Reni's Trial by Fire (Triads in Blue Book 12) by Hope Alyssa & Webb J. P

Author:Hope, Alyssa & Webb, J. P. [Hope, Alyssa]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2018-01-23T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5.

Reni slid out of bed early in the morning, kissing both of his beloveds as he did so. They were exhausted, more so than he was, and he had a ship to run. And a comm call to put through to Oki.

“I don’t think I’m the person for this job, Oki. We lost a crew member yesterday and it ripped me apart.”

Oki stared at him thoughtfully for a minute, and then sighed. “You know why you were selected? Not because your people would follow you anywhere, although they would, but because they knew you cared about them. They don’t want a leader who can lose people and not cry. It’s what you do going forward from here that counts, and from what I’ve heard, so far you’ve done all the right things.”

After a hesitation, Oki asked, “Did you ever hear about the first time I lost crew?”

Reni shook his head. Oki had lost crew more than once? Gods, how did he stand it?

“We were evacuating children from a war zone, and an unstable wall collapsed, killing two of my people and the children they were trying to save. It was horrible for all of us, and there was much talk about what we should have done, could have done … The two were part of a triad, and in the aftermath we almost lost the third as well. I thought I would die, that I was the worst captain ever …”

Reni tried to sort that out. “Gods, I am sorry. The sensors that can tell us if structures are stable or not, did they malfunction?”

“We have them now, but we didn’t then. After that tragedy, as the anguish needed to be turned into something more productive, everyone saw the need for that type of sensor, and my team invented them, while they were trying not to go crazy with the grief. Out of loss, we found a way to move forward.”

Reni nodded slowly, and Oki smiled at him. “It never gets easier, my friend, but someone has to be sitting in your chair, and the crew needs it to be someone who cares. Trust me – you will all be stronger from this, although I know it hurts now.”

“Thank you, my friend.”

“And your triad? I have heard a rumor that you have maybe found them?”

Reni lit up with happiness. “Yes, Sari’s sibling Dena, who we just rescued, and a large human named Donovan. And I have to do a little bit of research on these humans. I hear they are different from us in some ways …”

Oki choked and laughed. “Oh yes, very much the same in some ways, and very different in others. Next time we meet in person you will have a pack of children, I think! Excellent!” He sobered up again. “Never doubt that you do a valuable job there, Captain Reni. You were not assigned to the post lightly. Take care, of yourself, your beloveds and your crew.”

“Thank you, sir. May the gods be good to you and yours.

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