“That’s a little weak.” The corner of Serrado’s mouth tilted up. “But I can work with it. Permission granted.”

  Rahel floated all the way back to her quarters.

  The next day’s training was ten times more fun. Real flying was always better than a simulator. She never tired of the magnificent view of Alsea beneath them, nor of the stars dancing around their cockpit cover as Candini dove and spiraled. Her piloting skills made Rahel’s job easy, and she caught the cable on her first try.

  “Shek!” Archer grumbled over the open com. “You’re not normal, Red.”

  She grinned. “I never pretended to be.”

  Candini lined them up with the others to watch while Archer and his pilot took their turn. The cable segment was half as long as a fighter and hurtling through space at the same speed as the real elevator cable. This first test approximated the time just after severing, when the cable still moved at normal speed and was not yet falling toward Alsea.

  The fighter approached the cable segment, matched its velocity, and maneuvered until its underside was in grappling range. At this distance, none of them could make out the grappler arm emerging from the fighter’s belly, but the ventral cam footage was on the quantum com. They all saw the grappler extend, open its hooks, close on the edge of the magtran rail, and slip off again.

  Rahel kept her amusement to herself as the com filled with curses.

  “That’s why we’re out here,” Candini said. “To learn while there are no stakes. Don’t worry, you’ll get it.”

  “I know I’ll get it. But I wanted to get it before that red-headed dokker!”

  “Hoi,” Rahel said. “Nightwing here has red hair, too.”

  “It’s a gift from the gods,” Candini agreed. “Signifying natural skill at everything we do.”

  That brought a litany of teasing, and the rest of the training went by in a light-hearted blur that obscured the sobering truth: they were perfecting their skills for a task that might be their last.

  Rahel still held the highest score at the end, giving her the honor of catching the cable segment one last time to tow it back to the waiting shuttle, where it would be held for the Fleet fighters now on their way. Once they had turned it over, Candini addressed the group.

  “Red has an announcement. Give her your full attention.”

  “Archer bet me that he’d be the first to catch the cable in our simulation,” Rahel said. “Then he was stupid enough to bet me double or nothing for today. He owes me ten rajaltas.” She paused long enough for Archer to get the teasing he deserved, then spoke again. “But I’ve decided I’d rather have Synobian Sparklers. Then I thought maybe you’d all like to help him pay off his debt, so I got landing permission from Captain Serrado for six fighters on the Phoenix.”

  A startled silence was followed by raucous cheering, flowery compliments, and one offer to bear her first child.

  Laughing, she instructed them to follow her fighter in. They were taking the spaces vacated by the Fleet fighters while they conducted their own training, giving them three hanticks for a tour of the ship and all the Synobian Sparklers they could buy her.

  They were halfway back to the ship when Candini spoke. “I don’t think I could have managed this. Serrado really has a soft spot for you.”

  Rahel watched the starboard bay doors open as they approached, the green guidance lights already flashing. “Remember the reasons I gave her for the request? She said the first was why she agreed, but the second was what she would write on the order.”

  “Makes sense. She’s under more scrutiny these days. All her orders have to pass the smell test.”

  The last phrase was in Common, a rather disgusting idiom for which there was no Alsean equivalent. Rahel wrinkled her nose. “Why is she under more scrutiny?”

  “Divine tyree bond,” Candini said shortly.

  “Still? But she was cleared for duty.”

  “I can’t talk about it. Sorry, she spoke to me in confidence.”

  Rahel asked no further questions, but her thoughts were churning. Serrado’s anger and frustration made sense now. So did the end of their conversation the day before.

  “I applaud your intent,” Serrado had said. “It’s good team building and good leadership. What inspired it?”

  “I wanted to share some of the magic.”

  “Magic.” The earlier melancholy resurfaced. “I’m glad you see it that way. In fact, I think I needed a reminder. We do work in a magical place, don’t we?”

  Rahel had left the office pleased that she could perform a service for her oath holder, but it looked different now. There was only one person aboard the Phoenix who could scrutinize Serrado’s performance of duty. Surely Admiral Greve had never found anything to complain about.

  What was he doing to take away the captain’s sense of magic?

  21

  Flight date

  Tal came out of the dressing room in time to see Salomen turn away from the small vidcom built into the desk. “Don’t tell me there’s another emergency,” she said, tucking in her shirt. “Anything short of a Voloth invasion, they can take care of it themselves.” She had been looking forward to this day off, especially after Salomen’s unexpected arrival the previous night.

  “It’s not, don’t worry.” Salomen ogled her from top to bottom. “You’re so rarely in casual clothing that I’ve developed an appreciation for this look. Hmm . . .”

  “Oh, no.” Tal held up her hands. “I’m still sore from last night. I didn’t even get to return the favor.”

  “And you slept very well, didn’t you?”

  “Like a mountzar in winter. Why do I sense a plot?”

  “You’re naturally suspicious?”

  She crossed her arms with a frown.

  “If that’s meant to intimidate me, it’s not working.” Salomen’s gaze was glued to her chest. “In truth, it’s improving the view.”

  No frown could withstand that. Tal tightened her arms, shamelessly improving the view further. “Stop avoiding the question.”

  “What question?” she said absently.

  Tal waited. It was a good three pipticks before Salomen finally processed her words and looked up.

  “Ah. You needed a decent night’s sleep for once. I’ve been working the fields from dawn to dusk and I’m less tired than you are. If being knocked out was what you required, I was happy to oblige.” Wiggling her eyebrows, she added, “It was no hardship.”

  Maintaining a severe look was impossible while laughing. “You’ve become devious since settling into your title.”

  “Are you objecting?”

  “No, but do I at least get to return the favor today?”

  “Perhaps tonight. You have other plans at the moment.”

  “Do I? They’re strangely absent from my calendar. What have you cooked up, tyrina?”

  Any answer was forestalled by the strong emotional presence coming down their private corridor—a presence that did not surprise Salomen at all, despite the fact that Ekatya’s leave didn’t start until tomorrow.

  Salomen tilted her head toward the door. “Are you going to let her in?”

  “It’s not a plot. It’s a conspiracy.” Tal strode across the room and yanked open the door.

  Ekatya’s fist hovered in the air; she had not had the chance to knock. “I hate it when you do that.”

  “I know. Welcome back.” Tal pulled her across the threshold and into a warmron, basking in the familiar scents of her skin, Gaian shampoo, and State House laundry soap. The Alsean clothing meant she and Lhyn had already gone through their coming home ritual. It must have been while Tal was sleeping and couldn’t sense it.

  Ekatya held on with a happy glow. “Did you miss me that much?”

  “She did.” Salomen stepped in for her own warmron. “It’s good to see you this time.”

  “Maybe someday it’ll be strong enough for both of you to see me.”

  “I look forward to that.” Tal brushed away the sting of envy. After the astonishing connection of four nights ago, they had tried to repeat it while including her. Once again, Salomen could hear Ekatya, but her own mind had been frustratingly silent.

  “It will happen,” Salomen assured her. “Give it time.” She turned her attention to Ekatya, holding her at arm’s length. “You’re remarkably relaxed. We haven’t even Shared.”

  “I had a rewarding day yesterday. Technically, I’m on duty right now. I told Greve that I had Protectorate Security business with the Lancer, and if he had issues with it, he could call Director Sholokhov.” Triumph spiced the air as she added, “He did. I’m given to understand he didn’t enjoy the results of that call.”

  Her emotional signature held a sharp edge that Tal had not seen in several moons. “You’re changing the rules of engagement.”

  “I’m tired of being used,” she said firmly. “And of standing still. You and I are going to have a talk. That’ll take about a tentick and satisfy my official reason for being here. Then we’ll enjoy the rest of our date.”

  Tal would have thought she hadn’t heard correctly if not for the jittery anticipation. She stared at Ekatya, who tugged down the hem of her jacket and stood straighter.

  “I’ve been doing some cultural research. It seems I’ve failed to ask you an important question. Andira Shaldone Tal, will you do me the honor of allowing me to court you?”

  Her brain went in six directions at once. The ascendant and most disturbing thought was that Salomen’s dominance last night, though wildly arousing at the time, now held an unsettling new significance.

  Warily, she turned to Salomen. “Is that why you—”

  “No! Andira, no.”

  “You weren’t planting your banner? Even unknowingly?”

  “If I were, you would sense it now. Do I feel threatened?”

  She shook her head. Emotions did not lie, yet the ground felt unsteady.

  “You already know my ulterior motive. I wanted you to get some proper rest. I also missed you and yes, I wanted that physical connection, but it had nothing to do with this. Nothing has changed.”

  “I think something did change,” she pointed out.

  “Lhyn and Salomen knocked some sense into me, that’s what changed.” Ekatya’s hopeful expression dimmed. “Maybe we should have given you some warning.”

  “It’s not a joining, tyrina. It’s not a two-way Sharing. It’s just a date.”

  “How is this so easy for you?” Tal demanded.

  “Well, it wasn’t always.”

  That was the understatement of the cycle. The humor hit without warning, evaporating her alarm in a dry chuckle. “Words for Fahla.”

  “It’s easy now because I know who I am in all of our bonds. I’m your divine tyree. Nothing and no one will ever challenge that. But Ekatya is your normal tyree, and you two have been falling out of balance.” Salomen held her by the shoulders, her expression the one she wore while instructing field workers. “Now, you will go on your date and relax. I’ll take Lhyn for a trail walk in the Snowmounts. We’ll meet back here at evenmeal and compare our days. Yes?”

  She knew when to concede. “Since you made it an order,” she said, only half teasing.

  With an arch look, Salomen leaned down and spoke in a sultry tone. “You took them so well last night.”

  Her knees threatened to dissolve. “You’re making it difficult to walk away.”

  “You’re not walking away. I’m sending you, knowing you’ll come back.” Straightening, Salomen added, “I expect a full and detailed report.”

  It was a perfect reproduction of Tal’s crisp tone and phrasing, uttered many a time in her bondmate’s hearing. In her unique way, Salomen was making a point. No, last night hadn’t been about planting a banner. It had been about establishing her power to state that this was what she wanted. Further doubt or questioning would be an insult, a sign that Tal did not recognize her equality in their bond.

  “You’ll have it, tyrina. Well played, by the way.” She kissed her before facing their visibly worried guest. “Ekatya Lucia Serrado, it would be my honor.”

  The cloud that had been eclipsing Ekatya’s emotions vanished in a blaze of sunshine. “Lovely! Then put on a warmer shirt and bring a jacket.”

  “Where are we going?”

  She made a shooing motion. “Jacket.”

  “Why are all the women in my life suddenly giving me orders?” Tal complained as she crossed the room. The chuckles behind her lightened her heart.

  When she returned to the living area, jacket in hand, Salomen and Ekatya had their heads together and were speaking in low tones.

  “Plotting?” she asked.

  “Already did that,” Ekatya said. “Ready?”

  She stood in front of Salomen and watched her, testing their link for anything out of place. Reassured and not a little awed, she pulled her into a warmron. “There is nothing so beautiful as a confident love,” she said softly. “You wear it like a goddess.”

  “That was your gift to me.” Salomen squeezed, then pulled back to arm’s length. “Let this be mine to you.”

  There was a world of meaning in those words. Tal nodded and leaned in, unable to resist one more kiss before turning for the door.

  “I’m ready.”

  “She really does know you,” Ekatya said as they walked between the ancient trees flanking the main State House path. “She said she’d need to be here this morning to help you out the door.”

  “Then you weren’t joking about the plotting.”

  “There was no chance I was doing this on my own. I put the bigger things in motion, but I needed Lhyn and Salomen for the finer details.”

  “What bigger things?”

  “Someone is fishing for clues,” Ekatya announced in a sing-song voice. “Do you remember your bonding break, when you woke me at an obscenely early hantick and dragged me out for a flight in a newly rebuilt Serrado fighter?”

  “Yes . . . ?”

  “Do you remember how I kept asking you to tell me what you had planned, and you refused?”

  “So this is revenge.”

  “And it is sweet!”

  She was outrageously pleased with herself, her enjoyment growing with each of Tal’s questions or guesses. Not until they neared the landing pad did she finally release a drop of information.

  “I’ve coordinated this with the ADF, Micah and your Guards, Ambassador Solvassen, and a few Alseans in charge of a certain restricted flight zone to get the proper permit.”

  “Restricted flight zone,” Tal repeated. “That would cover our military bases . . .”

  “Bad guess.”

  “But we’re leaving Blacksun.”

  “Yes, which apparently doesn’t happen without the involvement of fifty people. Of all the potential dates on Alsea, I had to pick the Lancer.”

  “Salomen doesn’t have this much trouble taking me on a date.”

  “Only because she tells Micah where she wants to take you, and he deals with the security while Chief Counselor Aldirk deals with the scheduling. It’s still fifty people.”

  Waiting on the landing pad was Tal’s first surprise: three Serrado fighters guarded by four uniformed figures. All four snapped into a crisp salute, first to her, then to Ekatya.

  “You don’t need to salute me, Candini,” Ekatya said. “I’m not in the ADF.”

  “You should be,” Candini responded. “Well met, Lancer Tal.”

  “Well met.” Tal’s attention was caught by the woman beside her, whose radically altered appearance made her almost unrecognizable. “Well met, First Guard Sayana. Did you lose a bet?”

  Rahel ran a hand through her short hair. “No, it was voluntary. I was ready for a change.”

  “It looks good.”

  “Not good enough,” Candini put in. “She was so close, but then she didn’t get the spikes.”

  “We don’t need two of you,” Ekatya said. “One is all the galaxy can handle.”

  “Good morning, Lancer.” Head Guardian Gehrain was more formal.

  “Gehrain, Vellmar, good morning. I thought you were off duty today?”

  “We switched a few shifts around to be sure you had top quality coverage.”

  “What he means is, we heard where you were going and pulled rank,” Vellmar added with a grin.

  “Oh? Where are we going?”

  Ekatya loudly cleared her throat. “Pay no attention to the cheater trying to use her title to get around my instructions.”

  “We’ll tell if you order us,” Vellmar said. “But that would ruin your surprise and disappoint Captain Serrado.”

  “Disappoint?” Gehrain said. “I think it would make her sad. Very sad, especially after all she’s done to organize this.”

  Tal shook her head at them. “Effective. Obvious, but effective.”

  “Good.” Ekatya pushed her toward the middle fighter. “Then we’re leaving.”

  Laughing, Tal climbed the short ladder. Waiting on her seat was a crash collar, which she clipped around her neck before settling into the seat and fastening her harness. Ekatya slid in beside her, radiating excitement.

  They were in the air a few ticks later, doing a slow circuit of the State House while barely gaining altitude. When they reached the level of the fifteenth floor, Ekatya brought them to a hover in front of a familiar set of windows.

  Salomen was there, smiling broadly as she waved from their living area. Tal waved back and absorbed the unadulterated happiness in their link. She couldn’t imagine loving her tyree more than she did in this moment.

  Ekatya waggled their wings, then rose straight up to clear the dome before turning south. She kept their airspeed at the city flight limit until the moment they crossed the boundary, then pointed their nose skyward and looked over with a grin. “Ready?”

  “Ready.” Tal let out a whoop as she was pressed into the seat. “Yes! Now we’re getting somewhere!”

  Ekatya’s laugh was pure joy. She wove between towering columns of white clouds until the last wisps fell away beneath them, and still they climbed. At an altitude well above the public flight paths, she spoke briefly with Candini and Gehrain and opened up the throttle. They were now traveling several times the speed of sound, making short work of the distance between Blacksun and the southern edge of the Argolis continent. Brilliant sunlight glinted off the wings and cockpit covers of the two fighters flanking them, and Tal thought that even if Ekatya had nothing else planned, she was already delighted.