15. Tan

15

Tan

I stand at the head of the ship's conference room, my temper simmering as I survey the assembled officers. Someone has leaked the data about the Kohath communication. If I were as brutal as my enemies, I would have had every one of the communication techs tortured until one told me what I needed to know. But I am not a monster. I have control of my worst urges.

Besides, it would not help.

The rumors of a message from the Kohath to human space have swept through the Starshadow over the night shift like fire over dry leaves, and now doubt hangs like smoke in the air of whispered conversations .

Thankfully, nothing has sparked beyond words. And the Masg guard I have assigned to Skylar will protect her from anyone daring to speak their doubts aloud. Or worse, taking things into their own hands to ‘protect' the ship.

It is, in part, why the meeting is closed, and my officers, most of whom should be sleeping, have gathered here instead.

"There will be no formal announcement, yet," I begin. "We only have suspicions, not evidence, that they sent this message to humans at all. And if so, that doesn't mean it has a thing to do with Skylar Zavien."

"Raiva," Quayl cuts in. "We cannot just assume it is a coincidence, no matter how… fond you have become of the female. The Kohath are not known for idle chatter."

A muscle in my jaw twitches. It is taking every ounce of self-control not to let my wings flare wide in a show of aggression. "And what exactly are you implying, Subcommander?" I keep my tone low, but I can't hide the threat in it .

Quayl turns his gaze toward me. "I am implying, Raiva, that we should not be so quick to trust this human. It's possible she is here under false pretenses. The Kohath might use her to gain intelligence, or worse."

My hands grip the edge of the table, my knuckles turning white. "Skylar Zavien has done nothing to warrant such suspicion. She is under my protection."

Ano shifts, his eyes darting between us, uncomfortable with the rising tension. The rest of the officers maintain a respectful silence, though I can see the doubt flickering in some of their eyes.

"And are you certain," Quayl presses on, his voice dangerously calm, "that your protection of her is not clouded by… personal interests? Your emotions may be… compromising your judgment."

My vision narrows. "Ehan Subcommander." His rank rolls from my lips with lethal precision. "You will not question my decisions. If you doubt my capacity to command, you are welcome to challenge me."

A murmur of surprise ripples through the room, and even Ano tightens his grip on the hilt of his ceremonial blade. Quayl's eyes flicker, and though his expression remains calm, concerned, I scent something like glee on him.

"Of course, Raiva," Quayl says, his tone smooth. "But for the sake of the crew's safety, I must insist that the human undergo a full scan. Just to be certain she is what she claims to be."

"They scanned her when she had her concussion."

"That was a basic scan. To determine if one is Gice Kohath, we must perform a more thorough examination."

I understand the examination he speaks of, and to know for sure she is not a flesh shifter, she will need to be brought to the brink of death. I will not kill my mate. I say, "Our standard scan will suffice."

"When we have existing biometric data," Quayl says. "We have not interacted with a human in five generations, and our records are tuned to the norm of the species, not to Skylar as an individual. We could have missed something. "

"She is not Kohath." I would know. I have shared breath with her. Shared pleasure and seed. The thought of her being one of those insectoid monsters makes my bones ache and my wings tighten against my spine. My fingers clench. "We do not make a habit of killing our guests."

"For less than ten breaths. We can easily resuscitate her. But this test is a precaution we cannot afford to ignore."

"I cannot impose this on her." I could, but I would not. It would be a breach of trust and shatter the bond forming between us. One that was more precious to me than my own life.

"And until she agrees, we should relocate her to secure quarters. The brig, perhaps."

My wings threaten to emerge as my anger peaks, but I rein them back, my voice a low growl. "Skylar stays where she is. I can handle her."

Quayl's face hardens. "You are risking the lives of everyone on this ship by letting your attachment to her cloud your judgment. If—"

My temper snaps, and I slam a hand against the table, rising from my chair. "Do not question my judgement, Subcommander."

Ano steps forward. "Let me remind you, Quayl," he says, and there's a challenge in his tone, a tension in his posture. "Our Raiva has never failed us. Remember that it was he who kept the Kohath from our doors after the Victory Massacre. He deserves our faith."

Quayl stands, his wings rising. "These are not my questions, Ano. These are the concerns of our crew." His wings flare, and his claws click as his hands grip the edges of the table. "Surely, as their leader, Raiva, it is your duty to ensure their safety. We must do everything in our power to make sure no harm comes to this ship."

"And there won't!" For a moment, all I want is to taste his blood in my teeth. For challenging me. For threatening my mate.

Control.

I must maintain my control. If I slip, I will not deserve my crew's faith. And how well can I trust my judgment when it comes to Skylar Zavien? She has, in such a short time, become the center of my universe. I cannot believe everything we've shared, everything I feel for her is a lie, but could I be so blinded by desire I would allow a monster aboard my ship?

No.

A scan would clear Skylar's name. It would show she is not Gice Kohath and thus cannot be a threat to our ship or crew.

"Very well," I say, every word a struggle. "I will speak to her about the scan. And if she agrees, we will perform it, though it is unnecessary. I can vouch for her character."

"The Kohath have deceived us in the past. Can we risk allowing them to do so again? She could be here under the guise of a hostage and secretly waiting to deliver us all to the enemy."

"Your suspicions are unfounded," I say. "The scans will prove her innocence."

"Then we are decided. For the safety of this ship and its crew, we will subject the human, Skylar Zavien, to a scan."

"Should she agree," I state again, though I recognize Quayl has outmaneuvered me. And perhaps I wanted to be. I know the scan will clear her. And if I am wrong… then I am not worthy of the title of Raiva. And I know, in both my hearts, even if she is a traitor, I will choose her. She is my bokdazi, whether or not we have completed the bond.