The Black

Jacob Irving left his eye patch on as he stepped into the Orlivaro estate. It was well after dark, and he had wanted to take the time to explore his new vision. He had given his feet license to go where they pleased, and he had ended up everywhere from the great hall to the planet-side facilities of the orbital shipyards to check on a few items for Lucid Traveler. He had figured out how to adjust the additions present with his artificial eye to make the patch over it essentially transparent during this, and a smirk flashed over his features as his Hera walked up to his formerly blind side.

“Hey, you” he said softly, smiling openly as she stiffened in surprise. Hera finishing her approach to give him a full-bodied hug…

“Ok, give. How did you know.” She remarked as they headed down the hall toward their room. It was long past Natalia’s bedtime and the Stevens had long retired for the evening as well.

“Sit,” James said as he closed the door behind them, “Do you remember how I lost my eye?”

“The attack on the station, you hadn’t been given Traveler yet, ” Hera said. “You never did tell me how.”

“Well, one of the boarding pods impacted the promenade right in front of me and a few other humans as we were out exploring the station. You have seen the footage, but moments before, one of the attackers started shooting at us with laser pistols. One hit me directly in my eye socket and removed my eye.” Jacob stated

“That was you?” Hera gasped, “I saw the entire footage from the promenade’s CCTV. I saw you get shot, but I never put it together. They never released the names.”

“Well. The shot took my eye, but left my nerve intact. There was not enough of my actual right eye left to reconstruct, and cloning my other eye to replace it was not going to work because of the way human eyes operate. Shortly before I took command of Traveler, I met with The Brothers. They told me to give them time. They wanted a chance to develop a prosthetic… a working prosthetic. That’s where I went today.” Jacob took a breath.

“But, your patch. It didn’t work?” Hera paused, “Wait…. You saw me comming through the patch!?!”

“I did, but…. Well, I’m going to look very different without the patch. I didn’t want to keep freaking everyone out.” Jacob said gently, “Even you. The difference is… stark.”

Jacob had settled into one of the chairs in the room and Hera sitting in the other as she heard his story. “Show me. It can’t be that bad.”

Jacob chuckled and slowly reached up and removed his eye patch. “The material they used for the Iris can’t be dyed without compromising functionality. I’m afraid Im stuck with the color.” He lowered his hand revealing the pure white iris to Hera.

“Oh wow.. Ok, that’s… different.” Hera breathed as she got up and curled up in his lap to take a closer look at the prosthetic. “Ah, I think I see what they did. It moves in a shell doesn’t it.”

“Pretty much. I can look around like it’s a real eye, and then some.” Jake chuckled at her inquisitive expression as Hera leaned in close, “They practically stuffed a sensor suite into this thing.” He finished.

“Oh?” Hera asked, “I’m sure that will come in handy, find anything interesting?” She purred up at him. Dissolving to giggles as he raised an eyebrow at her.

“*cough* so, um… how did it go with your parents?” Jacob pointedly changed the subject as he set the eye patch down on the end table.

“About as well as I hoped. They worry. Momma likes you, but pappa worries that you are human. I just think it’s so fast for them. I’ve known you for a lot longer than they have.” Hera admitted.

“Hmmm… I see. I guess I should expect something like that.” Jacob shrugged with a sigh, “You are going to have to take the lead on this one. My people don’t do arrangements for marriage. We haven’t for centuries. I don’t know the first thing about it, or how your people do it.”

“It’s mostly observation and interactions. Pappa might want to spend some time one on one. Mamma is probably going to harangue me with questions.” Hera groaned, “Frie is gonna tease me to death.” Her voice was muffled as she buried her head on his shoulder for a moment.

“So basically We are being watched. Fun.” Jacob chuckled. He stood, eliciting a squeak from Hera as he effortlessly lifted her with him to be carried for a moment before he set her down on her feet, “I’m gonna shower real quick. It’ll give you time to change.”

“Change?” Hera asked in confusion.

Jacob turned and saw her shiver as he refused to hide his human manner for a moment. He took two slow steps to close the gap between them and lifted Hera up on the small desk that was against the wall next to the bed, “Hera… I am not Delmar,” he said in a soft growl in her ear as he pinned her to the wall gently, but firmly, “You are the most beautiful woman I have laid eyes on…If you come to bed as you did last night….” Hera’s eyes widened in remembrance, then in shock as he entrapped her in an inescapable full body embrace. His lips brushed her neck, and the kiss into a nip as he pulling at her skin lightly with his teeth before withdrawing. “I am still human, after all..” He whispered before releasing her and heading for a very very cold shower.

—————————

Quawrine’s Library planetoid could barely make subspace jumps. She had hated making jumps in the best of times, and was currently praying to the void gods themselves that the cobbled together cluster of subspace drives held together to their destination.

“It’s very strange, I would have expected a Pirate Queen to be surrounded by subjects.” A deep voice interrupted her interrogation of the console in her control/navigation room.

“Some things are too precious to risk even subjects. This is not just my obsession. It’s my legacy. I won’t leave it to just anyone’s hands.” Quawrine huffed soberly. “Not that it matters. If this gets out, that I worked with the butchers that hit the meat markets… I will be hunted down…” she straightened once more, “We drop out of subspace in 2minutes, are you sure this is ok? I’ve never even seen this beacon before.

“It’s safe.” Alex Collins reassured, “As for your empire. We are going to need someone on the inside to keep their eyes to the void. When they come, they will hit the fringes first. You will die or be subjugated first. I’m sure we can figure out a way to cover your reputation”.

“We shall see, dropping to real space now.” The Avian woman stated as she pulled on the levers controlling the Library’s drives. A pronounced shudder rattled through the planetoid as it was spat from subspace only to have alarms go off. “I thought you said this was safe!! We are being targeted!!”

Alex Collins activated his Com, linked to the shuttle in the hanger, “Hades actual, this is Collins-476639, clearence code echo 8814. Hold your fire.” He stated calmly.

*care to explain why you dropped a hostile marked planetoid in our lap?* came a none two happy voice over his com

“Exigence, Hades. We were perusing intel on Bravo Gulf, and were ambushed. No choice, I’m afraid.”

*And your reason for dropping a pirate vessel into one of our forward HQ’s Son?* it was Admiral Stevens. his voice was grainy, characteristic of a signal being received from extreme distances.

“Admiral, my apologies, but I did not have time to make another choice. This planetoid is a… Library… of sorts… “ Collins raised an eyebrow as Quawrine snatched his com microphone

“This is over 60 years of collecting artifacts and data on the Corth/ Vorath civil war.” She huffed before handing back the hand held.

*Is that true son?* the Admirals voice crackled over the strained connection.

“It is an… impressive collection Admiral. The Techs say that the Digital records are even more so. We were in the process of copying the data when we were engaged by one of the larger Vorath cruisers. Phobos took a pounding letting us escape… the Texas jumped in just as we were leaving. I haven’t heard anything since.”

As if on cue, USN Texas broiled out of subspace trailing plasma and towing a battered Phobos in her central capital ship cavity.

*USN-Texas, echo 8814. Captain Gleeson speaking. Requesting medical and repair crews. USN Phobos is Charlie India. Heavy casualties.*

*I’ll be arriving in 80 hours. I’ll expect a full debrief when I arrive gentlemen* Admiral Stevens growled.

*Library, come about 223 by 288, slow to 10000 kph and prepare to receive a harbor pilot. Welcome back Texas, make for morning coordinates 2-4, medical and additional damage crews will meet you there.* the original voice called out.

“Well that went about as well as I expected it to. Go ahead, come about as instructed. I’ll go tell the egg heads to slow down and take their time.” Collins stated before leaving the baffled Avian to her controls.

—————————

Captain Demitri Degturev sank into his ready room chair. He had already sent his essentials over to Hades station, and was spending the last moments aboard Phobos to copy down the combat records and data for his personal study. He was still in his uniform's exosuit mode, and he leaned slightly to scratch his nose on a convenient seam as he pulled the data chip from its slot.

*captain, we are ready for you* a voice came over his com and he stood to begin the long walk toward the docking port where the last evacuation shuttle was waiting for him. His mind wandered as his feet carried him to his destination.

USN Phobos had a crew complement of two hundred and twelve sailors, both Human and Delmar. Eighteen of them would never return home, and five more were likely to not make the night. Thirty-five others were baring at least one injury of note, with twelve of those being of a serious or critical nature.

Phobos had accorded herself well, but she had been heavily outgunned by the cruiser she had faced. She had marked her opponent and had successfully screened the escape of their objective, but it had cost his command dearly. Her hull was holed in several places, and her power distribution had been damaged to the point of making emergency atmospheric containment fields untrustworthy. She would sail again, but she would need a loving and skilled hand to be returned to her former glory.

“All crew accounted for?” Demetri asked formally to the crewman at the docking port.

“You are the last, Captain.” The man responded over the coms.

“Very well,” Demetri stated and stepped into the shuttle to sit in one of the available seats. The hatch sealed, and a telltale hiss made its introduction as air was pumped into the shuttle. The signal came that it was safe to unseal, and Demetri retracted his uniform’s vacuum sections and sank back heavily against the inner hull of the shuttle, breathing a long sigh of released tension.

What felt like mere moments later, Demetri stepped out of the shuttle and was shown to his temporary quarters. He didn’t bother to shower, but stowed his data chip and left for the infirmary.

He had his men to attend to.

———————————-

It was very early morning, and Clint was dressing and packing as quietly as he could manage. his emotions still woke his sleeping bride, and he felt Frie stir as her consciousness returned to her in slow blinks.

“Something happened. What can you tell me?” Frie pushed herself up to sit as she watched him finish up.

“We engaged the Vorath. Someone found a repository of artifacts from their civil war and was ambushed for it. That’s about all I know. I should be gone only a few days.” Clint grumbled. It was times like these where the Mental link between him and Frie was a godsend, as she could feel just how much he did not want to leave at this moment. “One of our Sol’s got tangled up in it, and a destroyer was almost sunk.”

“Gods, who? I met most of the captains when we had that conference on Port Royal.” Frie whispered.

“Phobos, sounds like she went toe to toe with something much bigger than herself.” Clint responded, slinging his hastily stuffed sea bag over his shoulder

“Demetri… I remember him. He’s one of the younger ones, very crew oriented. I will keep him in prayer” Frie nodded. The Delmar freighter's religion was a strange one. It was less named gods and more acceptance of the Black of deep space as the Territory of the Divine, and therefore it was a sort of composite deity all its own.

Clint had never been religious, but he smiled and stepped over to peck Frie on the lips, “I should be back inside the week..” he rumbled. “You better keep me up to speed on Jake and Hera. I don’t want to miss all the fun.”

“Oh, I will. I suspect She already talked to mamma and pappa. This is gonna be exciting.” She smirked, receiving a chuckle from Clint.

“Good girl.” He smirked back before stepping out of the room. He was almost to the front door when a soft, and very deliberately made noise made him pause. “I forget that you were JSOC.” Clint mused as he turned to see Jake Irving leaning up against a pitched black hallway door.

“Something happened. I know that look.” Jake stated, stepping into the light and revealing his artificial eye. He tapped it in response to the raised eyebrow from Clint, “They gave me fuckin’ predator vision. I can literally see in the dark now. It’s better than any nods I’ve ever been issued.”

“That’s… mildly terrifying. Yes, something happened. I can’t say much more than that.” Clint stated formally. “How are you two doing? I hear you are trying to keep it traditional.”

“Hera’s asleep. I heard you leaving, and that didn’t track. I probably have 5 minutes before she wakes up from the cold. I hope her parents get on board soon…” Jacob gave a pointed look as Clint broke into a low chuckle.

“Good luck.” Clint smiled a knowing expression.

“I suspect, you need it more than I, Admiral.” Jacob waved an abbreviated salute and disappeared down the vanta black corridor without so much as a sound.

‘Yep, definitely terrifying’ Clint mused to himself as he stepped onboard the waiting shuttle from Olympus.

Twenty minutes later he stepped off the shuttle onto the hanger deck of USN Tharsis, “I’m aboard Captain, no need to wait.” He spoke into his Com.

*Confirmed, jumping in 2* the response came. The hum inside the Martian-made ship of the line changed subtlety as Tharsis’ main drives flared to full fury.

“I’ll be in the conference room, 5 minutes. Have the data sent there..” Clint stated finally before closing his coms and starting for the corridors.

A few minutes later Clint stepped into the conference room. He snorted as an aroma of steaming hot coffee greeted him with not only a mug of it poured but an entire pot on a warmer next to the mug. Both were placed next to a data pad in the middle of the table. “I see, I have become predictable.” He mused before sitting down, noting the telltale note change in the bones of the titanic starship as she made the jump to slipspace.

————————-

Jacob silently slipped into the room he shared with Hera and started stripping down to his trunks once more. Hera had thankfully granted his request and was currently asleep in one of his oversized gym shirt and a pair of her own pj pants. She had only done so after he promised to let her curl up on him as before, hence the shirtless look with trunks. He slipped into the Delmar-style bed to find arms already waiting for him. Hera never awoke fully, but instinctively migrated toward his bodies warmth until she was pressed firmly to his side.

Clint’s departure bothered him. Jacob had long been out of the military loop, but this was different. His personal interactions with the ambassador as well as Stevens stirred old feelings from a past gone. His idle stroking of Hera’s hair illicit a soft grumble from the incredible creature currently hell-bent on snuggling as close as possible. ‘Jesse, How do I deserve to be so lucky…’ His thoughts were cut off by Hera stirring once more, and he leaned in to kiss the top of her head ‘Magnolias…. She smells like magnolias J…. I wish you could have met her.’ He fought the lump in his throat for a moment, breathing deeply the scent of the being at his side. Slowly, his eyelids gained their familiar weight as sleep conquered his mind.

There were no nightmares this night.

——————————-

“Captain…. Demetri” Demetri started slightly as his awareness flooded back to him. “Captain, you’ve been here all night.” His eyes focused on the mountain speaking to him to reveal the concerned face of Alex Collins looking down at him.

“Collins….” Demetri looked around groggily, realizing he was still in the waiting room of the surgery ward on Hades station. “How many… how long was I out”

“You spent the night here, sir. The surgeries are over for now. We only lost one of the likelies,” Collins took a step back as Demetri stood and slowly looked around.

“So nineteen dead…” Demetri pinched the bridge of his nose, “I’ll need to get on those letters… their families… “

“Can wait, captain.” A Middle-aged doctor walked up, face of stone firmness. “I’m ordering you on leave until the admiral arrives. I called Captain Collins here to enforce that order. You have two options, allow the good captain to escort you to your quarters to rest. Or lie down on one of the beds here and be restrained” The man’s tone matched his expression, and Alex couldn’t restrain an eyebrow from arching toward the ceiling.

“I take your point Doctor. I choose my quarters. Lead on Captain.” Demetri grumbled, waving dramatically toward the exit.

The two walked the halls of the station in tense silence. Demetri knew the Doctor was right, but it still chaffed.

“It’s never easy losing people, and it shouldn’t be.” The low voice of Captain Collins interrupted Demetri’s brooding as they reached the door to his quarters.

“I’ve lost men before… but not this many, it’s… a lot.” Demetri admitted, “They are my crew…”

“In some ways, they’re more than family.” Collins finished, “Get some rest, sir. Your crew will need you fresh, soon enough.” Collins snapped off a salute that Demetri returned before disappearing into his quarters.