The angry warrior stepped into the lieutenant’s personal space so that their bodies were nearly touching. He was so close the lieutenant could not possibly hope to draw his sword. Rezkin gazed over the lieutenant’s shoulder as he spoke into the soldier’s ear so quietly the others could not hear, including Tam who stood only a few feet away gaping like a fish on dry land.

“Make no mistake, Lieutenant Jimson. Even naked and unarmed I could kill you in seconds. Do not underestimate me. You are my friend, but if you ever issue that challenge, I will end you. Next time, it would be in your best interest to gather the facts before you make assumptions and accusations.”

Rezkin stepped around the lieutenant and walked down the bank to retrieve his clothes and other belongings. He decided he needed time away from the group to think and calm himself. Rezkin was frustrated. He did not know why he had become angered with the lieutenant. The man had done and said nothing overtly threatening toward him. He had issued a warning, which was on the surface reasonable enough. If he had attacked the women, he would have expected the lieutenant to defend their honor and at least attempt to kill him. It could not have been what the lieutenant said, then.

The warrior mulled over the question for quite some time before he finally thought he understood. It was the assumption and accusation, Rezkin realized. He was angry that the lieutenant thought he would actually attempt to harm the women for no reason or simply to satisfy his base needs.

Rezkin’s only experience being intimate with a woman had started out pleasant enough but had ended abruptly when the woman attempted to kill him. He knew, however, what men did with women. Having never been around women until he left the fortress several weeks ago, he had not really considered the experience. Too many other events were happening, and he had to adjust at an uncomfortable rate to the outworld. Allowing himself to be open and vulnerable to another person for any length of time was more than he could force upon himself at this time. He understood that the intimacy was not really necessary unless he wanted to procreate, so the whole subject had not even crossed his mind.

The thoughts brought Rezkin back to the source of his anger. Rezkin was not a selfish or cruel man. He killed and destroyed when he had to or when the masters ordered it; but he trusted that if they gave him an order, they had good reason to do so. He did not enjoy killing, but neither did it trouble him. He truly had no feelings about it at all.