by Layla Stone
Clalls shrugged. “I could make it into a neat symbol. It could be our secret.” His white eyebrow lifted, and she was pretty sure that he was genuinely asking if he should.
Clalls’ Minky pad pinged from his pocket, giving her a reprieve from answering. But her stay ended when she saw his jaw drop.
“What?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he started to growl with his teeth exposed. Nothing in Vivra’s life had ever scared her more. “That son of a tarq!”
Chapter Eight
What Honor
Vivra followed Clalls as he practically ran to the bridge where the captain was manning the helm. Rannn’s head tilted at Clalls. “What?”
“Eldon.” He held up his Minky pad. “It’s been nebulized.”
Rannn put the ship on autopilot and walked to the Minky screen by this captain’s chair. “Show me how you know.”
Clalls brought up the satellite image. The silver bomb with the white tail hit the planet, and then Vivra watched with Rannn as the nuclear bomb mushroomed up and burned everything until the satellite recording went white. “There is only one weapon that can take out a planet and the satellites. And that’s a nebula bomb.”
Vivra stood behind Clalls as Rannn ran a check on his quantum messages. “I sent the protocol procedures and our findings to Admiral Armsono about the planet.”
She noticed that the admiral didn’t respond.
Clalls brought up the log. “And this is where I ordered the medical ship that should have been there ten hours ago.”
“No ship?”
Clalls parroted the captain’s words. “Exactly, no ship. And only you or an admiral would be able to override the orders.”
Rannn stared at the screen for a long time. His voice was rough when he finally spoke. “Get out of the range of my video call.”
They backed up quickly and watched the captain make a voice recording. He reported all the findings, protocols, and news of rescuing the seven survivors, then ended the report with word of the nebula bomb and the medi-ship not arriving at its set time. He finished with, “I recommend the immediate removal of Admiral Armsono from the council Admirals as soon as possible. I await the court martial hearing.”
Clalls’ shoulders pulled back. When the video ended, he said, “Now, let me tell you about Admiral Orin and his neglect of the planet Brica.”
Rannn’s jaw tensed. “Orin?”
“Yes, he’s the overseer of Brica.”
Rannn’s stiff posture was radiating rage, but Clalls ignored it as he explained what he had found out about the planet. By the time he was done, Rannn pointed to the seats at his table. “Sit while I make a call,” he said between clenched teeth. Clalls sat down in the communication’s chair, one that he would usually sit in if the ship were in a threat situation. Vivra sat down in the weapons and tactical chair.
Captain Rannn pushed a few things on his Minky table, and a second later, Admiral Orin’s face was on-screen.
“Captain Rannn.”
“Admiral Orin,” Rannn responded as he sat forward in his captain’s chair, interlacing his fingers together. “Do you want to tell me how you’re connected to Brica?”
The admiral’s eggshell-toned skin darkened a bit. It was the same as when her skin shimmered gold. A blush. He was embarrassed. An emotional reaction that she had only seen twice in her career. This marked the third.
“Brica was assigned to me last year when Admiral Jei retired. And when I say retired, you understand that he died rather unexpectedly. His responsibilities were divided and handed out. I didn’t look into it because I have my own responsibilities that take up so much of my time. Honestly, I forgot about it until the commander sent the emergency quantum communication.”
Excuses. Justifications. All of them reasonable. Vivra watched Captain Rannn, wondering if he was fallible like Clalls’ Yunkin hybrid parent. Wondering if he would give the admiral leeway for being too busy to stay on top of his workload. Or if he would excuse him for the simple reason that Admiral Orin was a Yunkin.
If she were the captain, and the admiral she was speaking to was a Bolark, the latter would have been expected. They were brought up to value their race above all others, and if necessary, not expose their kind to black marks against them.
“I want all the information you have on Brica sent to my captain’s file.”
The line of questioning led Vivra to believe that the captain was going to let it slide. She was not sure if she was pleased about that or not because she didn’t know how it related to her performance and expectations.
Admiral Orin peered between Clalls and her. “I assume you’ve seen the Federation files. It’s open to all on Garna. Have they not looked them over? If not, tell them that’s all the information I have.”
Vivra was not new to high-ranking officers talking down to her. But it always pissed her off. Of course, they had accessed the files. If they hadn’t, how would they have known that he was the one botching the job?
Captain Rannn sat forward, placing both hands on the table as he pushed to his feet. “I appreciate your time, Admiral.”
Vivra crossed her arms and let her seat drop back. The whole conversation was a waste of her time. And even though it had brought to light Rannn’s less than respectable honor code, she would have been more effective doing literally anything else. Then she remembered that she was supposed to pick up an aquaponic tank from the other side of the planet. With subtle movements, she pulled out her Minky pad from her side pocket and quickly wrote a message to her contact on Brica, asking for any and all information they had on the planet.
With luck, they would respond just as quickly as they had yesterday. Vivra decided to give them an hour before she initiated a quantum video communication. One way or another, she was going to find out what was going on with that planet.
The Yunkin on the screen smiled. “You’re most welcome. And whatever you find out, I assume you’ll update the Federation files?”
Rannn’s lips pulled back, slow and arrogantly. “Of course, I will. I will also be updating the files with a copy of this communication, where you admitted that you neglected your responsibilities.”
Admiral Orin’s smile faltered. “What was that?”
Rannn leaned forward. “My mission was to respond to a distress call on the planet. Every step and communication while doing so must be recorded, this one included. I strongly advise you to send an auditor to the planet to update the rest of your files after I’ve cleaned up this mess.”
“Careful, Captain. It almost sounds like you’re giving me orders.”
“You can take it however you want. But I know that neglect can get people killed, and from the message you sent me, it looks like the planet has already sustained several deaths. So, you have to live with that, knowing you didn’t have better oversight on a planet you are responsible for!”
Vivra snuck a look at Clalls. The bastard was smiling.
“I gave you a star carrier. I ordered you to help those on Brica. You’re making it sound like I have no honor,” Orin hissed.
Rannn thrust his finger at the admiral’s face. “You gave me a diseased ship. You’re sending me on a clean-up mission with no information and no leads, and you didn’t have the honor to tell me that this was your planet. Honor is admitting your faults first and then doing what you can to fix them.”
Orin chuckled, but it felt dark. Vivra sat forward, moving her hands to her lap. Her opinion of the captain was indefinable. If she could, she’d hug him for being as cunning as a Bolark.
“Captain, you’re not so valuable that I won’t replace you for insubordinate behavior.”
“Don’t threaten me, Orin. You and I both know, I am. You also know that I’m going to figure out Brica. You’re banking on it. You’re lucky I have a specialized team to get it done.”
Orin pursed his lips. “How thoughtful of you to mention your elite team again.”
“
You’re welcome.”
The transmission ended, and Rannn sat back down. “All right, we have an admiral who owes us a favor if this goes sideways. You two have your work cut out for you. Is there anything else I need to know?”
Vivra was about to mention the message she sent to her contact on Brica but figured she would wait until she had actual information rather than hopes.
Clalls raised his finger to say something, but Rannn’s Minky pad pinged. As he read the report, he said, “You two can go.”
Chapter Nine
Brica Contact
In the elevator, Vivra ignored Clalls’ inquiring look when she stepped off to visit flight operations on level eight. The place was usually filled with pilots chatting, weapons and recon security and training. But the echo of her wedges on the floor carried in the darkened room. One light was on in the primary flight room. She heard a female and a male voice, the words muffled.
She knocked.
“Come in,” both voices said.
When Vivra opened the door, a Terran female with short, curly, blond hair, and a tall Yunkin—the first mate, Yon—were in the room. Both stood stiffly on opposite sides of the desk, the female on the primary side, and the Yunkin on the receiving end.
“What can I help you with?” the female said. Vivra knew this had to be Sasha. The Cerebral’s half-Kooyon wife.
“I need a pilot to take me to Brica.”
Yon scowled. “Why is a logistics officer going down to a potentially hostile planet?”
“I’m pretty sure she was talking to me, Yon,” Sasha said with her hands hooked on her hips.
Yon was one of the captain’s loyal crew members. One of the six that had traveled with him when he first arrived.
“The question is valid,” Yon said, ignoring Sasha altogether. “And since Sasha is already signed up to take Pax down to the planet, the only other pilot is me. So, again, I’m going to ask, why are you planning to go down to the planet?”
Vivra didn’t smile or try to come across as friendly. He was a typical Yunkin, who closed off his emotions and focused on his job. And only the job. She answered him in short, to-the-point sentences. “Hydro and aquaponics can’t grow and raise our food without proper fish tanks. There is a storage house on Brica that is selling us a tank. It’s not anywhere near the mission site. It will be a quick touch down and pick up.”
“Aquaponics?” Sasha asked.
Before Vivra could answer, Yon stepped forward. “I’m sure your presence would be better served on the ship. I can go down and pick up the tanks.”
He could. But he was also being rude. Rude to Sasha, who was the primary flight officer, and dismissive to her. “You could, but what do you know about tanks? About the fish that go in them and the right sealant?” She didn’t wait for him to say anything. “I’m the logistics officer, this is my job. If you don’t think I can do my job, you can take that up with the captain.”
Yon’s nose flared. “If you already ordered the tank, I don’t need to know anything more about it.”
If Dol weren’t in a containment center under the ship, he would be going down with her to verify the tanks, but he was, and the Garna really needed those tanks. Rations went fast when it was the only thing available. Not to mention, they were headed to the Osbati galaxy, and there weren’t any port planets in that system. “And if they give you the wrong tank? The wrong sealant? It will be too late by the time you return.”
“I’m sure they know not to double-cross the Federation.”
Yon was naive if he thought that. In space, it was about power and money, and while the Federation did subtle monitoring, they didn’t interfere with planet politics. Mostly, the Federation stopped planet-wide genocide and gave aid when asked. They audited the planets and moons under their jurisdiction to make sure they were operating within the laws.
Vivra took a calming breath and said, “I’m going.”
“I’m flying,” Yon said.
“Thank you. I will send you the time and date and where we’ll be picking up the tanks,” Vivra added before turning on her heel.
Behind her, Yon said, “Do you need me to schedule the sloop?”
“I know how to write a flight plan, Yon,” Sasha returned.
“Considering that you’ve only been a Federation pilot for two days, it was a reasonable question.”
Vivra couldn’t hear what Sasha said after that. She was too far away. Her Minky pad pinged once she was back on the elevator. The storage house on Brica had responded: Sure, what do you want to know?
***
Vivra invited Clalls and Pax to her office before initiating a quantum call. It was best to have all the people who needed the information there at the same time. She hoped that her contact did have all the information she needed. And if they didn’t have everything, they would at least have something, and she was realizing quickly that she could do a lot with something.
She was sitting on her stool at her three-hundred-and-sixty-degree desk when Pax walked in. “Day two, and you already have a contact on the ground. Trying to impress me, sweetpea?”
Clalls, who had been behind Pax, responded. “She’s going to file a report with the captain if you keep talking to her like that. She eats guys like you for breakfast.”
Pax turned, apparently surprised that Clalls was behind him. “Maybe, or she’ll use the pixy pistol she has in her side pocket. But I like to live on the wild side.”
Clalls’ teeth glistened with a broad smile. “You’ve been hiding a pixy pistol?” he said with a conspiratorial wink. “Can I borrow it for a day?”
“Nope.”
Pax pulled up two chairs, one for him and the other for Clalls. He sniffed the air and then said, “Good call, sugar pim.”
Ugh. “Don’t call me sugar pim, sweetpea, or any other of your stupid lovey names.”
“Is that what they are? Lovey names?” Pax sat his large body down on a stool.
“Yes.”
“So, you think I love you? That’s crazy. I didn’t know I loved you.” He was as close to her desk as he could get. In her space, and eating it up as he rested his forearm down. She knew she had to reclaim her bubble, not let him think he could take possession of her office or her room, so she pulled out the pixy pistol and set it in front of her, tapping it gently. “I’m pretty sure I’d love to use this on you. Please continue being a tarq.”
Clalls snorted. “Twenty keleps says she lets you kiss her before she shoots you.”
Pax barely looked at Clalls when he said, “Twenty keleps to you if you leave and let us talk to this guy ourselves.”
Vivra snickered at Pax’s presumptuousness. He had no idea that she and Clalls were a team now. Vivra pushed the Minky screen and initiated the quantum call. While she adjusted the video to include the other two, she watched as Clalls held out his hand. Pax pulled out his Minky pad and held it up, pointing at the transfer button.
Once Pax had pushed transfer on the keleps, Clalls, with a quick hop, was off the guest stool and walking out the door.
Her jaw dropped. “He did not.”
Pax didn’t look triumphant as he explained. “He’s a Night Demon. Money and power are their motivators. And if you think otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for a bad fall. Do yourself a favor and never forget that.”
Turning her head, Vivra realized they were inches apart, and Pax didn’t seem to mind the closeness. She did, and she resented what he had said about Clalls. She was also pissed that Clalls had actually left. Her feelings were split. Refusing to show that she let Pax’s closeness bother her, she moved forward just a little bit more. She could feel the heat of his breath. Smell his sultry, woodsy, male scent. “I’m a Bolark. We also only care about money and power.”
“I know,” Pax whispered and sat back, looking smug. “That’s why I can only handle one of you at a time.”
His words hit something inside her. They were lies. He just wanted her
alone.
On the Minky screen, a Red Demon appeared. He had thick, black hair, braided down the top of his head and back. His shirt was black and tightly fitted. He looked big, but his smile was bigger. “Hello, sweetheart. If I knew you looked this good, I would have given you a discount for being so gorgeous.”
Pax stood up, rolled his shoulders back, and peered down at the screen, trying to appear imposing, intimidating, and domineering. Vivra kept her smile contained, but apparently, Red Demons were more animalistic than she thought.
“Hello to you, too, Mish.” She touched Pax’s large upper arm. “This is our weapons and tactical leader, Commander Pax. He will be joining our call.” After she’d touched him, she could have sworn he let out a shallow breath.
“Three’s not a crowd for me, honey.”
The lovey names just flew out of Mish’s mouth, and she had to bite the inside of her mouth to keep a straight face. She would definitely be bringing her pixy pistol when she met him. If she was lucky, she’d get to shoot him.
Chapter Ten
Claiming Sweetness
Pax left his chair and walked into the circle of Vivra’s desk. It was a tight fit, but he needed to get close to her. Needed to be in her space. Needed to claim her in front of Mish. The male was quick to put out his intentions. The other Demon would dangle them and move in by the end of the call. Pax knew his kind. There was no mistaking that the male saw her gold and green skin, and her soft-looking lips, and wanted them. Just like Pax did.
So much of his crude Red Demon traits had been bled out of him on the Angny planet, transforming how Pax saw females. Watching them being taken against their will and seeing the damage in their eyes, the blood, and their souls leaking out of them day by day was enough to change anyone, including Pax.
Mish would have to find another female to covet and claim. Vivra was his. And even when things died down between them, he would still claim her as a crewmate. Would protect her until she transferred off the ship or he died.