by Unknown
“I’m sorry you feel that way.” A muscle in the chancellor’s clean-shaven jaw twitched and the veins throbbed visibly in his wide forehead. “I am doing what must be done to save lives, nothing more and nothing less. Sometimes, drastic measures prevent greater tragedies. The men and women who train with us understand that. I would hope our instructors do, too.”
She sighed, wanting nothing more than to leave his office and forget about the whole depressing topic for a while. “I am loyal to the Institute and the Institute must follow the dictates of Central Command. Whatever my personal misgivings, I will go along with what is asked of me.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” The chancellor looked relieved. “I also want to advise you that this new direction for the Institute will necessitate some curriculum changes.”
“Curriculum changes? You mean, as in my classes on diplomacy?”
“Some adjustments must be made, of course, to ensure that all the courses at the Institute present a unified philosophy.”
Meaning a militaristic one, she thought grimly. The very thing she’d fought against since she’d given her first Institute lecture nearly twenty Earth years earlier. Though she felt as though the chancellor had leaned over and punched her square in the gut, she knew better than to betray anything beyond a resigned half-smile.
“I suppose some changes are inevitable. We’ll have to do our best to both advance a practical approach and maintain our individual integrity.”
The moment she said it, she felt shocked at her own hypocrisy. Over the last few days, her own definition of ‘integrity,’ at least as far as students were concerned, had undergone a few adjustments. Luckily, the Chancellor remained oblivious to her inner distress. His expression grew smug.
“I’m glad you’re beginning to see things my way,” he said.
* * * *
Later that night, after she’d changed into a loose-fitting leisure garment, someone buzzed her door. She got up and pressed the “admit” button, expecting to see Xath. Instead, she found herself staring at Jaret.
“I finished my last exam today,” he announced. “A few hours ago, I received word that I had passed all of them with distinction.”
“Congratulations,” she said with genuine pride in his accomplishment. He blushed so deeply that the tips of his ears turned red.
“Thank you,” he said. “An hour after that, I received the following communication.”
Jaret reached into the pocket of his uniform jacket and pulled out a chip. Layla took it from him and walked over to slip it into her desk reader.
“Jaret, this is amazing! You’ve been offered a junior officer’s position on a flagship! The Trailblazer is one of our finest vessels. You will be on the fast track to a command of your own. This is wonderful.”
“I suppose it could be considered a fitting cap to my education here.”
“You’ll have a place in Starforce for the rest of your life. I know you will be one of its finest officers. Your name will be in the history tapes one day. I’m sure of that.”
“If what you suggest ever does come to pass, I shall owe much of my success to you.”
“Nonsense. I only helped shape what was already there. You owe me nothing.”
He pursed his lips, obviously ready to protest further, but ultimately deciding against it.
“Technically, now that I have finished my exams, I am no longer a cadet. May I suggest we restart our relationship on a different footing?”
“In what sense?”
“Our lives will soon take us on separate paths. By tomorrow evening, when the graduation ceremony is complete, everything will be different.”
“Yes…that’s true.” One thing would still be the same, she knew. Her body burned for him now, and it would still burn tomorrow. That would never change. She knew that as surely as she knew her own name.
“Yet I believe we will always share a connection,” he went on. “Perhaps we should celebrate that tonight, before circumstances force us to move on.”
She knew what he was asking. Every gram of common sense she possessed told her to refuse, to preserve whatever shreds of her heart her relationship with him had left intact. Yet, in the end, she could only answer one way.
“I agree. We should.”
He slipped his arms around her waist. His lips nuzzled her neck and then moved lower. She gripped the mound between his legs and felt his hardness stir against her fingers. Slowly and deliberately, she undid his fly and eased his cock out into the open. She stroked its thick, hard length with the ball of her thumb and the tips of her fingernails, alternating a light touch with insistent pressure. Jaret’s breath caught in his throat, his chest heaving with desire. His own hands moved up to cup her breasts, massaging their fullness through the thin fabric of her evening garment. He lifted it over her head and let it flutter to the floor while she opened his uniform jacket and shirt. He shed the rest of his clothes on the way to her bedroom.
Layla stretched out on the bed, opening her legs to him. He crawled on top of her, threading his fingers into the tuft of dark hair between her thighs, planting kisses everywhere except the place she needed him most.
“Please,” she urged, raking her fingers along his back. The word came out in a half-moan. “Please, Jaret. I need you.”
He raised his head, his smoldering gaze traveling across her flushed abdomen and between her breasts. Their gazes met in a moment of perfect understanding and raw, mutual craving. Then, without the slightest hint of hurry, he dropped his attention back to her pussy, cupped one hand beneath the curve of her buttocks for leverage, and gently nestled his mouth against her hot pussy.
Layla clutched at his shoulders as his tongue probed her moist folds, each flick urging her to greater heights of excitement. Soon he added a finger, sliding it inside her so that she felt equal pressure both from within and without. Meanwhile, his thumb moved upward and sought her swollen bud. He rubbed it gently, as if polishing a delicate and precious pearl, firing sparks of pleasure all the way up to her nipples. Layla marveled at how well he’d come to know her body in the relatively short time since they’d first enjoyed each other. Apparently, he’d taken her advice to heart about serving his partner. Every motion he made seemed specially orchestrated to meet her needs. Some were needs she hadn’t even been aware of.
She began to breathe faster, her pulse thrumming in her ears as he dragged her closer to the edge. As she crested the pinnacle of arousal, she imagined herself standing on a very high precipice, a winged creature preparing to dive into open air and float to the ground. Just as she unfurled herself and started forward, Jaret pulled away. Without a word, he replaced his mouth with his cock and pushed deep inside her.
The room closed in around her, every sound and image contracting in her head until all that remained was a thick, red haze that pulsed in time to their mingled heartbeats. They’d become part of each other, their pleasure mutual and shared, the boundaries between their bodies dissolved. He waited until he had worked his way inside her, nestled himself as snugly as he could and then came long and hard, her body coasting along with him. Their problems seemed very far away as they curled together to sleep. It was the first time he dared to spend the entire night with her, she realized. And it would most likely be the last time they would ever be together. She saw the pain in his face when he rose in the morning. Already the distancing had begun. Inevitable as it was, it felt like a fresh stab in the heart for her, too.
“My parents will be arriving soon to attend the ceremony,” he said as he dressed. Layla watched him from the bed. “I am quite certain they would enjoy meeting you.”
“I’d be delighted to meet them,” she told him. “I mean that. I want to thank them personally for bringing a fine man like you into the universe. You’ve changed my life, perhaps even more than I’ve changed yours. Remember that when you’re drifting far away on the Trailblazer, will you? I won’t ask anything else of you.”
“As if I could forget.” H
is dark silver eyes glistened. Then he was gone.
Chapter Five
Despite the threat hanging over the proceedings like a noctilucent cloud, graduation day rolled out with great fanfare and ceremony. Layla took her place among her colleagues, all of them smartly attired and a bit uncomfortable in their crisp dress uniforms. From her middle-row seat, she alternated between watching the procession of cadets being transformed into Starforce officers and scanning the crowd of spectators.
It didn’t take much effort to spot Jaret’s parents. The emperor, a tall and imposing man with an elaborate headdress and a flowing gold robe, had claimed a seat in one of the boxes reserved for visiting dignitaries and was surrounded by an entire retinue of bodyguards and advisors. On one side of him sat a young man who was clearly one of Jaret’s brothers, and on the other, she saw a strikingly beautiful woman Layla assumed was Jaret’s mother. Every so often, she would rest her hand on the emperor’s arm and lean over to say something, her lips touching his ear as she spoke into it. As Layla watched the obvious devotion between the parents, she couldn’t help but long for such closeness in her own life. She had a good idea whose arm she would like to lean on as well.
Before she was emotionally prepared, Jaret’s turn came to accept his new status. Her heart squeezed as she watched him shake the Chancellor’s hand and receive the ceremonial officer’s sash to drape over his shoulder. When she looked over at his parents and saw their hands touch briefly, but with great meaning, her eyes burned with unshed tears. Later, at the lavish reception in the courtyard, Xath sought her out and led her to a private spot under an agwu tree.
“Now that the ceremony is over, I have something I must tell you,” he said. Once again, Layla braced herself for a report of the scandal her behavior had caused. Yet Xath’s words left her even more astounded. “I am leaving the Institute,” he told her without a trace of sadness in his voice. “Word travels quickly around here and though I have weathered many changes in my long and occasionally illustrious career, I have no desire to drift with our esteemed leader’s proposed new direction.”
“But what will you do?” Layla asked in shock.
“Nothing, my dear—that is the point. Retirement beckons. Though I do have memoirs to write, and perhaps I’ll even find a relationship. Your own endearing impudence has inspired me. In fact, I have a date tonight.”
He nodded toward a tall, blue-skinned man wandering between the rows of refreshment tables. As if sensing that he was being watched, the man looked up at Xath and smiled.
“He’s the guest of one of our graduates,” Xath explained, turning back to Layla. “I forget which one. Still, he’s an excellent conversationalist, owns his own spacecraft, and is unattached. What more could an old dilettante like me ask for?”
Layla couldn’t help but smile too, genuinely happy for her friend. “Have fun,” she told him as he winked at the blue-skinned man.
“I certainly plan to. And may I suggest the same to you?”
Her expression darkened. “I’m afraid it’s a bit too late for me.”
“Nonsense. Remember what I said about grasping air—of the synthetic sort or otherwise.” Lifting one hand, Xath made a clutching motion and pulled his fist back against his chest. “There’s something in here,” he said, wriggling his fingers. “I believe that.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” she said, neither looking nor sounding convinced.
“You’ll never know unless you reach out, too.” Xath spread his fingers as if to let something fly away. “The choice is yours, my dear.”
She watched, smiling in spite of herself as Xath headed toward the buffet table, joined arms with his new friend, and walked off into the crowd with him.
While she stared after them, a man in a shimmering green robe approached her and bowed. “Professor Kosajh? Forgive my intrusion. I would like to present you to the Emperor Zoeg.”
So Jaret had remembered her promise to meet them. The timing of the request, following upon Xath’s admonishment, struck her as either a bizarre coincidence. Or perhaps it was an indication that Fate was finally taking an interest in her future.
“I would be honored,” she said. The man bowed again and gestured for her to follow. During her years at the Institute, Layla had met many famous people and powerful dignitaries, but never before had she felt so nervous. By the time she stepped into the Zaraxians’ private box, her palms were cold and damp. Her escort motioned her to step in front of the emperor and his wife, whose hand still rested atop his. Layla found herself touched by their obvious closeness all over again. Jaret’s brother, who had occupied the third seat of honor, had apparently left to partake in the public festivities.
“Professor Kosajh, Excellence,” the aide said.
The emperor surveyed her with a piercing, but not unfriendly, gaze. Jaret had inherited his father’s dark silver eyes, she thought, not to mention a trace of his supercilious manner.
“My son has mentioned you many times,” the emperor said after looking her over. “He claims to have found your method of instruction most satisfying. I must confess, his understanding of the complexities of interspecies diplomacy surprised me. I must also attribute that to your proficiency.”
“I’m glad, Excellence.” She found herself blushing the way she used to as a naïve young student. “However, I cannot take full credit. Your son is a gifted scholar with a quick mind.”
“True enough. Even when he was a child, my wife and I often lamented his ingenuity, which made disciplining him a challenge.” The emperor paused to flash a loving smile at his wife, who inclined her head in agreement.
“I assume you have been apprised of the current crisis facing my world and the others around it,” Zoeg went on, redirecting his attention to Layla.
“If you mean the brigands, yes, Excellence. I am aware of the situation, though I cannot claim expertise just yet.”
His expression darkened. Again he glanced at his wife, who nodded encouragement. “This show of force Earth’s Central Command is proposing… some factions, I understand, are not in favor. Are you?”
Layla paused, realizing how much might depend on her response. A careless answer—or the wrong one, in the emperor’s view—would not be easily forgotten or quickly overcome. Once before, she had allowed the Chancellor to intimidate her into going against her personal beliefs, as well as her better judgment. Whatever consequences awaited her this time, she would not allow that to happen again.
“As a matter of fact, I am not in favor,” she stated. “I find the entire proposal misguided and possibly dangerous. Your son will be at risk, but so will many other lives, not to mention the very principles the Institute was founded on. I must do what Central Command orders me to, but in no way do I support their actions in this case.”
She fell silent, as did the group standing around her. The emperor’s aides glanced at one another, eyebrows lifted in silent inquiry. The emperor himself stared at Layla for a long, tense moment, turned briefly to his wife, and then back again.
“You have spoken wisely,” he said. “As it happens, the Empress and I agree with you. In fact, we favor a program involving intense political outreach to many quadrants. That brings me to a somewhat delicate matter. Our people are not, on the whole, skilled in diplomatic methods. We will require some assistance in these matters. Given your obvious skill in the classroom, we hesitate to approach you, but we would be grateful if you would at least consider joining us in our quest to restore peace through nonviolent methods. It has always been the way of our people…and our son informs us you are one of us in spirit.”
It took a few moments for the full significance of his words to register. Though she feared his Excellence would find it rude, she couldn’t stop her jaw from dropping.
“You’re asking me to leave the Institute?” she asked in astonishment, still not convinced she’d heard correctly. “To join you on your home planet?”
“Please think it over. The Empress and I ask no more than
that. For now, though, we must take our leave. We hope to speak with our son before the festivities conclude.”
“Of course,” Layla said. The aides around her bowed, so she did the same.
Zoeg rose, and his wife followed him to his feet. They were both tall and slim, she noticed, much like Jaret. Their movements were as fluid and graceful as his were. No doubt the Zaraxians as a whole were beautiful, as well as highly intellectual, people. Layla thought she could live among them quite comfortably…because she had no doubt that she would accept the Emperor’s offer.
How ironic that she would be on Jaret’s world while he was in the middle of space on the Trailblazer. Surely he would come home for leave now and again. She would simply have to wait…and trust what she held in her hands and her heart.
* * * *
Back in her office, she surveyed her collections of databooks, exotic art, and various gifts from students and their families over the years. Packing it up would be no easy task, but suddenly she felt ready for the challenge. Leaving felt right.
It felt like Fate.
The buzzing at her door didn’t surprise her. She had been certain he would come, though she wasn’t quite sure what he would say to her. He wasn’t wearing his officer’s sash, she noticed as she flipped open her door and motioned him inside. She found that curious, though she couldn’t tell exactly what its absence meant.
“Did you enjoy the ceremony?” she asked him.
“Yes,” Jaret said, locking his hands behind his back. “My parents did, too. They enjoyed meeting you.”
“I liked them very much. They’re both charming and obviously in love. I admit that surprised me, given what you told me about Zaraxian marriages.”
He nodded. “Their arranged marriage blossomed into great love. It happens sometimes, though not always. They are fortunate to have found each other, as I am fortunate to have them as my parents.”