Voyage of the Star Killer

Chapter 17

Serena hesitated outside the door to her suite. She sensed Gireau on the other side. He slept, yet she still felt reluctant to join him. She had trusted their friendship enough to risk her life for him, had revealed her deepest secret, only to be rejected for what she was.

Steeling herself, she strengthened her mental walls before she entered the captain's domain.

His sleep was restless, his thoughts heavy even in his dreams. Serena erected a thinner wall to allow herself some peace. She removed her blanket from their bed and settled herself on the couch in the receiving room. 0400 waited for no one.

Liam woke with the artificial sunrise and sought out his wife. When he found the bed bereft of any sign of her he searched their rooms. He glared at the reclining couch as he discovered the culprit to his dissatisfaction, her blankets and pillows neatly set aside on one end.

He finally located her already on the bridge and he cursed the man who scheduled her so early.

Serena barely heard the announcement that the captain had the bridge. She was stymied by a problem with the computer's translation program. A gentle tap on her shoulder gained her attention. Her panelmate motioned that he'd take her seat and waved her off to the ready room. She fell in behind the captain's advisory team, his trusted officers. She scoffed under her breath at the idea that he trusted her but sat at the other end of the table. She met his glare with one of her own, their wills battling each other.

*You will take your place beside me, not only as my wife, but also as my advisor and truth-discerner.*

Serena acquiesced, with great reluctance, and politely asked the executive officer to move down one. Her eyes shot daggers at the captain and her thoughts made it perfectly clear, to him at least, how she truly felt about his demand. They discussed the day's business, location, assignments, and other important matters. Serena blocked them out, returning to the translation problem she'd encountered.

"Linguistics." 

*Serena, pay attention.* 

Gireau firmly repeated himself and Serena blushed at his reprimand. "What do we know about these people we're escorting and brokering peace with?"

Serena chewed on her lip as she considered the facts. "We have more information available to us on the diplomats than we do on these new friends." She winced as she used that word. "I'm currently working on an issue with the translation program. I don't think the envoy provided us with a proper language guide." She shrugged indelicately. "There are too many layers of deception to work through."

At the questioning gazes of the other officers, Serena attempted to explain more clearly. 

"We already know there is intrigue around this particular matter. We were told that they are a peaceful people, but the words reflect a war-like society. I believe this is on the part of the diplomats and not on their new acquaintances."

Satisfied that she'd worked it out, Serena began to turn her focus inward to solve the problem; Gireau prevented that by requesting their attention to the crew listings."You'll notice a change in Lieutenant Corrolles' title. We have been requested by Dame Meniere to address her as Lady Serena. It signifies a level of respect for her abilities."

The words sank in, taking a moment, until it clicked, what that meant. Even more different, an outcast, a reject. Hands against her head, eyes closed, she wanted to shut down again.Implements began flying around the room as a growing pressure built in the ready room. The ship shuddered with Serena's despair.

Gireau called her name, slapped her cheek, attempting to bring her back as she began mentally wailing, and finally hauled her to her feet, shaking her. His crew struggled just to breathe. With his last gasping breath, he followed her into her mind and recognized her fears of abandonment? They would talk about her fears later. 

At that moment he acted in desperation, covered her mouth with his and kissed her with all his desire, his remorse, and his gratitude.

Serena broke the kiss to ask, "Gratitude, huh?"

Liam kept a steadying hand on her arm while he checked his crew. 

"Aye. You keep me real." He gestured to the destruction around them. 

Serena sheepishly put the room back to rights, staying within Liam's grounding embrace. As she easily lifted the first mate to his seat, the crew snapped out of their dissociated states.

"What was that?"

Gireau resumed his seat. "That will be all from linguistics. I want your report by end-of-day."

Gireau waited for her to leave before giving himself a good shake. "Let's try that again." He took a deep breath, braced for more catastrophe. "You will, and direct everyone onboard, to refer to my wife as 'Lady'. Lady Serena is just as important as the Dame in terms of Power." He fudged the amount of power Serena has, for no reason that he can tell other than to just do it. It felt right, though, and he had 38 years to learn to follow his instincts.

Serena finished her half shift before Liam returned to the bridge. She'd already felt the change in how the bridge crew treated her, and it wasn't a positive thing.