Disclaimer: I don't own anything that belongs to WEP or CBS/Paramount, so don't sue me. I'm not making any money off this anyway. What I do own are the crew of the Berlin, except Mordock and Scotty, the fighter Thunderwing, and the story itself.

Star Tron: The Retreat

Chapter 13: Can You Smell What's Cookin'?

USS Berlin

Orbiting Arus

Late in the evening, Allura was sitting on the couch in her cabin, reading through the PADD Adam had given her. After the incident in sickbay yesterday, and given what Dr. Saladin called "acceptable progress", she was released from sickbay, provided she restrict her activities for the next few days. Given her extreme distaste for hospitals, it had been an easy condition to accept.

Two guards were now posted outside her door, and all biosigns in her room were being monitored from the bridge, to guard against intruders.

Finishing the PADD at last, she set it down on the glass coffee table in front of her. She knew it would take some practice before she was totally comfortable, but she nonetheless felt confident that she could handle Thunderwing.

But would she get the chance?

She knew Coran had asked Adam to fly Blue while she recovered. Nanny had told her about the decision to ground her. It seemed like forces far beyond her control were conspiring to keep her down for a long time.

She stared out the window into space, studying the peaceful blue and green and white world below, thinking, wondering when it would all end. The grounding, the assassination attempts, the war…

Her reverie was broken by the sound of her door chime. Looking over, she said, "Come in."

She smiled when she saw the doors part, and Adam walk through them, obviously off duty, wearing a pair of jeans and a polo shirt. "Hey, Ally," he said.

"Hi, Adam."

"How're you feeling?"

"Better. A little bored," she replied absently. She glanced at the PADD he was carrying. "Time for the test?"

"Huh?" Adam looked at her, for a moment, obviously confused, and then he realized what she meant, glancing at the PADD. "Oh, no. No, no. This is just a progress report on the ion dart launchers." He stuck it in his pocket and walked over to her, sitting on the other end of the couch, facing her. "Nah, forget the test." His voice softened, and in a gravelly tone, he said, "Already know you, that which you need."

Allura chuckled at his Yoda impression.

"Seriously," he continued, "you know how to fly. The rest is following procedures on checklists. We'll do a few more check rides, but the fact is, you're qualified."

"What about combat training?"

"Like I said, you know how to fly and use weapons. The rest is just practice."

Allura nodded, but said nothing. All this talk of flying was just reminding her of how unlikely it was that she'd ever fly again.

As if reading her thoughts, Adam leaned over and placed his hand on hers. "Don't worry. I'm trying my damndest to get out of flying Blue. She's a nice ride, but Thunder don't fight me half as much. Besides, we need you up there." He looked into her eyes. "I need you up there."

She clasped his hand tightly in wordless thanks, smiling, but not taking her eyes from his. "I owe you a lot, Adam. Thank you."

Adam smiled back. "Hey, what're wingmen for?" he asked for the umpteenth time, the familiar phrase warming the moment between them. But in that moment, both of them knew they were much more than just wingmen.

Finally, the moment passed. Adam stood up, pulling Allura to her feet. "Come on. I want to show you something."

Castle Doom

Planet Doom

Haggar slunk into Zarkon's throne room, her blue cat, Coba, trailing along behind. She found the chamber empty save for the Doom monarch, and walked to the foot of the throne pedestal, kneeling before Zarkon.

"So, is it done then, witch?" He asked gruffly.

"No, my lord."

"'No'? Did I hear that right? Allura lives?"

"Yes, Zarkon."

Howling in anger, Zarkon leapt to his feet. "Why? Why am I forced to rely on such incapable idiots?" he roared. Pointing his scepter at the witch, he said, "You have failed me for the last time, Haggar. I'll have no more of your incompetence and excuses fouling my plans."

"My only mistake was placing too much confidence in technology. I had believed Driscoll was already dead." Haggar went on to explain how she'd been able to board the Berlin, how she thought she'd killed Driscoll and the doctor, and was about to finish Allura, when everything had fallen apart. "Truly, King Zarkon, who carries a weapon that doesn't kill?"

"These bleeding-heart Starfleeters, it seems," Zarkon allowed.

"Had it not been for Driscoll not being dead, I would have had no trouble." Haggar added.

"That boy is far more trouble than he's worth," Zarkon mused.

At that moment, a page walked into the chamber. Zarkon and Haggar watched him approach. "A message for Your Highness from Prince Lotor." He handed the message to Zarkon, bowed and left. "Speaking of more trouble than he's worth," Zarkon grumbled as he began to read the message. When he finished, he stood and called for a guard. When the man approached, Zarkon fixed him with a cold glare. "Prepare my battle fleet for departure!"

"Yes, King Zarkon," the guard said with a crisp salute before turning on his heel and hurrying from the chamber.

"Your fleet, sire?" Haggar asked.

"I build this empire, Haggar. I commanded the conquest of world after world, until none would dare resist me. Including Arus! It's time you and my nincompoop of a son learned how it's done."

Haggar said nothing.

"Prepare a robeast worthy of my efforts, and notify me when it's ready."

"Yes, sire," Haggar replied, as Zarkon turned and left the chamber.

20th Century Earth

Buffalo, New York

They stood in a narrow alley between two buildings. One beige-painted cinderblock and the other brick. "Where are we?" Allura asked. When Adam had told her to come on, he'd held out his hand, and she'd taken it. There was a barely perceptible flash and a quickly-passing wave of mild vertigo, and they were here, wherever "here" was, still holding Adam's hand.

Adam released her hand and led her out from between the buildings. They were in a parking lot, the blacktop cracking, the lines badly faded. The sidewalks surrounding it were likewise cracked and in disrepair, the curbs crumbling. Across the street was a cemetery. As she looked around, she could see that they were actually standing on a street corner.

Adam smiled at her. "Well, I figured you might like to get away for a bit. This is my home dimension."

Allura looked around again, with a new awareness of what she was seeing. Another place, and really, another time. Far from awestruck, but intrigued nonetheless, she followed Adam's lead across the side street. "My house is a couple blocks down that way," he said, pointing down the street as they crossed. They walked up to a small, red building, smelling the odors of fried food. The glass door read "Jane and Michael's Subs."

"Ha ha! Check out Dick-sel!"

The pilots turned to see two boys walking towards them, jeering. Both were tall and of medium build, with one, a blond boy with long hair and a large nose, somewhat lankier than the other. The other was slightly shorter, dark-complected, almost Mediterranean with blue eyes,

"What're you doing here, Diesel? Why don'tcha go feed your cats or somethin'?"

"Go blow yourself, Ron," said Adam

"And who's this, your sister?" The shorter kid asked.

"Dude, get a life. Isn't there some small, helpless animal you should be harassing?"

"That's why we keep you around."

Adam rolled his eyes. Allura could see he was getting annoyed.

By this time, the taller kid had moved around between the pilots and the door, and he said to Allura, "Why don't you ditch this little bitch and come have some fun with a real man?"

"Only bitch I see around here is you," Adam shot back at him. He glanced at the other boy. "Okay, two bitches."

"What did you just call me?" The shorter boy asked, cupping his ear and sidling closer.

"Going deaf too, Alan? I said that you're Ron's little… oof!" Adam's sentence was cut off as the other boy's fist slammed into his stomach, doubling him over.

"Hey, back off," Allura warned as the boys laughed.

"What an asshole," Ron laughed, turning to Allura. "Why would you want such a little bitch boy?"

"Give it up Ron. She probably charges by the hour," Alan said.

Coughing, Adam straightened up, his face red, a snarl curling his lip. He glared at the other boys.

"What? Whatcha gonna do? You want some more?" Alan said, spreading his arms, inviting Adam to fight.

Adam's fists clenched. Only Allura's hand on his shoulder broke the murderous chain of thoughts running through his head. "Come on," she said softly. Adam straightened and opened the door for her, and they headed into the restaurant. Not trusting himself to speak, he kept his lips pressed tightly together.

"Are you all right?" Allura asked. Adam nodded, his hands dropping to his sides, flexing. "Who were those idiots?"

"Just a couple punks who love to screw with people. Bullies."

"Why would they come after you?" She asked.

"Well, that's kinda my fault. I don't fight back when stuff happens, for one. Also, I have a big mouth. I've made a few wisecracks that probably haven't helped the situation." He led her over to the counter. "That's how I am around here. A smart guy with a smart mouth and not enough sense to keep it shut when I should. Sometimes I'm just an ass."

Allura let him order for them. He paid the cashier and they took their subs over to a table in a quiet corner. "So this is where you're really from, huh?"

"Yep It's kind of run down by Starfleet standards, but it's home." He smiled at her.

They ate quietly for several minutes, Finally, Allura said, "This is pretty good."

"Wait until you try chicken wings. Maybe next time, I'll take you over to Fudd's."

Allura watched the cars passing by outside the window, the afternoon sun casting long shadows among the headstones across the street, people coming and going in the restaurant, few so much as glancing in their direction. To everyone else, she was just an ordinary person.

And she liked it.

Finishing their food, they looked at each other a moment, neither knowing quite what to say. "I don't suppose there's anything to fly around here?" Allura asked finally, half-smiling.

Adam smiled back. "Well, looks like someone's feeling better."

"No, just tired of sitting around while life happens around me."

"Well, you were hurt, and you're still on restricted status."

"It isn't that. I just want to be my own person. Make my own choices without having to justify them. Here, I could walk out that door and down the street and nobody would stop me or even think about it. On Arus…" She rolled her eyes. "Body guards, security sweeps, if I can even get out of the Castle at all."

"But here, you're not ruler of a planet at war. You're just Allura Altaine."

"I know that I have to be careful. What I'm saying is…" She sighed and locked her eyes with Adam's. "Why doesn't anyone trust me to be?"

Adam reached across the table and took her hand. "Ally, the only think keeping you from doing your own thing is you. You let everyone keep you down. I'm not saying you should ignore Doc Gorma when he tells you to take it easy, or Coran when he says to stay put because the whole castle is under intruder alert." He paused. "You need to think like a commander. Weigh all the options and information, then decide. Then stick to it unless there's good reason to change. Act, but deliberately. You want to be your own person? Do it."

Allura nodded. "I know. You're right. Sometimes it's just so hard. I just don't care what anybody says. I act like…"

"A little kid?" Adam finished with a knowing smirk.

"Yes."

"And that's when Nanny and Coran treat you like one. Many times, they're overreacting, and wrong. But sometimes, they're dead right. And sometimes you have to suck it up and do things you might otherwise not choose to."

"Like coming on the Berlin when the Castle isn't secure," Allura ventured.

Adam nodded. "Yep."

Allura looked down, studying the scratches in the table's surface. "My father used to say that life isn't always easy, and that it's how we deal with those difficulties that shows our true character," she said quietly.

"Smart man," Adam said with an acknowledging nod.

"Well, now I know."

Adam smiled at her. "Yep. Now you can fix all those flaws."

Allura laughed. "Look who's talking, temper-boy."

Adam rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay, ya got me. Jeez." He looked at his watch. "Well, it's about time to head home, I think."

Allura nodded and rose, and the pair walked back to the alley. Then, in another flash, they were back in Allura's stateroom aboard the Berlin. Allura looked around, expecting to find the place swarming with security, trying to figure out where they'd gone. As she glanced at the clock to see exactly how long that was, she was shocked to find that it had literally been no time at all. When she pointed out to Adam that no time had passed, he just smiled at her.

"Nope, never does. I always end up at the same time and place I left from. Except when I go between here and Starfleet. Because of the wormhole, my absence would be noticed, because the dimensions are linked, which creates a time continuity. Time only stops when you travel between isolated universes. Comes in handy when I need to think in the middle of combat," he added with a wink.

Allura smirked. "That's cheating."

Adam threw his hands up defensively. "Hey, all's fair in love and war. Besides, I only do it once in a blue moon."

Still smiling, and unconvinced, Allura thanked him for dinner, and bade him good night.