In the back of his mind, Vathion felt Paymeh shifting uncomfortably. Firmly, Vathion closed connections with the irate semi-symbiotic lizard. Vathion had never done that to Jathas, since it was generally considered rude. This seemed to help his headache, though.

It struck Vathion that he had a stranger merged with him. Jathas was dead. Jathas had been his friend since he was five and his Bond since he was seven.

It was official. He had lost everything: his name, his home, his family, his life, his freedom, his few other friends, and lastly, his Bond.

Closing his eyes, he bowed his head, fists clenched on the table as he tried to contain his grief and fury.

The first shift officers continued their debate. "Whether he was insane or not doesn't matter so much at the moment." The man who spoke this time was the senior Fleet engineer, En'Lere. "Taking off without permission from the owner would be theft. But sir, we're still in a war zone, and ready or not, we can't just sit out of the battles. The Empire needs us to restore order." The man was slightly overweight, bald, and in his fifties, but a man that was not to be taken lightly. "Sorry things got dumped on you like this, but we need a decision fast."

"I wasn't finished," he ground out.

The nine gathered fell silent.

"I wasn't given just ownership of the fleet, but authority," Vathion said. "Whether you like it or not, I am currently your admiral."

Shifting, the second-in-command scowled around the table. "Turning over command to me would be the most intelligent thing to do. You can return home and not worry about any of this, Mister Vathion. You're young and have no experience commanding."

I'Savon leaned down, placing her hand on his shoulder. "You have Paymeh, and us." There was a slight quaver in her voice. She looked up, addressing the others. "I trust Ha'Natan's decision on this. I know you're aware that Ha'Natan sent his will to the Emperor." The last part, she addressed to Gatas.

"The frontlines are no place for a child. Mister Vathion, you should go home. Leave the fleet to us."

"Home?" Vathion snapped and burst into laughter. "I haven't got one! I was seen leaving Ika station. It's probably all over Larena by now. Dad's ex-lovers think I smell like him, so everywhere he's been is out." Rage and pride finally reaching the boiling point, he slammed his hand down on the table, "No! Over my dead body, Gatas!" Jathas had been so excited about the idea of being famous...

The senior officers recoiled, staring at him in shock.

"I think this should go to vote." Gatas lifted his chin as he looked down at Vathion. "Those in favor of my plan?"

Four out of nine raised their hands. Vathion eyed the four: Gatas, one of the orange-haired weapons officers, Lere, and Codas. However, Codas' hand was only raised a little and lowered further as he caught Vathion's look.

"So, is it agreed that we're going to follow... Mister Vathion?" he asked and watched the indecisive looks around the table.

Vathion slapped the table again as he rose to his feet, looming over Ma'Gatas. Dropping his voice to a lower tone, he said intently, "That's Ha'Vathion." This had the added effect of making the others in the room pay closer attention. "This fleet belongs to me. My money supports it. My money pays your salary. Keep disrespecting me and you're going to be looking for a new job." He stabbed a finger at Gatas’ soft chest.

Vathion felt very cold inside, and after a few more insistent shoves from Paymeh, he opened the link.

:Finally! You insolent little twerp!: the Hyphokos snapped, irritation shading more purple into the faceted gem-like organ on Vathion's forehead. Though the others could not hear what the Hyphokos said, they could definitely see that there was an argument occurring between the two newly Bonded. :Natan's got his reasons all right, so just shut up and do what I tell you.:

:Piss off, stupid parasite!: Vathion snapped in return. :I will never trust you and I will make your life hell. Just as you and Dad conspired to make mine hell!:

Paymeh disengaged and leapt atop the table. "The battle will continue. Natan wants victory and his killer found."

Li'Codas gasped. "He was murdered?"

This came as a surprise to Vathion, too. The autopsy report said there had been no proof of poisons in his blood. The other officers looked grim. They had suspected, apparently.

Paymeh huffed. "Yes. The killer is on the ship still. Been here a long time. Natan nearly got hit four times before giving his will to Ma'Gatas." The Hyphokos nodded towards the second in command. Gatas paled. "Natan knows the fleet is in good hands, Vathion has his confidence. He's been trained."

Shoving away from the table and straightening, Vathion stared down the group. "By my father's will, I am the Admiral of this fleet," he told them coldly. "I'm going to bed. See you on first shift." He felt numb. He would think about it all tomorrow.

He was still wearing the clothes he had left home in. He felt grimy and wanted a long hot shower before getting some sleep.

Maybe this was all just a nightmare, and he would wake up and his father would call and demand to know why he had gotten a low grade on his language exam.

Keeping his head high, Vathion stalked out of the room that was as hauntingly familiar as the shuttle bay had been and out into the hall. He headed one door to the right, across the hall from the bridge.

Natan's quarters had never been depicted in the vidshow, but Vathion knew the layout from his game Battle Fleet. He had four rooms, the first being the sitting room he'd just entered.

To his left was the kitchen. To the right, the office. Straight ahead was the bedroom.

The room had a distinct scent lingering in the air. It was a scent Vathion couldn't immediately place but viscerally recognized.

The bedroom door automatically opened as Vathion approached, wafting the familiar scent directly into his face. Feeling weak-kneed, Vathion leaned heavily against the door frame. This was the first time he'd ever smelled his father.

Eyes watering, Vathion wiped his face with his hands and pushed off, stumbling to the bathroom door.

His gaze briefly flicked toward the mirror over the sink. His Bondstone was dark violet. Bondstones always reflected the color of the paired Hyphokos and Paymeh's eyes were blue... Shaking his head and unable to understand fully, he put it aside. Perhaps it had something to do with how Paymeh had killed Jathas. He shed his clothes to take a shower.

It was not until he was curled up in his father's bed, surrounded by the lingering scent of Natan that clung to the bedding that it suddenly struck him.

Natan was murdered. Vathion had just taken his place. His worst nightmares had come true.

Jathas was murdered, too, though no Hyphokos was going to see it that way. I'm alone... I will never have a real friend ever again. The remainder of his friends were back on Larena, having graduation and end-of-term parties, and Mirith was probably wondering where he had gone without telling her goodbye.

She'll find out soon enough.

Clutching the pillow, Vathion curled around it. Heart aching, he bit his lip. He couldn't stop the tears. I should NOT have fought Gatas like that. I should NOT have insisted on being admiral! They're right! I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know anything! Why is this happening to me? None of this is fair!

But there was nowhere else he could go. He was stuck here. Stuck with his decisions. Stuck and alone.

* * *

He stared at the wallscreen. Vathion stared back at him; lips turned downwards at the corners, a sorrowful but angry pinch to his dark green eyes. He looked like an uncanny mirror in his Fleet uniform. He wished Vathion had taken more of Hasabi's looks than his.

"Did it ever occur to you that I'd like to make my own way instead of hanging off your coattails for everything?" Vathion said, his cold tone was like a knife in the heart.

Curling his toes under, he sat back and folded his arms. He had done everything he could to let the boy have a normal life and get him the education he wished he'd gotten. It hurt so much to see that look on his son's face all the time. He just did not know what to do anymore. He was lost and lonely and in danger, and in the end, he had promised them...

Hasabi... Vathion...

"A week..."

"Damn you for making a liar out of me!"

Vathion jerked awake, startled by his own shouting. Sitting up, he stared at the far wall in the strange room he found himself in. Only the strip of dim lights glowing around the ceiling gave him anything to see by. Finally recognizing his surroundings, Vathion swallowed and rolled over onto his back, hearing Paymeh's call from the other side of the locked bedroom door.

"Vathion?"

Vathion did not want to see that blasted lizard; the one that had killed his best friend. He would never forgive Paymeh.

Rolling over again, Vathion pulled the pillow over his head and tried to go back to sleep.

He saw himself again, on the other side of the wallscreen, dressed in the Natan Fleet uniform, fiddling with his tassel as he shyly said, "I love you too, Dad."

"I love you, Dad," Vathion sobbed in his sleep.

"Damn you."