Alexi always said I needed a lot of looking after.” Malcolm smiled weakly, then cleared his throat and squared his narrow shoulders. “She’s been through a lot.”
Jace’s anger cooled. “I have no doubt of that.”
“But you don’t understand. Not completely. You’re as high on phase pheromones as Sabine is, and I’ve lived among Cy’ren long enough to know that the phase turns males into stubborn jerks. Bryn shouldn’t be punished for helping me.”
Jace frowned as his temper flared. He certainly did not need a lecture on how to treat his females from a human, but the indexer stood his ground.
“If nothing else, remember that your house may be known for patience, but kindness…” Malcolm trailed off, and Jace gave a grudging nod.
“Point taken. Good luck with your task.”
Jace left the indexer in peace and went in search of the captain. As an officer with the resistance, Jace fought slavers on a regular basis, and had liberated countless slaves from terrible conditions, but seeing slavery and experiencing it were different matters. The phase drove him to possess Sabine, but after the effects wore off, she might not want him. Sabine and Bryn wanted each other, and their freedom. Jace doubted that either had aspired to become involved in Cy’ren politics, but now they would inevitably be drawn into that web.
He resolved to tell them more about his family, and to ask them what they wanted to do once Sabine was healthy again. But first, he needed to speak with the captain, who was not in the med bay as Malcolm had thought. Instead, Jace found her in the armory, practicing her swordplay. He paused to watch her. Mordackai had been teaching her swordsmanship, and his tutelage was obvious in her form. Dack, like Soth, was built for strength and stamina over speed.
Captain Hawke turned and spotted him. “Going to critique my form, Harrow?”
“Your technique is improving,” he replied. “You still lead too strongly from your right.”
The captain sheathed her practice blade and sat on a bench. She eyed him as she mopped sweat from her brow with a towel. “I didn’t expect to see you this soon.”
“Sabine is ill. The doctor tended to her, and now she is resting. I thought I would take the opportunity to check in.”
“I see. Sam’s still fussing over the VFF drive, but he almost has it repaired. Other than that, it’s been quiet. What’s wrong with Sabine?”
“Apparently her former master had been drugging her, and she is experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Dr. Morgan feels they will pass in a few days.”
“Bastard,” she growled. “Have you read Lieutenant Viera’s file?”
Jace winced. “No. My apologies. I should have done that when you reinstated her.”
“Well, she’s not officially reinstated yet. Dr. Morgan needs to clear her. Brynnaren had several commendations for actions above and beyond the call of duty. It sounds like she was a good soldier. I hope she will be again. Are you taking her as your mate too?”
“I am, yes.”
“Good. You should make her your shathlinn .”
The corners of his mouth twitched. “I hardly need a full-time bodyguard. Unless you’re planning to shoot me, Captain?”
Captain Hawke chuckled. “It’s an urge I fight on a daily basis. It’s not a bad idea, considering how cutthroat Cy’ren politics are, and getting worse by the minute. No one would expect that one of your mates is also your bodyguard.”
“That does defeat the purpose of naming a shathlinn . They are meant to be visible. A show of strength to deter your enemies.”
She shrugged. “But it would keep her on the ship, if that was something you both wanted. You can’t serve with your mate, but you can’t be without your shathlinn . Dr. Morgan is going to do a physical and psychological workup on Bryn before we reach Cyprena. If she’s cleared, I’ll put her on the duty roster.”
Jace nodded, pondering the idea. It had merit, though having Bryn at his side
Jace’s anger cooled. “I have no doubt of that.”
“But you don’t understand. Not completely. You’re as high on phase pheromones as Sabine is, and I’ve lived among Cy’ren long enough to know that the phase turns males into stubborn jerks. Bryn shouldn’t be punished for helping me.”
Jace frowned as his temper flared. He certainly did not need a lecture on how to treat his females from a human, but the indexer stood his ground.
“If nothing else, remember that your house may be known for patience, but kindness…” Malcolm trailed off, and Jace gave a grudging nod.
“Point taken. Good luck with your task.”
Jace left the indexer in peace and went in search of the captain. As an officer with the resistance, Jace fought slavers on a regular basis, and had liberated countless slaves from terrible conditions, but seeing slavery and experiencing it were different matters. The phase drove him to possess Sabine, but after the effects wore off, she might not want him. Sabine and Bryn wanted each other, and their freedom. Jace doubted that either had aspired to become involved in Cy’ren politics, but now they would inevitably be drawn into that web.
He resolved to tell them more about his family, and to ask them what they wanted to do once Sabine was healthy again. But first, he needed to speak with the captain, who was not in the med bay as Malcolm had thought. Instead, Jace found her in the armory, practicing her swordplay. He paused to watch her. Mordackai had been teaching her swordsmanship, and his tutelage was obvious in her form. Dack, like Soth, was built for strength and stamina over speed.
Captain Hawke turned and spotted him. “Going to critique my form, Harrow?”
“Your technique is improving,” he replied. “You still lead too strongly from your right.”
The captain sheathed her practice blade and sat on a bench. She eyed him as she mopped sweat from her brow with a towel. “I didn’t expect to see you this soon.”
“Sabine is ill. The doctor tended to her, and now she is resting. I thought I would take the opportunity to check in.”
“I see. Sam’s still fussing over the VFF drive, but he almost has it repaired. Other than that, it’s been quiet. What’s wrong with Sabine?”
“Apparently her former master had been drugging her, and she is experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Dr. Morgan feels they will pass in a few days.”
“Bastard,” she growled. “Have you read Lieutenant Viera’s file?”
Jace winced. “No. My apologies. I should have done that when you reinstated her.”
“Well, she’s not officially reinstated yet. Dr. Morgan needs to clear her. Brynnaren had several commendations for actions above and beyond the call of duty. It sounds like she was a good soldier. I hope she will be again. Are you taking her as your mate too?”
“I am, yes.”
“Good. You should make her your shathlinn .”
The corners of his mouth twitched. “I hardly need a full-time bodyguard. Unless you’re planning to shoot me, Captain?”
Captain Hawke chuckled. “It’s an urge I fight on a daily basis. It’s not a bad idea, considering how cutthroat Cy’ren politics are, and getting worse by the minute. No one would expect that one of your mates is also your bodyguard.”
“That does defeat the purpose of naming a shathlinn . They are meant to be visible. A show of strength to deter your enemies.”
She shrugged. “But it would keep her on the ship, if that was something you both wanted. You can’t serve with your mate, but you can’t be without your shathlinn . Dr. Morgan is going to do a physical and psychological workup on Bryn before we reach Cyprena. If she’s cleared, I’ll put her on the duty roster.”
Jace nodded, pondering the idea. It had merit, though having Bryn at his side
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