Lost Star, Hawke, Morgan [novel24 .TXT] 📗

and tied at the base of his neck with a blue bow that would match the prince’s eyes perfectly. His pale cream silk shirt was impeccably tied at the neck with a starched, lace-trimmed cravat. A neatly pressed brocaded black waistcoat fell to his knees over snug, black-seamed trews. The silver-braided, black velvet long coat was buttoned to the heart and tied with a broad blue sash that matched the ribbon in his hair. They’d even found gleaming black knee-boots that fit over his ankle cuffs.

Ravnos’s brows lifted. Damn. He looks good in that. The white bandages down his arms and legs didn’t even show.

All that was left was to wait until Seht awakened, and present him with an offer he couldn’t refuse. According to the ship’s mind, that would be happening any second…

Seht groaned, winced, and struggled to sit up in the chair. He stared at his cuffed wrists, and his eyes widened. “What…?”

Ravnos drew his sword. It was time to induct his brand-new first officer. He glared down at his captive. “I offer you the position of first officer on my ship, the Hellsbreath. Do you accept?”

Seht’s hands fisted in the cuffs attached to the arms of the chair. “First officer? You wish me as second in command?”

Ravnos nodded. “You will obey no one’s orders but mine, but mine you will obey without question. Do you accept?”

Seht’s gaze narrowed. “This is your condition to remain?”

Ravnos held Seht’s gaze steadily, despite the fact that his heart was beating in his throat. “You may leave anytime you wish.”

Seht curled his lip, showing a long fang. “But if I…serve as your first officer, I may remain?”

Ravnos nodded. “Yes.”

Seht lifted his chin. “I accept.”

“Very well then…” Ravnos knelt at Seht’s side to release his wrists, then stepped away. “Kneel and make your oath.”

Seht rubbed his wrists and stood. He dropped to one knee and placed one hand flat on the deck. The black skirts of his coat flared around him. He looked up at Ravnos.

Ravnos set the edged tip of his sword against Seht’s bare throat. He smiled.

“Swear.”

“I, Deshryt Seht, solemnly swear on my honor to serve”—he curled his lip—

“Captain Aubrey Laslo Ravnos of the mercenary ship Hellsbreath…”

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Morgan Hawke

Ravnos barely held on to his smile. He hadn’t realized that Seht knew his full name.

“…with all due honor, loyalty, and respect.”

Ravnos’s smile widened to a grin. “And obedience.”

Seht clenched his teeth.

Ravnos raised his brow in an open dare to omit his addition. He pressed the blade a little more firmly to Seht’s throat. A trickle of blood dribbled down to stain Seht’s cravat.

“And obedience, until death”—he flashed a smile—“or his capture by Skeldhi hunters.”

Ravnos let the growl in his chest surface. “You were supposed to say ‘or until I remove you from duty.’”

Seht let the smile fade from his lips. “You will have to kill me to remove me from your side. I will not be dismissed. As for the other…” His gaze narrowed. “The hunters still have you on their list. Sooner or later, they will find you. You can only outrun your fate for so long.”

Ravnos curled his lip in a very nasty smile. “I’ve done pretty well so far.”

Seht smiled just as nastily. “Why, so you have.” He cleared his throat. “By the grace of Mother Night and the glory of my queen, may I serve with distinction.”

“I accept.” Ravnos removed the blade from Seht’s throat and stepped away.

“Blood and Night, you’re a stubborn bastard.”

Seht stayed down on his knee but lifted one silver brow. “To quote one of your Terran sayings, it takes one to know one.”

“Why, so it does.” Ravnos tugged a handkerchief from his coat sleeve and wiped the tip of his blade. The white fabric came away stained with red. “You may rise.”

Seht rose to his feet. “Thank you…Captain.” He lifted both hands, letting the lace fall back, revealing the gold titanium cuffs on his wrists. “And these?”

Ravnos narrowed his eyes at Seht and smiled. “I didn’t have a collar.”

Seht’s eyes narrowed, and his jaw tightened. “I see.” He lowered his hands and carefully drew the draping lace down over the gleaming cuffs around his wrists. “So, now what?”

Ravnos sheathed his blade. “Now, we go to an officers’ meeting where we discuss the destruction of the Moribund ships in the eighth quadrant.”

Seht nodded and smiled. “I like the sound of that.”

Ravnos’s smile turned feral. “Afterward, I take you to my personal quarters where I introduce you to my desk.”

Seht’s brows lifted. “Another desk?”

Interstellar Service & Discipline: Lost Star

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Ravnos reached for his coat and slid into it. “Actually, it’s the same one.” He turned to smile at Seht. “President Kidd had it delivered, as a…gift in congratulations for taking a first officer.”

Seht frowned. “You told him?”

Ravnos shrugged. “I sent him an update of the ship’s crew log.”

Seht winced. “He must have seen the security tape.”

Ravnos smiled. “That too.” He turned and walked to the door. “This way, if you please.”

Seht followed at his left heel.

Ravnos led his new first officer through the smoked-steel passageways of his ship, introducing him to the key members of his crew from the bowel-deep engineering corps all the way up to the dour nav-pilot and his four subpilots on the bridge.

Seht folded his hands behind him and asked polite but pointed and

knowledgeable questions about everything from the ship’s functions and distribution of duties to astro-mechanics and protocol.

Despite the fact that Seht was clearly not human, the crew appeared to respond quite favorably to their charming first officer, using tones of respect when addressing him.

Ravnos barely noticed. He was too busy absorbing Seht’s hair shimmering frost white against the black velvet of his coat, and the way the cream silk of his collar and cravat warmed his porcelain-pale skin. He found himself distracted by Seht’s movement, gliding lightly on his feet with grace and balance despite the extra weight of his mechanical augmentations. When he spoke, his voice held almost a bell-like tone.

The subtle erotic musk of his