happy to speak to him on your behalf. If you can make an ally of her, it will go better for you.”
Cronius frowned, considering. “Maybe you’re right.”
“Just think about it, okay? In the meantime, you’d better go get cleaned up before your meeting with the major.”
Cronius grasped his shoulder before he could walk off, and gave it a squeeze. “Thank you. I appreciate your kindness. The major is lucky to have you as his ensign.”
Isaias forced a smile and fought the urge to drive his fist through the face of the man occupying a job that should have been his.
“Anytime.”
He and the lieutenant exited the hall together, parting ways at the door. He ran into Reid on his way to his own chamber.
“There you are,” Reid mumbled, obviously still drunk. “What the hell is the point of your little plan if I’m going to get in trouble and possibly lose my rank?”
Isaias scowled at him, a reminder to lower his voice. “Don’t be an idiot. You may have a few weeks of extra duty, but nothing worse. You’re enlisted, not an officer, so no one expects much from you, anyway. The point was to get Lieutenant March decommissioned, and from the looks of things, he will be. Look, I haven’t steered you wrong yet, have I? Just trust me.”
Reid blinked at him, eyes unfocused. “Yeah… yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“Now go take a shower and sleep it off,” Isaias grumbled. “You smell like a brewery and you look like crap.”
Reid stumbled off to do his bidding, just another puppet on the strings Isaias manipulated masterfully. Honestly, they all made it so easy.
❦
Dia pushed her rationed breakfast around on her plate, staring down at the cold food listlessly. After waking up that morning to find her husband in a foul mood, she didn’t have much of an appetite.
After telling her about the incident that had taken him away from bed last night, Onyx had informed her that he intended to strip Lieutenant March of his commission—a revelation that had horrified her. Cronius March had been a longtime friend of her family, and he wasn’t much older than her brother had been. Aside from that, she’d lost said brother in the same Virus X outbreak he’d lost his wife to. All the families of the dead had gone through dark times, but none darker than Cronius. His wife had been pregnant when the virus took her, and Dia had always admired him for carrying on so bravely after losing his entire family.
She’d tried to talk Onyx out of his rash decision, but he hadn’t been in the mood to argue with her. He’d dressed qu
ickly in his uniform and left to meet with Cronius. Even though the decision had been made, she still hoped there was something she could do to help.
“Are you all right?” Ellena appeared at her side, a look of concern on her face.
Dia shrugged, pushing her plate aside. “Didn’t sleep well last night, and Onyx is in a nasty mood today.”
Ellena took the chair next to her, her eyes glittering with excitement at the prospect of gossip. “Did it have anything to do with what happened last night after we left the party? I heard there was a riot.”
Dia sighed. “I heard the same thing. Onyx says the whole thing was started by Lieutenant March, of all people.”
Ellena shrugged. “Well, that explains it.”
“Explains what?”
“The lieutenant came to me just half an hour ago asking me to bring you to him. He wanted to talk to you. Maybe he thinks you can help him get in good with the major.”
Dia ran a hand through her hair and rested her elbow against the table, then her head on her hand. “I don’t know if I can do much.”
“Well, maybe you should see him anyway. He seems really messed up over it.”
Dia stood and carried her tray to the closest trashcan. She felt a certain responsibility to Cronius for some reason—maybe because the plague of Virus X had intertwined their lives in a way. She understood his loss, and realized it must have something to do with his bizarre behavior the night before. Starting a fight just seemed so unlike him.
“Where is he?”
“Hanging out in my chambers,” Ellena answered. “Isaias is gone for the day, so he’s there alone. Now’s the perfect time to talk to him.”
“Let’s go, then,” Dia replied.
The two navigated the winding halls of Avaron’s main hub until they reached the officers’ quarters. Ellena and Isaias’ chamber was just across the hall from the quarters she shared with Onyx. They entered the room to find the glass door leading out to the small balcony open. Cronius stood leaning against the rail, his head lowered and his shoulders slumped.
“I’ll stay in here and give you two a moment,” Ellena offered.
Dia left her in the small common area of the little apartment and stepped out onto the balcony behind Cronius.
“Lieutenant,” she said.
He turned to face her, his face haggard and pinched. He looked as if he hadn’t slept a wink since the night before.
“Dia,” he answered, forcing a smile. “I’m glad you could come. I hope I’m not getting in the way of any plans you might have had today.”
Shutting the balcony door behind her, she joined him against the rail. “Of course not. I had hoped I’d run into you anyway. How are you holding up?”
Cronius exhaled on a heavy sigh and shook his head. “Major Onyx is still very angry with me, as well he should be. I made a real mess of things last night.”
“Nonsense,” she countered. “My husband might have a temper and a no-nonsense approach to leading, but he’s smart enough to know that people make mistakes. I think that in time, he’ll come to his senses and forgive you.”
Cronius shook his head. “I don’t know about that. During our meeting he informed me that he is going to approach his C.O.s about stripping me of my command when we return to Napet. I’ll be lucky if they don’t bust me all the way down to warrant officer.”
Dia reached out to touch his shoulder in a comforting gesture. “I won’t let that happen. Try to stay out of his way while we’re here, and I’ll work on him a bit. I know Onyx, Cronius, and he’s… well, sometimes I think the anger gets to him.”
Cronius nodded. “That’s understandable. He’s a foreigner in a foreign place, and has been treated with far less respect than he deserves. I made him look bad last night, and that is unforgivable. He has a hard enough time fitting in as it is.”
“Nothing is unforgivable,” she declared. “He will understand once I explain the circumstances.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Of course I do. Virus X took a toll on us all. You can’t be the only man who took comfort in alcohol after losing family members.”
He shook his head. “That’s why I’d sworn off drinking. I don’t know what I could have been thinking last night. I haven’t had a drop of alcohol in over a year.”
“If you promise me that it won’t happen again, I will do everything I can to make him go easy on you,” she offered.
“Oh, I swore off drinking again last night. That man who started the riot isn’t the kind I ever want to be.”
Dia took both his hands in hers and gave them a squeeze. “You aren’t that man. I have known you since I was a little girl. You’re a good man, and I think you’re a great officer.”
“You’ve grown into a kind, beautiful young woman. Your father must be so proud.”
Thinking of his anger over her hasty marriage, Dia bit her lip and stifled a laugh.
❦
Chapter 7
“Is everything ready for the meeting with Avaron’s captains tomorrow evening?”
Onyx posed the question while distractedly rifling through a stack of files. Even though he’d given Isaias the day off, the ensign had still reported to the office he’d been appointed to while in Avaron to assist him with his tasks for the day—insisting that he had nothing better to do than help Onyx. It was one of the many reasons he’d chosen him for the post of ensign. He had proven to be a valuable asset.
“Yes, sir,” Isaias replied, giving the checklist on his clipboard a cursory glance. “If you don’t need me at the meeting, I plan to spend tomorrow preparing for our journey back to Napet.”
Onyx nodded, rising from his place at the desk and stretching his cramped muscles. They’d been at it for hours. “Is there anything you don’t think of? That would be great.” Glancing down at his watch, he frowned. “I’m sorry, I’ve kept you through lunch. Maybe we should have something sent up.”
Isaias smiled. “Already done.”
“Good, because I’m starving. Let’s take a break while we wait for the food to come.”
Striding toward one of the large floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the citadel around them, Onyx stared out into the bright afternoon. Encased in a massive dome, the space-station was a jumble of buildings practically standing on top of each other, with the main hub at the center. The hub stood in a tall cylinder, with various wings branching off like the tentacles of an octopus. Each tentacle was visible to the ones on either side because of the windows. From here, they had a bird’s eye view of their living quarters.
“How is Ellena liking Avaron?” he asked.
Isaias joined him at the window, hands clasped behind his back. “She seems to be enjoying it with Dia along for company. It was a good idea, bringing them. If Ellena is left on her own for too long, she’s liable to get into trouble. I like to keep an eye on her.” He squinted and cocked his head to the side, seeming to spot something across the arcade below them. “Oh, there she is right there, standing out on the balcony… and with some random guy, too. See what I mean?”
Onyx squinted, following Isaias’ pointing finger to the part of the building directly across from them. The windows of the officers’ quarters faced them, their balconies jutting out in neat little rows. He found a male and female standing on the balcony he’d indicated, but frowned when he took a closer look.
“That’s not Ellena, that’s Dia… and Lieutenant March. And what kind of trouble?”
Isaias cleared his throat. “My bad, I thought it was Ellena. That is our room. Anyway, don’t worry about it. Dia probably came over to hang out and March might have already been there. Ellena is always… entertaining… when I’m not around.”
Onyx’s stomach turned at Isaias’ insinuation. Was that the sort of behavior an officer should expect from his wife? He knew that most marriages these days were made for the purpose of repopulation, but he and Dia were in love. Just because Ellena fooled around behind Isaias’
back didn’t mean Dia would follow the same pattern.
“I should talk to Dia about it,” he murmured. “No offense, but I don’t want Dia ‘entertaining’ anyone when I’m not around.”
“None taken. It’s not as if I’ve been entirely faithful, I have to admit. But everyone can see you and Dia are crazy about each other. It’s just… well, Cronius March… ah, I shouldn’t say anything.”
Onyx felt a premonition creeping up his spine as he turned to face his ensign. “Anytime a man has something to say, but neglects to say it, it is usually because he fears the outcome. Trust me, you don’t have to fear my reaction to anything you have to say. You’ve always been honest with me, and I appreciate that. What do you know about Lieutenant March that I don’t?”
“He is a fine officer, well qualified for his post,” Isaias replied, as if reading from a script.
“And as a man?” he prodded.
Isaias shrugged. “As I said last night, sir, it wouldn’t be right for me to snitch on a fellow officer. I think his actions last night spoke for themselves.”
Onyx glanced back across to the balcony, his heart slamming against his ribs as Dia reached out to grasp both of Cronius’ hands. She smiled up at him and laughed, and he imagined the sound, clear and high like the chiming of a bell.
“So you’re saying…”
Isaias’ hand came up to his shoulder and squeezed. “Well, a man who lets alcohol rule his life is unstable and unpredictable. One day he’s starting fights, the next he’s sneaking around to visit the wives of other officers. But, hey, don’t listen to me. I tend to be naturally suspicious of people.”
“That’s because people aren’t always what they appear to be. There’s nothing wrong with being cautious.”
“No, sir, there is not. Maybe you should just watch and see what happens. Don’t say anything, just observe their behavior. It’s what I would do.”
A knock sounded on the office door, indicating their lunch had arrived. Isaias gave him another pat on the shoulder, then went to answer it, leaving Onyx standing at the window alone. Despite his best attempt at ignoring the foreboding feeling burning low in his gut, he couldn’t push it away as he watched his wife smile and laugh with another man.
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