To Clan and Conquer (Clan Beginnings) by Tracy St. John

too bad.  Since it was clean, it did mask some of Tranis’ scent.  If Lidon could keep distance from Piras, his lover wouldn’t know the difference.  A distance of perhaps half the ship might be enough.
    Lidon followed Tranis out of his quarters.  “He’ll be extremely angry.  Let me deal with him.”
    They walked side by side, heading for the nearest transport.  Tranis gave Lidon a narrow-eyed gaze.  “I can handle Piras.  I handled you, didn’t I?”
    They stepped onto the transport.  Fortunately, they had it to themselves.  Lidon answered, “Yes, but bending the captain over your bed and shoving your cock up his ass would probably be taken as insubordination.”
    Tranis burst out in laughter.  He sobered just as the transport door opened and they walked out onto the destroyer’s bridge.
    Both of them stopped short.  The main vid was up, and Lidon’s eyes widened at what it showed.  His training kicked in, and he hurried to his station.  As he walked past the captain’s podium, he saw Piras’ head come up and his nostrils flare wide.  Lidon kept his gaze forward, refusing to acknowledge the shocked stare.  But when Piras’ head swiveled in Tranis’ direction, the Nobek darted a quick glance at the other man too. 
    Tranis didn’t take note of either of them.  He was much more interested in the vid image of the demolished hulk floating in space.  “Captain, is that the Cagu defense station?”
    Lidon relieved his second at the weapons post and met Piras’ glare.  The Nobek kept his emotions to himself.  Recovering his equanimity with some difficulty, Piras answered his first officer.  “Yes, Commander, that’s what’s left of it.  We’re still an hour away.”
    Lidon busied himself with the reports and readouts streaming to his station.  “No life signs.  No power.  All systems look offline, including atmospheric controls.  No one could possibly have survived.”
    Tranis was at his station now, looking over the same readouts.  “Maybe they had enough warning to put on spacesuits?  What about their fighters?”
    Piras didn’t sound optimistic, but he said, “Maybe someone escaped.  We’ll know when we get there.”  He turned to Lidon once more.  “Weapons Commander, put a team together to go over that station as soon as we dock, but be advised it will have to be a fast investigation.  I want to get to that colony we lost communications with as soon as possible.  We have to save any civilians that might be in danger on Natamev.”
    Lidon’s fingers flew over his controls.  “Understood, Captain.  With your permission, I’d like to put in a recon team for damage assessment, a search team for survivors, and a records recovery team in case there’s information on the attackers.”
    “Do it.  And as soon as you’ve got that in place, you can meet me in my office.”
    “Yes, Captain.”  Lidon’s chest tightened.  That was not going to go well.
    Piras continued issuing orders.  “First Officer, you’ll report to Medical and tell Dr. Degorsk to be ready for casualties.  Tell him I also want you cleared for duty by the time we reach that station.”
    Tranis opened his mouth to protest, an understandable reaction given he could relay such messages over the com system.  Lidon caught his eye and gave him a slight shake of his head.  If Tranis was smart enough to obey orders and keep his mouth shut, he might escape censure for their activities after all.  That would leave Lidon to bear the brunt of Piras’ displeasure, something the Nobek had no problem doing.
    Fortunately for them both, Tranis opted to heed good sense.  “I will let the doctor know the gravity of the situation, Captain.”
    He gave Lidon a quick wink before turning and leaving the bridge.  Despite knowing he was in for a huge argument with Piras, Lidon had to suppress a smile.  The young Dramok was entirely too cheeky for either man’s good.
    Half an hour later, Lidon finished assigning