Of Destruction

Part 4

Three weeks later he found himself standing at the shipping and receiving pad grasping wrists with his new crew. Three thousand darkin were the bare minimum crew on a destroyer, and five thousand were assigned to his personal vessel. He plastered a smile on his face and just kept greeting them, attempting to take in the faces as they flashed by. When the shipping pad was full, the shipper transported the group up to their new home and the process began again. In all, it took four hours to get the entire crew aboard. The bridge crew was last. He met their grips cordially and promised to meet them in a few minutes.

Slipping his long-fingered hand into the folds of his shirt, he verified that his personal transport key was present, then headed back into the station. It would be hours before the new crew situated in their bunks and barracks with gear stowed. He'd learned not to rush this portion. If they were given time to claim their place on the new ship, they would also be claiming a little ownership. When he called them to start acting the part, their ties would already be established. Rushing soldiers into movement never provided the best results.

Rather than transport up to his own quarters, Lance headed to a room rented under a false name. He'd held this very room for over thirty years. Softly, he closed the door and stepped further into the dark room.

"Lance?" Janie's voice was soft.

Lance relaxed instantly. "I feared you had not yet arrived. I sorrow for our lack of time together."

A candle flickered to life and then another. Before long Janie was encircled by candles. Lance watched with a growing sense of dread and anticipation. "Janie, this action is uncondoned and unwise."

"My dominai spoke of you last night. He said you were a worthy warrior."

Lance felt his ears heat. "That pleasures me to hear. I give my best to the cause."

"He also noted that you will be absent more than a decade."

Lance groaned internally. He focused on the smell of flame on wick for a moment to buy himself time to think of the appropriate response. Females were so fickle at times. 

"Janie, a decade will pass quickly. Our separation has extended much longer and you need never fear for my return."

"Not good enough, Lance." She nearly barked the words, demanding and petulant at the same time. "My dominai has plans for me. He and James plot my future mate."

"Janie, calm yourself. His decision will not be rushed, we need not worry."

The tiny female smashed a hand into the floor. "I worry! I know my options, Lance, and there are only two."

Lance's concern rose. "Janie, I cannot condone a union under such duress. Allow us to continue this conversation after the formal dinner this evening. I will attempt to speak with your dominai."

She seemed pleased, but also irritated. "Is it that you do not love me as much as you say?"

He shook his head in annoyance. Her human upbringing made her so distrustful at times. Darkin were not generally liars. They spoke truth because it was impractical to do otherwise. What good would it do for him to lie to her about his feelings?

"Enough. Do not broach this subject again. I will have your dominai's blessing prior to creating our union."

Reaching for the transport key, he quickly placed his fingers in the required position and pictured the bridge of his new destroyer. With one step and a flash of light, he stood among his milling crew, misdirected anger finding a target. "Get on with your tasks. We must be ready for departure as soon as the formal dinner concludes this evening."

"Yes sir." 

Crew members jumped to their posts and the bridge servants nearly flew to their corners. Lance stalked toward his office and sat grumpily at his desk. There were dozens of reports and requests to review but he felt no desire to touch any of it. He knew he was being stubborn; he knew that he would have created the union long ago if it hadn't been for her abrasiveness. He felt it important to solidify their respective roles prior to beginning their union. If she couldn't even understand his role as a dominant, there was no hope for them going forward.

Lance was still contemplating life when one of the servants slipped into the room and cleared her throat. Lance looked up sharply.

"Sir, the dinner begins in half an hour. You requested to be informed." She threw in the last bit in response to Lance's irritated expression.

"You are heard, now leave."

She scuttled to obey leaving him alone once more. 

Quickly and carefully, he dressed in his formal suit and then slipped out the transport key, flashing back to his rented room. It had been a waste of time to even go to his ship. He'd accomplished nothing except to irritate himself further.

With a grunt of annoyance, Lance moved toward the dining hall where a large gathering of leadership already mingled. Lance searched the room for his dominai, following Den around the room. Within an hour he'd spoken to everyone of significance. The first real smile of the night played on his green lips as he moved toward the table and took a seemingly empty spot. Janie already claimed the place on his right but vacated her seat in order for him to do the same. It was an old game but the two had become quite adept at it.

He sat and waited for her to rejoin him.

"Lansetisch?" Lance looked up into a familiar face. The young dominant could be none other than the offspring of Council Member Pentacusta.

Lance smiled at him warmly. "Yes?"

The other's grin showed off two rows of razor-sharp teeth. They were covered with a sheen of venom that suggested he was in an aggressive state. Lance took note of the other's mental state, though the poison would do little to another darkin.

The younger dominant began, "I am Clausopii. It is good to put a face with a name. I provide congratulations on your recent rise in rank."

Lance stood so that the two were eye to eye. "It is quite an honor for one so young."

"An honor? With a discharge to Man's Land for the better part of a decade, is this truly an honor? I would not feel so in your position."

A frown slipped into place before Lance could stop it. His companion alluded to something Lance didn't understand; he was missing something.

Clausopii registered his blank expression with a shark-like smile. "Whatever measure brings results, I suppose."

"What results?" Lance's tone turned darker.

"To create and maintain distance between yourself and my future ishtera, of course. None are fooled by your games. Your eyes have seen only her since she shed. Your rank provides honor for your family, but nothing more in the eyes of any who matter."

Anger boiled hot and instant. Clausopii was Lance's junior and should not have been a true rival. So far as he knew, the young dominant had nothing to his name aside from inheritance. The disrespect was nearly too much to bear. Lance wanted to rip the fool to shreds but this was neither the time nor the place for such a scene.

Instead, he glared coolly. "Respect your elders, young one, or you will one day regret it. You and I are both destined to sit on the council and we should respect one another in order for the government to function correctly."

Clausopii scoffed. "You and I will never sit together. Your dominai is disgraced in the eyes of our President, and you have no favor with him. In not many years, your presence in the council chamber will be at our demand only. Serve your decade and return to nothing, as you should."

Lance couldn't help it. He punched the other darkin with full strength. Clausopii crumpled. Darkin strength did have its advantages. Lance stalked from the room, not toward his ship, but instead toward their hidden room. So far as he knew, this room was unknown to everyone and provided space and time to calm.