Chapter 1
Honourable conduct

"You saved me earlier today," Lunos's words echoed in the mess hall.

Sowl looked up, her burgundy lips leaving the mug filled with Bloodwine. "And that surprises you?"

"You got yourself shot while doing that. Isn't Pathlat in charge of patching us back up mid battle?" perused the white haired Klingon, "You usually are all out shooting―"

"The Nausicaan was a few feet further away," the Captain interruped, looking back at her mug.

"Qa thlo'." Silence ensued. Lunos had not touched her drink yet, and the hasty and somewhat needy reply seemed to echo in the empty mess hall.

A strange atmosphere had crept up in between the two. Untold thoughts mingled with the adrenaline and fire from the battle that had occurred not long before. There was awkwardness but at the same time a feeling of relief that nobody else was there, hearing that conversation and those unspoken words. The fight had ended, but another conflict seemed to still be in place.

Lunos' thoughts galloped back to a few hours before, the cold but burning wound caused by the Breen's rifle was still giving her the chills. The pain was shredding her to pieces and she couldn't get back on her feet. Some blurry golden threads appeared before her eyes. The scent of her Captain, even through the midst of battle, was unmistakable. She injected a hypospray of sorts and the pain was gone even though the wound was still there. Lunos stood back up, only to see her Captain being shot in her back and fall. The Tactical―and First―Officer had raged and shot back at the Breen and his comrades in kind, but was unable to repay the favour to her Captain and had to let the Nausicaan do the job.

"I tried to provide cover fire so that you could be saved," said Lunos almost apologetically.

"Is that why you are troubled?" Sowl replied, "You fought well, we won the battle. You fought with honour."

"But allowed the rest of the crew to see you lying on the floor."

"It would have been an honourable death," Sowl stretched a little on her chair, the pain at her back still vivid, her blonde dreadlocks falling behind her shoulders, "instead it was an honourable battle." The captain raised her gaze again to meet Lunos's."Since when are you so soft? I hope you are not getting all mushy like all those Federation p'Taq."

More silence, filled with more conflicting thoughts, floated in the room. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement amongst the crew that the war was a mistake, but they were fighting because they were loyal to the Empire. Lunos knew from previous conversations with her Captain that she would have taken advantage of any situation that could mend the rift between them and the Federation. Behind that tough mask, Sowl regarded the Federation as honourable in her heart. Lunos knew that. The Captain's private chats with her First Officer weren't infrequent, but lately they seemed to have built up some tension between the two.

Lunos attempted to formulate an answer, but no sound left her lips. Sowl looked at her with a sly smirk and an almost unperceivable wink. The Captain stood from her chair only to sit again with her left thigh on the table, closer to her First Officer. The two looked at each other straight in the eyes for what seemed like an eternity.

Both Sowl and Lunos looked and acted in a much more feminine way than other Klingon women. Yet their charisma and presence made sure nobody in the crew even thought of challenging their commanders. The Captain was renowned for her deadly proficiency in the MoQ'bara and in the wielding of the Bat'leth. Sowl had often joked that if anybody ever got past her Bat'leth she would reward them with a "special treatment." Lunos always chuckled thinking at how sure Sowl was about never having to administer that "treatment." However recently, whenever the Captain made that statement, Lunos would get shivers―whether they were good or bad shivers, she couldn't put a finger on it.

They had been with humans for a long time and knew each other from their days in Starfleet, but their loyalties led them to leave the Federation when the conflict exploded. That might be one of the reasons why they seemed much calmer than the other Klingon women. Sowl would still burst in anger every now and then, although her anger was channelled and usually justified. Lunos was cold and a silent, if deadly, warrior. She was one who would signify your quick death if you ever met her shade in the field of battle. When alone with her Captain though, she seemed to assume other colours.

Sowl slid her fingertips on the back of her First Officer's hand. Lunos was still holding her mug, but those slender fingers gave her chills. She was tempted to let go of the container to reciprocate in a squeeze, but she wasn't that confident with her Captain. The two still held the gaze for a long moment before Sowl closed the gap between the two. Lunos' eyes rested on those burgundy lips, which swiftly reached out to hers and lingered, but didn't touch them. Instead they roamed next to Lunos's ear.

"I value you over everyone else," began Sowl. Lunos responded with a deep breath. "But I will not allow you to take a nap in the middle of a battle," continued the Captain teasingly.

The First Officer tensed up, inhaling that sensual scent while feeling the Captain's breath on her ear. Unsure of how to read the situation, her body was frozen and unable to take action. It didn't often happen that something was out of her control.

"Kabor to the Captain." A male voice resounded in the empty mess hall. "We have a message from the High Council."

Sowl rolled her eyes although Lunos couldn't see them as she was staring straight in front of her. "My ready room." The Captain ordered through her comm while she stood up and somewhat unsteadily moved towards the mess hall's exit. Lunos left her chair quickly and grasped her Captain's left arm to help her for the first few steps. She knew Sowl was still in pain, but she also knew she was proud and wouldn't have accepted to be carried all the way to the ready room. As soon as the Captain was able to walk properly, and before the mess hall's doors opened, the First Officer let go of the arm, allowing her commander to walk on her own.