"My mother and I came from a land of slave-owners, and I grew up in this galaxy where Koln slavery was an accepted part of life, so it never occurred to me to question the order of the world. I admit I was one of those shallow people who don't care about issues unless it personally affects them.”“The moment I laid eyes on my mate, I was certain I was in love, blinded by the stars in my eyes. He was handsome and sophisticated and an important man. I fancied myself fortunate.” She fell silent for a moment and reached forward to stir the stew before she continued with her tale. She tapped the spoon on the side of the pot and laid it atop the lid. “The infatuation died swiftly. I don’t think he ever loved me, either. We were too different but I really thought he was at least fond of me.”“It took a while for me to get pregnant but I had fun with all the attention I received. Those sycophants treated me well for who my husband was.

“Laurel and the children are perfectly safe,” Logan told her. He had told her the same thing last night, but Ellis needed to hear it again. She needed to slowly believe that all of this was real and they were alive and well. “Leo was wounded but not severely.”"I think I'll wound him myself when I see him," Logan said with a little growl."Why, what did he do?" Ellis asked. Knowing that he was safe, whatever outrageous thing he had done didn’t have any adverse consequences."He apparently thought we meant it literally when we told him to lead the troops. He was in front of every charge and it's only by the mercy of the Goddess that the damn fool wasn't killed." Logan shook his head in disbelief.“Hah!” Ellis snorted. "This from the man who rushed out to fight on the day that Zothea was attacked?" Ellis said to Logan. He gave her a wry glance and popped another piece of meat into her mouth."That's different

Surn was mostly covered by water, a blue planet wrapped in a garland of pearly-white clouds. What little land there was dotted the water’s surface, small, irregularly-shaped islands. Ellis watched through the tiny porthole as the planet got closer, seeming to swell until it blocked the sight of everything else.Beside her, Logan was asleep, his head pillowed on her lap, his tail firmly wrapped around her leg. She tried to remain as still as possible because every time she moved, his eyes would fly open.His wounds were healed courtesy of a doctor they had met in the city before heading to the spaceport. Mary had wrapped his wounds in cloth bandages after applying a layer of sticky tree sap that stopped the bleeding and would prevent infection.She had refused to come with them, though they promised her protection from her mate and a home of her own on Zothea. "This is my home," she said. "And here I'll stay." She had also refused the gifts of money that th

“Ellis…” Logan patted her cheeks. “Please, Ellis. Please wake up!”"I am, I am," she said woozily, trying to pry her lids open. The sight of his face jolted her into instant wakefulness. "What is it? What's wrong?""I couldn't wake you," he rasped. He stroked the tears from her cheeks. The poor man ... she must have been crying and babbling like a lunatic."I'm sorry," said Ellis. "I'm sorry I scared you. I'm sorry for many things."“You have no reason to be sorry,” he swore.“I do. I've neglected you and I've neglected the Empire.""Your heart aches," he said loyally, defending her even against herself.“As does yours,” Ellis replied. “And I have been so wrapped up in my own grief that I didn’t pay attention to you or yours.”He buried his face in her neck. “The doctor came by today… I don’t think you noticed. He said that he coul

"Captain, you have a call from the Admiral," said the communications officer. "He says it's urgent and delicate, ma’am."“Send it to my room,” Christine responded curtly. “I will speak with him there.”“Understood,” the communications officer nodded.She got up from her chair on the bridge of the star ship. She nodded to her first officer to tell him she was leaving. He barely acknowledged her, but then again, he never did.She knew he was bitter about being passed over for the command of his own ship and under her leadership. Striding across the bridge, she used her thumb to open the door of her room, the office just off the bridge.Walking a little slower, she sat down at her desk and turned on the terminal. The waiting communiqué was blinking on the screen. Pressing the screen, she saw the face of her father appear. "Admiral?" she asked."I just received your report on the last mission we s