&&&&&&&
"Good news, Toma. We've found not one, but three potential donors." Sevahnn ran his hands through his hair as he leaned back in his chair. Adjusting his glasses, he took a sip from his now tepid coffee.
"That's wonderful! What next?"
Toma, working in his mini-lab in the WWWA main building, had just uploaded the cloaking modifications to the remainder of the 3WA 4th Assault fleet and was now working on the final touches to the "diver" program that would infiltrate and take control of all of Savarius' computer control and communications systems once the command was given.
After Monsuud's expected arrest and removal, the 3WA would exercise its interstellar articles of protective domain, ensuring political and economic stability until a new government could be elected.
"The donor contracts have been authorized and forwarded back to us. Two of the three are en-route to the medical center here for the final selection process, as we speak. If all goes well, the transplant could be completed by no later than noon, tomorrow."
"Kei will be ecstatic. I'll be sure to notify her as soon as the communications blackout on her mission is lifted."
&&&&&&&
The attendants were very quiet, and very efficient. The girls knew from experience what the prince expected, and Yuri was outfitted accordingly. After her bath and shampoo, which were sweetened with the finest toilet waters, she was perfumed and coifed, and then dressed. She was fitted with a strapless pale blue taffeta dress which fell off her shoulders and accentuated her bosom. It cinched at the waist with a barely off-white strip of incredibly detailed motifs, including the crest of Savarius in precious stone. It cascaded to a double frill about her ankles. The same motif was present in the trim of the neckline. The high heels of her polished leather pumps added a few inches to her height.
The tight ringlet curls in her hair cascaded down past her waist, creating an aura effect about her when the light reflected off them. Underneath, she wore rose red silken underwear and garters that matched her lip gloss. Even the attendants blushed when they completed their work.
On the outside, the picture of an angel, underneath a she-devil. Exactly as the prince desired.
Yuri gazed at her reflection in the mirror as two attendants polished her fingernails after her manicure. For as long as she could remember, she loved to dress up and she really loved to be pampered as the princess she always knew she was, and under other circumstances she would have been ecstatic to look as beautiful as the image her reflection returned. But that emotion was tempered with the stark reality of what was about to happen. She had traded her pride and modesty for a child's life. In effect, she had sold her body.
'So, you've... prostituted yourself?' The voice in her head accused.
No! A little girl's life was spared.
She furrowed her brow as she mentally continued to justify her action. How bad could it be? She would feed his ego and then it would all be over. He would indeed have her, but he would never have her.
And it wasn't like she was completely innocent or anything. She recalled her lecture to Julian, when he had insisted that she was something she was not, convinced as he was of her "purity". Yuri had painstakingly explained to him that she was a mature young woman who made her own decisions about who she wanted to be intimate with. She felt a tug at her heart as she remembered her infatuation with him. But that relationship was not meant to be. She sighed as the attendants finished their tasks.
&&&&&&&
Gustav announced the strategy session in-flight. The monitor descended from the ceiling of the Apache's cabin and the first video started, showing the floor plans and elevations of the Savarian palace. Kei quipped.
"You mean we don't get a movie? And what about my peanuts?"
Gustav gave her the look, which caused the others to stop laughing immediately. Kei shrugged, her attempt at levity not appreciated by the boss at this time.
"Now then. This information has been given to us by our inside sources. It is almost certain that Yuri is still alive as they have not made any announcement regarding any capture of her, dead or alive, which Monsuud most certainly would want the publicity for. Since this would have been a perfect opportunity for them to spin her capture as "another example of 3WA imperialism", we've concluded that a second scenario is most likely taking place. Although the dungeons are here..." he used a pointer to direct their attention to a section of the palace.
"...Yuri almost certainly will be kept in the palatial suite, somewhere... here."
"And why is that, sir?"
"Because..." He took a deep breath. "Monsuud wants more from Yuri than information, alone." Gustav made certain everyone got his meaning.
Kei felt Ja-len tense up. She looked over at him. He was nervously cracking his knuckles, his teeth making an audible scraping sound when he ground them. She put a hand on his forearm. He looked over at her and tried to smile, but all that came out was a grimace.
"Don't worry. She can take care of herself." Kei said that as much for herself as she did for him, biting her own lower lip absent-mindedly. She ran her fingers through her hair and then cracked her own knuckles.
"You're as nervous as I am." Ja-len said accusingly.
"Shut up."
"All right everyone, pay attention. We'll only have time for two simulations before we reach our target. I don't want any screw-ups.
&&&&&&&
Yuri continued to pace nervously, her attendants, having completed their tasks, were gathered in one corner of the room, waiting for the prince. One thought kept repeating itself in her mind, and that thought kept her going.
'I gave him my word and she 's still alive.'
Monsuud entered the bedchamber and stopped abruptly, when Yuri turned to face him. The ringlets of her hair swinging around after her before coming to a rest, Yuri was a vision from heaven, reminding him once again why he had taken so much trouble to get her back. It took him a moment to find his voice.
"Yuri, my dear. How lovely you look tonight."
He wore his more informal evening robes, which were red silk with a black sash and black trim at the collar and cuffs. His jet black hair was in a ponytail and, now shaven, his face was almost handsome, Yuri noted. With a gesture, he dismissed the attendants as he approached his prize. The women moved quickly past them, heads bowed.
Where is she?"
"Whomever do you mean, my lovely one?"
He knew exactly who Yuri meant, but his interest had been piqued ever since the incident in the dining hall and he wanted to know more about what motivated this woman to save someone she had never met before.
"The girl, Kotori. I want to see her, before..."
Her eyes looked away momentarily and her voice trailed off, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of hearing her admit to what was about to transpire.
"Oh, do you mean that little bug I showed mercy to on your behalf? She is unharmed.
"I want to see her for myself."
"Yuri, you try my patience more than any other woman I have known, but..." His eyes took her in from head to toe.
'I believe you are worth the trouble you cause me.' He finished the thought to himself.
He barked some commands into the comm-link nearest the settee. After a time, there was a knock on the door.
"Enter!"
The door opened and two of the royal palace guards entered, escorting Kotori. The girl immediately recognized Yuri, and ran over to her. Yuri knelt and embraced the child, who started to cry in relief at the presence of a somewhat familiar, kind face.
"There now. Everything will be all right. I promise."
Yuri held her shoulders as she pushed back slightly to look into her eyes.
"My name is Yuri. I want you to promise me you'll be brave, and everything is going to be all right. O.k.?"
Kotori looked hesitatingly from Yuri to the man who had killed her sister just hours before. She sensed that Yuri was in some kind of trouble but couldn't figure out what it was.
"You... you won't leave me behind?"
Her large, sad eyes locked onto Yuri's; her small hands fidgeted with a button on her blouse as she sniffled back her sobs. Gazing upon her sweet face, looking into her eyes, Yuri saw the fear and uncertainty, the pain of loss, the hopelessness.
Something happened then in Yuri's heart. Something she never felt before and never in her life expected. She clutched her fist to her chest as the feeling was palpable. It was as if the gods themselves that had set these events in motion now made a proclamation with great fanfare.
This child was hers.
It was clear. Kotori had not come from her body, but that was of no consequence. This was to be their birthing process, their bonding. She finally understood the feeling Kei had for Keitaro firsthand. The feeling was so powerful, Yuri had to fight off the urge to cry in front of her with all her strength. Instead, she pulled her back into an embrace, and, running her fingers through the girl's hair, soothed.
"No, Kotori. I will not leave you behind. Understand?"
The orphan looked back up at Yuri, whose soft smile eased her troubled heart. She nodded her head, the light in the room glistening off her raven hair.
"Yes, Yuri."
Yuri stood and turned to face Monsuud, Kotori still clutching her hand tightly. There was a much more determined look on her face now.
"Where is Mughi? I want to see him now."
"Yuri, my dear, I grow weary of this. You are certainly not in a position to make demands at this time..."
Yuri patted Kotori on the shoulder and when the girl released her, walked up to the prince, her hip-length curls bouncing with each step. This was possibly her last trump card, and she would have to work it just right. Stopping a few feet in front of him, she bowed, curls cascading forward to hide her face.
"Your highness."
Straightening up, her hair resumed its position. With the effects of the light reflecting off them, it was mesmerizing. Closing the distance between them, Yuri gauged his reaction to her.
'He could have killed me at any time after my capture, but he didn't. He could have taken me at any time, but I believe that he wants me to want him, so I have to use that in order to make this work.'
She regulated her breathing as best she could, never forgetting that she was in the presence of a genocidal maniac. She reminded herself that she had to gain some measure of control, however, using whatever means she had to twist it from him. Stepping so close that Monsuud was slightly taken aback, she put her hands on his chest, and made certain that he inhaled her perfume a few times before she whispered into his ear.
"On my planet, Shack-G, there is no such thing as infidelity, because when a woman comes of age, she is taught the art of the Sirens of Messina, which can send a man to the heights of ecstasy never before experienced."
Fluttering her lashes, she paused for effect as she noticed his breathing increase. She called all her feminine wiles into play.
"Would you like for me to share with you what I have been taught?" The response was instantaneous.
"Guard! Retrieve the cat-creature, immediately!" He barked. He regarded her with a raised eyebrow.
"You play this game well, my dear. I am beginning to see that you are more of a formidable adversary than I originally surmised." He gave her a crooked smile.
Presently, Mughi was brought in and upon seeing Yuri, bounded up into her arms in relief.
"Meeeoooow!"
"Mughi! You're all right! I'm so glad."
She took him over to the girl and knelt once again.
"Mughi, this is Kotori. Kotori, this is my little friend, Mughi. I want you to take good care of him for me until I come for you, o.k?"
She handed Mughi over to the girl, who cradled him in one arm while petting him with her other hand. Mughi, no longer caged and happy to have anyone pay him some attention, purred contentedly. Kotori looked up at Yuri, and for the first time, smiled. Monsuud grumbled.
"I have waited long enough. Guards, remove them."
"Wait!" Yuri turned to Monsuud. She pushed the envelope of her new-found influence once again.
"Give me your word that you won't do anything to harm them."
"So we are making demands now, eh?"
"Give me your word as the prince of Savarius."
Yuri was adamant. It would probably mean next to nothing, but she hoped she could reach some part of him where honor was still respected. Monsuud's own words reflected back to him.
'Yuri, you try my patience more than any other woman I have known, but I believe you are worth the trouble.'
This was a novel experience for him. In spite of his posture and bombast, she was breaking something down inside him, and the turmoil this caused he could not control.
What manner of witch is this?
He could kill her, right now and that would be the end of it. She defiantly met his gaze with her own, her dark eyes boring into him. How dare she place demands upon him. Did the girl forget her place? And in front of the imperial guards, no less. The silence was palpable as even the guards knew that others had been slain for much less than this. Monsuud fingered the scabbard of his dagger as he studied her for a moment longer.
He could kill her...
But he couldn't, and he sensed she knew it. He would work to find the source of this weakness, and he needed her to feel she had some measure of control in order to do so.
"Very well. They mean nothing to me in any event. You have my word. They will not be harmed."
He waved the guards away. Kotori, still clutching Mughi tightly, craned her neck back at Yuri as she was escorted out of the room. The prince sat himself down on the cushioned seat and rubbed his hands together.
"And now my Yuri, let us continue."
"I wish... for nothing but your happiness, your highness."
With that, she raised her hands to either side of her and began to dance for him the dance of the Sirens.
&&&&&&&
The Savarian palace was basically triangular in design, built on a mountain whose peak had been leveled. There were three spires at the top of a seven leveled structure. It was all but impenetrable, except for the plan being executed by the 3WA.
The Apache was surrounded by its "escorts" as the ruse regarding its capture would continue until all parties landed. In reality, the 3WA ship had locked on to the three Savarian ships with tractor beams and was monitoring all communications to and from the palace, the enemy pilots having already been warned as to the consequences of any false move.
"All right everyone. Three minutes. We finally have a positive lock on the opti-disc location and that's where we'll breach the palace. Fifth level of the northeast tower, here."
Gustav pinpointed the location and continued.
"In another 45 seconds, we're going to release our "escorts" and splash them into the lake to the west of the mountain. We'll jam any communication during that time until we have what we came for."
"Any questions?" The team members shook their heads.
"All right then. Final weapons check."
Kei's blaster was fully charged. Ja-len's backpack held a continuous clip with 300 rounds, with a spare clip in the compartment below it. He also checked his hand-held laser pistol one last time. DaKota and Sirhaan also nodded when their weapons checks were completed.
Ten seconds.
They were approaching the palace from the west, and could now see its spires reaching up toward the heavens, the surrounding mountain range almost camouflaging it from prying eyes.
Five seconds.
They were now over the western lake. Gustav nodded, and DaKota reversed the tractor beam into repel mode, forcing the three Savarian ships down into the lake below.
Three.
Two.
One.
Before the defensive battery could get a lock on the target, the Apache rose above the observation deck of the northeast tower, an unmarked blackbird of death, and with one shot, destroyed the solid metal doors that guarded the entrance at that level. The blast dispersed any guards who happened to be at that post, sending a few of them over the barrier of the deck, down the mountainside below.
Sirhaan landed the ship, and the team was inside the palace in seconds. Kei and Ja-len would hunt for Yuri, while Gustav, Sirhaan and DaKota would retrieve the disc.
&&&&&&&
"Yes. That is wonderful." The prince whispered as he leaned forward on the large sofa.
Yuri continued to dance to a rhythm in her head as she moved her body sinuously from side to side, her arms, legs and hips moving now from memory of the dance taught her by her mother, many moons ago. It had been years since she danced like this, since her charms had always been more than enough to attract any man she desired.
The prince continued to growl his approval as she continued to arouse him. She danced closer to him. He reached for her. She danced away from him. She bent forward from the waist, curls touching the floor, then whipped her head back, and then turned it in a circular motion like a whirling dervish. She approached him again, striking him with her hair. He inhaled the fragrance of her, and reached out once again, almost standing. She used both hands to push him back to a seated position.
Reaching behind herself, she deftly released the clasp of the dress and it fell to the floor. Without missing a beat, she stepped over it and continued. The contrast of the wisps of red silk against her pale white skin was striking. The prince croaked an approving sound at the sight of her. He licked his lips. What he had been waiting for, what had cost him an immeasurable amount of men and materiel, was at hand.
Yuri danced ever closer; a few more inches and she would be within his grasp. She would not escape him again.
And then the palace shook.
&&&&&&&
"Kei. Are you sure we're going in the right direction!?"
Ja-len shouted above the din of klaxons, exploding ordinance and crumbling brick and mortar. It was a bit difficult to get the hang of moving backwards as it was disorienting. Kei was moving forward at a fast pace, blasting away palace guard resistance as she recalled the floor plans outlined in the briefing from memory. Ja-len was trying to keep up, literally running backwards, taking out pockets that tried to advance upon them from behind.
"What did you say?!" She yelled over her shoulder.
A large explosion rocked the palace from a few levels above them.
'Gustav and the others must be just as busy as we are' He thought.
"I said, are we going in the right..."
Kei grabbed his shoulder and pushed him down to the floor as pieces of the doors to the royal chambers went flying past their heads, the guards outside having been dispatched by the shock wave of the explosion. As they brushed themselves off, they proceeded into the antechamber, when Kei found her wrist grabbed by one of the guards hiding behind the doorway. With a twist, her blaster dropped to the ground and he spun her around until he was behind her, one arm around her throat. Before he could break her neck, she stomped on his instep, causing him to release her from the hold. Kei then dropped to the ground, flipping him over her head.
Unfortunately, he grasped the necklace as he went over her head, and it and the locket went with him, crashing to the floor. The guard, somewhat stunned, regarded what he had in his hand, then looked up at Kei.
"Give that back to me." She snarled menacingly, picking up her weapon.
The guard realized that what he held was of some value and studied it briefly before finding the clasp and opening it. Keitaro's lock of hair fluttered to the floor, Kei's eyes following its dance intently.
Ja-len appeared in the doorway with smoke coming from his hand-held weapon. He didn't know what had transpired, but when he saw the look on Kei's face, he trained his gun on the guard, but kept his mouth shut.
Kei took a step forward, her blaster aimed at the guard's head.
"I said give that back."
The guard knew his fate was sealed one way or another as these special forces units took no prisoners. With a short, maniacal laugh, he dropped the locket to the floor. Both Kei and Ja-len followed its fall as it took a short bounce.
The guard then crushed it under his boot.
"Death to all enemies of Savarius!"
Kei stopped her trigger finger one millionth of a second before she blew his head off. That would be too easy. He had made this personal now, the poor idiot, and little did he realize the can of whoop-ass he had just opened. Ja-len grimaced at the demolition that was about to occur.
"You bastard!" Kei hissed.
In three steps she was upon him. Her left foot moved so fast that it was almost back on the ground before the 'crack' sound of the guard's jaw being broken could be heard. As the blood flowed from his mouth, Kei grabbed his shoulders and kneed him in the groin, then drove the heel of her palm right up into the bridge of his nose, breaking it with a sick sounding crunch. His head snapped backward and as Kei released him, she wheeled backward, pivoting on her left foot, and delivered a viscious roundhouse kick to the back of his head. He was unconscious as he headed in the direction of the floor, but Kei wasn't finished. She grabbed the back of his collar before he hit the floor, and pulled him back up by his hair. Grabbing his chin with one hand, she gave a blood curdling scream as she was about to kill him with her bare hands.
"Eeeyaaaaaaahh!"
"Kei!!!"
Ja-len knew he was taking his own life in his hands, but he knew Kei wasn't herself right now and he didn't want her regretting this later on. Kei was breathing heavily as she turned to face him, a murderous look in her eyes. He had found the lock of hair and held it out to her. She dropped the guard to the floor and approached him. She held her head down as she stuck her hand out and took the lock. She blushed her embarrassment as she spoke.
"I... uhh."
"Don't worry, Kei. We're battle-buddies, remember?"
She smiled at him and nodded.
"Let's go."
They stepped over the unconscious guard and Ja-len let loose a few rounds at the inner chamber door. Stepping inside past the smoke, he stopped short.
There, almost naked, was Yuri. The prince was in a heap on the floor, a dribble of blood trickling from his mouth. Yuri rubbed the back of her knuckles and frowned.
"Yuri! You're all right!" Kei ran past Ja-len and the two girls hugged each other tightly. Yuri bent to pick up her dress. Ja-len tried to swallow, but found he could not.
"Yuri. This is Ja-len. He's on our rescue team."
Yuri squinted slightly as she walked over, seemingly not the least bit concerned about her current state of undress, she was so relieved. It was no big deal, in fact, what she wore now covered more than the outfits she and Kei wore to receive their medals for winning the beach volleyball tournament. The blood was rushing to Ja-len's head, and other places. His perfect goddess was getting closer with each step, and she was almost nude, and she smelled wonderful, and it was suddenly getting hard to breathe. Her eyes lit up as she smiled in recognition.
"I know you from somewhere, don't I?"
She was about three feet away from Ja-len when he fainted.
&&&&&&&
A/N: Thanks to Smilodonfatalis4 and Cynical Chaos (and Janessa Ravenwood) for your reviews. Next chapter will be the end!