Chapter 5
Back on the destroyer, Kila stalked through the corridors, trying to walk off his emotions. Fortunately for his crew, most were off the ship and still enjoying shore leave. The halls were close to empty. The few who walked them gave their captain a wide berth, recognizing his foul mood in the savage smile he wore. They bowed and hurried on without saying a word.
They were wise to keep their distance. Kila’s anger was all for himself, but he would have enjoyed taking his temper out on someone else. He’d fucked up and needed someone or something to punch. Desperately.
If he’d been smart, he’d be enjoying Piras’s beautiful ass right now. Ah, that sweet, warm ass. A snug ass to sink his cock into. An exceptionally willing ass, one that would welcome any kind of play he would care to introduce it to. But no, he’d mentioned the man’s ex-lover and gotten himself thrown out instead.
Kila believed in thinking positive. He tried his best to turn bad situations around, to see the benefit in even the darkest occurrence. Even now his mind was turning over what had happened, attempting to mine gold in the mountain full of shit his big mouth had created.
For one thing, he now had important information. Piras was not over that other Nobek. Kila had asked if there was baggage, and the ex-lover certainly qualified. The raw pain and anger Piras had exhibited when Kila spoke Lidon’s name had been an eye-opener. In that moment, the same man who freaked out over the mere idea of killing others had been damned near capable of murdering Kila.
That left the question, what was Kila going to do about it?
If he had any sense, he’d give up any idea of forging a relationship with Piras. Someone that hung up on the past could not offer any future. Only a fool would pursue someone who’d already given his heart away.
Yet Piras held an absurd amount of fascination for Kila.
As much as most fleet personnel dreaded having to face the admiral, he inspired them to do their best at their duties.
When Kila and his crew had learned the fleet’s toughest admiral would be using their destroyer as his flagship in the war against Earth, they’d driven themselves to the breaking point to get ready.
Kila hadn’t been forced to schedule drills; Piras’s reputation compelled the staff to take that duty upon themselves.
No mistake was made that the man who committed it didn’t punish himself a hundred times over.
The crew had held themselves to an impossible standard.
By the time Piras had come on board, they’d made themselves damned near flawless in the effort to impress him.
Impress him, they had.
Not that he was a man to heap on the accolades.
It was the absence of tirades and insults, coupled with occasional grunts of appreciation that told Kila’s crew they’d excelled.
The rare and grudging, “Well done,”
from the admiral was gloated over like a priceless treasure from any man who earned it.
Then after the war, Piras had sealed the crew’s accomplishments by ordering a commendation for every last man.
He’d personally presented those awards to each individual.
No award was more prized.
For Kila, watching Piras carry out strategic tactics had been the beginning of an admiration that grew into more.
The admiral was careful in gathering information on the enemy.
No action was planned that wasn’t judiciously weighed and all options considered.
Once a plan was decided upon, Piras could not be deterred from acting on it.
His focus was that of a surgical laser, pinpoint and unwavering.
He was not distracted by emotion when it came to accomplishing an objective that would give his side the advantage.
Yes, he brooded over casualty lists and saw to the care of those hurt, whether friend or foe…but he still did his duty as called upon. In his element of command, Dramok Piras was all the leader a man of the fleet could ask for.
Even after the war, when Piras resumed to his duties at Fleet Command, Kila sought him out.
Each time a deployment ended and the Nobek returned to Kalquor, he found a reason to stop by the admiral’s office.
Piras hadn’t discouraged him either.
He seemed to enjoy hearing about Kila’s travels and was always willing to give advice when asked for it.
Kila started timing his stops at the end of the workday, when it didn’t seem out of place to continue their conversations over drinks and dinner.
However, getting Piras beyond that point had been a struggle.
Invitations to Kila’s quarters, whether on the orbiting ship or at an inn, were politely refused.
Kila had been confused since their relationship had warmed to the point so that they talked like old friends.
When he asked Piras in frustration why they couldn’t explore something more, he’d expected something stupid, like drawing a line between upper and lower ranks.
Instead, Piras had ducked his head and refused to meet Kila’s gaze in a most un-Dramok-like manner.
“You wouldn’t enjoy being with me.”
He refused to say anything more about it.
By the end of Kila’s last visit to Kalquor, he’d felt sure his attraction to Piras was more than simple affection. Yet the Dramok had steadfastly refused to let him get any closer than their casual friendship. So on his last night, Kila had gone the way of desperation: he got Piras drunk enough to finally say yes.
In the months since that night, Kila had grappled with what had happened in Piras’s sleeping room. How the elegantly lithe man had stood naked before him and said, “I won’t fight for dominance. I surrender to your wishes. You have control.”
It had been shocking, to say the least. Even Imdikos, that most caring and giving of breeds, didn’t often give themselves up to complete command without some resistance. They were alpha in their own way.
But not hardcore dominating. Not like Dramoks. Yet it was a Dramok offering himself for Kila’s sexual pleasure. The most demanding of Dramoks, to boot.
Though Kila had never experienced more intense orgasms than the ones he’d had with Piras, the night had been more surreal than satisfying.
Yes, Kila had taken the opportunity, enjoying Piras and the gift of submission.
Yet throughout the long and pleasurable night, he’d expected his lover to suddenly become the imposing, no-nonsense leader he was everywhere else.
When morning came and Kila had to rush back to his ship before pillow talk might have given him the clues to solve the puzzle, Piras was as pliant and giving as ever.
There had been no doubt the admiral had enjoyed their tryst either. His climaxes had been forceful and frequent.
Kila had spent the last months with his mind churning over that night and what Piras had been up to.
Whether it had been a way to chase Kila off or a real facet of the man, he grew more fascinating as time passed.
Kila had answered many questions tonight, but now there were even more to brood over.
The most important one was, did Piras still love Lidon? Was there no hope of him letting go of the man he’d spent sixteen years with?
Kila growled.
He did not like the ramifications of those questions.
He could accept Piras’s need to relinquish control when they fucked.
He even welcomed the opportunity to explore a relationship with such unheard-of…and to be honest, exciting…dynamics.
What he couldn’t deal with was fighting the memory of another man. Seeking Lidon out for a face-to-face brawl wouldn’t solve the matter. Should Piras prove worthwhile as a clanmate, it would mean a fight for a man’s heart. That was not the kind of battle Kila knew how to tackle. He was a Nobek, not an Imdiko.
Walking wasn’t clearing Kila’s head.
His thoughts swam around and around, churning inside his skull fit to give him a headache.
Only one thing had the chance to divert his attention, would allow him to let the problem rest so he could tackle it with a fresh perspective.
He headed for Engineering, his fingers twitching in response to the idea of playing with the destroyer’s engines.
Modifying the ship’s power and speed always gave him a sense of peace when nothing else would calm him.
In that, he tended to be more cerebral than most Nobeks, who preferred to bleed out angst by busting heads.
It wasn’t that Kila didn’t enjoy violence; he relished it as much as any of his breed.
But he had ambitions and the Dramoks who populated the higher tiers of Fleet Command tended to look down on arbitrary outbursts of aggression.
It was why so few Nobeks made it any higher than the rank of weapons commander.
Kila avoided that trap by jacking up his ship rather than pounding on subordinates and like-minded warriors.
The tension in his shoulders eased the instant he entered engineering.
A skeleton crew was on duty, and the two men he saw in the section were at the far end of the room.
Kila indulged in a lover’s smile as he looked over the components that made up the ship’s power center.
The hum of the engines soothed his nerves and eased his anger.
The bouquet of oils and ozone were a sweet perfume. The crowded but symmetrical layout of the destroyer’s heart felt more like home than anywhere he’d been. Kila even had his own office within engineering, a workspace he preferred to his official ready room.
He didn’t bother with that tiny cubicle. Instead, he went straight to the bank of podium-style computer stations in the middle of the machinery. Kila ignored the sound of someone moving about behind him, not wanting any interruption as he contemplated his lovely engines. He brought up the day’s diagnostics and maintenance notes and looked them over in hopes of finding something he could tweak.
He found something, all right. Kila’s fists clenched as he noted the work that had been done on his accelerators. The boosts had been downgraded.
That son of a bitch. That fucking chief engineer. I’ll mangle him.
Kila whirled around, looking for any underling he could scream at. He discovered someone standing several feet away behind him, watching him. Chief Engineer Asshole Lokmi himself.
The idiot didn’t have the good sense to fall over himself with the apologies that should be streaming from his lips. He didn’t even have the terrible sense to attempt a retreat. Instead he stood there stoic as a statue, watching Kila with mild interest. He did remember protocol enough to dip a respectful bow to his captain, but his gaze never wavered.
A sense of unwelcome respect stole over Kila, dulling the urge to rip Lokmi’s throat out. Instead, he growled, “You fucked with my engines.”
Lokmi’s brow rose. “I put my engines within acceptable parameters. Captain.”
Was the bastard actually amused at the situation? Kila would change that quick enough. He stalked towards him, all fearsome Nobek. Damn the man’s hide, the chief engineer watched him come with no change in expression. No hint he’d like to take to his heels to escape the coming doom.
Fine. Kila would be more than happy to teach the dual-breed to obey his captain, or he could follow his predecessors by getting the fuck off Kila’s ship.
“I gave you an order to leave my modifications alone. You disobeyed that order. You are subject to discipline, and I do not hold back with punishments.”
The vicious smile that struck such fear in the hearts of those more intelligent than Lokmi spread over Kila’s face. Maybe he didn’t indulge in random fights to bleed off his tensions, but Kila had no problem in meting out the painful penalties his commission allowed for.
Lokmi rewarded him with a slight flinch. Very slight, but it was there. Yet the Imdiko’s chin lifted in defiance, and he still gave no ground though Kila’s face was inches from his. “Article four-seven-point-two of fleet regulations: the chief engineer will use his expertise to maintain his craft’s integrity in non-emergency situations to the best of his abilities, even if commanded otherwise by his superior officer.”
“The last fool to quote regulations to me ended up with a mouthful of broken teeth.”
Yes, messing up Lokmi’s attractive face would be a nice start to the festivities.
“You may be the captain, but I have no problem with fighting back if I feel I’m in the right. And in this case, I am damned well right, sir.”
The man spoke in the forceful tones of a Dramok. For a split second, he even sounded like Piras – Piras the admiral, not Piras the lover. Lokmi’s eyes had taken on the cold, severe light of a leader expecting to be obeyed.
The respect Kila had felt turned into admiration. He might get his fight after all. The prospect of a knock-down-drag-out made him feel happy again.
Unfortunately, engineering was no place for it. Kila’s precious engines were well shielded from harm, but he’d never take chances with them. So instead of slamming Lokmi’s calm face with his fist, Kila instead ordered, “To my ready room, Chief. We are going to settle this right now so there is no question who gets to be right on my ship.”
Lokmi gave him a short bow. “As you command, Captain.”
Kila led him out, heading for the office off the bridge. The steady footsteps behind told him Lokmi followed, his pace unfaltering.
Did he really plan to fight back? The man had a reputation for fisticuffs and insubordination. It could be this was normal behavior for Lokmi. Or maybe it was as simple as he’d had a bad day too. Maybe he looked forward to a good round of combat as much as Kila.
The night was looking up. Kila’s body sang in anticipation of putting the fool who’d fucked with his engines in his place…first in a crumpled, bloody heap and then bent over his desk, taking a good old-fashioned anger fuck.
The moment they entered the ready room and the door shut behind them, the two men squared off. With only a large desk, a chair, and a few shelves, there was plenty of room to tussle. Nothing of importance would get damaged. Well, perhaps Lokmi’s pride and ass would suffer, but those things carried no consequence as far as the captain was concerned.
As they faced each other, Kila was delighted to see Lokmi had left his cool control behind in engineering. The dual-breed glowered at him from five feet away. Good. It was no fun kicking a coward’s ass.
To draw out the anticipation, Kila delayed by asking a pointless question. “Tell me why I shouldn’t beat the fuck out of you right here and now.”
“Six seconds.”
Kila blinked. Not because of Lokmi’s tight tone, which matched his expression so well. It was the bizarre answer that brought him up short. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“Look at the engine diagnostics again. At the changes I made. You still have that massive hit of acceleration you’ve got such a hard-on for. I merely cut it to six seconds.”
He hadn’t taken the entire boost offline? Kila had only noted the fact it had been changed, not what the specific alteration had been. He shoved away the instant of unsureness. “I don’t give a shit. I want all of it.”
“You have no reason for that much time spent in boost. While you’re verifying the diagnostics, check your record of the mechanism’s expenditure. Six seconds is two full seconds longer than you’ve ever used it.”
Was that true? Kila scowled to show Lokmi he wasn’t impressed even as he moved around his curved desk to access the computer. Within a moment, he had confirmation. The chief engineer had cut the duration of how long the boost could be used, but not taken it away entirely. Another confirmation: the longest Kila had ever engaged it was four seconds. Three point ninety-five seconds, to be exact.
Lokmi’s attitude remained wary, but he eased down. “That four seconds of power I took from your speed-demon setting? It’s now routed to creating a protective field over the pulse drive while boost is engaged. Now you won’t get blown up by a lucky enemy shot.”
Kila scowled. He’d looked forward to beating someone up. And then fucking that someone. His chance to do either had slipped away with the chief’s explanation.
He still had cause, technically speaking. Lokmi had gone against orders without explaining why he was doing so. Still, anyone with half a brain would know such minor disobedience was a shitty reason to enact discipline.
Kila had to admit the truth: Lokmi’s changes to the engines were far better than what had been in place. He’d improved the alterations Kila had made. Tearing the Imdiko apart would look too much like jealousy under the circumstances.
The chief engineer must have sensed his victory, because he pressed on. “You’ve got six seconds of crazy speed, more than what you needed against the situation you encountered seven months ago against that Bi’is hunter-killer.”
Kila glared at him. “Fine. The upgrade makes sense.”
“Try not to look so pleased with my initiative, Captain. You’re overwhelming me with the gratitude.”
“Fuck you, you smug shit.”
At least he got to verbally spar. It wasn’t enough.
“I’m sorry your pride has been damaged,”
Lokmi said in a lofty tone that grated on Kila’s nerves.
“Not at all. I’m pissed off because you took away the one good thing that might have turned a crappy night around. I really needed to kick someone’s ass.”
“Your night would have gotten worse had I beat the hell out of you instead.”
Kila burst into laughter. The situation had drifted into the absurd. “What a class-A fuck-over my life is. I’m stuck with an Imdiko who acts like a Dramok, and a Dramok who won’t behave like one. But why not? We’re at war with a group threatening to destroy the Empire if we don’t let them destroy the Empire! Why should anything make sense?”
Lokmi watched him, tension bleeding from him as Kila continued to guffaw. He looked confused, and he offered his captain an uncertain smile. “Am I to assume you approve of my changes to our precious engines then?”
Kila shook his head and fell back onto his chair, the last of the laughter dying off. “Fine, Chief. The next time you decide to defy me, at least do me the kindness of explaining it beforehand. That way I’m not disappointed over not getting to wear your ass out.”
He looked the engineer up and down without bothering to disguise his appreciation. Lokmi did have a most delightful physique. That made two missed opportunities in one night.
Damn.
It looked like yet another date with his hand was in order. Kila sighed and waved the other man away. “Dismissed.”
Lokmi bowed and headed toward the door. Before stepping out, he turned and grinned at Kila. “So it wasn’t only a fight I missed out on? Damn, Captain. I might have waited to tell you the truth had I known how the discipline would have ended up.”
He left with a wink and blatant leer.
Kila snickered again, shaking his head at the craziness of it all. He told the now-absent Imdiko, “You tempting bastard. Do me the favor of playing Dramok again and ignoring my orders. I’ll show you exactly what you missed until you scream for mercy. Then I’ll throw your smug hide off my ship.”