The Dark of Light (Starhawke Rising Book 1)

by Audrey Sharpe

  She stepped around the table so she could give him a hug. “It’s good to see you, Kire.”

  He squeezed back. “It’s good to see you too, Roe. How long has it been? Two years?”

  “About that. Since shortly before I left the Excelsior.”

  He looked her up and down like a proud papa. “And became the youngest Commander on a Fleet ship. The Argo’s damn lucky to have you.” He gave her a nod of approval. “I think being a Commander agrees with you.”

  You have no idea. Kire liked to stay informed, especially when it came to his friends. The only reason he didn’t know she’d left the Argo was because she hadn’t officially resigned until a week ago, and her former captain was holding off making an announcement until he decided who would replace her.

  Kire turned toward Jonarel. He extended his hand, his expression solemn. “Clarek.”

  Jonarel dwarfed him as he stood, his expression equally devoid of emotion as they shook hands. “Emoto.”

  Kire cracked first. His smile broke through as he pulled Jonarel into a quick hug and slapped him on the back. “How have you been you big lug?”

  “I have been well.” Jonarel gestured to the empty chair on his right as he and Aurora reclaimed their seats.

  “I still can’t believe you left the Fleet to return to Drakar.” Kire glanced at Aurora as he sat. “What did you have to do to get him back on Earth?”

  “Oh, the usual things. Bribery. Blackmail.” She laughed when Jonarel scowled. “Can I get you anything?” she asked Kire as she picked up her drink.

  “Sure. It’s been a while since I’ve had a good pale ale.”

  “Coming right up.” She caught the attention of the server and ordered the drink. “So, how are things on the Odyssey?”

  “Stellar.” Kire settled back in his chair. “We’ve had a few run-ins with Setarips lately, but nothing we couldn’t handle. I was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander and took over as the communications chief about six months ago. It’s more work and longer hours, but I love the challenge.”

  Damn. A promising promotion in the Fleet would make her offer less appealing. “That’s great!” She refused to let her anxiety show. “I’m glad your commanding officers appreciate you.”

  The server set Kire’s drink on a coaster in front of him. He nodded his thanks. “Yes, they do.” He took a long pull of the amber liquid as he studied Aurora. “But I get the feeling you’re not asking out of idle curiosity.” He lowered the glass and rested his forearms on the table. “What’s up?”

  He’d always been able to read her like a book. Time to lay her cards on the table and let the chips fall where they may. “I’ve recently become the captain of a ship.”

  She’d stunned him into silence. But he recovered quickly and grinned. “Wow! I had no idea. Congratulations.” He raised his glass and clinked it with hers, but a crease appeared between his narrow brows. “I would have expected that announcement to be all over the Fleet newsfeed. When did this happen?”

  If she had been offered the captain’s position on a Fleet ship, he might have known before she did. He was that good at his job. She glanced at Jonarel, drawing strength from his steady gaze. “It’s not a Fleet ship. It’s privately owned.”

  “Really?” Kire sat up straighter. “You mean you’ve left the Fleet?”

  She nodded.

  He frowned, his expression puzzled. “Huh. First Jon here, and now you. I never would have imagined that.” He traced the rim of his glass with his finger. “So what’s the story? If it’s not a Fleet ship, who owns it?”

  Here’s where things got tricky. “I do.”

  He blinked. And stared. And blinked some more. “What?” As her words slowly registered, his expression upshifted from puzzled to confused. “I don’t understand. Even if you’ve been saving everything you’ve earned since you left the Academy, there’s no way you could afford to buy a ship at this point.”

  “That’s true.” Fleet salaries were a matter of public record, so he knew what she made. He also knew she didn’t come from a wealthy family. The next bit of information was only going to generate more questions. “The ship is Kraed. Jonarel designed and commissioned it.”

  Kire’s gaze shifted to Jonarel. “Is that what you’ve been up to these past two years? Building a ship?”

  Jonarel nodded.

  Understanding slowly dawned. “You used your succession money to finance it, didn’t you?”

  Another nod.

  Kire glanced at her, his brow furrowing again. “But you said that you own it.” He paused, clearly trying to make the pieces of the puzzle fit together. “Did you buy it from him?”

  “Certainly not!” Jonarel roared, his face darkening with anger.

  Several of the customers at nearby tables jumped and glanced nervously in their direction.

  “Okay, okay.” Kire held his hands up, palms out. “Take it easy big guy. I didn’t mean to upset you. But I’m trying to figure this out and it’s not making any sense.”

  He had no way of knowing he’d unintentionally insulted Jonarel’s honor. Aurora worked to cut through the sudden tension. “Kraed never sell their ships. To do so would dishonor the family for all generations.”

  “Uh-huh.” Kire kept his focus on Jonarel, whose face still resembled a thundercloud. “So, if Jon designed it, and now you own it, but you didn’t buy it, then how…” He trailed off and his eyes widened. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He tried again, his voice barely a whisper. “Did you two pair bond?”

  “No,” she and Jonarel said simultaneously.

  Thank the universe Jonarel had answered as quickly as she had. It was the one question she’d dreaded more than any other, especially with Jonarel sitting right next to her. “The ship was a gift from Jonarel and his family.”

  Kire looked like he was waiting for the punch line.

  “The only way a non-Kraed can own a Kraed ship is if it’s gifted to them.” She paused. How much more could she say without prompting questions she wasn’t prepared to answer?

  Jonarel jumped into the breach, his deep voice filled with warmth. “Aurora is an honored friend. She was my father’s favorite student and is considered a part of my family. My parents supported my decision to use the money from my succession to design and construct a starship for her.”

  “And you just gave it to her?”

  “Yes.”

  Kire’s face showed his disbelief. She could relate. She’d been battling her own doubts ever since Jonarel had taken her to see the ship. Her ship. She’d been overwhelmed, and more than a little concerned about the motivations behind his decision and what it signified.

  However, she’d had no choice. She’d accepted that the ship was hers. To refuse such a gift would have destroyed their relationship forever. She’d deal with the repercussions later.

  The flicker of emotion in Kire’s eyes told her they would be revisiting this topic. But he apparently had picked up on her unease and had decided to forego any more probing questions, at least for now. Sitting back in his chair, he lifted his glass and took a healthy swallow, his gaze never leaving hers. “So, you’re the captain of this ship?”

  She nodded.

  “And I’m guessing Jon is the engineer?”

  “Yes.”

  The corners of Kire’s mouth started to twitch. “And I’m here because…?”

  “The ship needs a communications officer. I want the best in the Fleet.”

  He laughed, relaxing against the back of his chair. “And you’re not above using flattery to get him.” He sipped his drink. “What’s this ship of yours going to be doing?”

  “We’re designated for scientific investigation and exploration related to planetary and interstellar disturbances. We’re still putting the crew together, but the Galactic Council wants us to be ready for service in two weeks.”

  “Why would the Council hire an independent? Why not just use Fleet ships?”

  Jonarel fielded that one. “Scienti
fic study is time-consuming. Given the option, the Council would rather pay a small team of trained specialists rather than pull one of their Fleet ships from active service. It is more efficient.”

  Kire considered the answer. “Makes sense.” He looked back at her. “And you need to be ready in two weeks?”

  “Yes. But I’m hoping to recruit my communications officer today.” She stared pointedly at him.

  He stared right back. It was a big decision. She understood that. But one way or another, she had to know his answer now.

  A twinkle appeared in his hazel eyes. “You can check that one off your list, Captain.”

  Hallelujah! Aurora resisted the urge to punch her fist in the air as the tension in her neck and shoulders eased. She hadn’t realized how much she had been counting on his presence on the ship until he’d said yes. “Thank you, Commander.”

  “Commander?”

  She grinned. “Oh, didn’t I tell you? You’ll also be the ship’s first officer.”

  He set his glass down with a thunk. “Damn. You sure know how to bury the lead.”

  She chuckled. “Let’s just say I wanted to make sure you took the job for the right reasons.” She folded her hands in front of her. “And now that we have that settled, there’s one more key position to fill on the bridge.”

  “Which is?”

  “Navigator. I’m having trouble locating someone who has the skill and talent to handle a Kraed ship confidently. Any suggestions?”

  Kire glanced at Jonarel. “Wouldn’t a Kraed be the best choice?”

  Jonarel shook his head. “Unfortunately, that is not possible. Those members of my clan who have sufficient experience all have bonded mates and young. They will not leave Drakar. And those in training are not yet ready to handle the position.”

  “Then how about someone from another clan?”

  Jonarel looked at Kire as though he had suggested they put an elephant in charge of navigation. “I would never ask nor would anyone accept a position onboard a ship belonging to another Kraed clan. It indicates one does not have strong family connections.”

  And the Kraed were the most family-oriented species Aurora had ever met.

  “But the ship belongs to Roe, doesn’t it?” Kire asked. “And she isn’t a Kraed.”

  “No, but she is part of my clan.”

  And there it was. Jonarel hadn’t said she was like a part of his clan, or that he considered her part of his clan. No, he’d said she is part of my clan. She’d always felt like the Clarek clan had adopted her, but Jonarel’s comment confirmed her official standing in the eyes of his people. What exactly that meant to Jonarel, she didn’t know. And she was in no rush to find out.

  Kire was giving off equal parts of bewilderment and frustration, which made for a really fascinating expression on his face as he gazed at her. He was probably realizing how much he didn’t understand about her relationship with Jonarel. That made two of them. However, he wisely chose to drop that line of questioning. “I’m guessing the navigator on the Argo isn’t a candidate?”

  “No. His style is very structured and by the book, which works fine on a Fleet ship. But he doesn’t have the creativity and sensitivity required to work with a Kraed vessel.”

  “Okay. So we need someone who’s intuitive, who can think outside the box.” Kire’s expression grew thoughtful. “In that case, I do know someone who’s perfect, if she’s available. Her name is Bronwyn Kelly. She’s young, and she didn’t attend the Academy, but she’s the best navigator I’ve ever seen.”

  “So she doesn’t work on a Fleet ship? How did you meet her?”

  “About six months ago a Setarip destroyer attacked the ship she was piloting. I saw the vid logs of the maneuvers she did to keep that ship out of target range until we arrived to deal with the destroyer. What she accomplished was amazing. No casualties, either. She’s a cool character. Nothing seems to bother her.”

  “Can you contact her?”

  “Consider it done.”

  Her comband vibrated against her forearm. She glanced at the display. “It’s Admiral Schreiber.” She selected the incoming message. Her heart rate accelerated as she scanned the contents. “Our timetable just changed. The Admiral wants us to report to his office for immediate assignment.”

  Kire frowned. “Why the sudden urgency?”

  “He doesn’t say.” The tone of the message indicated time was of the essence. She panned her comband over the payment portal as she stood. “But I think you’d better contact Bronwyn Kelly on the way.”

  3

  Kire walked briskly toward Admiral Schreiber’s office on the tenth floor of the Council headquarters building. He was still wrapping his head around the idea that he had resigned his post on the Odyssey, accepted a new position as the communications officer on Roe’s ship, and was now a first officer, all in the past thirty minutes. He was either incredibly blessed or certifiably nuts. The jury was still out on that one.

  Good thing he could work on very little sleep, because it looked like he wouldn’t be getting much in the next few days. Roe had often commented on his ability to power nap, and he’d need that talent if her suspicions about their meeting with the Admiral were correct.

  He’d also contacted Bronwyn Kelly. The young navigator had been intrigued by the possibility of piloting a Kraed vessel. She was arranging transport to Earth. The decision to hire her would ultimately be up to Roe, but he had a feeling she’d approve of Kelly.

  As he stepped into the Admiral’s office, he spotted Roe standing by the doorway to the small conference room, talking with two women. The woman on her left was about Roe’s height, with an athletic build that showed even in her Fleet grays. The woman to her right was taller, with short dark hair that didn’t reach the collar of her light blue medical tunic. Her face seemed vaguely familiar, although he couldn’t place her.

  Roe turned as he walked toward them. “Kire.” She nodded in greeting and then gestured to the woman in blue. “You remember Mya, don’t you?”

  Recognition clicked into place. “Of course.” He clasped the hand of Roe’s childhood friend. He hadn’t seen Mya Forrest since he’d left the Academy seven years ago, and her brown hair had been much longer then, almost to her waist. The shorter pixie cut she wore now suited her and was much more practical in her line of work. Roe had mentioned she’d already hired a medical officer. Now he understood why that job had been so easy to fill.

  “I see she managed to talk you out of the Fleet.” Mya glanced at Roe with sisterly affection.

  “It wasn’t tough to do.” He grinned. “She knows my weaknesses.”

  “Mine, too.” Mya made a face.

  Roe’s green eyes sparkled with mischief, but she refrained from commenting. Instead she turned to the woman on her left.

  Despite the woman’s modest, tailored uniform, she was stunning, with shoulder-length hair the color of milk chocolate and a face that Helen of Troy would have envied. Her toned physique spoke of strength and agility, and her dark brown eyes were almost hypnotic as they analyzed, categorized and detailed every millimeter of the space and the people in it. He’d bet good money he was about to meet the ship’s security officer.

  “Kire Emoto, may I introduce Celia Cardiff,” Roe said. “We served on the Argo together. She’s the head of security and weapons systems on the ship. She’s also a walking encyclopedia of pharmacology.” Laughter tinged her voice as she looked at Cardiff. “I’d introduce Kire to you, but since you ran his security background checks, you probably know more about him than I do.”

  If they were talking about raw facts, Roe might be right. However, they’d been close friends since they were teenagers. She’d been his confidant on many occasions. Those types of things didn’t show up on official transcripts.

  “I don’t know, Sahzade,” Mya said, echoing his thoughts. “You have a way of learning everyone’s secrets, too.”

  He glanced at Mya. “What did you call her?”

  “Sahzade.�
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  “Which is…?”

  “Her nickname when she was a child.”

  He frowned. “But I’ve never heard you call her that before.”

  Mya chuckled. “That’s because I was told on pain of death that no one was to hear that name while we were at the Academy.”

  Roe grimaced. “A rule that she conveniently forgot as soon as we started serving together on the Argo.”

  Mya shrugged nonchalantly, clearly amused at Roe’s discomfort.

  “What does Sahzade mean?”

  “Nothing.” Roe looked like she wanted to leave it at that, but he wasn’t about to let her off the hook so easily. He stared at her expectantly until she relented. “It’s just something she made up when I was a child. From the way she tells it, I tended to ignore anyone who called me Aurora.”

  Kire grinned. “I can believe that. You were probably one of those kids who tried to change your name every month, weren’t you?”

  “Yes,” Mya said.

  “No,” Roe replied, giving her friend a stern look. “But I liked running around outside and getting dirty. Aurora sounded like someone in a white dress with bows in her hair. Sahzade fit me better, at least as a child.”

  “Hmm.” Mya covered her mouth with her hand to hide her smile.

  Roe ignored her. “As I got older, I realized I really liked my name. But by then, the nickname had stuck.”

  And he’d given her another one when they met. “What about you?” he asked Mya. “Did she ever give you a nickname?”

  “Actually, Mya is my nickname. My real name is Lelindia.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  She shook her head. “Nope. Aurora couldn’t pronounce my name when she was a toddler, just the ah sound at the end. However, like most two-year-olds, she was pretty good at saying my and mine so anytime she wanted me, she’d say my-ah. Over time, it became Mya, and she’s never called me anything else.”

  Roe’s pale skin had always shown a blush easily. A telltale flush of red was creeping up her cheeks now.