CHAPTER 23

"YOU!"

The red tape that followed the judgment was the last thing Constance wanted or needed. Having received nothing but hostility since her arrival, she was more than ready to begin her exile and "death sentence." She wanted no part of the legal headache the judgment had caused on Alterrous, as she was certain she'd be facing several others when she returned to Aegis. To her surprise and delight, she was informed that the Emperor had already thought of this and had a suit able cover story concocted on her behalf. It would explain her abrupt departure from Aegis and the subsequent search of the estate as being part of a secret government operation that, quite naturally, she could not divulge.

When everything was finally settled, Constance was taken to a transport ship that would re turn her to Aegis. As she boarded it, she found herself strangely torn, glad to be going home, while at the same time saddened to be parted from the Doctor and his companions. Despite her verbal abuse they had stood by her, protected her, and even saved her life. For all she knew, she'd never see them again.

Constance stared blankly out a window as the ship lifted off and pulled farther and farther away from her home world. The bright planet faded into the distance until it was just a pinpoint of light. One among millions. Turning away from the window, she closed her eyes and sighed heavily.

"Is everything alright, Miss Sorenson?"

Startled, Constance looked up to see Corporal JoHanna looking concernedly down at her. "Yes, everything's fine. Finally," she sighed relievedly, inviting the Corporal to sit down. "I hope you don't mind my asking to have you assigned to my escort, JoHanna," she then said apologetically. "You're the only one I know in the Imperial Guard."

"Not the only one, surely?"

Knowing she meant Commander Tolan, Constance gave her a wry smile. "Alright, the only one who never threatened me, then."

"The only one who never…" JoHanna blinked. "Surely you don't mean the Commander actually threatened you?"

"Well, I suppose threatened isn't strictly accurate. But when I was arrested, I made the mistake of asking him—" Constance broke off and shuddered at the memory of the conversation in her cell. Seeing the look of blank astonishment on the Corporal's face, she remarked, "You seem surprised."

"Astonished, more like," JoHanna replied. "You probably don't know this, but the day you were released from the detention area, Commander Tolan blew his stack with the entire security division assigned there. I mean he really exploded. Said their behavior towards you wasn't just deplorable, but a flagrant abuse of power. I've never seen him so angry." Correcting herself, she said, "Actually, to be honest, until that day I've never so much as seen him lose his patience."

Now it was Constance's turn to be astonished. She tried to imagine the scene, but could only see the perfect little soldier who was Commander Tolan; following orders, whether he agreed with them or not, and just doing his job. With this in mind, she said, "That is his job, isn't it? Keeping subordinates in line?"

"Ye-es, I suppose so," JoHanna replied hesitantly. "It's just that, well…he's not really in charge of the prison area. Not directly, anyway."

Miss Sorenson made no reply, nodding absently and turning her gaze back out the window. She stared into the blackness of space for several minutes, thinking back on the events following her release from confinement. "You know something, JoHanna?" she said at last. "I never even thanked him for saving my life. Or for having the forethought to send you down to—"

Constance turned back to the Corporal only to find Commander Tolan had taken her place. He was studying her with an intensity she found so unnerving that she let out a startled squeak and stiffened visibly.

"You're welcome," he said mildly. "And, thank-you. I'm glad you finally realized I'm capable of thinking independently."

"You!" Constance gasped, finding her voice at last. "Wh…what are you…? Why are you…?"

Tolan held up his hands. "Don't get excited. I'm in command of your escort."

"You?"

"Yes, me. I've been on the flight deck and came to tell you that we're on course for Aegis and—"

"And you have orders to grant me any reasonable requests I might have in the interim," Con stance broke in sharply.

The officer lowered his eyes. "I suppose I deserved that," he said regretfully. Drawing a deep breath, he said, "And I believe I owe you an apology for frightening you the way I did the day you were arrested. I was malicious and unprofessional."

"Not to mention blunt."

Clearly uncomfortable, Tolan did not reply directly, rising to his feet. "Actually, I came to see if we could iron out the details of your exile before we land. The security officer assigned to you will need—"

"What security officer?"

"The one assigned to…" the Commander's voice trailed off when he saw Constance's face darken. "Didn't anybody bother to tell you?"

"Do you mean to say, after all this, I'm still to be treated like a criminal?" the woman across from him snarled angrily.

"Only on paper. I can assure you, Miss Sorenson, your movements won't be restricted in any way except as they relate to Alterrous."

"This is marvelous! Absolutely marvelous!" Constance exploded, jumping to her feet. "Now I've got a babysitter to make sure I don't go back to a planet I've been avoiding like the plague for decades!"

"Well, it's better than being put to death, isn't it?" Tolan countered forcefully. "You know, you really do amaze me. The Emperor risked breaking the Laws of Alterrous. The Doctor risked breaking the Alliance. Lord Krystovan risked losing his birthright. And I even killed the Chancellor. All trying to save you! And now you stand there whining over one lousy officer, and I had to fight to—" Cutting himself off, he threw up his hands in disgust. "Forget it! Just forget it! It's no use talking to you. I don't know why I even bother."

"Neither do I! Why didn't you just stay on Alterrous? I'm sure as Commander you could've refused this assignment. Or are you still just doing your job like a good little soldier?"

"No, actually, I foolishly volunteered for this," Tolan spat back. "I wanted to make sure your journey home went without incident."

Unable to think of a suitable reply, Constance stood staring at him, her mouth agape.

"Yes, I actually can care about something other than my job. Amazing, isn't it?" Drawing himself to his full height, the Commander turned on his heel and headed for the door. "I'll come back to work out the details as soon as you've calmed down."

"Oh no, you don't. Come back here!" Constance commanded. "You're not walking out on the closest thing to a conversation we've ever had."

Tolan stopped dead and stiffened, turning slowly back to face her, an odd expression passing like a ghost across his face. "I'm not going to stay and trade insults, either," he said mildly. "If you want to talk, I'll talk. Otherwise I'm leaving."

The officer's sudden subdued tone caught Constance off guard and she laughed in spite of herself. "You're a man of many facets, aren't you, Commander? And you've learned to hide them well. I can appreciate that."

Tolan did not respond.

"And here I thought you just wanted to kill me because I was a Changeling."

"You're not the only one, apparently. I was sent to Aegis as your assassin."

Constance stiffened, her eyes widening. "What!"

Tolan held up his hands. "Not now, originally. I found out that's why the Chancellor sent me specifically. He assumed I'd do what I told you I wanted to. It wasn't until the day you were shot that I realized—" Drawing a deep breath, he admitted, "Well, you said everyone wanted you dead. And all of a sudden I realized…I didn't."

The astonished woman stared at him from her place across the room. Suddenly his soothing words came back to her, and her hand went to the cheek he had stroked so gently. "I thought I'd dreamt that," she breathed in disbelief.

Not sure why himself, the Commander went on to tell her of the Emperor's intervention in healing his broken mind. How everything had suddenly become clear to him. No confusions. No self-doubts. Just the pure, clear, naked truth. "I'm not explaining this very well," the officer said self-consciously.

"Oh, you're doing fine," Constance replied caustically. "I like the part about the Emperor interceding—"

"Please, don't mock me, Constance! This isn't easy for me."

This was so obvious Miss Sorenson found herself apologizing. "But why, Tolan? Why tell me all this now?"

"Because I love you, dammit!" Tolan exploded. The suddenness of this admission shocked even him and he immediately turned away.

Constance blinked and tried several times to say something, but words failed her. Finding her voice at last, she cried, "You can't! Tolan, you just can't!"

"Don't you think I know that?" he replied, turning to face her. "I've been fighting it since I first laid eyes on you. And then the Emperor—" Clenching his fists, he tried to get hold of him self. "Oh, why did you have to call me back?" he moaned.

Constance was again at a loss for words, thinking this to be the most extraordinary, and unexpected, ending to her ordeal. "So…now what? Isn't this considered conflict of interest or something?"

"Among other things," Tolan replied mildly. "And I could be stripped of my command and court-martialed for what I'm about to do. And I don't care." So saying, he did the most unprofessional thing he had ever done in his long and illustrious career. He took hold of the astonished woman and kissed her passionately on the mouth.