“The Imperial Information Bureau hasss kept all talk of the battle from newsss feedsss, and any queriesss about thossse forcesss have been blocked b... talk of preparationsss for a major offensssive.”The Emperor had been deeply unimpressed when he’d been informed of the loss of all ships under the command of High Prelates Grakira and Zorlin, and had taken quick steps to limit the potential aftershocks of such a defeat. Melkadian had discussed the battle with his leader at length, reviewing. I am dripping. The song finishes an indeterminate time later and something with heavy, African drums begins, pounding, relentless. His hands turn me and I look up, up, up and my stomach drops and I see his blue, light blue, impossibly blue eyes. His hair is black and long, tied at his neck and escaping in straggly wet strands down his face. When I reach up I can barely bring my hands together behind his neck. He takes my weight and eases me against his body. His hard arms circle me, his hard. "Gary, I came by to give you back the money you insisted on Danielle accepting. Jeannie and I are perfectly capable of meeting all her financial requirements, both here, and at the college." As he spoke those words, he casually threw the envelope of money onto my desktop. I didn't give him the satisfaction of bothering to count it. I was sure it was all there.The Danielle he was referring to was my nineteen year old daughter, while Jeannie was his current wife, my ex-wife. Michael, my seventeen. But, the upside, from their point of view at least, was the fact that they would not be pressing charges. How fucking wonderful. I couldn’t even get convicted of a crime that I was obviously guilty of. There was no justice, and then I slept. I slept a lot. And, then I slept some more.****“Mom, he’s gone, and he left a note. He’s going to kill himself! Maybe he has already!” said Rebecca.Her mother grabbed the note from her hands and read it, quickly read it. He’d heard her dissing him—again..