The Untold Story of Lady Robby Coffman: A Prequel to the Evolution Series

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Act Six: Winds of Change

It had been three weeks since she lost her love. Every day it never changed. The pain of his loss wore heavy on her as she walked towards the corner. The sound of her boots reverberating along with Karla’s, who walked beside her. No sooner had they cleared the corner into the corridor towards the bridge, they found most of the officers of the Onyx standing lining both sides of the corridor, all the way to the bridge.

His four personal guards stood by his cabin door, their heads bowed. Refusing to meet their eyes, she focused straight ahead, reaching the door and turning with Karla to face it. With a quick nod to her, the guard next to the panel swiftly pressed the button.

The door opened as she stepped inside, finally raising her eyes to peer around, stepping inside and finding both the chief medical officer and physician beside his bed. Her father lay on his back, still covered by the sheets. His single eye was open and semi-opaque now staring at the ceiling as his mouth hung agape, frozen the moment his heart had stopped.

Looking above the headboard at their family crest of the laughing silver skull and his cutlass behind it against their house royal blue, she drew in a breath to calm herself. “What time?”

“Approximately five forty this morning.” The chief medical officer said.

Her face became stone like as she walked around to the left of the bed as the two backed up, giving her space. Leaning over, she peered into his face, feeling the anger swell inside her for everything he did. Killing her brothers, her mother, and taking her away from Hague when she was a child to live with him in exile out in the Amethyst. Worse than tearing her first love of her life away, killing him in-front of her. But she would not disrespect him, nor squander the opportunity that presented itself to her.

The moment had arrived; it was time for her to seize control, and the weight of responsibility settled heavily on her shoulders. To reunite the clan and return them home.

“Prepare his body to give to the Amethyst.” She stood up to look over the foot of the bed, finding a gaggle of the officers standing just inside watching. Roman, whom served him as his second, nodded.

“Aye lady Coffman.”

“Robbie?” Karla whispered from behind.

“His time has passed, Karla. I am not like him and will not dishonor his death, no matter his actions against me, and what he has done. It’s time to move forward, all of us. And return our clan and our people to the way.”

She backed away as they came in, covering her father’s body, wrapping him in the sheet, then lifting him up and carrying him out slowly. Walking behind them, she stopped outside the door to peer at his personal guards.

“You are all discharged from his service and returned to your normal duties and stations as before. Lieutenant Tavares will be my personal guard from this point forward.” She glanced at the other officers standing together by the bulkhead just inside the bridge. “Pilot. Set course for the nearest enclave or sanctuary of our brothers and sisters who have fled Hague in exile. It’s time we reunite all of us and return home to Hague.”

“What if they refuse to speak or listen to you?” someone asked.

“Then we can leave them as a relic of our past. For I choose to live free with my feet back on Haguean soil.”

“Aye Lady Coffman.”

Turning back to the slow procession that walked down the hall with her father’s body, she sighed. “This will not be easy. I am sure many will refuse and challenge me. But I will return us back to an honorable path and home.”

Karla nodded. “We’ve been training for this day for a few years now. You are ready, Robbie, I’m sure of it.”

“Only time will tell and judge me, Karla. Only time.” She followed the slow procession down around to the corner towards the travel tube in silence. Only the soft shuffles of their boots along the deck resounded in the corridor as those they passed stood at attention saluting not only him but her as their Captain now.

*

*

*

One year and three months.

Getting up and stretching, she slid around, setting her feet on the carpet of her cabin. Reaching up to pull her silky black hair away from her face, gathering it behind her head, she turned to look up above the bed at the wall standing up. The silver blue laughing skull of her family crest over a field of blue, now with her own cutlass emblazoned across it. A constant reminder of who now leads the clan.

It had been three months now since his passing and she still felt uneasy moving into what was his private cabin. Its location near the bridge provided her with swift access whenever necessary.

Showering in the large black and dark blue tiled and stone like bathroom. She cleaned herself off and dried her hair, coming out to prepare herself for the day, dressing in the black combat pressure suit that was reinforced with silver armor plates along her limbs and torso. Her family crest emblazoned along her shoulder plates.

Picking up a thick black cloth, she wrapped it around her waist, covering her legs before securing her preferred weapons. A stinger energy pistol, her unique double bladed Valkyrie knife, and a handcrafted cutlass with her crest along the pommel and guard. Reaching back she pulled her hair through a hair band, letting it fall behind herself turning to walk out.

Soon as the door opened, she met Karla, who also was wearing a combat suit with black armor plates. She had tightly braided her silky black hair into two short ponytails that touched the back of her collar, revealing the smooth, shaved sides of her head. Her piercing blue eyes focused on her as she met her.

“Are you ready?”

Robbie nodded, turning with her, heading towards the bulkhead to the bridge that sat not too far off.

“Have we heard from any more captains wishing to rejoin?”

Karla nodded. “We have. The number now stands at twenty-nine. With three no’s and two that wish to challenge you in open combat for the right of leadership from this colony on the moon of Helfineir eighty three.”

“Helfineir eighty three?”

“Yes.”

“If I remember correctly from when my father went there about five years ago. Its population comprises miners. And a few settlers. The moon had a very thin atmosphere and can barely support life. I am surprised so many of us sought refuge there. Thirty-four ships of us. And only twenty-nine will return to the clan.”

Karla nodded, walking with her hands behind her back as they both stepped together through the bulkhead onto the bridge. Robbie stopped, making Karla turn towards her, raising a thin, black brow.

“Three said no?”

Karla’s gaze dropped, some nodding. “Yes, they said their ships are no longer serviceable and wish to remain with the local population. They did, however, recite the call and said they would like to be citizens of Hague once more if allowed.”

Robbie drew in a deep breath, releasing it, then nodded. “If that is what they wish. As long as they become a part of Hague, I am Ok with that. It’s the other two that wish to continue on with our past life as pirates that concerns me.”

“Captain Pascual of the Night Prowler and Captain Vash of the Rush.”

“I vaguely know of Pascual, but nothing about Captain Vash.”

Karla cleared her throat as her eyes lifted to find Robbie’s. “Captain Pascual is the one whom demanded that your father give him the right to court you.”

Robbie’s jaw tightened, looking nodding as her right hand gripped the back of her Stinger sidearm. “I remember now.”

Karla turned to face her, drawing Robbie’s tentative gaze as she leaned close to the right of her head as Robbie leaned over to her.

“When we contacted them, he was the first to make challenge openly among the other thirty-three captains. As well as,” she cleared her throat nervously. “Saying he will make you his bitch and force you to bear his children. He said you would never lead our clan, nor would he follow a woman, especially one who came from your mother.”

Straightening with a hiss as her eyes narrowed, glancing around the bridge, Robbie strode to her chair as Karla followed her.

“We shall see about that.” Robbie snarled, sitting down in the command chair.

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