Chapter 17 

Colonel Rice swore silently and viciously. He had made a major mistake. He should have expected Liam Connell to come sniffing around Stefan as soon as he could, but he hadn't. Tian had seemed so far away, so safely distant. He had been too long on Capella, forgetting that ships could travel between the stars almost faster than he could walk from one side of the huge space station to the other. He wished, futilely, that he'd had the guts to get rid of him when he'd had the chance over twenty years ago. But he'd still had principles, an opportunity in the heat of the moment was one thing, a cold blooded hit another. He hadn't been prepared to cross that thin line and now he was paying the price. 

They had run into each other, unexpectedly and literally, on their way to visit their respective sons at work. They froze in the corridor, each unwilling to step aside, taking each other's measure. The hatred rose up, hot and fresh between them as if twenty four years had never passed. Rice felt his fists clench at his sides, it was all he could do not to pound the other man into the ground where he stood. 

How dare he set foot inside a Patrol station, thought Rice, let alone the station his son was in charge of, bringing his damn lies and corruption with him. "Stay away from Stefan!" he almost hissed the words, leaning forwards to emphasise his point. "He doesn't need anything you can tell him, it will only upset him." 

The man in front of him was silver haired, his face lined with age but Liam had recognised him instantly. When did he get to be an old man? he wondered briefly. Although he had followed Rice from time to time on the TriVid news it was different seeing him in the flesh.  

"Don't you think he deserves the truth?" asked Liam, the angry fear in the other man's voice unexpectedly calming him. 

"For fuck's sake! Don't pretend you give a damn about Stefan! You're only interested in taking out your revenge on me!" 

"That's not true!" Maybe he wasn't as calm as he'd thought. 

Rice sneered, "Isn't it?" 

"Don't flatter yourself." Liam paused, trying to get a grip on his temper before this whole encounter degenerated into a slanging match. 

"I think Nick's son deserves to hear the truth, but I won't force it on him. If Stefan doesn't want to talk to me that's his decision, but if he asks ... I'll tell him! Everything!" Giving the other man no chance to reply, Liam turned on his heel and strode out. He'd come back and see Nick another time. 

Rice glared after him, wondering if it was possible to arrange an accident. He needed to calm down first, consider the matter coolly. 

"What did he mean, Dad?" Stefan's questioning voice broke into the Colonel's thoughts, giving him an unpleasant jolt.  

Stefan had been drawn out of his office by the sound of loud voices, dismayed to realise who they belonged to. He had just been on the verge of intervening when Nick's father had turned and walked away. 

"Nothing!" snarled the Colonel, struggling for control. How much had Stefan heard? "He still blames me for what happened in the past. Don't worry about him, you don't have to listen to his lies." 

Stefan nodded, but he was unconvinced. It had sounded exactly as if Liam knew something that Viktor didn't want him to find out. Maybe he should talk to Liam Connell, after all, what could he tell him that would be worse than what he already knew?  

"Never mind," Colonel Rice made an effort to change the subject. "You were going to show me round the station. Let's have a look at it then." 

Stefan showed him around the small station, introducing him to Kim and Forrester who were working on site. He grew tense as they neared the office where Nick was working but Nick was on his best behaviour, his face carefully impassive, standing and giving the Colonel a brisk salute, allowing them both to avoid shaking hands. Viktor cleared his throat gruffly and nodded in acknowledgement. "Lieutenant." 

Stefan relaxed slightly and continued the tour. He was conscious of a feeling of disappointment. He had been looking forward to showing his father over his first command but although the Colonel had made a few brief sounds of approval, it was evident he was distracted, his mind busy elsewhere. Instead of making an extra effort to get his attention as he usually did, this time Stefan felt his own attention wandering. Should he go and see Liam Connell? He knew Viktor would be furious but the more he thought about it, the more he felt he needed to see the other man. For god's sake, he was a grown man, nearly thirty, he didn't need his father's permission for anything. 

He felt an almost guilty sense of relief when Viktor refused his obligatory offer to join him for lunch. 

"I'm sorry son, I've got some business to sort out. I'll see you for dinner tonight." 

"That's fine Dad, I'll see you at home then." 

He showed his father out, already feeling a sense of rising excitement at his decision. He would go and see Liam Connell as soon as Liam was free to see him. 

Nick looked up as the Captain popped his head around the door of his office, his face a bit flushed. "Nick? Where is your father staying? I've changed my mind, I'd like to talk to him." 

Nick felt his face relaxing into a wide smile, "That's great. He's at the Golden Crown. I'll keep an eye on things here if you want to go now," he offered. 

XXX 

"Ser Connell?" the voice of the hotel's human receptionist broke into Liam's thoughts. It had only taken him five minutes to unpack his bag and check out the features of the room and he had just finished talking to Emma to tell her of his safe arrival. 

"I have Captain Rice here, he'd like to know if it's convenient for you to see him now," the polite voice continued.  

Liam felt his heart leap. "Yes, certainly. Send him up, please." Mars' son! He was going to see Nick's son. Hastily he looked around the small living room to check that everything was tidy. Should he order some drinks now, or wait til he got here? 

He shut the door into the bedroom and stood in the centre of the living room, waiting for his arrival. He was too wound up to sit down again but he took a couple of deep breaths. Rice was a Patrol Captain. He couldn't jump on the man and hug him senseless! He would have to keep his distance, pretend to be casually friendly, after all, the meeting could scarcely mean the same thing to the younger man as it did to him. 

The panel by the door gave a soft chime as Rice flashed his ID outside it. Liam straightened his shoulders, plastered a welcoming smile on his face, then quickly toned it down as he realised he was grinning like an idiot, and opened the door. 

"Come in Captain. I'm Liam Connell."