Digger flew through space, navigating between the ships of the Ninth Fleet. Admiral Stonefist piloted the shuttle with a fierce concentration that was far beyond anything required for the simple journey. Kinnit sat back in one of the seats with a small, amused smile.

  "So where are we actually going?" she asked.

  Grimthorn started. He glanced back at her.

  "We don't really need to do any inspections today," he said. "I thought you and I could just... fly around for a bit."

  Kinnit laughed, a tinkling merriment that filled the shuttle.

  "All right, if you say so. We'll 'just fly around,' then." She smiled at him, watching his strong back as he deftly worked the shuttle controls, watched his sharp eyes as they monitored the shuttle's progress. She sighed in deep satisfaction.

  "I love you," she said.

  He smiled at his controls, too focused to be able to look back at her.

  "I love you, too," he said.

  At last they came to their destination.

  "Would you like like to look at the stars, Kinnit?"

  "Of course."

  He popped on the 360 portals in the little shuttle. The walls around them appeared to fall away, leaving them standing on a platform in space.

  They'd flown to the edge of the fleet. On one side was the strength of the Imperium, the mighty Ninth Fleet, a gleaming array of ships sparkling against the stars. On the other was the bright young star of the Seia System, shining bold and yellow like the sun of Takkar. The little planet of Seia 5 hung among the stars, an electric blue drop shot through with thin, reddish landmasses.

  Grimthorn stood up from the console.

  "It's beautiful, Grimthorn," Kinnit said.

  "I would give you all of space, if I could."

  She took his hand and leaned her head on his arm. They stood quietly, taking in the spectacle.

  "Lieutenant Baric told me he won't report us," Grimthorn said finally, breaking the silence.

  "I knew he wouldn't," she said. "He's a good person. I'm happy to hear it, though."

  Grimthorn smiled.

  "You have more faith in people than I do." His face grew thoughtful. "How long have we been together, Kinnit?"

  "Seven months and two weeks," she said. "But it feels like it's only been a moment."

  Grimthorn's eyebrows popped up.

  "That's... very precise," he said.

  "Mmhmm." She watched the stars.

  "You know, after the incident with Sol, it got me thinking..." his slipped a hand into his pocket. "With everything going on, I've been trying to figure things out. About my priorities. About what matters most to me. I want to focus on what's really important to me."

  She nodded, her eyes half-lidded, looking out into space.

  "The protection of the Imperium," she said.

  "No."

  Kinnit's head came up in surprise. Grimthorn moved to stand in front of her, looking down at her with an unreadable expression.

  "Kinnit, the Imperium, the Ninth Fleet, the Emperor himself, it could all fall away, but I would still hold to you. You are my most important thing."

  "Grimthorn, I..." She trailed off.

  He took a deep breath. He sank to one knee before her. From his pocket he drew out a small box. He opened it and held it out to her.

  "Kinnit, I want to marry you," he said simply.

  Her hands flew to her mouth and her eyes grew round. Nestled in the little box was a locket. The front of the locket was engraved with two crossed blaster bolts, and an Imperial destroyer superimposed over them. She reached out and took the locket, the chain trailing over her fingers. She opened it.

  Within, nestled behind Darcian crystal, was a green leaf she recognized from her homeworld, and a small purple flower.

  A manic giggle escaped her. Her eyes traveled back to his. His expression was one of firmly suppressed nervousness.

  "Grimthorn, it's beautiful." She trembled, locked to his gaze. "Wait, you're saying you... you want to... to marry me?" Her normally pale red skin flushed redder.

  "I will commit my life to you. If you'll have me, I will be, now and forever, solely yours."

  Kinnit's mouth hung open. Her mind flapped loose.

  Hers only? Not to share with a tribe, or to delegate to another subordinate? All her own.

  It all felt so horribly selfish, to have him all to herself. Then again... the thought of having him and him only to share her whole life with...

  All his love. Just for her.

  Grimthorn swallowed with a loud click. With horror, Kinnit realized he was still waiting for her answer.

  "Yes!" she cried. Tears spilled from her eyes as laughter bubbled out of her. "Yes, yes, now and forever yes!"

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  He crashed into her, enclosing her in a powerful embrace. Their lips frantically sought each other out. They drank deeply of each other's love in a long, passionate kiss.

  When they finally broke apart, Kinnit laid her head on Grimthorn's chest, gasping for air.

  As the heady rush of excitement ebbed to a low thrill, her brain started working again.

  "Oh! The locket!" She cast about and found it in her lap. She gazed at it, trying to memorize every detail.

  Grimthorn cleared his throat.

  "I wanted to get you a ring. It's more traditional. But given the circumstances, it would raise too many questions..."

  "It's perfect. Tell me about it."

  He smiled at the opportunity to enumerate his work.

  "The body is brass-- I took a button from each of our uniforms to represent our shared service, and melted them down. The front is the Medal of Distinguished Action from Arcturus. It's a medal I never deserved, but you've earned it thrice over for your service to the Imperium. The flower inside is from my homeworld of Dorvalla. The leaf, I'm sure you recognize, is from Takkar." He rubbed the back of his head. "I wish I was more of a craftsman. I'd liked it to have been more--"

  "Shush, it's perfect." She held it out to him. "Put it on me, please!" she said.

  Smiling, Grimthorn took the necklace and disengaged the delicate clasp. He reached around her neck and fumbled around, his thick, blind fingers struggling to close the clasp. She smiled shyly as his face hovered close to hers.

  "Are you trying to sneak another kiss?" she asked.

  He reddened.

  "I'm just trying to get the clasp closed," he said stiffly. Her smile took on a sly cast.

  "You could, you know. If you wanted."

  With a small stroke of luck, the clasp finally closed properly. He took her up on her offer.

  After another satisfying round of intimacy, she tried to look down at the locket. However she twisted her head, she couldn't get a clear view. She wanted to take it off again to look at it, but poor Grimthorn had just gotten it on her. Plus, she wanted to see what it looked like around her neck.

  "Grimthorn, do you have a mirror? I want to see it."

  "Ah... I didn't think to bring one. I'm sorry."

  Kinnit puffed her cheeks out in frustration.

  "It's fine. I can look when we get back." She still twisted her head to try and see, though.

  Giving up on it for the time being, she laid her head on his chest, safe in his arms. Her eyes closed in satisfaction. After a moment, they opened again.

  "Grimthorn? How will we get married? Will we need to keep our marriage secret?" She laid her delicate hand on the slim gold collar around her throat. It had been fused with her flesh for so long that she'd mostly forgotten it was there. "Can we get married?"

  He squeezed her close.

  "If it is in any way possible, I will make it happen. Whatever the cost." His face took on a more serious cast. "I have a plan."

  She sat back and looked in his face.

  "Oh?"

  "Well, not a plan. An idea." He cleared his throat. "You know, the Emperor can simply confer citizenship on someone."

  Her eyes widened.

  "You know the Emperor?"

  "Ah... no. Not as such. I mean, I've seen him, in ceremonies and such." Grimthorn took a deep breath through his nostrils. "I can request an audience. Well, technically, any citizen can request an audience with the Emperor, they just won't get one. There's only one Emperor, after all, and a whole lot of Imperial citizens. But if the hero of Arcturus were to ask..."

  "Do you think that would work? I... I know you don't like being called that."

  "I'll let every standing man in the Navy call me exclusively, if it lets me marry you. Besides, we're working on breaking up this conspiracy, it makes sense we'd want to discuss it with him. While we're there, just in the course of conversation, I could mention my long service with the Imperium, how I've never asked a single favor and never used my position for myself, but there's this one boon the Emperor could grant..."

  Kinnit hugged him tightly around the chest.

  "That would be wonderful," she said. "Do you think there's anything to really discuss about the conspiracy, though?"

  "We're on the edge of breaking this thing," he said. "I can feel it. the Infographers have been tracing the payments coming out of Rax Daggoth's company. There's a lot of indirection and coverup, but it's clear he's the money behind the recent surge of pirate activity. Soon we'll have enough evidence to arrest him. When we do..." Grimthorn's face darkened. "We will get the rest of the conspirators out of him."

  "Then peace, finally?"

  "Well, more peace, certainly."

  She rested her head back on his chest.

  "That will be nice. Maybe we can find a little place to set up a home. A little house somewhere, just for you and me." She snuggled into him. "Just for us," she said, relishing the word.

  He held her close. They were so close to achieving all their dreams, but the obstacles were so huge. The Emperor, society, the conspiracy, everything.

  But she wanted him, and him alone. For that, he would set his shoulder against the whole galaxy.

  Rax Daggoth frowned as he gazed out of his office window. It was a broad sheet of glass that gave him a commanding view down on Cynetropolis. The gleaming office buildings of VoidTech Industries baked beneath the oppressive sun of Cradus. Often, the view was satisfying, but today the view annoyed him.

  It was all going wrong. He could feel it.

  This conspiracy had seemed so easy, at first. Gin up a litte war, make some money, establish a firm financial footing for VoidTech in perpetuity. What businessman could turn down the opportunity for permanent financial security?

  Senn had been up to something else lately, though. Ever since the Imperium had broken the back of the Oryndrax, Senn's schemes had gotten less comprehensible, less directed, almost as though he were flailing.

  His plans were flailing, but Senn Sehren was not.

  Rax Daggoth was used to fast, high-stakes negotiation, and he had good instincts for reading people. He could tell when they were caught by surprise, when they realized they'd been outmaneuvered, when they were trying to find an out.

  Senn was doing none of those things. He definitely still had a clear plan and goal, he just wasn't sharing it with the rest of them. That was a major worry to Rax.

  Even Idrian's attendance had been spotty lately. With the Emperor ill, he apparently felt that he could achieve his personal goals without the rest of them.

  That left Rax twisting in the wind, bleeding cash for Senn's increasingly incoherent pirate plans.

  He wanted out, but he felt like the girl who rode the tiger. A fine and exciting ride, and as long as she was on its back, she was safe, but as soon as she tried to get off...

  He shook his head.

  He needed to figure some way to divest himself of this conspiracy, before it was too late.

  A knock sounded at his door. He gave it a puzzled look. He didn't have any appointments scheduled, and visitors would be announced by his secretary. He walked across his office and opened the door.

  A short, mouse-like Musculin stood there, wearing large round glasses. He was flanked by two large, heavyset Terrans.

  Rax' mouth pinched.

  "Mr. Daggoth?" the mousy man said. "My name is Lucas Midosea. I'm with the Imperial Auditing office. We have some things we'd like to discuss with you."

  Rax grimaced, though he tried to hide it.

  "Please, feel free to come in."

  "Actually, we'd rather you came with us. And we'd like you to wear this glove on your left hand. To forestall any... forgetful incidents."

  One of the Terrans held out a locking glove.

  Rax paled.

  "What is this about?" he asked.

  "Let's not play dumb, Mr. Daggoth. Payments from your office have been funding treasonous activity. Out of respect for your position, we are handling this discreetly. I have a squad of Marines on hand to drag you away, if you'd rather go that route. Now please put on the glove."

  Rax' mind flapped loose as he looked at the glove. It fixed on meaningless minutiae. It was strange, thought Rax, that no matter what species, accountants across the galaxy shared a similar stuck up, myopic look.

  He shook himself. He smiled insincerely and took the glove. He slipped it on his left hand. It tightened, sealing his hand. He looked down. The mnemonic gateway was locked away.

  He looked back at up at the Musculin.

  "I will cooperate fully with the Imperium's question."

  "Good. Follow me."

  There it was. It was a relief, in a way. The worst was upon him. No more waiting. No more hiding. No more fretting.

  He was finally off the tiger.

  I wanted to let everyone know that Admiral and the Assistant is part of Royal Road's April Writathon, a challenge to write 55,555 words in 5 weeks. I'm excited to participate again. A&A was actually started as a project for the previous Writathon (it's hard to believe it was only last October!)

  Admiral and the Assistant will begin releasing chapters on a daily basis, Monday through Saturday. This will only be for the month of April.