by Neal Jones
Now they were both stationed on Exxar-One, and Marc was stopping by the commander's quarters after hours with a bottle of Scotch.
Karri knew that now was not the time to bring up this sticky subject, but her mind chewed on it like a DrayH'M jungle cat tearing apart a carcass. She and Marc had both agreed that their relationship was one free of commitment and direction. Either of them was free to end it at any time without any regret or fear of retribution from the other. The fact that they both wanted the same thing, that they were of the same mind, was what made the relationship work so well. It also ensured that neither would place his/her career in jeopardy because of personal feelings for the other. They were professionals, and they knew how to balance their job and their personal lives.
Except...
No, no 'except'. There was no reason that the presence of Commander Decev should bother Karri. If Marc chose to end things with her in order to pursue a relationship with Mariah, that was his prerogative. This is exactly why you wanted to be with him in the first place, Karri, she scolded herself. You didn't want all that bullshit that comes with commitment and exclusivity. You wanted a fat free relationship, and that's what you got. So why are you complaining?
The fact that she had no answer for herself bothered the science officer even more. Why was she so worried? There were plenty of other male officers available who would be happy to ignite a fire with her, and even a few female ones. Karri had never been one to experiment, but maybe if Marc was ready to move on then so should she. Commander Lee had been casting furtive glances at Benson during the staff briefings - when she thought that Karri wasn't looking, of course – and Karri had to admit that Lee was very attractive.
Still...
There was something about Marc. Karri couldn't explain it, but ever since their first "date" – which had been over a year ago – she felt a kinship with him that was different from her past liaisons. It wasn't the fact that they had fucked each other before dinner. Karri had had many relationships that were based solely on sex, and only a select few of them had ended badly. No, this one was definitely different, and she had an unpleasant suspicion why that was.
She had developed more than a crush on her commanding officer.
Well, technically, he wasn't her commanding officer any more but that was beside the point. She had feelings for him. There was no other explanation for it. Somewhere along the way Karri had fallen into the old trap that often lay beneath the surface of these types of relationships. She should have seen it coming, should have been better prepared. God knows that she had been through enough of these "friends with benefits" pairings to know when it was best to cut and run. But she had become too comfortable in this particular liaison, had become lazy and blinded, and now she had fallen through the foliage and into a pit, where all she could do was pace in circles until someone came along to save her.
You could just save yourself, Kar, and end things now, before you get any deeper. It's best for both of you in the long run. The Dauntless isn't going to be docked here permanently and long distance never works for normal relationships, much less the ones like this.
"Shut up," Karri muttered as she channel surfed.
There really wasn't much on, and she should be going through her pile of daily paperwork that she brought home specifically to get caught up on so she wouldn't be behind tomorrow. But all she could think about was Marc, Mariah, and the bottle of Scotch.
( 5 )
Jennifer scowled once more as she turned her attention back to the list of employment ads. Emalie was splashing around in the bath tub, and Jennifer decided to give her a few more minutes before telling her it was time to get out. Emalie had been surprisingly good today, and Jennifer didn't want to ruin her daughter's good mood. She had taken Emalie to the promenade earlier that afternoon to do some shopping, and the little girl had been wide-eyed and terrified for the first ten minutes. More than two dozen alien species were represented in the thousands of civilians who were walking all four levels, and after awhile Emalie was pulling on her mother's arm like an anxious dog pulling on its leash because its master's walking too slow. Emalie had been fussy and moody yesterday, mainly because of the shift in time zones. It had been late afternoon local time when the Dauntless had docked, but it was well past midnight back home. It hadn't helped matters when Ben arrived home too late to read his daughter her favorite bedtime story, and Emalie ended up crying herself to sleep.
Today, however, was a different story. When the shopping was done, Jennifer bought them both ice cream cones, and then they went for a walk in the arboretum. Emalie insisted on picking a bouquet of Murdohn fire lilies, even though the signs clearly stated that no one was allowed to pick any flowers. The elderly groundskeeper, however, only smiled and gave his permission. Just this once. Dinner was pizza and brownies, followed by an extra-long bath.
Jennifer had started to plan menus for the rest of this week and the next, but her mind kept wandering to the list of want ads she had accessed last night while waiting for Ben to come home. Mrs. Rosenberg was many things, but a homemaker she was not. For one thing, the daily routine was simply too tedious, and Jennifer was certain that she would lose her mind if all she was ever responsible for was the same list of items day in and day out. A wife and mother needed something else, something outside the home that wasn't connected in any way to her family. Back on Mars, Jennifer had worked part time as an administrative assistant in a local accounting firm. Before that, she was a substitute teacher, and before that she had volunteered three days a week at a charity foundation.
Exxar-One was not bereft of civilian positions and/or opportunities. The ads were asking for everything from an accountant to a welder, and there were at least a dozen part time positions so far that looked promising. But Jennifer had begun to look at full time positions as well, and there were even more in this category that caught her eye. She had plenty of job experience in a variety of fields, and now that Emalie was in preschool, Jennifer had started wondering if it was time for a minor life change.
She glanced at the chrono and then walked into the bathroom. "Hey, boo, are you ready to get out?"
Emalie held up her hands and examined them with utter seriousness. "Yes," she said at last. "I'm wrinkly enough."
Jennifer smiled as she reached for the towel. Later, after she'd read two stories and sang one song, and after one glass of water, she told Emalie it was time for lights out.
"Can I wake up when Daddy gets home?" the girl asked, putting on her best beggar's face.
Jennifer relented. "Only for a few minutes."
Emalie was satisfied with that, and she lay back, tucking her threadbare frog beneath her chin and closing her eyes. Jennifer returned to the living room and plopped back into the chair behind her desk. The computer screen was still displaying its list of wants ads, and Jennifer saved the list to a folder before closing the window. This restlessness had been plaguing her since her husband's assignment to Mars, and the part time jobs weren't enough anymore. She and Ben had talked about giving Emalie a brother or sister, but every time the topic came up there was always four or five good reasons for why it was never the right time. But maybe now that Ben had been posted to an assignment that made him happy – and would last for at least three years - they could discuss having another baby again.
No, Jennifer thought as she walked into the kitchen, that isn't it. Yes, I'm willing to consider the option, but this is more than just empty nest syndrome. I need...I need...
She needed a career of her own.
The realization was not new. It had been slowly dawning on Jennifer for the last couple years. She had married young, followed her husband from one post to the next, and her only career had been keeping house and raising Emalie. And until now, that had been enough. But she wasn't in her twenties anymore, and the role of faithful, supporting spouse was getting old. It was time for something new, and Jennifer smiled as she stared at her warped reflection in the stainless steel of the fridge do
or. Her husband wouldn't be the only one whose dreams were fulfilled by this assignment. As she walked back into the living room, a steaming mug of tea cradled in both hands, Jennifer headed for the desk instead of the couch. She opened a blank document and began working on her résumé.
( 6 )
The sword made only a whisper as it sliced the air, its steel blade flashing in the harsh glare of the lighting strips that lined the ceiling of the large mat room. Kralin Saveck was the only occupant, and his bare chest glistened with sweat as he brought the sword up and back in a sweeping arc that made his forearms and biceps ache. He spread his feet another couple inches and sliced downward at a sharp angle, twisting the blade as he went. Sweat trickled into his eyes, and he savored the sting, refusing to close them. He charged forward, moving only on the balls of his bare feet. He stabbed the air, attacking an enemy that only he could see.
As he propelled himself across the room, the major did not hear the door open. He stopped within inches of the wall, spun on his heel, and hurled his sword. It flew with stardrive speed, embedding itself in one of the mats that lined the walls. Lieutenant Sikandra didn't blink as she glanced at the blade that now rested a foot from her left shoulder. Saveck's surprise was momentary, flashing through his eyes as he walked towards Sikandra. She grasped the hilt and pulled the weapon free, then turned it over in her hands, examining the blade and nodding her approval. It was longer than a dagger, but shorter than a standard sword, designed for close combat. On the bottom left and upper right – or bottom right and upper left, depending on how it was turned – there was a notch in the blade where a piece was removed to create a talon, a curved thorn which could cause deadly damage to the internal organs of an opponent once the weapon was thrust into flesh.
"A fine piece of Manidoran steel. My father had one like this."
"Is there something you need from me, lieutenant?"
"I apologize for disturbing you, major. I wasn't aware this room was occupied."
"The fault is mine. I didn't bother to change the readout on the door's com panel. I'm finished for tonight. The room is yours." He slid the sword into its scabbard and mopped his face with a fresh towel.
"If you're having trouble sleeping we could go over the mission details."
Saveck shook his head as he pulled on his shirt. "There will be plenty of time for that tomorrow. Goodnight, lieutenant." He picked up his sword and towel and walked past her toward the door.
"Goodnight, major." Sikandra watched the doors close. In the short time that she'd been on Exxar-One she knew as much now about Kralin Saveck as she did before she arrived. He was a man of few words, and he maintained a great distance between himself and his subordinates.
Saveck's military career began when he was twenty-one years old. He enlisted at the beginning of the war, right after the destruction of the Chrisarii colony on Beta Erendii, the planet that gave the ten-year conflict its name. There were very few details of Saveck's career in his military record. One of the highlights was his imprisonment at a Federation penal colony for the last two years of the war. Of all the prisoners captured at Rigana-Seven, only seven survived. The rest committed suicide or were killed under suspicious circumstances. An investigation from the war crimes tribunal eventually led to criminal charges being issued against several Federation soldiers who were in charge of the Octovar prison colony.
After the war, Saveck returned to homeworld and accepted a posting as a combat instructor at the War Academy. He rose quickly through the ranks, and earned praise from most of his superiors. Some still derided him for not committing suicide with the rest of his fellow warriors when Rigana-seven was captured. An incident two years ago, however, caused Colonel Saveck to lose his new rank, and he was assigned to a border post. The details of this incident were still sealed, viewable only to those with a security rating of class five or higher. Completely missing was an explanation for how and why the major ended up on Exxar-One.
As Sikandra began her stretching exercises, she couldn't stop thinking about the way that a trail of sweat glistened as it trickled down Saveck's broad, sculpted chest.
Chapter 5
____________________
( 1 )
Gabriel fidgeted with the collar of his dress uniform as he waited for Ambassador Zar. On either side of him was Major Saveck and Commander Decev. Behind them was Krael Zar and a squad of security officers that formed the honor guard. The commodore dropped his hand back to his side and did his best to look alert and awake. Plowing through the administration mess which Saveck had left on his desk was taking longer than Gabriel had expected, even with the major's assistance. Last night had ended with a late meeting in which Zar, Saveck and Gabriel had discussed the final details of the ambassadors' and president's arrival.
After the conference, instead of returning to Karri's quarters, Gabriel stepped into his assigned quarters on Exxar-One for the first time. A quartermaster's crew had transferred his belongings from his former quarters on the Dauntless three days earlier, but he'd been too busy to unpack. But now that he needed to find his dress uniform, it was time to open the crates and start digging. After that, it was time for bed. But after tossing and turning for almost an hour, Gabriel got up and returned to the living room. He opened a fresh bottle of Scotch and began unpacking the rest of the crates. It didn't take long. A few books, some knick-knacks, a handful of family photos, a few pots and pans, a couple table settings, and a collection of coffee mugs. Then he sat down at his desk and turned on his computer. His personal mailbox had three messages – one from his mother, another from Melissa and the last one was from Captain Burnam, an old friend. It was most likely a note of congratulations, phrased, of course, in Hector's usual dry wit. Marc closed his mailbox without opening any of its contents and polished off three more tumblers of Scotch. By the time he made it back to bed it didn't take long for him to drift into sleep.
Now, waiting for Ambassador Zar and her entourage, and feeling like he had spent the night in a stardrive reactor, Gabriel made a mental note to request an extra-large batch of rhubarb crunch from his mother. It would take at least four days for the package to arrive, and by then Zar, Vorik, Enkaro and all their parties would be gone. There was nothing worse for a military officer than babysitting civilian dignitaries and politicians.
The chime sounded, snapping the commodore back to the moment, and he squared his shoulders as the hatch opened. Taelon Zar, Federation ambassador, twice awarded the Zesser-Davedd Peace Initiative and knighted by Sovereign Na'Drauv of the DrayH'M Commonwealth, stepped onto Exxar-One. Her round face beamed with congeniality and pride as she walked to Gabriel. The two of them were the same height, and her wide, brown eyes studied him with an intensity which he found strangely endearing. There was an instant warmth and comfort surrounding her, and Gabriel understood immediately why she did so well in her chosen profession.
"Captain –" She glanced at his epaulets. "No, my apologies. Commodore Gabriel. It's a pleasure to meet you." Her voice was a lovely alto, soothing and inviting, a tone which beckoned one to sit and be at ease. Instead of folding her hands against her chest in the symbol of a customary DrayH'M greeting, the ambassador saluted Gabriel and then extended her hand.
The commodore automatically shook it, then faltered for a moment, caught off guard by the gesture. Just as Zar was saluting him, Gabriel was placing his hands against his chest. He had practiced the traditional greeting last night, just before bed, in front of the bathroom mirror. Unfortunately, he'd also been drunk and hadn't been able to get his fingers to fully cooperate. Now he tried again and succeeded in forming the symbol.
"Ambassador Zar, welcome to Exxar-One."
She laughed softly as she returned his greeting. "You form that very well."
"It took a bit of practice. Allow me to introduce my second in command, Major Saveck, and my chief science officer, Commander Decev."
Each of them formed the greeting with their hands, bowing slightly at the waist, and Zar return
ed their gestures. She motioned to a young woman and a tall man who were standing behind her. "This is my assistant, Idran, and my valet, Fedryk." Another round of nods and gestures. "Now that introductions are out of the way, I would like to tour your station, commodore. The last time I was here was two years ago, and construction was far from finished. I'd like to get a glimpse of the final product."
Gabriel nodded and motioned to the PTL doors at the end of the corridor. "If you'll follow me, I'll start the tour with OpCon, or the command deck as it's also called."
The honor guard came to attention and made way for Zar and Gabriel to pass. Taelon glanced at her son as she walked by and nodded a greeting. He inclined his head in response. Decev and Saveck followed the commodore and ambassador into the PTL, and the doors closed. Jerren dismissed the honor guard and turned to his mother's aides.
"Follow me. I'll show you to the ambassador's quarters."
Behind Idran and Fedryk, a trio of DrayH'M officers was setting four suitcases on top of a large trunk which was placed on an anti-grav sled. The security chief smiled to himself, knowing without looking at the manifest that all of the luggage was his mother's. But then, as the officers stepped aside, another pair of sleds appeared, each carrying several crates. Zar frowned, looking at Idran.
"The ambassador will be staying for more than a few days," she said.
Jerren smoothed his scowl into a neutral expression as he asked, "How long, exactly, will she be staying?"
"She didn't make that clear to us," the assistant replied.
"I see." Zar turned and began walking to the PTL. "I will arrange for a quartermaster's crew to transfer the luggage."
Fedryk and Idran made no reply as they exchanged a glance while trailing the security chief.