One Month Later

“Computer, run Program Gwenn Zeta-Three please, password…troublemaker,” Crewmate Gwenn said into the center console as she stood outside the unoccupied holosuite. She had just passed Commander Tam on the way, who by the looks of it was just coming off the high of a work out.

If there was one thing that was universal among the Tam caste, it was their love of heavy athletics. Perhaps it was their endless near boundless energy, or perhaps they were prone to physical aggression, or maybe it was just a lifetime of training making it a part of their being. Whatever it was, they worked hard and they played hard. Ammera Tam was no exception.

As the computer loaded the holographic interface, Lauryna could only think back to the Gyfjon. Captain Bass had often said, “You’ll have many ships to call home in your career, Ms. Gwenn, but there will always be something special about your first love,” and the Gyfjon was that in every sense of the word. It wasn’t the bruiser of the Talanis class, nor the shiny, glittering Azaeya class, but as she had learned, it wasn’t the bulkheads and the plasma conduits that made a ship, it was her crew.

Indeed, the Gyfjon made the Tez look old and cramped, but Lauryna had come to love this ship almost as much as her first post.

Almost.

Lauryna wasn’t here to work out. She worked out as much as an officer needed to, but no more. She didn’t enjoy it like Lem or Ammera or Izzy. Izzy had always enjoyed going toe to toe with whomever she could in the holodeck, as often as she could. Izzy had all the makings of a proper Tam; she was athletic, she was stubborn, she had a mind for tactics and could think on her feet in a pinch, and above all she was a royal pain in the ass. Had she been a Hoplite, there was no question in Crewmate Gwenn’s mind that she would have been Izzy Tam. That was why Izzy was so at home in the holosuites. It leveled the playing field. On the Gyfjon she was just Izzy, designation Trouble Maker, sometimes she was in the way, sometimes she was caught underfoot, and while she had earned the respect of each and every member of the crew, she was still Izzy the human. But when she was in the holographic confines of the ship’s holosuites, it was a whole new game.

Gwenn would never forget the time Izzy wiped the confident smirk off Commander Lem Tam’s face when they went at it on the Gyfjon. Izzy had been teaching Lauryna Krav Maga, a martial arts technique she had picked up in her youth, when Commander Tam decided to critique the “sloppy, undisciplined martial art.” Tam’s ass hit the floor so fast she hardly had a moment to register what had happened. What followed was one of the best sparing matches Lauryna had ever been witness to, Izzy walked away with a swelled ego, and a number of heavy purple bruises. Izzy never called them bruises though. She called them victory marks.

“Program ready.” The computer chirped, as the holosuite doors swished open.

Crewmate Gwenn eagerly jogged into the holosuite. She had found herself spending more and more time here. Of course she would never let it interfere with her work, but nights were lonely, and Izzy wasn’t much the talker these days.

“There you are.” Lauryna said softly as she approached the still hologram before her. She hadn’t the courage to activate it. She wasn’t sure she wanted to. Everything about it felt wrong, but she had spent countless hours perfecting every tiny piece of code, from the rebellious curly ringlets, to her intense piercing eyes, her shapely biceps and triceps were spot on, height, weight skin tone, everything was perfect.

But it wasn’t Izzy, and it never could be.

“Computer, open diagnostic mode.” She said, stepping around the titan sized Izzy hologram. There was a creepy feeling one had to get used to when programming a lifelike hologram. The analog slowly became so realistic, it began to feel like somebody was in the room with you, lifeless, motionless, but very much there.

But Lauryna knew where Izzy was.

She forced the doubt from her mind. Nights were lonely, her shifts were long, and as every second passed, the chain of guilt she dragged behind her grew incrementally heavier. If she could program the personality perfectly, if she could create something as close to Izzy as possible, maybe she could work things out, maybe she could see Izzy, feel her, talk to her…be with her.

Lauryna walked to a maintenance console that stood next to the Izzy analog. She began to work through a series of calculations; after all, programming an entire person into a hologram took a lot of time, effort, and a bit of trial and error. It was never perfect, not without a proper brain scan, which of course she didn’t have the authority to do, as Izzy was not exactly conscious to provide consent.

She had broken Izzy’s trust once. Never again.

Of course, it wasn’t as though what she was doing was exactly moral.

Lauryna worked through the night, with a centered focus that transcended time. Hours, seconds, minutes all felt the same, it could have been two hours, it may have been twenty for all she knew. The only thing that pulled her out of the zone she was in, was a voice from behind. A small voice, but then again Lauryna had grown quite skilled at picking those ones out, and that was a skill you never lost.

“She’s beautiful,” Thio said, standing on the edge of the console platform Crewmate Gwenn was working on.

“Oh…Thiosmit….” Lauryna shook her head in surprise and looked over to her small friend with bloodshot eyes. She had been working well into the night, and if she wasn’t careful, she wouldn’t get enough rest before her next shift.

“I waited for you in your quarters, but you didn’t show up after your shift, I figured you came here, when I can’t find you, you’re generally here.” Thio said, keeping his eyes on the hologram standing in the center of the room’s bright lighting.

“Oh, sorry…I forgot we were going to have tea after my shift. Sorry,” Lauryna said, rubbing her eyes, now that she had been broken of her trance, she was starting to feel the effects of her devoted labor.

“You’ve been here most of the night, I was afraid you were going to work through to your shift!” Thio said, looking to Lauryna at last. Thio, like Izzy on the Gyfjon, knew the ship better than most of the crew, he knew every duct, passage and bulkhead like the back of his own hand. He was small, but could get around the ship nearly as fast as the crew.

“It…hasn’t been that long…I just popped in to run a few tests on her personality subroutines…it’s been what…an hour or two at most…” Gwenn said in disbelief.

“Seventeen, nearly eighteen actually,” Thio said, with a concerned frown.

“No…has it been that long?” Crewmate Gwenn said in shock, though inside she knew he was likely right, this had not been the first time she had spent the night working on this project, she had nearly been reprimanded, and likely would this time if the brass found out how long she had tied up the holodeck.

Thio nodded, he paced back and forth on the console, eyeing his friend and then the analog intermittently.

“Anyway…I just have a few more tests I need to run…I think I almost have her personality where I want it,” Gwenn said with confidence, though she strictly avoided eye contact with Thio.

“And then what?” Thiosmit asked, looking at Lauryna, hoping she would look back.

“Well…” Lauryna hesitated.

“Will this make you feel better?” Thio asked. His voice was inquisitive, nonjudgmental. Thio was good for that, his insatiable curiosity was only surpassed by his gentle spirit. Given what he had gone through, Thio was remarkably accepting and well-adjusted. It was a shame such a beautiful person was ever treated so violently, Lauryna was not a violent person, but she often wished she could meet his former owner…just once.

“The physical specifications were the easiest part, they always are, a lot of people think physically creating an analog form code is difficult, but it’s not nearly as time consuming as creating a personality subroutine,” Lauryna avoided his question, she was good at that.

Thio nodded. “So, you’re creating her?” Thio asked.

“And If you don’t get everything right, you could end up with a hologram that doesn’t know how to talk…or that walks backwards and doesn’t know how to move its limbs…the mind is very tricky to recreate. Of course there are built in subroutines, the computer can randomly assign a personality…you can also perform a brain scan in order to imprint your own, or somebody else’s personality, which is easier, but that requires consent, and Izzy would never give that if she was awake.” Lauryna smiled, though it was thin and stretched.

“What would she think of this?” Thio asked, again, without accusation.

Lauryna was quiet this time.

“Is it done, can you turn it on?” Thio asked, stepping as close to the edge of the platform as he could without falling off.

Lauryna nodded. It was likely complete enough for an alpha test weeks ago, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

“Why haven’t you then?” Thio asked, looking up to Lauryna, who to his surprise, was crying, silently.

“I…can’t.” Lauryna mouthed.

“You don’t want to?” Thio tilted his head.

“I want to…with every fiber in my body. I want to hug her, burry my face in her neck and just be with her. I want to hear her yell at me, scream at me, tell me I’m being a ‘stupid over-emotional nitwit,’ or that I should have listened to her, God damn it, and let her go. I want to…I want to….” Lauryna swallowed, her voice was getting shaky now. “I just want to be with her Thio. Gods…I just want to be with her again…I miss her Thio…like I’ve never missed anyone before…and it hurts…and I don’t care if she hates me, or if she never wants to speak to me again…I just…I just…I just want her to be okay, Thio…I just want her to be okay,” Lauryna leaned against the data console, and slid down until she was on her rear end, she pulled her knees to her chest, and buried her face in her arms, and cried.

“I’m a terrible person Thio…I did this to her, against her wishes…and…I thought if I could bring her back like this…I could explain it to her…make her understand how much I love her…why I did it…and how sorry I am that I let this happen to her. It thought if I could just bring her back like this…she could be here with me…and I could be here with her.” Lauryna spoke through gasping breaths.

Thiosmit was quiet for a while; he allowed Lauryna as long as she needed before speaking up. “But…she’s not here.”

Lauryna laughed, it was an ironic sort of half laugh, but a laugh. “No Thio, she isn’t…you’re right.”

Lauryna took a few seconds to calm down, wiping her eyes against her uniform sleeve.

“But you wish she was,” Thio said. “You want this to be her?”

Lauryna took a moment to think; she stood up and stepped away from the console, approaching the hologram. It was just a collection of light and photons assembled using a standard color array to create what looked like Isabelle Ibanez, it didn’t have warmth, it didn’t breath, it didn’t fidget or squirm when she hugged it. Its face didn’t hold a multitude of different emotions all at the same time, it was just…light.

“No.” Lauryna spoke at last. “Nothing can take her place Thio…I don’t want this to be her…I want her.”

Thio nodded. “I understand.”

Lauryna took a moment longer to eye the hologram, it was so beautiful, but it wasn’t her.

“Want a lift back to your room?” Crewmate Gwenn asked as she stepped away from the analog.

“I’d like that, if Ammera wakes up and I’m gone she’s likely to wake the whole ship looking for me,” Thio laughed.

Lauryna did as well.

Crewmate Gwenn gathered Thio and stepped through the door, setting him down on the outside console before holding up a finger, “Wait here, I need a second okay?”

“Ok.” Thio said with a smile.

Lauryna walked back into the holodeck and slowly approached the maintenance console. She smiled to herself as she punched in a few commands, and looked up to the analog. It felt good to let it out, and though Thio likely had no idea what he had done, she was grateful he had intruded on her tonight. He had played it off like an accident…but she doubted that very much. Thiosmit was very sweet, and very kind – and very smart.

“Computer, delete program…password troublemaker.” Lauryna smiled as the image of Izzy flickered, and then vanished before her into thin air.

Lauryna lingered just a moment, then stepped back out of the holodeck, setting a hand next to Thio for him to hop aboard.

“All done?” He asked.

“Yup.” Lauryna grinned. “I’m finished with that, thanks.” Lauryna lifted her hand to her face, and delivered a gentle kiss to the top of the small man’s head.

Thio blushed. “For what?”

“For being you, and reminding me where Izzy was.”

“Did you misplace her?” Thio asked.

Lauryna chuckled. “No, but I almost did Thio…I almost did.”

* * *

One Month Later

“How are we doing, commander?”

“Hot as Lordale on a weekend, sir,” Ammera said, checking her gauges. “Temp is over 2100 vathmos out there. At some point, we’re going to start to see problems with environmental controls.”

“Understood. Just another few minutes.”

Lauryna peeked over her shoulder at the view on the Tez’s main screen. They were just 1/100^th of an Arch away from Star 9X9X94, and the ship didn’t much like it. They hadn’t been designed to fly this deep into the corona of an F9 star. Then again, given the star’s designation and the rumors that had swirled for many years, she thought that was precisely why they were where they were.

The gas giant came into view, as brilliant as Hadia close up. Despite traveling in space often – or perhaps because of it – Lauryna found herself awestruck by its beauty. She would have watched longer, but a blip at her terminal caused her to swing back automatically.

“Incoming transmission sir. It’s Imperial, but no identification notes. It’s requesting a code, sir.”

“Right on time. Crewmate, send back this response, text only: Ishaytan-Seven-Rhombil-Pi-Pi-Ishaytan-Six-Zhe-Ona-Ona-Seven-Niner-Seven.”

“Aye, sir,” Lauryna said. She keyed in the code and sent it, and was rewarded by a hail. “Sir, we’re receiving an inbound transmission from Selevak Base,” she said, holding back a wry smile. She’d heard of Selevak Base, of course – everyone in the military had. But still, getting a transmission from them…this was a story she’d be sorry to be barred from telling people someday.

“On vox. This is Tez Magilna actual.”

“Captain Thop, this is Selevak Base. You are cleared for landing. We are transmitting flight instructions now. Do not deviate, or your ship will be destroyed.”

“Understood, Selevak. Incidentally, Crewmate Drrntr, they are not joking about that. Follow those instructions to the letter.”

“Aye, sir,” Drrntr said, turning the ship to the heading Lauryna forwarded to her.

They came in on the second moon of Selevak, a rather boring grayish rock. As they approached, however, they saw the ground splitting, and then opening wide, to reveal a hidden portal. They vectored inside it, and then, precisely on schedule, Drrntr let go of the controls, allowing gravitic tractor beams to pull them under.

They went down a good kilounit, and came out in a wide cavern, filled with activity. One other Magilna-class ship was grounded there, as were dozens of shuttles, including, they all noticed, two with Drazari markings. The Tez was pulled to an open berth and deposited there softly.

“All right,” Captain Thop said. “Crewmate Glennon, Commander Tam, please accompany me to greet our guests. Crewmate Drrntr, you have the bridge, Mr. Florem, take the helm until we’re cleared to station watch. The second we are, Mr. Florem will take the bridge, and all senior staff are to report to the shuttlebay.”

“Aye, sir,” the bridge echoed; only after acknowledging did Lauryna shoot Ammera a quizzical glance, only to get a quizzical glance back in return.

Thirty minutes later, senior staff assembled in the now-open shuttlebay, where a Drazari shuttlecraft had parked itself. That drew attention, but not so much as the Drazari who was standing next to it, along with Captain Solis and Navarchos Abaementos.

They had all paid their respects to the Navarchos, but they had done so quickly; it was clear they weren’t meant to luxuriate here, not that luxury had anything to do with Selevak Base.

“Good morning,” the Navarchos said, in her quiet-yet-firm Aementan accent. “I do not suppose I have to tell you that you are here because of a potentially difficult mission, one that could impact the next twenty years of relations between the Empire and the Slook Concordance. We have been very impressed with the work of the Tez Magilna these last few years, and we would not be giving you this mission if we did not have the utmost faith in your ability to complete it. It will not be easy, but if this mission is successfully completed, you will have helped the Empire take a dramatic leap forward. Captain Solis,” she said, nodding to her Titan companion.

Ziah Solis was handsome, in a lean sort of way. He looked over the group carefully, as if probing for weakness. Lauryna wasn’t sure whether to like him or fear him; she was quite sure she respected him.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I would like first to introduce you to Natask Sena Aurrol. Natask Aurrol has risked quite a bit to be with us today. Ze is commander of the Ivvang, a Drazari strike cruiser. Officially, ze is on holiday in zir homeworld of Kleetakh. Ze obviously had other reasons for venturing off alone, and ze certainly is not supposed to be here.

“I doubt most of you are familiar with Drazari space, but I can tell you that their border is like ours – undeveloped. There are but a few small colonies between here and Kleetakh. Kleetakh itself is 208.83 light years into Drazari space, and….”

“Sir! Question! Did you say 208.83 light years? That is almost as far as from here to Archavia!”

“Correct, Crewmate Drrntr! It is a very long way! Much farther than any shuttle could travel. Which is why the Nomel Xedusa retrieved Natask Aurrol, and why you will be bringing zir back to the Kleetakh system, where ze will rendezvous with the Ivvang. Once there, Natask Aurrol will continue the work ze has been doing for us the last few years.”

“Obviously we’re running with closed comms from the border on,” Captain Thop said. “And under cloak as much as we can.”

“Rules of Engagement, sir?” Crewmate Glennon asked.

“Do not fire unless fired upon, and then, only if no retreat is possible. More important, we are not to surrender under any circumstances. Should we be incapacitated, my orders – and by extension, your orders – are to set the warp core to critical, vaporizing our vessel.”

“May I ask why, sir?” Lauryna said.

“Two reasons,” Navarchos Abaementos said. “First, the Slook Concordance would use your capture as a propaganda tool. They would use it to both inflame their populace and to challenge us. It would be a provocation they would use.”

“Wouldn’t that be true of any engagement, ma’am?” Commander Tam asked.

“We are different than you,” said the Drazar, who had until now been content to stand with arms and wings folded, head just cresting the Navarchos’ waist. “The Military has falsified attacks before. The Concordance will not attack without physical proof. Records of battle, even pieces of your ship are not enough. But the ship itself, inside Concordance space without permission…that would be all they would need to seek hostilities.”

Lauryna listened to this with her translator off; she wasn’t sure how to read what ze was saying. On the one hand, zir cadence was that of a Drazari who was ashamed. But zir tone…that sounded much more like pride.

“This mission is obviously classified, coded Kapezhe-One. Officially, for the time you are across the border, you do not exist. We will not respond to distress calls, we will not cross the border. Obviously, the Xedusa made it there and back safely, and we expect you will too. I want to thank Capt. Solis for his work with Natask Aurrol.”

“Indeed,” the Drazari said. “Captain Solis, you have the heart of a Drazari,” ze said, reaching out one of zir three-fingered claws, which Solis touched, his hand mirroring zirs.

“I am honored, Natask Aurrol. I look forward to seeing what will come from this mission.”

“As do I,” Sena said. “As do I.”

* * *

“Would you care for a respite, Natask?” Lauryna asked in Drazari as she passed their guest in the corridor. It was night watch, and she had just come off duty; the Natask had rarely been seen outside zir quarters since they left. The Drazari captain turned back to her, ears twitching.

“That is passable Drazari. You learned it?”

“Yes. I am the translator for the ship as well as the communicator. People cannot trust computers with everything.”

“This is truth,” Sena said, nodding zir head. “This respite – it would include alcohol, if you wished, and some light food. Not a formal dinner. Imperial Style. Correct?”

Lauryna nodded. “Correct. We can host a Drazari-style respite, but it would take some time to prepare.”

The Drazari bared zir buck teeth, the Drazari equivalent of a laugh. “I will go if there will not be many Titans. I do not wish to engage in extended social discourse.”

Lauryna nodded. Drazari generally eschewed big gatherings anyhow, and a true Drazari-style “respite” was more like an intense debate competition. Most preferred smaller groups, as they liked to be able to read their opponents, or companions – as to Drazari, there was little difference. “A typical respite is me, Commander Tam, her friend Thiosmit, perhaps Drrntr, perhaps not. Junior Crewmate Riases will often join us if she is free, but she is on duty right now.”

The Drazari nodded. “I will join you,” ze said.

Lauryna led them to a small observation room, which had become an unofficial hangout for their group over the past year. Ammera was already there, as was Thio, she raised her eyebrows when she saw the Drazari.

“Well,” she said, “this is unexpected. Hello, Natask. Can I get you a drink?”

“Do you have Royal Berry Whisky? I have grown to like it,” the Natask said.

“You’re lucky,” Ammera said. “Crewmate knows a guy who knows the owners of Tribe Maris Distillery. Three-year-old single-batch reserve,” she said, pouring out a glass of liquid, which glowed softly. She handed it to the Drazari, who lapped at it with zir tongue.

“Excellent,” ze pronounced. “The best I’ve had.” Ze cast her eyes over to Thiosmit. “And whose unfortunate pet are you? The Commander’s, or the Crewmate’s?”

“Neither,” Thio said, evenly. “I’m Ammera’s friend.”

“Interesting,” ze said, folding her wings together and sitting down. “Friend? So there are no ownership papers? There is no bill of sale?”

“There was,” Ammera said, “but I wish there was not. And whenever Thio asks to leave, he is free to go.”

“Interesting. So you have finally realized your foolishness?” ze said to Ammera. “Finally realized what a threat they are?”

“A threat?” Lauryna said.

“Yes, a threat,” Sena said, looking at Thio. “You live in their homes, but they treat you like objects, like things to collect. But you and I…we know what you are capable of. And no matter their size, or yours…we know that what makes a person strong is not physical size, but mental capacity. And you humans have all you would ever need to destroy them – just have the human pet living with your Emperor talk to the human pet living with your Imperii, and the human pet living with your Floor Leader…and you would have all you would need to cut the wings of the Empire.”

“An interesting opinion from one who is working with the Empire,” said Ammera.

“Oh, I do not wish to see the Empire destroyed. You are too useful. The Concordance worries about you, and you about us, when we both should be worried about the Insectoids and the K’Gapti. Those are real threats to our existence. The Empire? The Concordance? We are simple peoples. We want planets to live on, and space to explore. The Insectoids want everything, everywhere, and the K’Gapti….”

Sena spread zir wings in a shrug. “The K’Gapti want what they want, and we do not know what it is. We only know that if they decide tomorrow that they want Drazar t’Slook, there is little we can do to stop it. No, I do not wish the Empire to be destroyed, commander. I wish this bitter stalemate between my people and yours to end so that we can both fight our true enemies.”

“Well, on that we agree,” Lauryna said. “I’d much rather deal with your people than the Insectoids. You understand reason. They understand conquest. Strength and weakness. Consumption…and destruction.”

“And that is part of why we do not rise up against the Titans,” Thio said. “Not because it would be difficult – it would – or because any uprising would be undone quickly – it would. But because for all their errors…the Titans mean well. It’s just that many of them are foolish. Those of us who’ve read, who’ve studied…we know the Insectoids just want to eat us, and that’s it. The end.”

“And so you would rather live slaves than die as food?”

“Yes, I think that’s reasonable.”

Sena bared zir teeth. “As do I, human. As do I. Truly, I appreciate the respite, Crewmate. Commander. Human. Now, I must go. We will be crossing border marker six tomorrow. I need to prepare for my return to my ship.”

Lauryna nodded. “I have taken a part of your life,” she said.

“And I, yours,” the Drazari said with a nod, completing the traditional Drazari goodbye.

Ze left, and Thio let out a breath. “If he wasn’t taller than me, I’d smack him.”

“Ze,” Ammera corrected, with a grin.

“Oh, ze’s a demi? I didn’t know. ‘Mera, I wouldn’t trust zir.”

“Ze’s a turncoat. Of course I don’t trust zir,” Ammera said. “But we have our orders. Now, on another note, have you thought about Avalon?”

Lauryna smiled, raised a glass, and withdrew. She’d been through this conversation before. She was in no hurry to repeat it.

“’Mera…I appreciate it. I really do. But I don’t want to leave you.”

Ammera gave a soft frown. “You know, we talked about that, and…I don’t see that working out, you know.”

“I don’t either. It’s not about that. You’re a good friend, Ammera. So’s Lauryna, and, Drrntr, and Tanan, and even Captain Thop has stopped treating me like a pet. I’ve been helping out Crewmate Jacint down in Engineering…I mean…this is my home. Not just because of you, but because of everyone else. And I don’t want to leave it. Not yet. Maybe, when you get transferred, I’ll think about it. But not yet.”

Ammera sighed. “You’re not bad at lying, Thio, but I can read you pretty well.”

The human sighed. “’Mera, you’re pretty, smart, and kind – anyone would be smitten. The fact that you prefer a redheaded Titan woman is my loss.”

Ammera chuckled. “Thio, there are more reasons that would never work than there are for you and me. I’m Lauryna’s superior officer. And even if I wasn’t…she loves Izzy. And as much as I’d love to suggest dating in the interim…I wouldn’t do that to her. Either of them. Maybe, after Izzy’s unfrozen, if she and Lauryna split up, and I’m captaining somewhere else….”

Ammera sighed. “Thio, honestly, I’m sorry. I wish I felt about you the way you feel about me. If I could make myself….”

Thio smiled gently. “I know, Ammera, I know. And I swear, it’s not why I’m staying, and promise, I’m not trying to change your mind. You’ve always been a friend to me, even when you were my owner. I wouldn’t miss my chance at a relationship if I left you, any more than if I stayed. But I would miss my friend.”

“And I’d miss you,” Ammera said. “Yes, as a friend. But a good friend, maybe my best friend. It’s between you and Lauryna, and frankly, no reason you can’t share the title. But Thio…think it over. I’d miss you, but I’d be a lousy friend if I didn’t encourage you.”

“I know,” Thio said. “But you aren’t.”

* * *

The Tez slipped passed Drazari Border Star Six, and headed off into the sparsely-populated border region of the Concordance. Lauryna passed her time listening to Drazari comm traffic. Most of it was exactly what you’d expect to hear in the clear – reports of solar flares and high radiation in some areas, the occasional request for help, at least one case of three Drazari engaged in a conversation of an extremely personal nature…well, gorram, it would get lonely as a cargo skip, which all three of them were. Still, Lauryna found it squicky. Of course, she supposed people would find her and Izzy squicky, too. She chuckled. It would be silly for people to want to know their intimate details, not that there were any lately. She couldn’t imagine anyone finding it remotely interesting. And if they did…well, she hoped they had a partner half as wonderful as Izzy to share it with.

Soon enough, they reached the Kleetakh system, which was as advertised – a small backwater system with fewer people than Narena colony. Cloaking technology would never hide them in a developed system, but here, they would go unnoticed.

They approached from the back side of the planet Kleetakh orbited, a huge water gas giant, and aimed for the moon nearest them, which was itself a gas giant almost as large as Saturn. They dipped into the upper atmosphere, certain that the combination of the planet’s magnetosphere, radiation, and thick cloud deck would keep them hidden long enough for their Drazari ally to make zir return flight.

“Wait twenty of your hours. I will send you one alert tone once I have made contact, two alert tones if I have difficulty,” Natask Aurrol said as ze checked zir settings. “You may depart within four hours if I signal the first; wait a total of thirty if I signal the second.”

“We are aware of the protocols, natask,” Ammera said.

“Well, I wish to make sure you actually follow them. I will power up my ship now; you may tell Captain Thop I am ready to depart.”

Ammera shook her head slightly, but nodded. “Understood,” she said. “I have taken a part of your life.”

“And I yours, Commander,” the Drazari said, baring zir teeth. Ze entered zir ship, and sealed the hatch.

“Ammera to bridge. Natask Aurrol is ready to depart.”

“Understood,” Thop said. “Crewmate Gwenn, contact the shuttle, and let zir know ze is cleared for departure.”

“Aye, sir. Natask Aurrol, you have been cleared to depart. Fly well.”

“Thank you, Crewmate Gwenn. Departing.”

“The ship has cleared the dock,” Glennon said.

“Start the clock,” Thop said. “Twenty hours. On my mark…mark.”

It was a waiting game now. Not to say that the view in the upper clouds of the gas giant wasn’t impressive. But the bridge crew was too keyed up to enjoy it.

About five hours later, Lauryna jumped, as the channel opened.

And her heart sank.

“Sir, inbound comms. Two tones.”

Thop frowned. “You’re sure? Don’t answer that, Crewmate, of course you are. Damn it. Black Alert.”

“Black alert, black alert, all hands to alert stations,” Ammera said, with the practiced ease of someone who had said it many times.

“Sir, we have a contact, bearing two-seven-four-carom-one-nine-eight,” Glennon said. “Coming in fast. Looks like it’s the natask.”

“Crewmate Gwenn, open a channel.”

Lauryna coughed, and opened it up. “Unidentified ship, we are a cargo vessel currently in orbit around Kleetakh two, you are on an intercept course for us. Please identify yourself,” she said in Drazari.

“Redcode, six nine one.”

“Redcode, six nine one, sir,” Lauryna said.

Thop nodded. “Open the main shuttle bay, and let’s figure out what the hell is going on,” Thop grumbled.

Twenty minutes later, he was not grumbling. He was staring, open-mouthed, at the Drazari natask, wondering if ze had lost zir mind.

“You want us to do what?” he finally said, just shy of a roar.

“The Ivvang sent a message two days ago requesting I meet them in the Diladhek system as soon as possible. I had left an auto-response beacon behind so they would not be suspicious. At this point I should be over halfway there. If I leave from here, they’ll realize that I’ve been doing something I did not tell them, and they will begin to investigate.”

“You must be joking,” Thop said. “I’m not going to take this ship to the gorram Diladhek system! We could sneak into Kleetakh, but Diladhek – that’s like running a ship through the Vorsha system. It ain’t Archavia, but someone is gonna notice.”

“You won’t be taking me to Diladhek,” Natask Aurrol said. “That would be…inadvisable. No, you can take me to the Tkakh System. It would be a standard stop en route, it’s the only colony between here and Diladhek.”

“I’m not familiar with the Tkakh System,” Thop said.

“Is that…it might be System 58-Rho-0927. Two stars, one a brown dwarf? Just one planet?” Ammera asked.

“That is correct,” said Aurrol, standing up on zir seat to get a better view of the system Ammera had projected onto the viewscreen.

“That’s still 38 Imperial light years deeper into the Concordance. Damn it, this is not what we signed on for!”

“I understand your concern, captain. Believe me, I would feel the same way. We will not get anywhere close to the Diladhek System. You have my word.”

Ammera looked at the captain. “Sir, I will support you whichever way you decide.”

“Gorram, we don’t have much choice. Tell Crewmate Drrntr to set course for System 58-Rho-927, maximum warp. I don’t want to stay exposed another minute longer than I have to. And understand me, Natask Aurrol, I’m not going a centiunit further toward Slook than Tkakh. If this fails, we are turning around and going home, and Navarchos Abaementos can figure out another way to get you back.”

“Don’t worry, Captain Thop,” the Drazari said. “No matter what happens, I am departing at Tkakh.”

* * *

Nine hours later, they were repeating their farewells. Aurrol departed, they waited patiently, and less than half an hour later, they received what they were hoping for – a single tone.

“All right,” Thop said, the second Lauryna confirmed it. “Start the clock, Crewmate Glennon. Four hours, on my mark…mark.”

“Aye sir,” Glennon said. He then tilted his head, and slowly leaned forward.

“Commander,” he said, “do you see….”

Suddenly, the Tez Magilna rocked as a Drazari Sekhad cruiser decloaked and fired simultaneously. They were too far out to destroy the Tez, but they weren’t trying to.

Incapacitating them was their true aim.

“Shaka!” Thop said. “Double black alert! Crewmate Drrntr, hard about!”

Drrntr didn’t need to be told. She was already trying to bring the ship into position to make a jump to warp.

That’s when the two Takrara-style corvettes decloaked.

“Fire, Glennon!” Thop said, and Glennon did, launching a spread at the corvettes. Both evaded the missiles skillfully, then parted for a second Sekhad.

“Sir, we’re being hailed,” Lauryna said. “It’s….”

Lauryna turned. “It’s Natask Aurrol, sir.”

Thop looked over his shoulder, and shook his head. “Vox,” he said, quietly.

“Captain Thop. I told you not to worry. You won’t be going any further into the Concordance. We have a facility here on Tkakh that should suit you very well.”

“You and I both know that’s not going to happen.”

“Oh, come now. You aren’t going to actually blow up your ship, captain? We won’t harm you – really, you’ll be guests of the Concordance. After all, you gave us the location of Seletak Base, not to mention a reason to finally fight the war we’ve wanted to fight for some time. Once the war is over, you’ll be able to go home. Believe me, Captain, we do not want a protracted conflict. Just enough to settle accounts once and for all, so we can both fight our true enemies.”

Thop looked down. “Give me one minute to decide, Natask Aurrol. Please.”

“Of course,” ze said. “I am not a monster, you know.”

Thom signaled to Lauryna to cut the signal. “What are you thinking?” Ammera said, noting Thop had a slight smile on his face.

“Engineering,” Thop said, hitting a button. “Begin the process of destabilizing the warp core. Take it to step four on the chart.”

He looked over at Lauryna, and nodded. Part of her wanted to rush to Izzy’s side, unfreeze her, and say goodbye. But she didn’t. She opened the channel.

“I’d back your ships off, Natask. This is gonna be a big explosion.”

“Pity,” said the Drazari. “You recognize what my next move will be.”

“Of course I do,” Thop said. “Everyone, strap in; disruptor fire incoming.”

Three shots hit the Tez Magilna, Two amidships, one on the starboard nacelle. The ship shuddered, and the lights flickered.

“We are at step four,” Crewmate Jacint said over the comms.

“Excellent,” said Thop. Aurrol was reacting exactly as ze should. The cruiser aft was moving in, but the corvettes and the second cruiser were backing off. Only one ship had a good shot at engineering, and it would take precision to disable to engines before they went critical. If they failed, better to not take out the other ships in the process.

“All right,” Thop said, calmly, as the ship shuddered once more. “Crewmate Drrntr, set course zero-zero-two-carom-zero-seven-seven, everything we can muster. Engage, LerDrrntr!”

The Tez groaned as the navigator pushed it into the space opened up by the retreating vessels. The corvettes quickly turned to follow, as did the cruiser that was aft.

“We’re at warp 4.9, captain! Our engines have sustained damage!”

“We’re not going to be able to outrun them,” Thop said. “We’ll have to out-think them.”

“There are a few planets in the next star system,” Glennon said. “Nothing habitable, but a couple gas giants, if we could get in close….”

“It’s our best chance,” Thop said. “Crewmate Drrntr….”

But Captain Thop did not complete his order. For at that moment, another ship appeared screaming down on them from above. Whether it was one of the four or a new one, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that it loosed three missiles, targeted on the bridge.