Relic of Sorrows: Fallen Empire, Book 4 by Lindsay Buroker

Leonidas said, sounding weary, “that’s your quest, not mine.”
    “You’re an imperial officer!”
    “I was an imperial officer. It’s been eight months since anyone deposited money in my account.”
    “I don’t believe for a second that you wore that uniform because of the money. You risked your life every day for the empire, for the emperor . And you told me you risked your life for the boy too.”
    “Yes, I did, and I don’t regret it,” Leonidas said, his voice becoming clearer, as if he had turned toward the hatch.
    Did he know Alisa was standing out there? Had he heard her walking through the corridor? She wouldn’t be surprised. Maybe she should continue past, pretend she hadn’t heard anything, but the hatch was open enough that he would see her go by if he was facing it. And besides, they could have closed it if they wanted a private conversation. This time, the eavesdropping wasn’t her fault.
    “But my twenty years came up last year, Doctor.”
    “So?”
    “So, I’d been thinking about retiring. It was the war that kept me from seriously contemplating it then, but now…”
    The war? Leonidas had admitted to Alisa before that he didn’t know what he would do with himself if he retired. That fighting was all he knew. No, that wasn’t entirely true. Back on Arkadius, he had been about to admit that there was something else he would consider doing, but they had been interrupted before he could tell her what it was. They hadn’t had many moments alone since then, many moments when he might have resumed that conversation.
    “Now, your services are needed even more,” Alejandro said.
    “I’ll get in contact with some of my men. I’m sure I can find you several cyborgs who would be loyal to your cause.”
    Alejandro made a disgusted huff. “Is this really about retirement? Wouldn’t you be bored plodding through the system in a freighter?”
    “I haven’t been so far,” Leonidas said dryly.
    “Are you sure this isn’t just about you wanting to run around the galaxy, rutting with abandon?”
    Alisa blinked, putting her hand on the wall. That sounded so unlike Leonidas that she couldn’t fathom where Alejandro had come up with the imagery.
    “You know that’s not what I want,” Leonidas said, the lightness gone from his voice.
    “If you just want kids, there are other ways. There are—”
    A hatch opened behind Alisa. She jumped and spun, torn between hustling back to her cabin and continuing down the corridor. Was Leonidas still turned toward the hatchway?
    Yumi stepped out carrying a lit candle in a holder. “Greetings, Captain,” she said cheerfully.
    Alisa grimaced. Well, if the two men hadn’t known she was skulking in the corridor before, they would now.
    “Yumi,” Alisa said, “it took you long enough. I thought we were getting a snack.”
    “Uhm?” Yumi gave her a quizzical look.
    Before she could say more, Alisa took her arm and guided her past Leonidas’s hatchway without looking in.
    “I didn’t realize you were waiting for me, Captain,” Yumi said as they continued toward the mess.
    Alisa’s grimaced deepened, since she was sure Leonidas and his enhanced ears would hear the words.
    “Did Mica tell you that I’m going to perform a group prayer and meditation session in the mess hall?” Yumi went on. “You are, of course, welcome to join us.”
    “It does seem like it would be a good time to pray,” Alisa said as they walked into the mess.
    The lights were on, and a couple of plates sat on the table. Beck stood with his head in the refrigerator, humming to himself as he inspected his options. He wore baggy plaid trousers and fuzzy slippers that almost matched the shag carpet in the rec room. Oddly, he also wore gloves. Alisa hadn’t seen him bother with such sanitary methods when preparing food before.
    “Oh, Tommy,” Yumi said, “are you also going to join in the group prayer and meditation session? You’ll find it a relaxing way to unwind before