returning to the station over phirona, the fleet docked up, as the prowler docked and i stepped off, i saw lysseilia limping towards me
"your a bastard" lysseilia said scowling
"you were unconscious, i ordered that all wounded personnel were to go first, unconscious counts as wounded, i have never made exceptions and i never will where that counts" i said, she scowled deeper, but didn't comment
"we lost our ship" she said
"we saved a battlecruiser, and an admiral, i'd say good trade it was well worth it, your mother would be dead, if we didn't do what we did" i said
"i know, i almost lost my mother today, and all i can feel is pissed off that i was the first person off the thanatos and you were the last, and do you know the damning thing, the real reason i am pissed off is because, it wasn't special treatment, i am still just a fellow officer and subordinate to you" she said
"lysseilia let us not start this again" i said
"no, i have been patient, i have waited for the past six damn months for you to notice my needs, and what i want, you have acknowledged me, but have still kept me at arms length" she said
"it wouldn't work, you are a noble a relatively high-ranking one at that, and i am worse then a commoner, an outsider, whose only allowed to wear this uniform because you people are desperate for strong mystic arts users, and i am powerful" i said, her eyes widened
"you may not know it lieutenant, but i did my homework, i did research on this nation i spent over two months learning all the intricacies that entails, many sleepless nights as a result, i am well aware what this nation thinks of me, i am a necessary evil, and i will do everything in my power to continue to be necessary, because that's all i have, you would be an outcast if we were anything more then we are now, which are professional officers who occasionally spar to keep our skills up for the benefit of the nation, you may not notice but i listen to the whispers, it is something i am exceedingly good at, do you know how many people hate that i am near you and your family on this station, and even in your estate" i said
"it doesn't matter" she said
"the hell it doesn't, and you damn well know it" i said, i sighed i as i regained control of my temper
"your stressed, let me help you" she said pleadingly
"we are on duty lieutenant, we have lost our ship, and an unknown number are dead, another unknown number fatally wounded, my first duty is to the men and women under my command, please ask your mother if i might borrow an office on this station" i said regaining my professionalism, she saw that stubborn determination again
"yes, your excellency" she said bitingly, he simply nodded and left, she knew she hurt him with using that title in such a scathing form but, she wasn't getting to him, and she could tell he was slowly falling apart from the loneliness, still she did as she was asked
the admiral who's life had just been saved by the major's actions was grateful and had lent him an office for his use, but she also saw her daughter in emotional pain and that served to piss her off
fuyuhito learned that fifty-seven of his three hundred crew, were dead another thirty-four wounded, nearly a third of his overall crew, he sighed as he got to work in attempting to bring morale up but many of them weren't really looking at themselves, they like lysseilia knew their captain almost as well as she knew him, they all put in a request to the admiral that their next station be put under his command, something he didn't know
it shocked admiral fairmont was shocked, at the loyalty of these individuals, they were resolute in their desire to continue to serve with him
he stood in her office after finally finishing his reports from his people
"i owe you my life, and that of my ship, you have earned a favor from the house of telivyria, you have also earned a promotion, congratulations commander" the admiral said
"thank you ma'am" i said
"it will be awhile before we can requisition a new ship for you, telivyria is an important system, but that assault is rare, so while we are guarded it is rare we receive new supplies" the admiral said, i nodded my understanding
"in the meantime, i welcome you to stay at our estate, my daughter has expressed a desire to bond with you, and i have personally seen your worthiness of her for myself" the admiral said
"i apologize for interrupting but i respectfully decline" i said, she blinked
"excuse me" the admiral said
"i cannot bond with lady lysseilia" i said
"this offer will only be made once, turning it away will make you an enemy of our house" she said
"i understand the consequences, ma'am but it's better i have one house as an enemy then you have many houses gunning for your heads, i am unworthy of your daughter, i can never be worthy of her or any dragon, and there are many who agree with me" i said
"fine, get out of my office" she said, i bowed placing a request upon her desk which she signed without looking at it, in her anger
"me and my crew will be leaving on the transport, we will not darken your doorstep again, unless expressly ordered to do so" i said, as i bowed once more and left her office