Episode 66

                                    

                                          

Salex
"You're leaving? Right now?" The shaking in my mate's voice was painfully evident as she clutched Kait's hands in her own. The two females were standing so close their bellies nearly touched. 
"We will be back before you know it. I'm not having this baby on my ex's ship," Kait said, forcing a laugh. She looked back at my lieutenant, "It sounds like we should be able to catch up with Shar and the Bessula in a day or two. We both have to be present to dissolve the marriage agreement. Then we will be back."
"I don't like this," I said under my breath, knowing Adra could hear me, "We don't know where this male stands."
"The Makharn worship females, and are nearly as bad of shape as the Trenzians based on female to male birth rates, and that's when they have young at all. Besides," Adra's voice turned rough, "If he touches what is mine..."
I nearly rolled my eyes. Was this how I was all the time? No wonder Hillary had to give me the occasional poke in the ribs. It was a lot to take watching Adra and Kait. I guess I understood it better now. I would be sure to tell Hillary later. Not that I planned on changing, but that I understood those fucking painful pokes. 
"I understand Adra, but I please, don't start any wars while we are still waiting on our younglings," I hesitated considering, "Or after really, I think our hands are well and truly full right now."
"Noted, Commander."
The two females shared a brief hug, their words falling together in a hum of promises and assurances. While I was worried as well, there was a strange comfort in my female's new friendship. A relationship outside of with me was important, especially if I wanted her happy with me. 
When Adra and Kait finally split off, heading to grab the last of their belongings before boarding the small travel vessel they were taking to meet the Makhran ship. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, tucking her in close as we meandered back down to the bridge. My shift on bridge was over but Ghantlan's message was blinking on my communicator, a silent indicator that I was needed there. 
Expecting a decision awaiting me, I was shocked to see Ghantlan coming down the hall, his long legs carrying him quickly towards Hillary and myself. 
"Ghantlan," Hillary murmured, a smile brightening her face, "How are you?"
"I'm good," Ghantlan leaned in, brushing his cheek over Hillary's before quickly pulling back, his eyes downcast in a soft submissive move towards me. My chest filled with air, but I didn't comment on his greeting to my mate. The bite on her neck clearly helped but I did not fear this males affection towards her. After reading more research from ORen's people, I suspected that Ghantlan was nearly as rare on Trenzia as the omegas were. A Trenzian beta male. 
I hadn't had a chance to talk to him yet, but my suspicions grew with every day. 
A beta male would never contest a male outside of their partnership or family unit. Hence, he would never risk his friendship with my mate. Just like with Kait, I wanted to support this relationship, not ruin it. 
"Is there somewhere we can talk?" Ghantlan said, soft enough the crewmembers passing by in the wide hall would not hear. "Privately."
Taking a quick survey of where we were, I moved to a darkened door a few steps back from the bridge. Swiping my communicator over it, I stepped into the storage room where our uniforms and soft goods were all stored. Ghantlan and Hillary followed, both looking around the room, which was roughly half the size of a Trenzian bunk room. All three of us made it a tight fit, but no one complained. All eyes were on Ghantlan. 
"What is it?"
"I received a notice from Oren, a message that was heavily coded,' Ghantlan shifted, "At first I thought it was a mistake, or a glitch in the system. But something didn't seem right. No one responded when I requested clarification."
Hillary tilted her head, moving over so she could lean against the front of my body. I reached around her, cupping the heavy weight of her belly and lifting it, freeing her delicate frame of the weight of my youngling for a short minute. 
Hillary sighed in gratitude. "You mean Oren? Or anyone on his ship?"
"I mean no one."
"That's not right," I said, "There should be at least two others with him."
Ghantlan nodded, "Exactly what I thought, so I went back to the message. I tried using various codes, a few older languages the Prime's typically know. Nothing." He held up the tablet he was holding, on the bright screen there were long, scrawling letters moved and crossed out on the page. "Not until I merely took the first letters of each of the words. I put them together and Commander...." 
"What?"
"It's not good."
Slowly, Ghantlan held out the tablet to me. I took it, a twist in my belly as I held it to the side, releasing one side of Hillary's belly. 
There were only four words now. The cumulation of Ghantlan's work. 
"The Prime is dead," I read slowly, my heartrate already doubling in my chest. 
Hillary's frame shuddered, "Oren? Oren is dead!"
I tightened my hold on her, "No, little one, Oren is fine. Not a Prime. The Prime." I met Ghantlan's stoney gaze over my mate's head. "The Alpha has been killed, a new Prime will rise to power."
***
Authors note: Chaos is coming!