Blood in the Stars

Chapter 2; Burying Friends

Prism - seven days later

Harry stood next to the closed door of Alex's room as he heard the sound of the young man trying to get comfortable again. Harry had awoken yet again to the sounds of the man's cries and even screams even through two bulkheads. One of the curses of his Vampiric hearing. Alex had been having nightmares ever since they had left Londinium. It had been so long since his friend had had any type of nightmare that Harry had almost barged into his room thinking he was under attack.

Harry could guess what he was dreaming about. Vampires, and that was why he wasn't coming to Harry for help like he had ten years ago though the relationship, up until the truth had come out, had remained unchanged over those years. He dream of Vampires and death for no more than half an hour before waking up screaming and shaking. He'd blunder about trying to calm himself before forcing himself into a stupor induced by so many days without proper sleep.

When his family had been murdered at the ages of fifteen he had suffered from nightmares for an entire year over the events and Harry knew that he had been plagued by the odd image of Harry as a Vampire though he had always thought it a hallucination of some kind. Alex would always find himself crawling into either Harry, Michelle's or Peter's bed, most often Harry's.

This time though, Harry wasn't sure if he could help. If Alex was having nightmares about Harry's true nature then sharing a bed with him wouldn't be high on his priorities list. To counter this Harry had done the only thing possible, he's constantly forgotten to wake Alex for shifts and messed with his room's computer to stop it waking him at the right time. The more rest he got the better he'd be for it.

Harry listened at the door, like he had ninety percent of the time since they'd left Londinium, until Alex was quiet again before he returned to his room, shut off the light, shut the door and headed down the passageways to the Bridge leaving the doors open on the way so he would be able to hear Alex easier if he awoke. He switched on some classical music when he was in the Bridge and settled into the pilots seat to run some diagnostics with half his mind as he tried to figure out what to do.

If Alex didn't either come to Harry for help or settle it himself then he'd have to find a place for Alex to go. Alex had refused such offers before wanting to stay with Harry but now that the situation had changed he wondered if Alex would be the one asking to change ship. Harry tapped through his records trying to find one of his friends that fit the bill and that Harry knew would look after Alex.

It was almost an hour and another fit of whimpering from the corridors behind him when he heard the padding of feet and he turned around as Alex paused in the doorway looking rather nervous. Harry didn't stand knowing if Alex was scared of him it would only make it worse. "Alex, do you want to talk?"

Alex looked down at his feet but shook his head in the negative. Harry sighed and turned the chair back to the console. "Alex? Do I scare you? Is that the problem?"

"What?" Alex's voice was rough from seven days of no sleep and little talking.

"I know you're having nightmares about me and I know that's why you haven't come to me for help." Harry sighed and looked at Alex in the reflection in the Bridge windows.

"I…"

"It's ok Alex. I don't blame you. Everyone is scared of me, that's why I never tell people." Harry sighed and flipped his console off. He stood and slowly turned to try to meet Alex's eyes but Alex continued to stare at the metal decking. "I do scare you don't I? I'm sorry, Alex."

"I…"

"It's fine. Once we're in port I'll try to find a friend of mine I trust to look after you." Harry sighed feeling sadder then he had in so many years. Alex obviously heard him and his head snapped up and pain at hurting Harry flooded his face.

"You want to get rid of me?" The rather insecure twenty-five year old asked.

"I don't, Alex, but face it, you don't trust me around you anymore. You've been having worse nightmares than you had ten years ago but you won't try to pass the night with me like you used to even though you know I would let you." Harry paused and rubbed at his head in frustration. "If you don't get over the nightmares soon you'll only kill yourself and I couldn't let that happen."

"It's just things are strange now. I keep dreaming about you attacking them and now I know what happened when my parents died I can't get it out of my head." Alex's voice caught and Harry knew he was having trouble controlling his breathing.

"Then why didn't you come to me like you used to."

"I have to see you in a different light now." Alex admitted. "I don't want to leave but I'm just me."

"Just you is more than I'd have if you left." Harry told him seriously before taking a step forwards to bring him within arms reach of Alex. "I'm no different then I was before. Just because you now know I'm a Vampire doesn't mean I care about you any differently."

Harry lifted his hands palms up like he used to when Alex slipped into his room at night and Alex caught the motions. Harry used to always make sure he sat up to show he didn't mind the disturbance and he wanted Alex to know that he didn't have a problem with it now.

"I need to sleep." Alex said as much to himself as to Harry.

"Will you feel safe with me? Will the nightmares come regardless if they are about me?" Harry asked honestly.

"I don't know." Alex said. "I love you like my father. I have to try to get over it."

"Come on, let's go get some sleep. With you waking up every half an hour neither of us have had any sleep and we arrive on Shar-bank in two days." Harry told him and reached out that last few inches to lightly grip Alex's hands in his own. Alex was hot with a slight fever and the warmth sent Harry's Vampiric blood boiling. All Vampires liked the heat of another body whether it was intimate of through friendship or family. It was just part of their nature. It was what made them long for friendships, packs and covens in ages passed. Harry led Alex back through the ship to his own rooms and stripped down to his boxers and then waited patiently for Alex to do the same knowing that Alex would settle better when he could actually feel Harry's body against his own like a security blanket for a child.

Harry lay down and waited for Alex to lay down and turn away from Harry. Harry rolled towards Alex and pulled him backwards against his chest. Alex tensed but then relaxed as Harry hit the light switch above his head and the room went pitch black even to Harry's Vampiric eyesight. Alex tensed again but Harry soothed him by running his fingers over the skin of his lower rib cage slowly. Alex struggled for a moment and rolled around to face Harry and snuggled up against him with his head tucked against Harry's chest. Harry hugged him tightly as Alex hugged him back.

"I'm not scared of you!" Alex declared and squeezed Harry to him like he had when he was younger.

"You'll never be in any danger when you're with me, Alex. I promise you that with ever fibre of my being." Harry whispered before placing a loving kiss on the top of his short brown hair. "Sleep and know that I'm protecting you."

Alex was asleep before he could formulate a response and Harry let himself listen to Alex's calm heart beat until he fell asleep too.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Harry let Alex sleep for most of the next day to regain his strength and happily set about checking every inch of his ship for things that he needed to get done when they were in Shar-bank tomorrow afternoon. He made sure everything was stowed away and he let his almost perfect memory remember exactly what he had and where it was in case somebody stole from it, though on Shar-bank none tried that unless they were really desperate or else just stupid.

He and Alex spent most of that day playing cards and lounging about in the crew recreational room which doubled as the kitchen. He knew that Alex was saving his distress over Michelle and Peter until later but Harry used their last evening in space and isolation to tease the reaction from him and once again they spent the night in the same bed as Alex cried himself to sleep curled up with Harry. Alex could act very mature whenever in the public eye but he was a very emotionally attached person and had been even with his parents. Their subsequent death had turned him into a much colder person when around strangers but with Harry his guard always lowered and he always poured his heart out to him about everything from girl troubles to more personal troubles like when Harry had walked into his room to find him masturbating to a snap shot of a sweetheart of his. Harry loved Alex like a son but knew that Alex viewed him more as his best friend, confidant and anything else that he needed including, and more often, his teddy bear.

When they were finally in sight of the yellow, green, brown and occasionally blue planet Harry sighed with relief. It wasn't a nice planet to visit if you didn't belong there but Harry had spent most of his life with this planet as his home-port and Michelle and Peter's families lived here making it their home-port too. There was a decent dockyard in what could be called the capitol city and Harry liked the owner since he never blinked at any odd work that needed doing as long as payment was forthcoming but he was also loyal to his word and wouldn't be stingy on high quality materials and good workmanship.

The planet seemed almost striped with colours but the main colour was brown from the vast swamps that separated the yellow deserts around the equator from the rainforests of the more humid regions. The city was placed bordering a desert and swamp and across a wide river that made fresh water abundant for the settlers there five hundred or more years ago. Michelle and Peter's families both lived in a small community about two hundred miles into the desert further up the river from the city and the place had always struck Harry as being rather desolate though he could imagine living there if it wasn't for the long journey needed to feed in cities.

That was the other reason he liked the city of Shar-bank. It had plenty of travellers, most often murderers running from other planets and their deaths rarely went noticed by anyone other than the prostitutes that suddenly lost previous employers.

Harry set down in the dockyard after talking Grier into a full service of his ship and since the man knew him well he could set his ship down in the docks without landing elsewhere and showing up in person. He invited Grier on board and explained his new toy to the man as well as giving him a sizeable payment to have him and his son, Patrick, install it personally and without further questions of queries. Stolen technology wasn't a rare thing this far from the Central Planets and Grier wouldn't even batter an eyelash at that. It was more the fact that it was experimental technology he had never seen before. Knowing how the man ticked he promised to allow Grier and his son the chance to tinker with it as long as they put it back together and installed it correctly afterwards. Grier and Patrick were overjoyed at the prospect and Harry knew his ship was in good, and trustworthy, hands.

Harry called Peter's cousin and his wife and Michell's Uncle from the city before he and Alex hired a speeder to use to get them and the two coffins across the desert and even at a hundred and fifty miles an hour across flat ground it still took an hour and a half to get there but they were met by the two families and what seemed to be the majority of the family who were already arranging for the burial.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

The next day

Harry knelt at the end of the two graves which had been placed together by their families wishes. Harry and his crew had been a family unit. Michelle and Peter had both been loners in their families who had wanted to get away and joined his crew. Harry placed a single reinforced glass lily onto each grave. It was a tradition that was as old as he was. He had always placed a glass lily onto the graves of everyone he had loved ever since he had found out his true heritage and visited his adoptive parent's graves. He felt Alex kneel beside him and he leaned to the side to nudge him.

"I'm ok." Alex told him. Harry turned and gave him a sad smile, he had finally gone to Alex last night after the sounds of his quiet crying had gone on long enough. Alex had been delirious with tears when Harry had gathered him up and let him finally vent his emotions completely. Alex was a more determined man now but Harry knew he'd never forget the other two members of their family. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Harry asked.

"Lose so many. You must have had other crews over the years." Alex looked at him.

"By never forgetting a single one of them, I could list them by name and sometimes I do." Harry told him. "All of them that I loved have got a place in my heart."

"I think I understand." Alex nodded and reached down to place a living rose on each of the graves. "Where to now?"

"Grier called this morning, a man and a woman were asking around the dockyard about the Prism." Harry told him. "I'm going to the district tonight to see if they're smart enough to find me there."

"The Club?" Alex asked. "I could put up with that."

Harry grinned at him. Alex probably wanted to vent some steam and the club would be an ideal place for it especially since Harry owned it. Then again Harry owned sixty percent of Shar-bank though not many knew that.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Harry strolled into 'Deserted' as his club was called and he and Alex walked straight past the gang of people being searched by the two club bodyguards who searched everyone for any weapons. The last person who had drawn a weapon in here had been shot by the bar tender and then one before that by Harry himself so most people didn't even bother to bring a weapon with them though anyone could have their locked up by the door guards if they wanted one for the journey to and from the club.

Gary, the bartender for the day, waved at Harry and Alex rather desperately and Harry made his way through the dancing crowd to his employee. "We heard you were in the area, Nicolas really needs to talk to you!"

"Urgently?" Harry rose an eyebrow at him wondering why he hadn't been called via his ship. He'd checked with Grier for any messages.

"It happened only an hour ago, we're still trying to work out what happened." Gary told him.

"Maybe I should talk to Nicolas. Is he around?" Harry asked.

"I'll call up for him." Gary promised.

"We'll be over at the normal table." Harry told him before grabbing Alex by the hand and yanking him away from the blond prostitute trying to get work out of him. He spluttered in irritation. "Not now, not ever, Alex."

"You never let me have any fun!" Alex whined though there was a grin on his face as he spoke. Harry led them across the dance floor and they approached the table Harry preferred against one of the walls on the raised seating area. The table was surrounded on three sides by walls and the forth opened out to the dance floor once you walked across the raised area. The group of locals sitting at the table recognised him and he almost laughed at the speed they scrambled up with their drinks and cleared the table for him and Alex.

Harry sat easily and readjusted his clothing to conceal his gun and watched as Alex smirked at him as he caught the movement. Harry decided to shut him up and opened his lips the barest amount as he lengthened his canines. Alex's teeth clicked together and he sat in shock. Harry grinned at him showing, once again, normal teeth.

A waitress arrived as they were both surveying the rooms occupants and Harry smiled up at her as she placed a pint of bear in front of them both. Harry dismissed her query over if they needed anything else just as Nicolas dodged through the crowds towards them. He sat without ceremony next to Harry and leaned over to Harry.

"What's happened, Nicolas?"

"A group got into the Vaults about an hour ago." Nicolas told him with a strained look on his face. The Vaults were a series of underground safe houses that Harry and the city had built a hundred years ago to offer hiding spaces for the citizens if the Central Planets attacked the city from space. Most of them were securely locked and many of those had some of Harry's riches locked away in them.

"Was anything taken?" Harry asked.

"Jeaduses Orb." Nicolas winced as Harry's eyes narrowed. It was a fist sized emerald with a inch wide diamond in the centre. Harry had rescued it from the Central Planet's a long time ago and had 'passed' it down through generations of Ker Tals. He wasn't pleased with it's theft.

"How did they get in?" Alex asked leaning against Harry's side to hear better.

"Through an old escape vent built in where the security is light." Nicolas sighed. Harry knew that had been a risk when he had lowered the security in less well known entrances knowing that too much security would just gain attention.

"What kind of idiot would steal something from somewhere so obviously owned by Harry?" Alex frowned. Around the city nobody attacked Harry, nobody was that stupid, he owned most of the city, had a hand in all export and import. You didn't smuggle anything into or out of the city without his permission and even the militia was in his pocket. He was feared and well respected.

"An outsider." Harry sighed.

"Only people stupid enough." Nicolas agreed with a grin getting over his fright since Harry hadn't simply shot him. Not that Harry ever would, Harry had been friends with Nicolas since he had been a teenager. "There are seventy-six in the city at the moment."

"How many with ships?"

"Four ships that are currently capable of making orbit, two are well known to us and not likely to attempt something like this. The other two are rich traders from Persephone travelling together." Nicolas told them.

"Again not likely." Harry leaned back and took a gulp of her beer.

"We have a guy on every one of the outsiders and the four ships are to be restricted from leaving for minor offences by the militia." Nicolas pointed out. Harry nodded in satisfaction, at least the militia were earning their keep.

"What about the other owners?" Harry asked referring to the fifteen other sects that owned the other forty percent of the city between them.

"They've been informed but they all adamantly deny any involvement in the theft." Nicolas shook his head. "They're all too scared of being trounced by you if they go up against you."

"The city gates are being watched I assume?" Harry asked.

"They'll be secure at least until the morning." Nicolas nodded. They couldn't keep the gates closed come morning of the farmers and travellers would be in an uproar.

"I want every club in the city watched for any dealings. Inform the other owners that I will be displeased if they allow the trafficking of any of my possessions within any of their holdings." Harry sneered ever so slightly. "I expect their full cooperation and please remind them that if anything is successfully stolen from any of us then it will set a worrying precedent for thieves across the system."

"I'll remind them." Nicolas grinned before getting up. Harry grabbed his arm gently.

"Oh and Nicolas, please asked Grier to make sure the Prism is ready to lift off as soon as possible." Nicolas nodded and Harry squeezed him arm to reassure him. All that worked closely to Harry grew to love him even as those that worked under him feared his very presence. Harry turned to Alex. "Do you want to dance?"

Alex grinned. There was nothing better to attract the females eyes here then to see two guys dancing on the floor. Especially two that looked like Harry and Alex and especially good for Alex was that most locals knew who he was and knew he was straight. Tonight they would party to remember Michelle and Peter and tomorrow they would see to their most recent problem and pity the souls that stole from Harry Ker-Tal.

As luck would have it two hours after the news had reached him about the theft two men walked into his club and started talking rapidly to one of his guards who motioned for them to be searched before heading through the crowds to Harry. Harry turned back to dancing with Alex and the guard leant in to whisper in his ear. "Messengers from Loctar."

"My table." Harry grunted before gesturing to Gary at the bar for drinks to be brought over. He and Alex made their way to their table and slumped down. Alex was breathing heavily and Harry knew not to mention the other affects of dancing so close to each other just like Alex would never mention it to him especially since with Alex it was a purely physical reaction. They were joined by the two messengers just as they took their first mouthfuls of their fresh drinks.

"Greetings Harry Ker Tal." One of the men introduces himself. "We are here on the bequest of Loctar."

"So I've been told. What does he want now?" Harry asked.

"Two men and a woman were asking about exiting the city thirty minutes ago in one of his clubs." The first man informed them. "Loctar has agreed to get them passed the militia so that he can find out who they are."

"Loctar has come a long way." Harry grinned sardonically. "Do you have pictures?"

The man passed a data pad across the table and Harry pulled out one of his own and pulled up the pictures sent to him by Grier of the man and woman who had been asking about the Prism. Apart from the addition of the tall man in the club it was the same man and woman and Harry couldn't help but think he had seen them somewhere. Perhaps when they were younger. Harry figured they were asking after the Prism wondering whether Harry Ker Tal was in the city and trying to find out whether he would get in their way.

The answer to that was 'Hell yes!' "Tell your employer that he, for once, has my gratitude." Harry told them and Alex snorted in amusement. Harry entered a number into the man's data pad and passed it back. "Make sure the men that lead them out have that on them, they're to call that number as soon as they see this trio's ship out in the desert."

The men nodded and stood with formal nods. "Oh and remind Loctar to not try to twist this to his advantage, stabbing me in the back will only mean his utter destruction and I'm sure neither of you want to find yourselves unemployed." Harry warned them with a serious look. They nodded and went to deliver his message.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Prism

The ship lifted gently from it's working cradle and up through the iris that enclosed the dockyard. The atmospheric boosters came online with a dull thump and the Prism shot off across the city leaving a trail of steam behind it. As soon as they were clear of the city Harry lowered the ship closer to the ground so mere metres separated the hull from the sand and he angled towards the location of the signal beacon. He wasn't completely trusting in Loctar and had four men watching him carefully. If this was some kind of trap then he'd be dead before Harry was free again.

Ten minutes later Harry pulled up over a low ridge that Harry knew guarded a small canyon useful for hiding ships in. As soon as he cleared the ridge his surface radar picked out a small cargo ship about half the size of his own settled in the centre of the valley getting ready to take off. Harry slowed the ship and brought in down in front of the Firefly Cargo ship's bridge though he didn't set her down.

"Unidentified Cargo Vessel, shut down your engines immediately and state you reason for visiting Shar-bank." Harry told them. The Firefly barely paused before lifting off the ground ready to turn and take off into space. Harry gestured at Alex sitting in one of the weapons seats and he selected and aimed the main cannon, a six inch shell firing gun on the top of the ship, which rose out of a sheltered compartment and swivelled to point to one of the rock protrusions of the ridge line. It fired and one of the ten tonne boulders on the ridge exploded in a fiery explosion. "The next shot will go through your bridge window."

"Identify yourself." A voice came back through the radio.

"This is the Cargo Vessel Prism." Harry said simply. "I am Harry Ker Tal and you are in possession of an item that belongs to me. Open your cargo bay and prepare to be boarded. If you fail to comply in two minutes you will be destroyed."

Harry terminated the connection and rejected any attempt at further communications. He spun the Prism and lowered her towards the ground to the rear of the cargo ship and gave the controls to Alex. "If they try anything then destroy them." Harry told him and Alex nodded with a small grin on his face.

Harry slipped out of his own ship through the lower hatch without needing it to settle fully to the ground. He walked slowly towards the cargo vessel just as it's rear bay opened up. He walked up it without a care and was greeted by six people. Two wore the distinctive Shar-bank clothing. He figured they were Loctar's men. Three of the last four he recognised from the photos provided by Loctar's messengers but the last was an unknown woman wearing a tool belt who he figured might be the ships engineer.

Harry twitched his hand over his leather jacket and it moved slightly to show his energy blaster on his right hip. He stopped in front of them all and growled lowly at the tallest of the crew as he drew his ballistic pistol. "One move and you all die. I don't take lightly to people that steal from me."

"I think you're a bit outnumbered." The man that Harry suddenly recognised from year passed spoke up with a small grin.

"Not as much as you would think." Harry smirked before gesturing at the two Shar-bank men who turned slightly to point their own weapons at the crew. "Did you even know who you were stealing from?"

"Not really, no." The ships captain told him.

"Then you are not such idiots as I thought." Harry sighed. "Now, you need simply return the Orb to me and I'll let you fly your ship out of here, Sergeant Reynolds."

The man twitched as did the woman at his side. "Do I know you?"

Harry chuckled before looking at the woman. "Alleyne I believe. Don't you remember the man that rescued you and three hundred others from Serenity Valley. Don't you recognise the ship aiming at your own. Nice ship by the way."

"You are Harry Ker Tal!" Malcolm Reynold's eyes widened.

"Very clever." Harry smirked before moving as the tall man glanced at his Captain. He darted forwards twisted away from Reynolds' suddenly drawn pistol and disarmed the taller man. His own weapon was pointed at Reynolds and it whined as it charged up. "The orb please."

Reynolds frowned at him but turned to the small woman with the tool belt. "Kaylee? Go get it."

The woman nodded with a worried look but scampered out of the cargo bay and returned half a minute later with a velvet bag of the right size. Harry stepped away and let her come to him but grabbed her arm when she reached out to give it to him. "Open it and show me." Harry hissed. She did as told as he held her tightly with his gun pointed at her head. She pulled the emerald-diamond out of the stone and Harry recognised it easily and nodded at her to put it back. He took it from her before she could offer it again and he slipped it into a pocket in the inside of his jacket so it wouldn't get in the way.

He shoved Kaylee back at Reynolds and nodded to the two Shar-bank men and tossed them a credit chit. "That's for your boss to compensate him." The men nodded and backed out of the cargo bay. "As I said, I'll let you take off but remember this, if I ever find that you've tried to steal something of mine again then I'll kill you very slowly."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter