Coalition Reckoning

by Cassandra Chandler

  “No, sir,” they said in unison.

  Kira nodded, then turned back to the screen.

  “How bad are the losses?” Cerulean immediately asked.

  A muscle in Adam’s jaw twitched. “Not as bad as expected. We discovered that Sadr-4 was largely depopulated. The High Council hasn’t bothered to replace citizens on the homeworld for the last several centuries. They’ve been keeping the planet to themselves.”

  “You’re kidding me,” Brigid said, a little louder than she intended. Okay, a lot louder.

  Adam fixed his gaze on her and she shrank back against Dane.

  “Forgive me,” Brendan said. “This is Brigid. She’s my new chef.”

  Adam sighed. “Of course she is.”

  “A noble profession.” Cerulean actually bowed his head briefly. “Our Protector has also dedicated herself to nourishing her brethren.”

  Dane whispered, “That means she’s a chef, too.”

  “Cool,” Brigid said.

  Adam continued with his report. “Most of the casualties came from the space stations and domes. The Tau Centauran Assembly has effectively destroyed every habitation we had in Gamma Cygni. It’s as if they weren’t interested in eradicating us so much as destroying our home system.”

  Cerulean was quiet for a moment, his head bowed. “We, too, have suffered the loss of our home system,” Cerulean said. “We will assist you as much as we are able.”

  “Thank you.” Adam nodded gravely. “The Coalition has many colonies. We will review their populations and see which can support additional citizens until we can build more stations and dome worlds.”

  “What about our system?” Brigid asked.

  Everyone turned to look at her. She did her best not to shrink against Dane again. Instead, she straightened. She held onto his hand, though.

  “There are places in our solar system that can be colonized with your advanced technology,” she said. “We’re already working together. Is there a reason we can’t be neighbors?”

  “It is a generous idea, but—” Adam was cut off by a cute blonde woman who popped into view on the screen.

  “We’d absolutely have to run it past the Department of Homeworld Security first,” the woman said. “Oh wait, I’m one of the founding Earthling members, and I vote ‘heck yes.’ And I can already think of a dozen locations that would be great for dome worlds.”

  Brendan chuckled. “I can think of quite a few myself, but I’m not the astronomer.” He nodded toward the screen. “Hey, Evelyn.”

  “Hey, Brendan.” The woman waved. “It’s nice to meet you, Brigid. Especially if you’re not a health-food chef. No offense to the great Protector of the Vegans.”

  “Um…thanks?” Brigid said. “And my specialty is molecular gastronomy. I like to study food.”

  “If we could stay on topic,” Adam said.

  Evelyn cast a tight-lipped smile at him. “We all handle stress in our own way, and you know I tend to ramble, and now that I’m married to the guy who’s in charge of the whole freaking galaxy, I’m just a little bit freaked out.”

  “In charge of the galaxy?” Dane said.

  Adam let out a sigh. Evelyn actually looked a little abashed. She put her hand on his shoulder.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  Adam clasped her hand and held it. “We have confirmed that every member of the High Council was on Sadr-4 when the planet was destroyed.”

  “The entire High Council?” Kira said.

  Adam nodded. “We had been ordered to remain in the system while they deliberated on our requests about Earth.”

  “How does that make you in charge of the galaxy?” Brendan asked.

  “According to Coalition law, if the High Council is incapacitated in any way, the highest ranking officer in the fleet takes command,” Adam said.

  “And that would be you.” Evelyn gently pressed her head against his.

  “I see.” Cerulean’s scaled lips pulled into a smile. “Then this could be an opportunity for all of our peoples.”

  Adam nodded. “We’re damned well going to make it so.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Dane wiped sweat from his brow. More moisture beaded on his back and ran down his spine, plastering his shirt to his body. He closed his eyes, lifted his face to the warmth of the sun, and smiled.

  “I’ve never seen anyone enjoy the heat like you do.” Brigid’s voice broke his reverie—not that he minded. Especially when she had a huge glass of lemonade in her hand. “You need to stay hydrated.”

  “Thanks.” He took the glass and downed half of it in a go, then set it on the workbench next to him.

  “You cut your hair again,” she said. “And shaved.”

  He ran his hand over his cheek and smiled. “Guess I did.”

  Brigid narrowed her eyes at him. “Why?”

  “Secret mission.”

  “What secret mission?”

  “If I told you, it wouldn’t be secret.”

  She scowled at him, then shook her head. “You’ve got to stop visiting the Reckoning disguised as Marq.”

  “You know I can read his crew’s emotions better than he can.”

  “I guess. I like your hair longer, though.”

  “Then I’ll grow it out again.”

  She smiled at him as he picked up a sheet of metal and placed it against the frame for the wall he was working on.

  “Don’t you have like robots or something that can do this work for you?” she asked.

  “You forget, I’m a hands-on kind of guy.”

  He grabbed her waist and pulled her up against him, prompting her to squeal and swat at him. They both ended up laughing.

  “You’re all hot and sweaty,” she said.

  “And I’d love for you to join me.”

  “How about I join you in a shower after Sarah and I finish getting dinner ready for everyone.”

  “Let me guess.” He cocked his head to the side as if thinking. “Baked beans over spaghetti?”

  “Gross. No. We’re having our first real cookout. So, we’ll both really need that shower later.”

  “Good, because I love having an excuse to be very thorough when washing you.”

  He claimed her lips for a kiss that started with her giggling and ended with them both breathless. If the building he was working on was just a little farther along in construction, he’d find a secluded spot and—

  A high chittering broke into his thoughts. He turned to see Sis and Sister standing off to the side, an iron beam held between them that would have crushed him and a dozen Sadirians if they’d tried to lift it without an antigravity unit. The Antareans weren’t breaking a sweat.

  Not that giant ant-people ever broke into a sweat.

  “Do you need to leave early today?” Sis said, her huge segmented eyes strobing pink as she picked up the pheromones he and Brigid were no doubt putting of.

  “No, he does not.” Brigid gave him one last kiss, then pushed off from his chest. “Because she needs to finish dinner for everyone. It’s not easy feeding a base filled with Sadirians and Lyrians and Antareans and Vegans and… Is that everyone?”

  “There is a Scorpiian,” Sis said. “And the Tau Ceti Alan and his half-human offspring.”

  “And also many cats,” Sister added, as the pair walked away.

  “It’s a lot of mouths to feed,” Brigid said.

  Dane nodded. “And a lot of roofs to build over them.”

  “We all have a lot of work to do,” she said.

  “I’ll take the Earth-side work over what Marq’s doing any day,” he said.

  Dane shuddered at the thought of overseeing construction of the mining operation and new colony on the far side of Earth’s moon, in addition to building the new space station in LaGrange point L2. All while bringing the crew of the Reckoning in line.

  Of course, Adam was working on most of the sentients in the galaxy, while fortifying defenses in case the Tau Centauran Assembly decided to strike again. Ma
ybe Marq wasn’t that bad off after all.

  “Is Marq coming to dinner tonight?” Brigid asked.

  “No, he’s stuck on the ship.”

  “I worry about him up there by himself.”

  Dane grinned. He couldn’t help it.

  They’d made so much progress restoring Marq’s emotions that Dane knew his brother was ready for the final missing piece in the puzzle. Someone—or something—to love.

  “What’s that grin about?” Brigid asked.

  “Just… Don’t you worry about Marq being alone,” Dane said.

  She narrowed her gaze at him. “I know that smile. You’re up to something.”

  “Then I guess you better keep a very close eye on me.”

  He grabbed her again and pulled her in for a kiss, taking his time and enjoying the feel of her, the taste.

  When he let her up for air, she said, “I intend to. But after dinner.”

  She ran her hand down his arm as they parted, giving his hand a final squeeze before walking away.

  Everyone had their own part to play in the future they were building together—the Coalition and Earth. From chefs to generals to med-techs turned construction-workers. Together, they would make something brighter than ever before. Something new.

  Dane turned back to the sheet of metal he was securing to the framework for the habitation unit he was building, knowing in his heart that he was finally home.

  Epilogue

  The instant Marq stepped into his quarters, he knew that something was wrong. He held perfectly still as the door shut behind him, surveying the Commander’s quarters he had only recently acquired.

  The chair in front of Marq’s personal workspace was turned at a different angle than he’d left it. Someone had been in the room.

  Marq activated his bracer with a subtle movement of his left hand, sensors sweeping the area for explosives. It had only been a few Earth months since the Tau Centauran Assembly had destroyed Sadr-4 and the High Council along with it. Marq would not be their next victim.

  His bracer beeped, letting him know without looking, without moving, that the room was clear of immediate threats. His nerves remained taut, body and mind ready to take action.

  Scans could be wrong.

  Stars filled the viewports above the cushioned couch and chairs in the decadent sitting area across from him—except for the section of space taken up by the far side of Earth’s moon. Though currently in darkness, the moon’s surface was speckled with lights.

  Progress was swift setting up staging areas for construction of Outreach—the Coalition space station that would become the central gathering place for his people. He couldn’t understand how some Sadirians could wish to sabotage their efforts, holding on to a vision of the Coalition that had died along with the High Council.

  Marq headed for his sleeping chamber, intent on scanning everywhere to ensure the safety of himself and the ship. His ship.

  As he passed the workstation, one of the monitors activated, displaying a familiar face.

  “Hey there, bro.”

  Marq froze, his chest tightening with an unfamiliar sensation.

  “Dane,” Marq said.

  It was still novel to communicate openly with his brother. Not long ago, their talks would have been clouded by the threat of discovery—and the penalty of mind-wipes for both of them if others became aware of their unique connection.

  “You have a minute?” Dane asked.

  “My rejuvenation cycle is beginning.”

  “Great,” Dane said. “Have a seat.”

  Marq spun the chair around, balking when he saw a small life form on it. No, not a life form. It was an inanimate object, but made to look like an animal.

  He reached down to pick it up, grasping it by its tail and holding it closer for study. It was made of soft fabric, with round ears, tiny black eyes, and short hairs sticking out from its muzzle.

  “Did you infiltrate my ship again?” Marq said.

  “Infiltrate?” Dane laughed. “No. I was just making a delivery.”

  No deliveries were scheduled within several Earth solar cycles. Days, Marq corrected. His crew would check in with him about unexpected arrivals—unless they already believed they had.

  Dane normally wore his hair past his ears, and let his stubble grow more than Marq could ever tolerate. At the moment, Dane’s face was smooth and his hair was cut short on the sides and only slightly longer on top. It was styled exactly as Marq wore his own.

  “And did my crew know who they were addressing?” Marq sat. He suspected he knew the answer.

  Dane shrugged. “I never said I was you. I just told them I was still getting used to the layout of the Reckoning, and they were kind enough to point me in the direction of your quarters.”

  “The biometric scanners couldn’t differentiate between us well enough to keep you from entering?” Marq asked.

  Dane’s smile pulled more strongly on one side of his face—a smirk,—revealing straight, white teeth.

  “Why would the Coalition need to make their security that granular when they don’t make clones?” Dane said.

  “Or allow people to have twins.”

  Dane’s smile dimmed. “Yeah. There’s that, too.”

  “You could have asked.” Marq rubbed at his chest, trying to loosen the tight feeling there. “You’re welcome on my ship. And we could have spoken face-to-face.”

  “I miss you, too,” Dane said. “But I was ‘up to something’, as Brigid would say. I didn’t want you to say ‘no’.”

  “Say ‘no’ to what?”

  Dane grinned broadly, cocking his head to one side. “I, um… I left you something.”

  Marq lifted the fabric figurine. “I noticed.”

  “No, not the mouse. That belongs to Meredith.”

  “Meredith?”

  “Yeah, she’s in the other room.”

  Marq’s mouth suddenly dried. The tightness in his chest gave way to a fierce pressure that caused him to feel every beat of his heart.

  “Relax,” Dane said, leaning closer on the screen. “I’m not trying to get you to pair-bond with anyone.”

  The pressure lessened, resulting in a lightness in Marq’s head that made him dizzy. He gripped the table to steady himself.

  “This may not have been a good idea,” Marq said.

  “Just breathe.” Dane took in a huge breath, then let it out slowly, gesturing for Marq to do the same.

  After a few breaths, Marq said, “Perhaps we should wait until the space station is complete to finish restoring full access to my emotions.”

  “Or we could wait till the war is over. Or until we’ve brought Earth’s governments into the Department of Homeworld Security.” Dane shook his head. “There’s always a reason to wait.”

  “The timing for this is not ideal.”

  “I know. But it’s too late to go back. We’ve already changed the programming in your regen bed. The barriers our scientists put in your brain are almost all down.”

  “We began our work before I became Commander of the Reckoning,” Marq said. “Or was charged with building Outreach station and keeping Earth safe while the Tau Centauran Assembly is handled.”

  “I get that.” Dane was quiet for a moment, then said, “You know that Brigid has a twin sister. Caitlin.”

  “You’ve mentioned this.”

  “Since Brigid and I pair-bonded, she’s been telling me all kinds of stories about their bond,” Dane said. “I want that bond for us. I want us to finally be brothers.”

  “We already are brothers.”

  “I know, but we haven’t… We haven’t bonded like they have.” Dane shook his head. “I guess I’m being selfish, wanting more.”

  “If wanting to feel a strong sibling bond makes you selfish, then I am, too,” Marq said.

  A large smile spread across Dane’s face.

  “That’s why I think this will work,” he said. “‘Want’ is at the root of so many emotions.”

  �
��Right now, I want to know who Meredith is,” Marq said.

  Dane’s enigmatic smile prompted a strange mix of emotions in Marq that he recognized as unease and excitement.

  “Not who,” Dane said. “What.”

  —

  Thank you so much for reading Coalition Reckoning! I’ve been working on this story for years—almost as long as I’ve been writing the series. Bits and pieces would come to me while I was writing the novellas, letting me hint at what was to come. I knew that Coalition Reckoning would need more space on the page (see what I did there?) and really enjoyed spending that extra time with the characters and their world. I hope you enjoyed it as well!

  Now that we’ve seen behind the curtain with the Coalition, we’ll be spending more time on ships, space stations, and more. But the stories will always be grounded on Earth and in the hearts of the hero and heroine finding their “Happily Ever After.”

  If you’re just coming to The Department of Homeworld Security you can read more about several of the characters in Coalition Reckoning. Check out Resident Alien to see the friends-to-lovers story of Brendan and Kira. Entry Visa is Henry and Vay’s second-chance romance (and introduces Craig and Barbara). In Duration of Stay, you can see how a deadly Scorpiian assassin changed his ways thanks to coffee, video games, and other…recreational activities enjoyed on Earth. And for more of Adam and Evelyn, check out Gray Card, the story that started it all.

  And if you’re looking for something different, there’s some bold paranormal romance waiting for you in The Forbidden Knights series. Then there’s my “paranormal lite” series, The Summer Park Psychics. And if you’re brave enough to venture into some of my darker Science Fiction Romance (like really dark), you can read on for an excerpt of the first Blades of Janus novel, Pack. Just be sure to keep the lights on…