The main downside with the place was that it was barebones. The bunks were made out of either unfinished wood or plain metal, depending on which dormitory, and the furnishings in the kitchen, dining area, and workstations were equally unadorned and constructed from salvaged materials. Other items were almost always second-hand, so most plates had chips and blankets were often stained. Even so, it was cozy and functional. Stars, it was better than a lot of places she’d been during her childhood.
When she and Oren arrived at the office, they stopped by the storeroom to place the case in a locked storage cabinet to which Lexi didn’t have access; Oren still made no commentary about what was inside. They then continued on together to the rec room, as was the tradition after the pickup, marking the end of the workday. Several other compatriots were already lounging around on the rec room’s couches, watching the evening news broadcast.
“How has the galaxy fared today?” Oren asked the group as he eased onto the arm of a worn, padded couch.
“Business as usual,” Shena replied. The brusque brunette was a couple of years older than Lexi and had the detached attitude of someone who’d had a rough life but didn’t want anyone to know it. Though she wasn’t easily ruffled, Lexi had witnessed the woman snap at the strangest things. There was no doubt trauma there, not that Lexi expected to ever find out what had transpired.
Oren frowned at the viewscreen mounted to the back wall. “So, nothing about an attack?”
“What attack?” Josh craned his neck to look at them over the back of his chair. His blond brows almost disappeared into his creased forehead at the odd angle.
“Some ship got itself blown up in the adjacent sector.” Oren shared what little else they’d learned from Niko at the port.
“Well, fok! Ain’t that an interesting twist.” Josh returned his attention to the screen.
“Strange it wasn’t mentioned on the news,” Shena commented.
“Of course not,” Oren grunted. “Once the TSS got involved, they shut the reporting down.”
Josh sighed. “When is the media going to learn to stand up for themselves?”
“What are they supposed to do? The TSS High Commander is so entrenched with the High Dynasties, no one dares break the line.” Shena waved her hand dismissively.
Oren extended his lithe arms. “That’s precisely the problem! They like to think that things are better since the Priesthood was ousted, but we only traded in our old overlords for new ones. At least before, they admitted they were in charge.”
“I don’t think the High Council has made any claims trying to downplay their position,” Lexi countered.
“They don’t have to,” Oren said. “Just look at all their ‘of the people’ posturing. Trying to play up a childhood among the commoners. Right, like that makes a difference!”
Lexi didn’t want to argue the point, but she happened to think it made quite a difference in a person’s life outlook. Privately, she had a lot of respect for what the Sietinen Dynasty, in particular, had done with its position of influence. Before their interventions, keeping her Gifts a secret would have been mandatory for the sake of her life; now it was her own choice to make about how much she shared about herself with others, and she could do so without fear. At least in most circles. There was a reason she didn’t broadcast her abilities within the Alliance.
“More than half of the High Dynasties have had, or currently have, someone who’s trained with the TSS,” Josh pointed out. “They’re in bed with each other—quite literally, in some cases.”
Shena scoffed. “All those ‘Gifted’ are freaks.”
And that’s why I keep my bomaxed mouth shut. This time, though, Lexi couldn’t let the comment slide. “Don’t say that.”
The other woman rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those sympathizers?”
“I just don’t think it’s right to categorize and judge someone based on the way they were born.”
“I guess you would feel that way with your family from Cytera.” Leave it to Shena to drive home her point with a personal attack.
“I told you not to talk about them!” Lexi snapped.
Oren held up his hands. “Don’t be so bomaxed twitchy! It’s not like you’re on foking trial. Shite, Lex.”
She forced herself to calm down. Cytera was the only topic that could set her off without warning—a fact she’d made abundantly clear to Oren when they started working together. One topic that was off-limits. After what had been done to her family by the leaders of the world, the sick bastards, it didn’t seem like too much to ask.
“I told you not to bring it up,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Yeah, whatever you say.” Shena gave her a patronizing salute with one finger.
Lexi bit back a venomous response that would only make things worse. She couldn’t explain why it was so upsetting without drawing unwanted attention.
Oren scuffed his heel on the polished concrete floor. “Cytera is a perfect example of what happens when we allow the influence of the corrupt Central Worlds to rule us. The Taran government has been experimenting on us unsuspecting citizens for centuries. You really think they’re going to stop now?”
He probably meant well, but Lexi knew for a fact that he didn’t understand what had happened on her homeworld or why. And he certainly didn’t understand what it meant for her personally. With all her Gifts, the one she wished she had but didn’t was the ability to melt into a wall and get away from awkward conversations.
“That was the Priesthood’s doing, though,” Josh said. “That’s why the High Council stopped them.”
Oren raised an eyebrow. “A convenient story, isn’t it?”
“You don’t believe them?”
“Since when do highborn do anything for the little people?
