To Clan and Conquer (Clan Beginnings) (35 page)

“Oh, all right, I’ll join your clan.  You two don’t have to be so pushy.”

Chuckles filled his ears.  Degorsk sank deeper into their warmth and let Tranis’ heart drum him to sleep.

* * * *

Tranis was called into Piras’ office first thing two mornings after the battle, two days after he’d clanned with Degorsk and Lidon.  He stood before his captain’s desk while Piras sat behind it, making Tranis wait while he fussed with something on his computer.

The first officer couldn’t imagine what would warrant a private conversation.  There was so little to do on the ship as to make most the surviving crew work only half-shifts.  The destroyer was on much reduced power and limping to its new home, a salvage facility.  It was too badly damaged to warrant repair.

Tranis had allowed himself to hope he and his new clan would be assigned to a ship not under Piras’ command.  While the captain had treated them with nothing but respect since their return – even offering rarely-seen compassion when it wasn’t known if Degorsk was alive or dead – the proximity to Lidon’s former lover was too close for Tranis’ liking.

Piras finally turned to him.  He stood, and to Tranis’ shock, bowed.  “Congratulations, Captain Tranis.  It is my understanding you are the youngest Kalquorian to ever attain the rank.”

The younger Dramok’s mouth dropped wide open.  He stared at Piras in disbelief.  Finally his vocal chords unfroze enough to allow him to speak.  “Captain?”

Piras smirked, probably at the very un-captain like behavior of his former first officer.  “After your actions on the colony and during the battle, I think you’d be offered the rank of admiral if protocols allowed it.  I have no doubt you’ll be given command of a destroyer.”

Tranis had dreamed of this moment, anticipating the thrill and pride of attaining such a rank.  Instead, his mind was filled with those he had let die on the Joshadan-Earther colony so that the first wave of Kalquor’s defenders could be saved.  He thought of all the dead men Piras had led into battle and how he might someday have to do the same.  All those lives on his shoulders, depending on him to not fuck up.

He could fully appreciate how Degorsk felt about being the doctor on a ship whose sole purpose was battle.  For Tranis, the glory of command had been tarnished by the events of the last few days.

The new captain put aside his dark thoughts and bowed as was expected.  He said, “Thank you for the news, Captain Piras.  The appointment is a great honor.  Will Lidon be promoted too?”

A flicker of momentary sadness appeared on Piras’ face.  It smoothed out and he said with no emotion, “He could be a first officer if he wished, but you know how Nobeks are.  They hate being administrators.  He flatly refused the commission, so he’s to be decorated – again – and remain a weapons commander.”

Tranis agreed Lidon would be miserable as a first officer.  True, Tranis had found his duties exciting as of late, but the position during peacetime usually entailed more management and supervision duties than the action a Nobek naturally thrived on.

Piras pursed his lips and looked down at an empty spot on his desk.  “I was told you moved into clan quarters.  I’d congratulate you on that as well, but my heart wouldn’t be in it.”  He looked up at Tranis, and there was hurt and anger in his eyes.  “I’ve been with Lidon for over a dozen years and could never get him to be my Nobek.  In a matter of months, you steal him away.  I respect you as an able officer, Captain Tranis.  You are brilliant and a credit to the fleet.  But I don’t like you.  Not one bit.”

Tranis nodded.  “I don’t suppose it would help you to know I had no intentions of clanning anyone until a few days ago.  Least of all my commanding officer’s choice for Nobek.  I know it wouldn’t soothe me were our positions reversed.”  He took a deep breath.  “I’m sure a man of your abilities and rank will attract a Nobek who will appreciate you for what you are.”

Piras’ eyes narrowed, as if wondering if Tranis had just insulted him.  Tranis himself wasn’t sure.

The older Dramok finally said, “I can’t say I’ll be interested in pursuing a lifelong commitment with someone else.  There aren’t many Lidons out there.  I hope you appreciate how fortunate you are.”

At least there was one thing the pair could agree on.  “Very much, Captain Piras.  Very much.”

* * * *

Degorsk stared at Tranis in amazement.  “Captain?”  He exchanged a look with a grinning Lidon.  “Congratulations, my Dramok.  Though we shouldn’t be surprised.  You certainly deserve the promotion.”

Lidon added his congratulations.  While they admired the additional silver bar on Tranis’ uniform, Degorsk hid the sick feeling in his gut.  He had yet to tell his clanmates he was resigning from the fleet.  He knew he should have shared that information before he’d agreed to clan, but he hadn’t been thinking clearly when Tranis asked.

Afraid they’d pick up on his unease, Degorsk turned to the blank wall of their temporary quarters.  A full clan’s room was much larger than single-man quarters, and they were all enjoying the additional space.  Lidon had plenty of room for his altar.  Tranis had hung a shelf for his kurble ball to rest upon, and Degorsk’s butt cast adorned the far wall.  There was more wall space where they might have displayed their commendations, but with only two weeks of travel before they got to the salvage facility, it had seemed pointless.  Not to mention none of the three men were much for showing off their accolades.  That was why the Imdiko found himself staring at absolutely nothing.

Behind him Tranis said, “There are several new destroyers ready to launch.  I’ll have my choice of command.”

Lidon growled, a sound fit to set Degorsk’s hair on end.  “We’re still getting those three weeks of leave, aren’t we?”

The medic was quick to point out, “Twice that number when you factor in your surgery and rehab.”

“That doesn’t count.  Being stuck in a medical facility is even worse than shut up in what’s left of this destroyer.”

Tranis chuckled.  “Feeling claustrophobic, my Nobek?”

“Less than half of the ship to move around on.  Before that, I had to endure five days crammed in a fighter.  It wears on a man, even when he has ample distraction and exercise.”

That earned more laughter from Tranis, who no doubt enjoyed the euphemisms ‘distraction’ and ‘exercise’ for what had apparently been a lot of sex while the two men were stuck in their fighter.  Degorsk turned around to share in it, though he felt no humor whatsoever.  He wondered when he had become the serious member of this trio.

Lidon’s sharp gaze skewered him, and the doctor knew he’d been caught.  “With good news to buttress our spirits and a clanship we are all thrilled to be a part of, our lives should be a joy.  Perhaps our Imdiko will now share what has him feeling so low these last two days.”

The Nobek was smiling but there was nothing kind about the look in his eyes.  It made Degorsk tremble inside, but he was determined to not spoil Tranis’ big moment.

“What are you talking about?  I’m very proud of my heroic clanmates.  You deserve all you’ve gotten and more.  A year’s supply of Plasian leshella, naked dancing girls, your mighty cocks commemorated in precious metal sculptures—”

Tranis interrupted.  “Lidon is right.  I chalked it up to fallout from the battle, but you’re not snapping out of whatever has you in a rut.  Do you need to tell us anything, Degorsk?”

Degorsk smiled brightly, not ready to give up.  “Yes.  I think we should get naked and celebrate.  That’s what I really wanted to say.”

Lidon glowered.  “He’s holding out on us, my Dramok.”

“I see that.  I trust you can locate your strap without much effort?”

“Quite easily.”  The Nobek moved towards the part of the wall that contained drawers where their belongings were stored.

Degorsk panicked.  He didn’t want another round of discipline.  “Damn it, not now.”  He started backing towards the door.

Tranis blocked him.  “Right now, unless you tell us what’s wrong.”  His glare was as steely as Lidon’s.

The Nobek pulled a thick black strap out and snapped it in the air, making Degorsk flinch.  “Last chance, my Imdiko.”

Degorsk clenched his fists at his sides.  “Fine, make me the asshole that ruins Tranis’ good news.  I’m resigning from the fleet.  Happy?”

Lidon cocked a brow and Tranis’ eyes widened.  The Dramok asked, “You intend to remain on Kalquor once we get there?

Degorsk nodded, his heart miserable.  “I’m sorry.  I just can’t take looking at hundreds of men dying all around me and not being able to do a damned thing about it.  I can’t board another destroyer, not even for you two.  The thought of it makes me want to scream.”

Lidon looked to Tranis and waited for his reaction.  The Dramok was their leader now.  His direction would determine what happened next.

His expression filled with concern, not anger, Tranis moved to stand in front of Degorsk.  He grasped the doctor’s shoulders and squeezed.  “I understand, my Imdiko.  I’m still trying to reconcile having to leave colonists in the Tragooms’ larder for those five days.  I know it was necessary to successfully stop our enemies from invading the Empire, but it preys on me.”

Lidon moved close.  The strap had disappeared, and his arms went around Tranis and Degorsk’s waists.  “No one doubts you did what you had to, my Dramok.”

“It doesn’t mean it sits well.”  Tranis’ gaze never left Degorsk’s face.  “I know how you feel, Degorsk, but I don’t want to go a year at a time separated from you.  That’s what we’re looking at from the patrol missions available to me.”

“I don’t want that either,” the Imdiko whispered.  “But I won’t be any good to you or anyone else on another destroyer.  I’ve got nothing left.”

Tranis drew a deep breath and nodded.  “I guess I don’t have to take command of a destroyer—” 

Degorsk’s temper went hot in an instant.  “You can’t settle for less than that.  I would never ask you to sacrifice your career for me.”

The Dramok’s expression was stubborn.  “I want you with me.”

Degorsk could have punched him.  “On what?  A transport barge?  A colony supply ship?  Those are beneath you, my Dramok, and I won’t have it.  I can’t live with the guilt of you giving up what will be a successful career any more than I can live with working on one of these death ships.”

“I’m not asking your permission, Imdiko.”

Degorsk’s instinct was to shut up and obey that commanding tone, but there was too much at stake.  “No.  No, you will not take some shit assignment for me.  Absolutely not.  I don’t give a damn if you are the Dramok.”

They were nearly nose to nose.  Tranis’ face had gone red with fury at Degorsk’s display, but the Imdiko was not about to back down.  He was not going to be the reason Tranis didn’t live up to his potential.

Lidon pushed them apart.  “Stop cursing at your Dramok, Degorsk.  We need cool heads to figure this out.”

Tranis refused to lower his livid stare from Degorsk’s face even as he spoke to the other man.  “Do you have a suggestion, Lidon?”

“Not yet.  You two calm down so we can solve this puzzle.”  The Nobek abruptly shoved Degorsk hard, nearly knocking him off his feet.  “Lower your gaze and open your fists.  Acknowledge Tranis’ leadership or be punished.  Right now.”

Lidon was right, but it took effort for Degorsk to bow his head.  He slowly opened his hands at his side, releasing all signs of aggression towards his Dramok.  “Of course he’s my leader.  But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stand by and let him throw his career away.  You mean too much to me, Tranis.”

“And you mean too much to me to leave you behind.  Even if you are pissing me off to my very limit right now.”

Lidon stood slightly between them, forcing them to keep focus on what he was saying.  “So this is what we need.  We have to find a ship that will keep Degorsk with us, something with minimal prospects for bloodshed on a large scale.  A ship that will allow Tranis to fulfill his ambition and potential.”

Tranis added, “And a ship that will keep our Nobek challenged and his need for action satisfied.”

Degorsk had settled down enough to attempt a weak joke.  “We don’t ask for much, do we?”

Lidon sighed.  “The Book says, the answer to every question is there.  One only needs to find it.”

Degorsk wanted to laugh at that bit of useless information, but he knew another outburst would not be taken well by his clanmates.  He managed to keep quiet though he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they all three couldn’t possibly get what they each needed from one ship.

* * * *

Hours later, Tranis and Lidon commandeered an auxiliary computer station on the bridge.  Power was low, but with the destroyer only required to make its way to its final resting place, little was being used.  Plus, the men had the rank to do as they wanted for the most part.  As a captain now, Tranis had no duties on board Piras’ ship.  With no weapons and few defenses left, Lidon had very little to do.  Meanwhile, Degorsk had no medical department to run, but he was back in their quarters with no idea of what his clanmates were up to.  The Dramok and Nobek had decided to leave their sensitive Imdiko in the dark for now.  He was stressed enough.

Lidon scrolled through the command assignments Tranis might consider beyond captaining a destroyer.  So far the choices had been depressing.  Everything was a major step below Tranis’ goals, but he was grimly determined to keep Degorsk with them.  He’d run a garbage scow if that was what it took, except for the fact such an commission would harm the doctor’s battered psyche.  Things were not looking good for their new clan.