Starcrossed - Bianca D'Arc Page 0,13
excited every last nerve in her body.
He let her go by slow degrees. She was chagrinned to find her legs unsteady once more. Only Tigh had ever been able to make her weak-kneed with just a kiss. That alone made her wonder just what he might be able to do if she let him make love to her. She might not survive.
“Goodnight, sweet Gineva.”
“Goodnight, Tigh.” She was still in a daze as she entered her compartment.
CHAPTER THREE
Stepping outside her quarters the next day, Ginny accepted sharp salutes from the two sentries standing on either side of her portal. Sometime in the night, someone must have given the order for guards to be placed by her door. She wasn’t altogether comfortable with that but had no doubt Tigh’s rash actions in the Council chamber had something to do with the stepped-up security.
Ginny was completely shocked, however, when she stepped out into the public hallway and was immediately surrounded by newsbots and even a few live reporters. Never in her career, even after some of her major victories in battle, had she been so hounded by the media. Luckily for her, the sentries made themselves useful as she ran the gamut from the hallway to her office in the secure military wing on the other side of Atlantia Station.
“You have a tough decision to make.” Commandant Michael Amber entered her office unannounced about midway through the morning. Ginny looked up at him in surprise, rushing to stand, but he waved her formality aside. He motioned for her to remain seated as he pulled up a chair in front of her desk.
“Sir?”
“I can’t order you to accept or decline the emperor’s proposal, Captain, but I wanted to let you know that, either way, I will hold no prejudice against you. If you refuse him, your place is assured here, regardless of what the news media tries to say about you. And, you should know, they’re already talking.”
Ginny felt her stomach sink. She’d purposely avoided watching the news out of fear that she’d be the center of speculation.
“I was afraid of that.”
“I can understand your reluctance to feed the media frenzy, Captain. Which is why I advise you to make your decision quickly. The longer this drags out, the worse the media will become. We’ve already had three attempted breaches of security by stealth model newsbots. One was found hiding in a corner of the Officer’s Mess just half a standard ago.”
Ginny was appalled. “I’m sorry, sir. I had no idea—”
He waved her apology aside. “I know you couldn’t have expected such a rabid reaction to this situation, and the situation itself is not of your making. Just keep in mind that more than an impulsive emperor is awaiting your answer.” Michael stood and headed for the door. “If you need time off to think or consult with your family and friends, just say the word. The sooner his proposal is answered, the sooner we can get back to normal around here.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll do my best.”
Michael gave her one of his rare smiles. “You always do, Captain. That’s just one of the reasons I’ll regret losing you if you agree to the emperor’s plan. But, for the sake of peace, it might just be worth it. Think carefully before you decide, but do it quickly.”
He left her office, leaving Ginny in even more turmoil than before. She’d expected it would be bad, but she hadn’t realized just how bad. She needed to make her decision and let the emperor know. He deserved to know her answer first, before anyone else.
That thought in mind, she pulled out a rarely used pen and paper. Some things had to be done according to tradition. She didn’t know if she’d be able to face Tigh in person, and a digital transmission was out of the question, due to the possibility of media infiltration. She’d have to write him a good old-fashioned letter.
It took most of the rest of the day, but in writing the letter, Ginny had a chance to organize her thoughts. By the time she finished, she knew her answer. Folding and sealing the envelope, she directed a sub officer to deliver it by hand.
Tigh would have it within minutes, and there was nothing left to do but make her way back to her quarters. Ginny ducked the newsbots in the open areas of the station and sealed herself in for the night.
*
The jit’suku emperor stormed Ginny’s private compartment in the BOQ, bypassing her security