The Lost Star Episode One (5 page)

Lieutenant
Commander Shera and lieutenant Meva were still at
the bar. They hadn’t moved a muscle, and likely
wouldn’t.

They were staring on with cruel
amusement.

“Th-that was crazy,” Nema spluttered as she
tried to hold Ava’s arm up to stop the bleeding. “This looks really
deep. You must be in a hell of a lot of pain.”

“It’s fine,” Ava managed truthfully. She
stopped herself from saying she’d had worse. Much worse.

Every single day she trained to the death
using her neural link. It had a way of putting pain in
perspective.

“
You’re always so goddamn brave. I’ll get a
med kit.” Nema skidded towards the bar and demanded one from the
surprised barman.

“
I’ve already called a med team,” one of
the officers said. From
her collar, she looked like a commander.

“I’m medic class,” Nema said politely.

“
Then continue,” the Commander snapped.
“Now you two,” she pointed to the burly men guarding the trader,
“Take him into custody. I’ll inform the captain.” Finally the
Commander turned her attention on Ava. “Are you alright,
ensign?”

Ava shrugged, then, as she realized who
she was talking to, nodded stiffly. “I’m fine,
Commander.”

The Commander nodded and walked away.
“Then this situation is dealt with. All parties involved return to
the ship,” she added as she strode away.

Ava guessed that included her. Though,
honestly, she still had no idea what happened.

The lieutenant who’d saved her cleared his
throat and brushed past.

“Thank you,” she tried to get his attention,
but he wouldn’t look at her.

He strode away.

“Never mind,” she muttered under her breath
as he cut a quick path through the crowd.

Shera and Meva chose that exact moment to
walk past. Though Ava was certain they’d ignore both her, Shera
stopped and picked up the thriphasic wrench Ava had discarded on
the floor. “I’ll requisition this for evidence,” she announced to
no one in particular, “Though it’s clear what happened,” she added
in a low unkind tone.

Ava didn’t ask what she meant. Instead she
stood patiently as Nema saw to her arm.

“It shouldn’t take long to fix it up,” Nema
chatted kindly as she worked. “It’s kind of remarkable though.”

“What’s remarkable?” Ava asked distractedly
as she watched Shera stride out of sight.

“
There isn’t a single mark on your armlet.
That wrench was on a pretty high setting.”

“Hmm,” Ava managed.

“
Anyhow, I think you’re fine for now. I
can’t detect any nerve damage. I guess we should return to the ship
like Commander Hutchins told us to.”

“You weren’t involved. You should stay here
and enjoy your last couple of minutes of shore leave.”

“
Don’t be silly. I’ll come with you. I
don’t know if you’ve noticed,” Nema leaned in and whispered
quietly, “But everyone’s eyes are on you. And I think you’d draw
less attention if you have someone by your side.”

Ava smiled up at her friend but shook her
head gently. “It’s okay. I don’t mind.”

Nema gave an exasperated laugh. “Which
proves my point perfectly. You, Ava, aren’t scared of
anything.”

“
Trust me,” Ava took a step back and
returned her searching gaze through the crowd as she tried to spy
Shera, “There are things that scare me,” she said
offhand.

“
Ha? Really? What?”

“I should follow orders and return to the
ship.” Ava took the opportunity to pull back, nod, and walk away
with a wave.

She pushed through the crowd, ignoring the
stares.

When she was out of the bar and away from
the primary shopping strip, she brought up her arm and checked her
lock.

She ran a finger expertly along the rim.

It was undamaged. The priestesses had
assured her there was nothing in the Coalition arsenal that could
destroy it without taking Ava with it.

She headed straight back to the ship, though
a few times the view threatened to pull her back in. By the time
she made it to her quarters, there was a message waiting for
her.

She’d been summoned to the captain’s
office.

She turned on her foot and walked out of the
door.

Her back was itching.

For some reason, she felt uneasy.

And she had no idea why.

…

Lieutenant Hunter
McClane

“
What the hell happened?” Harvey rested
back in his seat and shook his head at Hunter.

“
I tried to intervene when it became clear
the ensign couldn’t save herself.”

Harvey leaned over his desk, locking a hand
on the polished wood as he shook his head. “Skip to the bit where
you fell right on top of her.”

Hunter
let out a stiff breath. “It was an accident. She
slipped.”

“
Yep. The entire thing was an accident. An
embarrassing one. It should never have happened.” Harvey pressed a
hand into his brow and massaged it.

“It’s not my fault, Harvey.”

Harvey stopped massaging his brow and shot
Hunter a pointed look. “Captain. We’re not brothers on board this
ship, lieutenant.”

Hunter
drove his teeth together. “If we’re not brothers, then why
the hell am I here?”

Harvey’s jaw stiffened. “I don’t like your
tone.”

“Really? And I don’t like the fact I’m
working under you. I didn’t ask for this assignment, and I don’t
deserve it.”

“
Yes you do,” Harvey said seriously,
locking Hunter in a direct gaze. “The reason you’re on this ship is
because I want you to stay on this ship once I’ve got her into
shape. I requested you because you’re one of the best. And I got
you because the top brass agree.”

Hunter
locked his teeth together. There were so many things he
wanted to say, but precisely none would be appropriate to tell your
captain.

I
nstead he sat there and simmered.

Before Harvey could come up with another
bullshit excuse as to why Hunter had been dragged on board, the
door beeped.

In walked the ensign from the
accident.

She didn’t
look perturbed. Most fresh-faced ensigns cowered
when the captain called them to his office.

She looked almost bored.

Still, she snapped a salute. “Sir, you
summoned me.”

“
Yes I did, Ensign Ava. Now please take a
seat.” Harvey gestured to the seat beside Hunter. “I want you to
tell me in your own words what happened.”

“
I assume you’re talking about the incident
in the bar. Not much. The trader grabbed my armlet, offered to give
me 200 Standard Galactic Credits. I told him they weren’t for sale.
He offered 250. I tried to pull my arm back, then he pulled out a
triphasic wrench. The wrench gouged a hole out of my arm and left a
pool of blood at my feet. When the lieutenant here,” she nodded at
Hunter, “Tried to intervene, I slipped on my blood and he fell on
me. The trader was restrained—”

The captain put up a hand.

Hunter
twitched. He wanted to point out he hadn’t fallen on this
Ensign Ava – she’d pulled him down.

This whole sorry affair had nothing to do
with him. He should have just left her to tussle it out with the
trader.

“I want you to tell me why it happened,”
Harvey continued, expression unreadable.

“I don’t know. Perhaps the trader believed
my armlets were expensive.” Ava shrugged.

“
That’s not what I’m asking. Ensign, I want
to know why you didn’t have the bodily strength to defend yourself
in the first instance.” Harvey pressed his fingers together and
leaned forward, eyes locked on Ava.

At first she didn’t respond. Then she
shifted her gaze to the side as she stared at the wall. “I tried. I
was incapable,” she summarized, still not making eye
contact.

Harvey sighed. It was quiet, and you had
to know him as well as Hunter did to pick it up. “Your physical
fitness scores are below par. I’m surprised you graduated with
these. Still, it’s not for me to question the Academy. It is,
however,” Hunter leaned forward again, piercing gaze locked on
Ensign Ava, “Up to me to question whether you are fit for duty
aboard my vessel.”

Hunter
’s brow crumpled in confusion as he looked between Harvey
and Ava.

What the heck was going on here?

Ava – despite the fact she was facing off
against a captain questioning her fitness – looked relatively
nonplussed.

“Why are you aboard my vessel, exactly?”
Harvey leaned back and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“Because I was assigned here.”

Harvey drummed his fingers on his arms and
he got a particular look in his eyes. A look Hunter knew all too
well.

Harvey didn’t trust Ensign Ava.

“By your government?” Harvey suddenly asked,
eyes narrowing as he keenly watched Ava for her reaction.

She looked confused. “Ah, I’m not sure I
understand. I was sponsored by the Avixan government to join the
Coalition Academy. They didn’t assign me to the Mandalay – they
couldn’t. If you’re questioning why I was picked for this program,
in light of my… deficient skills in comparison to the other Avixans
in the Coalition, I can’t answer that on cultural
grounds.”

Hunter
was confused. He had zero idea what was going on. The only
thing he knew for sure was his brother didn’t entirely trust this
Ensign Ava.

Harvey was a lot of things, but he was a
great judge of character.

“I am aware your people do not discuss their
society. However, I need you to tell me one thing – should you be
on my ship?”

Ava considered him. “That’s up to you,
sir.”

“You’d be comfortable if I reassigned you?”
Harvey challenged, expression once more blank.

Ava nodded. “I’d be comfortable if I was
reassigned or if I stayed. Serving the Coalition is all that
matters,” she added as if as an afterthought.

Most ensigns would beg to stay on the
Mandalay – she was a heck of a ship to cut your teeth
on.

Hunter
could tell Harvey had no idea how to deal with that
statement.

Harvey rocked back in his seat and typed
something on his personal screen. He didn’t make eye contact with
Ava as he worked.

Hunter
knew exactly what Harvey was doing – he was trying to make
the ensign stew. Only problem was, she looked fine.

Eventually Harvey dropped the act and
stood. “Report to your duty station, ensign. And don’t come to my
attention again.”

Ava snapped a salute, turned, and walked
from the room.

Hunter
caught sight of the side of her face. Her eyes weren’t
screwed up in fear or shame.

She looked fine.

As soon as the door closed behind her,
Hunter spun in his seat to stare at his brother. “What the hell was
that about?”

Harvey pushed a breath through his lips.
“Never mind. Now, back to you.” Harvey sat and stared directly at
Hunter. “I know you have it in you to be a great captain someday.
Today was embarrassing, but put it behind you. I know you’ll
flourish on this ship. That being said, don’t fall on top of
anymore ensigns.”

Hunter
winced as he pushed to his feet. “Will that be
all?”

“
That’ll be all.” Harvey nodded. “You’re
dismissed, lieutenant.”

Hunter
turned and headed for the door.

“
Hunter,” Harvey suddenly said, “I believe
in you. Now start believing in yourself. And that’s an
order.”

Hunter
hung back for a single second. Then he walked out the
door.

By the time he made it onto the bridge, he
saw Ensign Ava entering one of the lifts on the opposite
side.

It’s not all he
saw. Lieutenant Commander Shera had her head
twisted towards the ensign, her expression….

Strange.

She wasn’t angry
, but something close. Come to think of it, she
hadn’t done a thing when that trader had attacked Ensign
Ava.

Did they have a history?

Harvey was close with Shera, even though
he wouldn’t admit that to anyone. Maybe Shera had warned Harv about
Ava. In which case, why the heck was she still on board? The
captain of a vessel had complete veto power over his
crew.

The questions settled in
Hunter’s skull as he strode
quickly across the bridge and reached the lifts.

Only one led down to the crew quarters. The
rest were priority routes to major decks.

He needed to head down in the same lift
Ava had taken. He wanted to wait until she’d disembarked in case
the lift rerouted back to the bridge to pick him up.

The last thing he wanted was to face the
ensign.

She’d already ruined his day.

When he’d waited long
enough
, pretending to
neaten his collar, he jammed his thumb onto the panel.

The lift doors opened immediately. Ava was
still inside, expression muddled as she looked at the
controls.