"Sensors picking up a ship dead ahead," Rommie reported. The Andromeda had been slowly and meticulously retracing Charlemagne's path.
"Can you identify it yet?" Dylan inquired.
Meaghan was leaning forward, peering into the viewer intently as if by sheer force of will she could make the ship be there.
"Confirmed," the ship's avatar replied. "It is Charlemagne's ship." She paused. "No life signs."
"I didn't think there would be," Meaghan observed stoically, even though she felt as if her heart were breaking. "Whoever did this sent everyone else on board away. I didn't really believe they'd keep Charlemagne there."
"What do you wish me to do, sir?" The AI appeared on the screen. "It's too large to fit in any of my docking bays."
"We'll tow it," Dylan said. "Once you've got it in close, we'll go over and have a look around." Hunt headed for the exit and Meaghan joined him. "Now, wait a minute, Meaghan," he protested. "Just because there aren't any life signs doesn't necessarily mean it couldn't be dangerous. I want you safe, here on the Andromeda."
"I.., I think I have to go, Dylan." Meaghan put her hands to her temples. "I've got such a headache," she added non apropos, then went on. "Trance too. Yes, I think Trance and I have to be there."
"Meaghan, are you all right?" Dylan was becoming a bit alarmed. Quite literally a perfect physical specimen, she had never, to his knowledge, been ill or suffered from any of the commonplace human complaints.
She swayed for a moment, and Dylan caught hold of her. Then, she straightened and said, "It's gone now, whatever it was."
"I really don't like the idea of you joining the boarding party," Hunt said, half-heartedly. Self-honesty compelled him to admit he had already lost. How had Charlemagne ever managed to argue with her? Dylan knew he couldn't, his will and good sense just seemed to melt away with one glance from those green eyes of hers.
&&&&&&&&
Eros shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, Charlemagne, but I just can't seem to get Mother's attention. I thought I almost had her, once, but then I was.., blocked."
"Could she be doing it herself?" Charlemagne inquired. "I mean, since she thinks she's human, maybe she's ignoring it because she doesn't believe it's possible."
Psyche smiled. "Your mother can be very stubborn, love."
Eros sighed. "How well I know." He glanced over at his bare-chested step-father. "Do you want us to get you some more clothes, Charlemagne?"
Charlemagne reflected for a moment, then came to the obvious if unpleasant conclusion. "I doubt if it would be worth the effort," he said slowly. "Damn those two! Meg didn't do anything to them. Why are they taking it out on her?"
Love god and wife exchanged glances. "You really do love my mother, don't you?" Eros asked softly.
"Ares said that they shone with the light of love," Psyche said, a little wistfully.
"They did?" He looked at his step-father appraisingly.
"What was that?" Charlemagne was puzzled. Having been part of that light, he had never actually seen it. And immediately thereafter, people had trod softly around him.
Eros was still staring, so Psyche filled in the gaps. "When two people love truly," she explained. "When there are no doubts or reservations to their love, they create a light. A special, indescribably beautiful light. Ares said that you and Aphrodite showed that light when you took your leave of each other."
Charlemagne looked inquiringly at his step-son, who said, "I wasn't there on the bridge, I got held up below decks."
"And Meg and I did that?" Charlemagne seemed a little in awe himself.
"Which definitely confirms one thing," Eros observed, giving himself a mental shake. "Mother couldn't possibly have compelled you to love her. If she had, there would have been no light of love."
"Meg is an exceptional person." The Nietzschean, despite his current situation, found that blasted, silly grin creeping onto his face at the thought of how much she loved him.
"So, evidently, are you," the love god observed wryly.
&&&&&&&
Dylan, Bekka, Rommie, Trance and Meaghan entered the eerily quiet ship. Dylan, Bekka and Rommie were all looking around curiously, but Meaghan just clung to Trance's arm, looking confused, and in her confusion turning to the alien woman rather than her best friend.
The avatar looked confused as well. "This isn't right," she muttered. "All systems left operating, but the ship was standing dead in space. It should have been drifting, but it wasn't."
"What about the ship's AI?" Dylan suggested. They had already made their way to the craft's bridge.
Rommie touched a few controls, but when nothing happened, put herself in rapport with the ship. Or tried to. "Dylan, the AI is missing. There's not even any sign that there ever was one, except of course that there would have been."
"I thought the Nietzscheans were the only ones with a device that could wipe an AI," Bekka remarked. "But why would they attack Charlemagne?"
"Nietzscheans didn't do this," Dylan said positively. "No signs of any struggle, and besides, there's the little matter of people simply disappearing off this ship and reappearing elsewhere. The Nietzscheans don't have that kind of technology."
"For real," Bekka agreed. "In fact the only time I've ever seen anyone just appear and disappear like that..," She trailed off, eyes widening as she looked at Meaghan.
"Gods," said Trance softly. "It was done by gods. But why?" She too, turned to Meaghan.
"I don't know," Meaghan practically wailed. "I haven't done anything to anyone lately. And now, I'm human, so why would any of them pick a fight with me? I have no way of fighting back."
Bekka came over and hugged her. "I can't imagine you pissing anyone off that badly anyway."
Meaghan gave her a sad smile. "Oh, Bekka, I used to be just awful, when I was younger. Did you ever hear of the Trojan wars?"
"Yeah, but..," Bekka's mouth fell open.
"I was largely responsible for the whole thing," Meaghan confessed. "Thousands of people died because of my vanity."
For a moment, Bekka looked as if she wanted to put some serious distance between the two of them. Then the love she had for her stricken friend came to the fore and she hugged her tighter. "But that's not who you are now," she consoled Meaghan.
"It seems to me that it's an awfully long time to carry a grudge," Hunt observed. "Even for a god. Hasn't anything happened more recently?"
"Mostly I've just been twiddling my thumbs and watching the eons drift by," Meaghan admitted. "I hadn't been around humans for millennia till I came on board the Andromeda. And since I was dwelling with all the others, I think I would have noticed if I had.., annoyed, anyone."
"I have been able to pull up some visual records," Rommie broke in from where she was still working on the control panel. "But they are not intact. They've been tampered with."
"Let's see what you've got," Dylan ordered. "Maybe there's enough somewhere to give us a clue."
Most of the images were random, and merely showing the crew about their various tasks, and then abruptly disappearing. Then the scene fell on Charlemagne's quarters.
Meaghan's knees nearly buckled at the sight of her husband carrying the two whimpering boys. But what happened next..,
The two humans and the android saw and heard nothing but Charlemagne and his sons. Trance saw two distortions, and heard a buzzing sound filling in the gaps between the Nietzschean's replies, but Meaghan saw and heard all.
"Those spiteful little.., bitches," she gasped. "How dare they steal my husband?"
Everyone took immediate notice, partially in shock at hearing the normally genteel red-head using such ungenteel language. Then realization set in.
"Wait a minute," Dylan counseled. "All I saw and heard was Charlemagne and the children." He looked around and got confirming nods from Rommie and Bekka, but Trance just shrugged. "What did you see, Trance?"
"Well, there were a couple of other somethings in the room," the alien confirmed. "But all I saw were blurs. And I didn't actually hear anything identifiable. Did you see and hear it all, Meaghan?"
"Eos and Selene," Meaghan said. "But why would they..," she muttered to herself, then she turned to the android. "Rommie, could you play that through again? And I think, you all should be in physical contact with me." She wore a look of grim concentration on her face.
Rommie obediently hit the playback switch, and joined the group clustered around Meaghan. When the scene replayed, they all saw and heard everything.
"What does this all mean?" Bekka, as everyone else, was mystified.
"For one thing, Bekka," Meaghan informed her. "It means that father tricked me, somehow. I'm still a god."
&&&&&&&
"Caught you!" Selene crowed triumphantly. "Look Eos, our drab little serving wenches are Aphrodite's get and his wife."
"Considering how difficult she made things for you and Psyche, why are you trying to help her now?" Eos quizzed.
"That was a long time ago," Eros muttered. "And I happen to love my mother." He hung his head. He had become so involved in his conversation with Charlemagne that he had forgotten to keep part of his mind tuned to Eos and Selene to avoid what had just happened.
"We're older than you, boy," Selene said darkly. "More powerful. What made you think you could take on both of us?"
"I didn't," he confessed. "I just tried to make sure that you didn't harm him. Mother loves him and she wouldn't want to see him hurt."
"What do you think, Selene?" Eos looked at her sister. "If both of us worked together?"
"It might work," the moon goddess conceded. Both of them bent their concentration and will on Eros, whose face suddenly went completely blank. Then Eos went to Psyche and did the same thing with the same results.
"At least we won't have to go looking for new servants," Selene observed. "They'll mindlessly obey us now. No more trying to help Aphrodite."
"The two of you run along now," Eos commanded. "We'll let you know when your services are required."
Eros and Psyche disappeared.
"Naughty, pretty," Selene murmured. "Trying to get away from us. I hope you're ready to play now." She strolled over to Charlemagne and ran her hands up his chest and back down his arms. Charlemagne didn't speak, didn't move.
When he failed to react, Eos went over to him, tangled her hands in his hair and kissed him. "This is no fun," she complained. "He may not be fighting or running, but he's not helping either."
"Maybe he just needs a little more.., encouragement," Selene said wickedly. One hand slid slowly down his chest towards tempting swell of his manhood.
&&&&&&&
Harper sat back with a sigh and took a swig of his beer. He had decided to allow himself one, since the children were all tucked up into bed for the night. It had been a rather hectic day, but kind of fun. The kids were little bundles of energy, true, but they were smart and inquisitive. Harper got a little dreamy-eyed. He'd always thought he was allergic to kids, but maybe someday, with the right girl. Not the sort of girl he usually chased after, either. But maybe, someday..,