Victoria

We walk through the halls of the Classis Octavius while silent. I’m still awe-struck by the marble floors, the archways, the intricate designs, the sheer love put in every inch of this ship.

It feels more like a palace than a ship. By comparison, human ships are focussed solely on functionality. Everything is gray, sleek, with no fanfare.

I have to look through the archways, out at the stars, to remind myself that yes, I am in fact still in space.

We encounter a few Elban warriors on the way. Each one snaps to attention, saluting Nero by banging their chest with a balled fist. I can tell that his people have nothing but respect for him.

Nero is brooding on something. I don’t want to rush him, but there’s a million questions I want to ask him. Finally, one pops out.

“Who is this ‘Emperor Decimus’?”

Nero sighs and looks away.

“I wish you hadn’t asked that.”

“I need to know, Nero. I need to know your past, your history. I need to know everything about you.”

“I don’t want to scare you away.”

“After all I’ve seen, nothing is going to be able to scare me anymore. You are not your father, Nero. How many times do I have to repeat myself?”

“A million more times,” Nero says. “Decimus was a monster… but a hero to most Elbans. It was he who, five centuries ago, united the warring families and founded the empire. We stopped fighting each other, and focused on our attention on the other species in our galaxy… who never stood a chance.”

He turns to me, a determined look in his eyes.

“We subjugated them, Victoria. We enslaved them. Elban society is based on ownership, on hierarchy, on violence. That is why I haven’t told you about my world yet. Why I don’t want to take you there. I can tell that your world is not like mine. You have a good heart. A pure one. Anything you see will only make you hate me.”

I listen attentively, while having trouble believing what I’m hearing.

“You are not like that at all,” I say.

“No,” he answers. “I take after my father, my real father, Gaius Octavius. He wasn’t a typical Elban, to say the least.”

Nero chuckles. Whenever he talks about Gaius his eyes light up, and a hint of a smile forms on his lips. I like it.

“You have a good heart, too, Nero,” I say.

He shakes his head.

“There is a darkness inside of me, Victoria.”

Nero’s eyes are filled with a world of hurt. He’s so damn hard on himself, like he has to carry the whole world on his shoulders… which, I suppose, is true in a sense.

The future of Earth itself might just depend on him.

I hug Nero tightly and squeeze him as hard I can.

“I love you, Nero Octavius, darkness and all.”

“You can’t say that.”

“I just did.”

He wraps his arms around me and holds me for a few moments. I wish all moments were like this. Calm. Quiet. Just me and him. No world-shattering problems.

“I have to go,” he says.

Damn it.

“It’s not safe for you on Elba.”

“If you think I’m letting you go, you’ve got another thing coming. Where you go, I go. I thought we established that.”

“I’m serious, Victoria.”

“So am I, Nero.”

I place my hands in my sides. This is why I promised myself I wouldn’t fall for a soldier. I don’t want to wait at home, alone, for months, waiting for him to come back from the front.

And worrying he might not.

That’s not my role. No, if he goes, I go.

After all, I’m the one who elbowed that Magnus Bruttius fellow in the crotch. If he has a bone to pick with humanity, I suppose I’m at fault.

So I’m going to go and clear up the mess I helped made, and that’s final.

I give Nero the best frown I can muster, and the tall alien warrior finally cracks a smile.

“There’s no talking you out of this, huh?” he quips.

“None whatsoever.”

“You have nothing keeping you here on Earth?”

“Nothing as important as you, no.”

My neighbor’s puppy will be fine without me.

“You realize we might not be able to return.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “All the more reason to travel along with you then.”

“Okay. You can come. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. You’re not going to like what you find.”

“I think I can handle it.”

* * *

Nero

Victoria has no idea what she just signed up for. She is brave, I’ll give her that — foolishly so.

On Elba, her life is worth nothing. Only the sign of their Houses give slaves protection, and as far as the public knows, House Octavius is destroyed.

It’ll be a rude awakening for her… I just pray she won’t hold my kind’s actions against me.

I show Victoria to my personal quarters so she can get some much-needed rest. I then make my way towards the ship’s command center, where Romulus is waiting for me. On the monitors I can see the wormhole, the reason why I’m here.

A giant, purple, swirling vortex.

“I have made my decision. Set course for Elba.”

“What about the local? Shouldn’t we drop her off first?”

“No, she is coming with us.”

Romulus stiffens. He gestures for the other Elbans to clear out of the room, which they do without question.

“Nero,” he says. “Think about it.”

“I have thought about it, and I’ve made my decision.”

“You can’t be serious—“

“Do I have to remind you of your place, again, Romulus?!” I say, agitated.

“Fuck my place,” he bites. “Fuck ranks and fuck houses for a moment. You’re talking about taking a, a — what is she even called?”

“A human.”

“You’re talking about taking a human to Elba, in this situation? It’ll be hard enough for us to avoid detection, and you want to bring a female alien along?!”

“She is my mate,” I bellow. “Where I go, she goes. That is final.”

“You are growing too attached, Nero, and I say that as a friend. She can only hurt you.”

“How would you know? Have you had a fatum?”

“No, but I know the pain of losing someone.”

Ah, Freesia. In my anger, I had forgotten all about her. She was an alien priestess, whom Romulus swore to protect… she was killed in a pogrom.

“You are right,” I say. “You do know the pain. But this is not your decision to make. Respect mine, Romulus.”

He roars out of frustration. “Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you. You are making a mistake.”

Maybe I am.

But it is my mistake to make.