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“I’m delighted to have your support.” Curiosity got the better of her, and she dared to press for information. “What are your clanmates’ opinions on Larsen? Or haven’t you had him talk to them?”
“They’ve spoken to him during our coms. He manages to smile and say all the right things during those chats. Theyhaven’t witnessed him hiding under the bed or screaming in his sleep. Or breaking down and crying for no reason at all. They think I’m exaggerating how fucked up Matt is. I’m thinking about recording a vid of his next meltdown to show them.”
“Sweet prophets, Kom. He needs professional help if he’s doing that.”
“I know.” He glanced at her, his gaze burning with helpless fury. “Let’s shitcan this conversation before I get pissed off and break something.”
“You got it.”
He stalked to his duty station. Bernadette watched him while his back was turned, then brought her attention to her own readings, though she didn’t notice the information scrolling.
Damaged people abounded everywhere around her. Including a guilt-ridden Hal, who’d wandered onto the bridge, unnoticed by her until that moment. He appeared okay, certainly better than the glowering Kom, whom he joined at the security station. He smirked and winked at her. With that crazy two-pronged beard, he looked like the devil himself. She inwardly rolled her eyes at the curl of passion that woke within her.
She wondered how much trouble Dramok Tumsa would be. If a clan leader hadn’t done anything in eight years to fix the breach with his lifemates, there was trouble ahead. Even so, she’d give Tumsa hell if it meant finding Doljen, another damaged man to complicate her life.
If I had any sense, I’d embrace celibacy again. Take up the vows. Pull on the old habit once more.
She imagined herself becoming a nun again and almost laughed out loud. At least she could find humor in the situation.
“Coming into dock,” her helmsman and navigator said in his burbling voice. Taret was a ruby four-foot-tall ball of Joshadan fluff at his station. “Touching down in fifteen seconds.”
All was nice and normal. Except Kom was growling. A glance at her viewscreen told her why.
“Fucking Fod.”
“Docked next to our berth.” Kom glanced at Hal. “Did the captain give you the story on him?”
“Enough that I’ll be glad to pound him if he says the first word about Dr. Z.” Hal’s sly grin turned into an outright beam.
“Get in line. I have some anger to work off if the opportunity arises.”
Taret’s chirrup was a cheerful off-note in the tense atmosphere. “We’re docked, Captain.”
Bernadette relinquished her glare on the rival Adraf’s ship and switched on her ship-wide com. “Offload is scheduled in three hours. Our buddy Fod is playing next-door neighbor. Eyes open, people, and don’t start anything.” Her glare went to Kom, who returned it. “But finish it quick if they do. I don’t have time for anyone’s shit.”
Chapter Nine
Halmiko watched Bernadette, though he should have been paying attention to Kom, who spoke on the com with the other two Nobeks charged with the ship’s and cargo’s security. Hearing about Kom’s Earther friend Larsen and how he was in a prison without containment fields and Kom’s inability to help him prodded Halmiko with guilt.
Doljen had gone to actual prison and spent nearly four years there. The single instance Halmiko had visited, his Imdiko hadn’t spared him a single glance. He hadn’t spoken a word despite Halmiko’s offers to find a way to get him a reduced sentence. Faced with the fact Doljen preferred incarceration to being his clanmate, crushed by his inability to protect him, Halmiko hadn’t returned. He’d learned his Imdiko had beenreleased early to join Kalquor’s civil war, but after that, Doljen had vanished.
Halmiko hadn’t tried hard to locate him. Another source of shame. He’d forgone his duties as a Nobek clanmate, duties that should have been carried out despite Doljen’s obvious wish he remain out of his life. He’d obeyed that silent insistence not because Doljen wanted him to, but because Halmiko couldn’t stand facing his failure.
He glanced at Kom, who was setting up enhanced surveillance. The man had searched station after station on the next-to-zero chance he’d discover Larsen. Having experienced the miracle of their chance encounter, he was now tearing himself apart to save the Earther, a man who wasn’t even his clanmate.
That’s a real Nobek. Me? I’m a joke.
Since Kom ignored him, muttering to himself about getting Larsen therapy instead of training his new hire on the current issue, Halmiko ventured close to Bernadette. She raised an eyebrow at his approach and waited.
“I’ll go with you to speak to Tumsa.”
She nodded. He was relieved when she refrained from asking what had brought on his change of heart. “See if you can pinpoint his whereabouts. After we offload this cargo, you and I will pay him a visit.”
Halmiko went to the station she’d motioned to. He began his search for the Dramok he’d last observed sprawled on the floor of their home, his nose bleeding from Halmiko’s punch.
A sudden, violent need to track down Doljen had taken him over. If Tumsa knew where Doljen was, ancestors save him if he refused to confess his whereabouts.
* * * *
