Giving her another quick kiss, he looked over his shoulder to Faris. He stood there, fists clenched at his side and his back stiff as iron. Ulric could practically feel the uncertainty and conflicting emotions rolling off his friend, stinking up the room. His heart clenched nearly as tight. He wanted to make things right for Faris. Save him from a world that didn’t know the type of man he could become. Save him like he’d done with Stella.
Ulric knew Stella was right. If he was going to set things right, Faris needed to play an active part. Faris knew the risks before he joined this mission and Ulric respected him enough to not stand in his way. “Faris! Get your fucking ambassador on the screen.
I want this dealt with before he singes my hull.”
Faris hesitated for only a moment, before nodding and striding to the communication post. Ulric watched as Faris paused, fingers hovering over the com panel and his back tense. Sirens screamed at them, announcing another weapons lock.
A quick look at the sensors told Ulric a well-placed shot to their aft hull could take out their shielding, putting them at risk of being blown out of the sky. Biting hard on his tongue, Ulric strode across the command floor to stand at Faris’ side. He did his best to ignore the twin feelings of concern and impatience, focusing instead on what they needed to do to get out of this mess in one piece.
“Faris?”
The younger man swallowed hard, but didn’t look away from the com. “I don’t want to screw up again.”
“You won’t.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Ulric reached out and curled his fingers around Faris’ forearm. Heat from his skin permeated through the fabric of the shirtsleeve and into Ulric’s grip. Ignoring the chaos around him, Ulric licked his lips and leaned in close to Faris.
“I know this is hard for you. I know you’ve been feeling out of control ever since this mess started. Feeling as if everyone else has been running your life. But it’s like Stella says, you have a choice. You can let that asshole of an ambassador of yours ruin everything we’ve worked so hard to build, or you can take control and do something to prevent it. Either way, it’s your decision. Not mine and certainly not his. But know that regardless of what you choose to do, I will support you.”
Faris turned, his gaze finally meeting Ulric’s. Pain and confusion melted away to understanding in a flash. Faris’ face relaxed, the lines around his eyes and mouth softening.
“Commander Ulric, they’ve got a lock. Missiles have been launched.”
Snapping forward, Faris punched in the com channel for the other ship.
“Ambassador Gravlin, respond. This is First Prime Faris, please respond.”
Ulric squeezed Faris’ arm once more before spinning around to march to the center of the command deck. “I’ve had enough of this crap. Countermeasures, plan Radin. Fire everything we have at them. I don’t want a single missile to get within twenty parthons of us.”
Half listening to Faris’ demands to be connected to the ambassador, Ulric watched in satisfaction as his lasers blasted the missiles out of space, and his ship banked hard starboard.
Despite the size of his vessel, it was far more maneuverable than the Tensan cruiser.
It was the reason they were able to complete the rolling spin, landing them to the side of the attacking ship and beneath the locking range of the missiles.
“Set a laser fix on their underbelly.” Ulric smirked and crossed his arms. “We can easily punch through their shields from this range.”
Silence descended across the command deck. The hiss and snap of the static from the open com channel was the only disturbance. The Tensan ship made no move to either retreat or attack. Feeling the weight of Faris’ gaze, Ulric turned. The other man cocked an eyebrow.
Ulric nodded. “I think he’ll take your call now.”
Straightening his shoulders, Faris smoothed down his tunic as he turned to face the screen.
Ulric was surprised when instead of attempting ship-to-ship communications again, Faris opened a sector-wide channel alert.
“This message is for Ambassador Gravlin on the Tensan ship, Drax. This is First Prime Faris of the Tensan people. I’m here to bring to light your crimes against not only the Tensan people, but all residents in this sector.”
Ulric smiled, looking over his shoulder to where he knew Stella continued to hover.
A beautiful, soft smile adorned her face. She winked at him and nodded in Faris’ direction before wrapping her arms around her body and turning to move back toward her room. Obviously, her faith in the pair of them was bountiful.
Ulric refocused on Faris, letting his gaze roam over the younger man as he spoke.
The change in his posture, the sureness of his voice all spoke to his growing confidence.
Faris kept his gaze straight ahead and he relaxed even more as the words began to flow. “I feel it is my duty to inform you that blood has been spilled and lives have been lost by the careless actions of one man. A man who I trusted with my life until now.
Ambassador Gravlin needlessly attacked the Yetai colony. They had never been given a chance to leave, as they were still participating in exit negotiations when the ambassador attacked after I shared with him information in good faith. He betrayed that trust.”
Ulric knew the consequences of Faris’ confession would hold. Unwilling to leave him to suffer for the rash actions of another, Ulric moved to stand beside him. Placing a hand on Faris’ shoulder, Ulric lifted his chin.
“This man has worked with me to set things right. Ambassador Gravlin has refused our attempts at communication. He has attacked my ship and threatened the lives of many in this region. I will not allow this to continue.” Ulric dropped his hand and stepped forward. “Ambassador, you have until I reach the count of five to drop your shields and surrender, or I blast through your defenses. There will be no further negotiation. One.”
Ulric could practically hear the entire sector holding their breath. There hadn’t been a major military offensive in this region for decades—no one was anxious for the unrest to rise once more. Neither he nor Faris moved when Ulric was forced to say, “Two.”
“Three,” Faris added quickly after. The lines had been drawn and there was no question which side his young lover was now on.
Another count was unnecessary. Without verbal confirmation, the ambassador’s ship lowered its defense shields and powered down weapons. Relief flooded Ulric, though he refused to let any show on his face.
“Wise move, Ambassador. A delegation from my crew will be over to take command of your ship and place you under my authority. This sector of space can rest assured they won’t suffer from your dangerous arrogance again.”
Ulric snapped his fingers and cut the open com. A flurry of activity exploded behind them as his crew leaped into action. Faris didn’t move, but Ulric saw the young man’s body relax.
Placing a hand on Faris’ shoulder, Ulric gave him a gentle squeeze. “You all right?”
Faris nodded. “I can’t believe he actually listened.”
“You gave him no choice. It was his fault for creating the situation to begin with.”
“It was…” Faris chuckled, shaking his head slightly. “It was quite the feeling of power.”
“You get used to it.”
“Do you?” He turned to face Ulric, deep lines covering his forehead. “Is this why you…visit Stella? To help alleviate the stress.”
Ulric looked over to the place where she’d been standing not that long ago. There were so many reasons why he went to her, why he needed her in his life. Things he wouldn’t express to anyone—not to Faris, hell, not even to Stella herself. Still, he needed Faris to understand how important she was.