AllFreeNovel
Share Us
* * * *
Two representatives of the spaceport’s law enforcement authority, Nobeks Ehos and Tirs, introduced themselves to Bernadette upon arriving at the hospital. Fortunately, Larsen had recovered enough to sit on his own. His eyes were so bloodshot, they almost glowed.
Ehos did the talking for the pair. “We have the two Adrafs seen running from your ship, a Dantovonian who is also in their crew, and Captain Fod in custody.”
“You have evidence they were all involved?” Bernadette wished she could have gotten her hands on them.
“Your ship’s security vids were useless, but our security vids were pretty damning. We have footage of the Adrafs distracting your Nobek guards and the Dantovonian using the close-rangestun device on them, which knocked them unconscious. We also have the Adrafs entering and running from your ship. When we confronted Fod with the evidence and the testimony of the attackers, he confessed to masterminding the ruse.”
“Why did they bomb the engine room? His beef is with my medic.”
“He says his intent wasn’t to hurt anyone. He merely wished to scare the hell out of you. He was hoping you’d fire your ship’s doctor, then he’d convince her to rejoin him. He said he did it because he loves her.” Ehos rolled his eyes in disbelief.
“That’s not love,” Bernadette snarled.
“No, but it is an attempted murder rap. You won’t see those assholes again for a long, long time, Captain Miller. If ever.”
“No chance of me spending five minutes with Fod? Alone? What if I promise he’ll live?”
Tirs grinned, as did Ehos. “As much as I’d love to give you those five minutes, I’m afraid not. I’ll let him know how lucky he is on that score.”
Doljen listened to the officer talk to Bernadette. He absorbed the situation. She was right; the rival captain’s sabotage of her vessel had nothing to do with love. But like love, Fod’s obsession was destructive.
Love and its loss had once sent Bernadette to a convent, where she’d pretended she’d exiled her heart. Love had separated them for seven years, because Doljen hadn’t been able to bear to share his future as a convict with her.
Love had driven a man to go to great lengths to save his brother. Love had driven two more men to join in the effort. When they’d failed, the hurt of love being too little to fix what was broken had shattered their bond.
Love wasn’t kind. It destroyed and kept destroying. Love was a monster.
Love brought Bernadette back into your life.
Fine. He’d accord that small concession to love’s good.
As for Tumsa and Halmiko, what do you think brought them to Lobam with her? What is it that has them seeking your forgiveness?
Shock cascaded over him, as if someone had thrown ice water in his face. He gazed at Tumsa, who stared at him in return. Had they been talking? Had he missed his turn in the conversation?
He couldn’t remember. He couldn’t think with his pulse pounding in his ears. Though he’d sworn not to run again, the abrupt realization of why his Dramok was standing there with that suffering expression, why Halmiko had shown up at his cabin desperate to talk to him was more than he could handle.
Doljen raced out of the waiting room.
Tumsa made no attempt to stop Doljen when he took off. His clanmate looked as if he were fleeing rabid zibgers. Though he knew Doljen probably wouldn’t return, he made no attempt to call him back.
Why should Doljen stay? Why was he, Tumsa, on Lobam? Why was he hanging around the hospital? Doljen couldn’t stand to be near him. Halmiko had agreed their clan was over and done with. The last person he’d wish to look at when he opened his eyes would be Tumsa.
The Dramok had been certain he’d never know pain as great as that as his brother’s death. He’d been wrong. The agony he felt at that instant should have killed him.
It was over. His failure to his clan was complete. There was nothing left.
He left the waiting room.
Where the hell was everyone going?
The officers had left in the wake of Doljen and Tumsa. Bernadette glanced at Larsen, who was finally pulling himself together. The young man must have intuited her turmoil, because he offered her a shaky smile. “I’m okay. Kom’s alive, and that’s what matters. Go ahead, chase those guys down. They look worse than I feel.”
“Hang in there. Here, this is Kom’s. It has my frequency in it if you need to talk to me.” She handed off the communicator and dashed into the corridor.
Tumsa was in view, and she raced after him. “Hey! Where are you going?”
