Protector of the Realm

by Gun Brooke

Despite her anguish at Rae's words, Kellen retreated. Needing to put distance between them, she tugged her kaftan closer and entered the bathroom. The sliding door hissed behind her just as her knees gave way. Leaning hard against the counter, she stared at her reflection, all too familiar. Pale, with the blue blood cells drained from her skin, eyes slits of blue fire, and her upper lip drawn back in a faint snarl. Tereya had once taken a picture of her looking exactly like this while practicing gan'thet.

  I have to find a way to relax, or I'll go out there and throttle her for saying what she did. "Shower. Medium-hot. Pulsating."

  Water began to stream in thrusts from the showerhead and Kellen tossed her kaftan on the floor, desperate to get warm. She hadn't been this cold in a long time.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Rae opened her eyes, feeling satiny skin under her lips as strong hands held her close. Inhaling deeply, she smelled a soft, alien scent reminiscent of the dark red Tamara lilies that flourished in the meadows on her parents' estate on Earth. Sweet, almost fruity, with a faint trace of something darker, muskier. She finally realized she was captured beneath another body and tried to move, with little result. Kellen was fast asleep.

  Rae, on the other hand, had not slept well at all. Pretending to breathe evenly, she had listened to Kellen settle down after her shower, half expecting her to opt for the couch in the living room. Rae lay far over on her side of the bed and stared out the view port most of the night. Only in the early morning was she eventually so tired she fell asleep, and now she had no idea how they'd ended up like this.

  Rae pushed long blond strands of hair from her own face and tucked them behind Kellen's ear. The tender movement seemed surprisingly natural. "Kellen? Wake up. You have to move a little bit."

  Still no reaction. Rae turned her head, her lips ending up just a whisper away from Kellen's mouth. Soft gushes of air washed over Rae's face as her wife breathed.

  "Come on," Rae tried again. "It's almost time to get up anyway." Circling Kellen's waist with her arm, expecting to find fabric, she felt nothing but smooth skin. Realizing the thinlinnen shirt must have ridden up, Rae was about to remove her hand when her spouse gave a soft sigh.

  Swallowing against the sudden dryness in her throat, Rae allowed her fingers to linger, to savor the feel of Kellen's skin. She should remove her hand, but it was as if it were glued to the beautiful woman asleep in her arms. Wiggling her other hand free from underneath Kellen, Rae wrapped both arms around her, reveling in the furtive embrace. Clandestinely touching a sleeping woman. That substantiates her accusations last night, doesn't it, Commodore? Still, her self-deprecating words weren't enough to make her remove her hands right away.

  "Rae..." Another whisper from the full lips so close to hers.

  Rae bit back a moan, again trying to wake up Kellen. "Hello there, time to get up."

  Moving to the side, freeing Rae, Kellen opened unfocused eyes. "Yes? What time is it?"

  Rae glanced at the chronometer. "Ten minutes before the alarm goes off."

  Kellen's eyes slowly focused, and her expression became guarded. Still, she seemed reluctant to move. "Rae. About last night..."

  Rae groaned at the memory of the mutual accusations. "Oh, damn. I said something unforgivable to you." She looked deep into Kellen's eyes, searching for...something. "Forgive me. I'm not a cruel person. Really."

  "I know." Kellen placed two fingertips on Rae's lips. "I accused you of manipulating me for your own purpose. I made you think I meant physically, and then I initiated a kiss. That wasn't honorable."

  Curious at Kellen's choice of words, Rae put her hand over her wife's. "I kissed you back." The words hung between them, and Rae knew her embarrassment was clearly visible. Kellen seemed different as well this morning. Where her eyes had burned through layers of resentment and fury last night, they now looked at Rae misty blue and pensive. Probably just a temporary respite. Soon they'll be shooting daggers at me again.

  "I do appreciate your sacrifice," Kellen said.

  "Granted, five years with a stranger is a sacrifice. But, Kellen, you're not a complete stranger anymore." Rae struggled to find the right words. "I mean, I don't know much about you, but I'm learning. Last night, we let distrust and fear get the better of us. I know you don't have much reason to trust anyone, and perhaps me in particular..."

  "I can't afford to." Kellen's soft tone mitigated her brusque words.

  "Then there's the kiss." Rae forced herself to sound matter-of-fact even though the memory of their passionate embrace made her breathless. "Anger and passion are sometimes closely related. I didn't expect to react the way I did." Or you.

  Kellen remained quiet for a moment and seemed to consider what to say next with great care, or perhaps she was struggling with the same unsorted feelings and confusion. Rae figured her wife was too proud to show embarrassment, but she could actually feel Kellen cringe. Damn, let go of her! By the stars, she's half naked. You can't speak of hasty actions in the heat of an argument and be feeling her up at the same time! Blushing profusely, Rae tore her hands from the silky skin. She sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, just about to rise when Kellen stopped her by placing a hand on her thigh.

  "It's important that we don't let our anger show. To the universe, we're... in love and just married. We can't take our personal concerns out with us when we leave these quarters."

  Rae knew Kellen was right, but still it made her uneasy to hear her list the reasons like that. Does a secret part of me wish that Kellen and I could be closer merely for our own sakes? She shied away from the thought immediately. It was too complicated and too soon. She looked over at her wife who now sat up in bed, looking deceptively angelic with her flaxen hair tangled around her shoulders. Too beautiful. Rae's eyes fell upon Kellen's lips. It seemed impossible that just a few hours ago they had kissed her thoroughly. Too soon. Too much. She knew she had to say something more about their heated words. They had eaten away at her most of the night.

  "Please, forgive me for what I said about worlds changing fast. It was insensitive. And wrong of me."

  "Apology accepted." Kellen paused, her fingers gripping the bedcovers. "I was tactless too. It was unfair of me to compare you to the Onotharians."

  "I appreciate you saying that." Only guessing how difficult it must've been for her, Rae jumped up. She needed to put distance between them, but she also felt energized by their newfound truce. "It's time to get ready. We have a long day ahead of us."

  Kellen slid out of bed in one fluid movement. Walking toward the bathroom, she was a study in white and blond, her bluish skin making her look ethereal, like a forest entity out of an Iminestrian fairy tale.

  Rae couldn't take her eyes of her. I wonder how someone so strong can look so vulnerable. Or...am I the only one who sees it? Taken aback by this notion and angry at herself for indulging in unproductive thoughts, she strode to the guest bathroom to grab a shower. She made it a cold one.

  Kellen strolled into a large room that housed several different flight simulators. Two ensigns nodded at her and saluted the petite woman at her side.

  "Carry on, please," Lieutenant Leanne D'Artansis said, and returned the salute. Her long, red-blond hair lay in a snug bun against the base of her neck, and her marbled eyes glittered in colors that ranged between golden brown and green. Her slightly upturned nose boasted an interesting pattern of light freckles, and the only things preventing Kellen from describing her as cute were her firm, ample mouth and her surprisingly husky voice.

  "As you see, Kellen, you can try any of the vessels used by the SC forces. They should handle the same way the Onotharian ships you were used to."

  "Which one should I start with, Lieutenant?"

  "Oh, please, call me Leanne. This is pretty informal, after all. How about the frigate? Then you can move on to the smaller vessels."

  "Fine." Reluctantly charmed by Leanne's exuberant charisma, Kellen couldn't help but return the smile.

  Leanne strode over to th
e ensign in charge of the simulators. "Is number 5 available?"

  "Yes, ma'am," the ensign replied smartly. "Ms. O'Dal may use it for thirty minutes before the next pilot arrives."

  "Good." Leanne turned to Kellen. "Why don't you run the introductory sequence and then try a few of the different scenarios? I'll monitor you from out here."

  "Are you sure you have time? You must be very busy."

  "Don't worry about it." Leanne quickly positioned herself behind the controls. "The way you speak, I think you love flying as much as I do." A puzzling dark shadow flickered over her features. As if she realized she was showing too much, she quirked one corner of her mouth in a faint smirk. "I'll enjoy putting you through some interesting surprises in there."

  Kellen nodded. "I know I'll enjoy the challenge."

  She climbed through the hatch that led into a cabin. Inside, the controls looked exactly like the helm of an SC Class One frigate. Having gone over the specifications of the ship, she knew it was similar to the ones she had flown back home.

  "Can you hear me, Kellen?" Leanne's voice flowed through the comm system.

  "Loud and clear."

  "All right. Take her through the starting sequence."

  Kellen flipped switches and punched in commands, listening to the familiar hum when the simulator began to power up. She took a determined hold of the large handles and eased the frigate out of the imaginary port. Other ships approached, and she carefully maneuvered around them.

  "Excellent. Now prepare for the leap to field-distortion drive one, course Alpha Zero Two."

  "Field-distortion drive leap initiated." Kellen punched in new commands and listened to the main deflector reverberate.

  She observed her instruments and saw the field-distortion drive form ripples around the ship. It was time to adjust her course. Using the navigational console to her left, she calculated the course to Alpha Zero Two and submitted the data, then leaned back into the chair. Numbers ran down her screen like a digital waterfall as the computer worked on the coordinates she'd entered. A sudden thrust pressed her into the seat before the DVAs kicked in and removed the feeling of the G-forces. "Field-distortion drive one."

  "Good job. Adjust your course. There's an asteroid belt in your path."

  Kellen smiled at the gleeful tone in Leanne's voice. Watching the long-range scanners, she saw a dense asteroid belt and decided it was too vast to go around. She reduced to impulse speed and grabbed the handles again. Exhilarated, she knew the next set of maneuvers would be fun.

  "Commodore, an urgent message from SC Headquarters. Patching it through on a secure subspace channel."

  Rae allowed herself a pensive drum roll of her fingertips against the desk before she responded. "Thank you, Lieutenant." She watched the SC insignia appear and rotate before the signal was established.

  A man about her father's age came into view. "Commodore Jacelon," he said with a nod.

  "Councilman Thorosac."

  "I'll get right to the point, Commodore. A matter of grave concern has caught our attention. We've received new intelligence from Gamma V and Gamma VII. Several Onotharian ships have been deployed to patrol the border. When I approached the Onotharian government, they informed me that Ambassador M'Ekar still has their trust and they take his recommendations at face value. The situation concerns us greatly. I've spoken with your father on several occasions, and he assures me you have everything under control."

  His doubtful tone of voice made it obvious the Councilman did not quite trust Rae's ability to handle the Onotharian situation. Normally, Rae admired Thorosac, and she regarded him as one of the most levelheaded Council members. His reservations toward her stung, but she made it a point to hide her pain well. She couldn't afford to show any uncertainty.

  "Sir, we believe the Onotharian ships at our borders are diversions to keep us occupied while they try to seize Armeo M'Aido."

  "How can you be sure?"

  "We can't, but our intelligence and my own experience regarding Ambassador M'Ekar's methods make it very likely."

  "So what are your immediate plans, Commodore?"

  "We have reinforced security on the station as well as along the borders. We can't act unless acted upon in this matter." Rae leaned forward, determined to make herself clear. "On a diplomatic level, however, the Council can do several things. I'm sure Admiral Jacelon has informed you what the political ramifications would be should Armeo M'Aido fall into the hands of M'Ekar."

  "Yes, and I agree. The Council was surprised to hear the M'Aido dynasty was not extinct. We thought Zax M'Aido and his aunt were the last of their line."

  "They're that famous?"

  "They were close to royalty in the Onotharat Empire. I'm sure the rumors about the child's existence are already spreading. M'Ekar has no doubt commissioned clever propaganda to strengthen his claim to the last M'Aido on his homeworld."

  Rae's voice sank to a low rumble. "Armeo is a child, not a pawn to be used in a political game."

  "Make up your mind, Commodore. One minute you're asking me to go through diplomatic channels to put pressure on the Onotharians, and the next, you insist we treat the boy like any child."

  "He is a child! He's a fugitive, a refugee, if you like, who had to watch his home be burned to the ground by people out to destroy him and the woman he sees as his mother. Ms. O'Dal sustained a wound that would have killed her if left untreated."

  Knowing her emotional outburst was not helping their case, Rae forced herself to calm down. "Granted, I realize you need to use any means necessary to defuse this situation, Councilman, but Armeo deserves a chance to grow up within the bounds of his family. And as I'm now part of his immediate family, I will not sit idly by if I see he is in any kind of danger. I promised him and his mother, and so did Admiral Jacelon, to keep them safe."

  Councilman Thorosac rubbed his chin, as if he considered her statement. "You always were your father's daughter in so many ways, Commodore. I respect your desire to keep your family safe, but so much more than individual interests is at stake here. If the boy falls into the wrong hands—"

  "He won't," Rae interrupted. "I will not allow it."

  "Brave words. The Council will let you try this case in court, as planned. But I need to warn you. If we find any reason to believe you can't handle the situation, we'll be forced to move the boy into protective custody."

  The Council openly doubted her ability to protect Kellen and Armeo. Her fury, rising inside her like an unbending plasma storm, made her speak in a fierce growl. "You cannot do anything of the sort! She is my wife, and, by law, until the judge aboard the Dalathea has reviewed this case, I'm Armeo's guardian. His parent, in fact." The emotional ramification of her words pierced through her anger and almost made her falter at the overwhelming truth in them, but she kept going. "They're SC citizens, with the same rights as anybody else within these borders. You can't touch them."

  "We would not be interested in Ms. O'Dal. She's of little importance. The boy, however, is the catalyst that could throw our sector of space into turmoil. I needn't remind you how our union of planets has fought for decades to sustain a peaceful existence."

  "What the hell are you talking about?" Rae knew she was out of line but didn't care, addressing the Councilman the way she would a crew member guilty of insubordination. "Would you separate the boy from his mother?"

  "She's not his mother. She's his guardian, and the guardianship can be transferred to the Council, if necessary."

  "My father has agreed to also serve as a guardian of the boy. That should be good enough for the Council."

  "For now, yes. If you can keep the M'Aido child safe and out of M'Ekar's reach, then your situation will remain as it is."

  "And why can't the Council use its influence with the Onotharian government to get rid of M'Ekar?"

  "He was married to a M'Aido and pulls a lot of weight in his homeworld. I admit it is puzzling how a reckless megalomaniac such as the ambassador can have such unrestricted power
. There must be more to it."

  "All right. Leave it to me to take care of Ms. O'Dal and Armeo. My father and I are perfectly capable."

  Thorosac didn't look convinced. "I hope so. We expect daily reports, Commodore."

  Rae clenched her teeth to avoid a rude reply. "Yes, sir."

  "Good luck. Thorosac out."

  The screen nickered, and the SC insignia replaced the Councilman's face. Rae stared at it while she tried to calm down. She should have expected the Council's stance but was shocked to hear Thorosac actually declare its intentions. His detached tone of voice had made his words sound even more callous. Unless she proved herself worthy of carrying out the task, the Council would take Armeo not only from Gamma VI, but also from Kellen.

  Not even daring to think about Kellen's reaction to this information, Rae punched a few commands into her computer. Something Thorosac had just said rang a distant bell in the back of her head.

  Impatiently, she reached for her communicator and summoned Lieutenant Grey. Mentally picturing the striking tactical officer, Rae blessed the fact that the impressive woman was stationed at Gamma VI. Owena Grey was as tough as they came. Her stern expression accentuated something dark, like a restrained, potentially explosive force within. Her stark features made her face as intimidating as it was beautiful. Owena moved with lethal grace, not unlike Kellen, although the Gantharian was not as massive. Rae had always suspected the lieutenant carried a lot of emotional baggage, but as long as it didn't affect her performance, Rae didn't address it.

  Ten minutes later, Rae saw through the transparent aluminum walls how Lieutenant Grey walked into the mission room and stopped momentarily to observe the view screens before she continued to the commodore's office. Turning the walls from translucent to opaque, Rae nodded toward the visitors' chair.

  "We have a new problem." Rae laced her fingers together on the desk, forcing them to stop trembling from either anger or the adrenaline rush she'd experienced while talking with Councilman Thorosac.

  "What can I do?" Lieutenant Grey took out a handheld computer.