treated their prisoners. Now, Kellen’s eyes burned with a piercing light, and her pale features were tense with harnessed emotions.
“Kovos is the final destination. When the Onotharians initially capture a group of rebels, they keep the ones that they think they can successfully interrogate in places like the Vaksses asteroid prison, which has high-tech, top-level security.
“So if Kovos is hellish in itself, Vaksses is all about torture and coercion. You know why I have to act. They need help now. Not in two months when the SC has debated and discussed every miniscule detail.”
Rae knew Kellen was right. Her wife’s blue eyes shimmered, and for Rae, it was still a wondrous mystery that she was married to this extraordinary woman—and that Kellen loved her with such abandon.
A Protector of the Realm, destined from birth to guard the life of the O’Saral Royales, Kellen knew how to fight for the ones in her care. She had shown Rae the O’Dal family tree in a leather-bound book, which they’d manage to rescue, along with documents clearly incriminating the Onotharian Empire. For hundreds of years, the O’Dals had guarded the royal family of Gantharat, the O’Saral Royales.
Marrying her had made Rae a Protector by default, a role she’d dutifully, and gladly, taken on. She loved Armeo, the boy in their care who was the only surviving royal family member, the Prince of Gantharat, as if he were her own son. He was tutored at her parents’ estate in Europa, together with his two best friends, and seemed to thrive, though Rae knew he missed her and Kellen, as they did him.
They hadn’t been able to visit him for four weeks, and Rae suspected their separation was taking a toll on Kellen. The last few months had been hectic, and with Rae’s promotion to admiral, the responsibility for the mobilization weighed heavily on her shoulders.
Rae’s father, Admiral Ewan Jacelon, was ultimately in charge of the impending war, and her mother, Dahlia, an illustrious diplomat, worked long days trying to pave the way by persuading other neighboring worlds to join the SC in the fight against Onotharian oppression.
And now this… “Darling, have you thought about the fact that you’d be leaving Armeo behind. Again?”
Kellen winced visibly at Rae’s words.
“I’m sorry,” Rae said and reached out. When Kellen didn’t respond, she knew that her hasty words had stung deeply. “I really am sorry.”
As Kellen slowly clasped Rae’s hand and held it tight, Rae felt the tremors from her beloved reverberate through her arm. Kellen was obviously torn, and Rae realized how pulled she must be between her desire to help the resistance and her wish to return to Earth, to Armeo.
“I don’t want to leave Armeo, or you. But this is about the people of my homeworld. I can make a difference, if I’m allowed to go. And if I succeed, this might pave the way for Armeo…his future as heir to the throne. That is my concern, and my business. You know that.”
“I know. But…you’d go alone?” Rae stared at her. “Granted you’re a formidable fighter, Kellen, but—”
“Not alone. I’d want to take a small strike force—pilots, a marine unit, and a seasoned tactical officer. This would be a covert operation, but I realize it has to go through official channels. And meet with your approval.”
Rae rose from her chair and rounded the desk. Sitting down on the corner of it, she slowly swung one leg back and forth, her eyes following her shiny leather-mix boot. “You’ve really thought this through. How long have you known about it?”
“Since this morning. I wanted to consider my options before I consulted you.”
“I see.” Rae looked up at Kellen, searching for any doubt in her luminescent eyes. “And do you have any special people in mind?”
“Yes. Lieutenant Commander D’Artansis and Commander Grey. They’ve been to Gantharat, they’re experienced…and I trust them.”
“They’re our friends,” Rae
“Kovos is the final destination. When the Onotharians initially capture a group of rebels, they keep the ones that they think they can successfully interrogate in places like the Vaksses asteroid prison, which has high-tech, top-level security.
“So if Kovos is hellish in itself, Vaksses is all about torture and coercion. You know why I have to act. They need help now. Not in two months when the SC has debated and discussed every miniscule detail.”
Rae knew Kellen was right. Her wife’s blue eyes shimmered, and for Rae, it was still a wondrous mystery that she was married to this extraordinary woman—and that Kellen loved her with such abandon.
A Protector of the Realm, destined from birth to guard the life of the O’Saral Royales, Kellen knew how to fight for the ones in her care. She had shown Rae the O’Dal family tree in a leather-bound book, which they’d manage to rescue, along with documents clearly incriminating the Onotharian Empire. For hundreds of years, the O’Dals had guarded the royal family of Gantharat, the O’Saral Royales.
Marrying her had made Rae a Protector by default, a role she’d dutifully, and gladly, taken on. She loved Armeo, the boy in their care who was the only surviving royal family member, the Prince of Gantharat, as if he were her own son. He was tutored at her parents’ estate in Europa, together with his two best friends, and seemed to thrive, though Rae knew he missed her and Kellen, as they did him.
They hadn’t been able to visit him for four weeks, and Rae suspected their separation was taking a toll on Kellen. The last few months had been hectic, and with Rae’s promotion to admiral, the responsibility for the mobilization weighed heavily on her shoulders.
Rae’s father, Admiral Ewan Jacelon, was ultimately in charge of the impending war, and her mother, Dahlia, an illustrious diplomat, worked long days trying to pave the way by persuading other neighboring worlds to join the SC in the fight against Onotharian oppression.
And now this… “Darling, have you thought about the fact that you’d be leaving Armeo behind. Again?”
Kellen winced visibly at Rae’s words.
“I’m sorry,” Rae said and reached out. When Kellen didn’t respond, she knew that her hasty words had stung deeply. “I really am sorry.”
As Kellen slowly clasped Rae’s hand and held it tight, Rae felt the tremors from her beloved reverberate through her arm. Kellen was obviously torn, and Rae realized how pulled she must be between her desire to help the resistance and her wish to return to Earth, to Armeo.
“I don’t want to leave Armeo, or you. But this is about the people of my homeworld. I can make a difference, if I’m allowed to go. And if I succeed, this might pave the way for Armeo…his future as heir to the throne. That is my concern, and my business. You know that.”
“I know. But…you’d go alone?” Rae stared at her. “Granted you’re a formidable fighter, Kellen, but—”
“Not alone. I’d want to take a small strike force—pilots, a marine unit, and a seasoned tactical officer. This would be a covert operation, but I realize it has to go through official channels. And meet with your approval.”
Rae rose from her chair and rounded the desk. Sitting down on the corner of it, she slowly swung one leg back and forth, her eyes following her shiny leather-mix boot. “You’ve really thought this through. How long have you known about it?”
“Since this morning. I wanted to consider my options before I consulted you.”
“I see.” Rae looked up at Kellen, searching for any doubt in her luminescent eyes. “And do you have any special people in mind?”
“Yes. Lieutenant Commander D’Artansis and Commander Grey. They’ve been to Gantharat, they’re experienced…and I trust them.”
“They’re our friends,” Rae
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