The Starfield Farming Sovereign (Elizabeth Schofield) novel Chapter 400

Chapter 400 Better You Remember Me Whole

45 P

“All right. That’s enough.” The man’s voice came out rough, deliberately gruff. “Look at you. Built like a truck, yet crying like a brat. Aren’t you embarrassed? People are staring.”

Onyx only squeezed tighter. His sobs grew more wounded. “You’re the one who hid! You’re the one who made sure we couldn’t find you! Do you have any idea how long we searched? Do you have any idea how worried we were? Your leg… a-and your hand…”

He hiccupped through his tears, unable to finish.

The mask of sternness on Owen’s face cracked. Something glinted deep in his eyes.

He drew a long breath. When he spoke again, his voice had softened. “Why were you looking for me in the first place? You got that much free time on your hands? Slacking off in training, letting your mind wander?”

A pause. He dropped his voice lower. “Keep it up, and I’ll have a word with your current commanding officer.”

“Stop bullying him.” The ponytailed woman beside him-Linnea Brawn-gave Owen a light smack on the arm, half-scolding. “You’re happy to see him. You could at least say so.”

She turned to Onyx, her voice softening. She reached up and patted his thick, trembling bicep. “Onyx. There now. No more crying. Your captain knows you were worried. We both do. See? He’s fine. We’re both fine. Life on the farm is steadier than it ever was before. You should be happy for us. Any more of this, and everyone really will be staring.”

Onyx finally pulled back, sniffling hard. He wiped his face with his sleeve, leaving his eyes red as a rabbit’s and his nose flushed, looking utterly wrecked and pathetic.

He looked down at Owen’s right leg. The coveralls hid most of it, but now that he was paying attention, he could see the unnatural stiffness in the way Owen stood. Then his gaze traveled to the alloy prosthetic. His throat bobbed. Tears threatened to break through again.

“Captain Brawn… back then… what happened, exactly?”

“Sit down first.” Owen cut him off, his tone easing into something that still carried the old weight of command.

He looked up, caught Elizabeth’s eye across the room, and gave her a small nod. “Ma’am.”

Elizabeth had already risen. She’d watched the whole scene unfold, from Onyx’s first desperate shout to Owen’s careful restraint, and understood what was going on.

She smiled. “Owen. These are the soldiers from the military detachment delivering equipment to the farm. You know each other?”

She let the question hang.

Owen glanced at Onyx. “My former subordinate.” he said, smiling.

Baxter had materialized nearby, his posture still ramrod straight. His gaze rested on Owen for a beat He

gave a short, respectful nod. “Captain Brawn. I’ve heard your name.”

Owen looked back at him, expression unreadable. “No need for that. I’m not a captain anymore, just a farmer now,”

Baxter didn’t take the bait. A faint smile tugged at his mouth. “Onyx is with me now. My apologies, I haven’t trained him well enough. He’s embarrassed you.”

“He was always like this.” Owen’s lips twitched, barely. “He bursts into tears at the drop of a hat. Twenty- something but still acts like a kid. We used to call him the ‘Waterworks Tower’ behind his back.”

Onyx’s face cycled through indignation and reluctant amusement in rapid succession, before settling int a deep, mortified red. “Captain! You’re telling everyone my business!”

“Now you care about embarrassment?” Owen shot him a sideways look.

Elizabeth stepped in smoothly, her voice warm. “All right, everyone. No more standing around. There’s an empty table over there. Sit, catch up. Owen, Linnea, you haven’t eaten yet either, have you? Join us.” She turned to one of the cafeteria ladies nearby. “Ella, bring extra utensils for this table. A few more dishes as well, Put it on my tab.”

“You’re too generous,” Linnea said, looking embarrassed. “We can get our own food.”

“Not today.” Elizabeth’s smile widened. Her gaze swept from Onyx to the 36 soldiers who had traveled so far, then settled on Owen’s quiet face. “Today is a reunion. That calls for a celebration.”

They moved to the table.

Onyx, Baxter, and a few of the other soldiers who knew Owen took one side. Owen, Linnea, and the farm employees who’d walked in with them took the other.

Elizabeth sat at the head. Desmond had appeared at some point and settled into the seat beside her.

Onyx’s eyes were still red, but they hadn’t left Owen’s face. Like he might vanish if Onyx blinked.

“Captain,” he said, his voice rough and scraped raw. “When you left the service, we all said we’d visit you on our first leave. But by the time we got to your place, you were gone. New number, new address. Hank pulled strings trying to track you down. Heard you’d been through three or four rehab centers. Then nothing. Where did you…”

His voice cracked. “Where did you go?”

Owen was quiet for a long moment. He didn’t answer. He just looked down at his alloyed hand.

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