Of Destruction

Part 1

Lance walked briskly through the grand entrance corridor in the Heart of the Darkin Empire. He could feel his ears shifting color. Nervousness and worry pulled at one side of his mind; anticipation and excitement at another. Each of his two appointments could change the course of his life.

The young darkin captain moved with the grace of his training, sure in his place in the Heart despite his long absence. In the twenty years since the assassination attempt on the President, and Lance's first assignment to defend his leader, the station had changed. Even still, the nooks and crannies felt familiar, though repurposed.

The edges of his green lips slipped upward as the anticipation grew.

Human servants dodged out of his path, bowing and stumbling over their excuses. He paid them no mind. Lance straightened the edge of his military attire hoping he looked the part of a captain. That would be important. Uncertainty pricked at the back of his mind, and Lance growled low in his chest at his own lack of focus. The meeting with the Imperial President could wait a moment.

"Keeper?" A hesitant voice interrupted as a broad-chested human with grey eyes and light yellow-grey hair sidled close. The man matched Lance's steps, but out of arm's reach. "Would you like me to accompany you, or should I store your items in your new quarters?"

"Did I not provide clarifying instructions when we arrived?" Lance raised a brow, daring his servant to admit the limitations of his memory.

"No sir, I mean, yes sir, you did say that, but I just wanted to verify that you had no other needs before I begin." The human didn't fidget, to his credit, and he bowed as he stopped his feet. The man couldn't quite hide the flash of hatred in his eyes though.

Lance made a mental note to do something about his servant's attitude when he was done with today's meetings, but even that thought faded into the background as he turned into the next hallway.

Other Darkin, mostly scientists, walked these halls, their slippered feet whispering along the corridors. Lance's military boots clomped heavily by comparison against the biometalic floor. He could have moved with the quiet grace of his people; or focused his energy to give himself an extra blast of speed, but he didn't bother. Lance intended to make an impression that the President wouldn't be able to ignore. As much as he loved this Empire, it was the President's offspring that drove him to strive for the President's approval. With a small smile on Lance's thin, pale lips, he slipped sideways into a less-used section of the station.

The Heart of the Empire had once teemed with families, children, and commerce. All of the Council families and a slew of support staff filled the segregated, secured corridors, each assigned their own space. Now, it housed only the President and his children. Lance's dominant parent, one of the oldest members of the current council, led the way in building satellite homes that orbited the Heart half a day away.

With the drastic reduction in those who called the Heart home, once-filled common areas seemed empty to the point of being dreary. The old corridors and living quarters were repurposed into storage or dormitory-like bunkers for the Heart's many soldiers.

Lance paused outside one such storage room. The smell of sweet wood and packing foam from crates and boxes scattered around the room hit Lance first. Overpowering this, he could smell the potent fragrance of Gerdis blossoms giving away Janie's position even before Lance found her among the shadows. As with her human examples, Janie tended to wear her perfumes heavily, cloying the air with its fragrance. Janie fidgeted like a human while she waited for him. Love her he might, but some of her habits drove him to distraction. With a gentle shake of his head, he continued toward her.

She rose from her place and Lance touched his hands to hers in a gesture of intimate welcome. His voice dropped deeper. "We are alone? I do not wish to taste the President's wrath if he finds out."