1

Jaxton pushed past the other cadets to check the board.

After seven months of training, he was sure he had passed. The only real question was, by how many points?

Johnty was already there, gaping at the vid-screen as he read his own results.

"73?" Johnty squeaked with delight, "Look Jax, 73 bloody percent!"

"Well done" Jaxton said calmly to his friend, relieved he didn't have to carry him anymore. The only reason why he had passed was the successful way they broke that bloody time loop.

There were whispers that Gerfid and Delsssit were still locked in theirs and had reached the twelve-year mark within the loop. Gods.

Jaxton keyed in his personal code by swiping the screen with his shiny VM, pleased to find he had hit 97. Johnty swore softly in Galactic Standard as he glared at the highest mark for the class.

"What can I say" Jaxton leered, "I do like winning."

"Johnty and Jaxton, please report to the Agency Master's Office" a voice demanded over the collective VMs and they looked at each other with glee.

Assignment?

Already?

They walked quickly to the office and took a moment to straighten themselves up and check each other for good measure. Wouldn't do to upset HER.

They walked in and bowed as she looked up from the piece of tech she was fiddling with.

"Ah, yes" she sighed, "The pretty ones."

Both men grinned and Johnty preened until Jaxton pushed him gently to remind him where they were.

He tried to look chastened, honestly, he tried.

"So. You know the High Chancellor has decided on a mate for the Regal Preverian's child" she said, watching the twin nods.

"He is of the Boeshane Royal Family" she said and ignored the intake of breath from Jaxton.

"The boy is to travel from Boeshane to the capital to be assessed for compatibility" she looked up, "I trust the two of you can babysit competently."

Johnty looked at Jaxton, who spoke, "It would be an honor to serve my Lady."

"Good, I am sending the information to your VMs, read, assimilate, prepare. You have one night's furlough, use it well. By this time date tomorrow, you will be given the coordinates for interception."

Both men bowed again, exiting the room with bubbling excitement.

"He'll be boring but we can certainly enjoy the ride darling" Johnty purred as he rubbed against his partner.

"He's from my planet" Jaxton reminded him, "A poor realm. He will be withheld and paranoid. They are right to teach him so;he will definitely be a target. What the hell were the council thinking."

"They're Timelords darling, they don't care about us stupid apes" Johnty laughed, "They just saw an opportunity to mix bloodlines. Of course they know he will be targeted by the other families, to place him with one of the most powerful."

"If I didn't know better, I would say they want a bloody war!" Jaxton sighed, "Those bloody tin men they call advisors creep me out."

"Yeah, well the Timelords don't like them either. Ever notice how they don't touch them?" Johnty strapped himself into their hopper and began the preliminary check list for preflight.

"Yeah. The RPs will find out sooner or later that it is better to rule your own kingdom, no matter how large or small, than give power to another just to increase your fire power." Jaxton agreed.

"The Daleks are too bloody smug for me, like they know they have everyone by the balls" Johnty sighed as he flicked aswitch and clapped his hands, starting the engines.

"You still never said how you go that to work" Jaxton muttered as he watched the systems come on line.

"I told you, I did it myself!" Johnty said, his nervous pulling at his ear a giveaway to subterfuge.

Jaxton decided he didn't really care, he just wanted to get to the mess hall and eat before they hit their bunks to download the file.

Something told him, tomorrow was going to be long and awkward for everyone.