The Captain's Heart CH 74 (Patreon)

[Show that Querik is leaving the ship, maybe as protection from the military. Querik is a mentalist. Which means he will pick up on

The high pitch shrill pierced his brain and brought an end to the hunt before he could close his jaws around the neck of the froathorathen and taste blood.

His hand searched, then closed around the collar. He had the earpiece in before pressing it to his throat and grumbled. “I’m off shift, so this better be about the ship seconds away from blowing up.”

“Wha?” Jeremy mumbled at his back.

“It might be as bad, Alpha.”

The use of the title was like claws in his chest. There were no reasons for it for internal trouble.

“Whas wron?” Jeremy sleep slurred, and he reached back to reassure him with a touch.

“Proceed,” he instructed, fully awake.

“The leadership is requesting to talk with you. When I pointed out you weren’t on duty, they ordered me to wake you.”

Not that the leadership ever cared for what schedule others were on. “Tell them I’m on my way. Shift them to my office before they can protest and have…Jurani manufacture comm trouble so they can’t contact you to complain.”

“What wrong?” Jeremy asked, also awake.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. The leadership needs to talk to me and I can’t tell them no.” Not if Toom’s warning of back room grumbling were true. And his friend’s contacts were rarely wrong. He wished they had had more information. “Go back to sleep.”

“You have any idea how hard that is without you?”

He nuzzled his Heart. “I’ll make sure to wake you in a way you’ll enjoy when I get back.” He suspected he’d have plenty of frustration to work off, and sex was a good way.

“I’m sleeping,” Jeremy said, turning on his side, and letting out comical snoring.

He reined in his desire to show his appreciation and got dressed. It wasn’t like whoever needed to speak to him so badly would smell him, and the bridge crew, as well as the entire ship, already knew what he and his Heart got up to.

    *

Beta Mongartis Orbatilezan nodded to Gralgiran’s office door as he stepped onto the bridge, other than him. Ears were folded back, which made him think the attempt to avoid dealing with the leadership in his absence hadn’t been successful.

He knew this was trouble as soon as he saw the face projected over his desk. The scowl wasn’t needed.

“What’s the big deal? Making me wait like this?” the male demanded.

“My apology, Admiral Thromakarim Omeritamil sel Stafey, but I was sleeping, and my apartment is among the living quarters.” He could have taken this call in his office there, but he wasn’t given anyone among the leadership that courtesy.

“You could have hurried, at least.”

Not if you were Pelterostafey Delgaromer himself, he thought. He suspected that being named for the god who took on other’s burden had caused the male to sour at the expectation he would be the one always doing other’s work.

“What can I help with?”

The male snorted. “I don’t need your kind of help. You can explain how it is the Earthers have lodged a complaint with the Federation about you kidnapping one of them.”

“I haven’t kidnapped anyone, Admiral.”

“Oh? So those Earthers broadcasting about you and some Earther having some romantic thing are lying?”

“Jeremy is my Heart.” Since when did the Earther broadcast on Federation frequencies? It would be the only way anyone on Kelser would have heard them.

The admiral snorted. “Oh, I’m certain that’s what you told him so he’d bend over for you.”

The growl mixed with his words. “Are you claiming I would lie about something like that?”

“You’d do whatever you want. Isn’t that what you hunters do? Make messes of thing, then claim the gods made you do it? Like going to an Earther Station just to dip your cock in some random—”

“Be careful, Admiral,” he snarled. “Attack my Heart, and you attack me.”

“I am your superior! What the fuck were you doing there?”

Gralgiran took control of his anger. Pissing off the admiral wouldn’t do him any good. If the male went too far, he’d find recourses under the gods’ laws and see how he felt about them then.

 “I was tasked by the Federation to Investigate—”

“You don’t work for them!”

“Kelser is to provide assistance to the Federation when required,” he recited.

“They have to go through channel!”

“They did. They contacted the Alpha best positioned for the hunt, and after reviewing the request, I agreed.”

“They are supposed to go through Military leadership!”

The male was going to destroy his voice at this rate.

“Hunters are recognized as a combat and hunt trained force by Kelser Command. As such, Alphas have the authority to accept hunts one of Kelser’s partners offers.”

It wouldn’t always be like that, he suspected. The military would eventually succeed in bringing the hunters under their control. But hopefully not within his lifetime. Split loyalties, was the reason, according to Toom’s contacts in the back rooms. As if being loyal to the gods wasn’t also being loyal to Kelser.

“Well, this is what comes of acting without Leadership approval. The Earthers are demanding that you present yourself and answer for the crimes of assaulting a station and kidnapping one of their citizens.”

“I didn’t kidnap anyone.”

“So you did assault the station!”

Keeping his ears from folding back in annoyance proved too difficult, so he added the eye roll. “They were holding a Kelsirian citizen against his will. It was my duty to—”

“What citizen? There’s nothing in there about a Kelsirian.”

“My Heart.”

The admiral’s eye roll was mocking. “He’s an Earther,” he said dismissively.

“He is my Heart.”

Another eye roll.

If that was how the admiral wanted it, Gralgiran was happy to do it.

“And Thuruksamian proclaimed that wherever his children were to find their Heart, they would be as one.”

“He never meant to include Earthers.”

“You are welcome to argue the point with Him, when you reach the Forest, but as it is, the Law of Hearts follows his proclamation. By being my Heart, Jeremy is Kelsirian. And I would not leave one of ours at the mercy of a people who believes in keeping its citizens from loving whoever they want.”

“Right, that.” The male snapped on the change of subject as if he was famished. “Do you have any idea how long we’ve been working to bring the Earthers into the Federation? The kind of ally a species with that tenacity and ability to invent would be for us?”

“Since we met,” he replied, “so, over fifty years.”

“In jeopardy because of you!”

“I had nothing to do with the Ambassador’s findings and report.”

“Oh, I am sure that’s why he’s on your ship. Did you promise him a turn with your Heart?”

He forced himself to breathe to keep from snarling. “I am warning you, Admiral, insult me again, and I will seek retribution under Tutecamongartin’s Laws.”

That shocked the male into silence. Maybe now he’d understand the seriousness of his insults. Gralgiran was confident they were in part an attempt at getting in his fur, making him lose control so he could use that to claim he was no longer fit to captain the Bane.

It would have worked on a younger Gralgiran. One who hadn’t had to fight with the leadership to keep the Bane already. He’d had to harden himself to their ploy to ensure his hunters were protected from the military.

“We’ll be taking Querikrilgral to task regarding the lies he put in his report.”

Was his friend protected from the military? He didn’t know where the ambassadors were positioned within the command structure. He’d have to check.

The male’s expression told him this wasn’t over, and the smile that Gralgiran wouldn’t like it.

“Well, all that’s left is for you to report to Ashgoran Administration to answer the Earther’s accusations. I’m sure you will have no problem explaining everything away to the judges there.”

“All right.” He kept his tone neutral. This was too simple. “I’ll head there as soon as my duties have been—”

“Oh, no. You are to be there in two weeks. The Earthers have obtained permission to travel there, and that’s when they will arrive.”

“It can’t be done.” Even if he convinced Alixianakaran to push the reactor to its limit, it was four months to Kelser, then around that to return to the border, where the station was located.

“You are going to make it happen, Captain. That is an order.”

“I have prisoners to deliver.”

The male waved that aside. “I’m sure we have a ship at whatever station you’re relaxing who can take them there for you.”

Gralgiran ground his teeth. “I have a duty to the hunters who died under my command to return them home.”

The smile turned nasty. “Maybe you should have thought of that before you decided you work outside the proper chain of command and screwed everything up. Make it happen, Captain. Or maybe we need to recall you to Kelser and examine how people like hunters ended up dead under your orders.”

Fortunately for Gralgiran, the admiral ended the communication there, and he didn’t hear the insults roared at him. That would have given the leadership the kind of excuses they’d been looking for.

He kept screaming, stopping only short of insulting his namesake. Maybe the god of burdens would understand. But if he didn’t, Gralgiran already had too much to do.

Hand over his dead to another Alpha? That was wrong.

There were ballads about what Tutecamongartin brought down on those who carelessly tossed aside that duty.

He was certainly not doing this carelessly.

It turned out there was a Hunter ship at the station. An Alpha he had heard of, but hadn’t met. Their outrage at the request was loud, the insult at the person forcing the situation louder, but eventually they agreed to the handover.

The whole thing had the advantage of giving Gralgiran time to calm down, but it was now first shift. By the time he made it back to Jeremy, he’d be awake and working on the weight machine he was building.

He sent him a message apologizing for not waking him, as promised. He’d make it up to him later in the day.

The bridge crew wasn’t surprised to see him. The others would have warned them he might be in a foul mood.

“Comm, are there any Earther language broadcasts on Federation frequencies?” he shook his head as the Beta moved away from the center. He wasn’t assuming control.

Murositori spent a minute searching, then she looked at him, ears straight in surprise. “Yes, Captain. I have one.”

He motioned to the screen.

“No visual,” she said.

“And that was the update on the hockey championship, for all those out there, among Federation who miss that the game,” a male voice said, in Earther.

“Not that I miss the cold,” a female added. “For those who follow the politics, President Lawrence gave an address last week in regards to the claims that Earth was no longer being shepherded within the Federation my its Kelsirian allies. Here is what she had to say.”

He motioned for it to be silenced. “Actual Earthers? Or someone speaking their language?”

“I can’t say, Captain. The broadcast isn’t using any official tags, and I can’t seem to find its origin point.”

“Why would they hide where they are?” Hargarin asked.

“Earthers aren’t officially allowed within the Federation,” the comm officer said, working her board.

“I saw one on the station.” Lelgrimderisik said. “And no one acted like his presence there was odd.”

“Clearly there will be exceptions made,” the beta said. “Maybe he’s someone’s Heart.”

“I’d think we’d have heard if there was another Kelsirian with an Earther Heart.”

“While they aren’t all as strong about it as we are,” Gralgiran said, “I have no doubt the other species have something like that. Their gods would want them to find happiness, after all. Even the Earthers have something like it. They call it Soul Mates.” He nodded to the beta. “I’ll leave you to—”

“Captain,” Murosutori exclaimed, “you need to hear this.”

“—shaw, every romantic’s favorite Earther,” the female voice from before said, “was spotted on a station at the border of Kelsirian and Kersosteran space. We won’t tell you which one, to respect his privacy, but we can tell you that he wasn’t with his Heart, that tall and fit Kelsirian who was already something of a celebrity among his people before this. But he was with other Kelsirian, including someone matching the fur coloring of those he was with on the first expedition to a station, as far as we’ve been able to gather. This time, Jeremy Bradshaw was comfortable enough to break away from them and wander for a time.”

“Actually, Alice,” the male said. “We have confirmed that two of the Kelsirians are his coworkers and friends. For those who might not be aware, Jeremy Bradshaw was initially sent to the Brave Traveler to help them repair their reactor. It is where he met his Heart, and how their star-crossed love blossomed.”

“Excuse me, Harry, but isn’t star-crossed used to mean something that can’t be?”

“And I have no doubt that’s how it felt to Jeremy Bradshaw, since Gralgiran sel Helrarvnir is a man. But they persevered, and when it came time to leave, the captain gathered any man willing to fight at his side and marched onto the station to rescue his love, who had been discovered and since the Earther government claims no Earther could ever love one of their own gender, had imprisoned him so he could be sent back and cured of his illness.”

“It says something about Kelsirians that they were willing to brave such dangers for love,” she said.

When the man continued, the tone was mocking. “It says more about the security forces on the station that they’d let merchants march over them like that. But I, for one, am glad not all Earthers are as brave as the propaganda would have you believing. We, at Lonely Branch Broadcasting, have a soft spot for love, regardless of the genders involved.”

There was a beat of silence.

“And after such a heartwarming story,” she said. “I’m afraid it’s on to slightly more somber news. We now have a death toll from the earthquake on the John Iron mining colony…”

He motioned for the broadcast to be ended. There had been a lot of information there, some wrong, but others too accurate. How had they known about Jeremy’s friends among the technicians?

“Mark the frequency as one to be monitored.”

“Restricted, Alpha?” the beta asked.

He shook his head. It was already being sent through the void to be heard. Anyone who heard it while off the ship would have questions as to why it was blocked here. And there had been nothing he objected to. He’d have to warn Jeremy about it, since those stories would come back to him in one form or another.

He’d have Batrix set his pack to look into the broadcast. Maybe there was something there that could help him if the leadership decided to make his relationship and what had happened because of it the reason for their next attempt.

But now, he needed to prepare to bring his charges to the Alpha, who would see them home.

    *

They drew attention.

There was no avoiding it. Seven coffins on hover plates being guided along by almost ten packs’ worth of hunters in their best ceremonial uniforms carrying the banners of all who had already acknowledged the dead couldn’t go unnoticed. He hadn’t planned of such a display. He’d sent words to get a pack to escort them, had planned on packing the banner so he could hand them over along with his charges. He’d planned on honoring them, but hadn’t intended on bothering those still mourning their passing.

It hadn’t been a bother.

They were gathered in Tutecamongartin’s chamber, dressed in their best, claws out and ready to protect their fallen comrades and him, should the god take offense at what they were forced to do.

They had set off and gathered an extra person.

He didn’t know what Jeremy had told Alixianakaran, but Gralgiran was grateful for his presence.

Let the news reach the leadership. Let them realize his Heart would honor the dead the way Kelsirians did. Let them know that Hunters did not lightly pass long duties handed down by the gods.

Let that be a warning should they think themselves safe.

Those waiting were no less impressive. In camouflage armor set to the green, yellow, and browns of forests, sword across their chest, standing guard.

Their Alpha stepped forward.

“I welcome you, Hunters, and your burden.”

“I thank you. It is with care that I ask you to escort these brave hunters, who walked into the Forest so many could live, to those at home who have yet to properly mourn them.” There was no set ceremony to pass this responsibility onto another Alpha. Gralgiran was sure there had been situations before where this had been needed, but no Alpha prepared for it. It would be admitting they were willing to abandon this duty instead of being forced to.

“I will see them home, Alpha. Know that none see this as a dereliction of your duties. The gods know this was forced on who by those who don’t understand the task that you were entrusted with. It is my hope that the gods will make them understand the error of their actions before I do, for they will be kinder than I ever could.”

He stepped aside. “I hand my charges over to you, knowing they will make it home and to their families.”

Jeremy took his hand and squeezed it. It helped with the pain. With the anger this being forced on him caused. When the coffins were into the ship, and the last of the hunters had also departed inside, he turned and with just as much ceremony; they returned to their ship.

Outline section 

When Gral gets called to the bridge without being told why, it can only mean politics. His crew is very loyal, but having a disgruntled councilman staying on the secure comm will scare anyone who isn’t a captain. This doesn’t mean Gral drags his feet, as the sanity of his bridge crew is important, but he’s still calmer than the councilman likely would have liked when he arrives.

The councilman is calling to ask about the recent news coming from the human media broadcast. They are claiming that Gral marched armed hunters onto the research station and kidnapped one of the head researchers. Gral’s response is that he’s actually a little surprised, as he was expecting them to villainize Jeremy more if they decided to publicize it at all.

But to answer the councilman’s question without snark, he did not kidnap Jeremy. Jeremy is his Heart, and was planning to leave with the Viper’s Bane when it’s mission at the station was complete. The councilman will likely try to bring up the incomplete mission, and Gral will note they were able to confirm through Jeremy the amount of reactors the humans were running at once, which more than confirms the quantity of antimatter the humans now have access to. Of course this was in his official report to the council, along with ambassador Querik’s report on what the humans have been doing to their own citizens.

All that on the table, there is still the question of what to do about Jeremy. Gral will be very firm that Jeremy is his heart and will be staying with him; currently he’s filling the vacancy of chief engineer as Alix recovers. Afterwards... while he doesn’t expect his Heart to be one to just wait about his quarters waiting for him, it will be as much Alix’s decision as his.

This might not make the councilman happy, but Gral had been preparing for this since he was certain Jeremy was his heart, and will perfectly recite off the kelsirian laws concerning citizenship and hearts/mates of forgien nations. Jeremy is a kelsirian citizen now in the eyes of kelsirian law.

The councilman isn’t completely satisfied, and will ask to speak with Jeremy himself. To which Gral will ask if the councilman can understand English. Because while Jeremy has learned kelsirian, the human voice box isn’t capable of vocalizing it. This will be slightly flustered the councilman, and he’ll be about to end the call when Jurani interrupts to say the transmission they’ve been waiting for has started. The councilman will ask what this is about, and Gral will simply respond that it’s a counter broadcast to the human government propaganda. Since the councilman just admitted to not knowing English there’s no use for him listening in; a full record of the transmission will be included with Gral’s report on it by the afternoon.

Call finally ended, Gral and the rest of the human speaking kelsirian’s on the bridge crew are treated to a little bit of pirate radio. It will have a wide variety of subjects to cover, but their main story is breaking down and telling the truth about the supposed kidnapping of Jeremy. Gral is interested in where they are getting their information, as while there is nothing too outrageous to comprehend a normal news outlet to confirm these people are acting with little resources and complete secrecy. Not exactly an equation for fast investigative journalism.

Eventually Gral will have heard enough, and will make sure a recording of the broadcast is made for both his report and Jeremy, before leaving the bridge for his other duties.

Addition 

nothing added

This followed the over all outline, while things were adapted to account for the changes. the biggest effect on the chapter was dealing with the dead, and I used it go show the difference between the hunters and military when it comes to their attitude to the gods and their duties to them.

in the outline, the pirate broadcast had already been brought up, but I felt it was better for it to being mentioned here for the first time.