Lunar Affair (LGBT - Sci-Fi - Romance)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7 

If that wasn't a wakeup call, Lieutenant Alexander didn't know what was. It was time to move on, loosen the strings that bound him to Duran, find a man who could love him back the way he wanted to be loved.  

He had leave scheduled, to go down to Beledi that afternoon along with five other crew members, but he needed to talk to the Captain first. He went to his quarters, hoping Duran would have left, and flashed his ID outside the door. "Just give me a couple of minutes," the Captain's voice came out of the panel. Lieutenant Alexander went for a hasty walk down the corridor, he really wasn't ready to meet Marc yet. 

A good five minutes later he was back outside the Captain's door, just in time to see it open and come face to face with Marc, Ivanov just behind him. Jack took a sharp step backwards. He gave Marc a brief nod and looked beyond him to the Captain. "Sir, can I see you for a moment?" 

Duran flinched inside, Jack had never looked that impersonally at him before in his life. He went straight to his quarters, he still had a couple of hours off duty and he desperately needed some time to get his head together, work out how he was going to apologise, to see if Jack could ever forgive him. 

Ivanov set the privacy seal again, this time behind his Supply Officer. 

"Come in Lieutenant, Major Pattisson has already told me you're free to return to your duties. Have you got everything sorted out with him?" 

"Yes sir, I think so." He was too wound up to have a seat. "Captain, sir, I need to apologise to you for acting like a complete fu- er, idiot. I wasn't thinking and I caused a worse mess than the one I was trying to avoid. But once I started I couldn't see how to get out." 

"Sit down Jack," ordered the Captain. "Yes, you were a fucking idiot, but it's not the end of the world. Loyalty is a valuable trait, you just have to make sure it's appropriate. Would you want to serve under a Captain who couldn't admit he was wrong? Who let someone else take the blame for his mistake?" 

"No sir," Alexander finally sank down into the chair opposite.  

"Of course not, and neither would Duran. In fact, that is what he said to me when he decided to withdraw his application for Captaincy." 

He saw the dismay flash across Alexander's face and continued smoothly, "I agree with him, he's not ready, but give him another year and we'll see. He's got a big task ahead of him now. He has to rebuild the respect he's lost with the crew and also cope with the fact that now everyone on board knows he's an om. If he can do that, I think he'll make an excellent Captain." 

He leant back in his chair, "Now that's enough about him. How are you feeling? You're going to have to handle the men knowing you are an om too. Do you still want to go down to Beledi with the others?"  

"Yes sir, as you say, I've got to face the men, I might as well start now."  

Ivanov nodded, "Good. Just remember I'm here, come and see me if you need to talk any more or if you need some help with anything." 

Lieutenant Alexander hurried back to his cabin to change into civilian clothes and reached the shuttle at a run just before it departed. The other five men all stared at him. "What happened Lieutenant?" asked Edwards finally, "Last we heard the Major had you in detention." 

Alexander wondered what to say for a second. "I don't suppose it's a secret. I made an idiot of myself and told the Major I'd done something I hadn't. Then Lieutenant Duran sorted things out with Major Pattisson for me, and now I'm a free man!"  

Edwards frowned for a moment, that wasn't quite how he'd heard it, but it was typical of Alexander to put the most generous spin on something. He hesitated for a minute, as he appeared to have been nominated unofficial spokesperson for the group, he might as well come straight out with it. "Uh, some people are saying you're an om sir, is that true?"  

"Yes, I am," he was grateful to Edwards for raising it so matter-of-factly, much better than having the crew snigger about it behind his back. "Don't worry, it's not catching!" he ventured a smile.  

After a startled second, Edwards smiled back, "Good to hear that sir. Just think of all the hearts that would be broken if we all became oms!" A couple of the crew looked very uncomfortable at this but the rest joined in the laughter. Alexander relaxed, may be it wouldn't be as bad as he thought. 

"Would you like to join us sir?" Edwards asked, making an effort. "We're going to the Red Panda for a few drinks." 

"Sure, I'll come for a drink or two," agreed Alexander. "Then I'm meeting someone at the Stars in an hour or so." That wasn't exactly true but he wanted to go cruising and he didn't want to make the other men even more uncomfortable. 

An hour or so later, he sat alone at the bar in the Stars sipping his whisky. He was rusty, it was a long time since he had done this. He looked around again. He didn't want a man younger than himself, he wanted someone his own age, or maybe even a little older. This wasn't working. Maybe he should go and have a game of pool instead, they had a couple of tables in the back. Perhaps he could impress someone with his playing even if he couldn't impress them with his looks.  

Soon he was part of a sudden death tournament, men lining the walls and shouting encouragement to whoever took their fancy. He was good at pool, he should do this more often, he told himself. He was paired with a middle-aged man with a competitive streak but a leavening sense of humour and to his new friend's delight, they won the game and were shouted a round of drinks by the losers. Alexander looked sideways at his pool partner. The man must be nearly twenty years older than him but they had got on well during the game. What the hell, he really wanted some company tonight. His new friend was surprised to be propositioned, these days it was nearly always the other way around, but he was very happy to go to a nearby hotel with the younger man.