Chapter Two
Ava
She stood in line as Captain McClane surveyed his new crewmembers.
Everyone stood in the main promenade of Dry Dock Alpha – the primary shipyard around Earth.
Behind Captain McClane ran a massive bank of windows that showed an unrivaled view of the ship docks. They were megalithic, large enough to house a city on Earth. As she stared past the pacing Captain, she caught sight of the various Coalition ships being built. Everything from light cruisers to the new super-heavy cruiser class.
A massive gravity ring encased the station, bringing artificial gravity and atmosphere to the ships in dry dock, allowing the engineers to work on them without popping like balloons.
It was a heck of a sight. Nothing on Avixa rivaled it, or at least nothing she’d seen. Avixan society was so cloistered and compartmentalized that, as a priestess, she’d barely been allowed out of the mountain temples. This was the first time she’d seen a ship being built, and it took her breath away. Robotic arms locked the various ships’ skeletons in place as crews of engineers on flying ramps soldered hull plating into place.
It was such a distraction that she didn’t see Captain McClane making direct eye contact with her until too late.
For the past five whole minutes, he’d been silently stalking up and down in front of his new crewmembers, assessing them each in turn.
Now he stopped, stared at her, and shook his head curtly.
Before her stomach could sink, he took a step back and cleared his throat. “You have all earned your place aboard this vessel.” He kept staring right at her. “You all have the skills it takes to protect the citizens of the Coalition and to continue our peaceful operations throughout the Milky Way. But though we are explorers, we are also protectors. And each of you has the skills it takes to save others.” Though his gaze had sliced away briefly, now it jerked back and settled on her once more. “Times have changed. Though it is still the primary remit of the Coalition Forces to explore and chart the galaxy, it is now more important than ever that we protect her. Mark my words – you will be called upon to bravely sacrifice to save others. And you must be up to this task,” again he looked at her, “For responsibility and a clear conscience will demand it of you.”
Finally, Captain McClane broke eye contact with Ava and began pacing down the line again, staring at each recruit in turn as he continued his speech.
Maybe Ava’s stomach should have been lurching at the Captain’s direct attention. It wasn’t.
He just reminded her of Sharpe. Plus, unlike Sharpe, there would be a limit to how much direct attention Captain McClane would be able to pay her. He was in charge of running the Mandalay.
He’d forget her soon enough.
She’d fade into the background just as she’d done at the Academy.
She smiled just thinking about it.
After a few more minutes of his chest-punching speech, Captain McClane dismissed the new crewmembers, allowing them a single hour aboard the station before they were to report to their new quarters.
As soon as the crowd dispersed and Captain McClane strode out of sight with his XO, Ava felt a small hand curl around her arm.
She knew who it was even before she turned her head to see the smile playing over Nema’s face.
“Wow,” Nema said, “Can you believe that?”
“What?”
“That we get to be aboard a ship with the great Captain McClane. You know he’s currently the youngest captain in the fleet?” Nema slipped into an easy step beside Ava.
“No. Does it matter?”
“Of course it matters! He has a list of accolades as long as my arm. He’s one of the most decorated captains in the fleet, and he’s so young!”
“Oh,” Ava said, trying to keep the boredom from her tone.
Nema picked up on it and sighed. “Sometimes I don’t get you, Ava – you’re not impressed by anything. And nothing scares you either.” Nema leaned in and looked at Ava analytically, a frown pressing over her lips. “How come you’re not a sweaty blubbery mess after Captain McClane stared at you like that? I mean, he wasn’t even looking at me, but my heart was thundering at a million miles.”
Ava shrugged. “He caught me looking at the shipyards while he was checking us out. He’ll forget about me soon enough.”
Nema chuckled, ending with a friendly sigh. “What I wouldn’t give to be you. Nothing scares you.”
Except for responsibility, Ava felt like adding.
She couldn’t.
While Nema was her best friend, Ava could not confide in her. About study and ordinary events, sure. About being a priestess of Avixa, never.
Nema had no idea who Ava really was. As far as Nema was concerned, Ava was simply an Avixan with no special skill.
Nema hooked an arm around Ava’s and dragged her forward. “We have to check out this primary bar on this station.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s a bar aboard a shipbuilding station! It’s going to be so hard ass. Just walking in the door is going to do wonders for your cred.”
Ava couldn’t help but laugh as she was led forward.
It was easy to become distracted by the sight of the station as she was pulled through it.
Huge high-ceilinged halls snaked into the belly of the ship where a host of stalls and stores were arranged.
They were a hodgepodge of styles – sleek Coalition depots with white-silver walls abutting rusted storefronts cobbled together with reclaimed engine parts.
Ava stared with wide open eyes and a smile pressing across her lips.
The place was packed with aliens of all sizes and shapes, all milling about and haggling for ship parts.
Nema spied the bar – which had a long entrance the size of two shop fronts – and gave an excited squeak. “This is so cool.”
Ava stared as she was dragged through the doorway.
The bar was massive. It sprawled into the back of the room a good fifty meters away. There were several branching halls and doors that led to even more rooms.
It was an expansive warren, and it was packed.
It felt like half the crew of the Mandalay were in here, enjoying their last opportunity for R&R before their ship set sail.
Unlike the rest of the ship, the ceiling in here was low, painted a dark brown-black, and offset with rows of powerful lights that dimmed or brightened depending on how many people were seated somewhere.
“Okay, we’re going to have the strangest, grossest, most expensive alien cocktails on the menu,” Nema said excitedly.
“I can’t consume stimulants,” Ava said distractedly as she stared at the enormous bar that cut like a writhing snake through the room. It was being serviced by a colorful array of humans and aliens.
“Oh my god, sorry, of course. Your culture doesn’t permit it. I can’t remember how many times you’ve told me that. Then you have to have the grossest most expensive food on the menu. My treat.” Nema dragged Ava all the way up to the bar.
Several Coalition officers were standing around it, talking and chuckling amongst themselves. They ignored Ava and Nema completely. The officers, like everyone else, were here to enjoy their last hour before the Mandalay set sail.
Nema sprang up to the bar and locked her hands on the polished metal.
Ava hung back and laughed at her friend.
Almost immediately an attractive young ensign from further along the bar slid over to Nema and started chatting her up.
Ava chuckled and decided to give them some space.
She took a step back and banged into someone.
She turned as Lieutenant Commander Shera strode past. Shera stiffened as she saw Ava.
Ava did nothing.
When Shera finally tore her cold gaze from Ava and strode up to the group of officers, she’d smoothed a friendly smile on her face.
Ava’s stomach threatened to sink.
It seemed likely Lieutenant Commander Shera had been assigned
to the Mandalay too.
But just before Ava could feel too nervous, she reminded herself it was ultimately irrelevant.
Shera could be rude, dismissive, and even ignore Ava completely. But she couldn’t do anything more.
Shera may have a problem with the fact Ava was a priestess, but there wasn’t a single thing the Lieutenant Commander could do about it.
Threaten violence against a priestess, and Shera would be sent straight back to the home world where she’d likely be placed into locks for the rest of her life.
So Ava didn’t even balk as yet another Avixan pushed through the crowd and made it up to Shera’s side.
Ava recognized her as Meva. She was powerful, just like Shera, and had been a virtual sensation at the Academy. And, just like Shera, Meva had always ignored Ava.
Now the two of them steadfastly did not turn her way as they greeted the other Mandalay officers standing at the bar.
Ava frowned for just a second before turning away.
There were now two Avixans on the Mandalay, not including her.
Ava stopped herself before she could start to wonder what that meant.
Instead, she hung back and waited for Nema.
The bar was made from a polished reflected metal, and as she stood there, occasionally she darted her gaze over to stare at it.
She saw Shera staring at her back a few times, gaze unfriendly.
Perhaps Ava should take the opportunity to push further out of sight.
She didn’t get the chance.
Someone grabbed her armlet.
She looked down into the wiry face of a Parkian trader. A race known for their unrivaled tenacity.
“Can I help you?” she asked, blinking in surprise.
The trader completely ignored her, grasping his sucker-like fingers around her right armlet as he pressed his eye close to it. “I’ll offer you 200 GSCs for it.”
“Ah, it’s not for sale. Now can you let go?” Ava tried to tug her arm back to no Avail.
She wanted to get rid of this trader before she started to draw a crowd.
“250. That’s my final offer.” The trader now latched the suckers of his other hand over the top of her armlet. He was shorter than her, and it caused her to bend in half, her once neat hair jerking messily over her shoulder.
“They’re still not for sale. Now let go.” She tried to tug her arm back but failed again.
It was now too late to end this uncomfortable scene without drawing a crowd. As the alien jerked her arm to the left to get a better look, he tugged her along with him.
Though Parkian traders weren’t known for their strength, he was still much stronger than she was.
“Get off,” Ava insisted.
The trader darted a quick hand into his utility belt and produced a triphasic wrench.
Incapable of stopping him, he latched it onto the edge of her armlet, the edge of the wrench cutting into her arm.
She yelped.
“What the hell is going on here?” A resonant voice demanded from behind her.
She was still bent in half, her long red locks now completely free from her bun and obscuring her sight.
She heard someone stomp up beside her and saw a pair of polished Coalition issue boots.
The owner of the resonant boots and voice grabbed the trader and pulled him backward.
By now blood had drained down her arm from the deep wound the wrench had dug into her wrist. There was a small pool of it just under her feet. As the trader was yanked back, he kept hold of the triphasic wrench with his suckers and pulled Ava with him.
Her boots slipped on her blood, and she fell backward, taking everyone with her.
The trader loosened his grip on the wrench and rolled to the side lithely. The guy who’s saved Ava did not.
He fell right on top of her.
His hard torso practically crushed her as his face banged into her cheek.
Immediately he stiffened – she could feel every muscle down his stomach and legs lock like a board.
He jerked his hands down either side of her middle and shot to his feet.
Ava didn’t move.
There was no point.
She was still trying to catch up to what the hell had just happened.
Then Nema snapped down to her knees, her worried face darting close. “Oh my god, are you okay? What the hell just happened!”
Ava flirted with the idea of lying there longer but knew every eye in the bar would be on her.
With a significant groan, she pulled herself to her feet.
The trader was being restrained by two burly security guards. Though restrained was a generous term. He appeared to have lost all interest with her.
“Are you okay? Your wrist!” Nema gasped.
Ava brought her right wrist up. The wrench had cut a chunk right out of her flesh. It was bleeding profusely, her silver-flecked cold blue blood slicking down her arm and the front of her uniform.
Ava sighed again, even blowing a puff of air up against her fringe.
With one hand, she undid the wrench and threw it on the floor.
Then she glanced around the room. Everyone was staring at her.
The group of officers from the Mandalay were closest, and as she flicked her eyes to her immediate left, she saw the lieutenant who’d intervened.
Handsome by human standards, he was tall and broad, with gray eyes and cropped sandy-blond hair.
He also looked mortified, though he was trying hard not to show it.