Gareth: The Nova Force: Book 3, page 6
“Right now, what’s going on is that I am getting my ship and crew away from a threat. We can drop you off wherever you want to go.”
Tension filled his shoulders and turned his spine rod straight. “Dropping me off? United Command hasn’t even recalled me to duty yet. Look, I’m trying to be patient and understanding, but we’re going around in circles. You tell me I won’t understand, but make no effort to tell me anything.”
“You want the truth?”
“I do.”
“Fine. I planned to disappear. If I’d had any idea you were a Royal Marine I never would have agreed to meet. We have to end it. I can’t… I can’t be tied up with a military man.”
Hurt flashed across his face, visible hurt that plunged a knife into her own heart, because she hated doing that to him. Hated herself for saying the words. Then Gareth’s features went stony, and he buried his pain beneath a cold mask. “I’m grateful for your honesty. Trust me, I won’t take up much more of your time, then. You can drop me off at the next station.”
“Like I said, it’s complicated. Believe me, you don’t want to get mixed up in my issues. I don’t want you mixed up in them. You don’t deserve it.”
“Last I checked, I’m a fuckin’ adult capable of making my own decisions. You want to toss away what we have because I’m military, then fine. But don’t lie to my face and claim it’s to protect me.”
He spun around and left the room, steps thunderous as an Eloran storm. Evie imagined if he could have slammed a door, he would have. Instead, she ended up in silence and tried to convince herself it was for the best.
* * *
Gareth found the galley after asking a random crewman in the bridge where to go. He hadn’t been on many privateer or mercenary ships, accustomed to vessels designed by United Command or the Lexar.
After chugging two energy drinks, he tucked himself away in a dark corner of the engineering deck. He liked the brown noise of the drive systems and had always found them soothing. Between that and the sugar he’d loaded into his system, he was well on his way to being migraine-free within an hour. Or five.
Kaiden still wouldn’t answer him, but the messages showed as read, accompanied by an auto-response text that said they were all safe and sound but otherwise unable to respond to messages at this time.
That meant his brother was aware and capable of answering but likely still mulling over a way to answer the textual asskicking Gareth had given him for not disclosing critical need-to-know information about Evangeline. The worst part was, he didn’t know whether to view it as a betrayal to their brotherhood or loyalty to the woman who had likely saved their life while they were on the run.
“You okay, son?”
He cracked open one eye and peered up at Ranulf. The beefy man stood over him, arms crossed, expression calm.
“Need me to move?”
“Nah, you’re not hurting anything except yourself. Here, try this.” Ranulf offered out a capsule the length of his finger.
“What is it?”
“Fast-acting pain relief. Pop this baby under your nose and your head will feel a million times better.”
Gareth squinted at it, but the little text markings rendered as a blur to his vision. “Not gonna fuck up my next piss test, is it?”
“Nah, it’s the same drug most neurodocs recommend in the Royal Navy these days anyway, just administered as an inhalant for faster absorption. Though the way you’re looking right now, I suspect you’d take it anyway.”
He gave the older man a rueful smile. “I would. Haven’t had an overuse migraine like this in a while.”
“Yeah, well, you got our captain back to us so we owe you. Now then, you wanna stay here or lay in a real bed? There’s an empty stateroom you can use or I can give you a bunk in the berth.”
“Came here for the noise and the dark, but I wouldn’t mind a real bed.” He cracked open the capsule and inhaled the vapors, dragging in the strong menthol scent of medicine and herbs. It loosened his sinuses and eased the tension stretching like a vice across his skull immediately. Then the jackhammer throb pounding behind his eyes started to loosen. Better, though there was room for more improvement.
“Thought as much.” Ranulf offered a hand and helped Gareth to his feet.
“Thanks. Just bunk me wherever you want. I don’t need a full stateroom.”
“Figured you’d benefit from the privacy.”
“I won’t be here for long. Just until the next space station.”
Ranulf shrugged and led the way from engineering to an upper level. They passed down a narrow hall to a door at the end. The doors slid open, revealing a modest-sized stateroom with a low bed.
“There’s a console at the desk over there. I’ll ask Morna to unlock it for you so you can contact whoever you need to.”
“Thanks.”
The grizzled merc lingered near the door, radiating an uneasiness that didn’t show in his face or body. The man probably played a hell of a game of poker.
“Something else you needed?” Gareth asked
“This matter between you and Evangeline is no business of mine, but since I just can’t stand by and watch you both fuck everything up out of pride, I’m going to give you some advice.” The moment Gareth opened his mouth, Ranulf held up a hand. “Her secrets aren’t mine to share, but you can bet your ass she has good reason to be cautious.”
“My military status is the only reason she gave. And sorry, but I’ve been here before. I know how it is.”
“Just sayin’, you got two choices. Go your own way and forget all this, or check your anger a moment, man up, and listen.”
“I did listen. Your captain gave me one choice. She wants it over, and you know as well as I do what happens when she makes up her mind.” He kneaded his left temple, relieved when the stabbing pain alleviated to a dull throb instead. He could finally look at Ranulf without squinting.
“Considering the tale that Morna brought back to me, I’d think there’s no one who could get you off this ship if you weren’t ready to leave.”
Gareth snorted. “There isn’t.” They’d have a hell of a fight on their hands if they tried to eject him.
“You certainly wouldn’t see me try to kick you off, son. I’m not a coward, but I like having all my teeth, and I know what a trained combat psychic can do. No good could from going up against you. Get some rest and think about that.”
Chapter Six
Gareth crashed for hours, awakening to the beep of an incoming message from his brother. His family had tried to call him multiple times, and his mother had left a pile of messages, varying from concern to outright irritation. He contacted her first, assured her he was fine, and that the aftermath of a migraine had taken him out of commission. Once he’d assuaged her worries, he got his brother on the line.
“Finally awake, eh? Head any better?”
“I no longer feel like I’ve been mule kicked in the face by an Astreyan drake.”
“That’s good.” Then silence fell between them. From thousands of miles away, they still knew each other so well that—
“I’m sorry things fell to shit,” Kaiden said at the same time Gareth blurted, “I’m sorry for taking it out on you.”
Then they both laughed, and it felt good to have an honest chuckle about something after a ruined vacation and the horror he’d just escaped.
“I swear, when I recognized her and had a chat with Ranulf, we laughed about it being a small universe. Figured she would fess up to meeting me and helping Nisrine. I had no idea anything was wrong until she greeted me as if we were meeting for the first time over the comm.”
“Which wasn’t a good time to bring it up,” Gareth finished.
“Anyway, I’m sorry. Are things any better now?”
“Wouldn’t know. I’ve been asleep. Woke up to messages from you and Mum. So catch me up on what I’ve missed.”
“The Zaecady retreated, but they did a helluva lot of damage. Initial reports have close to 300 casualties on Ame Station. The HMS Noguchi lost the entire engineering crew when a ship got through their shields and suicide bombed the reactor coil.”
Gareth swore.
“Would have lost the entire vessel if the Grand Ascendance didn’t arrive when they did.”
“And Xiao? Did they attack the planet at all?”
“Nothing as major as the station. They did a fly over of the Daiamon Airfield, but most of the ships were already in the air. No civilian targets were hit on the planet.”
“That’s good. What the hell were they doing, anyway, coming this far into UNE space?”
“No idea. My guess is they were testing our response. It’s something we would do in covert ops. You attack a soft target, get a feel for the tactical response, and plan your attack.”
“So what happens now?”
“Nova Force is on full alert, and recalls have gone out for all personnel to report to the nearest military outpost. Nisrine and I have already checked in at Shiniyo Intelligence.”
“You two can’t catch a break.”
“Duty calls.”
“Wait a second. If they’re sending out recall notices, why haven’t I heard anything?”
“I may have intercepted your notice and lost it.”
“What? Why?”
“Because you do need to catch a break.”
“Not happening anytime soon. Evangeline plans to drop me off at the next space station. She’s not into military men.”
“Ah shit, I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault. I knew the risks when I set out to meet a stranger.”
Kaiden’s heavy sigh filled the line. “Look, I don’t know much because I promised Nissie I wouldn’t dig too deep into the crew’s background but…”
“But you did anyway.”
“Not on purpose. I can’t always shut this shit off. Anyway, Evangeline Abbott isn’t real. It’s an alias made by Nisrine. Looks legitimate and official in the systems, but it’s only existed for about eight years from what I can tell.”
“Your woman is good at what she does.”
“She is. But picking apart this stuff is what I do.”
“Aye, it is. If she’s on the run, then she’s fleeing our people, Kaiden. Maybe she’s right to distance herself from me if she’s a criminal.”
“Do you really think that? Do you think Nisrine would protect someone awful?”
Gareth hesitated. More than anything, he wanted to know what it was about his military career that scared the shit out of a woman like Evie. She’d been fearless in the space station, staring down those bugs like they were tiny ants under her feet.
But his affiliation with the Royal Marines scared her.
“No. I don’t. If you’ll excuse me, I have a woman to go confront.”
“Good luck.”
* * *
Confronting Evangeline seemed easier in his head than the reality of a closed door in front of him. He rapped on the door a few times, and when she failed to answer, he thundered against the reinforced steel with a little psychic muscle in it.
Evie yanked the door open, exasperated. “What can I do for you, Gareth?”
“I came to talk.”
“I believe we’ve said everything that needs to be said.”
“No. We haven’t. There’s a lot unsaid between us, and some of the blame for that belongs to me. You see, I messed up and lost my temper. Didn’t consider why you’d think I could pose a risk to you.”
Evangeline crossed her arms against her chest and said nothing.
“You’ve been on your own for a few years, trusting in no one but your crew. And here I am asking you, practically demanding for you to tell me your secrets.”
“I’m not who you think I am,” she said.
“To be honest, I don’t know anything about you.” Therein lay the problem. They had both clung to their privacy so hard online that they didn’t know much about each other’s real lives.
“Yeah, well, you may wish it’d stay that way.” She sighed and motioned him in, moving to a cabinet. A minute later, she returned with two glasses and a bottle. The luminous liquid shimmered in pale blue and vibrant green swirls. Once she poured out two large servings, Evie passed one glass to him and took the other with her to a seat, gesturing for him to sit.
“Over eight years ago, I was tried for treason by United Command. They stripped my rank and tossed me into Castle Rock Military Prison.”
Rather than set his drink aside as planned, Gareth lifted it to his lips and tossed back all the contents. Of all the things she could have said, he’d never expected this one. It burned going down and scorched its way into his belly, curling there and sending warmth through his stomach. One shot wasn’t enough. “Why?” he finally asked when his throat cooperated.
Eva leaned forward and refilled his glass. “Because I saw something someone didn’t want me to report, and before I could do anything about it, they’d framed me for massacring an entire colony in the name of the ASR.”
“If that’s the case, why didn’t you appeal during your court martial?”
“My appeal was denied. Admiral Scarot deemed it a waste of taxpayer funds, ruled it an open and shut case, and my defense said I was a lost cause.”
“Scarot was the one who condemned you?”
“She was, the traitorous hag. I only wish I’d had the chance to shoot her during our little chase with your brother.”
Gareth tipped back his second glass, welcoming the burn. “Now that she’s the fugitive, maybe it’s better that she’s alive to be brought in. Find out what else she’s done and get her to flip on any conspirators who may have helped her. This shit goes deep, and I don’t believe it ended with Scarot. There’s gotta be others out there.”
“Probably. Doesn’t really matter anymore.”
“’Course it matters. It’s a chance to clear your name. The whole universe knows this bitch is a traitor to the UNE. That’s reason to have your case reopened. Get it thrown out.”
“That’s sweet, but you’re forgetting the bit about I escaped the royal prison. That right there is enough to get me tossed back in.”
“Er, how did that come about?”
“Long story short, some mercenary boss was breaking some of his best goons out of the slammer. I convinced them to take me along for the ride. Said I knew all kinds of UNE secrets to keep them ahead of their pursuers.”
“Did you?”
“I did.”
“That’s how you started all this?” He gestured to the ship around them.
“Pretty much. I did my time working as muscle for someone else until I earned enough to start my own crew. I found Gryph in a junkyard and liberated him before he could be melted down for scrap.”
“So this is why you avoid military men.”
“No, this is why I avoid every man.”
“You don’t have to avoid me. I’m not turning on you.”
She studied him, lips set in a thin line and eyes narrowed. “You’re taking this awfully well.”
Gareth dragged in a deep breath and leaned back in his seat. “Kaiden says you’re a good person, and I believe him. I don’t get an evil vibe when I look at you. I see a woman who’s been through shit, and I feel anxiety and worries and compassion for your crew. But I don’t see an evil bint capable of slaughtering a village for the ASR.”
“Not everyone will see the same as you.”
“Not everyone has access to the fucking Queen of the UNE. She’s not stupid, Evie. Besides, you helped save her life as much as anyone.”
“I don’t know. Maybe you’re right.”
He cocked a brow. “Maybe? Try definitely right. It’s a talent I have. Kaiden calls it my Insufferable Bastard gift.”
She made a soft sound that was almost a laugh and finally raised her own glass to her lips.
Gareth waited a beat before he nodded toward his empty glass. “This ain’t filling itself, lass.”
“You’ve got arms.”
There it was, the attitude and confidence he admired so much in her. Goddamn, it was a relief to see she was the same woman offline that he’d known in the game. The personality, the fire and grace, were all there wrapped in one lovely redhead whether she was micropixels or flesh.
Taking her statement as invitation, he grabbed the bottle and refilled both glasses, tipping the last few drops into his own.
“Listen, it’s really up to you, but if you’re tired of runnin’ and hidin’, then I’ll do whatever I can to help you clear your name. But you gotta make that call, not me.” He knocked back his drink then rose. “You let me know what you decide. I’ll be around.”
Chapter Seven
Despite her talk with Gareth, or maybe because of it, everything about her current situation felt surreal. Once he’d left, Evie eyed the empty bottle on her desk and wished she had another stashed away, but the Sargossan liquor was difficult to come by—a rare vintage exported in limited quantities from the planet.
Still, she didn’t consider it wasted.
How many bottles of expensive, make-believe liquor had she and Gareth shared during their virtual gaming, and how many times had she wished it was the real thing with the real man behind the avatar?
“Gryphon, put me in contact with Nisrine, secure channel.”
“Connecting now.”
Moments later, a holographic projection illuminated in the middle of the room, and Nisrine’s form materialized in full color on the open space.
“Evie, thank goodness. How are you?”
“Good. We got away from Ame Station with minimal damage.”
“Kaiden said as much but it’s nice to hear it directly from you.”
Evie scoffed. “Yeah. Kaiden.”
Nisrine’s features became chastened, and she tucked her chin. “I had no idea it was Gareth you were seeing, I swear. I would have said something to at least prepare you for it.”
“I know. But hell, when I first saw him at the bar, I honestly thought he was Kaiden and was about to beat his ass on your behalf, cybernetic arms or not.” Evie scowled. “I know how to joint-lock a cyborg.”
