A bright smile lit her face at his touch. “No, I don’t despise you. I know the Emperor’s vicious ways too well. The prison brand does not mar you in my eyes any more than I fear the touch of your steel hand.”
His breathing quickened and his gaze intensified. Katrina’s pulse beat faster as he gently guided her closer with his steel hand on the back of her neck. She bent toward his face until their lips connected in a sweet kiss. He was weak and scarcely able to raise his head.
“You must grow stronger, Niall,” she urged. “I’m waiting for you to leave sick bay.”
Capturing her hand in his steel fingers, he gazed at her face without speaking. Katrina brushed his curly black hair from his pale forehead. She couldn’t stop smiling at him.
After a few minutes, he took a deep breath, and asked in a shaky voice, “What of my ship, the Rogue Star, and my crew?”
“They’re here in the Ulysses, the Solarian battleship that rescued us. The Rogue Star popped out of hyperspace just after the Ulysses had chased off the Emperor’s Revenge. Your crew was anxious about your health and the Rogue Star needed repairs, so your ship is docked beside the Shamrock. Miriam has been waiting to see you, but she gave me priority. I can speak to her if you’re not well enough for another visitor today.”
He murmured, “Stay with me a while, Katrina.”
“I’ll sit with you as long as you wish.” She sat beside his bed, holding his hand, until he drifted into sleep. Miriam did not speak with her Captain for several hours.
Afterward her first visit, Katrina sat with him every day. They held hands and spoke little, yet he grew steadily stronger. Miriam and Jake from the crew of the Rogue Star were also frequent visitors.
One day, when Katrina visited Black Hawk, she announced, “The Ulysses will welcome a special visitor tomorrow. I’d like you to meet him, Niall.”
“Who is this visitor?” he asked, warily reserving his judgment.
She squeezed his hand, smiling at the anxious expression on his severe face. “Our visitor is my father, Master Fingal Sligo. He has asked to speak with you.”
Grimacing in distress, he pointed at the raised brand on his face and asked, “How can I meet your father when I am marred by this ugly scar?”
“He won’t think any worse of you than I do. As the Solarian Ambassador, he has often attended the Emperor’s court. He is divided between disgust at their cruel pranks and amusement at their empty pomp.” Katrina brushed her fingers over his branded cheek. “You can have the brand removed. The Ulysses employs the best reconstructive surgeons in the Solarian Sector.”
Scowling at her suggestion, he protested in a bitter tone, “I cannot afford luxuries such as facial reconstruction.”
“Niall, you have a small fortune on the Rogue Star. Your wife left a casket of rare jewels in her bedchamber. Did she intend to leave them for you, or did she forget her valuable treasures?”
Shaking his head violently, he snapped, “No, Katrina, I shall never use her jewels for my advantage.”
She said quietly, “I’ll gladly pay any price to ensure you are happy to expose your face.”
The severe expression on his face softened and he murmured, “You are a good woman. You’re too good to be saddled with my ugly past.”
“I have a past also. You’ve seen Grey Kat in action. What punishment would Kat receive if the Emperor’s minions caught her? Is my past any less nefarious than yours?”
His lips curved in a rueful grin. “A pirate and a thief! We’re well matched, Mistress Katrina.”
Next day, Katrina brought her father to visit Niall as she had promised. The medical staff had made a special effort to tidy the small room. When they entered, the Hawk sat in a chair by the bed. His black hair was combed back, accentuating his pale, lined face with the sharp green eyes. His white shirt seemed incongruous to anyone who had known him as Black Hawk, the black-clad, piratical captain of the Rogue Star. The Hawk rose slowly to his feet, gripping the back of the chair for support and smiled at Katrina. She stepped to his side, still limping from her own injury, and took his hand.
Grinning broadly, Katrina introduced the two men to each other. “Father, I’m sure you are curious to meet Captain Niall Hawk of the Rogue Star. Niall, meet Master Fingal Sligo.”
Ambassador Sligo was a short, genial man with a strong resemblance to his daughter. He had a pale smooth face and his hair was a faded auburn sprinkled with white. He gripped the Hawk’s right hand, despite the steel mechanism and urged, “Captain Hawk, please sit down. We cannot leave poor Katrina standing on her injured foot.”
Pulling a chair over, Katrina sat beside her Niall, and her father took a seat opposite the fond couple. His eyelids crinkled in humor, the Ambassador said, “I have followed your exploits with interest, Captain Hawk. Especially since Mistress Trina’s disappearance coincided so strangely with the departure of your ship from Hassam Port. The Solarians have no complaints on file against you or your ship, the Rogue Star. But, the Emperor has an alert out for your capture since they claim you stole something of value from Hassam.”
The Hawk had followed the Ambassador’s words with growing interest. He said, with a return to his old dashing confidence, “Indeed, it is true that I took something priceless from Hassam’s dock. I captured Katrina.” He squeezed Katrina’s hand and she blushed at his warm gaze.
Master Sligo regarded his daughter with amused comprehension. He remarked softly, “I believe Mistress Trina would be unwise to visit the young prince on Topaz. Her disappearance was suspicious, since it coincided with the theft of the codes from the Emperor’s Revenge.”
She agreed, “Of course, father, we can scarcely admit that I was wounded in a skirmish with the Emperor’s troops.”
“And, you killed one or two of them, if I remember correctly,” the Hawk stated in unapologetic admiration.
“Mistress Trina will lie low for a while,” she proposed.
Ambassador Sligo said, with a hint of regret in his voice, “Alas, the Grey Kat must vanish entirely, now her identity has been compromised. She served us well.” Fixing his gaze on his daughter, he asked, “What will you do now, Katrina?”
“I don’t know.” Katrina glanced at the Hawk for inspiration.
He said, with a devilish gleam in his green eyes, “Adopt a new name.”
“What name do you suggest?” she queried suspiciously.
“Katrina Hawksley!” was his prompt reply.
She gasped in astonishment, “I’ve heard of a Hawksley. He was imprisoned, and lost his family and land to the Emperor’s rapacious greed.”
“I take my revenge,” he said harshly, flashing his white teeth in a predatory grin.
Katrina smiled in joyful accord, recalling her own covert activities. “Why, so do I.”
His mercurial eyes switched to aching desire and he held out his arms. “Come with me and sail the cosmic waves in the Rogue Star!”
Master Sligo interrupted, saying firmly, “You may dispute as much as you wish over your names. But, I strongly recommend that you, Captain Hawk, should adopt a new identity.”
“I’ve been telling Niall to have the prison brand erased from his face. No one would recognize him without the mask and black garments.” Katrina waxed enthusiastic about this improvement.
The Ambassador nodded in agreement. “Also, we cannot have the pirate ship, the Rogue Star, docked recognizably in a Solarian battleship. I recommend installing a new outer shell in a different color as well as a new name, while we are repairing your ship.”
The Hawk expostulated, “You are too generous. I cannot accept your help in renovating my ship.”
“Bear in mind that I wish to ensure the safety of my only daughter,” Master Sligo announced firmly, outstaring the stubborn Captain.
The Hawk fell silent and stared helplessly at Katrina. She smiled in sympathy and patted his hand, saying, “Niall, they’ve already started to repair your ship.”
“I am outmaneuvered on all sides,”
he murmured, kissing her hand. “What shall we call the new ship?”
Katina wrinkled her nose thoughtfully. “Do you like the name Silver Comet?”
“She is yours to name,” he replied warmly, causing her face to blush a bright pink.
“Well, well,” the Ambassador said in amused tolerance. “You are a charming rogue, Captain Hawk, making bold proposals to my daughter right under my nose. I see Katrina has too stubborn a spirit to give you an answer, at least in my presence. So, I’ll take my leave of you for today. Katrina, I’ll offer your excuses to Prince Alvin.”
“Tell him I ran off on a whirlwind romance,” Katrina suggested with a gleeful grin, her eyes on Niall. “Although, I’m afraid we cannot escape a connection with the Emperor’s family. I believe we are looking at the ex-son-in-law of the Emperor.”
The Hawk buried his head in his hands, muttering ruefully, “However did you guess the identity of my deceased wife?”
“I have attended the Emperor’s court several times, and I recognized the magnificent style of her dresses. They showed her rank was far higher than mine as the Ambassador’s daughter. Also, I remembered the stories of her stormy return from some wild adventure and rumored suicide.”
Master Sligo interjected in his level manner, “The Emperor reported his daughter’s death as a suicide. But, my informants at the court claimed he had arranged to dispose of an inconvenient embarrassment.”
After the Ambassador left, the Hawk pulled Katrina onto his knees and kissed her. “You have led me on a merry chase, lovely Katrina.”
Her eyes flashed with indignation. “What do you mean, I led you? You kidnapped me, and you conned me to sneak into the Emperor’s scouter docked on Laos Minor.”
Yearning desire in his eyes, he murmured, “I cannot regret my actions since they steered us together. Please, I beg you to answer me. Will you join me in the Silver Comet?”
“Oh yes, Niall, I accept both your proposals.” A bright smile flashed across her face, and she hugged him.
He whispered huskily in her ear, “I’m weary of this cold room in sick bay. Do you have a private berth where I can explore your hidden beauties?”
Giggling at his slick suggestion, Katrina nibbled provocatively on his earlobe before replying, “You’re an irresistible rogue, Niall. Come with me!”
They ambled slowly along the passages to her cabin with their arms around each other, anticipating a passionate embrace.
11 Epilog
OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, the Rogue Star was refitted with updated engines and an impervious silver shell. The ship was renamed the Silver Comet. Katrina personally supervised the renovation of the princess’s old bedroom. Her gaudy belongings were removed and the furniture replaced. She insisted that Niall share the room and she did not want to revive any unpleasant memories. Ambassador Sligo promised to find a good home for the expensive court gowns and jewelry.
The name changing ceremony was held in three weeks, when Captain Hawk was declared fit after his surgery. The ceremony was a small private event with the crews of the old Rogue Star and the Shamrock in attendance. Ambassador Sligo dropped in for the evening in honor of his daughter.
Katrina was beautiful, dressed in white trimmed with silver in recognition of the new name of their ship, the Silver Comet. Her hair shone like red gold. Niall did not wear black. The joyful light in his eyes obscured the fine scars on his cheek where the prison brand had been removed.
Katrina and Niall held hands all evening and gazed lovingly at each other.
Cormac called the first toast, “To Mistress Katrina Hawksley and Captain Niall Hawksley, may they have a long and happy life together!”
Toasts followed to the Shamrock, the Silver Comet and their crews.
Finally, Niall rose to thank the Ambassador. He gave a jaunty toss of his head, and lifted the glass in his steel hand. “I salute my father-in-law, Master Fingal Sligo. I will never forget his generosity. In future, we’ll work together to destroy the Emperor!”
MESSAGE FROM AURORA SPRINGER
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
AURORA SPRINGER WRITES science fiction and fantasy adventures with romance and a sprinkle of humor. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, one dog and two cats. She has been imagining wild adventures in exotic worlds since childhood, but has spent much of her life writing science facts. Unfortunately, her everyday life bears little resemblance to the exciting tales of her heroes and heroines.
BOOKS BY AURORA SPRINGER
Find the complete list of her stories HERE.
(Click on the Title for more information)
SERIES
Grand Master’s Trilogy
Super psychics in space: One young woman challenges the super psychics ruling the galaxy, and finds an impossible love
Grand Master’s Cat, Short Prequel
Grand Master’s Pawn, Book 1
Grand Master’s Game, Book 2
Grand Master’s Mate, Book 3
Cosmic Rift, Book 4
SECRET SUPERS
Teen superhero, Starrella, and her flying horse combat vicious killers in Atalanta, a sunnier, southern Gotham City.
Super Starrella, Book 1
Starrella Falls, Book 2
Gargoyle Hunt, Book 3
ATRAPAKO ON EDEN
Feisty scientist solves puzzle of scaly aliens on the remote planet of Eden.
The Lady is Blue, Book 1
Dragons of Vkani, Book 2
STANDALONE NOVEL
For refugees from an overcrowded Earth, dreams of a better life on an alien planet transform into a terrifying battle for survival.
A Tale of Two Colonies
ANTHOLOGY
Comet Tales: 4 short stories and a novella.
Trudge over the rocks of Mars, trek through a hazardous alien jungle, or pop across the galaxy in a pirate ship in five fun tales of adventure and romance.
Novellas and Short Stories
Captured by the Hawk A space operetta, fun and fast-paced.
Rosemary’s Quest Young adult fantasy: teenage witch meets demon king and white wizard.
Gifts of Jangalore Short story set in the Grand Masters’ Galaxy.
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