The Worker Prince Read Free Page A

power in preparation for launch. The room vibrated around them as the courier’s engines shot out twin columns of orange-red flame, rocking the pedestal upon which it rested, before launching with a lurch up a ramp and into the clear blue sky on its journey to the edge of the solar system.
    Sol wrapped his arms around Lura as she collapsed against him, sobbing and Sol’s own tears refused to be restrained any longer. Then armed starport security forces arrived, surrounding them, as Sol glimpsed Tran’s angry orange eyes peering in from the doorway and sighed, resigned.

Chapter One
    “Why do they keep staring at us?” Sweet, fruity perfumes contrasted with stale sweat from gyrating bodies afflicting Davi’s nose.
    Farien nodded toward the dance floor and Davi realized all eyes in the Bar Electric were focused on them.
    “I told you we looked good in our uniforms,” he joked as his eyes turned back to his friends. After twenty-one years, he’d never gotten used to it.
    Farien stood shorter by almost a foot than his two friends, but made up for it in a bulk that filled out his gray uniform. The shiny gold buttons and shoulder insignia appeared ready to pop loose at any moment. Yao was the tallest, thinner than the others. A humanoid from the planet Tertullis, he would pass for human if it weren’t for his dark-orange-tinted skin and purple eyes.
    “I think they’re staring at you, Prince Rhii,” Yao said.
    Like an old habit, Davi forced a grin and waved casually, the crowd watching his every move. “And to think I felt like just another cadet at the Academy.” He looked around. “Serve-bot!”
    Metal feet pounding on the floor mixed with flashing lights and the electronic tones of a recent pop hit blasting through speakers overhead. The robot waiter waded through the crowd toward their table. Other cadets, a few officers, and regular citizens filled the dance floor and tables as identical serve-bots worked the room with drinks and food.
    The serve-bot stopped at their table on one corner of the dance floor. “How may I serve you, sir?”
    “A round of drinks for everyone, on me,” Davi instructed.
    “On you, sir?”
    Davi chuckled. Bots’ vocabularies were simple, practical, and devoid of any colloquialisms or idioms. “Bill it to the Royal Palace, please.”
    “I’d need authorization—”
    Davi sighed, holding up his ID. The serve-bot scanned it, its facial LEDs lighting up with recognition. “Right away, Prince Rhii.”
    Yao and Farien chuckled as the serve-bot hurried off.
    “Come on, Davi, when are you going to drop the childhood nickname and use your real name, like a man. Xander sounds much more mature than Davi.” Farien’s face was serious, yet Davi couldn’t help but laugh.
    “It may be a nickname, but it’s one I like.”
    Farien rolled his eyes. “Haven’t you been teased enough over it? Do you want to be taken seriously as an officer? We’re not kids anymore. We’re going into the world as adults.”
    “Let the man choose his own name, Farien,” Yao scolded. “No one’s asking you to change yours even though it sounds a little feminine.” Yao and Davi exchanged a look and laughed.
    Farien scowled. “It’s not feminine! It’s a family name!”
    Davi and Yao just laughed harder as Farien took a huge gulp of his beer.
    After a moment, Yao turned serious again. “Now that you’ve made the public happy, how are you going to deal with the other crisis?”
    “What other?” Farien asked.
    Davi and his friends had come to the bar to celebrate graduating from the Military Academy. After receiving congratulations and hugs from their friends and family, the three headed off to Bar Electric to discuss their assignments and dream about the future awaiting them—which meant Davi had skipped out on the celebratory dinner planned in his honor at the Palace by his mother and uncle, the High Lord Councilor.
    “They’ll get over it.” Davi dismissed it with a wave.
    “When have they