ENCOUNTER
The usual disclaimer applies … I have no rights to any of the original series or characters.
991 words
"You didn't tell them we'd met before?"
"No." Avon didn't turn to her as she paced around the living area. "It's not important. And it's none of their business." He leaned back and closed his eyes. It had been a long day. But the majority of their problems had now been solved. Soolin was however not satisfied.
"Not important." She pulled a face. "I suppose not. And none of their business, well ... but if they are to work with me, trust me - "
"There is no question of trust. Not as far as any of us are concerned."
"No?"
"If any one of us betrayed the others, it would be a matter of death. We are a group; we function as a group. We rely and depend upon each other for our continued existence. Trust ... is not quite the correct word."
Soolin smiled at him, a trace of fondness in her usually hard gaze.
"Avon, you are becoming as pedantic as your little box of tricks - what do you call it?"
"Orac." He smiled. "Orac would hate to hear itself described as a box of tricks. It is however a very useful member of the crew." She nodded, her face grave.
"True. Without it, Pella would have escaped. And taken the Scorpio." Avon regarded her in silence and she smiled very faintly. "You killed Pella."
"Self preservation." He shrugged. "She took a shot at me first. And missed."
"Fortunately."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Not for her."
"And Kate is dead too. Poor Kate. I was fond of her." Shaking her head gently, Soolin sat down. "The Sesska are no more. And the Hommiks are leaving the area. Now you have a ship, and a planetary base." He grinned, showing his teeth.
"The means to strike out at the Federation."
"Because that's what Blake would have done?"
"Blake? No." He regarded his hands in his lap soberly. "I need to fight - for myself, Soolin. Now, because of what Servalan did to me - now it's personal." He raised his eyes to her, his gaze hard and cold. "I will kill her."
"You've changed, you know, since the first time I met you."
"It was a long time ago." His voice was low.
"Five years ago, more or less. Not so very long." She gave a short laugh. "When you tried fiddling the banking system. Do you remember?"
Avon looked at her, his face pale and tense.
"Soolin, I don't want to remember. It hurts to remember. I've been on the run for so long I've forgotten what it's like to be free - to be able to relax, and to devote my time and energy to what I want to do, instead of what I have to do, just to survive. I've changed, yes. And not for the better." His expression softened slightly. "And you?"
She was thoughtful.
"Yes. I suppose so. I found the men I was looking for -"
"And killed them."
"I had reason." She was bitter. "They murdered my family. And one of them, the one I found on Terra - "
"Yes, I know. Would have killed me if you hadn't picked that moment to arrive. You diverted his attention and I got a clear shot at him." He smiled crookedly. "I owe you for that, don't I?"
"Consider the debt repaid." She smiled at him. "I'm only sorry you were unconscious for so long that we never had the chance to rescue your friend. If I'd known I might have been able to do something to help her."
Avon let out his breath slowly and shook his head.
"No, Soolin. There would have been nothing." His voice was bitter.
She tilted an eyebrow at him, puzzled.
"She was the security agent - running the whole thing. Anna had deceived me all along. She was working for the Federation - right from the very beginning."
"I'm sorry." Soolin's voice was compassionate and Avon lifted his eyes to her unwillingly.
"Anna Grant is dead, Soolin. Not because the Federation killed her, but because I did."
She regarded him steadily, but without condemnation.
"Do you want to tell me what happened?"
"Not particularly. Do you want to tell me how you came to be here with Dorian?"
"You are very good at changing the subject, Avon. Dorian fascinated me. He knew so much - had experienced so much - "
"He'd certainly had the time to do that."
She shrugged.
"I had to go somewhere. But I hadn't been here for all that very long when he went off again. I knew he had gone to look for you all. He knew of you as a group." She was thoughtful. "But I didn't realise why, until he took us down - to - that - room. A group, though, was what he needed. A group is much stronger than the individuals in it. That's why he needed you all." Avon nodded slowly.
"The total value of the group is greater than the sum of its individual parts, you mean?"
"Yes, that's it." She frowned. "What about Cally? She was an Auron, wasn't she? A telepath? He mentioned that."
"Cally's dead." Avon stood up and turned away. "Servalan murdered her. That's another one I owe her for."
"You cared about Cally."
He turned and regarded her blandly.
"You think so?"
Soolin laughed.
"You and I, Avon, are two of a kind."
He turned away, tugging at his earlobe.
"I'm not sure if that's flattery or not - to either of us."
"We will survive. You'll see." She stood up and stretched.
"Yes. But for how long?"
Soolin touched his shoulder gently.
"Go sleep, Avon. Tomorrow is another day."