by Cheree Alsop
“Please?” O’Tule begged.
Liora met her gaze in the glass.
“I’m a bit lost without Shathryn,” O’Tule admitted. “I could use a little girl time.”
Liora’s heart went out to her. She finally nodded. “Me, too.”
O’Tule shrieked and hugged her again. She dropped her hands quickly. “Oh, sorry. I forgot you don’t like hugs. Can I still do your hair?”
Liora smiled. “Hugs aren’t that bad.” She followed O’Tule down the hallway with the thought that having a female friend wasn’t such a terrible thing.
Chapter 17
Liora put her hand to the reader on the S.S. Eos. The moment the door opened, the man with the shaved head and easy smile appeared.
“Hello, Maldin,” Liora said.
His smile grew at her use of his name. “Greetings, Officer Day. Where would you like to go?”
“To my father’s office.”
Maldin gave a short nod and led the way down the hallway. He spoke quietly into his wrist communicator, and as soon as they crossed through the Eos, a hovercraft was waiting to take them to the senior commandant’s office.
Liora appreciated Maldin’s lack of questions. He pointed out small areas that he thought might be of interest to her, like the fuel cell recycling station and the automatic uniform repair units where workers shoved torn or stained uniforms into the vat and they came out a minute later pressed and like new. He didn’t ask questions about her destination, and didn’t seem to mind if her attention wasn’t on the objects he spoke of.
The hustle and sound of the merchant capital filled the air with ringing metal, shouts, machinery, hover vehicles of every type imaginable, men and women of a myriad of races running, walking, climbing, or carrying items to their destinations, and vehicles on rails rushing above them carrying supplies and people at speeds which astounded Liora.
There was so much happening it was overwhelming. Liora wondered if she should have taken Devren’s suggestion to get some more sleep. Her mind was having a hard time processing everything she saw, especially considering her anxiety about what was to come. She forced her thoughts to slow and concentrated on their path.
Maldin must have read her expression, because he leaned closer so she could hear him above the bedlam and said, “Don’t worry, Officer Day. You’ll get used to it. It’s a bit overwhelming at first, but it’s home. You’ll come to love it.”
Liora looked at him. There was true affection in Maldin’s eyes when he spoke of the Corian capital.
She nodded. “I’ll get used to it, and please call me Liora. I’m not a Coalition officer anymore.” She paused at the thought. “I guess none of us really are.”
“Perhaps I should call you ‘Commandant’ like your brother,” Maldin suggested.
Liora shook her head. “I’m not a fan of titles. Liora works just fine.”
“As you wish,” Maldin replied. “Thank you for the honor.”
When they stopped at the wide double doors with two guards in front, Maldin held up a hand to help her down from the hovercraft.
“Liora, if you need me, simply press your hand on any reader on Corian or the Eos.” He tapped his wrist communicator meaningfully. “It will notify me and I will be there immediately.”
“Thank you,” Liora said, surprised by his attentiveness. His tone wasn’t one of reluctance. He actually sounded as though he wanted her to summon him.
“It is my pleasure,” Maldin replied.
He climbed back onto the hovercraft and left her with the guards.
The men immediately put their hands to the panels on either side of the doors and they slid open.
“Officer Day,” each man said with a respectful nod when she passed.
Liora refrained from correcting them. She wasn’t sure how her father would feel about his men addressing her just as Liora, but no other title fit and she didn’t want to put on airs by assuming something she hadn’t earned. A title signified respect, and she hadn’t done anything to warrant the respect of the Corian staff. She felt that the sooner the ‘Officer’ title was eliminated, the better.
The door slid shut behind her. Liora was grateful for the silence of the long hallway. The thick red carpet sunk beneath her shoes. The white walls were pristine, and each window she looked through was perfectly spotless. The armed guards on the other side of the windows stood motionless as they watched the wide rooms of the Corian merchant capital building and ensured the safety of those inside.
She put a hand to one of the windows. The glass was thin, but felt strange beneath her fingers. Tiny lines ran within the panes, but they were clear and didn’t mar the scene beyond. It amazed her that the glass could keep out the sound of the chaos beyond.
“It’s tempered with Deluvian spider webbing.”
Liora glanced at the door at the end of the hallway. Her father stood there watching her. It again amazed her how much he looked like an older version of Brandis. His firm jaw and dark eyes belied the weathering of years and experiences that had turned his hair gray and lined his face. He smiled at her.
“It’s good to see you up. Maldin said you were on your way over.”
“I’ve never heard of Deluvian spiders,” Liora said, walking toward him.
“They’re amazing,” he replied. “I had the opportunity to see them weave in person once when we stopped in the Black Eye Galaxy. Their entire planet is made of webs. Nobody quite knows what the core is; I don’t know a soul with a death wish big enough to find out.” He motioned toward his office. “Care to have a seat?”
Liora followed him inside. The plush red carpet, couches, and crackling fireplace felt comfortable. It was strange to think of the pandemonium just outside the walls.
“I think I know why you’ve made this office a sanctuary,” she noted as she sat on one of the couches.
Her father nodded. “It’s organized chaos out there. I think if I didn’t have this room, I would go insane listening to it all. I even have the guards trade shifts throughout the day to keep them from zoning out as well.”
“Speaking of the guards, is there a way to get them to stop calling me ‘Officer’,” Liora asked. She didn’t know why that was the topic she chose to start with. It felt safe, simple, and she couldn’t figure out how to say what she really wanted to.
“I understand through conversation with your captain that things with the Coalition have become hostile.” Her father gave her a searching look. “How would you like the guards to address you? Commandant is something….”
Liora shook her head and he stopped. “I don’t need a title,” she said. “I haven’t earned one.”
“You’re my daughter, Liora,” her father replied. “You were born a Commandant of Corian.”
“I was born a Damaclan,” Liora replied. She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. “I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Nothing is coming out the way I mean it to.”
Her father’s expression softened. He gave her an understanding smile. “You just saved the Damaclan race from being wiped out, and as I understand it, by stopping the creatures you probably preserved other races as well.” His brow creased. “Then you returned to Corian unconscious, apparently having almost given your life for the man you love.” He sat up straight. “Liora, you can do or say whatever you want. I’m just glad you’re here in my office able to talk to me.”
His words caught her off guard. There was a fatherly warmth to them she wasn’t used to. She shook her head. “You don’t have to treat me like Brandis.”
“What do you mean?” Senior Commandant Day asked.
Liora opened a hand. The black glove hid the scars that lined her palm and fingers. She kept her gaze on it. “I mean, I’m not the daughter you would have raised, if…well….”
“If your mother had stayed with me,” her father finished gently.
She nodded.
“Liora, will you look at me?” he asked.
When she met his gaze, his dark eyes held hers, willing her to understand. “Liora, I loved your mother with all of my heart.” A wistful expression crossed his face. “Tenieva was like a dream. She was beautiful, strong, confident.” He paused and smiled. “Much like you. I don’t know why she gave me the time of day.”
That brought a small smile to Liora’s lips.
“I met Tenieva about a year after Brandis’ mother passed away from consumption. I was devastated when she died, and was convinced I would never find another who could make me smile the way Risaria did.” He sat back on the couch and crossed one leg on top of his knee. A smile spread across his face. “Then I was in the middle of a run to Mayall’s Galaxy and our ship got held up by Damaclans. This woman came on and she was small but with a temperament of such strength I couldn’t help but be awed by her.”
He chuckled. “I gave the Damaclans whatever they wanted. All I could do was watch her as she stood there with her hands on her hips glaring at everyone on the bridge. I had never seen anyone like her. Her tattoos were beautiful and fierce, her demeanor was calm and commanding, and the huge Damaclans that towered above her bowed to her every whim and will. My crew was intimidated, and I didn’t want her to leave.”
The thought of her mother in the terms the senior commandant described brought a smile to Liora’s lips. To her, Tenieva had been the soft-spoken, quiet Damaclan queen who preferred to raise the finicky Ralian flowers on their roof while Obruo kept the clan in check. To hear of her mother the way her father described her brought a new side to her Liora had never seen. For some reason, it made her happy to think of her mother in this new light.
“She caught me staring,” her father continued. “She would glare at me, then look away, but when she looked back, I couldn’t help but still be staring.” A sheepish expression crossed his face. “I think it bothered her that I wasn’t afraid, but instead, in awe.”
“Then what happened?” Liora asked.
She used to wonder why her Damaclan mother had fallen for a human. Liora had shied away from her human heritage because of the weakness Obruo said it was. Yet seeing the merchant fleet, Corian, and the respect her father and brother garnered showed that in a different light. It made understanding her mother that much easier.
“Well, I asked her if she would eat dinner with me before we left.”
At Liora’s stare, her father laughed. “I know, I know; asking a Damaclan to dinner can be considered a death sentence, but you have to remember that I was young, almost as young as your Tariq, and I was a romantic at heart. Fortunately, your mother was intrigued, and instead of having me killed, she agreed to dinner.”
“I’ll bet that was an adventure,” Liora said.
Her father nodded. “Trust me when I say that my cook felt as though his life was on the line when he brought out the meal.”
Liora laughed. “Mother was never a picky eater.”
“Thank goodness,” the senior commandant replied. “Or you wouldn’t be here right now.”
Liora smiled at the thought of her mother and Senior Commandant Day sitting in a Golden Condor’s cafeteria, no doubt completely empty except for the pair, dining and talking while Damaclans raided the merchant ship.
“She stole my heart in those moments,” her father said. “The way she looked at me, the way she spoke, I had no hope. She was beautiful, articulate, and had dreams far beyond the normal life of a Damaclan. At the end, she spoke of running away with me and leaving her Damaclan world far behind.” His smile faltered. “Yet she boarded her ship again after ordering the Damaclans to return everything they had scavenged, and she left me lost, yet found, empty, yet more full than I had ever been in my life.”
Her father’s communicator buzzed. He pressed a finger to his earpiece.
“Speak.”
Liora couldn’t hear what was said on the other end, but her father’s face paled and he sat up.
“How long ago?”
He listened for a moment.
“Ready the Nines,” the senior commandant replied. “I’ll be there shortly.”
He stood. “I’m sorry, Liora, but I need to cut this short.”
“What’s going on?” Liora asked, rising with him.
He shook his head. “You just got home. There’s no need to involve you in this. It’ll be dangerous, and—”
“Don’t do that,” Liora cut him off. “Don’t try to protect me. My whole life before this was learning how to take care of myself; I don’t need anyone else for that.” She held his gaze. “Dad, you say I’m a part of this place, well let me. You call it my home, then let me find my place here.”
The senior commandant’s eyebrows pulled together. “That’s the first time you called me ‘Dad.’”
Liora hesitated. “I heard Brandis say it. Is that alright?”
Her father nodded. “Definitely. I just didn’t expect it.” He paused, and then straightened as if coming to a conclusion. “Liora, your brother’s in trouble. Brandis was with a Condor on the way to the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy when they got stopped by pirates. I think Ketulans might be involved.”
Liora stared at him. “Did you say Ketulans?”
He nodded. “Yes, why?”
“Devren’s father mentioned something about them in a transmission. I haven’t heard of them before.”
“For good reason,” her father said as he made his way to the door. “They’re very dangerous. Your brother’s crew can handle pirates, but Ketulans are a different matter altogether.”
“Count me in,” she replied.
Her father paused with his hand in front of the palm reader. “Are you sure? Liora, you just got back, you were hurt, and I don’t know if it would be a good idea to let you come along so soon. What did your crew medical specialist say?”
“The crew medical specialist is still unconscious,” Liora replied. Her heart tightened. “But if he was awake, he would know better than to argue with me when someone I care about is in danger. I’m coming along.”
The senior commandant appeared to realize there was no point in arguing. He put his hand on the reader and the door slid open. Armed men and women fell in on either side of them.
“Fine. It sounds like your brother can use all the help he can get, but you’re flying with me.” He gave her a once-over as if seeing her fully for the first time. “I’m glad you like the outfit I had made.”
Liora stepped into the waiting hovercraft beside him. “Ventican cloth has saved my life more than once. I know better than to turn it away.”
Her father gave a sound of approval. “The one you were wearing when you came in looked a bit battered. I’m having it repaired by a specialist from Hoarth.”
Liora took a seat and the craft sped forward. “It was given to me by someone I hold dear. She was killed by Obruo when he blew up a Gaulded searching for me.”
Senior Commandant Day gave her a straight look.
“I’m glad that man is gone from your life for good. If I had any idea what he was doing to you, I would have intervened long ago,” he told her.
“It’s okay,” she replied. “I am who I am because I survived. I have no regrets.”
“I do,” the commandant replied. “And I plan to make it up to you.”
The hovercraft sped through the wide, crowded utility rooms, then turned down a long, winding hallway. Lights checkered past overhead until Liora lost track of how deep they were going. At the last turn, the hovercraft slowed. A wide door slid up on their approach and Liora stared at the huge room beyond.
Chapter 18
Starships of a make Liora had never seen before lined the walls beneath the capital building. Black, sleek crafts and bulky ships with huge bellies sat beside hovering loaders and carts filled with cylindrical objects.
“Are those missiles?” Liora asked.
The senior commandant nodded. “We have come to a point where I can no longer rely on the Coalition for protection. Our travels are getting more and more dangerous t
he deeper into space we go, and the Coalition has left us to the mercy of the merciless on too many occasions for us to continue to trust them.” He motioned with one hand. “This is our new line of defense.”
The hovercraft stopped in front of a sleek black spacecraft shaped in the reverse of the backwards arrowhead design of the Coalition crafts.
Liora climbed down beside her father, her eyes on the ship. She put a hand on the pointed nose.
“The TDV Nines were made for maneuverability in both space and gravity-dictated environments. They’re equipped with an array of missiles and other forms of firepower, and,” the senior commandant pointed to a square object the size of a small room beneath the craft, “They have self-sustaining escape pods in case of an emergency. I’m quite proud of these.”
“What does TDV stand for?” Liora asked him.
“Tactical Defense Vehicle,” her father replied. “The Nines are one of our newest models.”
“What does the Coalition think about them?” Liora asked. From what she had seen, the Coalition was very touchy about who owned weaponry in the Macrocosm.
“They don’t know,” her father replied. He threw her a mischievous smile, looking for a moment just like Brandis. “And when they find out, they can shove their Falcons where the stars don’t shine.”
A male Roonite held out a helmet and an atmosphere suit.
“For you, Officer Day.”
Liora accepted them. “Thank you.”
Her father gave her an apologetic look as he fastened the boots for his own suit.
“We’ll work on the ‘Officer’ thing when we get back, or I can just make you an officer of something else.”
Liora fought back a smile. “That’s alright. I wasn’t the best officer. I don’t exactly follow orders.”
“That’s for sure.”
“Devren!” Liora said in surprise.
He jogged up already wearing an atmosphere suit from the Kratos and carrying a helmet in his hand.
“I heard Brandis is in trouble. I came to help.”
