The Morlian PrinceMature

Vee sat quietly behind her desk, focusing on nothing but the computer screen, going through the constant trickle of e-mail requests going through her inbox. She sighed, knowing she would be working late again that night just like she did all month.

Her promotion as Captain of Security had come at a great cost but all her intense years of work and operations had been worth it… at least she thought so before seeing herself buried under a pile of work.

A knock at the door made her jump.

“Come in,” she said putting a hand on her chest to stop her heart from beating out of it.

Chris Lodge opened the door, his brow knit with confusion. He was her most trusted subordinate; they had been working in the same sector for over seven years.

“Captain,” he said, worry clear in his voice. “We have a problem.”

She looked at the Senior Sentinel standing in front of her desk in a well-pressed suit. His square jaw tightened under her scrutinizing stare. He was twice her age, as were most of the sentinels in the unit she led, making her the youngest Captain in the King’s defense force.

“What did Henry do this time?” she asked, annoyed at his interruption.

He opened his mouth but no words came out. She raised an eyebrow at his hesitation.

“Did you lose your tongue on your way here?” She tilted her head, carefully examining his reaction.

He quickly shook his head and stood straighter. “No ma’am.”

“That’s better. Now… what is it?” She crossed her arms, satisfied by the fearful look in the sentinel’s eyes.

Lodge may have been a head taller than her but Vee didn’t become a Captain by playing nice, far from it. Most of her subordinates were men, older and bigger than her. The easiest way she found to keep them in line was to make them believe she was a cold hearted bitch. She had proven her worth in the King’s competitions time and again and the Sentinels no longer underestimated her small, compact body. Her deadly accuracy was feared but not as much as her harsh words.

The sentinel swallowed and finally answered. “We’ve just received an emergency message coming from the King about a Morlian vehicle  in need of assistance in a… strange situation Captain.” His eyes shifted as he finished.