Tasha held her hands up in front of her. “Wait. I just said I feel like a shit. That doesn’t mean I’m willing to get involved with him. He’s my CO. He’s a pompous, annoying, overbearing—”
“He’s a ’cybe,” Eden put in.
“That too,” Tasha agreed, then added, “It’s a damned shame the Triad wasted such a nice body on such a shitty personality.”
“You could probably earn the eternal gratitude of the crew by seducing him,” Eden suggested.
“Very funny.”
“Then let me suggest you carry on as you usually do but with a little more tact,” Eden said. “We still have a number of problems to deal with, not the least of which is the removal of Serafino’s implant. Just because we know why Kel-Paten follows you around doesn’t mean he’s not also following PsyServ’s agenda in other areas. Humans can compartmentalize. He can too.”
“You mean he could still be programmed to kill Serafino?”
“Yes, considering that every time he spikes in to this ship’s datalink, he uploads and downloads from PsyServ. He might not even realize it.”
Tasha nodded slowly, then shoved herself out of her chair. “There are five more directories I need to decode. I may not find out any more on Serafino’s implant. But we need to know everything Kel-Paten has on Serafino. Because if this Faction is real and after our hides, Serafino is the only one who knows how to stop them. Kel-Paten kills Serafino, and he’s effectively killed us all.”
SICK BAY
At 0850 Kel-Paten strode in, broadcasting—as far as Eden was concerned—apprehension and anticipation. Apparently he couldn’t wait any longer to drag his green-eyed vixen out of sick bay, back to where he could keep an eye on her.
At least, she hoped that’s what it was. Serafino’s warning still echoed in her mind. There were several layers to Kel-Paten’s emotions, some of which may have been very expertly manipulated by PsyServ.
“The captain will be ready in a few minutes,” Eden told him as she retrieved Tasha’s file from her desk. “The earliest she’s allowed to go back on duty is late this afternoon.”
And that went double for herself as well. Neither of them had had more than four hours sleep after decoding Kel-Paten’s files and conferencing back and forth. Eden was strongly looking forward to discharging the captain and heading straight for her own quarters.
“I’ll make sure no one disturbs her,” the admiral told Eden.
Tuck her in and read her a bedtime story, will you? “Very good,” Eden said out loud. “I’ll just—”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t need that thing!” Tasha’s forceful complaint flowed out into sick bay as soon as her door opened. Inside, a male med nurse was trying unsuccessfully to talk Tasha into sitting in a hoverchair. SOP for discharging patients, he was telling her.
“Screw SOP. I wrote most of the damned SOPs and—” She looked out the open door, saw Kel-Paten, and immediately clammed up.
Oh, great, Eden thought. Tasha, this is not acting normally. Keep yelling. Do something. Have another cup of coffee.
Kel-Paten was already at the doorway. “What seems to be the problem?”
The man looked from the admiral to the captain and back to the admiral again. “Captain Sebastian, sir, isn’t cooperating in regard to sick-bay dismissal policy.”
“You will learn that Captain Sebastian rarely cooperates in regard to any policies. The day she starts is the day I resign my commission.” Kel-Paten looked at Tasha. “Sebastian?”
Pause.
It was, Eden noted, a familiar phrase Tasha needed to hear.
“Kel-Paten.” Tasha nodded in return.
“You’re off duty until I tell you otherwise.”
“I’ll be in my office after lunch. Not on the bridge, Admiral. In my office.” She breezed past him and headed for the corridor. “Thanks for the hospitality, Doc!”
“My pleasure,” Eden replied, but it was automatic. She was still trying to tune in to and sort out the Tin Soldier’s emotional resonances.
They were there, oh, yes. She had more faith in her abilities after seeing his personal logs. And if the admiral was full human…
But he wasn’t. PsyServ and Sellarmaris Biocybernetics had seen to that.
Eden chewed absently on her bottom lip and went back to her office to log off duty. She needed some serious downtime. She had to talk to Jace Serafino. And she wasn’t sure he was going to like what she had to say.
NOVALIS
Jace reached for Eden’s hand and drew her down beside him on the bench. What’s the news?
There’s not enough for me to risk surgery right now. There were references to what I need to know, but the data wasn’t there. Eden shook her head. I’m sorry.
Don’t be. I’m a great believer in all things in their right time. Like you coming into my life. I don’t think we met just so you could dig a hole in my head.
She swatted at him playfully. I wouldn’t dare dig a hole in your head. All kinds of gremlins would leak out!
Gremlins, eh? Jace responded with a comical growl and drew her against his chest, nuzzling her neck. Eden shrieked, laughing, and finally managed to break free.
She wiped at her eyes. Jace, stop it! I still have something serious to discuss with you. Just because I couldn’t find the data I need to remove the implant doesn’t mean I didn’t find anything at all.
I’m listening.
I think I can disable it. In fact, I think I’ll have to. She flashed to him all she’d read about the implant’s inevitable deterioration.
Damn. He was definitely not pleased with the news. How much time do I have before I self-destruct?
You’re not going to self-destruct. As for time, you still have several months before any irreversible damage sets in. Now that we’ll have Kel-Paten’s cooperation—
The Tin Soldier’s cooperating with you? What the hell happened?
She hesitated a moment, indecisive about revealing something so personal. Something that, as Tasha said, wasn’t supposed to be public knowledge. She wanted to trust Serafino—he had been honest with her so far, even about his own failings. She just hoped his longstanding feud with Kel-Paten didn’t override his good sense.
What happened started twelve years ago. She hesitated, needing clarification before she went further. Jace, I need to know more about this Faction that wants Sass out of the way. You said they put her on the Vax to accomplish that. What leads you to believe that?
From what I’ve been able to piece together, there are several key people that they want to control or to neutralize. Captain Sebastian’s name is one that came up on several occasions.
Why do you think that Kel-Paten’s involved?
The Tin Soldier was adamant during the peace negotiations about Sebastian’s assignment to the Vax. He made a few threats and then a few concessions, and here she is. Given that Kel-Sennarin is one of his superiors, I couldn’t think of any other reason.
She could, but if she hadn’t read the admiral’s private logs, she’d still doubt her own empathic readings of him. Do you remember what happened in the session in the ready room?
Mostly. Why?
You said you sensed a heat from the admiral.
He frowned, his blue eyes darkening. Did I? There are a number of blanks in my mind. I’m sorry.
So that was Serafino and not Jace’s Nasyry side picking up on what was going on between Kel-Paten and Tasha. Evidently he always had a low-level empathic ability, even with the implant. But until she could get Jace talking to Serafino—as she’d started to think of his two existences—the full story on anything wouldn’t come out.
Eden?
I could explain what I think is going on with Kel-Paten, but I’d rather have you see it for yourself, she told him, laying her hand reassuringly on his arm. Because I don’t think Kel-Paten understands what’s happening. I could use your telepathic guidance, Jace. And your experience with PsyServ.
Right now my telepathic guidance is li
mited.
That’s why I have to disable the implant. That should give you more control and give us some more answers. Believe me, we need answers.
He nodded slowly, but she saw and sensed a tension in his smile. And he felt her question. I don’t know what’s going to happen when you put me back together. I don’t want to lose your friendship. Your respect. I’ve come to value that. He brushed his thumb gently across her cheekbone. No matter what happens, don’t give up on me, Doc. Promise me.
A lump formed in Eden’s throat at the intensity and fear in his words. She knew if she had to answer him out loud at that moment, she wouldn’t be able to. But there were advantages to telepathy. I promise. No matter what happens.
The gray mists cleared. Reilly’s furry presence was warm against her arm. Eden Fynn stared at her cabin’s ceiling in the darkness and wondered about her promise. But which Jace Serafino emerged from surgery wasn’t even on her mind. As long as one of them did.
Eden’s real fear was that in trying to save one, she might kill them both.
CAPTAIN SEBASTIAN’S OFFICE
Sass chewed on a lushberry, the last remnants of lunch at her desk. She found it a necessary action when her instincts demanded she jump down Kel-Paten’s throat. It was difficult to chew and yell at the same time, so she chose chewing.
He’d barged into her office less than ten minutes before, angry she was back on duty. And angry that she’d told Kel-Farquin’s office that she and Dr. Fynn would, unequivocally, be part of any interrogation on station involving Serafino.
She did not know, however, which action of hers made him more angry.
Not that it mattered. He took up residence in the chair across from her desk and made no motion to leave, despite the fact that she told him she had a lot of formwork to do, none of which would get done while he glared at her.
And glared at her in a very possessive manner, as if he owned her!
Well, he was damned well wrong.
But she couldn’t bring herself to tell him so, because behind all the glaring and all the possessiveness, she saw something else. Something lonely and afraid that used the advantage of rank to keep her near him.
She popped another lushberry in her mouth to keep from saying something hurtful. Because she didn’t want to hurt him. He was her colleague. Her annoying almost-friend.
“There’s been more Illithian activity out by the Mists,” she said, wanting to change the subject. “When do you think HQ’s going to let us loose on that? We could get Kel-Varen’s Nexarion to—”
“Sebastian.” Pause. “I’m not going to discuss that until we resolve the Serafino situation.”
“Kel-Paten,” she replied, and paused as well. “I told you. Doc Eden and I will handle it. Unless you feel I’m not capable,” she offered, remembering the old adage about “the best defense.”
“Or do you feel I’m not capable?” he asked her quietly. Too quietly.
“I feel,” she said, choosing her words carefully, “that Serafino will do all he can to drag you into a pissing contest.” Or maybe the newly reintegrated Serafino wouldn’t. As they sat there, Eden was tinkering with his implant. Either way, she didn’t want Kel-Paten exposed to Serafino until she and Eden were sure which Serafino they were dealing with. “He has no history with me,” she pointed out.
“Except at Sookie’s.”
“That’s ancient history.”
“I’ve reason to believe Serafino has a long memory.”
“So? You think he’s going to challenge me to a game of Starfield Doubles?”
He studied his gloved hands, fisted in his lap. “There are other issues here,” he said finally.
She almost said, “So?” a second time, but stopped. She knew what the issue was. It was a who. And she was the who, and that was something she definitely did not want to discuss.
She picked up the last lushberry. “I’ll make sure you see everything on Serafino before it goes out, and all that comes in,” she conceded, or at least tried to appear as if she was. There were things she could not let him see. His infatuation with her notwithstanding, he was still Kel-Paten. Ol’ Loyal to the Triad Kel-Paten. Ol’ Rules and Regulations Kel-Paten. Ol’ Programmed by PsyServ Kel-Paten. It was the latter that worried her the most.
Almost as much as they way he regarded her now. There was that odd something in his eyes again, and suddenly she was on her feet, nervous and uncomfortable and unsure of what to do. She grabbed her empty plate. She knew what to do with that.
“I need coffee.” She didn’t offer him any as she made her way past his chair to her office’s small galley niche. “I have a lot of work to do,” she added, without turning around.
Evidently her lack of manners finally made Kel-Paten realize he was extraneous. He shoved himself to his feet while she waited for the liquid to brew.
“We’ll handle Serafino together.” His pale gaze pinned her, and his words were not a question.
“By your command, sir,” she said blandly. She sagged against the wall as her office door closed behind him. Damn those logs of his. She felt as if she stumbled over herself, when she used to be so confident in his presence. On top of all that, she hated being in a position of having to lie to her CO. It wasn’t just the fact that she’d arranged for Eden’s and her presence on Panperra without advising him first. There was also the fact that she’d arranged to arrive at Panperra by a shuttle of her choosing, not via direct dock, the latter too risky given her plans. But if the Triad really was in collusion with this Faction, then they’d violated the treaty and there was no Alliance. And if there was no Alliance, Kel-Paten wasn’t her CO.
It was convoluted, circuitous logic, but that, and a hot cup of Mahrian blend, black, made her feel one hell of a lot better, professionally.
Personally—well, she didn’t want to even think about personally.
She turned back to her deskscreen and pulled up notes on Panperra’s layout and maintenance corridors that Kel-Paten would never see.
SICK BAY
It wasn’t at all procedure, but Eden couldn’t leave the recovery room, couldn’t leave Jace’s side. Not until she knew for sure he’d wake up. When the first twinges of discomfort filtered through her empathic senses, she was elated. When he rose to full consciousness, she thought she’d weep for joy.
“How are you feeling?” she asked, though she already knew the answer. There was a dull, throbbing pain on the side of his head from the sonic scalpel and probe.
Jace grinned at her from his reclining position on the diag bed. “I feel like I hit a brick wall. And I’m hoping you’ll tell me the brick wall looks the worse for it.”
“No, but you should be the better for it,” Eden said, and checked the panel readouts. Everything looked good, due to his accelerated healing rate—thanks to his Nasyry physiology. It was strong enough to counter the sonic surgery. Actual physical removal of the implant, though, would have been significantly more risky. Nasyry physiology or not, he’d still be comatose at this point. As Sass had pointed out, they didn’t have time right now for a long recovery.
She touched his shoulder. Other than that damned thing in your head, you’re disgustingly healthy, Serafino.
His gaze shot up quickly to meet hers. Well, hello! How did you—oh!
Relief flooded through Eden. She did it! She’d disconnected the implant. Suddenly, Eden saw and felt a series of images flow through his mind. Memories of Novalis, both the ship and the place; memories of her, of a light kiss placed on her wrist and the accompanying warmth that had flooded both of them. And memories of another woman, dark-haired, and a young boy. Bianca and Jorden. Both parts of Jace Serafino were integrating, merging memories and events of the past four years and, to some extent, ones even older than that. There were age-old memories shared by all the Nasyry. Eden saw and felt only the edges of those. Her fledgling telepathic skills couldn’t handle their full impact.
He pulled himself to a sitting position on the bed and reached for he
r before she realized what he was doing. But he only touched her face, three times, temple, cheek, and chin, in the ritual blessing. He was marking her again, but this time it was for real.
She pulled his hand away, held it lightly in her own for a moment.
“Captain,” she said, a slight warning tone in her voice.
“Doctor,” he replied, his voice low and enticing.
It almost reminded her of Tasha’s “Sebastian—Kel-Paten” routine, and she had to shake her head, chuckling slightly. “You’re feeling fine,” she said, releasing his hand.
She picked up the chart from the nearby table. He tried to grab it from her and pull her back to him.
“Tell me, Doc, do you kiss as passionately here as when we meet there?” He had no need to explain here or there. His audible words were accompanied by an equally loud telepathic sensation that woke up those damned flutters in her stomach again.
She looked at him with narrowed eyes. “I was right. There were gremlins in there and they escaped. Behave yourself, Serafino. I still have a healthy supply of rectal thermometers.”
“Eden—”
“Let’s put these silly flirtations aside, okay? We have more serious things to tend to.” She glanced out the open door into sick bay and saw only Cal and other personnel she could trust. Still, she lowered her voice. “You’re back together, in a sense, but we won’t know for how long and to what extent for several hours yet. Captain Sebastian and I need to know everything you know about this Faction that’s infiltrated the Alliance. We’re only a few hours out from Panperra. We don’t know what’s going to happen there. Whatever information you have could be crucial.”
His expression sobered immediately. “I thank you for your trust. And for believing me.”
“You still have to convince the captain.”
“And the Tin Soldier?”
Eden sighed. “That job we may relegate to Captain Sebastian.”
“Kel-Paten,” he told her, “will not credit anything I say. I just want to warn you about that.”
“We’ve already had one experience in that area.”
“Ahh.” He shook his head, his eyes closing momentarily. “The conference in the ready room the other day. There was something…odd, if I remember.”
Games of Command Page 15
