Then he turned to Gabriel once more, letting the weight of his words settle. *“Face it, hermano—you always said a Lorca makes his own fate. You just never expected your son’s fate to be in *my* hands.”*

He spread his arms wide, as if declaring it to the gods.

“*Miguel Alejandro Lorca será mi sucesor!*” Another roar from his crew. Jamie laughed, shaking his head. “He just doesn’t know it yet.”

“But even the strongest alpha needs an heir.” Jamie turned back toward Gabriel, eyes gleaming with savage triumph. “And since my *dear* brother failed at being a father *and* a captain, I’m stepping in.”

Starfleet took everything from me—mis alas, mi honor, mi futuro. And yet, mírenme ahora—I *command* the deadliest fleet in the black! *Yo soy el Alfa!*” A chorus of cheers and howls echoed through the ship, the crew feeding off his energy.

*“Escuchen bien, cabrones!*” His voice boomed across the ship, reaching every crew member aboard the *Vanguard* and beyond through the fleet’s comms. “I have made my decision!

Jamie turned away from Gabriel now, stepping toward the center of the bridge. He lifted his chin, squared his shoulders, and raised his voice for all of *Los Lobos del Espacio* to hear.

lunging at him. “You’re the *family man*, Gabriel, not me. I never wasted my time on that bullshit—pero Miguel? *Miguel is Lorca blood.* And blood deserves a legacy.”

He saw the flicker of something dangerous in Gabriel’s eyes, but he kept going, enjoying the way the chains were the only thing stopping his brother from

*“Well, guess what? This stray runs the whole damn pack.”* He let the words sink in before tilting his head, the grin turning cruel. “And one more thing, big brother—your son? *Mi sobrino?* I’m taking him.”

Jamie’s smirk widened as he watched his brother’s face, savoring the moment like a man sipping fine tequila. He took a slow step closer, just enough for Gabriel to see the absolute certainty in his eyes.

betrayed you?” He let out a low chuckle. “Or are we skipping ahead to the part where you realize you never could outmaneuver me?”

Silence hung between them for a beat, tension thick as the void outside.

Then Lorca leaned back, exhaling sharply. “So, what’s next, *Commodore*? You gonna ransom me, make a speech about how Starfleet

His voice dropped, words slow and deliberate. *“But nah, look at you—hiding behind black-market cloaks, jumping Starfleet ships like some back-alley ratero. You always wanted to be bigger than me, Jamie, but all I see is a man too scared to stand in the light.”*

Jamie’s fingers flexed at his sides, but Gabriel kept going, his smirk sharp now. “Damn shame, too. You always had the talent, the guts. If you weren’t so busy trying to prove you’re *me*, maybe you would’ve actually been someone worth remembering.”

Jamie’s smirk twitched, but Lorca pressed on, his voice low, biting. *“Dime una cosa, hermano—when you give orders, do they even stand at attention, or do they just roll over and beg?”*

Lorca scoffed, shaking his head. *“Mira nada más…”* His voice was slow, dry, unimpressed. “So this is it, huh? All that fire, all that fight, and you went and built yourself a little perrito club? Thought you had bigger dreams than running with strays.”

Jamie stood tall, arms crossed, wearing that smug grin Lorca had known since childhood. The insignia of *Los Lobos del Espacio* gleamed on his chest like he actually believed it meant something.

steel in his gaze as he stared at the man across from him—his own flesh and blood, once a Starfleet officer, now the self-proclaimed *Commodore* of a pack of mercenaries and thieves.

Gabriel Lorca lifted his head, dark eyes sharp despite the restraints digging into his wrists. The dim glow of the pirate ship’s bridge did nothing to dull the

Jamie’s smirk twitched, but Lorca pressed on, his voice low, biting. “Dime una cosa, hermano—when you give orders, do they even stand at attention, or do they just roll over and beg?”

Lorca scoffed, shaking his head. “Mira nada más…” His voice was slow, dry, unimpressed. “So this is it, huh? All that fire, all that fight, and you went and built yourself a little perrito club? Thought you had bigger dreams than running with strays.”

Jamie stood tall, arms crossed, wearing that smug grin Lorca had known since childhood. The insignia of Los Lobos del Espacio gleamed on his chest like he actually believed it meant something.

the man across from him—his own flesh and blood, once a Starfleet officer, now the self-proclaimed Commodore of a pack of mercenaries and thieves

He crouched slightly, just enough to meet his older brother’s eyes.

**“You want a hint?”** His voice dropped lower, edged with something **deadly amused**.

**“Ohhh, I know that look. You’re trying to work it out, aren’t you? How I got past your security. How I knew exactly when to strike.**”

Gabe’s expression didn’t change. He held Jamie’s gaze, unflinching.

Jamie tilted his head. **“Nothing? No ‘go to hell, Jamie’? No threats?”** His smirk widened.

He was **restrained**, but not too tightly. His captors knew who they were dealing with. **They weren’t stupid.**

A slow clap filled the room.

Jamie Lorca strolled forward, his smirk **infuriatingly familiar**.

**“Welcome aboard, hermano.”**

Gone were the crisp, sterile tones of his ship. The steady, familiar hum of Starfleet engineering.

Instead—**low, flickering light.** The tang of unfiltered air. And the distant, telltale creak of **a pirate vessel in motion.**

### **THE CAPTIVE**

The next time **Gabe Lorca** opened his eyes, the lighting had changed.

a breath— **Captain Gabriel Lorca vanished from the *Buran’s* ready room.**