The cell door was left open. It didn’t matter. He was left on the floor, his broken legs a mangled mess partially hidden beneath the metal bunk attached to the wall. Captain Bernard Bernhard wasn’t going anywhere. His body was covered in blood, but his face was still intact. There was tradition behind that, Alanna knew. Tundrans and Sarayans both knew to leave the faces untouched. So that they could be recognized. So that friends, family and loved ones, all who knew that face, would know what was done, and to whom. It was important to put a face to the pain. And his eyes were there, the same familiar eyes she had seen all those years ago.

  “Captain Bernhard.” She said, sitting down on the floor across from him.

  “Whore.” He spit out, glaring up at her from his position on the floor.

  Alanna nodded. That was, of course, to be expected. “Hey Tony?” She called out, smiling when he was there before she finished saying those two short words. “Help Captain Bernhard sit up, will you? I want us to talk face to face.”

  There was no better backup than Tony Sicaro. He played his role perfectly, propping Bernard up against the wall. There was no intent to cause pain, but any movement to those broken, mangled legs and flesh would be excruciating. Without a word, Tony nodded to Alanna, and left the cell.

  “I was where you were.” Alanna offered quietly. “Just a little while ago. In a cell just like this one.”

  “Traitor.” Bernhard spit in her general direction. And then, through the haze of pain and futility, he finally saw her, in her Tundran uniform, with those lieutenant commander stripes on her sleeves. And then he laughed. The pain was excruciating, but it was worth it. Worth the pain for her to know what he thought of her. “And now you’re playing to their tune.” He said, his voice low and harsh.

  “So I am.” Alanna agreed. “Would you like to know why?”

  “I know why.” He whispered.

  “Oh, you do?” Alanna smiled. “Tell me.”

  “You have no loyalty, no home, no family. Used by everyone before you’re tossed aside to die. You are nothing. You will always be nothing.” He laughed again, laughed in sheer joy at being able to tell her what she needed to hear, one more time. There wasn’t much time left.

  Alanna nodded. “I can tell you a story.” She offered. “I can tell you a story, or we can bring the Tundrans back in. It’s up to you.”

  He glared at her, hatred so strong she could almost feel it, a force against her skin. But not as strong as hers. Alanna smiled. And waited. The silence stretched on. “You don’t want to ask?” She spread out her hands, signaling weakness. “That’s all right. I’ll tell you anyway. I want to. You see, he waited.” She smiled again, seeing the confusion in his eyes as he looked back at her. “I was a POW in a cell just like this one, and he waited.” In spite of herself, her smile softened, became more real. “He waited for me. Like no one ever had. And…”

  “And just like that, you betrayed everything.” Bernard said. “For a man who made the token effort of spending a few nights with you. Imagine how pathetically desperate he thought you were, to give everything up for that. Hell.” He looked her up and down, sitting slightly straighter in spite of the pain. “He may have even enjoyed it.”

  “I know you believe that.”

  “You believe it, too. Deep down. You know it as well as I do. You know they used you. Taking a station, my station. Oh yes, I’m sure you were worth his time.” He leaned forward. “They will toss you aside. The second you are no longer useful, they will toss you aside. And then you will be back here, just where I am. Because when someone looks like you, they don’t just kill. Oh no. That” he shook his head “that would be a waste.”

  “I know you believe it.” Alanna said again.

  “You don’t just believe it.” Bernard said, his intensity increasing. “You know. You know the truth. You will always know, until truth becomes reality.”

  Alanna shook her head, still smiling slightly. “I think he loves me.” She said. “I really do.”

  Bernard stared at her for one long moment, before leaning his head back against the wall, finally looking away from her. “You’re fucking with me. Even you are not that stupid.”

  Alanna grinned, green eyes flashing with satisfaction. “You got me.” She admitted.

  “Did you really think I would tell you what you need to know? Whore.” He shook his head, dismissively. “Maybe they’ll have you suck my cock next. Tell them I’ll be more cooperative after that. Go on. Tell your new masters. See what they say.”

  “Bernard.” Alanna said, eyes wide and guileless. “If you truly believe the Tundrans are using me, then tell me why the station is here. Tell me what needs to be done to finish the job. Don’t you believe it?”

  “Of course I believe it. So do you.”

  “Then tell me.” Alanna said. “Because you, of all people, know just how vicious I can be.”

  “It was you.” He whispered.

  “Oh yes, it was me.”

  “Eight dead.”

  “I missed one.” Alanna said. “And you know how rarely I miss, Bernard. I won’t miss this time.” And then, very slowly, her smile got even bigger. “After all, I’m not you.”

  “I didn’t miss!” He shouted, straining his hoarse voice to the breaking point.

  “You did.” Alann laughed in his face. “A flesh wound. A flesh wound, Bernard. How pathetic. I’ll be fully healed in a day. While you, well, if you’re very unfortunate, you might still be here in a day.”

  “Listen.” He shook his head. “Just for a minute, whatever else happens, listen to me you crazy bitch. There is something on that station. There was something on that station! I never missed! I don’t miss. Something stopped me from making that shot. Something stopped me from… from…”

  “From what?”

  “From what I was meant to do.”

  “What were you meant to do?”

  “To end the war! To end your existence, to end everything, everything you will ever fight for, everything you could ever be. You chose the wrong side, whore. We are coming for you, and we will destroy it all. Not even my death will stop it. Nothing will stop it. Saraya will have her revenge.”

  “And if the Tundrans betray me? If they use me and throw me away, as you know they will? Will you give me my chance at revenge? Tell me how.”

  Bernard just stared at her.

  “If they toss me aside, I’ll do it.” She whispered. “I won’t tolerate betrayal. I’ll watch them all burn. You and me, Bernard. Who knows, maybe you’ll live long enough to see it.”

  “No.” He shook his head, the rage spent. “You won’t. You will serve your masters well, until they toss you aside. That’s all you are. That’s all you ever were. Look at you. That’s what you were made for.”

  Alanna turned as a shadow came across her peripheral vision. “Our turn.” Tony said shortly, holding out his hand to help her off the floor.

  Alanna hesitated. But looking into Bernard’s eyes, she knew Tony was right. There was nothing more she could do.

  “Get your ginger tea, Summers.” Gregory said as his hover chair came closer. “We’re bringing out the blow torch.”

  “They don’t have a pike, but I heard we can use a pipe.” Danil said, his voice surprisingly strong, his eyes bright with anticipation.

  “We.” Alanna said. “We don’t have a pike.” Turning around without a backwards glance, she walked away.

  ---

  Megalodon city, Officer of the President, Standard Year 404 after founding

  Samantha Hawk walked out of her car, flanked by six members of the Tundran Secret Service, their cold eyes scanning the crowd of journalists as she made her way towards the restricted section of the Office of the President. Pausing briefly, she smiled her cool, confident smile, giving the photographers their moment before heading on inside. The heavily shielded doors closed behind her as she walked on. She didn’t visit her husband at his office often, but she knew the way. No one in their right mind would have stopped her.

  The secretary was already there, waiting for her. Without a word, he stood up to hold the door open for her as she walked in, leaving the six members of the Tundran Secret Service waiting in the comfortably appointed lobby.

  “He’s engaged.” Samantha repeated as she walked in, seamlessly continuing the conversation they had begun over the phone. And then, to Jim Hawk’s surprise, she came up and hugged him. “Finally.” She said with a laugh. “Let’s just hope it sticks this time.”

  “You don’t mind?” He asked, somewhat cautiously.

  “Mind? For god’s sake Jim, the man is nearly thirty. At his current rate of progress, he’ll die before…” Samantha Hawk paused, taking a step back to look at her husband’s face. “Jim.” She said searchingly, looking her husband in the eye. “Is there anything you need to tell me?”

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  “I’ll make you some tea.” Jim Hawk turned around, walking away briefly. “You read her file?” He asked as he walked back, steaming cup in hand.

  “Of course. And long before James announced the engagement. His interest was obvious, although I never imagined…” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “I was surprised, that he would do this so quickly, without speaking with us. Did he ever mention it to you?”

  “Ah, not as such, no.”

  “Jim.”

  “Yes, Sam?”

  “Is there anything you need to tell me?” Samantha Hawk repeated.

  Jim Hawk sighed, and embraced reality. “Lieutenant commander Summers is on Titan, on a mission for the Tundran military. She’s serving on Captain Arden’s ship. And she’s done well. We will have some good news to share with the press.” The blinding smile of approval on his wife’s face left him intensely relieved, that he had chosen to heed Robert’s advice.

  “Have I told you recently, how amazing you are?” Samantha asked.

  “I wouldn’t mind hearing it again.”

  She laughed. “Jim, you are amazing, truly. Is it enough?”

  “Is it enough to erase the stain of her being a Sarayan who served on Titan? On the wrong side?” Jim Hawk asked. “What do you think?”

  “It’s enough for me.”

  “Is it really?”

  “If she’s loyal? Of course. What does Tanya say?”

  “Tanya likes her.” Jim Hawk admitted. “She will offer her a place on the Gray Serpent.”

  Samantha’s eyes narrowed slightly. “To get her away from James.”

  “Yes.”

  “I see. It is, of course, entirely her choice.”

  “Yes.”

  “Her reputation must be repaired, regardless.” Samantha continued, laser focused. “Her association with the Hawks is a matter of public record, it cannot be erased.”

  “Agreed. Repairing Alanna’s reputation is paramount. I have spoken to Tanya on this point as well. We must all stay on message. She is not a traitor, Saraya renounced her before she renounced them. She is a capable commander. Her victories on Titan will forever be a testament to that.”

  “Her victories?” Samantha asked curiously.

  “Yes. She led the forty three.”

  “The ones that took the Tundran ship. On Titan.” Sam smiled. And then she laughed. Yes, Alanna Summers was exactly her son’s type. “And this time?” She asked.

  “We took the Sarayan station on Titan. Not a single Tundran life was lost.”

  “Her victories.” Samantha repeated. “And the third? There must always be a third, Jim.”

  “She got the civilian miners of D12 home, alive. Arguably, the surrender was a means to an end.”

  “A rather complicated concept.”

  “If she must have a third victory, that is the only one she has.”

  “Is it?”

  “She sat on D12 for years without doing a whole lot, as far as I can tell.” Jim Hawk shrugged dismissively.

  “She won over James.” Samantha said gently. “The greatest victory of all.”

  Jim Hawk paused, considering. “We are not entirely objective.” He noted.

  “You will find Tundra agrees with me.”

  Jim considered. “Not a traitor, two victories on Titan, and my son.”

  “That’s the message.”

  “And her loyalty? How do we convince people of that?”

  “Loyalty is given and earned over time. Nothing but time will heal that wound.”

  “Very well.” Jim Hawk agreed. “I will let the others know.”

  “You don’t approve.” Samantha noted, watching her husband closely.

  “I hate it.” He said bluntly. “I despise everything about this, everything about her.” He paused, before he could say more. His office was swept for listening devices every morning. But one never knew. The safest path was to simply say nothing. So, he left the words unsaid, knowing his wife would understand. Alanna Summers was a traitor. She would always be a traitor. And it was very likely she would destroy his son’s life.

  “You will not harm her.” Samantha Hawk said, her steely gray eyes turning cold.

  “I will not harm her.” Jim Hawk agreed.

  “Very good.” Samantha got up, dusting off her skirt with a graceful gesture. “We can speak more when you get home.” She was on her way towards the door when she paused, turning around. “I wondered, how did she earn her promotion?”

  “What?” Jim Hawk asked, his eyes sliding away from his wife’s sharp gaze.

  “Her promotion. She was a Sarayan lieutenant. She is now a Tundran lieutenant commander. And you don’t hand out promotions lightly. Surely, it wasn’t for her accomplishments on D12. Should we not mention the victory that led to her promotion?”

  “That’s classified.”

  ---

  The doctor made her more ginger tea and released her. Cup still in hand, Alanna limped stiffly back to her bunk. Picking up the civilian clothes Clara brought for her, what seemed like ages ago, she limped over to the communal showers, nodding to one of the female crew members as she passed by. The woman nodded back at her. And then she winked, giving her a thumbs up. Alanna frowned in confusion. Was this all because of their victory on Titan? It struck her as odd. But then, she didn’t really understand Tundrans. Perhaps she never would. Leaving her clothes within line of sight, even though she risked getting them somewhat damp from the spray, Alanna turned on the glorious Tundran shower and let it wash the smell of pain, fear, and disgust off her skin. What was in her head could not be washed off. It would be there forever. But every little bit helped. A long while later, she put on her slightly damp civilian clothing and walked back out. All she wanted was to curl up in her bed and shut out the world. For as long as possible.

  “Lieutenant commander.” The captain’s distinct voice came from behind her, causing Alanna to start in surprise. “I’m having dinner in my quarters shortly. Please join me.”

  Alanna cocked her head, somewhat confused by that please, as well as the invitation to the captain’s private quarters. “Yes, captain.” She said automatically.

  “I would appreciate it if you continued to wear your uniform, Alanna. It’s important. For all of us.” The captain added, her tone once again surprisingly soft.

  “Yes, captain.” Alanna repeated, watching Tanya Arden walk away. If she was perfectly honest with herself, she rather wished Tony was still around, to act as a buffer between her and the captain. But presumably, Tony was still busy. Changing back into her uniform, she reluctantly asked for directions to the Captain’s quarters and knocked on the door, hesitant and unsure of what to expect.

  “Come in.” The captain called out, smiling warmly at Alanna as she walked in.

  Once again, Alanna found the response odd. Did one victory mean so much to these people? Were her actions on Titan truly enough to erase all her sins? Why was everyone suddenly being so very warm and welcoming? She glanced around cautiously. The table and chairs were reminiscent of what she had seen in James’s quarters, that first day she spent on the Black Hawk. The layout was the same, and the furniture was similar. But there the similarities ended. While James’s quarters had been impersonal and austere, Captain Arden’s quarters were clearly lived in, comfortable. Soft velvet cushions lay on both chairs. A silvery blue quilt covered the bed, glittering like snow in the soft light. Just like the captain’s office, there were pictures of her family, the smiles of her husband and children glowing with warmth. Alanna sat on the edge of the chair, uncertain and uncomfortable in the unfamiliar surroundings.

  “Please eat.” The captain gestured at the food in front of them, real food this time. After the briefest of pauses, Alanna dug in, realizing that she was absolutely starved. It was another dish of fish, mushrooms and rice, this one in a delicate sauce of tomatoes and spices that exploded on her tongue. It was absolutely delicious. Uncharacteristically, Alanna focused on her food, devouring everything on her plate while the captain waited patiently.

  “I will see if we can get you some more.” Captain Arden said when Alanna finished every last crumb on her plate. “How are you feeling?”

  “I feel great.” Alanna said, sitting back in her chair.

  “Good. And thank you again for your help, with Captain Bernhard. You were able to get more out of him than anyone else.”

  “You saw the recording?” Alanna asked, trying to keep her tone neutral.

  “I did.”

  “I suppose it’s going to the president, as well.” Alanna said, without much enthusiasm.

  “Under the circumstances? Yes. Do you think he was telling the truth?”

  “About what?”

  A look of bemusement crossed the captain’s face momentarily. “About the death and destruction of Tundra. I think you will find that to be the main area of focus.”

  “I think he believed it.”

  “The Sarayan station orbiting Titan was there to do… something. Something that would cause death and destruction on Tundra.” Captain Arden said, her eyes sliding over to the wall of photographs over her bed. Six children, two of them married, four grandchildren, and two more on the way. All carving out their precarious existence on an icy planet where humans were never meant to tread. The end of everything, Bernard had said. His words strongly implying, that the threat was not yet gone. “There is something on that planet.” She said quietly. “Something on Titan, that is a threat to all of us.”

  “They didn’t need explosives on the station.” Alanna said quietly, staring at her empty plate. “There’s something on the planet itself. You have to keep Sarayans away from Titan.” She said, looking up at the captain with renewed intensity. “Place sensors all around the planet. Leave your ships. Keep them away. Keep them away at all costs.”

  Captain Arden nodded, smiling slightly at the “them” that came out so naturally. “We will of course try.” She agreed.

  Alanna stared at her empty plate as her mind raced. “They were going to send a signal.” She said slowly. “That’s how Bernard jammed our comms. Not just long distance, but short distance comms. Tony and I stood right next to each other and yet the signal would not get through. Imagine the power that took. That station’s communications array had been modified to send stronger, more powerful signals. To send them… somewhere.”

  “Somewhere on Titan?” Captain Arden asked.

  “Probably. There’s nothing else here. But it’s not just this station.” Alanna continued, her carefully negotiated right not to disclose classified military information long forgotten. “Captain Mace, on D12, did something unusual with communications as well. He sent out a signal using morse code. And it got through. The Black Hawk was jamming our signals, but the morse code got through. No audio, or video, of course, but short and long bursts, such a simple way to communicate. The message went through by brute power and force.”

  “Other Sarayan stations and ships may have the capability to do – whatever it was Bernard was there to do.” Captain Arden said.

  “Yes.” Alanna agreed, swallowing her fear. Bernard would soon be dead. But his legacy would live on inside her head, if nowhere else. There was something on Titan. And unless they found it, fear of it would haunt her until the day she died.

  “You’ve done well.” Captain Arden said, changing the subject smoothly. She had what she needed. She doubted Alanna knew any more than that.

  “Thank you.” Alanna said, her tone cautious. In her experience, praise from senior officers was rare. And even when given, it was only paving the way for something far, far worse.

  “No need to thank me. It was well earned. Alanna, I think you know that the end of your time on the Black Hawk, James Hawk provided you with his recommendation. For asylum. I want you to know, I have done the same. More than that, I would like to formally extend my commendation for your service and bravery in the line of duty. James Hawk’s motives were not entirely pure. Mine are. And if you want a place on my ship, on my crew, you have it.”

  Alanna stared at the captain, in complete shock. “You could have court martialed me.” She blurted out.

  “I know. But victory is all. Your results on this mission were admirable. You’ve earned the trust and respect of my crew. And I am not so prideful as to hold your independence against you. Not as long as you continue to win.”

  “I… I don’t know what to say.” Alanna looked at the captain in utter confusion. The turn of events was unforeseeable, incomprehensible.

  “No need to say anything, if you don’t wish to. The offer will be there for as long as you need it. I won’t make you decide today.” Captain Arden hesitated, her tone turning more delicate. “I don’t know your views on James Hawk. No one does, no one can. The situation is… complicated. But you should know, it is not only James Hawk standing between you and an order of execution. You have a place here, on my ship, that is entirely separate from him. Whatever choice you make, it should be your own.”

  “Thank you, captain.” Alanna said with utter sincerity. “Thank you.” She repeated. “And I can think about it?”

  “Of course. Take your time.” Tanya Arden smiled, her eyes once again falling to the photos of her husband, her children, her family.

  “And my loyalty?” Alanna asked suddenly, studying captain Arden closely. “Will you trust my loyalty? Or will you always question and wonder? Doubt me every time I go into Sarayan territory?”

  Tanya Arden sighed, nothing but kindness in her bright, confident blue eyes. “Alanna, you are still so very young. You make friends and allies wherever you go. It may seem alien today but in time, whether it’s with James Hawk or someone else, you will make Tundra your home. You will have children. And when you see them, playing in the green moss in front of your apartment, swinging in the park, hiking among the mushrooms under the stars, no one will doubt your loyalty, least of all you.” And suddenly, unexpectedly, those kind blue eyes turned so cold, Alanna felt it in her very bones. “And if you see them come to harm, if you see them die, you will find those Sarayan lives mean less than nothing. And you will watch every one of them burn and turn to ash, for what they have done.”