Voyage of the Star Killer

Chapter 14

Section One: Psychic Space Battle 

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Serena walked with purpose to the captain's ready room. However, Galena stopped her for a moment to say hello. Grimacing, Galena brushed a hand along her tunic. "Hello, Lieutenant Corrolles. How are you today? How is the captain? Don't lose hope - I mean, recovery can take a while, and anyone - any man who's been through what he has might ask if he's able to perform as he used to." 

Serena blushed and forced a smile. "No worries on that front, Doctor. He seems to be well. I hope I've cleared him of any doubt as to his worthiness to be a husband." 

Galena grinned devilishly but couldn't hide the pain she felt from her ulcer. 

"Doctor, are you well? You seem to be in some discomfort." 

Galena paled. "Oh, I - I just had a hard shift. I'm turning in for the night. Goodnight, Lieutenant." 

Serena frowned as she watched the doctor stalk away. She caught the elevator up but had to step back to let Class A, the preschool-aged children, aboard. They all looked sick, tired, and weepy. One little girl held her hands out for comfort but the exhausted nanny, Sarah, if Serena remembered correctly, already held two crying children. Serena knelt and stroked the little girl's hair. Using just a smidge of her abilities, Serena calmed the group. 

Serena smiled at the nanny. "You're doing a good job, Sarah. The kids are well cared-for; it shows." The nanny returned her smile, biting back tears. "Come by the captain's quarters later. I'd love to have you over for a cup of tea?" 

Sarah's eyes widened and she nodded even as the lift doors slid open and she herded her charges onto their floor. "That'd be great. Are you sure?" 

Serena nodded and waved goodbye to the class.

 She was two floors below the bridge when the Waiave envoy entered the lift. "Ah, Lieutenant Corrolles! Have my translations been of any aid in the different languages of my people?" 

Serena braced herself, building a mental wall that she could push out - much like the mental shield the village elder had told her to keep up - to keep the diplomat away from her. "Jhaka. Yes, I think the nuances of the Waiave are vast. I haven't yet looked at the language of the Jaadha Ai." Her eyes narrowed at the glint in his whenever the Jaadha Ai came up. "You don't care much for the Jaadha Ai?" 

Jhaka scowled. "Never say such a thing. My role is not to have an opinion either way. My species are all warriors. It is the title of 'diplomat' that grates on me." 

While those words were true, Serena sensed an underlying deceit. It isn't just the title or role. It is the people. Maybe the fact that they are mostly made up of women? 

"We'll be there in another month, I believe, Lieutenant. Will you have the translations done in time?" 

Serena gave a brief nod. "I hope to, yes. The Jaadha Ai seem to have a simple linguistic format. I will have to provide an interpretation and run it by you before settling on a translation to input into the computer." 

The doors opened and he motioned for her to exit first. She opened her mouth, preparing to say something in his mother tongue, when he waved her away. 

*Stupid cow. Those Jaadha Ai won't know what hit them. And the emperor - it's time for a new leadership regime. If only we could get rid of his second, things would go much easier for us all.*

Serena snapped her mouth shut, shaking her head. Most people thought in their mother tongues, their comfortable language. Some thought in pictures, some in written words. Jhaka thought in his mother tongue. Serena had studied it enough, and heard him muttering under his breath enough, to have a good grasp on the various nuances.