Lost Star by Hawke, Morgan (digital book reader .TXT) 📕

held him rooted to the spot for an entire heartbeat. He didn’t like leaving him there on the floor where anyone could just walk in on him.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have a choice. Seht clearly had no intention of taking no for an answer. He needed to get out of there.

Ravnos opened the door just enough to see that the hallway was deserted. He slipped out the door into the hallway, closed the door behind him, and locked it. He took an extra second to use his wiretap to scramble the code so that the lock would refuse to open from the inside. He smiled grimly. You’re not getting out of there anytime soon, you stubborn shit. He headed up the hall at a quick march away from the Skeldhi prince. Lifting a finger, he activated the com-unit still clinging to his ear. “Imp One, this is the captain.”

Ravnos’s earcom crackled to life. “We read you, Captain. Status?”

“Status, code blue.” Evacuation, all personnel. He needed to get out of there while he still had a few shreds of sense left. “On my mark, execute.” Track me and collect.

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Behind a certain closed door, Seht’s voice lashed out in an angry shout. “Aubrey, you bastard! I will hunt you to the ends of the universe to set my shen on your throat!

You will be claimed, and you will bow to your master if it takes the rest of my life!”

Ravnos bolted. “Pick the closest exit, and don’t bother being polite!”

Twenty steps ahead of him, a window exploded, scattering smoke and shards of glass all over the hallway.

A dark-coated man draped in veils of smoke stepped through the window, his boots crunching on shattered glass. “Your egress is ready, Captain.”

132

Morgan Hawke

Chapter Twentyone

Twenty minutes later, Ravnos’s entire crew was back on the small sleek captain’s gig and heading out into space, straight for their ship.

Seated in his chair by the window, still in his battered coat, torn waistcoat, and shirtless, Ravnos set the communications headset down with a sigh. President Kidd had been somewhat understanding. The cyborg attack had completely ruined his dinner plans to show off his new captain to several of his more choice senators and council members, so he’d understood why Ravnos hadn’t shown up. He’d even understood the necessity of losing a hallway window on the five hundred and sixth floor of his tower for an emergency escape from Admiral Moraine.

Ravnos hadn’t even flinched when he’d told that lie.

However, the president had been less than understanding about Ravnos feeling the need to leave for his ship. The headset crackled softly. “There’s something you are not telling me, isn’t there, Captain Ravnos?”

Ravnos had taken a breath, then sighed. “Yes, Mr. President, there is.”

Silence had crackled across the line. “Is it…a personal matter?”

Ravnos looked over at his worried lieutenant, hovering in the doorway to the crew’s area. “Yes, Mr. President.”

The president heaved a sigh so heavy it came across the headset loud and clear.

“Fine. I might as well send you on a hunting mission. There are a couple of unidentified small ships sitting a little to close to our borders in the eighth quadrant. Get them to identify themselves. Use as much force as you deem necessary.”

Ravnos couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you, Mr. President.”

“However, as soon as your personal matter is resolved, I expect you back here and ready to go to every single dinner engagement I care to send you to!”

Ravnos winced. “Yes, Mr. President.”

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The president cleared his throat. “Excellent. Good hunting, Captain.”

“Thank you, Mr. President.” The sound of empty air crackled across the headset.

Ravnos removed it and handed it to his lieutenant. “Tell the Hellsbreath’s nav-pilot that we need to be ready to leave for the eighth quadrant as soon as we arrive.”

The lieutenant’s eyes widened. “The eighth quadrant, sir?”

Ravnos rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry, you’ll get your shore leave as soon as we get back.” He looked out the window at the world fading in the distance. “I just have something…personal to take care of, first.”

The lieutenant snapped his hand up to his brow in a salute. “Understood, Captain.” He lowered his hand. “I’ll have your day uniform ready for you in five minutes.”

Ravnos lifted his brow at the man.

The lieutenant scowled at him. “The ship’s crew does not need to see you in”—he waved his hand, indicating his captain’s clothes—“this condition.”

Ravnos rolled his eyes. “I so need to get you a first officer.”

The lieutenant smiled brightly. “Make sure you pick a good one.”

Ravnos gave him a sour smile. “I intend to.” He turned to stare out the window at the stars. He strongly suspected that he was being sent to deal with some Moribund ships, seeing as Moribund was in the neighborhood. However, for some reason, he simply couldn’t find the enthusiasm he normally felt at such occasions. He rubbed the heel of his hand across the center of his chest, over an ache that seemed to center on his heart.

The alarm bell sounded, and the ship’s intercom buzzed to life. “Captain, we are being pursued.”

Ravnos froze. What? His heart slammed in his chest double time. Seht couldn’t have followed me this fast! He hit the intercom button built into his chair. “What kind of craft?”

“It appears to be…Skeldhi, a small one.” The man cleared his throat. “About the size of this gig, sir.”

Ravnos’s nails dug into the arm of his chair. It was Seht; he’d bet his sword on it.

The small hairs on his neck rose, and a cool sweat spread across his shoulders. Stubborn bastard. He almost smiled. “How far behind are they?”

“About twenty minutes, and gaining.”

Ravnos’s gaze narrowed. Looks like I’ll have to prepare a welcome. “Can you tell how many are on the ship?”

“According to our sensors…one, sir.”

Ravnos blinked. That had to be wrong. “One? Are you sure?”

Silence buzzed across the intercom. “Confirmed.