“And when she tells you the same thing that I have will you renounce this men’s equality movement?”

“No. Regardless of Georgiana’s feelings towards me, I will not. Alliance men deserve equality.”

“But you have almost everything! What more could you possibly want?”

“Freedom to make my own choices. To marry who I want. To choose my own profession. To even choose the clothing I want to wear.”

“And this is exactly why men aren’t capable. You’re too emotional. Look at you, throwing your whole life away for a human who doesn’t even want you. She asked to see me when she was at the palace, not you. Even a human woman coming from a patriarchy knew that she could only trust a woman to understand.”

Lia always knows exactly how to hurt me and make me doubt myself. “I still want to see her again and at the very least, to apologize.”

“You’re a fool, Axl.”

“Maybe, but at least, this is my own decision.”

“You have strayed into the darkness, Brother.”

“At least I’m among my own kind.”

“Just make sure you’re back in time for your marriage ceremony. Your wife’s work will be cut out for her.”

Lia ends the RVM and I put my IC in my pocket. Momentarily doubt washes over me. Is Lia right?

The captain of the Lio, my temporary ship, says, “If I can offer some unsolicited advice?”

I nod.

“Women usually say the opposite of the truth when corned by men’s decisions they don’t like.”

“You mean you think Madame Georgiana might want to be with me?”

“It’s a high possibility given your sister’s reaction. Excuse me for asking, but what will you do if she does?”

“It’s still a work in progress, but I did bring my Known Jewelry with me as a precaution.” I don’t add that I also brought all the clothing I had made for Georgiana when she was pretending to be my wife including our marriage bracelets from Alliance Force.

“We are at your service whatever the outcome,” the captain says.

As the days pass I keep an eye on what’s happening on the Capital Planet. The Empress has contacted me a few times. She has a new ship for me. I have responded by letting her know I need some time to think about a married life.

I’m under no illusion that I’ve fooled her or anyone else. They all know by now that I’ve joined the men’s movement and that I’m going after Georgiana. However, nothing I’ve done is against the law. Nothing except killing the captain of the guards and killing that Alliance woman in Earth’s atmosphere. Both the admiral of the fleet and the Empress have something over me now. The two most powerful people in the Empire, one woman and one man.

“We are docked,” the pilot tells me unnecessarily as we’ve docked in the alpha warship that is holding Georgiana.

As soon as the door opens, I walk onto the other ship followed by the pilot and a guard from the Lio.

“Walk in the goddess's light,” I say to the captain of the alpha ship who has come to greet me.

“The god of war guides me,” he replies.

It takes me a second to regain my countenance. Never before have I heard those words spoken out loud.

“Too long you’ve conformed to the women you’ve worked for Axl. Now you are here among men.”

“This is true, although I never considered the goddess of home being responsible for the way I’ve been treated by the women in my life.”

“Think on it and you might,” the captain replies. “And now more urgent matters. The human woman.”

“Is she ready to depart?”