by Laurie Roma
The Dragon Warriors may have helped end the war on Tartarus, but Quilla Rego, the mastermind behind the slave trade that had spanned throughout Alliance-controlled space, escaped the planet before anyone could capture her. Quilla fled her home world, but that wasn’t the end of her quest for power.
As Roman and Maddox had spoken about, all of the races had been enraged when she had attacked New Vega, leaving dozens of bodies in her wake. After that, Quilla had traveled to Earth with the Tarin males who worked for her and a group of human mercenaries. The Alliance had been completely taken off guard, and the shield that protected Earth hadn’t kept their enemies out.
Light City had once been known for being the pinnacle of sophistication. The city had been filled with light and sound from an abundance of theaters, museums, parks, and businesses. But all of that changed when Quilla released the Genesis Project drug into the city’s water system and set aerosol traps, which led to more than half of the city going on a rampage.
Basically, she had turned Light City into a fucking war zone.
By the time the rest of the Alliance discovered what she had done, it had almost been too late to save the city. A couple of Strike Force Teams were sent in, but never came out. It had taken a group of Dragon Warriors and Quilla’s brother, Malik Rego, to take her down and stop the infection from spreading.
Roman had joined the Strike Force Teams and medicals that had been sent to Light City after the attack. Torn and mangled bodies littered the streets, the ground coated red with a macabre ocean of blood. The rescue teams had waded through that blood, searching for survivors. They found people who had avoided the water, hiding in sealed buildings that kept the aerosol version of the drug out of the vents. Unfortunately, there weren’t many.
Hundreds survived while thousands had died.
The only good to come from the attack had been the rest of the Tarins declaring a full treaty with the Alliance and their allies. The humans, Krytos, D’Aire, and the Helios had renewed their accord, and their relationship with the Dragon Warriors had become stronger than ever. Calling what the Alliance had with them an actual treaty was exceedingly optimistic, though, Roman was hopeful that was going to change.
Their region of known space was expanding, and they needed to ensure that it was safe. That someone like Quilla would never rise to power again. During the Ministry of Nations meeting, Roman hoped that all of the races could agree to strike down any common enemy they might have now and in the future. He also hoped that they could forge a treaty with the mysterious Xenon, and even bring the Reema under better control.
If that was even possible.
At the wall of windows in one of the lounges on the Stargazer, Roman stood with his legs braced apart and his arms folded across his chest as he looked out at the vast darkness of space. He had lived on this particular vessel for years while he’d been high commander, and he hadn’t realized how much he’d missed the damn place until he’d stepped back on board.
Now, the Stargazer was the vessel Jax traveled on with his family and the Strike Force Team that protected him. But the ship would always be Roman’s, at least, in his mind it would be. As would Matt Malloy’s team that used to be assigned to him. For a moment, he wished the Ministry of Nations meeting would be held on board this vessel, but he understood it had to be somewhere that at least felt neutral.
Over the years, the Delta Station had been equipped with everything needed to make each of the known races comfortable, making it one of the most lavish vessels in space. However, there was a problem with that. Only a select number of people even knew it existed, and though the Delta Station was always patrolling Alliance-controlled space in stealth mode, most would never see it with their own eyes in this or any other lifetime.
Each chancellor had been notified and informed about the purpose of the meeting, and they had the option of bringing up to four members with them. A delegation of five people from each of the races seemed easy enough to adhere to, though, the Delta Station crew were prepared to turn people away if need be.
The Reema chancellor would bring four guards with him, and probably push for more. He would be disappointed, because his other protectors would be turned away. He’d be even more irritated when he found out that the chancellors would be the only people attending the meeting in a closed room, but he would just have to deal.
The D’Aire chancellor had already sent word that he would be bringing his keeper and three guards to protect her. The Krytos chancellor had decided to come alone, and the Helios chancellor would only bring the head of her guard who also happened to be her daughter.
The Tarins hadn’t clarified who would be coming with Lord Malik Rego, but he really wouldn’t need any protection if he were traveling with Alexis Volis Tesera and her four Dragon Warrior mates. Even if only two of them came with her, they would be all that was needed to keep her safe. Still, as a Dragon Warrior herself, Alexis would be able to walk into the fires of hell alone and come out perfectly fine. She had also been human before her conversion, so Roman believed she would be an asset to the discussions.
No one was sure how many Xenon would be attending, and some of the council worried that inviting them had been a mistake. Roman didn’t agree. Why would the Xenon agree to join the others at the meeting if they didn’t want to bridge that divide and hear what everyone had to say?
Xenthian was an ancient world, but the planet had only recently been discovered since the Xenon had cloaked their presence for centuries. The Alliance was worried about the magic wielders, but Roman was excited to meet whoever they sent. A treaty between the Xenon and the Alliance would be beneficial to both races. Not to mention that a former Alliance commander was currently the soulmate of the Vasili—or king—of the entire planet. No matter the race, a male would be foolish to fight with his mate’s people.
Even though he had questions, Roman had to remind himself that he wasn’t going to the meeting as a participant. Unfortunately, the main tasks of being the mediator would be to keep all of the chancellors on topic, and to break up any arguments that might occur. Discussions between races could get heated, but the truth was, he had no idea how this particular gathering was going to go.
For centuries, humans had used the Ministry of Nations to keep the peace between countries when the world had still consisted of various continents. Then, it had transformed into a central organization that brought all humans together with the common goal of space exploration when the land masses had shifted, and the world changed. After the Zyphir attacked Earth, the Ministry had evolved again after the Alliance first met the D’Aire and the Krytos.
Now, the Ministry of Nations was changing again and taking on a new purpose.
It would be the first time all of the known races would gather together to discuss policies, allegiances, and actively set plans for future integration. There was always a chance for disaster even if Roman was hoping for success. A couple of the chancellors could decide they didn’t like one another, or one of them could disagree with the rest of the room—if he or she were homicidal. Then, there was the slim chance that someone wouldn’t show up.
And really, how the fuck was he supposed to keep magical beings in line when they could just send him out of the room if he got in their way? Or they could boot him into space. Wouldn’t that be fun?
“Ah...excuse me, Regent Newgate?”
Roman fought the urge to shake his head as he heard Matt Malloy’s tentative voice. Turning, he saw the commander standing in the doorway and gestured him forward with an impatient wave of his hand. “Seriously, Malloy? Deference after all these years? Did you hit your head or something?”
Looking sheepish, Matt walked into the room. When he came to a stop beside Roman, he lifted his right hand, hesitated, then tapped it to his chest quickly in a half-assed salute before muttering, “Shit—I mean, sorry...sir.”
“Stars, did you just...salute me? What in all the worlds is wrong with you?”
“I—” Huffing out
a breath, Matt shifted on his feet. “It might have been pointed out that some of us haven’t treated you like a regent since you became one.”
“You never even saluted me when I was high commander.”
“Well, that was...hell, you’re right,” Matt agreed with an awkward laugh.
“Malloy, you were a team member, then the commander of the Strike Force Team assigned to me when I was high commander for how many years?”
“I lost count.” Matt blew out an audible breath, then flicked a finger at one of Roman’s red sleeves. “I just have to...sorry, I see that freaking uniform, and it’s an automatic response. And you know that some of the other regents insist on the title. Hell, I bet some of them even ask their partners or chosens to call them that when they’re in their quarters. Please, for all that is good in the universe, don’t turn into one of those regents.”
“I’ll try,” Roman promised with a laugh. “Friends definitely do not need to salute me when there is no one else around. In public, it’s about acknowledging the uniform. Does that make sense?”
“Yeah, I get it.” Matt tilted his head to the side to crack his neck. “Sort of.”
“Why don’t we stick to salutes and titles when there are other elites around? When we’re in private, we can be less formal. But I’m still your boss.”
Matt grinned. “Yes, sir. And I remembered you’re still the same asshole that always beats me at galactic poker.”
“Thanks for the reminder. You still owe me fifty credits.”
“I don’t think it’s appropriate for a regent to take credits from a lowly commander.”
“Lowly, my ass.”
“There are so many things I could say to that, but I’m just going to leave it alone. And the fifty is in the container we sent to the Capital. It’s filled with stuff you left on board when you became regent and left us here.”
“You mean all of the stuff you guys borrowed from me over the years, and never gave back?”
“Something like that,” Matt said with a laugh. “You know what I miss most about you being on board? You were easier to work for than Jax. Seriously, did you have to leave me with him? I mean, come on!”
Roman snorted out a laugh. “Someone has to watch out for him. You are tasked with the job of making sure that nobody kills him.”
“Lucky me.” Matt sighed. “Sully is cool, and Serra is a joy to be around, even though talking to her makes me feel dumb most of the time. Jax doesn’t realize that his job description doesn’t include hostage rescues and universal warfare every day.”
“He just has to get used to the job, and you guys need to create new team dynamics. Speaking of the team...how is the new guy doing? What was his name again?”
“Lieutenant Oliver DeWitt. He’s doing okay, sort of,” Matt qualified. “After he lost his partner during the attack, he needed some time away from Light City, so he asked for a transfer. He’s lucky he survived, but I’m not sure he sees it that way.”
“Sometimes being left behind is worse.”
Matt winced. “Shit—I’m sorry to bring this up.”
“No need.” Roman felt lighter since he’d been on New Vega earlier, and he knew that it was time for him to put his own guilt and regret behind him for good. “Keep a close eye on him. The first few months are the hardest. He may want to be alone a lot, but you can gauge whether it’s helping or hurting him.”
“I’ve got a few guys training with Ollie, making sure he knows how our team works, but I’ll keep an eye on him. I think he might be considering a transfer off the teams. I was just with him and Caporele on the command deck, and he seemed interested in what the flight officers were doing. He might have to go back to Earth for further training if he wants to get into aeronautics, but if he’s happier, he should do it.”
“Would you like me to speak to him about his options?”
Matt hesitated before saying, “I think he just needs time away from everything right now. I’ll let you know if we’re not getting through to him. I think I’ll ask Grogan to speak to him, too, just not now. He and Regent Spartan are pretty pissed that the high commander of the Delta Station switched coordinates again a few hours ago. And you know that Commander Grogan doesn’t like regents on his ship...except you, of course.”
“Grogan is just used to me. Sometimes it seems like I’ve been flying with him for more years than you’ve had your uniform.”
“Ha. You may be old, but—” Matt skillfully stopped himself from going further with that line. “So, you don’t seem surprised that the Delta Station gave us another set of coordinates. Do you know who the high commander in charge is? Is it Valder or Clay-Kingston? I didn’t stick around to hear all of the details.”
“Clay-Kingston, and she probably had a good reason for switching the pick-up location. She wouldn’t do it just to fuck with us,” Roman explained as he took a seat on one of the plush chairs, stretching his long legs out in front of him.
“Yeah, I don’t think she’d want to piss you off,” Matt said as he made his way to the chair across from Roman. When he was seated, he rested his arms on his knees and clasped his hands together. “Or Spartan.”
“Which one?”
“Both. Pissing off Jax might be incentive enough, but maybe that’s just me.”
“Trust me, it’s not just you,” Roman said dryly. “This is why Megara alternates command of the Delta Station with Valder. They’re both crazy. You can’t always play by the rules if you’re primary objectives are to remain hidden and secure. And she’s never been someone who worries about pissing people off.”
“Only command can bend the rules that far. Then again, considering I came through a damn time rift, I guess you could say that I’ve been bending the rules since I was born,” Matt added with a laugh. “I’m surprised I haven’t been sent to the Mars penal colony by now, as one of their permanent guests or having the shit job of being stationed there. I probably have you to thank for that.”
“If you annoy me, I can still arrange to send you there.”
“Hell, no. If it comes to that, I’d rather be sent through another rift.”
Roman was reminded that Matt Malloy had suffered his own loss and had his own tragic past to deal with. Born on a vessel in deep space, Matt was from a different time, before the creation of the Alliance. The ship his family had lived on had accidentally entered a temporal rift that had created a fissure in space and time, and they had lost sixty years in a matter of seconds.
When the crew had arrived on Earth, the virus had wiped out everyone but Matt and another young girl. They had lost everyone and everything they had ever known, and they might not have survived without the enhancement drugs they’d been given.
Even though it had been years ago, seeing that Matt could laugh and jest about his painful past made Roman respect the younger man even more. Pushing the joke aside, he responded sincerely. “Matt, you are a man of rare integrity. I’m certain you will find yourself high commander someday. Even regent if you want it down the line.”
Matt blinked in surprise, then he shifted awkwardly and looked away even as color bloomed high on his pale cheeks. “Thanks, that means...” He paused for a moment and cleared his throat. “Thank you.”
Taking pity on him, Roman gladly shifted the subject back to something less emotional. Both men had green eyes, though, Matt’s were a few shades darker and looked to be weary with fatigue. Since Roman knew the younger man didn’t rest well in space, he fought to keep worry out of his voice. “Did you get any sleep?”
“A few minutes.” Matt shrugged. “I didn’t really expect to. Since we’re arriving early, I can go down once we’re on the Delta Station. Unless they moved again, which would just piss everyone off again. Speaking of events that have the potential to go catastrophically wrong, the real reason I came to see you was to tell you that Reva contacted me. They’re on their way, so it shouldn’t take them long to join us. Hell, they might get there before we do.”
“Why a
re they coming early?”
“I think Malik and Reva want to talk to you and Regent Spartan about what happened in Light City before the others ask about it. They’re bringing two of Malik’s brothers with them. I met them during our hunt for Quilla. They don’t talk about their connections much, but Darius is Malik’s oldest brother, and Lazio is their youngest. Darius is an honorable male, and pretty serious most of the time. Lazio is...” Matt paused for a moment, humor lighting his eyes. “Well, Lazio might take a little longer to get used to.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“He’s a Tarin warrior like the rest of them, though, sometimes he can be like a child on a sugar-high. You can tell him to shut it down, and most of the time, he listens.”
Roman barely held back a groan. “Great. You do remember that this is supposed to be a peaceful meeting, right? So, Lazio is the potential catastrophe?”
“Actually, no.” Stalling, he was definitely stalling. “So, here’s the thing. You know how Alexis Volis Tesera was supposed to be the Dragon Warrior chancellor?”
Roman frowned. “Supposed to be? Damn it, the Dragon Warriors aren’t coming?”
“Oh, no. They are. Well, one of them is. It’s just that...Reva told me that Alexis is pregnant again, and she—”
“How in all the worlds is that even possible? I know she has four mates, but didn’t she just have twins five seconds ago?”
“It was around the time Mya hooked up with the Adaro brothers. I remember, because Jax ranted about that for days. I don’t know how, though. Magic?” Matt supposed, then he sat back in the chair looking extremely uncomfortable. “Don’t ask me about that shit. It gives me hives.”
Roman studied him for a long moment. “You are very strange.”
“No, I’m just a man trying to avoid anything to do with pregnancy, babies, matings, or bonding.” He pulled at the collar of his uniform. “It’s self-preservation, and frankly, harder than you would think. It’s why I haven’t chosen a partner either, and now, shit...I keep forgetting you’re a damn regent. But you won’t tell anyone I’m actively avoiding all of that. No, of course you won’t, because we’re pals, right?”