Birthright

by Ann Brill White

How Aeryn Sun's mother and father met and fell in love.

Birthright By Ann Brill White

(Author's Note: About 75% of this was written before the episode "Relativity" aired. I've tried to cover any discontinuity between this story and the episode. My working assumption is that Crais and Aeryn are cousins, but they're unaware of that fact.)

Mama may have, Papa may have. But God bless the child that's got his own.
- Billie Holiday, God Bless The Child

Ever since could remember, Talyn Crais had loved flying. His first taste of flying had been at ten cycles old, when he was learning to pilot his father's crop-duster on the Sebacean colony world of Hanno. A skinny, slight boy with dark curly hair, gray eyes, and a nose that was too big for his face, Talyn was the youngest of three children of Tyro Crais, an unsuccessful father and farmer, but a very successful drunk. His two brothers were hulking dolts who took after their father physically and temperamentally. He was closer to his mother. It was his mother that had taught Talyn his other passion, drawing. The boy had a quick mind and was always trying to figure out how things worked, and how to make them work better. His father considered him a waste of good oxygen, until the old man realized that his boy was a born mechanic.

In the summer of his fifteenth cycle, two things happened to make Talyn rethink his priorities about where he was going in life. First, his mother died suddenly and tragically. Then, his oldest brother got married and brought his wife to live with them on their farm. She was a lusty girl who delighted in teasing Talyn and his other brother, and playing the four men in the household off of each other. Needless to say, Talyn always got the worst of things.

But, Talyn had a secret plan. He knew that the Peacekeepers came around at the harvest to demand the share that was their due. The Peacekeepers were Sebaceans, like him, but they were an elite military force that maintained galactic peace - or so their propaganda claimed. In the opinion of the colonists, the Peacekeepers were a bunch of thugs with a lot of military hardware who stole the pick of the colonial crops and conscripted their youth to use as cannon fodder. But Talyn didn't care. The Peacekeepers were a way out of this hellhole. They were always on the lookout for smart kids that wanted to make something of themselves. When the Peacekeepers came to collect their yearly tribute, Talyn joined up - provided that he would be trained as a pilot. The commander, an old pilot himself, liked Talyn's spunk and agreed to pull a few strings for him. So, Talyn Crais left Hanno, and everything that he'd known, with just the clothes on his back, his electronic sketch pad, and a handful of storage disks for it. He never looked back.

Talyn's first challenge was boot camp. For the better part of a cycle, he slogged through mud carrying a huge pack, ran thousands of metras, experienced his first spacewalk, and struggled to catch up with the ship-born Sebacean teens that he'd be competing with for one of the prized spots in their fighter pilot training program. It was the toughest thing he'd ever done in his young life. Whichever way he went, Talyn was an outsider. Others in his age group had been trained from birth in the Peacekeeper way of life. The other planet-born recruits were mainly slated for the infantry. The brighter ones were slated to be technicians and sent to special schools to learn engineering, maintenance, and all of the jobs that the space-born considered beneath them. Talyn was grateful for the continued patronage of the old commander that had recruited him. Without it, he was certain that the closest he'd get to any aircraft would be on the deck of the maintenance bay. He survived boot camp by keeping his head down, staying out of trouble, and always watching his classmates. It was a struggle, but he managed to come out as the top-ranked member of his class, which entitled him to his choice of assignments. Without hesitation, Talyn chose Pilot Training.

Pilot training was done on a large space station in the Sebacean rear zone. It was the first time that Talyn had lived in space, which was a new adventure for him. As he settled into the barracks, he looked out the window by his bunk at the pulsing yellow star and it's accompanying red dwarf that made up this star system. He couldn't believe his luck. Everything was perfect. It was a tough life, but he couldn't be happier.

Until he heard a loud female voice dripping with sarcasm say, "well, look what we have here! It's a mudfoot that thinks he can be a pilot!"

Talyn turned around to the sound of sniggering laughter. Standing in front of the gathered crowd of students was a woman in a cadet's jumpsuit like his. The first thing Talyn noticed about her was how short and stocky she was. The cadet had wavy brown hair blunt-cut at her ears, a turned-up nose with a splash of freckles, and gray eyes. Her hands were on her hips, and she had an ugly sneer on her face. Talyn steeled himself. He was used to being called a mudfoot - it was the favorite slur used by the space-born cadets against their planet-born cohorts. The best defense was usually to confront the bully. "Yeah, you wanna make something of it?" he shot back.

"You'd be better off repairing Vipers than flying them, dirt-boy," she snorted. Her backers laughed along with her.

"I'm just as qualified as you are," he answered.

"You ever flown anything other than a cropduster?"

"No. Have you?"

"I've been flying since I was ten cycles old," the girl sneered - although Talyn noticed that she didn't mention what she'd flown.

"Well, so have I, so back off."

That only seemed to make the annoying girl even more mad. "Who the hezmana do you think you are? Look at the beak on that mudfoot, will ya?" she nodded toward his big nose. "With a nose like that, your mother must've been a Luxan!"

He'd never seen a Luxan, so he didn't know what she was talking about. He thought of the worst insult that he'd heard in boot camp and hurled it back at the girl. "Yeah, well you're so short, your mother must've been a diseased Hynerian tralk!"

That did it. The girl launched herself at him with a powerful kick. Talyn countered her obvious move, but made no effort to counterattack. Pandemonium erupted in the barracks. Talyn and the girl continued to fight, while the other students cheered them on. One of the others, a curly-haired boy about his own age, was trying to pull the girl off of him. She wound up facing him, and was preparing for a pakthar jab, when he heard a deep male voice bellow out, "ATTENTION! What the frell is going on in here?" The cadets stopped dead in their tracks, Talyn and the girl included. An huge, muscular older man with grizzled hair, a deep scar on his face, and a no-nonsense attitude circled Talyn and the girl, while staring at each of the cadets in turn. "My name is Instructor Jenno Baralt. You are to address me as Instructor Baralt, or just plain SIR. It is my job to turn you snot-nosed mama's boys and girls into battle-ready pilots. Fall in!"

The twenty cadets scrambled into four rows of five each, with Talyn and his tormenter next to each other in the front row. On the other side of him was the boy who tried to stop the fight. Talyn endured the Instructor's scrutiny with a straight back and his eyes forward. "From now on, you will lose and earn points based on your conduct, your skills, and your ability to follow orders. You are all members of a team - MY team. There will be no fighting, fussing, or any other anti-social activity on my team. That includes name calling. Is that understood, Cadet Sun?" the Instructor leaned in and yelled in the girl's ear.

"Yes, sir," she said quietly.

"I can't hear you, Sun!"

She straightened up. "Yes, sir!" she called out in a clear voice.

"Good, because as of now, you and Crais have lost ten points for fighting."

Talyn was stunned! "Sir..." he started. Baralt's stare focused on him. "She started it."

"And you didn't finish it, Crais," Baralt answered. "First lesson of being a Peacekeeper. If someone decides to frell with you, you make sure that you finish it, and them. That's the way to keep the respect of the lesser races."

Talyn nodded. "Yes, sir!" he shouted in reply. Baralt may be a hard-eema, but Talyn had been raised by a loud, abusive father. Compared to Tyro Crais, this drill instructor was nothing.

"I'm glad we've gotten that clear, Cadet," Baralt sneered. "For the next half-cycle, you will be learning how to become Peacekeeper pilots. The first thing I want you to do is reach down with your right hand and grab the eema of the person next to you." The cadets looked at each other skeptically. "DO IT!" Baralt ordered. Talyn hesitated, then put his hand on the girl's tight rear end. She glared a warning at him, but he kept his eyes on the Instructor. "Now, girls and boys, I want you all to remember something. When you're in battle, you hold your comrades' eemas in your hands, and your eema is in theirs. That is the first rule of battle. Keep this lesson in your minds, especially when you're in the hot zone. Is that understood, cadets?"

"Yes, Sir!" they answered as one.

"Good. Now let each other go, before you all start getting ideas." Talyn gratefully let go of the girl's rear. "Dismissed!"

As the cadets broke up, the girl shoved Talyn out of her way. "Touch me again and you'll get sent back to whatever rock you came from in a body bag," she hissed.

"Frell you," he whispered back. She gave him an evil stare, then tossed her hair and walked away.

The cadets ate by classes in the mess hall. Talyn sat down next to the curly-haired boy with the blue eyes. "I didn't get a chance to introduce myself before," he said to the kid who stuck up for him. "Talyn Crais."

"Braydon Tal," Blue Eyes said. "You're a planet-sider?"

"Yep," Talyn admitted quietly. "I'm just a farm boy from Hanno, taking up valuable space in a pilot training course."

Braydon winced. "Hey, don't mind Xhalax Sun. She's not normally this bad. She's just upset because of her mother."

That got Talyn's attention. "What happened?"

"Her mother was a staff officer on the Zaraman." Tal explained.

"The command carrier?"

Tal stared at him. "You mean you haven't heard?"

"I was in boot-camp planet-side. We didn't get much war news. I guess they didn't want the grunts to know how bad things were before they got to the front," Talyn winced.

Braydon shook his head. "The Zaraman was on the Scarren front. The Scarrens attacked the carrier and took it out."

"Frell," Talyn whispered, and whistled with awe. "Survivors?"

"A few that managed to get to the escape pods, plus the pilots that weren't wiped out in the initial attack. Xhalax's mother wasn't one of them."

"We haven't lost a command carrier..."

"...since the Zelbinion disappeared," Braydon completed Talyn's thought. They didn't have much more of a chance to talk, because they were joined at the table by Xhalax Sun.

She stared down her nose at Talyn as if she smelled something rotten. "My luck, this would be the last space available," she sniffed.

"Look, Sun," Talyn began, "we didn't get off on the right foot before. I'm Talyn Crais."

She refused to shake his hand. "Xhalax Sun."

"I heard about your mother. Look, I wanted to apologize for what I said. I just lost my mother recently, too."

"I don't need your sympathy, mudfoot," she snapped. "My mother was a Peacekeeper officer. She died in battle. End of story."

Talyn was taken aback. "But, she was your mother! Don't you feel anything?"

Xhalax pointed a fork at him. "You have no idea what I feel. And if you know what's good for you, dirtball, you'll stay the hezmana out of my way. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Talyn hissed and continued to eat his dinner in an uncomfortable silence.

Braydon cleared his throat. "So, when do you think we'll get to train on an actual Viper?"

Talyn shrugged. "Don't know," Xhalax answered. "Soon, I hope. I want to get into action as soon as I can."

"Same here," Talyn agreed, talking through the food in his mouth.

The girl stared at him. "Shut up," she snapped. "Nobody asked you."

"Xhalax..." Braydon nodded toward Instructor Baralt, who was walking down their row of tables. The Instructor stopped when he reached the three of them.

"Getting along better, Crais?" Baralt asked.

Talyn just about choked. "Uh, yes, sir," he stammered.

"Sir," Xhalax interrupted. "When will we be training in actual Vipers?"

"Sun," he scowled down at her, "don't be in such a hurry. The Viper is too expensive to let a bunch of untrained rookies loose in one. You'll be sitting in simulators until you're ready." He stalked off to bother another group of cadets further down the row.

"I hate that guy already," Sun whispered. Talyn didn't dare disagree with her.

***

Later that night, after lights-out, Talyn took solace in his sketchpad. He hid under his blanket and tooled around with the main design for his great dream, a new starfighter.

"Pssst... Talyn!" he heard a voice from the bunk on his left side. He looked over to see Braydon Tal staring at him through the darkened room. "What are you doing under there? Practicing with your joystick?" The other boy grinned at the pilots' euphemism for masturbation.

"If I was, do you think I'd announce it in here?"

"So, what the frell are you doing under there?" Braydon insisted.

Talyn decided to take a risk and trust his new acquaintance. He passed the sketchpad over to Braydon. "This. It's my idea for a new fighter."

The other boy whistled through his teeth quietly. "Frell, Talyn," he said, impressed. "This is good!"

"It's why I joined the Peacekeepers in the first place," he explained. "See, I don't just want to pilot, I want to design ships. I couldn't exactly do that from a farming commune on Hanno. Joining up was the only way I could do what I wanted." And get the frell out of there, he added mentally.

Braydon stared at him. "You mean, you actually have a long-term goal?"

"You don't?"

"Well, maybe to be Captain of a Command Carrier someday, but other than that, no. Unless you're a hard-charger, like Sun over there, us station-siders don't really have plans. We didn't have the option not to serve. It's what we were born and bred for."

Talyn realized for the first time that his planet-sider upbringing could be an advantage. Unlike most of his comrades, he had a vision. The old Commander that had patronized him had recognized that. It would be up to him to use that vision to advance as far as he could. Braydon passed the sketchpad back to him, and Talyn carefully saved his work and turned it off. "'Night, Braydon," he murmured, then rolled over and went to sleep satisfied.

***

The solar days fell into a predictable pattern. Up at 0500 arns, physical training, showers, breakfast, flight theory, lunch, simulator training, then hand-to-hand combat training, dinner, weapons training, then bed. Their class was evenly divided - ten males and ten females. After the initial difficulties, Talyn had earned the respect of most of his cohort by excelling in the most difficult part of their training, flight theory. He couldn't help it. His lifelong passion for designing aircraft served him well in both theory and simulations. The electronic sketchpad, his only personal belonging, came in handy for illustrating a difficult concept to his classmates. Talyn quickly became the class tutor, much to his amusement.

Unfortunately, he had to struggle to keep up in other areas. He especially had trouble in hand-to-hand combat drills. Every time he fought, he had flashbacks to getting pounded by his father or older brothers. Baralt was constantly yelling at him to fight back, remember his form, or whatever. He just couldn't get it.

The worst day came when he drew a female classmate as his sparring partner. Talyn had been dreading fighting any of the females. He got nauseous just thinking about hitting a woman. It was just another way that his monster of a father had frelled up his life. Of course, he didn't choose just any female partner. He drew Xhalax Sun - who was ranked first in hand-to-hand combat out of all of their class. Talyn was doomed.

He stepped out onto the mat with dread. He was dressed, as they all were, in tight black leggings, a tank top, and bare feet. The girls wore a similar uniform, only with a support top over their breasts. He'd given up thinking of any of his female classmates as sexual beings, considering that most of them thought he was beneath them. None more so than the short, gray-eyed girl that stepped out into the ring to face him. "C'mon, mudfoot," she taunted, "let's see you try to take me." They faced each other, and each extended their right arm while bending their left behind their head in the archer position. Baralt gave the signal, and the fight began.

Xhalax lashed out her right leg in a vicious kick aimed at his groin. Talyn barely blocked it by spinning around. The girl came right back at him with a left hook, which he didn't block in time. She connected, and Talyn stepped back, seeing stars.

"Crais, remember to block!" Baralt yelled out. Talyn nodded, then Xhalax laid on again. He was more successful at blocking her this time. She only managed to get a few glancing blows past him. "Crais! You need to counter-attack!" Baralt encouraged him again.

"Yeah, what are you waiting for? Scared I'll kick your eema?" Xhalax sneered.

Talyn gasped for breath. "No, that's not it," he said between pants. "You wouldn't understand." Xhalax kicked up, and her foot landed in his stomach. He let out a rush of air and landed hard on the mat.

"Yeah, you're right. I can't understand why you won't fight back," she looked down her nose at him as he was sprawled out on the mat.

Talyn rose in one swift movement. "Frell off, Sun!" he screamed. "All of you, just frell off!" He stormed out of the ring and left the room, slamming the door on the way out. In the adjacent training room, he found one of the padded practice bags. He slammed his fist into one of them. It felt good, freeing. He punched it again, then again, taking out his aggression and humiliation. It wasn't hard to imagine his father's face on the bag, then Baralt's, then finally Sun's mocking sneer. He couldn't hit a woman, but he smacked the bag until his knuckles bled.

"What was that dren about?" a male voice said from behind him. Talyn whirled to face his best friend.

"Frell off, Braydon," he snarled, and hit the bag again.

His friend strode forward to face him. Braydon grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him hard. "Talyn, you're getting dangerously close to getting kicked out of pilot training because of this. Do you want to be stuck in some infantry brigade? Do you really think that High Command will let you design planes if you wash out of pilot training?"

That seemed to get through to him. "I... I can't, Bray." His friend released him. Talyn turned around and leaned on the bag wearily. "Every time I go into the ring, I see my father or my brothers walloping me again. That's bad enough. But I didn't see Sun just now. I saw my mother. I couldn't do it, Bray."

"What happened with your mother, 'Lyn?"

The tears that he never shed were threatening to come now, when it would embarrass him. He fought the urge to cry, and continued. "My father came home drunk - again. I was doing my homework upstairs, and Mother was downstairs. He started to yell at her, and then I heard him start to smack her around. I couldn't take it anymore, so I went downstairs and tried to defend her. He laughed at me, then hit me right in the stomach. I was doubled over, and he kicked me in the head. It was like I was paralyzed, I couldn't move. Mother went after him. He smacked her across the room. She hit her head on the table. She was still moving. He kicked her in the head, and I heard something snap. Her head was at an odd angle. Father yelled something at her, then stormed out the door. When I could move again, I went over to her. She was dead. Her neck was broken. I called the local garrison, but they refused to arrest him. Said it was a domestic dispute, and they didn't have jurisdiction. The worst part was that I couldn't do anything to stop it!" He pounded the bag again, but it was useless.

"Frell," Braydon whistled. "I can see why you got out of there."

A cough from the doorway made both of the boys jump and turn. Xhalax Sun stood in the doorway. She looked pale and stricken, a drastic change from her usual haughty demeanor. "I... I just wanted to see if you were all right," she stammered.

"How much did you hear?" Talyn asked.

She met his eyes. "All of it," she confessed. "I'm so sorry, Crais. You should have said something before now."

He narrowed his eyes. "It's not the Peacekeeper way," he shot back. "You probably just would have laughed at me, like you always do! She died, end of story - right?"

Xhalax gulped at her words being thrown back in her face. "That's different," she whispered. "My mother was a soldier. Yours wasn't."

"A fact that you never let me forget," Talyn replied. "Save your pity, Sun. Maybe you're right, I don't fit in here. Maybe I should just quit and go back to the grunts, like all of the other planet-siders!"

"'Lyn, you don't mean that," Braydon tried to reassure him.

"Look," Xhalax said as she walked towards Talyn, "the reason I came in here was to offer you a deal. I help you out in hand-to-hand, you help me out in flight theory. You know that's my weakest subject." She wasn't lying. Talyn knew that she was struggling, but she'd refused to ask for his help when the others had. "I'm not offering you a handout, Crais. It would be an equal bargain."

Talyn couldn't believe what he was hearing. He looked over to Braydon for confirmation. His friend nodded his encouragement. "Then we have a bargain," Talyn agreed. Xhalax held out her hand, and Talyn took it. They clasped wrists and sealed the deal.

Fifteen Cycles Later

Lieutenant Xhalax Sun stepped off the troop transport and double-checked her orders to be sure that they were correct. The orders said that she was supposed to meet her party at a base near Delvia, then she would be transported to her next duty station. Xhalax didn't understand all of this secrecy. All she wanted to do was get to whatever Command Carrier she was going to next, so she could join her unit. She looked the gate for someone or something that was supposed to meet her. Finding nothing, she decided to make good use of her time. She slung her rucksack over her shoulder and headed off to the nearest drinking establishment.

Xhalax stood at the bar and ordered a glass of raslak. The bartender scanned her credit chip, then placed a full glass in front of her. She took a sip, then coughed as the bitter liquid burned her throat. I guess they don't get the good stuff in this backwater, she thought, then downed another mouthful.

"Xhalax Sun?" a male voice exclaimed from behind her. "What the frell are you doing here?" She spun around and reached for her pulse-pistol, before she recognized the speaker. His curly black hair and big nose gave him away, although he had filled out significantly since the last time she saw him.

"Talyn!" she grinned. "I haven't seen you since graduation!" They clasped forearms warmly. Xhalax found herself looking up at Talyn, something she hadn't done when they were in Viper training together. He was no longer the scrawny planet-sider that she remembered beating the dren out of in combat training. "Look at us," she laughed, "who would have thought that we'd both make lieutenant?"

"I thought you'd be ash orbiting around some planet," he confessed.

"You too, mudfoot," she reached up and ruffled his unruly hair.

He frowned a warning. "Watch it, Sun," he whispered. "See that Commander over there?" he nodded over to an older man in a dress uniform enjoying a raslak in a corner booth. "He's been watching us."

"Sorry," she gulped, then changed the subject. "So, what brings you to this dump?"

"I'm meeting someone," he said cryptically.

"Same with me. What do you think's going on?"

"As near as I can tell, it's some kind of secret project," he guessed.

"But why do they want us?"

Talyn shrugged, but a third voice behind them answered before he could speak. "Maybe they're looking for the two most dissimilar pilots in the entire Peacekeeper service?"

Xhalax and Talyn spun around simultaneously. Grinning back at them was Braydon Tal, also a lieutenant now. Braydon was wearing a casual uniform and carrying a rucksack. "Let me guess. You two got some kind of strange orders that sent you here?" he asked.

"Braydon!" Talyn grinned and the two young men clasped arms.

"I didn't know that you were joining this little party," Xhalax smiled, then greeted her friend as well. "While we're here, can I buy you two a drink?"

"Frell, yes!" Talyn agreed heartily. Braydon nodded as well.

"Bartender, two more for my mates," Xhalax ordered. The Delvian bartender complied.

The three friends sat at the bar, drinking and catching up on old times, for about an arn. Braydon had been serving aboard a Command Carrier, while Xhalax was on a base patrolling the Scarren frontier. Talyn was characteristically quiet about his last posting, only that it was something that he really enjoyed. He also kept eyeing the mysterious commander, who was lingering over his drink and watching the three of them with great interest.

Finally, the man stood and walked over to their group. "Finish your drinks and follow me," he ordered them. Xhalax looked at her companions nervously. "You received orders to meet someone at this station. I am your contact," the commander informed them. Xhalax downed the last of her drink, and her friends did the same. The commander then led them out of the bar. The four of them traversed several corridors until they lost track of their location. Then, the commander stopped in front of an airlock. He placed his ident chip in the scanner, and the airlock opened to reveal a Marauder. "Climb in," he ordered. Xhalax scrambled into the Marauder, followed by her companions. The commander was last in, and closed the hatch. "Crais, take the co-pilot's chair," he ordered. Talyn did so without hesitation. "Prepare for launch," the commander ordered.

Once the Marauder had disengaged from the station and was under way, the commander turned to his passengers. "I apologize for the secrecy, but with our project, it's absolutely necessary. My name is Commander Cador Hyrix. I'm in charge of a special development project. You have been assigned to the Military Tech division effective immediately, and you will be assisting on this project. From here on in, everything you will be told is classified."

"Wait a microt," Braydon said, "I didn't ask for a reassignment!"

"No, you wait a microt, Lieutenant," Hyrix snapped. "Everything will be explained." Tal gulped, but said nothing.

"Sir, what is this special project?" Xhalax asked. She looked over at Talyn, who was still flying the Marauder.

"It's a new fighter," Hyrix said tersely. Xhalax and Braydon exchanged looks. "You'll get a chance to see it when we reach our destination. It's a research facility in the Dellis sector."

"A new fighter?" Braydon echoed. "Well, that explains why they'd want you, Talyn. But why me and Lieutenant Sun?"

"We need test pilots. Our lead designer wanted the best pilots in the service. For some unknown reason, your names came up in that capacity. Perhaps he can explain his reasoning to you?" Hyrix asked, then turned to Talyn and nodded. Xhalax's jaw dropped.

Lieutenant Crais turned around and faced his friends with a sheepish grin. "Sorry about the big deception. I wanted to tell you. But the Commander is right, secrecy is necessary."

"What the hezmana is going on, Talyn?" Braydon demanded.

"Remember back in training, when I thought that the Viper could be improved? Well, I kept tinkering with that design, and showed it to my commanding officer. It went up the food chain to my Captain. The next thing I knew, I was reassigned to MilTech to design a new short-range fighter. It's my dream come true, Braydon!" he exclaimed happily.

"Oh, that's all well and good for you, mudfoot," Xhalax snapped, deliberately using the slur that she'd used against Talyn in training. "But I was satisfied with what I was doing."

"You're satisfied with taking potshots at Scarrens? You can do so much better than that, Xhalax. Just think of it this way. You'll be the first person to fly a brand-new, state-of-the-art starfighter. Maybe I'll name it after you!"

Xhalax thought for a microt. "You do have an interesting argument, Talyn," she thought aloud. "I feel like Vipers aren't a challenge anymore. In fact, before you pulled me off of the front lines, I was considering moving to a commando unit. I wanted to see more action."

"So, you're in?" he asked hopefully.

She shrugged. "Like I have a choice?"

"You both have a choice," Hyrix interjected. "You could turn the assignment down. We fly you back to the station, and you forget everything you've heard. Or, you come with us and have the opportunity to make your careers."

"Well, since you put it that way," Braydon grinned, "how can I refuse?"

"Beats the hezmana out of taking potshots at Scarrens," Xhalax agreed. "Count me in." A huge smile broke over Talyn's face, and he looked fifteen cycles younger. For the first time, she saw Talyn Crais in a different light. It was as if a crack had opened in his Peacekeeper emotional armor, and she saw a glimpse of the young man that she'd known back in training. Only now, he had the self-assurance that he'd lacked back then. Whatever he'd been doing on Dellis, it had certainly been good for him.

***

The trip to the Gammak base in the Dellis sector took several arns. Talyn used the time to fill Xhalax and Braydon in on the fighter design. Commander Hyrix briefed them on the nature of their assignment while Talyn flew the Marauder. He was incredibly pleased that his friends were becoming as enthusiastic about the new fighter as he was. They were good pilots, and they soon saw the need for a new fighter.

Talyn couldn't help but notice Xhalax Sun. She'd matured into a strikingly beautiful woman. He hadn't had much experience with women. He'd had a few recreation partners over the cycles, but the sex was more awkward than anything else. Besides, his work left little time for getting together with anyone. During the coming cycle, he would need to work closely with Xhalax, and he didn't want his attraction to her to get in the way of their duty. He decided to concentrate on his work, and let thing sort themselves out as they would.

Once they landed on the Gammak base, Talyn practically dragged his friends out of the Marauder and into the hangar where the prototypes were housed. Braydon followed him eagerly, but Xhalax was a little miffed that she didn't get to stow her gear first. Her expression changed when Talyn opened the hangar doors to reveal the prototype fighter. Both Xhalax and Braydon were struck speechless. Both pilots appreciated the sleek, aerodynamic lines of the new fighter. His friends dropped their gear in the middle of the floor and followed him as he gave them a full demonstration of his creation.

"'Lyn, this is frelling incredible!" Braydon whispered in awe as he sat in the cockpit. "You designed all of this?"

"Well, not all of it. I had a lot of help," he grinned down at the numerous male and female technicians that were working on the fighter. "But it's mostly my design."

Xhalax whistled. "I'm impressed, 'Lyn," she grinned. Talyn felt himself blush. "Get out of there, Braydon. It's my turn." Braydon saluted mockingly, then hopped down from the cockpit. She climbed in, and her smile got wider. "Frell me dead!" she exclaimed in appreciation.

"Weapons and navigation controlled by one person?" Braydon asked. "How do you accomplish that? It eliminates the need for a co-pilot."

"We're designing an entirely new interface," he answered. "It's based on oculars, but we've got a team of techs designing a heads-up display. However, I made sure that the cockpit had room for a passenger - two if they sit real close. Either that, or a small amount of cargo."

"Good idea," Braydon agreed. "You could also retrieve an ejected pilot and pull them right into your passenger area."

"You're getting the idea. See, that's why this design went up the chain of command. They needed something designed by pilots for pilots. A lot of MilTech people don't have a lot of experience in battle. They're scientists, but most of them have never been on the firing line."

"Well, Talyn," Xhalax smiled as she hopped down from the cockpit, "I'm glad that you chose us to test your new toy. It beats the hezmana out of skirmishes with Scarren raiders."

Talyn felt his ears go red under his hair. He was glad that his friends were impressed. Especially Xhalax, but he'd rather die than admit to it.

***

Half a cycle after she joined the secret project, Xhalax Sun knew that she was in love. Not only with the new fighter, but its designer as well. She and Talyn had, against everything she'd been taught as a Peacekeeper, become lovers exclusively. At first, Xhalax had felt bad about leaving Braydon out of the picture. She cared very deeply for him, too, but as a comrade. There was something more between her and Talyn. Perhaps it was his planet-side upbringing, but she felt like he treasured her more than any man she'd ever been involved with. Besides, from what she observed, Braydon wasn't spending his nights alone. A progression of female techs found their way to his quarters after arns - which she never failed to tease him about.

In a way, they were lucky. Commander Hyrix was understanding about their situation. He realized that creative types weren't just average Peacekeepers. They needed freedom to do what he called "thinking outside of the box." With their new-found freedom and the ability to safely take risks, Xhalax, Braydon and Talyn became an unstoppable team. It was almost as if they could read each others' thoughts. The fact that Xhalax and Talyn were spending their down time together wasn't lost on the wise old commander, but he just shrugged and told them that it was their business, not his - just don't let it interfere with the work at hand.

Besides, with what little Xhalax was seeing of Talyn lately, they might as well not be lovers at all. The project had reached a critical phase, and Talyn was working late into the late arns. Often, she would enter his quarters to find him face-down on his bunk, still wearing his rumpled uniform pants and undershirt, his jacket casually thrown in the corner. When they did manage to see each other off-duty, Talyn was often too exhausted for sex. Or worse, would fall asleep right in the middle of it. Another woman might be insulted or angry, but Xhalax knew better. She was a Peacekeeper, after all. She had been taught from birth that the mission was her first priority. She knew Talyn's mind better than he knew his own. The Prowler project was his dream come true. She didn't mind being secondary to such an important project, especially when it was becoming her dream, too. She was just glad that Talyn reserved some small section of his passion for her.

The solar day that everything changed began like any other. She awoke to hearing Talyn in the shower, trying to force himself awake after more long arns the night before. He greeted her with a kiss when he got out of the shower, pulled on a clean work shirt and pants, and was gone before she could say goodbye. After taking care of her own personal business, she headed over to the simulator room, grabbing a quick breakfast from the mess hall on the way. Braydon was already waiting for her in the other simulator.

"You're late, Xhal," he teased. "Talyn keeping you busy?"

"Frell off, Bray," she snapped. "You know as well as I do that if we don't see each other on duty, we don't see each other."

He smiled sympathetically. "I know. I was just trying to make a joke."

"Well, don't."

He held up his hands and shrugged. "Whatever you say. Either way, the techs refined the firing controls yesterday. We need to check them out."

"Good," she said as she climbed into the mock-up of the Prowler's cockpit. She put the helmet on, then engaged the virtual-reality mode. "Let's get started."

The two of them were engaged in a virtual firefight when Xhalax's communications badge trilled the signal for a priority message. "Wait a microt, Braydon. I've got a message. Hold simulation," she said into her transmitter. The starfield and Sheyang vessel attacking them stopped abruptly. Xhalax opened the hatch on the simulator and pulled off her helmet. "This is Lieutenant Sun," she said into her badge.

"Lieutenant, this is Commander Hyrix," the older man's voice came over the communications device. "Report to my office immediately."

Xhalax looked over at Braydon, who had pulled off her helmet and was looking concerned. "I'll be right there, Sir," she said. She turned to Braydon and smiled nervously. "It's probably nothing. I'll be right back. Don't shoot any more Sheyangs down without me."

He laughed abruptly as Xhalax left the room. She made her way up several levels to the Commander's office. It was off of the main command area. As she passed through command, several officers greeted her warmly. Unlike the atmosphere on command carriers, Hyrix had actively encouraged soldiers from different departments to socialize with each other. The Gammak base was a small enough operation that she could pretty much recognize everyone by sight. Of course, the fact that she was assigned to the base's priority project helped.

Xhalax rang the buzzer to Commander Hyrix's office, then received permission to enter. Hyrix had his back to the door and was looking down on the hangar bay where the Prowlers were being assembled. He didn't turn around when she entered. "Lieutenant Sun," he said without turning, "you've received a high priority message from First Command."

"Sir?" she asked, "I'm not sure that I understand."

He turned around and handed her a data pad. "It's from the Medical Services Division, Reproductive Section."

Xhalax's stomach did a barrel roll. "Oh," she stammered as she took the pad from him. "Lieutenant Xhalax Sun, service number 884037-6889032 is hereby reassigned to the Reproductive Facility in the Mallik Sector for removal of her hormonal suppressor, insemination and reproduction," she read. "Frell! I can't leave now!"

"I know, Sun. This couldn't have come at a worse time," Hyrix replied. "I've already appealed to Medical Services. I have some contacts there, but I'm not very optimistic."

She joined him at the window and looked down into the hangar. Her eyes were drawn to Talyn, who was looking over the shoulder of a technician who was welding something to the fuselage of Prowler One. He had safety goggles over his eyes, but she knew his body anywhere. "Does Talyn know yet?" she asked the Commander.

"I thought I'd leave that to you, since you're close to him."

"He's not going to be happy," she observed.

"No, I didn't expect that he would be," Hyrix answered. "Sun, I know that many females look forward to this, but this couldn't have come at a worse time. We're almost ready for our first test flight. I can't lose your expertise now."

"I'm aware of that, Sir," she agreed. "We'll just have to hope that your contacts can postpone my reproduction assignment until after the Prowler is declared operational." Although, she knew that neither of them held out much hope. An assignment to reproduce was considered inviolable. "In the meantime, I'd better let Talyn know."

Hyrix nodded once, then pressed a button on his console to summon Talyn. Her lover looked up at the Commander's office from his place on the hangar floor. He saluted, then hurried toward the lift. Xhalax studied the pad without really seeing the words. This can't be happening now, she thought. Talyn will be so disappointed.

As if on cue, Talyn walked through door without bothering to ask for permission. He looked surprised to see her waiting for him as well as Hyrix. He looked from her to Hyrix, then back to her. "Something wrong with the firing controls, Xhal?" he asked.

"No, they're fine." Leave it to Talyn to think of his project first. "I just got some bad news," she confessed, then handed him the pad.

He read it quickly, then looked up at her. She read confusion in his eyes. "You have to leave now? When the project is in it's most critical phase?"

She leaned in and touched her forehead to his, ignoring the presence of the Commander. "You silly mudfoot," she smiled wanly, then caressed his cheek. "When a female Peacekeeper gets what we call 'The Order', she has no choice. You report to the assigned facility, your suppressor is removed, and your eggs are harvested. Once fertilized by the sperm of a compatible male, the egg is implanted back into the woman's body. She's then placed in non-combat status and assigned clerical or other work until six weekens after the birth of the child."

He put his arms around her. "That's so... impersonal. What happens after the woman is released from this facility?"

"She's reassigned. The child is taken from her and raised in a special facility. Sometimes, if they're as lucky as I was, their mothers can spend time with them. My mother was of high enough rank that she could visit me from time to time. Unlike a lot of my classmates, my mother was not only alive, but we were able to know each other."

"That explains why you were so upset when we first met," Talyn observed. He sighed with resignation and kissed her forehead. "Well, if you got the assignment, you have to go."

"Crais, if it's any consolation, I've already filed a protest," Hyrix interrupted. "Lieutenant Sun is a critical part of this project. Lieutenant Tal is just as capable as she is, but we have two Prowlers to test. Braydon is an outstanding pilot, but he can't be two places at once." The older man smiled grimly.

"I never thought I'd say this, sir, but this is the first time that I think the colonies have the right idea. We may be ignorant, backwards planet-siders, but at least we allow women to choose when and with whom to conceive a child," Talyn released Xhalax and walked to the window.

"Talyn, it isn't like that," she tried to explain. "Normally, I'd be happy to go. It's just coming at a bad time. If there was any other way, I'd consider it in a microt."

He spun around and looked at her. She could see tears starting to form in his eyes. "You know, I was just hoping that it would be my child that you'd carry," he confessed quietly.

Her heart went out to him. "Oh, you naive mudfoot," she whispered and took a step toward him. He met her halfway, and pulled her into his arms.

A cough interrupted them. They had forgotten about Commander Hyrix's presence for a microt. They dropped arms and stepped apart. Xhalax felt her face redden with embarrassment. "I hate to interrupt this private moment," he said.

Talyn snapped to attention. "Sir, I apologize for this personal conversation."

Hyrix chuckled. "Relax, lieutenants. I'm sympathetic to your situation, or else I wouldn't have filed the protest."

Xhalax wrapped her arms around herself and paced. "There has to be some kind of way around this," she muttered.

"Wait a microt," Talyn said. She turned. He had an expression on her face that she'd come to recognize. He was thinking of possibilities, just like she'd seen him do so many times in the hangar. "Sir, I have an idea. Do you know if the regulations make an allowance for a female officer to remain in her current assignment if it's not considered combat-related?"

Xhalax stared in confusion at her lover. "Talyn, what are you thinking?"

Hyrix understood immediately. "I'd have to run it up the chain of command, but I'm pretty sure that she could remain in her assignment. Good thinking, Crais."

She was still confused. "Talyn, I still don't understand what you're planning."

He kissed her on the forehead again. "Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

She gave him an irritated look. "You're awfully quick to make decisions about my life," she snapped. "Just like you did when you 'recruited' me for this project."

Talyn ignored her and looked over at Commander Hyrix. "Unless I misunderstand the duty assignment matrix, neither Sun nor Tal are on combat-related assignments."

"That's correct," Hyrix confirmed. "You're detailed to MilTech for the duration of the project. And, I'm guessing by the latest status report, that it will take at least a cycle for the Prowler to be declared operational."

Talyn's idea began to make sense to Xhalax. "So, if I get permission from Medical, I can go to the Repro facility to take care of business, then come back here for the duration?"

"Right. You'd be able to fly for at least half of your pregnancy," Talyn added.

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Talyn Crais, you're insane. It'll never work. I've heard other women talk about their time with Repro. Believe me, you don't want to go up against the bureaucracy on this. MilTech's chain of command is fairly lenient compared to what you'd be facing at Medical."

"Give it a chance, Xhalax!"

She bit her lip. "Fine. File your appeals all you want. I'm going to start packing for a long stay at the Mallik Repro Center." She didn't even wait for the Commander to dismiss her, just gave Talyn an icy stare and stalked out of the office.

Talyn watched his lover walk out, then looked at his Commander hopefully. The older man shook his head with regret. "She's right, Crais. You can't fight First Command."

"No, but sometimes you can find another solution," Talyn replied.

Hyrix stared at his young charge. "I know that look, Crais. You're up to something."

"Sir, does our infirmary have the necessary equipment to perform a DNA test?"

The Commander thought for a moment. "I believe so." He smiled and nodded knowingly. "Crais, I'm pretty sure I know what your plan is. I don't know if it will work, but I'll back you."

Talyn reached out and clasped the older man's wrist. "Thank you, sir," he nodded.

"Now, get out of here and get back to work," Hyrix grinned as he dismissed him.

***

Xhalax didn't bother to wait up for Talyn after her duty shift was over. She had talked it over with Braydon, and he had agreed that she had no choice but to do her duty. So, she had simply gone back to her quarters after the evening meal, and began packing up her possessions for a one-way trip to the reproductive center. She hated to leave everything and everyone here at the Gammak base. She didn't want to admit to herself just how much she'd come to love her work here - and the man responsible for it.

Her door chime rang, startling her out of her reverie. "Come in," she responded automatically.

Talyn entered her quarters hesitantly. She looked up from her knapsack to see him smiling sheepishly at her. He looked so pathetic that she couldn't resist him. She put down the jacket that she was packing, and crossed the room to him. Talyn met her halfway. They wound up in each other's arms. Talyn buried his face in her hair. "Xhal..." he started.

She put her hands on his face, and pulled away far enough to look into his eyes. "'Lyn, I know that you mean well, but this is an assignment that I can't postpone. I have no choice but to comply with those orders. I'm sorry. I can't go against everything that I've been taught."

He leaned forward to touch his forehead to hers. "I'm not asking you to," he whispered. "I'm just asking you to trust me."

"Why?" She pulled away, looking askance at him. "What are you thinking of?"

"I've submitted a DNA sample for cross-matching with yours." Xhalax's eyes widened in shock. For the first time in her life, she didn't know what to say. Her eyes started to burn and water - something that hadn't happened since she was a child. Talyn wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair. "Don't you see, Xhalax? You'll still produce a child as ordered. Only you'll have one advantage over the other women - you'll know the father. Our child will be conceived in love. And you'll be assigned here. It's the best solution for everyone involved."

"You'll never get it approved."

"Don't be such a pessimist," he grinned. "What have you got to lose?"

She shook free from his arms. "It's not that I don't want you to try. It's that you're assuming that I'll go along with this crazy scheme of yours. It's my choice, Talyn. Not yours."

"Frell, Xhalax! That's exactly what I'm trying to give you - a choice in the matter! I don't want to lose you to another assignment. But it's more than that. If you're forced to have a child, I'm hoping that you'll want me to be the father." He bent down and kissed her forehead.

She tilted her head up and kissed him. "I just hope the baby inherits your brains," she whispered.

"And your looks," he replied as she pushed him down onto the bed.

***

Three solar days later, Xhalax, Talyn, and Commander Hyrix disembarked at the Mallik Sector Starbase, and immediately reported to the Reproductive Services section. Xhalax noted the number of pregnant female officers and technicians working around the base. The pregnant technician who took her name and service number raised an eyebrow in a half-smirk as Commander Hyrix informed her that they had filed an appeal. I'm sure that she was taken away from an important posting too, Xhalax thought. The Commander should have listened to me. You can't fight High Command.

The aide wasted no time in ushering in the three of them to a large office with the symbol of the Repro center hanging on the wall. Xhalax's eyes darted between the two women and one man, all captains, that would decide her fate. They were all of the same age as Hyrix, possibly a little older. She stood at full attention, with Commander Hyrix at her right. Talyn hung behind the two of them. Xhalax could feel his presence, and felt grateful for it. Whatever was going to happen, they would face it together.

"Lieutenant Xhalax Sun," the male captain, a hawk-faced man with a shaved head, began, "You have filed a petition for an exception to your assigned reproductive duty. I take it that this is your commanding officer?"

"Cador Hyrix, Commander of the Dellis Research Base," the old man answered. "I was actually the one that filed the petition to postpone Lieutenant Sun's assignment."

"Thank you, Commander," the female captain on the left, a woman with her blonde hair tied back in a hair wrap. "Who is this other officer with you?"

Talyn started to speak up, but Xhalax beat him to it. "Lieutenant Talyn Crais, sirs. He is here to aid in my request."

The other female captain, with dark black hair in a short cut, nodded. "Continue, Lieutenant Sun. Tell us why we should grant you an exception to this important duty."

She took a deep breath. "When Commander Hyrix told me of my re-assignment, I fully expected to perform my duty to the Service as required. I realize the importance of reproduction to keep the Peacekeepers at their peak levels of readiness, and I do not take this duty lightly. However, I am currently assigned to a highly classified research project at the Dellis base. The project is at a critical phase for the next cycle, and my presence is required."

"Another pilot could be assigned," the blonde commented.

"I suggested that," Xhalax replied. "However, the intricacies of this project cannot be taught to a new person at this time. A second pilot is assigned to the project, but two are needed."

"What is this project?" the male captain asked.

Xhalax looked at Hyrix, who nodded permission. "A prototype of a new fighter," she informed them. The man arched an eyebrow with interest. He must have been a pilot at one time, Xhalax thought. Good. That's one on our side.

"And your role in this is?" the dark-haired woman asked.

"One of two test pilots," she said. "Lieutenant Crais is the project leader."

The three of them conferred for several microts, then turned back to her. The man spoke for the tribunal. "Lieutenant Sun, we do not find cause enough to grant your petition for exception. You will be escorted to your new quarters immediately...."

"Sirs," Talyn spoke up, "May I approach the tribunal? I believe that I have a mutually beneficial solution for this situation."

"Lieutenant Crais?" the male captain agreed. "You may proceed."

Talyn looked over at Hyrix, who nodded his permission. "The Gammak base on Dellis is not a combat unit. Lieutenant Sun is currently not on combat status. Therefore, she does not have to be reassigned from her present duty."

The blonde captain scowled and asked, "are you always this insubordinate, young man?"

"I like to call it enthusiasm," Hyrix muttered.

The male captain glared at the commander, and motioned to Talyn. "You make an interesting point, Lieutenant. Go on," the dark-haired female encouraged him.

"I am suggesting that Lieutenant Sun remain at her present duty station until such time as she is physically unable to perform her assigned tasks. This way, she is performing both duties simultaneously, and our project stays on its timetable." The tribunal didn't seem to agree.

"If I may," Hyrix stepped in, "Young Lieutenant Crais is a fine officer. He has a tendency to ignore policy from time to time, but I know that his intentions are for the good of the Peacekeeper Service. If you doubt my word, remember that he is, at his young age, the lead designer for the most important project in Military Tech."

"Commander," the blonde asked, "is the medical facility on Dellis able to monitor Lieutenant Sun's condition?"

"We have a fully-functional medical facility. Our medical technicians are more than capable of monitoring one pregnant female," he answered.

"Thank you for your suggestion," the blonde said. "We will take this matter under advisement and render our judgement within an arn. You are dismissed."

The three of them saluted crisply, and walked from the room with Hyrix in the lead. As soon as the door closed, Xhalax looked at the two men. "That went better than I expected it to," she commented. Talyn looked at her skeptically.

"Lieutenant Sun?" A short, blonde female technician in the late stages of pregnancy interrupted them. "I'm here to escort you to the medical facility. If you'll follow me?"

Talyn smiled at her, and Hyrix nodded. She smiled back, and followed the tech down the corridor. The tech led her down the corridor, then into an elevator. She spoke a command into the speaker, and the elevator went down. After a long trip, the elevator stopped. Xhalax stepped out into a large medical bay.

"Come this way, Lieutenant. We need to remove your hormonal suppressor," the tech ordered. Xhalax followed her to an examination table. "Remove your jacket, please."

"How long will this take? I need to be back upstairs soon."

"I'll be done in a few microts," the tech replied. Xhalax removed her uniform jacket to reveal her black sleeveless undershirt. She held out her right arm, and the tech sprayed a local anesthetic on the underside of her forearm. It immediately went numb in that spot. The tech then took a laser scalpel and opened a small incision in the numbed area. She removed five small pipettes from the incision and placed them on the counter top. "Just a few more microts," the tech reassured her. She sprayed an anti-bacterial agent on the incision, then covered it with a small bandage. "There. Keep the bandage on for a solar day. The incision should heal in a weeken."

"How long until my hormones are functioning normally?"

"You'll be tested after two solar days, after which time you'll be inseminated. If you'd like to say your goodbyes to your commander, I'll take you back upstairs."

Xhalax smiled ruefully and nodded. She put her jacket back on, and the tech led her back to the elevator. As they got off, she saw Commander Hyrix and Talyn waiting for her. They both looked very upset.

"We just received a priority message from Lieutenant Tal. There's been an accident in the hangar bay," Hyrix explained. His brows were knitted with concern.

"What happened?" she asked.

"The techs were filling Prowler Two's fuel tanks, and something sparked. The place went up in a fireball. Tal reports ten dead, and at least a hundred injured. Prowler Two is destroyed."

She automatically looked at Talyn for his reaction. He was practically in tears. It took everything she had not to put her arms around him and give him comfort. "What about the tribunal?" she asked instead.

"I've informed them of our plans. They said that, given the nature of the accident, they'll grant you special dispensation. You are free to leave with us," the Commander said.

"Somehow, I don't feel like celebrating," Talyn whispered angrily.

Xhalax noticed for the first time that he was carrying her bag. She took it from him and slung it over her shoulder. "Let's go, then. Time is of the essence." The three of them headed back up the elevator to the landing pad where their Marauder was docked. As the doors closed, Xhalax took Talyn's hand in hers behind the Commander's back. They exchanged glances. "It will be all right," she whispered to him. He nodded in return. As the elevator got to the landing pad, they released hands and faced forward again. They crossed the pad as Hyrix made the arrangements for a priority lift-off. Talyn and Xhalax climbed into the Marauder and allowed themselves the liberty of a quick embrace and kiss. They put their foreheads together and Talyn closed his eyes painfully. "Thank you," she murmured. "I couldn't have taken being a prisoner in that facility for a cycle."

"I know," he agreed. "I love you, Xhal." He kissed her forehead tenderly.

"You too, 'Lyn," she replied. "Don't worry. We'll save your dream. Together."

***

The trip back to Dellis felt like it took two weekens, instead of the two solar days that it actually took. Xhalax and Commander Hyrix took turns flying the Marauder. Talyn alternated between pacing, hanging his head, and going over the schematics for the fuel storage tanks. He was trying to figure out what had gone wrong. When she wasn't manning the conn, Xhalax tried to comfort her lover. It was nearly impossible. The closer they got to Dellis, the more frantic he became. He'd tried to contact Braydon several times, but their friend had kept his messages short, and audio-only. As she overflew the hangar area of the Gammak base, they were able to get a good view of the damage from above. The hangar roof was blown off, showing the charred remains of Prowler Two, and heavy damage to Prowler One. "Take us in closer, Sun," Hyrix ordered, his eyes stony. Talyn was shaking all over as she edged the Marauder downward.

"Frell," he whispered as the devastation became more apparent. The tension in his voice was gut-wrenching. She knew that he was fighting hard not to keep from breaking down.

"We're cleared to land," she announced when she saw a light flash on the control panel. Hyrix nodded quietly, and she set the spacecraft down as gently as possible.

Commander Hyrix jumped out of the hatch as soon as she touched down, with Talyn right behind him. Xhalax quickly finished shutting down the engines, and followed them out. The commander was greeted by the Senior Technician, who gave him and Talyn a quick briefing. The tall, dark-haired older man was wearing a torn uniform, and had soot-marks on his face and hands. The man looked like he hadn't slept or eaten in three solar days.

"Where's Lieutenant Tal?" Xhalax asked, looking around for her friend.

The Tech frowned. "Didn't anyone inform you, Lieutenant? He's in the infirmary. Lieutenant Tal sustained severe injuries while trying to rescue other injured crewmembers."

Hyrix frowned. Xhalax exchanged looks with Talyn, and was shocked at how pale he was. "Thank you, Technician," the Commander said, grasping the man on the shoulder. "Go back to your quarters and rest. That's an order." The Senior Tech nodded and turned away wearily. Hyrix shook his head. "I'm going to the infirmary. You two can go on to the hangar, if you like. I'll meet you there."

"I want to see Braydon," Xhalax insisted.

"So do I," Talyn agreed. She knew that he was avoiding seeing the damage in the hangar as long as possible. The three of them set out down the hall together.

The infirmary was crowded with people in various states of distress. The doctors and med-techs were moving quickly from bed to bed, trying to monitor the condition of at least fifty patients. A makeshift burn unit had been quarantined off in one corner of the room. One of the med-techs noticed the Commander, and she snapped to attention. "Commander Hyrix, sir. I'm sorry I didn't see you," the girl stammered and saluted with a hand still holding a hypo.

"At ease, Technician," Hyrix smiled gently. "Tell Doctor Inis that I'd like a full report from her in two arns. Now, where is Lieutenant Tal?"

At least he knows that this was not the time to be a hard-eema, Xhalax thought as the tech led them to Tal's bedside. Her friend's injuries were worse than had been described. The entire right side of his face was covered in a bandage, and his eyebrows and hair were singed. His left arm was in a cast and laying across his chest. The right arm had an IV hooked to it. She looked over at Talyn, who was staring at their friend with horror in his dark eyes. "Braydon?" she asked as she gently touched his right shoulder.

Tal stirred, then opened his eyes. "Commander Hyrix," he groaned, then tried to salute with his right arm. He winced in pain. "Sir, I apologize..."

"No need, Lieutenant," Hyrix pulled over a chair and sat down next to Braydon. "Tell us what happened."

Braydon focused on Talyn, who was standing behind the Commander and next to Xhalax. "'Lyn, I am so sorry," he sighed. "We were trying to stick to the timetable, even though you were gone. I was supervising the fueling of Prowler Two. I don't know quite what happened, but something sparked. The next thing I knew, there was a huge explosion. It was all a blur after that. I dove on top of someone when it happened, and felt something hit my face. I heard people screaming. I ran towards the fire, and managed to get some of the Techs away from the flames. I couldn't think, I just reacted. I started to go back into the hangar, but I collapsed. The next thing I knew, I woke up here."

"I heard that you saved at least three lives," Hyrix told him.

Braydon seemed surprised. "Nobody will tell me anything, even though I was supposed to be in charge during your absence," he stammered, shocked and upset.

Hyrix chuckled in sympathy. "Welcome to command, Lieutenant." He patted Braydon's good arm carefully. "You did well, Tal. Accidents happen. We'll just have to rebuild from here."

Talyn, who had been hanging back during the exchange, stepped forward. "It's all right, Braydon," he said, "the Commander is right. We'll just have to start over."

"We'll need you out of that bed in a hurry, though," Xhalax grinned. "That's an order."

A med-tech had approached Braydon's beside while they were there. She looked hesitantly at the Commander. "Sir, I need to give Lieutenant Tal another pain shot," she asked.

"Go ahead, Technician," Hyrix nodded. "We'll get out of your way. Rest up, Lieutenant. We'll have lots of work for you when you're healed."

The tech gave Braydon an injection. Xhalax could see the effects almost immediately. Before he faded out, Braydon reached out and grasped Talyn's hand. She put hers on top of the two men's hands in a silent promise.

After Xhalax, Talyn and Commander Hyrix returned from seeing the destroyed hangar, she retrieved her knapsack from the Marauder and returned to her now-empty quarters. She sat the heavy pack down on her bed and looked around. Was it really less than a weeken since she'd packed to go to Mallik? She was amazed at how quickly her life had completely changed. Xhalax really didn't want to be alone right now. She left the room and went next door to Talyn's quarters. She pressed the chime, and heard movement.

"Go away," Talyn said through the door.

"'Lyn, it's Xhalax. Let me in," she replied. There was no answer. She punched in an override code. After two microts, the door opened. Talyn was laying on his bunk in his underwear, facing the wall. She thought she heard a soft sobbing. She padded across the room softly and sat down on the edge of the bed. "'Lyn?" she asked, touching his shoulder gently.

He turned over and looked at her. His dark eyes were red and puffy. She was stunned to realize that he was crying. Xhalax touched his face and wiped away a tear. He angrily turned away from her to face the wall again. "I told you to leave me alone," he snarled.

"I know what you're going through," she said quietly.

Talyn sat up and stared at her. "No, Xhal, you don't. I keep thinking that I should have been here. I could have prevented this from happening. Now, everything is destroyed. We lost good people. Frell, I almost lost my best friend because of this!"

"Braydon is my friend too," she replied. Xhalax realized that he was trying to take out his anger at himself onto her. She wasn't going to let that happen. "Talyn, have you ever been in a battle? I'm not talking about a little skirmish, a few shots exchanged with a hostile. I'm talking a big, hairy firefight where it's just you and your squad against an enemy twice your strength."

He shook his head in confusion. "No. I transferred to MilTech shortly after we graduated from training. I never even got close to the front lines. Why?"

Xhalax pulled him into an embrace. Talyn didn't fight her, he just put his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. "Because," she said as she stroked his dark hair, "I have been. I've lost comrades - people in my squadron that I was eating a meal with a few arns before. When it happened the first time, I felt guilty too. I felt guilty because I lived and they didn't. But that's our life, Talyn. We're soldiers. Everyone in the Peacekeeper Service, from the Chief Admiral to the lowest Tech, is prepared to die at any time."

"Oh, yes. I think the words you used back in training were it's the Peacekeeper way. She died, end of story," he said bitterly.

Xhalax was taken aback at the fact that he remembered her words about her mother from that first day of training together - and had thrown them back in her face. "Yes," she agreed, measuring her words carefully, "it sounds cold, and maybe it is. But it's the only way I know. Maybe this is the reason why Peacekeepers aren't allowed to feel anything." She changed position and sat in his lap, her legs straddling his. "'Lyn, what happened was a terrible accident. But think of it this way. You went to Mallik to help me. If you hadn't, you'd have been right in the middle of the fueling process." He started to object, but she silenced him. "No, don't argue. I know you too well. You would have been sitting on that Prowler right alongside the Techs. And when it went up, you'd have died. And then where the frell would we be without your vision?"

The two of them sat in silence for a long time, Xhalax stroking Talyn's hair. Finally, he stirred and touched his forehead to hers. "You're right, Xhal," he agreed.

"I know," she smiled gently and kissed him. He pulled her in tighter to him, and deepened his kiss as his fingers deftly unwrapped her hair.

"I love you, Xhalax Sun," he whispered. "I know it's wrong, but I don't care." He kissed her fiercely. They removed each other's uniforms, and recreated with even more passion than usual. It was as if they were affirming the fact that they were both alive by loving each other.

Afterwards, as they lay entwined in each other's arms, Talyn kissed her and whispered, "I hope that we were successful."

She looked up at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"How long ago did you get your suppressor removed?"

Xhalax did a quick mental calculation. "It's been at least two solar days... Frell, Talyn! The infirmary is so overwhelmed that they won't be able to complete the fertilization procedure!"

He chuckled deep in his throat. "What do you think we just did?"

She thought for a microt, then smiled. "Do you think it worked?"

Talyn kissed her forehead. "You tell me."

"Well, if it didn't, we'll just have to keep trying until it works," she grinned, and rolled on top of him to try again.

***

A weeken later, Xhalax knew that they'd been successful. Once the wounded were released from the infirmary, she checked in. The overworked doctor just assumed that she'd been fertilized at the Repro Center, and dutifully reported her pregnancy to them. Nobody at Mallik thought to confirm it, so her secret was safe. After the first few solar days, it didn't really matter anyway. Everyone was so focused on healing the injured and rebuilding the Prowler project that her pregnancy wasn't an issue.

The only other person besides her and Talyn that knew the truth about her pregnancy was Braydon Tal. Xhalax was sure that Commander Hyrix had figured it out, too, but he was typically silent and focused on the mission. She'd told Braydon privately after he was released from the infirmary, but still restricted to quarters. He was concerned, naturally, but she swore him to secrecy. One thing she'd learned from being around classified missions was that the less people that knew a secret, the better it was kept.

Pregnancy wasn't easy for Xhalax. Every morning, she woke up nauseated. Even the smell of food made her want to vomit. She subsisted on food cubes and water for at least five weekens. The medical staff informed her that this was normal, but she didn't feel normal. In a perverse way, she wished that she was on Mallik. At least she could have been around other women in the same condition, and gotten some support. Talyn was supportive, but he had gone back to being wrapped up in his project, and she rarely saw him. Braydon was recuperating slowly. He was restricted from the flight simulators until he recovered from his concussion. Xhalax hadn't felt this alone since her mother was killed, and it annoyed her.

At the morning meal about six weekens into her pregnancy, a female Technician sat down across the table from her. Xhalax was toying with her food cubes, trying to work up the effort to choke one of them down, when the woman plopped her tray down uninvited. "It doesn't matter what you do to them, they still taste like dren," the Tech observed wryly.

Xhalax looked up from her musing. "Pardon me, Technician, but did I invite you to sit?"

"No, but you look like you need some advice from someone who's been where you are."

The Tech was brown-haired, petite, and had warm brown eyes. Her arm was wrapped in a cast, and she had a small bandage on her forehead. Xhalax recognized her as one of the Techs that worked on the Prowler, and was one of the women that Braydon had recreated with. "I'm sorry, I should know your name," Xhalax apologized.

"Sala Velorek, Technician Second Class," she picked up her fork with her good hand.

"Lieutenant Xhalax Sun."

"I know. You work with Lieutenant Tal," she nodded and ate heartily. "I just wanted to let you know that I had a difficult pregnancy three cycles ago. I was sick as a Hynerian with a stomach virus," she chuckled.

"Did it get any better?" Xhalax asked, finding herself liking this Tech.

"Eventually," Sala sympathized. "I had a beautiful, healthy baby boy. Hopefully, he'll test high enough that he'll become an officer someday." The woman turned wistful.

She reached out to the Tech. "Have you seen him?"

Sala laughed abruptly. "Frell, no! No, they whisk our babies away, and we never get a chance to see them again."

"Sorry," Xhalax mumbled. "My mother was a high-ranking officer. I was able to see her every so often. I'd assumed that it was the same for everyone."

"Hate to disappoint you," Sala shrugged. "They don't let that happen anymore. Said it was a distraction. Women were getting too close to their offspring. It's for the best, really. Can you imagine what this place would be like with children running around?"

Xhalax thought back to her earliest memories of the children's section of the base she was raised on. "I suppose you're right," she shrugged. "I was just hoping to be able to see her before she was taken away."

"You're having a girl?"

"The doctor says that it's too early to tell, but calling the baby 'her' feels right."

"Then your intuition is correct," Sala grinned. "Frell! I've got to get to work, such as it is until my arm heals."

"I'm sorry about that," Xhalax sympathized with her.

Sala smiled ruefully. "Don't be. I'm just glad that I'm alive. Lieutenant Tal jumped on top of me when the blast hit. I broke my arm, but at least I'm not dead."

Xhalax figured there was more to the story than Sala or Braydon were willing to tell, but she kept quiet. "Why are you telling me this?" she asked skeptically.

The Tech reddened slightly. "Well, for two reasons. One, I feel empathy for another woman having a difficult pregnancy. And two, because Lieutenant Crais asked me to."

"He did?" Xhalax asked, surprised that Talyn would think of something like that.

Sala gave her a look that implied that she knew Talyn a lot better than Xhalax did. "Of course he did! He really cares for you, Lieutenant. Besides," she smiled sheepishly, "Us Techs kind of look up to Lieutenant Crais. He treats us really well. It's almost like he's one of us."

That's Talyn, she thought. She met the Tech's warm, friendly brown eyes and smiled. "Thank you, um, Sala," she said, deliberately using the woman's first name.

"Look, if you need any female advice, look me up. Bray... er... Lieutenant Tal knows where my quarters are." Sala reddened, then ducked away toward the door.

"I'll bet he does," Xhalax muttered as the woman left. Suddenly, the food cubes actually tasted better to her.

***

Half a cycle later, the Prowlers had been rebuilt, and were performing according to specifications. Xhalax and Braydon had done some brief atmospheric test flights, but the Prowlers hadn't been tested outside of the planet's atmosphere - until today. Although the doctors had objected to Xhalax flying a potentially dangerous mission during her seventh monen of pregnancy, Commander Hyrix overruled them. Xhalax was glad - there was no way that she was missing this flight. Especially since several high-ranking officers from both Military Tech and High Command would be viewing the flights from a command carrier orbiting the planet.

In their quarters - Talyn and Xhalax had abandoned any pretense of keeping separate rooms, and had moved into an unused senior officer's larger quarters - Xhalax pulled her flight suit over her bulging stomach. Talyn, uncomfortably clad in his dress uniform, came over to help her zip it up. She couldn't help but notice that his hands were shaking. "Nervous?" she asked.

He looked sheepish. "Just a little," he confessed. "Have you eaten anything today?"

"Some food cubes. I don't want to eat anything else, in case I get space sick."

"Oh, come on!" he laughed. "You've logged more time in a fighter in one weeken than I have in my entire career!"

"But never while I was stuffed like a Hynerian link sausage into a casing," she grumbled as she patted the taut flight suit. It was supposed to be baggy, but it wasn't on her.

"Don't start with that fat stuff again," Talyn teased, and put his arms around her gently. "You're more beautiful than ever." She kissed him, and opened her lips to his probing tongue. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she replied, then pushed him away playfully. "But I had enough trouble getting this flight suit on the first time. Besides, recreation will just make us late."

"And here I was hoping to get out of this frelling dress uniform," he laughed as they walked out the door together. Talyn pulled her in close one last time, kissed her, and patted her stomach. "You two girls make me proud," he told her. The baby kicked in response.

"I think she's practicing her hand-to-hand combat," Xhalax smiled. She wet a finger with some spit, and smoothed back an errant curl in Talyn's hair. "You make us proud, Talyn Crais." She gave him one more kiss, then they went off in separate directions.

Braydon was already waiting for her in the hangar. He greeted her with a grin, which made the scar on his face from the accident even more pronounced. "About time you got here, Sun," he laughed. "I've been ready for an arn!"

"I'm sure," she shot back with a smile. He climbed up into the cockpit of Prowler One with an effortless grace that made her jealous. Sala Velorek stepped out from behind the spacecraft and handed Braydon his helmet with a twinkle in her eye. She gave him a quick kiss for luck, then put the helmet over his head and fastened it.

Meanwhile, Xhalax had been struggling to get into the cockpit of Prowler Two. Her stomach was expanding on what seemed to be a daily basis, and she couldn't move the seat back much more. Sala jumped up and gave her a hand with squeezing in. "Comfortable?" Sala asked.

"As much as I can be," Xhalax answered.

"Here, let me get you wired in." Sala put the heads-up display over Xhalax's head and made sure everything was in order. Then she took a helmet from another tech on the ground, and put it over Xhalax's head and connected it. Xhalax checked the breathing apparatus and radio, and gave Sala a thumbs-up. The Tech thumped the helmet one last time, then jumped down.

"Radio check," the controller's voice sounded in Xhalax's ear. "Please respond."

"Prowler One, check," Braydon responded.

"Prowler Two, check," she added.

"We're awaiting the go-ahead from Commander Hyrix and Lieutenant Crais on the Command Carrier," the controller explained. They powered the engines and waited. About thirty microts later, the order came through. Braydon's Prowler shot forward, as Xhalax pressed the launch control. Even though she'd grown accustomed to the acceleration, she still got a jolt from it. She followed the other Prowler into the air, and a few microts later reached the upper atmosphere. "Transferring communications to the Command Carrier," the ground controller advised. "Good luck, Lieutenants."

A microt went by, and they established comms with the Carrier. "This is Commander Hyrix aboard the Ikatha," she heard the old man's voice come through the radio.

"I read you, Commander," Braydon's voice came through.

"Loud and clear," she echoed. As if in anticipation, the baby in her womb kicked.

"Very good. Proceed with the testing run," Hyrix ordered.

The Prowlers peeled off to the right, where a string of stationary buoys marked a test course. "This is Prowler Two, beginning test run," Xhalax said. She negotiated the tight turns and stomach-turning maneuvers flawlessly. She smiled as she thought of Talyn's reaction aboard the carrier. Suddenly, the Carrier launched a drone. She armed her laser cannons and flipped on the targeting display. The drone darted back and forth, until it lined up in the cross hairs. She punched the firing control. Orange streaks erupted from the wing cannons. The drone exploded, and she pulled up to avoid the fireball. As she streaked past the observation deck of the carrier, she waggled the wings before pulling into position to watch Braydon perform the same exercise.

When he had completed the run perfectly, Hyrix came back on the radio. "Well done. Beginning phase two of the test." About thirty drones launched from the carrier simultaneously, and headed toward the two Prowlers. As they got in range, the drones started firing on them.

"Prowler Two, on my wing," Braydon ordered. He streaked forward, with Xhalax keeping her spacecraft low under his right wing, in a classic attack formation. "Break, juke right," Braydon ordered. She shoved her stick to the right hard, and the Prowler banked sharply. A drone aligned in her cross hairs, and she fired and destroyed it. Braydon had done the same. They worked together, shooting down exactly half of the drones each. When Xhalax blew up the last one, she fell back into formation with Braydon.

"Well done," Hyrix said over the comms. Even over the radio, the pride in his voice was evident. "The admirals want a closer inspection. The carrier is deploying its docking web."

Xhalax and Braydon flew toward the hangar area, and felt the docking web catch. She brought her Prowler to a stop and blew the hatch. Hyrix, Talyn, and several Admirals were walking toward them. She removed her helmet and looked down at the assembly.

"Sirs, may I present our test pilots, Lieutenants Xhalax Sun and Braydon Tal," Hyrix introduced them. The big shots clustered around the two Prowlers eagerly.

She nodded at the Admirals, but her eyes sought Talyn's. He winked at her. Xhalax ducked beneath the dash, stowing her helmet to hide the triumphant smile that had crossed her face. A technician climbed into the cockpit to help her unstrap, and was taken aback at the sight of a pregnant woman at the controls. "Help me out of here," she ordered. It took several microts, but Xhalax was finally able to scramble down to the hangar deck. She turned to the highest-ranking person there with a totally straight face. "Lieutenant Xhalax Sun, sir," she saluted.

"Commander Hyrix..." a female Admiral began, her voice holding a warning.

"It's a long story," Hyrix explained.

"Which I'm sure you'll tell me later," the woman snapped.

"Of course," he smiled smoothly. He looked at Braydon and Xhalax. "I'm sure that the assembly has other questions regarding the operation of our prototypes..."

***

Later that night, Xhalax sat in the Officer's Lounge along with every other person on the Dellis Gammak Base. Commander Hyrix had ordered all assigned personnel to report there immediately, from himself down to the lowliest Tech. The Lounge had broken out several cases of raslak, fellip nectar, and assorted other alcoholic consumables for a giant celebration. Alone out of all of the celebrants, Xhalax was sitting alone, nursing a decidedly non-alcoholic fruit juice. Talyn was moving from group to group, being toasted as he went. Braydon was over in a corner with Sala and a bunch of other Techs, making up obscene lyrics to Luxan battle songs. She looked away, and saw Talyn staggering toward her, a drink in each hand. He sat down and kissed her. The smell of raslak on his breath was overpowering.

"Can you believe it, Xhal?" he asked. He was so drunk that his speech was slurred. "They were complementing me, a mudfoot recruit from a backwater farming colony!"

"You're never going to stop bringing that up, are you?" she grumbled. Although she was happy for him, Xhalax was also tired and her back was hurting. "I apologized to you long ago."

"I know," he grinned back at her. "But you're not the only one that called me that."

She leaned over and put her head on his shoulder "It won't matter anymore," she said.

"You'll see, Xhal. This is the beginning of a whole new Peacekeeper force."

"It's also the beginning of the end for our time together," she reminded him.

He frowned. "Maybe I can fix that, too," he offered. She leaned against him and patted his shoulder.

"Let's get out of here," he whispered, then kissed her. Even though she could taste the alcohol in his kiss, Xhalax decided that she'd rather have him all to herself tonight.

***

The next few weekens were heady times for Talyn Crais. He was pulled in several different directions by high-ranking officers all wanting to see the Prowler immediately. In his minimal spare time, he was supervising the construction of five more Prowlers. Actually, Xhalax had taken on most of that responsibility. He and Braydon were too busy showing off the two prototypes to do much else. His lover wasn't happy about that, he knew, but she kept her peace.

One morning, Hyrix summoned all three of them to his office with good news. "We've received a communication from High Command. They want to see both Prowlers in more of a combat scenario. Talyn, you and Braydon are to rendezvous with the Command Carrier Zaltek on the Scarren frontier."

Talyn looked over at Xhalax. "That's at least a weeken's trip from here," he said. "I'm not sure that I want to be away that long."

She smiled at him, a resigned look on her face. "Don't worry," she replied. "I'm at least two more weekens away from having to travel to Mallik to give birth. If you're late, you can catch up to me there."

"It's not like we have a choice," Braydon reminded him.

Xhalax reached over and touched his knee. "'Lyn, I'm under enough suspicion because I'm working here and not sequestered in the maternity ward. It's not going to be good for your career if you inform some Admiral that you can't demonstrate the Prowler right now because you have to attend the birth of your child."

Hyrix nodded his agreement. "You'll leave in the morning," he told them. "Dismissed."

Talyn left the room with Xhalax and Braydon. He looked from his lover to his best friend, silently asking for options. They both shook their heads. "Sorry, 'Lyn," Braydon shrugged. "I'll go requisition the supplies. You two go spend some time together." He grasped Xhalax's arm warmly, then left them alone.

Talyn smiled after his friend. "I'm sure he's going to find Sala," he observed.

"I'm sure he is," Xhalax echoed. She seemed sad.

"I'm glad that those two are together," he continued. "She's good for him."

"Yeah. She's a good friend." Xhalax turned to him and looked up into his face. "I don't want you to go, 'Lyn," she told him.

"Whatever happened to 'mission first'?" he joked, then kissed her forehead.

"Oh, I know that you have to go. I was just stating my opinion."

He put an arm around her shoulder. "I'll be back before the baby's due. I promise you that. Both of you," he patted her bulging stomach for emphasis. "Come on, let's go back to our quarters. The sooner I finish packing, the sooner I can say a proper goodbye to you."

She put her arm around his waist and grinned at him. "I'm going to hold you to that promise, mudfoot," she teased. "If you're not back here by the time I leave for Mallik, I'll make sure you never have the chance to father any more children." They both laughed, then headed back to their quarters to be alone one last time before he left.

Two Weekens Later

The Prowler demonstration had been a stunning success. Talyn and Braydon had flown circles around the Zaltek's best Viper pilots. The pilots were practically fighting amongst themselves for a chance to fly the prototypes. The Zaltek's captain, a former pilot herself, had lavished praise on Talyn, Braydon, and the rest of their team for their outstanding work. However, Talyn was anxious to get back. He'd received a short communication from Xhalax during his stay on the Zaltek, indicating that she may be closer to delivering than the doctors originally thought. So, although the Zaltek's captain wanted him to stay, he and Braydon made the excuse that they had to demonstrate the Prowler to an Admiral back on Dellis. He was sure that the woman had wanted him to stay for personal reasons, and he was just as happy to leave.

As he and Braydon flew wing-to-wing in the Prowlers, Talyn punched up the latest navigational charts that he'd downloaded from the carrier. He plotted their reported course back to Dellis, but he noticed something else. "Braydon," he said over his radio, "I'm sending the nav data to you. Take a look at it."

A few microts later, Braydon answered. "I'm looking, Talyn. What do you see?"

"Do you think we could cut some time off of our trip if we went through sector P39K?"

"We could," his friend agreed, "but I heard some of the pilots saying that the Scarrens were sending raiding parties into that area."

"Scarrens," Talyn snorted derisively. "We just flew circles around the best pilots in the Service! Besides, at least we'd be testing the Prowlers against a real enemy."

"Have you ever been in a battle with the Scarrens, Talyn?" Braydon asked skeptically.

"You sound like Xhal," he dissembled. "If we run into any Scarrens, we're fully armed and operational. Come on, Bray," he urged. "You'll get back to Sala a solar day sooner, too."

"That's certainly worth running a risk for," his friend laughed. "All right, you win. Plotting new course now." Within a few microts, Talyn received the new coordinates in his navigational computer. He and Braydon adjusted their course according to the plot.

A few arns later, Talyn saw an ominous red blip on his long-range sensors. He signaled Braydon, and they went into secure communications. "You see that?" he asked his friend.

"Affirmative. My bet is a Scarren light cruiser. We can't outrun them. Move along, Scarrens. Nothing to see here," Braydon muttered. "Just some random space junk..."

Unfortunately, the blip didn't hear Braydon. "Oh, frell! It's changing to an intercept course," Talyn observed.

"Arm your wing cannons, and watch your back. They like to surprise you." Braydon ordered. "Uh, 'Lyn, you never answered my question about fighting the Scarrens. If you haven't, now would be a good time to let me know."

"Er... I haven't," Talyn confessed.

"Stupid frellnik," Braydon cursed. "Well, just do exactly what I tell you to. Got it?"

"Got it." He could now see the running lights of the Scarren vessel on the horizon. "Visual contact, thirty by sixty by zero. Dead ahead."

"I see him. Be ready to juke left on my mark."

The Scarren was coming in fast. Talyn felt his heart rate and breathing quicken as the ship grew larger. "Sensors show that they're within firing range," he said.

"We've been locked onto," Braydon confirmed. "Wait for my signal, 'Lyn." The ship fired two sets of forward-mounted laser cannons at them. "Now!"

Talyn wrenched his stick hard to the left, and the Prowler banked hard as the laser blasts passed harmlessly to the right of his wingtip. "Still with me, Braydon?" he asked.

"I'm here. You go for the underbelly, I'll draw their fire up top. Go!"

Talyn banked the Prowler and flew directly at the attacking ship. From the other side, he saw Braydon doing the same thing. On his targeting oculars, he saw the outline of the vessel dancing around the cross hairs. The Scarren's laser cannons were firing simultaneously, but he was managing to keep out of their line of fire. At the last moment, he nosed the Prowler downward and aimed up at the weapons array with his cannons. Fire strafed the ship as he scored a direct hit. Talyn felt a rush of adrenaline as he flew back out from under the Scarren vessel. He looked at Braydon's Prowler. The wingtips were singed, but that was about all.

"Good job, 'Lyn," Braydon complemented him. "Aw, frell!" he cried out. "They're bringing their backup systems on line!"

"Let's do it again," Talyn said. "Same move."

"Can't. They'll be expecting it this time," Braydon told him. "Both of us go in underneath, hot. Take out whatever you can. Follow me in," he ordered, then banked again for another run. Talyn followed him. As he felt the ship accelerate beneath him, he thought for half a microt about how well it was doing in a combat situation. Then they got within range of the Scarren's laser cannon, and his finger went to the fire control.

Braydon's Prowler streaked underneath the Scarren vessel, raining fire on it's crucial weapons and communications arrays. Talyn followed him a scant two microts later. Suddenly, he felt a bone-jarring shake, and alarms started going off in the cockpit. "Frell! I've been hit!"

"How bad?" Braydon asked.

"Ruptured the main fuel line, right wing cannon and navigational controls are off-line. Attempting to seal fuel leak." He punched several buttons simultaneously, but nothing happened. "Automatic cutoff disabled." He looked up at his rapidly-draining fuel indicator. "I'm frelled, Braydon. Even if we get out of this, there's no way I'm getting back to Dellis."

"Punch out of there, Talyn!" Braydon ordered. "I'll come around to pick you up."

He pushed the stick up, trying to get far enough away from the Scarren vessel before he ejected. Then, an idea hit him. "Hang on, Braydon. If they get their hands on this Prowler, they'll be able to reverse-engineer it. I'm not turning my baby over to the enemy!"

"Talyn, what are you thinking?" Braydon asked as he laid down covering fire.

"Keep covering me. Be ready to fly in and pick me up." He maneuvered the limping, sluggish Prowler into position to do another bombing run.

"Crais, you're frelling insane!" Braydon yelled out. "Punch out NOW! That's an order!"

"Shut up, I outrank you. Braydon, listen to me. If I don't make it, take care of my children. Both of them. Promise me that," he said quietly.

"I promise, but I don't get it. Talyn, don't do this..."

Talyn ignored him and fired the remaining engines. He pointed the Prowler directly at the Scarren's engines and fired his left wing cannon. The ship's momentum increased, and the Scarrens finally realized what he was up to. He saw a pulse cannon swing around, and the warning light showed him that he'd been targeted. Time started to move very slowly, even though he logically knew that it wasn't. He pressed the fire control with his left hand, while keeping his right index finger on the ejection button. The Prowler got closer and closer to the Scarren's hull. At the last possible microt, he closed his eyes, and Xhalax Sun's face came into focus. "I love you, Xhal..." he whispered, then hit the ejection button.

The retro rockets fired, and he felt his body shoot upward away from the Prowler. He looked down to see a huge explosion as the Prowler slammed into the Scarren ship. Talyn felt the heat from the explosion even through his protective suit. "Bray? You still with me?" he asked.

"Tracking you," Braydon answered. "I can't get in, they've locked onto me."

Talyn felt something impact with his ejection chair, and he went spinning out of control. "Braydon! Some debris from the explosion just ruptured my oxygen hose," he shouted. "Get down here now!" He was dizzy from the spinning and lack of air. As he lost consciousness, he thought he heard Xhalax say, "I love you, too, Talyn..." Then everything went black.

***

Two solar days later, Lieutenant Braydon Tal signaled the Dellis Gammak base for clearance to land his badly damaged Prowler. As he landed, he saw Commander Hyrix, Xhalax, and Sala waiting for him. Xhalax was standing tall, erect, and stone still. He popped the hatch, jumped out, and walked shakily over to the three of them. "Sir," he began.

"Lieutenant Tal, what the frell happened out there?" Hyrix shouted. It was the first time he'd heard the old man raise his voice.

"We were attacked by a Scarren light cruiser. Lieutenant Crais's Prowler was destroyed, but he managed to take out the enemy vessel."

"And Talyn?" Xhalax asked, her gray eyes pleading with him not to give the answer.

He reached out and clasped her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Xhalax," he whispered. "He ejected, but some flying debris cut his air line. I tried to rescue him, but my ship was badly damaged as well. I couldn't get to him..." he choked back a sob.

Xhalax closed her eyes slowly and turned pale. Other than that one slip, she showed no outward signs of grief. He almost wished that she would. "I'm sure you did everything you could. Thank you, Braydon," she whispered, then pulled him into an embrace. As he leaned against her, he felt the baby in her womb kicking.

"He... he asked me to take care of his children," Braydon told her quietly. "I think it meant that he wants me to take care of the Prowler project, as well as his daughter. His last words were that he loved you." He felt a wet spot on his cheek, and realized that Xhalax had shed a single tear. He wiped it off of her cheek quickly.

"I know," she replied cryptically. "I just know."

***

When Xhalax returned to the quarters that she'd shared with Talyn, she felt numb. She removed her jacket and sat on their bed, the bed that their child was conceived on. Now that she was alone, she wanted to cry, to let out her grief. But the tears refused to come. The baby shifted, and she patted her stomach. "Oh, my little one," she whispered. "Maybe it's better this way. Your father..." she paused. "Your father was like a comet, streaking across the nice, orderly orbit of my life. But at least he left two beautiful things in his wake - you and his Prowler." Suddenly, something twisted in her womb. Xhalax gasped in surprise and pain. A faint trickle of wetness started to roll down her legs. This can't be happening, she thought. Not yet. I'm not supposed to have the baby yet. She staggered out the door and down the corridor, eventually winding up at the infirmary. The Tech who was monitoring Braydon looked up at her, startled by her sudden appearance. "I'm having my baby," she gasped.

Braydon and the tech looked up simultaneously. "Are you sure, Xhal?" her friend asked.

The Tech jumped up and called the doctor on duty. "When was your first contraction?" the doctor asked as she ran over.

"Just now. A few microts ago," Xhalax answered. She gasped as another contraction hit.

The doctor and the tech helped her disrobe, then onto the examination table. Xhalax spread her legs, and felt some cramping as the doctor examined her. "The shock of Lieutenant Crais' death must have brought on the contractions," the doctor observed. "Her water's broken. Dilated to about four centimeters already. Frell, it's been a long time since I've delivered a baby."

"Now you tell me," Xhalax muttered.

"You weren't supposed to be here at all," the doctor snapped back. "You should have gone to Mallik when you were supposed to. They have all of the proper facilities there. But it's too late now. You'll never get there in time."

Even though she was in pain, Xhalax couldn't think of any other place she would rather give birth. Talyn's death, and her daughter's birth would mark the end of this unusual, wonderful cycle on Dellis. Soon it would be time to go back to reality.

The next few arns were the most difficult that Xhalax had ever faced. She'd been injured in battle, but had never experienced pain like labor. She was grateful that Braydon, who was spending the night under observation in the infirmary, had called Sala. They were both there to help her. At least she was among friends, not alone in a delivery room on Mallik. It seemed like arns before she was finally dilated enough to begin pushing. Sala helped her breathe correctly, while the doctor and techs worked to get the baby out. Finally, after Xhalax didn't think she could push anymore, the doctor said that she could see the baby's head. She pushed harder than even before. With a loud scream, she pushed one final time.

"We've got her!" the doctor said with relief. Xhalax closed her eyes and relaxed back into the pillows. She heard a slap, then a loud, hearty, high pitched cry as her daughter announced her entrance into the universe.

"She's beautiful, Xhalax," Sala glowed, then handed her a tiny, squalling, squirming object wrapped in a gold bedcover.

Xhalax unwrapped the blanket and peeked in. Her daughter had wispy black hair, and Talyn's prominent nose. She opened her eyes, and looked up at her mother, almost in recognition. "Oh, my beautiful baby girl," Xhalax muttered as a tiny fist grabbed her index finger.

"Here, she wants to nurse," Sala informed her. Xhalax looked up in confusion. "Nurse. You know, put her to your breast. Here," she said, then showed her the way to do it. The baby put her lips onto Xhalax's nipple and started to suckle.

"She shouldn't be doing that," the doctor warned. "Nursing will just allow the child to bond with the mother."

Sala frowned. "Well, they told me to do it when I had my child. At least the first time, because the milk gives the infant needed antibodies. Besides, do we have any formula around here? I didn't think so. She can nurse until the caretakers arrive from Mallik to take the baby."

Xhalax was too exhausted to care. All she could do was look down at her daughter and wish that Talyn had lived to see her. "Your father loved you very much," she whispered.

"Do you have a name for her?" the doctor asked. "I need one for the birth record."

Xhalax thought for a microt or two. She and Talyn had never really discussed it. It had always been her decision. She'd thought to name the baby after her mother, Commander Aerzi Sun, who had died in battle cycles ago. But she wanted to honor her daughter's father as well. "Aeryn," she said. "Call her Aeryn."

Five Cycles Later

Xhalax Sun received the docking instructions in her Prowler from the controller at the Khatan Orbital Base. Khatan was a huge Peacekeeper facility that marked the halfway point in her journey. Xhalax had planned to check in and spend a solar day at Khatan before flying out to rendezvous with the Command Carrier to which she'd been assigned. After long arns in the pilot's seat of her training Prowler, she was eager to stretch out, take a shower, and sleep.

She guided her Prowler into the docking bay and released the controls as she felt the docking web engage. As the craft came to a stop, she popped the hatch and pulled off her helmet. It was good to not be breathing in her own recirculated air. She grabbed the knapsack that contained her possessions, jumped down from the cockpit, and stretched her aching muscles. The technicians were already starting their maintenance on the Prowler as she walked away.

Xhalax walked over to the supervisor's office and put her ident chip into the reader. It registered her presence, and she typed in a few commands to search for a vacant bed in the Officer's Quarters. She was in luck - a private room was open. She punched in her code number to secure the room, and pulled her chip out of the reader.

"Lieutenant Sun?" a female voice asked from behind her. "Is that you?"

Xhalax turned around. Sala Velorek, wearing a Supervisor's patch on her Technician's jumpsuit, grinned at her. "Sa.. er... Technician Velorek," Xhalax almost slipped and called the woman by her first name in public. That would have been a serious broach of protocol. "It's good to see you again."

"Are you going to be stationed here?" Sala asked.

"No, just passing through on my way to the Scarren front," Xhalax replied. "Technician, uh, could you direct me to the nearest facilities? I've been in the cockpit for arns..." She knew that the restrooms were practically the only places that were free of unwanted intrusions, so she could talk to Sala alone.

The other woman understood immediately. "Certainly, Lieutenant," she nodded, then turned to her co-worker in the office. "I'm going on a break," she announced. "Be back in a few microts." She led Xhalax to the women's room, then locked the door behind them.

Xhalax completed her business quickly, then heard Sala mutter something in the stall next to hers. "Oh, frell," Sala cursed. "Excuse me, Lieutenant, but is there any paper in that stall?" Xhalax passed the roll underneath the stall to Sala's waiting hand. After a few microts, the roll appeared back underneath the stall. She took it from Sala's hand. To her surprise, Sala had written a note in technician's grease-pencil on the toilet paper.

They can hear but they can't see us, the note said. Your daughter is here - Level 37, Section 12, Bed 15. Xhalax's eyes widened. She remembered the day that the Caretakers took her infant daughter away from her. Your father and mother loved you very much, she'd whispered to the baby as she'd nursed her for the last time. Little Aeryn had been sleeping soundly after nursing when Xhalax kissed the top of her head and handed her over to the Caretakers. Xhalax took the note, then replaced the roll. She memorized the location of Aeryn's bed, then dropped the note in the toilet and flushed it.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Sala said as they both stepped out of their stalls.

"You're welcome, Technician," Xhalax replied. As they both ran the water to wash up, they reached over and clasped hands. Sala had been searching for her son, but had found Xhalax's daughter instead. Brown eyes met gray, and an unspoken word of sisterhood passed between them. As they left the women's room, they each went their separate ways.

That evening, Xhalax ate, then went to the Officer's Lounge, debating with herself if she should make contact with Aeryn. It was quite possible that she would be caught, which would ruin her career at the very least. Peacekeepers did not go easy on those who broke the rules. Talyn was dead, they couldn't touch him. But one mistake could not only destroy her, but Sala, Braydon, Commander Hyrix, and maybe even her daughter. On the other hand, the need to see her child, to talk to her, to touch her, was overwhelming. Talyn's daughter deserved to know that she had a mother and father who loved her, and that she was a special child. As Xhalax sipped her raslak, she came to a decision. She made sure that she was seen there for a long period of time, then slipped out when a drunken senior officer started to proposition her. She walked the corridors, appearing to be intoxicated and lost. She even did a search on the name "Sun" on the station's locator computer to cover her tracks. Xhalax used the information to find Level 37, which looked like a children's level. As she stepped off of the lift, she immediately saw that the lights were off and everything was quiet. She padded quietly around until she found Section 12, then waited. A sleepy little boy staggered back from the bathroom and Xhalax snuck in behind him. She hid in the corner until the boy settled back into bed, and noted the number on his bed. Once the boy fell back asleep, she tiptoed down the aisle to the last bed on the right. Xhalax stood over the bed for a few microts, looking down at Aeryn. She had shoulder-length black hair and was curled into a ball on her bed. She sat on the edge of the bed and shook the girl awake.

"Aeryn," she whispered. "Wake up, Aeryn." The girl opened her eyes and sat up. "Aeryn, my name is Xhalax Sun. I'm your mother. You mustn't reveal to anyone that I've been here. Do you understand?" The child nodded silently, her wide gray eyes shining with understanding. "I came to tell you something. Aeryn, your life was not an accident, or a birthing to fill out the ranks. Talyn - that's your father's name - he and I chose to have you. You were conceived in love. Our love. I wanted you to know this. It makes you special. We wanted you." Xhalax desperately wanted to hold her daughter, to kiss her, to let her know in some physical way that she loved her. But she didn't dare do anything else. "Now, go back to sleep," she whispered. As Aeryn laid back down, Xhalax stood and quietly padded back to the door. She glanced backward at her daughter, then left the room as quietly as she came in.

Two arns later, Xhalax was back in her quarters. Sleep wasn't coming, even though she was certainly exhausted. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the face of her daughter. Aeryn was a beautiful little girl, with Talyn's black wavy hair and slender build. "Oh, Talyn," she whispered, "I wish you could have seen her." Xhalax had forgotten after five cycles how bad the pain of losing her lover and daughter really was. She'd buried the feelings, burning out that part of her mind like a good Peacekeeper should. But the memories would pop out at the most inconvenient times. She hated to admit it, but she missed both of them terribly.

The door buzzer rang abruptly, then the door opened without her answering. Two burly guards were silhouetted in the doorway. Xhalax knew then that she'd been caught. "Lieutenant Sun?" one of them ordered. "Come with us."

"Please, one microt to get dressed," she asked. The guard nodded. Xhalax pulled on her pants and uniform jacket, then stepped out of the room. She held out her hands for them to cuff her, but surprisingly, the guards did not do so. They flanked her and escorted her down the hallway to the elevator.

When the elevator stopped, it was on the command level. Xhalax felt her stomach sink to her knees. That meant at least a Captain would be judging her, if not an Admiral. The guards led her to an office, and told her to sit down and wait. She gladly did so.

She didn't have long to wait. Within about 30 microts, the duty officer entered the room from what Xhalax assumed was the command area. The duty officer was, unfortunately, a male Captain. He was holding a chip in his hand, and looked at her harshly. "Lieutenant Xhalax Sun," he said. "I am Captain Monel. I understand that you visited an unauthorized area of my base earlier this evening."

Xhalax took a deep breath. She had no recourse but to tell the truth and hope that they would go easy on her. "Yes, sir," she confessed.

"As I understand it - never having gone through it myself, of course - a female Peacekeeper is forbidden to contact their child once they have turned care of him or her over to the Service. I have been in contact with the nearest Reproduction Center, and this is still the case. Therefore, you are in violation of that order."

"I understand that, sir, and I take full responsibility for my actions this evening. I had consumed an unusual quantity of raslak, and that impaired my judgement," Xhalax explained. Hopefully, the excuse that she was drunk would help her cause.

The Captain smiled icily. "You're not the first to do something stupid while under the influence," he chuckled. "However, I do have one question. How did you discover that your child was in this facility?"

Xhalax kept her eyes straight ahead, hoping that her expression wouldn't betray her. "By accident, sir. I mistakenly called up her listing on the children's wing when I was trying to find my quarters after being in the bar for several arns."

The Captain brought up a surveillance tape of her arrival on the base and encounter with Sala. "Do you know this Technician, Lieutenant?"

Xhalax looked from Sala's face on the tape to the Captain. "Only cursorily, sir. I knew Technician Velorek during one of my previous assignments. She was one of the first to be qualified to maintain the Prowler, I believe."

"Did she approach you or say anything to you during the time that you were here, regarding the disposition of your daughter or any other matter?"

"No, sir," Xhalax lied. "She showed me to the restroom, asked for some tissue, and returned the roll to me. That is all of the contact that I have had with Technician Velorek."

"Who is this Talyn that you referred to?" the Captain asked.

"Another officer, " Xhalax answered truthfully, "he is deceased."

"Well, that would certainly explain why the records do not show any officer with the first name of Talyn listed," the Captain noted. "Tell me about him."

Ever since she left the security of the Dellis base, Xhalax had prepared for such a question. "He was an older officer, one that had failed to be promoted. We grew close while on a classified assignment. We recreated, I got pregnant, and I dutifully notified my commanding officer of the situation."

"Why wasn't this in your records?"

"Because," she looked down at the desk contritely, "In order to maintain my rank and avoid further punishment, my commander ordered me to kill my lover. I complied. In return, the incident was kept off of official records, and my lover was declared killed in action." She was glad that she had repeated the story to herself often enough that the lie slid out easily.

"I see," the Captain nodded. "Very well, Sun. While I understand that you were under the influence at the time of your infraction, I still have to punish you. You are hereby stripped of the rank of Lieutenant, and are demoted to Officer status for a period of no less than five cycles. Your next posting has already been made aware of this situation, and will make the appropriate adjustments. You will be removed from flight status immediately, and will not be allowed to train other pilots. This record of your nocturnal visit will remain in your file until your records are sealed. You are to have no more contact with the child known as Aeryn Sun, nor will you be stationed within close proximity of any children's facility. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," Xhalax sighed with resignation. She'd gambled and lost more than she'd thought she would. A moment's weakness had caused her to lose everything she'd worked hard to achieve. It wouldn't happen again.

Twenty-Seven Cycles Later

Senior Lieutenant Xhalax Sun stood at attention before Admiral Maxa, a stern, powerfully-built man with black hair showing streaks of gray, and a goatee that matched. Her own hair was showing strands of gray as well, but she attributed that to always being in action. Time, disappointment, and harsh conditions had toughened her emotionally and physically. A burn scar from Sheyang attack covered half of her face. She waited patiently for the Admiral to continue. "You have read the dossier on the gunship and ex-Captain Bialar Crais?" Maxa asked.

"I have, Sir," Xhalax replied. She hadn't needed to read the whole report. She'd kept track of Talyn's kinsmen Bialar and Tauvo Crais through her informal network of former comrades. Her old friend Braydon Tal was serving under Bialar Crais, and was keeping her up to date. According to Braydon, Captain Crais was a hard-charging, demanding, brutal commander who kept his troops in line through fear. When she'd read the report on the younger Crais, she thought back to Talyn's story about his abusive father and brothers. More and more, First Command was promoting the most vicious candidates, and leaving good, honest soldiers to languish in rank. That was the reason she was eager for this assignment - to prove that she was cunning and vicious enough to deserve promotion.

"Your orders are clear," the Admiral said. "Take the retrieval team into the Uncharted Territories, track down Crais and the gunship, and return them to us by any means necessary. You are authorized to use any means at your disposal, including deadly force. You have been given a sum of ten thousand credits, to hire whatever mercenaries you need."

"Mercenaries, sir?" she asked.

"This is to be a covert operation, Sun. You will be assigned a second-in-command, but the rest of your team are to be hired from the best of the local mercenaries. If you fail, we will, of course, disavow all knowledge of your activities in the Uncharted Territories."

"I understand, sir," Xhalax nodded.

"One more thing, Sun. If you can bring in the escaped Leviathan, the gunship's mother, so much the better."

"What about the escaped prisoners aboard the Leviathan?"

Maxa waved casually. "The Luxan, Delvian, Bannik, and Hynerian are to be returned to custody, if possible. If not, well, they're collateral damage. Our intelligence reports that the other rogue Peacekeeper is already dead. As for the Sebacean-looking stranger, Jonn Kriton, deliver him to Scorpius. Preferably alive and in good condition. Scorpius wishes to study him further."

Xhalax hid her discomfort. She'd encountered the mixed-race scientist from a distance a few cycles ago. Her distaste for the half-Scarren went far beyond simple prejudice against hybrids - or her desire to even the score for Talyn's death at the hands of the Scarrens. She'd heard the rumors about Scorpius' unique mental abilities. As a woman with secrets, she didn't want anyone poking around in her mind. She focused on the picture of a stocky, black-haired man with intense black eyes and a device on the back of his neck. Even from this poor-quality image, she could see the family resemblance to her former lover. "What about former Captain Crais? I am certain that neither he nor his pet gunship will surrender."

Maxa shrugged. "Apprehend him, and the ship will hopefully come along without a fight. If not, disable its higher intelligence functions. To help you capture the gunship, I am assigning our foremost expert on Leviathans to your retrieval team. Officer Velorek is from Military Tech. He was, like you, harshly reprimanded for defying First Command, and is seeking to rehabilitate himself. He's also no friend of Bialar Crais, whom he views as being responsible for his punishment. Officer Velorek has done extensive research on the Leviathan gunship."

"Yes, sir," she smirked. "I'm sure that he will be a valuable member of the team."

"Very well, Lieutenant Sun. You have your orders. You are dismissed to assemble your team." Maxa said as he saluted casually.

Xhalax returned the salute smartly and left the office. A wicked smile crept over her face. She was already envisioning the downfall of Captain Bialar Crais. It was, after all, a fitting end.

EPILOGUE - Following "Relativity"

Xhalax Sun stared down the barrel of Bialar Crais' pulse-pistol and sneered at him. "You're even more of a coward than she is," she challenged, daring him to pull the trigger.

Crais hesitated, looking down at her with an odd expression on his face. In that microt, she saw pity in his eyes. "There is still another way, Xhalax. Your retrieval squad is dead. You could join us."

His offer, and his pity, made her even angrier. "What? And turn traitor like you?" She laughed in his face. "You're serious! Frell you, Crais."

"I am sorry that you feel that way. Talyn and I would have liked to have you with us."

"Not when you find out what I did you your precious gunship," she spat.

His eyes clouded over as he tried to contact the ship over his neural link. "Talyn? Where are you?" Crais looked back at her. All of the pity in his eyes had turned to blind rage. "What have you done to him?"

"Disabled his higher intelligence functions," she smiled and told him. "He is no longer under your control, or anyone else's. I was preparing to return the ship to the Peacekeepers."

"You had no right! Talyn is mine, and the Peacekeepers will never possess him!" A bolt flared from the barrel of the pistol, and the world exploded around Xhalax in a burst of yellow light followed by darkness.

***

Static filled Xhalax Sun's vision, and she removed the neural link. She blinked with disorientation as she readjusted to her surroundings aboard the Vigilante. "The shapeshifter is dead," she announced to her First Officer. "So are the three Colartas. Somewhere, three villages of Colartas are looking for new idiots."

"Well, at least we didn't waste too much of our budget on them," Officer Velorek observed drily. "Did Crais know that it wasn't really you that he killed?"

"None of them did," she laughed harshly. "I wish I could have seen his face when the shifter took his true form."

"That would have been worth seeing," he agreed. "But he's still alive, and he still has possession of that abomination. That means that I'll get the chance to pay him back for this," the younger man said, holding up his right hand, which had all five fingers mangled to the point of being an unusable claw. Even as battle-hardened as Xhalax was, she still empathized with the good-looking young man's painful injury. Perhaps the fact that he reminded her so much of his mother, her old friend Sala, that caused her to think that way.

"Oh, you'll have your revenge, Officer, believe me. Because I have my own target now," she replied, thinking about her daughter. She will pay for her disloyalty, too, Xhalax thought. Just like I did. "Plot a course to the nearest commerce planet. We'll just have to find some more competent mercenaries this time."

"Yes, Lieutenant," Velorek saluted with his destroyed hand and returned to the cockpit, leaving Xhalax alone with her thoughts.

My corruption began the moment I was conceived, Aeryn had said as they struggled in the mud of that stinking high-gravity planet. Xhalax thought back to a day many cycles ago, when she met a slender, intelligent, but troubled young cadet from her pilot training. No, my daughter, she thought, your corruption didn't begin when you were conceived. It began the day that frelling mudfoot, that rogue comet named Talyn Crais came into my nice, ordered life and shook it up. Only, unlike you, I managed to keep to the Peacekeeper way. She thought of the tiny baby with the wispy black hair nursing at her breast, and overlaid the image of her daughter onto it. I'm sorry, Aeryn, but you've given me no choice. I brought you into this universe, and I have to take you back out of it.