“I’m ready.”
Lhyn looked at her with a steady gaze that belied the turmoil of her emotions, and Tal respected her enough to pretend those emotions went unheard.
“Yes, you are,” she said. “You’re going to make quite a statement in those clothes.”
“A statement is all I have left to make. So it had better be a good one, right?”
Lhyn’s well-worn Gaian clothing was in a heap on the floor, and she was now dressed head to toe in formal wear suitable for a scholar attending a diplomatic function. The high-collared white shirt had bluestone buttons down the left side of the throat, complementing the dark blue vest that had arrived in a gift box from Lanaril. As Tal now knew, Lhyn had a special love for that silver embroidered molwyn design. The tree started just above the vest’s hem and extended up to her shoulders, its branches merging with the silver chain and clasp that held her matching half-cape. The entirety of the cape was covered with the same design, making for a striking look both front and back. The lighter blue pants had been tailored to fit her, and fell perfectly over shining low boots. With her hair up in a formal twist, she could have been mistaken for an Alsean from a distance.
“It will be,” Tal assured her, and held a hand toward the door. “Shall we?”
Lhyn swept past, clasping and briefly squeezing her hand as she went by. In the corridor, Micah, Gehrain, and ten more Guards formed a phalanx around them. Tal didn’t know what to expect when they met Captain Serrado, but she was making sure Lhyn could not be forced into anything.
They exited by the side door nearest the Gaian shuttle, where the Caphenon’s crew already waited, along with the High Council, Lanaril, Colonels Razine and Northcliff, and all of the base’s off-duty Guards who could fit themselves in the area. No matter how uncertain their future might be, no one wanted to miss the chance to see the alien shuttle depart.
Captain Serrado’s impatient worry was easily discernible even through all of the other Gaians’ emotions, as was her relief when she spotted Lhyn in Tal’s group. Then she saw the clothes and the protective, fully armed Guards, and for just a moment her face showed her horrified realization. A piptick later she wrestled herself under control and strode over.
“What is the meaning of this?” she demanded.
“I’m not going,” Lhyn said.
“You’re what?” Commander Baldassar had followed his captain. “Of course you’re coming.”
“No, I’m not. I’ve asked Lancer Tal for permission to stay, and she said yes.”
“Lancer Tal’s permission is not the one you need.” Serrado’s voice was as hard as her expression. “You need mine, and I don’t give it. Commander, get the others on board.”
He hesitated, then nodded at Tal and her group. “Thank you for everything,” he said. “I’m sorry it has to end this way.”
“As are we, Commander.” Tal extended her hand and touched his palm. “Safe journey.”
“And to you.” He turned and walked back to the crew. “All right, everyone, let’s get on board.”
“But we didn’t get to say good-bye,” Candini complained. Others grumbled, but Tal couldn’t make anything else out as the group turned and began walking up the ramp to their shuttle door. When she looked back at the captain, she found an icy glare trained on her.
“You of all people should know that I have to do this,” Serrado said furiously. “Last night you certainly pretended that you did. And you know I don’t want to. Punishing me for obeying orders is not what I’d expect from the Lancer of Alsea.”
“Ekatya, stop it.”
Tal put a calming hand on Lhyn’s shoulder. “I’m not punishing anyone, Captain. I know you’re not staying. But Lhyn is, and that’s her choice.”
Serrado stared at her hand, and Tal suspected that if they hadn’t been surrounded by half the Guards on the base, she might be flat on her back right now. But when the captain lifted her eyes, all of that anger was channeled on Lhyn.
“It is not your choice. I’m in charge of this mission and I do not give you permission to stay behind on a planet that will be under Voloth control in a few days.”
“I don’t need your permission. I’m not part of your mission, remember? I wasn’t even supposed to be on your ship.” Lhyn stepped forward, pushing herself into the captain’s personal space. “And if you don’t want this planet to be under Voloth control, then shekking well do something about it!”
“So you’re making yourself a hostage? How dare you! I have ten people over there that I’m still responsible for, and three bodies that Candini and Baldassar just collected from the healing center. I can’t stay here because I want to, or you want to. I have to get them off this planet. I don’t have a choice.”
“You always had a choice. You just refuse to make it. Get them off the planet and come back.”
“I can have you dragged onto that shuttle.”
Tal thought she was just angry enough to try it.
“For what offense? Saying no to you? I’m a citizen of Allendohan, and I’ve broken no Protectorate law. You can’t force me.”
Serrado looked at the warriors surrounding them and shook her head. “You came prepared, Lancer Tal. I have to give you credit, you chose your ground well.”
“It’s not a battle.”
“I don’t know which is worse, that you’d lie about it or that you might actually believe it. You know what this will mean for her. How can you let her do it?”
“Because she asked me to.”
“And I’m standing right here, so stop talking about me like I’m some Shipper-damned possession that you’re fighting over. I made a choice. It’s mine to make. You have a choice to make as well.” Lhyn’s voice softened. “Please, please listen to me. You don’t have to go, and you don’t have to blow up the Caphenon. Take the crew off-planet, get them safe, and come back to us. Be the difference. You could change the fate of an entire civilization. Isn’t that why you went into Fleet? To be part of something bigger, to do something that mattered? You will never in your life have another opportunity like this. There will never be anything that matters as much as what you do right now.”
“You think changing the fate of five civilizations counts for nothing? Or making some sort of peace with the Voloth? I am doing something that matters. It’s just not the thing you think matters most. But you’re not the one who gets to make that determination, and neither am I.” She took a step back. “I have to go. This is your last chance.”
Lhyn stepped back as well. “I wish it were different. But I’m doing what I have to.”
“So am I.”
“No, you’re not. You’re doing what you think you have to.”
“It’s the same thing, Lhyn.”
None of the onlookers moved or made a sound as the two women looked at each other. Then Captain Serrado shook her head, turned around, and walked onto the shuttle.
Lhyn looked after her in shock. “I can’t believe it. She didn’t even say good-bye.”
“She couldn’t,” Tal said. “She wanted to, but she couldn’t. It would have broken her control.”
The shuttle door closed as its engines fired.
“Damn you warriors and your control.” A tear slid down Lhyn’s cheek and she reached for Tal’s hand, grasping it tightly as she watched the shuttle rise and turn. It hovered in place for a moment, then moved off and picked up speed, heading toward the Caphenon.