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  Denik and his ships were already inside his system by an hour or so, he wouldn’t escape this time.

  Vik ordered, “Engage the wormhole drive as soon as we’re clear.”

  I could tell from his voice and face he was suppressing the grief, he was all cold anger right now. I felt guilty for not seeking him out last night to comfort him, but I’d been falling apart myself. Not that it was a good excuse, we could have shared our grief. But then, he could have sought me out as well, and hadn’t.

  Jillintara said, “Forty seconds.”

  It was a long awkward forty second wait, and then all three hundred eighty-eight ships opened a wormhole and went through.

  Vik growled, “No reason to hide our advantage at this point. Pursuit course, and open fire on my brother’s scout ship. Everyone.”

  That was true, our missiles didn’t have a limited range anymore, considering the drive systems were powered by the ships reactors through dimension ports. We hadn’t used it yet, but now seemed like the time. If we were lucky, we’d destroy them all before even closing to their effective firing range. I had no doubt the other ships would cover the scout, but eventually enough missiles would get through. Maybe we could save some of those two hundred ships, and the lives aboard.

  Telidur said, “Aye sir, pursuit course.”

  I replied, “Firing missiles.”

  We were on a destroyer now, our cruiser destroyed, so we only had six missile tubes instead of twelve. The total throw weight was twenty-three hundred and twenty-eight missiles from all our ships. This wouldn’t be a battle, so much as exterminating vermin. Every thirty seconds, we spit out another volley of missiles. They were also shielded, it was just a matter of time until this was over.

  Janson said, “Incoming transmission, it’s Denik.”

  Vik froze for a moment, and then grated out, “Holograph system.”

  A hologram of his brother appeared on the bridge, he looked pissed, and scared.

  “I don’t know how you found me brother, but I promise you this. You’ll regret it if you don’t back off now.”

  Vik smirked, “I don’t think so. Leaving you in power is the worst thing I could do for our people.”

  Denik said, “I did what I had to.”

  Vik spat, “Sylara is dead.”

  Denik’s eyes widened, and then he laughed.

  Vik’s jaw clenched, and I wished he was really here so I could use the blade on my hip, and see the light go out in his eyes. The strong surge of contempt and hatred shocked me.

  Denik said, “I’ll not say it again, if you don’t back off the empire is doomed.”

  The hologram jumped, flickered, and went out.

  Vik ordered, “Report.”

  I said, “Denik’s destroyers are doing their best, but three missiles got through. The scout’s shields are down, and it has taken some minor damage. Three enemy cruisers were destroyed, and several have taken hits.”

  Vik said, “Prepare to send my authorization signal to all Empire A.I.s as soon as his ship is destroyed, turn off their overrides. Also, send out my prepared message, and the orders to discontinue my brother’s tax scheme, food cost, and aggressive posturing of the fleet.”

  Was that what he’d been doing last night? Planning out what to do now that Sylara wasn’t here to pick up the pieces?

  Jillintara said, “Yes sir.”

  The second wave of missiles were all stopped by shielding ships, and as a result about twenty percent of their cruisers were destroyed. Ten missiles made it through on the third wave, and Denik’s scout was destroyed.

  Jillintara said, “Sending signal, as well as the prepared orders and messages.”

  There were a hundred and seventy-seven enemy ships left in the system, as well as two ship construction platforms and a mining platform. I could hardly believe my eyes, when they all went up in a bright explosion of violent light, and disappeared from my scan.

  Chapter Five

  The bridge was silent with shock.

  Vik said haltingly, “Turn the fleet around, and figure out what just happened.”

  Telidur replied, “Reversing course.”

  Jillintara said, “Sir, all the A.I.s are reporting in, and you’re in control of the empire.”

  Vik grunted, “Let me know when the governors of the four planets respond.”

  I frowned, the Isyth empire was five planets. Isyth itself hosted the emperor, the four other planets had governors. The second Isythian planet was run by his aunt, Natalya. I wasn’t sure who were the governors of the other three planets. I made a mental note to look up the information later.

  Jillintara added, “Sir, it wasn’t just the ships in this system. All one thousand of the remaining ships in Denik’s fleet self-destructed, along with this system’s infrastructure. I can only speculate, that the new A.I.s he built for his fleet weren’t given the normal heir system of allegiance, and were ordered to self-destruct if he was ever killed. I can’t be sure, but it fits what happened, and also aligns with his vague warnings.”

  Vik looked like he might faint in shock, but shook it off.

  “How could he be so evil? So, we have three hundred and eighty-eight ships left in our fleet, and are facing possible civil war as well as war with the Stolavii and Suaterans? How many ships do they currently have?”

  We actually had four hundred thirty-eight, but fifty of them would be heading to Earth.

  Jillintara said, “Stolavii have just over six hundred, and are building fifty every month. The Suaterans have a little over three hundred, and are building thirty a month. Assuming their systems haven’t been upgraded from past known configurations, neither can match our strength at this point, but together they’d be a problem.”

  Vik sighed, “We’ll have to deal with it, but first we need to stabilize the empire. Register our ship building system in the empire’s official roles, combine the military data nets together, and get our other ship building complexes building our destroyers and our A.I.s. How many ships is that a month?”

  Jillintara paused for a second, and then said, “Destroyers? Ninety a month, all three systems are set up to build thirty destroyers in one month, or fifteen cruisers, six battleships, or sixty scouts. That’s ten more a month than the Stolavii and Suaterans combined.”

  Vik nodded, “So time is on our side, if we can buy it. Luckily, they don’t have a probe in every system like we do, or they’d attack right now when we’re at our weakest. It will take some time for them to gather intelligence and learn our strengths.”

  Jillintara said, “Jervistad, Tek, Xylla, and Natalya have replied. All have agreed to come to Isyth to discuss the empire with you, and how to move forward.”

  Vik seemed to relax slightly at that news, I could only imagine those were the four governors. A quick data search told me Jervistad was the governor of Kaprorix, which was the saurian species in the empire. Tek was the governor of Xulia, which were the gray four armed humanoids. Xylla was governor of Raitov, and they were the ones that looked like bugs. Of course, Natalya, Vik’s Aunt, was the governor of the Isyth colony world, Vehiri.

  It didn’t take us long to recover the waves of missiles that were unspent, and to turn and leave. We hadn’t been very far in system when Denik’s ship blew.

  Vik ordered, “Jillintara, release my public statement, and ask for volunteers for our space navy, preferably with experience. I have to hope we’ll still find some loyalty for the empire as it used to be. Janson, we’ll start moving your people to fifty of the ships when we reach Isyth, and you can take them all home.”

  I shivered, there better be people willing, or we’d have three hundred and eighty-eight ships without crews.

  Janson said, “Understood, but as long as it’s a reasonable delay we won’t abandon you until relieved.”

  Vik nodded slowly, “Thank you admiral. Jillintara, get the fleet into Isyth orbit,” he looked at me for a moment, and then said, “Join me in my quarters, I have some questions for you.”


  I almost cringed, was he going to send me on my way already?

  I stood up straight, my face frozen so I didn’t betray my roiling feelings, and followed him off the bridge. We entered his quarters, and moved into the living room area. I followed his lead and sat on the couch.

  Vik sighed, “I didn’t want this. What are your plans?”

  I frowned, “What are my options?”

  Vik said, “You’ll be a very rich woman, so many options are open to you, and varied. I want you to stay, I need you to stay and be my guard, and unofficial advisor.”

  I felt my stomach flutter, and a weight lifted off me.

  “Need?”

  Vik sighed, “You’re a better than average weapons officer on a ship, but you’re a perfect guardian, and smart, quick, and have good instincts on the ground. You also have a unique point of view of an outsider, despite being a citizen in the empire now, that remains true. I need someone to both challenge my ideas, and offer ones I don’t see, that person could be you.”

  “I see,” I said, shocked at my tone of disappointment. That’s why he needed me? Because I kicked ass in combat and thought outside of the Isythian box?

  Vik looked me in the eyes, “That’s not the only reason I need you. I know we’ve never talked about this, about us, and about how we feel. But I need you as a man, I care about you far more than I’d ever dreamed I would that first night when I took a sexy as hell alien to bed. I don’t want to lose you, but I feel selfish asking you to stay.”

  The disappointment melted as my heart took flight.

  “I wouldn’t stay for the job Vik, and I didn’t do what I did for the money outside of a need for independence. I’d stay for you, you and the others make my life rich, not the money… credits, whatever. I need you too, but it’s complicated, isn’t it? I’m not Isythian, and I care for you far too much for my own good. I love you Vik, and when you find a mate it will…”

  He cut me off with a passionate kiss, I felt a little dizzy with it as my body reacted, and barely even noticed as he stripped my ship suit down to my waist, and then pulled me against him firmly. My mind was in turmoil, I felt out of control, but my body knew exactly what it wanted, and it wouldn’t be taking no for an answer. I was overwhelmed as my body tingled, quivered, and yearned for more.

  He picked me up and carried me into his bedroom, and set me down on the bed. I squeaked in breathless surprise when he forcefully stripped my suit off the rest of the way, and his quickly followed. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him, light blue skin, dark blue eyes that seemed to glow, and muscles everywhere on his fit built body. His cock was already stiffened as he crawled up my body, kissing, caressing, licking, and nipping on my skin with a desperate fervor.

  I was wet and ready, more than ready, when he once again claimed my lips, and pushed himself inside me, stretched me deliciously, and filled me.

  I gasped in pleasure, arched my back, and ground up into him.

  He whispered, “I love you too Lori, I have for months.”

  Still didn’t believe in fairy tales, but god knew I really wanted to. I gave myself to him in that moment, and squeezed myself around his hard, long, and thick cock as hard as I could. There were questions, and impossibilities, even if he would mate with an alien, at that point I’d lose Telidur and my dear sweet Jillintara, not that it was even a possibility. I could never bear him a child. I’d worry and stress about it later.

  He groaned, then he pulled out slowly, and slid back in. My nerves were exploding in sparks of pleasure, waves of euphoria radiated through me, and my body surrendered to it, wantonly, as we started to move together in a rhythm as old as time. No thought required, as I drowned in the blissful sensations our coupling engendered in me. His hands were firm, holding me tightly as he long stroked me, our bodies slammed together violently.

  My center coiled tighter as I rushed toward my height, and I gasped out, “Vik!” and then it all released in an explosion of bliss. My body arched and froze as I called out his name, I was lost in the pleasure even as I felt him expand, and fill me. I trembled and shook as I came down, and kept my legs tightly wrapped around him. I didn’t want him to pull out yet.

  He smiled, and kissed me softly, lingeringly, and I absolutely melted.

  “This is complicated for a human,” I whispered wistfully, “But I’m not leaving.”

  He smirked proudly, which made me giggle.

  “What’s complicated?”

  I hesitated a moment, but then spilled it, “I love three people, and I know I’m not going to get to keep any of them, long term. I’ll also be jealous when you… find other bed friends. I know that’s hypocritical, but humans are good at that sort of thing.”

  It was true enough, I just told him I loved Telidur and Jillintara, and he didn’t even blink, or act at all concerned about that. All he cared about was my love for him, and how he felt about me. No one else mattered to that from the Isyth point of view.

  He nodded, “But for now, I think we’re all yours. Nothing lasts forever, and there’s no point in borrowing the grief of separation from the future. I can promise you it will be a long time, years if not decades before I pursue a mate. If you were Isythian…” he trailed off.

  I wasn’t sure if that admission helped or hurt me more. He loved me, wanted me, but acknowledged he couldn’t take me as his mate.

  He added, “I can’t promise I won’t have other friends though, but I can say I will be yours every third or fourth night, and I won’t rub your face in it, and neither will my other friends, or they’ll no longer be my other friends. I also won’t take Jillintara from you, no matter what happens, if you both wish to be together I will find a way to make it happen.”

  That… would have to work, because I wasn’t willing to walk away. He hadn’t mentioned Telidur, but Telidur was his own man and could make his own decisions that way. Only Jillintara was technically his property, even if he didn’t think of her that way.

  Besides, guarding him should be a lot of fun, and quite challenging. I imagined there were a lot of people pissed off at the royal family right now.

  “I’ll stay, I’m also working on another ship idea. If it works as I suspect, they’ll be built at the increased rate of a scout, have the defensive shields of a cruiser, and the offensive abilities exceeding a battleship. A few other surprises as well. Give me a month, and I’ll show you a prototype. I’m working with Myra on it. We could name it a scout destroyer.”

  He frowned, “A scout sized vessel against a battleship?”

  I nodded, “About even I’d guess. They’d probably demolish each other in seconds. My ship would have less shielding and mass for the dreadnought to destroy, but more firepower which would overwhelm their shields quickly. The current destroyers wouldn’t have a chance, and a cruiser wouldn’t have much of one either.”

  More than that, it could fight from very far away, but I wanted to keep some surprises. It would also have systems capable of defeating the new shielded missiles. Of course, a dreadnought built with the same technological advances would be a whole other story. Still, building small and deadly was far more efficient.

  He nodded, “Do whatever you need to do, if it works we’ll shift production in one month after the next ninety destroyers are made in the three systems.”

  I grinned, “Eighty-nine, I’m going to need to steal a bay for Myra to build the prototype.”

  That would only give me about ten days to complete the design if I wanted it done on time, but starting on it would have to wait. I was busy. I squeezed myself around him, and he gasped, and twitched inside me as he started to regrow. It was my turn to smirk, at his reaction to me.

  He grunted, “We’ll discuss it later. Are you working with Jillintara?”

  “Nope, I was going to surprise her with it, although she probably already knows. She does need a new ship after all.”

  I giggled, shifted my weight, and rolled us so I was on top. I arched my back, and teased my nipples and moan
ed, giving him a show, as I worked him back to hardness inside me. He loved me, that would have to be enough, for now. He was right, there was no point borrowing grief from the future, he was mine and would remain mine for years if I wasn’t stupid about it.

  Not a fairy tale ending, no happily ever after, but perhaps a happily ever after for now, would be good enough. Nothing lasted forever, squeezing every ounce of joy out of it I could sounded like a good plan to me…

  Chapter Six

  I looked in the mirror and bit my lip. It was a few days later, and I was in my room in the palace. It was early in the morning. I’d been burning both ends of the candle to work on my designs, and to keep up with the guard duties as well as my personal life.

  The room I was given was ridiculously luxurious and appointed with artwork, vases, flowers, and a large bathroom. The bed was bigger than a king size back on Earth, and there were several couches as well as a medium sized table in the room. I was used to riches I supposed, but on Earth I always banked it, or had stashes of cash, and lived a relatively frugal life. I wasn’t really used to living in this kind of overwhelming splendor.

  Ironically, it was the smallest and least adorned rooms in the royal wing. Telidur and I had the first rooms immediately past the security doors for the royal’s private wing in the emperor’s palace. Ann was keyed into the doors, theoretically, if anyone tried to breach Telidur and I would be closest and have an opportunity to deal with it. The system would also inform us when Vik was preparing to leave.

  Officially, I was being paid the same thirty thousand credits a year, with the title of royal guard. Technically, Telidur was in charge of the guard, and I was his second. Both of us would be with Vik whenever he was in public, or meeting with someone in the palace. The only time we didn’t have to attend him, was in the royal wing itself. The other royal guards took orders from both of us. Unofficially, I was also an advisor, and was there to throw off political opponents.