Part 6: A Betrayal Coming On
John had fallen asleep. The surreal quality of his dream adding to the disturbing remembrance of his rape by Grayza. A shudder rippled through his body causing him to sit up. Still groggy with sleep he tried to get comfortable again. Sky'leen felt more then heard his movement. Pulling her bedding closer she reached out a hand, touching his shoulder. Falling back, he noted the warm glow in her eyes and what it could lead to. "I hardly know you, and yet I feel comfortable with you." She whispered.
John kissed her on the brow as he breathed a question. "How is that?"
Sky'leen had no will to resist, as his lips caressed hers with quick, feathery light kisses. "I don't know.but who really cares."
She reached out for him, taking him into her arms as they rolled over until he was on top of her. He continued to caress her lips with brief kisses, "Has anyone told you how beautiful you are with your clothes off?"
Sky'leen struggled to free her mind from the enchantment of his kisses. Aware of the trembling disquiet within her, she faced away from the lips and eyes that rendered her weak. This human had the most captivating and persuasive powers.
"Not in a long time," she answered faintly as she turned to him again.
"Then we should do something about that.you have the body of a goddess.your." He was prevented from continuing as Sky'leen captured his succulent bottom lip. He gently pulled away to bestow a kiss on the tantalizing nape of her neck as he quietly inquired. "Do you really want to do this with the others so close by?"
"They're on watch." Kiss. "We are alone." Kiss.
She felt his hands slip from her back to touch her breasts. Her breath stilled in wonder as his fingers with the lightest of touches teasingly brushed the peaks until they tightened beneath the cloth of her shirt. A moment later John drew back, and stared down into the limpid pools of her green eyes-an image flashed in his mind of warm gray eyes framed by flowing black hair smiling up so trusting and lovingly at him.
He pulled up and away from her. Rolling to his mat he turned his back to her. John buried his face under his arm; his own conscience had rallied in objection to his actions. He loved Aeryn so much, yet he felt totally alone. So alone that he could turn to another for comfort. Sky'leen sat up with her back braced against the wall looking at him curled up in the shadows. What in the frell was she doing? She felt guilt at betraying the one person she admired, Aeryn Sun. Sky'leen needed to get her emotions under tight rein. This human was more dangerous then she could ever have imagined. Aeryn Sun was indeed fortunate to have found him. Clearing her throat she said in a low voice. "I'm sorry I let this happen."
Taking his arm down he looked over at her. He could just make out her outline. "Why do you need to apologize? I am sorry."
"No. It happened. Lets leave it at that." She stated. Sky'leen got up and moved away from him, only to stop a few feet away, with her back turned to him, "Whatever troubles you're having with Aeryn doesn't need to be complicated further by this. I need to check on the perimeter. Go back to sleep, tomorrow we will leave at dawn." She walked from the room.
John rolled onto his side and wondered if his lifeline looked like the web of a spider on LSD. Frell. Images of Aeryn kept getting in the way, making him feel guilty. making him wonder about being faithful to a woman who didn't want him. Sleep wasn't going to come easy now
*************************
In the silence of the still night, a growing din caught Aeryn's attention; she raised her head to listen to the sound of stumbling feet over rumble. Pointing her weapon she felt Josef move to her side. "More then one," he whispered.
"I would say several and they are not regular soldiers."
"Marz!" He hissed. The other rebel joined them. "The tech?"
"I gave her something to ease her pain. She'll sleep for another two arns."
"Go over that way and report back." Josef ordered.
Aeryn spotted movement just ahead of the group. "More that way. Stay here."
****************************
John felt something prodding him in the back. Glancing back he saw the barrel of a pulse rifle pointed in his face. Looking up at the soldier he spat out, "Why are you pointing that thing at me, Officer Chou?"
"Get up, now." She snapped out the order.
John climbed to his feet holding his hands out. Chou took Winona from him as he asked. "What is going on? Where is the Lieutenant?"
"Quiet. Move." John walked ahead; the all to familiar feeling of betrayal was coming on. His eyes looked around wondering where Sky'leen and Vanna were. They moved up the steps leading out, pausing, as the door automatically opened. Stepping in the open air he saw a figure crumbled on the ground, by the size it had to be Sou Vanna. He hoped Sky'leen was able to come in for the rescue.
A snarling laugh sounded behind him. "If you are waiting for the Lieutenant, she is no longer here. Move this way. John stumbled over lose rubble. A movement in the shadows caught his eye. Regaining his balance he heard a soft grunt. As Chou's body fell, Vanna stepped out of the shadows. Blood ran down the side of his head, looking up from Chou's body he gave John a smile before he collapsed.
John dove to catch him and ease him to the ground. Through dry lips Vanna murmured, " Find the Lieutenant, human. Tell her I killed the traitor." He died in John's arms. Sighing, John laid him down, hating the feeling, that once more the good guys lost one.
Taking Winona back, he glanced around, seeing no one, he made his escape. Now to find where they have taken Sky'leen.
Some distance away from the bunker, the darkness was almost complete but a cluster of trees could be seen growing close along the narrow footpath. It was here John paused to canvass an open. Peering carefully up and down the thoroughfare, he then scanned the area bordering it. No dark image or specter moved beyond the copse. John silently upholstered Winona, and crept to the outer edge of the trees, warily pausing there a long moment as he again surveyed the terrain. He was unable to put aside the feeling of uneasiness that settled upon him. For it seemed that all was not as it should be despite the openness of the place beyond where he stood. Still, he was unable to detect any movement or even incongruous shadow.
He had, however, learned to take heed when his senses warned him of danger. For the sake of caution, he eased back a step and was about to turn, when his world exploded. He sagged to his knees as a billion piercing lights burst in a sea of radiant color before his eyes and then slowly dimmed to a dull shade of gray. Through the tenebrous gloom he was vaguely aware of a dark shape stepping close. An arm rose threateningly above him, but his hampered faculties were sluggish and slow to react as a second blow came crashing down upon his head, darkening the murky shadows into total oblivion.
John had fallen asleep. The surreal quality of his dream adding to the disturbing remembrance of his rape by Grayza. A shudder rippled through his body causing him to sit up. Still groggy with sleep he tried to get comfortable again. Sky'leen felt more then heard his movement. Pulling her bedding closer she reached out a hand, touching his shoulder. Falling back, he noted the warm glow in her eyes and what it could lead to. "I hardly know you, and yet I feel comfortable with you." She whispered.
John kissed her on the brow as he breathed a question. "How is that?"
Sky'leen had no will to resist, as his lips caressed hers with quick, feathery light kisses. "I don't know.but who really cares."
She reached out for him, taking him into her arms as they rolled over until he was on top of her. He continued to caress her lips with brief kisses, "Has anyone told you how beautiful you are with your clothes off?"
Sky'leen struggled to free her mind from the enchantment of his kisses. Aware of the trembling disquiet within her, she faced away from the lips and eyes that rendered her weak. This human had the most captivating and persuasive powers.
"Not in a long time," she answered faintly as she turned to him again.
"Then we should do something about that.you have the body of a goddess.your." He was prevented from continuing as Sky'leen captured his succulent bottom lip. He gently pulled away to bestow a kiss on the tantalizing nape of her neck as he quietly inquired. "Do you really want to do this with the others so close by?"
"They're on watch." Kiss. "We are alone." Kiss.
She felt his hands slip from her back to touch her breasts. Her breath stilled in wonder as his fingers with the lightest of touches teasingly brushed the peaks until they tightened beneath the cloth of her shirt. A moment later John drew back, and stared down into the limpid pools of her green eyes-an image flashed in his mind of warm gray eyes framed by flowing black hair smiling up so trusting and lovingly at him.
He pulled up and away from her. Rolling to his mat he turned his back to her. John buried his face under his arm; his own conscience had rallied in objection to his actions. He loved Aeryn so much, yet he felt totally alone. So alone that he could turn to another for comfort. Sky'leen sat up with her back braced against the wall looking at him curled up in the shadows. What in the frell was she doing? She felt guilt at betraying the one person she admired, Aeryn Sun. Sky'leen needed to get her emotions under tight rein. This human was more dangerous then she could ever have imagined. Aeryn Sun was indeed fortunate to have found him. Clearing her throat she said in a low voice. "I'm sorry I let this happen."
Taking his arm down he looked over at her. He could just make out her outline. "Why do you need to apologize? I am sorry."
"No. It happened. Lets leave it at that." She stated. Sky'leen got up and moved away from him, only to stop a few feet away, with her back turned to him, "Whatever troubles you're having with Aeryn doesn't need to be complicated further by this. I need to check on the perimeter. Go back to sleep, tomorrow we will leave at dawn." She walked from the room.
John rolled onto his side and wondered if his lifeline looked like the web of a spider on LSD. Frell. Images of Aeryn kept getting in the way, making him feel guilty. making him wonder about being faithful to a woman who didn't want him. Sleep wasn't going to come easy now
*************************
In the silence of the still night, a growing din caught Aeryn's attention; she raised her head to listen to the sound of stumbling feet over rumble. Pointing her weapon she felt Josef move to her side. "More then one," he whispered.
"I would say several and they are not regular soldiers."
"Marz!" He hissed. The other rebel joined them. "The tech?"
"I gave her something to ease her pain. She'll sleep for another two arns."
"Go over that way and report back." Josef ordered.
Aeryn spotted movement just ahead of the group. "More that way. Stay here."
****************************
John felt something prodding him in the back. Glancing back he saw the barrel of a pulse rifle pointed in his face. Looking up at the soldier he spat out, "Why are you pointing that thing at me, Officer Chou?"
"Get up, now." She snapped out the order.
John climbed to his feet holding his hands out. Chou took Winona from him as he asked. "What is going on? Where is the Lieutenant?"
"Quiet. Move." John walked ahead; the all to familiar feeling of betrayal was coming on. His eyes looked around wondering where Sky'leen and Vanna were. They moved up the steps leading out, pausing, as the door automatically opened. Stepping in the open air he saw a figure crumbled on the ground, by the size it had to be Sou Vanna. He hoped Sky'leen was able to come in for the rescue.
A snarling laugh sounded behind him. "If you are waiting for the Lieutenant, she is no longer here. Move this way. John stumbled over lose rubble. A movement in the shadows caught his eye. Regaining his balance he heard a soft grunt. As Chou's body fell, Vanna stepped out of the shadows. Blood ran down the side of his head, looking up from Chou's body he gave John a smile before he collapsed.
John dove to catch him and ease him to the ground. Through dry lips Vanna murmured, " Find the Lieutenant, human. Tell her I killed the traitor." He died in John's arms. Sighing, John laid him down, hating the feeling, that once more the good guys lost one.
Taking Winona back, he glanced around, seeing no one, he made his escape. Now to find where they have taken Sky'leen.
Some distance away from the bunker, the darkness was almost complete but a cluster of trees could be seen growing close along the narrow footpath. It was here John paused to canvass an open. Peering carefully up and down the thoroughfare, he then scanned the area bordering it. No dark image or specter moved beyond the copse. John silently upholstered Winona, and crept to the outer edge of the trees, warily pausing there a long moment as he again surveyed the terrain. He was unable to put aside the feeling of uneasiness that settled upon him. For it seemed that all was not as it should be despite the openness of the place beyond where he stood. Still, he was unable to detect any movement or even incongruous shadow.
He had, however, learned to take heed when his senses warned him of danger. For the sake of caution, he eased back a step and was about to turn, when his world exploded. He sagged to his knees as a billion piercing lights burst in a sea of radiant color before his eyes and then slowly dimmed to a dull shade of gray. Through the tenebrous gloom he was vaguely aware of a dark shape stepping close. An arm rose threateningly above him, but his hampered faculties were sluggish and slow to react as a second blow came crashing down upon his head, darkening the murky shadows into total oblivion.