Bard Welstaad is a model Uni-Fleet officer. He’s not sure what his unit is to accomplish, marching up an icy peninsula in the frozen hell of Gelada, but without his NCO, Gordon Farrell, he knows he could not keep the unit together fighting off Snow Wasps and the savage deadly cold. Not until tragedy strikes does he admit the big sergeant means much more to him than simply being his right hand man.<br><br>Gordon Farrell idolizes his captain, who represents everything he reveres. The threat of imminent death finally forces him to admit the strength of his feelings as he fights to save Bard’s life. With death stalking at their heels, they can only hope to live long enough to share more than a single incredible night. Fate seems to conspire against them at every turn. Still they cling to the frail hope that somehow their love will find a way.

Fire on Ice

They forged on in that manner for three more days, mercifully spared any more wasp attacks. The command ship, claiming to have plotted their location, said they’d be at the rendezvous point in two more days’ march. In their bivouacs, they followed the old rule of different men bunking together each night. Perhaps that long-term custom was intended to discourage any untoward intimacy. Although Bard had no idea, he didn’t dare go against it, as badly as he longed to spend another night with Gordon.


By unspoken agreement, Bard and Gordon both worked not to betray, by word or deed, how their relationship had changed. Whether they succeeded or not, he had no idea, but he didn’t catch any sly sidelong looks or questioning glances from the rest of the men. Still, what might happen when they did reach the rendezvous haunted him.


Chapter 9