The Lost Star: The Complete Series, page 12
Again, Shera didn’t move a muscle.
You didn’t need to be a genius to realize Shera was trying to make her mind up. Nor did you need to be a genius to realize how much animosity she held for Ava.
Or maybe you did. Because Harvey still turned fully from Ava and nodded at Shera. “Is the ensign telling the truth?”
Shera opened her mouth.
Was it just Hunter, or was there a flare of cold victory flickering in Shera’s gaze?
Ava put her left arm up, dipped her head low, and stared up at Shera. “I would be very careful, Lieutenant Commander. They’re all witnesses. Tell them the wrong thing, and the Avixan government will find out.”
There was so much tension surging between them, he was surprised the air didn’t crackle.
“How dare you threaten a—” Harvey began.
Shera cleared her throat and dropped her gaze to the floor. “I didn’t mean to suggest cutting your arm off was a safe option. It was merely a logical extension of the captain’s question. Not a practical one.”
“No, because it would kill me.” Ava still held her hand up, still looked at Shera with an unflinching gaze.
“… Yes, it would kill you. I apologize if my words were mistaken. I will clarify – there is no method to remove those armlets, Captain, without killing her.” Shera’s voice was cold, emotionless, withdrawn.
The voice of someone who’d just lost a gamble.
Harvey looked shocked. The guy usually controlled his expression, even in the toughest circumstance, but now he looked floored. “Shera?”
B’cal was still in the room, so was Ava. As a captain, he shouldn’t be talking so informally.
“Captain?” Shera appeared to smooth a nonplussed expression onto her face, then flicked her gaze up and nodded.
Nerves mixed with anger in Hunter’s gut. “Why would you suggest that if you knew—”
“It was not a suggestion, just a comment. I now realize it was an inappropriate one,” Shera replied smoothly.
“Bullshit,” the word exploded from Hunter’s mouth before he could control himself.
“Lieutenant, outside, now,” Harvey barked.
Hunter stood there, stock-still.
Fuck Harvey.
Fuck the Coalition.
This wasn’t right.
He was seconds from punching his brother and buying himself a court-martial.
“It’s fine, Lieutenant,” Ava broke the tense silence.
There was a direct, controlled, gentle quality to her tone.
It saw him slice his gaze over to her.
She nodded evenly.
“Outside, now,” Harvey barked again.
Reluctantly, Hunter followed.
Just as they reached the doors, Harvey hesitated. He glanced at Shera over his shoulder. “Lieutenant Commander, thank you for your assistance here. You can return to your duties now.”
Shera nodded low, turned, and strode past him.
Not once did she look at Ava, instead letting her gaze slip along the floor like a river avoiding a stone.
She strode past, down the corridor, and quickly out of sight.
The doors closed behind Hunter and Harvey. Harvey waited until Shera was completely out of sight before he turned on Hunter, his face pressed with livid anger. “What the hell were you doing in there? That was way out of line.”
“What the hell was I doing? What the hell were you doing?”
“Do not argue with me, Lieutenant. I will have to reprimand you for this.”
“You go ahead,” Hunter spat. “Because I’m going to look forward to the opportunity to explain to the probation committee why a captain suggested chopping the arm off one of his ensigns.”
Harvey paled. Not just with indignant shock – with what Hunter hoped was realization.
“You do realize what just happened in there, right?” Hunter barreled on. “An ensign told you removing her armlet would kill her. And you were willing to override that advice with nothing more than the word of a woman who clearly hates her.”
Harvey opened his mouth.
Hunter still wouldn’t let him speak. “Do you have any idea how bad that would look, Captain?”
Finally the penny dropped.
Harvey’s face – once red with rage – paled considerably. “It wasn’t like that,” he finally managed.
“No, Harv, it was exactly like that. If Shera had told you to remove Ava’s arm, you would have made the order. What the hell were you thinking?”
“I would not have made the order,” Harvey tried in a firmer tone, but his gaze was weak.
“Harvey, I know you, and this is not you. Shera clearly has deep-seated animosity towards Ensign Ava. It is affecting her ability to work. She should not be in the same room as Ava, let alone in a position to decide about Ava’s physical wellbeing,” as Hunter spoke, some of the strident anger evaporated from his tone, being replaced with concerned exasperation.
Despite the fact Harvey was Hunter’s brother, he was still the captain. At any moment, Harvey could end this conversation and put Hunter in the brig for insubordination.
He didn’t.
He just stood there and stared at his brother.
“I have no idea what’s going on between Ava and Shera, but you can’t afford to ignore it. Nor can you afford only to take Shera’s side. You’re the captain of this crew. You have a responsibility to everyone.”
That comment struck Harvey like nothing else could. All the blood appeared to drain from his face as he took a hard step back. “Lieutenant, that’s enough.”
“Prove it. Do something,” Hunter challenged.
“Hunter, stop,” Harvey snapped.
Just before Hunter could fear he’d booked a one-way ticket to the brig, Harvey dropped his gaze.
He looked disappointed. Hunter could guess who he was disappointed in.
Himself.
“Harvey, this morning I was just like you. Then I realized there’s always two sides to a coin.”
“What does that mean?” Harvey asked, his tone measured, most of his anger gone.
“It means I made a snap judgment based on one person’s story. It means I made a mistake, and this is me trying to fix it,” Hunter said, realizing the truth of his statement as he said it. He was making up for what he’d put Ava through.
In the tunnels, she’d earned his loyalty.
Harvey didn’t appear to know what to say.
Hunter did. “Guilty until proven innocent, brother, you always say that. Now live by it.” With that, Hunter turned back around and entered the decon room.
Ava hadn’t moved. She was staring at the wall, lost in nervous thought.
She looked up as he entered.
He nodded low. “We’ll figure out what to do, Ava. Any luck figuring out a workaround, chief?”
B’cal was ready to answer but stopped as Harvey strode back in.
Maybe he was trying to hide it, but Hunter could tell Harvey looked chastened.
As he should.
Hopefully now he’d do the right thing.
Harvey cleared his throat. “What are our options, Chief?”
No, Harvey – Hunter thought – this is where you acknowledge your mistake to Ava and apologize.
B’cal looked warily around the room. It was clear he had no idea what was happening. Or maybe he did. Was it just Hunter, or was B’cal standing protectively close to Ava? “Just as long as no one suggests cutting anyone’s arm off again, I should be able to come up with a solution eventually.”
It wasn’t exactly a pointed comment, but it was close.
Harvey tensed.
Come on, Harv – Hunter thought – do the right thing and apologize.
Harvey’s stiff posture deflated somewhat. “Ensign, I’m not entirely sure what just happened. I don’t know what exactly went on between you and Lieutenant Commander Shera. However, in light of your circumstances, I will not note a reprimand on your file. That being said, I am ordering you to tell me everything you can about those armlets. We need to find some way to remove the neural gel without endangering your life.”
Ava withdrew into an edgy silence.
“Ensign, please,” Harvey tried once more, and this time his tone was genuine. Not stiff, not strict.
“I don’t know too much about their design. I do know they form a neural link with my brain. If someone tries to forcibly remove them, or the arm they’re on, it’ll fry my nervous system.”
“Wait, they must be electrified then,” B’cal interrupted.
“Chief?” Harvey asked.
“Ah, hold on.” B’cal put up a hand, walked over to the equipment locker on the other side of the room, and removed a huge field scanner. He returned to Ava and scanned her arm. Anyone smaller than B’cal would have had to anchor the scanner on a table, but the chief’s massive form hefted it easily. “Ah, there we go. Very subtle.” He whistled through his teeth. “I couldn’t pick it up with the other scanners. You’re right, Ensign. It forms a permanent link with your nervous system. And that very same energy field is why I’m having so much trouble removing the remaining gel.”
“Chief, do you have a solution?” Harvey asked.
“Sure do. I’ve got this now.” He chuckled as he marched over to the equipment locker and started rooting around in it.
Hunter deflated so much it was a surprise his shoulders didn’t detach and sink through the floor.
As he glanced over at his brother, he realized Harvey appeared to relax too.
Harvey waited there until B’cal finally gave the all-clear.
Then he left the room.
Hunter caught sight of Harvey’s expression as he walked through the doors.
A cloud of confusion and guilt hung over his brother’s face.
B’cal ordered Ava straight to the med bay. As Hunter turned to follow, B’cal asked him to hang back.
As soon as Ava left the room, B’cal turned on Hunter. “What happened here?” he asked directly.
Hunter didn’t need clarification. He knew what B’cal was asking.
Hunter drew in a deep breath. “I don’t know.”
“And I don’t like it,” B’cal stated flatly. “Lieutenant Commander Shera was out of line. I’m no doctor, but from what I’ve figured out of those armlets, Ensign Ava was right – their removal would’ve killed her. So what the hell just happened back there? And more to the point, why would anyone wear those?”
All good questions. All questions that were screaming out for answers.
First things first. “Chief, do me a favor. You’ve already transferred Ava to engineering, right?”
B’cal nodded. “Why?”
“I know there are two other Avixans on board, not including Meva and Shera. Do you reckon you can give Ava tasks that will keep her away from all four of them?”
“Consider it done.”
Hunter let out a breath of relief. “Well, at least that’s something.”
“What else are you going to do?” B’cal crossed his arms, looking serious.
“I’m going to find out everything I can.” Hunter nodded at him and left the room, his own promise ringing in his ears.
7
Ava
Ava sat on the edge of her bed. She’d been discharged from the med bay eight hours ago.
She hadn’t moved since.
She had no idea what to do.
Fear, confusion, and anger locked her in place.
She simply couldn’t believe Shera had done that, couldn’t believe the lieutenant commander would be stupid enough to make such an open and obvious threat.
Shera hated Ava, that much was clear, but Shera couldn’t do anything about it….
Ava shivered, drawing her shoulders together.
With her armlets on, she was defenseless. Slow, weak – a soft target, especially for a full Avixan warrior.
Shera could literally cut Ava to shreds.
… But she wouldn’t. Because killing a priestess was a mortal sin. Shera would be locked in stasis under the black temples and never let out.
Shera would know this. So… that meant… what? That had just been a cruel joke?
Ava shook again, drawing her arms in tightly around her middle.
The truth behind Shera’s actions wasn’t what was making Ava shiver.
It was the fact she’d shared information about her locks.
If the Avixan government found out, she’d be shipped back to the temples and never allowed to leave the planet again.
That thought chilled her, saw her arms wrap all the way around her middle as she crunched her head onto her knee.
The door opened without warning, and in walked Nema.
They shared quarters.
This wasn’t the first time Nema had walked in over the past eight hours.
Ava didn’t even bother to uncoil herself.
“God, you’re still like this. Ava, honey, whatever happened, I’m sure it’ll be okay.”
Ava didn’t move.
There was no point. The Avixan government would find out sooner rather than later. Then she’d be shipped away.
“Honey, it’s okay.” Nema bent over her and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. “Your shift starts in an hour. Ava?”
“There’s no point. I won’t be allowed to stay. They’ll come for me.”
“Who? You keep saying that. What’s going on? Ava?”
Ava wouldn’t answer. After a few failed attempts to comfort her, Nema took a step back, let out a worried breath, and left the room.
Ava squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block out the pain.
…
Lieutenant Hunter McClane
His mind was spinning somersaults through his skull.
There was too much to think about.
That’s why he hardly noticed when Ensign Nema walked up to him in the mess hall.
She cleared her throat and pressed her hands together. “Excuse me, are you Lieutenant McClane?”
“Yeah. Can I help you?”
“I’m hoping you can,” the ensign said in a quiet tone. “You were involved in the accident with Ensign Ava this morning, weren’t you?”
“How do you know about that?” he asked immediately. The nature of that accident had been kept quiet from the crew. The last thing Harvey wanted was for news of a split between the Avixans onboard getting out.
The ensign clasped her hands tighter. “I know Ava was in an accident, and, ah… you were seen exiting a hatch with her with your top off. News like that travels. I don’t know what the accident was about, though. And Ava won’t tell me.”
Hunter balked. “I can explain. I didn’t have my top off because—”
The ensign looked mortified. “No, I wasn’t suggesting anything like that. I just… I came to you because I think I need your help. I share quarters with Ava. Ever since she came back from the med bay, she’s done nothing but sit on the edge of her bed with her arms wrapped around her middle. She won’t move. Won’t respond to me. And every time I remind her that her shift’s coming up, she just mumbles there’s no point. That she won’t be allowed to stay. That they’ll come and get her.”
Any fleeting embarrassment burned up as panic gripped his heart. “What? Who’ll come and get her?”
“I don’t know. She won’t explain. I’m guessing it has something to do with the accident. I think she’s scared there’ll be repercussions. I know you were involved. I was hoping you could put her mind at ease or at the very least put her out of her misery.”
Hunter didn’t need to be asked twice. He snapped to his feet. “Where are your quarters? B Block,” he suddenly remembered as he clicked his fingers.
The ensign looked shocked. “How do you know that?”
“Never mind. I’ll go see what I can do.” He nodded genuinely, turned sharply on his boot, and half jogged out of the mess hall.
He’d wanted an excuse to see Ava after the incident, anyway. But this wasn’t the kind of excuse he’d wanted. The thought of her cradled on the edge of her bed in fear shook through his gut like a punch.
He raced to B Block.
It didn’t take long to find her quarters. Her name was on the door.
He didn’t hesitate. He jammed his thumb into her intercom. “Ava? It’s me, Lieutenant McClane. Hunter. Open up.”
She didn’t respond.
“Ava, I know you’re in there. Your roommate’s worried about you. Now, please, open up. Don’t make me override the door controls. Come on.”
“Come,” she called.
The doors opened.
She was on the edge of her bed, just as Ensign Nema described.
Nema hadn’t been able to describe the exact look of total dejection crumpling Ava’s brow and whitening her cheeks, though.
He slowed right down as he entered, a cold sensation spreading through his chest as his heart went out to her.
“Ava?” The door swished closed behind him.
He’d never seen her like this – never been able to imagine the strong, calm Ava in such a state of fragility.
She didn’t look at him.
Her arms were wrapped so tightly around her legs that her hands had gone white.
She stared dejectedly past him, her eyes wide, her gaze dead.
“Ava.” Without deciding to, he sat down next to her on her bed. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s all over now. You’re okay. The neural gel’s all gone.” Even as he said it, he knew that’s not why she was acting like this.
“It doesn’t matter,” she managed in a weak voice.
“What doesn’t matter, Ava? Are you… scared of Shera?” Protective anger flared in his gut at the very thought of it.
“No,” she answered in that same dead tone.
“It’s okay. Tell me what’s going on between you two. I’ll tell the captain. He will listen to me this time.”
“It doesn’t matter. I won’t be allowed to stay.”
The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as a cold shiver raced down his back. “What do you mean? Who won’t allow you to stay? You’ve done nothing wrong – the Coalition isn’t going to send you away for this.”
“My people. I committed a crime,” her voice was so quiet he had to lean close to pick it up.
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