by Cheree Alsop
Liora’s eye was caught by a vendor selling jewelry. Usually, she thought of such things as frillery and useless, but the vendor also had weapons worked with such craftsmanship they appeared too delicate to be serviceable.
She selected a blade with a purple stone in the middle of the silver worked hilt.
“May I?” she asked the vendor.
At his welcoming nod, she slid the knife from its sheath. A closer examination revealed that a sunburst was crafted along the blade, its rays augmented by two different shades of metal. The handle fit her fingers like it had been made for her; she twirled it experimentally.
“It suits you,” Tariq said.
She felt embarrassed to be caught browsing when they were supposed to be analyzing the sales floor.
“Don’t put it back,” Tariq told her when she reached for the sheath. He spoke to the vendor. “How much?”
“One platinum bar,” the vendor replied. “The blade is Zamarian crafted and the silver of the handle has been enriched with Zamarian steel for strength. The stone is Marathyst from Corian. This weapon has been crafted with both beauty and serviceability in mind.”
The price startled Liora. One platinum bar was worth two iridium bars or two hundred copper coins. It was far more than she had ever owned in her lifetime. She smiled and sheathed the knife again.
“Thank you for letting me look,” she said.
“Anytime,” the vendor replied with a gracious nod.
“We’ll take it.”
Liora stared at Tariq. “You’re going to buy it?” She offered it to him with a startled expression. “Do you carry that much?”
Tariq gestured to Hyrin. “He carries it.”
“He has a credit with the Kratos,” Hyrin told her. “Tariq never spends his money. Never.” His tone told of his amazement that the man was actually purchasing something.
“I’m buying it for you,” Tariq said. He nodded to the vendor. The man took the blade and began to wrap it.
Liora shook her head. “You can’t buy this for me.”
“I can,” Tariq replied. “And I am.”
Liora backed up. “That’s ridiculous. You could buy a starship for that price.”
Tariq quirked a smile. “You could invest in a starship, but I’ve never seen one for that low of a cost. It would probably implode with pressure inconsistencies the moment it cleared the hold.”
“You’re changing the subject,” Liora pointed out.
“You’re being difficult,” Tariq said. “You want the knife, I have the money. It should be as easy as that.”
“But you shouldn’t spend that much on me,” Liora replied. “You shouldn’t spend any money on me.”
Tariq watched her with a thoughtful expression as if her reaction charmed him. “Why not?”
Liora stepped back into the crowd and the table was lost from view. She took a few steps and was suddenly aware of the flowing throng. She felt like a rock in a stream the way the people flooded around her. Some acted as though she wasn’t there; others noticed the tattoos down her neck and gave her a wide berth. Those invariably looked back as if to make sure she didn’t follow them like some death bearer intent on killing anything foolish enough to make eye contact. The room felt too small for the amount of people rushing through it. Tariq’s comment about a ship imploding felt very real.
Devren appeared at her side, his smile comforting.
“What do you think of all this?” he asked.
“Overwhelming,” Liora replied.
Devren gave her a closer look. “Are you alright?”
Liora walked with him through the crowd, grateful to be away from the others for a moment.
“I’m not sure,” she said. At Devren’s questioning look, she said, “Tariq tried to buy a knife.”
“He should,” Devren replied. “He never spends money on anything.”
“That’s what Hyrin said.” Liora paused, then continued, “He wanted to buy it for a platinum bar.”
Devren’s eyes widened. “That must be some knife.”
“He wanted to give it to me.”
Devren stopped. The crowd flowed around them. This time, at least with Devren there, Liora felt a little less like everyone was waiting for her to attack them.
“Tariq wanted to buy you a knife for a platinum bar?” Devren repeated.
Liora nodded.
Devren stared at her. His brow creased. “He’s never bought anything for anyone other than drinks at taverns for the crew. It’s not like him to put himself out there like that.”
Liora nodded again.
Devren blew out a breath. “He cares about you, Liora.” He watched her closely as if her reaction to his words meant everything to him.
She didn’t want to hurt him. Devren had been nicer to her than anyone she could ever remember. He had freed her from Malivian’s circus. He had sworn her in as a member of the Kratos crew, giving her both a purpose and a home. He had been sweet, understanding, and patient, and now he watched her with the expression of one who just realized his best friend was in love with the girl he had perhaps considered giving his heart to.
Liora owed it to him to be completely honest. “I care about him, too.”
A smile spread across Devren’s face. He looked as though he was so happy he could barely contain it.
“That’s wonderful!” he said with a laugh. “That’s amazing! Tariq needs somebody; he’s been so alone. He keeps inside of himself so much I always worry about him. Losing Dannan and Lissy almost killed him.”
Devren’s expression changed. His smile faded and his gaze clouded.
“But you’re a Damaclan.”
Liora looked away from him. They were the words she had fought against since she first came aboard the Kratos. Tariq’s hatred of the Damaclan race was perfectly understandable, and the dream she had just shared with him echoed that taboo. Her tattoos marked her as the thing that had destroyed his life. How would he ever be able to see past it long enough for them to work out?
“I can’t fight that,” Liora said.
Devren touched her arm. “Liora, if he’s fallen for you, he’s already fighting it. That means something.”
“You think so?” Liora studied Devren’s face, hoping for something she didn’t dare believe.
He smiled at her. “I think so.”
“It’s like fighting through a zanderbin stampede to get over here,” Tariq said, reaching them. He paused on seeing them so close together. Tariq looked from Devren to Liora. “Devren, we need to—”
“Devren?” a woman repeated the name. “As in Devren Metis, Captain of the SS Kratos?”
The three of them turned to find several older women watching them.
“Uh, yes, ma’am,” Devren replied. “Pleased to meet you, miss….”
“Rebea Maylis. I am Stone Maylis’ sister.” She paused, then corrected herself. “I was Stone’s sister.”
The Kratos crew members exchanged glances.
“I know this isn’t the most opportune time,” Rebea continued, “But could we please have a moment with you? There are some unanswered questions about my brother’s death that continue to haunt me.”
Devren looked around. It was obvious running into Stone’s sister was the last thing he had expected. He gave her a gracious smile. “Of course. Please bring your family to our quarters. It’s quieter there.”
Two other women and several children followed them through the long hallways of the Eos. Liora glanced at Devren and Tariq. Both men looked apprehensive about what the conversation might hold in store. Given all they had been through with Stone, the next few minutes weren’t going to be easy.
“Thank you for seeing us,” Rebea said when they were seated in Devren’s living room. “I apologize for accosting you like this, but given the circumstances, it would be a lost opportunity if we let you go. This is my sister Nessa and my aunt Ciril.”
Devren’s eyes followed the children who wandered around the room pointing at th
ings and whispering to each other.
“Are any of these children Stone’s?” he asked quietly. His expression said he feared the answer.
Rebea gave him a kind smile. “No. Stone was unmarried. His heart lay in the cause of the Revolution instead of in family.”
Liora thought with a pang of regret about Stone and Shathryn’s attachment to each other.
“The reason we’re here is because we know Stone died in a confrontation with the Coalition,” Rebea continued. “We’ve lost many of our men and women in such a way. The only difference is that he mentioned you before we received word of his death.”
Her sister took up the story. “The night before Stone’s ship was destroyed, he sent us a transmission saying that he had found a cause greater than the Revolution. It was something we had never heard from him before. We found out later that he had left the majority of those who flew with him at a Gaulded for fear of the danger they would face.” Nessa paused and tears showed in her eyes when she said, “Those he left spoke of Captain Devren Metis and his, well, your fight to save the Macrocosm from something even more dangerous than this war.”
Silence filled the room. Tariq and Devren appeared touched by Nessa’s words and at a loss as to how to reply. Nobody knew Stone had left ship members behind.
Liora knew the loss she saw in the eyes of Stone’s family. Having been the one that was usually the cause of somebody else’s heartache, she had never addressed others after a death. She steeled her nerves and chose what she would want to hear given the same situation.
“Rebea, Nessa, and Ciril, Stone left a great impression on the crew of the SS Kratos. He was brave, selfless, and willing to put his life on the line to help those who looked to him for protection.”
Liora pushed comfort toward them, hoping it would help when she searched for words. “I don’t know how much he told you about our mission, but Stone and our captain stumbled upon a danger far bigger than any of us were prepared to face. In our effort to destroy the danger, it forced the SS Kratos to run from the Coalition. Stone joined us. He was our only ally and friend, and in the end, he sacrificed his life, crew, and ship to save us from a Coalition attack and give us the chance we needed to escape.”
Liora gave them a small smile. “Thanks to your brother’s sacrifice, we were able to destroy part of the danger and we are on route to eliminate the rest of it.”
Devren took up where she left off. “Stone taught us a great deal about trust regardless of title or reason. He opened my eyes to possibilities beyond this war, and what it means to truly serve the greater cause.” He gave them a grateful smile. “He will always be a mentor to me.”
All three women had tears in their eyes. The children had fallen silent when Liora spoke, and they looked from their family to the Kratos crew members.
Liora hadn’t often been around children, but she swore she saw Stone in their faces. She hoped what she said helped them. They were young, but perhaps they would remember what it meant to fight for something bigger than themselves; it was a lesson she was still learning.
“Stone always said he would die for the cause,” Rebea told them. She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “When those on the Gaulded returned to our homestead ship and told us what had happened, they said he was excited for the chance to fight back. Your account of what happened helps with that.” She smiled at Liora. “My brother was a kind, caring man. I’m glad to know he died fighting for others.”
Everyone stood. Hugs were exchanged, and when the women and children left, silence filled the room behind them.
Devren squeezed his closed eyes with one hand. “That was harder than I thought it would be.” He looked at Liora. “Thank you for what you said.”
Liora let out a breath. “I feel like it was far short of what Stone deserved.”
Tariq shook his head. “It was eloquent and comforting. You told them the truth, and what they needed to hear.” He gave her a searching look. “I thought you weren’t a big people person.”
“I’m not,” Liora replied. “I’m usually horrible when it comes to situations like that.” She paused, then said, “But I thought about what Stone would want them to know. I hope it helped.”
“I think it helped more than you know,” Devren told her.
“And the pushing helped,” Tariq said.
“You felt that?”
Tariq nodded, his gaze holding her. “I can always feel it when you do that.”
Devren glanced from Liora to Tariq, then cleared his throat. “I, uh, forgot about something I needed to buy. I’m going to find Hyrin on the merchant level.”
He left without another word.
Tariq watched the closed door from his seat on the couch for a moment. “He knows there’s something between us.”
“He asked me,” Liora replied. When Tariq looked at her, she dropped her gaze to the floor. “He found me after you tried to buy the knife. He said you don’t normally purchase things for other people.” She fell silent, then continued with, “He said he was glad you found someone you cared about”
“What did you tell him?”
She looked up at Tariq’s curious tone. He watched her, his light blue eyes searching her face. She held his gaze and forced out the words despite how hard they were to say, “I told him I cared about you, but I didn’t know if we could get past my Damaclan heritage.”
Tariq pulled something from behind his belt. When he unwrapped the package, the knife sat in his hand. He turned it over, studying the craftsmanship.
“Liora, do you know why I paid so much for this knife?”
She shook her head.
Tariq ran his fingers over the purple stone in the hilt. “Because I have never seen you want anything.” He glanced at her. “You fight for everyone else, you do whatever you need to, but you never ask for anything in return.” He held the knife out to her. “You deserve this.”
A lump formed in Liora’s throat. She took the blade, but didn’t know what to say.
Tariq leaned his elbows on his knees and linked his hands over his head. When he broke the silence again, his voice was thick.
“Liora, loving me won’t be easy. I’m damaged, maybe broken; I don’t know.” He looked at her. “All I know is that while a Damaclan…” He paused as if it was hard to say. He took a breath and continued, “A Damaclan destroyed my life with the edge of a blade. Maybe another Damaclan can heal it the same way.”
Tears spilled free. He drove his palms into his eyes and a sob tore from his chest.
Liora knelt in front of him and touched his knee. He leaned his head against her. She held him, her chin on top of his head and her arms around him.
“I’ve got you,” she told him quietly. “It’s okay.”
She hesitated a moment, then shoved her fears away and pushed toward him. She sent comfort, reassurance, and pushed the flicker of love that had grown inside of her to the point that it scared her with how much she cared about him.
Tariq’s breath caught in his throat. His shoulders stilled. After a moment, he raised his head and looked at her. He shook his head, his eyes on hers.
“How?” he asked. He swallowed, and said, “How can you love me so much after all you know about me? What is there left to love?”
Tears filled Liora’s eyes. “I could ask you the same thing,” she said.
Tariq chuckled and wiped his cheeks; when she smiled in return, her tears spilled free.
“We are both so damaged.” Tariq wiped her tears away gently with the pads of his thumbs. “Love sometimes seems scarier than anything else in life. Maybe it’s the next battle; one that we can fight together.”
“I would like that,” she said, smiling at him with more tears threatening to run over.
“I would, too,” Tariq replied.
He kissed her, then pulled back and looked at her. The vulnerability in his eyes made Liora’s heart skip sideways in her chest.
“I would, too,” Tariq repeated. He closed his eyes and kissed h
er again.
Chapter 23
“Captain Devren?”
“Yes, Captain Hart?” Devren answered the page from the intercom.
“We have reached the Cas One Galaxy. Verdan is in sight.”
A smile spread across Devren’s face. “Thank you, Captain Hart. We’ll head to the Gull.”
Devren turned to his crew. “Let’s hope the others have left word with Mother. It would be nice to get back to the Kratos.”
“I miss home,” Hyrin replied. “I hope Straham’s been good to my baby.”
When they reached the Gull, Liora was surprised to see Brandis waiting for them.
“I’ve always wanted to see the famed lightning planet,” Brandis said with an easy smile. “Care if I fly with you? I can have a ground craft pick me up if you plan to stay.”
“We owe you much more than that for your hospitality,” Devren replied. “You’re welcome to come with us.”
They climbed onto the Gull. A thrill of excitement went through Liora.
As if he felt it, Tariq gave her a questioning look. “Are you alright?”
She nodded. “Just anxious to be back on the Kratos. I think it’s the first time I’ve actually been homesick for somewhere before.”
Tariq smiled at her. “It’s a good sign when you miss the ship you live on.”
Hyrin pushed a button on the console. “This is Hyrin of the Starship Kratos requesting permission to enter Verdan.”
Silence answered his call. He pushed the button again.
“This is Hyrin of the SS Kratos. Please clear a path for us to land on Verdan.”
“The SS Kratos?” a voice replied. “Are Devren and Tariq with you?”
Hyrin glanced back at them. Confusion showed in his gaze.
“We are,” Devren answered.
The man paused, then said, “Dev, we’ve had some problems. You need to get to Echo right away.”
Devren stood. “What happened, Josen?”
“Just, uh, just get down there. We’ll clear a path.”
The lightning pulled apart and Hyrin steered the Gull through. Everyone stared intently out the window at the dark ground below.
