Disclaimer: I don't own Andromeda or it's characters.
Copyright: I own Cadoris so please ask me if you wish to use him.
A Friend's Call
Cadoris was sitting in his room alone as usual. Ever since Dylan had demanded that he tell them things about himself that he hadn't wanted to tell he had kept to himself and his rooms. The only person he had talked to was Rommie and he wasn't sure that she could be considered a person. Of course he was starting to think of her as one of his best friends and it didn't bother him that she was AI instead of a real human. She had emotions and that was all that mattered.
He had learned form her that she had at one time in the not too distant past that she had had a love. It didn't really surprise him the way that it should have but then he was a man alive after being frozen three thousand years ago and so not much surprised him anymore. His world was gone and there was nothing that he could do about it. He mourned his loss but he did it silently and he very seldom dwelled upon the past that he would never see again except in his dreams.
Rommie had described the man she had come to love. Cadoris smiled at the memory. They really were as close to human as people would ever truly be able to make machines without actually making them human at least partly. Cadoris decided that they were human in his eyes and so he would treat them just like they were but he wondered about one thing. How come in Star Wars the robots were so crappy?
He shrugged his shoulders at the thought but his thoughts returned to the man that Rommie had loved. He had hoped that she would find someone but she had never shown any indication that she liked anyone. It was a mystery to him and then she had started talking about him. He was brave and nice as well as another battle ship. He was perfect in every way she had said and had talked long hours about him to Cadoris who had listened more intently than Rommie had ever had anyone listen to her about him before.
She had loved him for listening and not judging her like Dylan and even Harper had. It had felt good to talk to someone as an equal instead of as a person who outranked her. She was glad for Cadoris's company because even though he had rank on the ship now he didn't let it change him in the least. He had stayed himself except when Dylan had demanded that Cadoris tell him why he had risked so much for Trance when he hadn't even known her that long.
She had felt sorry for Cadoris then because no one should be made to tell their secret feelings for another person the way that Cadoris had been forced to. She had tried to comfort him the best that she could which wasn't very good because she had no programming for that. He had accepted her ministrations but had not let anything slip about any of his feelings since and it had Rommie wondering about him. She knew that he was secretive but keeping to himself was something that she didn't see how it was helping him. She wanted him to go out and talk to the rest of the crew like he used to and other such things.
It had gotten so bad that when they had docked at a place to but supplies he had stayed on the ship saying that someone had to protect it and Rommie. He referred to the ship and Rommie as separate entities which surprised her but she didn't ever correct him. The ship and her were one and the same. He had stayed on the ship that day and had also stayed in his room. He hadn't even come out to help unload the supplies. He had just sat in his room brooding and polishing his swords that were as old as he was.
He was enjoying his time to himself until Dylan came pounding on his door one day. It had been more than two weeks since he had seen another crew member and it didn't especially bother him because as an assassin he had had to be alone for longer periods of time than that. The thing was he hadn't lied when he had said that he loved Trance. He didn't know how he did or why but he knew that the feeling was there and he was starting to miss her.
There was a pounding at his door and he had thought that if he let the person just stand there then they would eventually leave him alone but after ten minutes the pounding continued and he knew that they were going to leave him alone now. Whoever it was wanted him to talk to them and so he went over and let them in even though he really didn't want to.
When he opened the door Dylan was standing there in his black uniform. Cadoris Stepped back and let Dylan in who stepped in and found himself a chair to sit in. He looked at Cadoris as he sat down on the bed and leaned back against the wall with his arms behind his head.
"What is it Captain. You come here to badger me some more about why I do things," Cadoris's voice dripped venom.
Dylan could tell that he had really hurt him that day when he had demanded that he tell them why he had done what he had done. He understood now but at the time he didn't. All he knew was that one of his crew found it too easy to kill someone without any reason at all except that the crowd enjoyed it. He had found out later from Rommie though that Cadoris was a man who killed only because he had too. He had thought that it was necessary in order to save Trance whom he loved.
"I am sorry about that Cadoris. I didn't mean to pry I just wanted answers is all," Dylan said.
"Well you got them and are you happy," Cadoris said.
"As a matter of fact I am. I didn't come here to argue with you though. I came here to ask you something," Dylan said.
Cadoris raised an eyebrow at that and asked, "Oh more of your type of questions huh. I think I could do without them."
"Please just hear me out. All I want to ask is for your help," Dylan said softly.
Cadoris shrugged his shoulders then as he sat forward to look at Dylan as he said, "Go ahead and ask for my help. I may give it and I may not."
Dylan nodded his head that he understood. "I have need of your help in a matter that is important to me and the commonwealth. I have been asked by an old friend to come to her side and help her. She thinks that assassins have been sent after her from a pride that wishes her dead. Her name is Elsabet Mosadeem. She is a Nietchean and I would understand if you have no wish to go. Everyone else but Rev is going and I would apreciate it if you would go with us as well. She is important and I don't want to see her die."
"I wonder why that is Dylan. I don't really care but what I don't see is how a bunch of humans are going to protect her from her own kind. They are stronger and faster than any human so that means in combat we stand little or no chance," Cadoris said reasonably hoping that Dylan would take the hint which of course he didn't.
I have seen you beat a Nietchean in combat. I have seen you and you are as strong as they are if not stronger due to what has been done to you. You are as fast as well. You are perfect for this," Dylan said hoping that Cadoris would accept because he knew that if he didn't their chance of keeping her alive would be next to nothing.
"The only reason that you want me to go is because I am an assassin and you know that an assassin knows about assassins. My guess is that the only reason she knows that she is being hunted is because she is one am I right," Cadoris said and he could tell by the look on Dylan's face that he was right. He smiled to himself then and said, "Fine I will help. When do we leave."
"We leave in five minutes. You see we are already to her planet and so all we need to do is get our equipment ready and disembark from the Andromeda. So be ready if you are going. In five minutes meet us at the bridge," Dylan said formally now as he stood up and left the room.
"OK captain sir," Cadoris said to his back as he gave a salute which was extremely mocking.
Cadoris went over to his dresser and opened the bottom drawer. He pulled out his throwing knives as well as his swords. They were wrapped in white silk cloth which he unwound from around them. The blades glimmered in the light as he pulled each one from it's sheath. "I know I have neglected you my sweets but now it seems we have work to do," he said as he slipped each one back home in it's sheath. He slung them over his shoulders and put his bandolier on with is knives in it. He reached in and grabbed a necklace and put it around his neck. The necklace was of a leopard that was white with black spots a snow leopard. He never went anywhere without it. After he put that on he grabbed his force lance and holstered it at his side and walked out and headed to the bridge where he was supposed to meet everyone.
* * * * *
Cadoris was at the bridge first and he waited until he heard voices approaching. He had put his things down and was leaning against the wall when Dylan and everyone else came into view with more things than he had. Some of them had bags slung over a shoulder which he supposed contained clothing and other such things but Cadoris didn't think that he was going to need too much. He planned on making this a short job.
He saw that Tyr had more guns on him than usual which wasn't surprising since they were expected to fight assassins. Of course he was the only one that had more than one gun which surprised Cadoris a little. Trance didn't have a gun of course because he didn't think that she could take a life. He wished that he was that way but he wasn't and it was useless to wish for something that would never happen.
"Why do you have your swords," Beka asked in all seriousness.
"Because I was told that we were going to help keep some woman safe from assassins. I was just getting ready," Cadoris said his voice even as he looked at them.
Dylan was smiling as Harper said in that annoying way he had, "Oh come on are you telling me that Dylan here didn't tell you why we really are going there. That is rich I must say."
Cadoris turned his gaze on Dylan whose smile vanished at the look on Cadoris's face. "Well I knew that it was the only way that I was going to get you out of your damn room Cadoris," Dylan said.
"Why are we really going then," Cadoris demanded his voice hard as steel.
"She asked us to come because she is having a celebration and she thought that she should ask us since we were the ones that kept her alive and got her to her husband," Dylan said by way of explanation.
"I don't understand you humans at all. Especially your desire to keep each other company," Tyr said in his practical voice.
"Well I suppose that I have to go to this thing now huh," Cadoris said as he growled at Dylan.
Dylan just laughed and said, "Of course because if you don't go willing then I will have to have Rommie drag you there kicking and screaming. I don't think that would look very good do you."
"Fine I will go but I don't have any other cloths with me and you said that we had to be here in five minutes," Cadoris reminded him.
"We will wait for you to get your cloths if you hurry," Dylan said as if he was talking to a child who had forgotten something before they went on a long trip.
Cadoris disappeared and went back to his room. He found a bag and filed it with cloths which he made sure were decent cloths even though he didn't really want to take anything that was nice. As he was walking out of the room he stopped and went back to his bag that was frozen with him and pulled out his uniform and shoved it into the bag as well that he was taking with him.
As he got back to the bridge he saw that there were half a dozen Nietcheans there in uniforms of black leather and gold embroidery. He supposed they were the royal guard though he wasn't that impressed with them. They stood at attention and a woman appeared that he had to admit wasn't that bad looking though in his opinion she wasn't near as beautiful as Trance. She had black hair and dark skin. Her eyes were dark colored as well and she was medium height. She had a good voice though as Cadoris noted when she walked forward to Dylan and spoke.
"Dylan it is good to see you again," she said as she embraced Dylan in a hug.
"And it is good to see you Elsabet. I am glad that things are going so well for you," Dylan said formally.
"They are going well and I see that you and your crew are doing fine as well," she said as her gaze swept those gathered there. Cadoris was the last one that her gaze fell on and she stopped and looked at him like a warrior assessing another. He knew the gaze well because he had used it many times and had in fact used it on her though he had been more discreet about it.
"Who is the new crew member if I may ask Dylan," she said as her gaze returned to Dylan.
"Well this is Cadoris and we picked him up a while ago. He has already proven to be a valuable member of our crew because he saved Trance not all that long ago," Dylan said.
"Ah the purple person with the monkey tail I remember her well and I see that she is here. I heard about a gladiator that was human and who had bested everyone that had been thrown at him. He had used two swords that were metal and he used them with skill that hadn't been seen in a very long time. A skill that is only in records," Elsabet said as she assessed him again.
"Yes I heard that too," one of the guards said.
"It is good to see you again," Trance said in her cheerful voice hoping to break the tense silence. She really wasn't that happy to see her again but then she felt that she had to do something because the silence had stretched until she couldn't bear it and she knew that something was going to happen and that it was going to involve Cadoris.
"It is good to see all of you again," Elsabet said back as she smiled at them.
"Well shall we go then I am sure that your husband is waiting for us," Dylan said.
"Yes we should get going," Elsabet said as she clapped her hands and her guards led the way from the bridge. Cadoris walked up to where Beka and Harper were and fell in beside them. He followed them until they were to the palace and once there they were each given their own room. Cadoris went straight to his and started searching for hollow walls and other such things thinking that the room would be rigged so that he could be spied upon.
His searching turned up nothing and so he put his things away and sat down on the plush bed. He didn't like the bed as soon as he sat down on it. It was too soft and he had been used to sleeping on hard things. That was why he liked his bed in the Andromeda it wasn't too soft and yet it wasn't as hard as the floor either. It reminded him of the nights he had slept outside all those years ago when the ground had been wet from recent rains.
He shook his head to clear it of those thoughts and heard a knock at his door. "Come in it is open," he called. The door opened and in came Beka with Harper and Trance in tow. Trance looked as radiant as always and he couldn't help but admire her. She was just too beautiful.
"What's up," Cadoris asked.
"Well what's up is that we don't like Elsabet and we were wondering what your first impression of her was," Beka cut straight to the point like she did when she wanted to know something.
Cadoris shrugged his shoulders and said, "Didn't really get a good first impression except that to me she seemed a little too proud to me. She treated everyone with indifference except Dylan which made me wonder. I don't know what happened when she was with you but there was something that happened between her and Dylan that much is plain to see."
"That is what I thought," Trance said in her beautiful voice.
"Oh come on guys you are just jealous that she showed respect to Dylan and not to you. Of course me I think she is gorgeous and she is Nietchean so we can't expect her to show us too much respect," Harper said as he looked at the women and rolled his eyes.
"That's not it at all," Beka insisted. "She is just thinking that we are nothing but humans and so can treat us the way that she wants."
"That could be but I can assure you Beka that she will not treat any of you badly in my presence. You are my friends and I will not tolerate it," Cadoris said coolly.
"You will tolerate it if you want to live human," said a rather large Niethchean as he stepped into the room. "You are just humans and are inferior to us. We can treat you the way that we want."
"You will apologize or you and I will have a rather unseemly disagreement that will leave one of us on the floor," Cadoris said as he spread his legs slightly into a fighting stance.
"I shall not apologize," the Nietchean said.
"It is alright Cadoris," Beka said hurriedly hoping to avert a disaster.
"Beka is right we are not offended," Trance said and Cadoris relaxed slightly.
"Yeah listen to them human you don't want to fight me. But enough of this Her Highness wants you to join her for supper. I am to escort you to the dining room," he said as he started to walk down the room.
Trance and Harper started to follow him and Beka hung back and whispered angrily to Cadoris, "What are you trying to do. Do you want to get yourself killed. That is one of the best warriors that they have here. Don't you even think before you speak."
"I think and I act. I could have beat him because he was too cocky. He would have thought that his strength would have been his ally but it would have betrayed him. That and I will not let my friends be insulted no matter who it is," Cadoris said as he walked down the room checking his hidden knives to make sure that they were in place.
Beka fell in beside him and they walked in silence until they made it to the dining room. They saw that Dylan was already there and so was Elasabet who was sitting next to Dylan. Next to Elsabet at the head of the table was a Nietchean that Cadoris thought wasn't that impressive. He was short with short black hair. He had muscles that were starting to sag from lack of use and his eyes looked like they missed too many things that were important though Cadoris figured that the last was just a ruse.
"Friends have a seat," Elsabet said as she gestured to some seats that were empty at the table. There were not specific places to sit and so Cadoris chose the one farthest away from Elsabet and the other Nietchean. It was near the foot of the table and there were about three empty chairs between Cadoris and the next person who was Harper.
"Wouldn't you rather sit closer to Trance Cadoris," Elsabet asked with a small smile playing about her lips.
"This is just fine if it please you lady," Cadoris said.
"That is fine by us if that is where you want to sit. You are our guest so you may sit where you want," the man at Elsabet's side said.
"Thank you sir," Cadoris said trying to be respectful though he really didn't want to be.
The meal was ate in silence for Cadoris for he didn't want to talk and had no wish to be spoken to. He wanted to just sit there and then leave when he was given leave to do so. The main meal was done when dessert came out. Cadoris looked at it smiled for it was a cake of some kind with a weird type of drink. A Nietchean woman sat it down in front of him and walked off.
Cadoris watched as everyone was having fun and he thought that they were making themselves easy targets if there were assassins. He reached up and grabbed the drink and sipped it. It tasted funny like something that he hadn't tasted in an extremely long time. He swirled the drink around his mouth and swallowed. At about that time his nerves were on fire and his eyes started to water.
Cadoris stood up abruptly and tossed his drink aside. He knew the taste now though and it wasn't like it used to taste which meant it had been distilled or something else had been added to it. It was cobra venom but he was sure that there was another poison added to it because normal cobra venom wouldn't have harmed him this bad.
"What is wrong," Elsabet asked with a hint of concern in her voice.
Cadoris couldn't see now through all tears streaming from his eyes. His heart was racing and his nerves were on fire. He was in so much pain he could barely choke out, "Poison in drink."
Cadoris fell forward onto the table and clutched his heart which was still beating too damn fast and he knew it. If it continued to beat so fast he was going to die bexuae his heart would burst from working so fast.
"Poison," the man at Elsabet's side roared to no one in particular.
Trance ran to Cadoris's side and held him as best as she could with him thrashing about. "What is wrong," she asked because she had no clue. She didn't have much experience with poison.
Cadoris said his voice hoarse, "Don't drink." As those words came out of his mouth he collapsed into unconsciousness. He couldn't fight the poison anymore and his body would have to fight it if he was to live. None of the others had a clue as to what the poison was and so they knew that they were going to have to study him in order to help him.