Starlaw by Candace Sams Read Free Book Online Page B

different.
    There was a point when harboring such vengeance would have been unthinkable. Something told him that once Goll was dispatched, the emptiness wouldn’t heal.
    For the minutes the execution lasted he’d have some satisfaction. After that, he wasn’t sure of anything.
    “I’ll watch you die like the blood-sucking, soulless bastard you are!” he whispered. “Any race that would take a child’s life deserves the worst punishment.”
    Bitterness filled him to the brim. It threatened to spill over and drive him to the prisoner section of the ship to do the deed now. It took everything he had to make himself stay right where he was. He mentally repeated his oath to watch the Earther.
    No matter how he tried, sleep escaped. It’d been replaced by thoughts of the past, a past he couldn’t undo.
    His hands gripped the arms of his chair until his knuckles went white. For some reason, all his attention went back to the unit and the woman therein. At least one other on this ship would feel as he did. At least one more soul would have a reason to see Goll dead.
    But to keep from making a victim of himself, destroying his family’s historic reputation and all it stood for, he’d do his duty.
    He dragged air into his lungs and reclined in the chair, trying to think about anything but the hole in his heart.

Chapter 2
    “Good morning, Commander. How was your rest?”
    Darius blinked, shook his head, and sat up in the examining chair. “If your patient is recovering as expected, I’ll welcome my own bed.”
    Gemma stood by the incu-unit for a moment, examining its readings. “According to what I’m seeing she’s progressing remarkably well. Much faster than I would have attributed to an Earther. But then, except for that damned chip I introduced and her injuries from the attack, I perceive she was in fine condition to begin with.”
    Darius stood and stretched then he shook his hair back. I need a shower. Then I’ll relieve Barst on the bridge. Call if you need me.” He strode from the space, leaving Gemma to do her job.
    • • •
    Laurel slowly opened her eyes. There was stiffness in her shoulder and a slight burning sensation in her left temple. She carefully sat up then blinked several times.
    She was in some kind of hospital, but it wasn’t like any trauma center she’d ever seen.
    “Feeling a little better?”
    She turned to see the
blue
woman at her side, bearing a mug of something whose steam indicated a hot beverage.
    “Who and what the hell’re you?” she rudely blurted, shaking her head slightly as if doing so would rid her mind of the Halloween entity in her company.
    “I’m Gemma. And you’re on board … I’d better let you come to your senses a little more before I unload
that
bomb.”
    “Look, I know you’re trying to help but something isn’t right.”
    “Oh?” Gemma said, looking her patient over in concern. “Any pain should diminish quickly. If you’re experiencing discomfort in your temple that will shrink in a—”
    “No,” Laurel interrupted, “that’s not what I’m talking about. It’s my eyes!”
    “I don’t understand. My equipment doesn’t indicate anything is wrong with them.” Gemma glanced at her readings and shook her head in confusion.
    “Well, something is
definitely
wrong. You’re blue! And your eyes and ears are pointed. Now, tell me again there isn’t something wrong.”
    “Ohhhh,
that
.” Gemma smiled. “No, there’s nothing wrong with your eyesight. My eyes and ears are pointed. As to being blue, I actually like to think of myself as a very attractive shade of teal.”
    Laurel decided she was hallucinating. Or maybe she’d finally gone off the deep end. Police work did that to some people. “Look … let’s start over.” She took a deep breath and tried to speak rationally. “My name is Laurel Blake. Everything’s a little foggy right now, but I do know that I’m an officer with the San Diego PD. Other officers and I were trying to