love, it’s all at stake. Are you going to hide, or take back what they’ve stolen from you?”
“Don’t fucking preach to me,” Drever said. “You high-rate politicians sit up in your tower and watch the wars play out, the soldiers fall, the civilians die. It’s nothing to you, until now. Until your own asses are on the line. Don’t tell me you care. Compassion doesn’t work in this world.”
Sadhis moved between the two and pushed them apart. “Easy, easy. We have to work together if we’re to survive this. We have a common enemy. We don’t need to target each other.”
“Gettin’ real sick of this real fuckin’ fast,” Drever muttered as he walked away.
“I think we should all remain here tonight,” Diam said. “You all need your rest. We need to be as close to one-hundred percent as possible when we hit the Baryon.”
Seraph sighed. “I still don’t think this is the safest place to be, but you’re right; We’re all more or less running on empty. The ship's low on power, too. We'll leave it on low power overnight, let the drive recharge.” Seraph turned to Lylo. “You sure you’ll be alright here after we leave? Do you want someone to stay back with you?”
“I’ll be all right. Thank you, Commander. There are weapons and shields here, and if I die, I die doing my best to protect the galaxy.”
Seraph nodded and extended his hand to her.
Lylo shook his hand and patted Seraph on the back. “You can do this,” she said.
Seraph could only pray that she was right.
CHAPTER 16: DUBIETY
The crew split off into several small groups as they settled down to rest.
Ret turned to Sadhis and motioned to Seraph, who was with Diam.
“Is there any other reason he’s in charge besides the fact that he’s higher ranking than you? I know you two have worked together before, but, I dunno, he seems pretty shaken. It’s just got me worried about following him into something with stakes this high. Don’t get me wrong, I was with him for most of Vidron, and he knows how to get the job done. But how stable is he, really?”
Sadhis nodded and stared over at Seraph.
“I understand your concern. But I trust Seraph. He's saved my life many times on our missions together. We see things differently. We have different ideas about how to get things done. But I’ve seen him escape situations I would’ve thought impossible. He knows how to survive nearly any situation. But he has a long, harsh past.” Sadhis glanced back to Ret.
“Yeah?”
“His family was slaughtered when he was a child. Butchered by a gang of thieves. Even his baby brother. He grew up alone. After he grew up, he hardened. Joined the military, tried to make something out of his life. He took on duty with reckless abandon. Not in a careless way, but in a brave, sometimes brutal manner. Like I said, the best survivor I’ve ever seen. But his mind has taken some hits. During one of his missions, a family he was protecting turned on him. They knocked him out cold, stole all his weapons and military gear. Stuff’s worth a ton. The blow to the back of his head put him in a coma for four months. His commanding officer and I were the only people who ever came to see him. He doesn’t have anyone. Ever since that incident, he was never the same. He’d always had a hard time trusting people, but after that, he shut everyone out. It’s really messed with him, not having anyone. It’s screwed with his identity. I don’t think he knows what he wants or why he does what he does. But all that aside, I respect him more than I respect anyone else.”
Ret let out a low whistle. “Man, that’s rough. But you’re right. He seems to know his stuff. How ‘bout you? How long have you been in the military?”
“Long enough,” Sadhis said. “I’m going on eight years, originally in the Fesar Military, but four years in I transferred to the Confederate Military. You said you were just about done
“Don’t fucking preach to me,” Drever said. “You high-rate politicians sit up in your tower and watch the wars play out, the soldiers fall, the civilians die. It’s nothing to you, until now. Until your own asses are on the line. Don’t tell me you care. Compassion doesn’t work in this world.”
Sadhis moved between the two and pushed them apart. “Easy, easy. We have to work together if we’re to survive this. We have a common enemy. We don’t need to target each other.”
“Gettin’ real sick of this real fuckin’ fast,” Drever muttered as he walked away.
“I think we should all remain here tonight,” Diam said. “You all need your rest. We need to be as close to one-hundred percent as possible when we hit the Baryon.”
Seraph sighed. “I still don’t think this is the safest place to be, but you’re right; We’re all more or less running on empty. The ship's low on power, too. We'll leave it on low power overnight, let the drive recharge.” Seraph turned to Lylo. “You sure you’ll be alright here after we leave? Do you want someone to stay back with you?”
“I’ll be all right. Thank you, Commander. There are weapons and shields here, and if I die, I die doing my best to protect the galaxy.”
Seraph nodded and extended his hand to her.
Lylo shook his hand and patted Seraph on the back. “You can do this,” she said.
Seraph could only pray that she was right.
CHAPTER 16: DUBIETY
The crew split off into several small groups as they settled down to rest.
Ret turned to Sadhis and motioned to Seraph, who was with Diam.
“Is there any other reason he’s in charge besides the fact that he’s higher ranking than you? I know you two have worked together before, but, I dunno, he seems pretty shaken. It’s just got me worried about following him into something with stakes this high. Don’t get me wrong, I was with him for most of Vidron, and he knows how to get the job done. But how stable is he, really?”
Sadhis nodded and stared over at Seraph.
“I understand your concern. But I trust Seraph. He's saved my life many times on our missions together. We see things differently. We have different ideas about how to get things done. But I’ve seen him escape situations I would’ve thought impossible. He knows how to survive nearly any situation. But he has a long, harsh past.” Sadhis glanced back to Ret.
“Yeah?”
“His family was slaughtered when he was a child. Butchered by a gang of thieves. Even his baby brother. He grew up alone. After he grew up, he hardened. Joined the military, tried to make something out of his life. He took on duty with reckless abandon. Not in a careless way, but in a brave, sometimes brutal manner. Like I said, the best survivor I’ve ever seen. But his mind has taken some hits. During one of his missions, a family he was protecting turned on him. They knocked him out cold, stole all his weapons and military gear. Stuff’s worth a ton. The blow to the back of his head put him in a coma for four months. His commanding officer and I were the only people who ever came to see him. He doesn’t have anyone. Ever since that incident, he was never the same. He’d always had a hard time trusting people, but after that, he shut everyone out. It’s really messed with him, not having anyone. It’s screwed with his identity. I don’t think he knows what he wants or why he does what he does. But all that aside, I respect him more than I respect anyone else.”
Ret let out a low whistle. “Man, that’s rough. But you’re right. He seems to know his stuff. How ‘bout you? How long have you been in the military?”
“Long enough,” Sadhis said. “I’m going on eight years, originally in the Fesar Military, but four years in I transferred to the Confederate Military. You said you were just about done
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