Here with me

The next day, 2000 hours.

"Hi !" Mouse hugged her best friend at the door. Why is Alice all dressed up ?

Ray, and Mouse joined MRess, Deanne and Alice in the living room. Mouse examined Alice again. "You look lovely. Very exotic."

Alice's hair was pinned up in an intricate knot, and she was wearing a flaming red silk embroidered kimono. Gold-mounted gemstones sparkled at her eartips. Stryker come down the stairs and entered the living room. Mouse noticed he was dressed up too. Why are they all dressed up like this ? Something is going on here ... but what ?

Alice smiled at Stryker, he was again wearing the same clothes he was wearing the first time she met him. The black leather shirt with short sleeves conforming to the shape of his torso and upper arms. Long dark navy coloured pants that disappear into black, shin high boots and laced up to the very top.

Alice and Stryker sat down. Once Mouse was sure no one else was coming, she climbed up on a table, "Everybody, listen up !"

When that didn't work, she put two fingers in her mouth and let out a loud, shrill whistle -- something Stryker and Alice, sitting right next to her, didn't exactly appreciate. "All right Alice. Why did you called for all of us to be here ?"

Alice was nervous and found herself freezing up. Ever the impatient one, Mouse's eyes drilled into at her, "Spill it !"

Alice lifted a hand and pulled back the long sleeve of her shirt to reveal a close fitting bracelet. Nine strands of gold interwoven in simple elegance around her wrist. It was crafted from the soft silver of Liys, and worked into an elaborate design, from which hung three perfect Edenian water-sapphires, intricately faceted to catch and refract light.

Deanne was the first to figure it out, "You are getting married !"

"When ?" Ray inquired, surprised.

"In six weeks." Alice cheerfully answered.

"I have another present for you Alice, " Stryker announced.

"Marriage does have one requirement, a t'santari."

"I don't have one." Alice said.

"I tried explaining to you a while ago what a t'santari is. A direct translation is not possible. A t'santari is our names. Our namesakes, honour and ultimately, linage. Alice is indeed a word in the old Edenian lauguage."

A silver necklace made of liys with a pendant the colour of the ocean at sunset. He handed it to Mouse to put it on Alice. Mouse hang the necklace around Alice's neck.

Alice stared at the teardrop shaped pendant. "Its beautiful."

"Squeeze it." Stryker suggested. She did so, not quite sure why though.

When she opened her hand, the pendant changed it shape, reconfigured itself and revealing a 'jerkin' delicately etched into the metal. "Your namesake." Stryker explained.

Reunion

He overslept that morning. Realizing he was nearly two hours late means he missed their arrival. He got dressed quickly and ran out the door.

He walked across the academy grounds when he saw Mouse. "Hi lizard breath !" she called with a laugh.

He confronted her. "Did you see another Edenian around here ?"

"Um ... yes I did. I told her you are proberly at the Subspace Café. Why ?" Mouse said, thinking.

"I need to find her."

"Chasing after different women I see. What would Alice think ?" she laughed.

"You're a sick woman." Stryker said quietly and walked pass her. He could hear Mouse yelling teasingly at Lucida but he didn't care.

Ten minutes later, he walked into the Subspace Café and looked around. The cafe was pretty empty, on the far end of the diner, he found Alice and Ray at their usual corner booth, talking with Laenia. Alice took notice and waved him over. He started walking towards them when the doors behind him crashed open and someone yelled, "Uncle !"

Stryker spun around just in time for the leaping figure to hit him in the chest instead of the back. Together they went crashing to the floor, in the process knocking over several chairs as well. All this he was used to, but this kid was considerably larger than he and Laenia was, when they tackled Niero in the same manner. She immediately hugged him hard enough to squeeze out what breath still remained to him.

The girl in teal overalls and a purple T-shirt was looking right at him with her deep amber eyes, accented by a storm of freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks. Finally, the sudden arrival released him and asked, "How's it going, big guy ?"

"Ee... Eei" panted Stryker, staring at the petite girl kneeling on his stomach. "Eiko."

"Surprise !" Eiko exclaimed, brushing her shiny aqua hair out of her eyes. He took a few moments to look at the girl. Her face had lost a little of its childlike roundness. But the wide intelligent eyes were the same, and so was the smile.

She picked up her fallen Ginsu starfish and put it back in her hair. He gently dislodged Eiko and stood up, brushing himself off. "I will be with you in a few minutes, little sparky. Let me talk to Laenia first."

"Alright." Her eyes darted around looking for something of interest. She found it quickly enough. "Ooh, a jukebox !"

She darted past the stunned passerbys. Fascinated, Garnet wandered after her. He picked up the fallen chairs and walked over to Alice's table. He silently tried to step over Scuzzy, but was stopped with a growl. Scuzzy lifted his head, his ears flattened. Damn Stupid dog, he thought as he walked around the creeky dog.

He hugged Laenia. "Hi !"

"Wow," said Alice. "She's a little intense, isn't she ?"

Stryker nodded as he looked at the bundle of energy being usual herself. He sure missed her and her mother, Laenia. I wonder how Laenia can keep up with her. "This is amazing !" he said, half to himself. "I have not seen her since she was three years old."

He sighed. It was strange, he mused. Eiko certainly was hyperactive, but it is a strictly physical hyperactivity. It was as though some part of her had to be active at all times; occupy her mouth or ears, and the rest of her could stay unnervingly still. Not only that, she also developed a fierce intelligence of someone twice her age.

"I can't read these funny markings, " she yelled from the jukebox.

He cringed. Alice patted him on the shoulder, "Looks like she is driving you crazy."

"Fourty seconds. New record." Laenia smirked.

"She is a little too much sometimes. She wants everyone's attention in the room, especially mine."

Laenia smiled, "You missed that, right ?"

"Very much. I missed you too." he admitted.

"We miss having a nullhead around the place." Laenia teased. He narrowed his eyes at her in mock anger.

Eiko looked around the device, "Is there a volume control on this thing?"

"It is on the back."

She tried reaching it, but she is too short. Alice was smiling, she was seeing the effect of this reunion was having on him. He must really miss his family, I know I miss mine.

Alice looked at Eiko jump up and down in a futile attempt to reach the volume control, "Does she ever slow down ?"

Laenia smiled, "I wish."

He turned to Alice, "Like you said, she's a little intense."

"I see." Alice said. She liked Laenia but secretly hoped to never have to babysit Eiko. Its tough enough to look after Garnet.

Eiko lifted Garnet onto her shoulders, who reached the volume knob and turned it up, a little too loud.

Stryker stomped over to Eiko, who was dancing around and singing at the top of her voice, and clapped a hand over her mouth. He dragged her backwards to the jukebox with his free hand. He wrenched the volume knob all the way to the left. Then he picked up Eiko by the collar and raised her until they were face to face. "Do you mind ?" he demanded.

He lowered the trembling child to the floor and released his grip on Eiko, then returned to Laenia and Alice. "Does she remind you of someone ?" Laenia inquired, innocently.

He was speechless for a few seconds. "Please tell me I was not like that."

Laenia tried to be evasive, "Well ... " Alice chuckled.

Catching up

The remainder of the day was devoted to conversation at Alice's apartment. They had, after all, a great deal of catching up to do. He ordinarily preferred to spend as much time with Eiko as possible. But she had a way of grinning (that seemed curiously... unrestrained) at him whenever Alice was mentioned that made him reluctant to be in the presence of both at once.

Laenia and Stryker faced off in the kitchen. "Hey! You've got more whipped cream on your half !"

"I do not !"

"Yes you do !"

"I divided it very carefully."

"Oh, come on! Look at it! There's loads more on your side."

"You're hallucinating."

"Here, I'll fix it." Stryker offered.

Posed like a predator, Laenia extended her talons towards him. "Don't make me use these," she warned. He shrank back instantly. There was a clatter of cutlery. Each grabbed a butter knife. Laenia leaned her forehead against Stryker's. "I have been practising. You're going down," she said with a self-confident grin.

Eiko and Alice looked with great interest and amuzement at the sight of Laenia and Stryker having a miniature swordfight over the top of an extremely large waffle. Where Stryker had failed with cajolery, threats, politeness, sarcasm, and persistence, Laenia had succeeded through a combination of confusion, playfulness and outrage.

She quickly disarmed him, sending his knife pinwheeling towards the petite, pale cyan skinned woman who had just entered. His eyes followed the knife's trajectory. Lucida ducked just in time. "Sorry Specky !"

"Who is your friends ?"

Stryker introduced the larger Edenian first. "Laenia, meet Specky. Specky, Laenia."

"And this is my cousin Eiko. Eiko, this is Specky."

Laenia turned to Lucida, "Pleased to meet you! I love your hair !"

"Well, thank you. The pleasure's mutual. So, what was it I just interrupted ?"

"You don't want to know." Alice said, chuckling.

As she pranced around her room, Alice couldn't believe that she only had a few days left as a single woman.

She had been anxious for this part of her life since she was a little girl. Just the thought sent tingles down her spine. Although they had more than their fair share of friendship and relationship problems, Alice and Stryker had finally been able to understand that nothing could come between their love for each other any longer. She closed her eyes and began to picture her future with him.

However, she was soon disturbed by a knock at her door. "Can't a girl have a few hours of undisturbed quiet time around here?"

"No." a voice answered from the other side of the door.

"Kawaii." She smiled as Stryker entered her room and greeted her with a passionate embrace. He ran his fingers through her red hair, gazing into her enchanting green eyes. "Sometimes I forget how breathtakingly beautiful you are, Heart."

"You're not so bad yourself," she answered. Stryker pulled her tighter and gently kissed her lips. "Hey, let's go see what the others are up to." She grasped Stryker's hand and dragged him out of the room towards the recreational facilities.

Ray and Mouse were playing on the basketball courts. Deanne and MRess was laying out, soaking up the sun. "Hey, Deanne. You and Deanne up for a little ball?" Eiko asked. She wanted some new competition on the court. She and Alice were beating the daylights out of Stryker, Laenia, Deanne and MRess.

"Thanks for the invitation, but I think I'm in the mood for a little cool down." At that note, Stryker stripped off his shirt and raced towards the pool. After a long trip up to the high dive, he bounced off the end of the board.

"Hey ! If I wanted to get wet, I would've jumped in the pool myself," Deanne squealed as she toweled herself off.

"That was quite a splash," complimented MRess. The Caitian hated water.

Always up for competition, Alice decided to join the swimmers. "That was nothing." She climbed the high drive, jumped and pulling her knees to her chest, letting gravity take its toll, falling down to the blue depths below.

She made a huge splash. "That's it, I'm now completely DRENCHED!" Deanne shouted.

"Sorry there, Deanne," After apologizing to her friend, she swam over to Stryker. "Let's see you top that one !"

"You win." he admitted.

"Damn straight I do." Alice said as she swung her arms around Stryker's neck and gave him a quick kiss.

"Uggh, save that stuff til the honeymoon will you?" Disgusted, Deanne retreated to her pool chair to try to get some more sun.

Stryker, Eiko and Alice walked along a small stream in Sharon creek. A few patches of snow still remained, defiant of the milder tempatures spreading across Northern Ontario. "So, Eiko. I heard you have eyes for Anndraia's son." Stryker said.

"Nesencie ?" Eiko asked. "Well, he is so ... I am so ... when he asked me out, I thought ... but then ..."

"You are in the 'infatuation stage' on your relationship." Alice smiled at the younger Edenian.

"Ohh, does that mean Sparky has a serious love relationship ?" Stryker chuckled.

She thumped him on the shoulder as he half shielded himself. "DON'T CALL ME SPARKY !"

We will be married in nine days, and I am already dealing with children, Alice thought with a smile as Eiko tried wrestling him to the ground. He laughed and ruffled her hair. They quickly stopped and was forced to dash in order to catch up with Alice who kept walking.

"Well, I am glad you found someone you like Eiko." Stryker said as Alice took his hand into her's.

"I think us meeting was meant to happen. I mean, I thought I was in love but this is for real. This is the first time I have ever been in love." Eiko said.

"I know the feeling." Stryker smirked. "It happened to me a couple of times."

Eiko and Alice secretly glanced at each other, and nodded in understanding, then both suddenly picked up a handful of snow and pelted Stryker for his smart remark.

Cousins

Alice sat on his couch while Stryker fetched them a coffee. "Eiko has alot of energy doesn't she ?" Alice remarked.

"She's often Demonspawn when her mother's around. Laenia, on the other hand, is trying to manage work and home and still have some time to breathe, but it does not seem to be working very well. She knows she's missing out on her daughter's life, but is at a loss as to how to fix it without having to give something up."

"Like two liters of adrenaline crammed into a little kid." Alice smiled.

"True." Stryker admitted. "And that whirled bundle of energy is usually directed at me."

"She idolizes you." Alice told him.

"What do you mean ?" he asked surprised.

"Eiko looks up to you. Hero worship." Alice told him.

Graduation

Grand reception hall. Palais De Banquet. Courseulles-sur-Mer, France.

The hall was well lit, but wasn't too bright to block out the beautiful moonlight. Laenia and Deanne was sharing a running joke that you couldn't tell which was which, since Tellarite males and females were almost impossible to tell apart.

Atleast nine men were staring at Laenia at any one time. Some were accompanied by women who started glaring at their boyfriends or Laenia. Stryker pressed his lips together to restrain the smile that wanted to escape: this wasn't the first time he'd seen someone fall instantly under the spell of her magnetism. Male hominids seemed particularly susceptible.

"Everyone is drinking fat burners so they look good in their uniforms for today's group photo." Ray remarked.

"I guess humans have not yet conquered vanity." Valeris said in her usual dull, uninterested voice. She wore a medallion that hang on a thin bronze chain. A small diamond sparkled at its off-center point where the conflicting geometry of circle and triangle met.

Stryker sighed deeply in mild annoyance, Vulcan headache go away.

"I can't wait for my first assignment. I wonder how long it will take to make Commander." Enzo said excitedly.

"You are not even an ensign yet."

"Well, with my skill it should happen quickly." Enzo replied with glee.

"I feel sorry for your future commanding officers." Stryker groaned.

Cariahn turned to Lucida. "It's going to be strange to not have to attend classes anymore. Of course, we Andorians consider the universe as a class room. So Specky, are you looking forward to the big day ?"

"Sure, when are you getting married ?" Lucida retorted.

"Married? I, uh ... uh."

"Its just a joke Cariahn." Lucida laughed. "You seriously need to work on your sense of humour."

Stryker: "I never figured out the 4 people in a single marriage thing that Andorians do."

Four people appeared on the stage. Lili Marquette looked the crowd as silence fell. "Good morning. Graduation. It is a time of change-" Lili Marquette got a weak response from audience. "Oh dear!" she said. Laughter from audience.

"You gave such a wonderful, warm welcome; that's a lousy response. Good morning!" she tried again. This time a strong response.

"A great deal better." Lili Marquette said, feeling relieved.

Lili Marquette started her speech, "What a glorious, glorious occasion today is turning out to be. What a great joy to be here with all of you celebrating the outstanding achievements of those who are graduating on this occasion. Heartiest congratulations to all of you who are graduating. I know it was not easy. It is a splendid, splendid achievement, and I know that you are going to keep getting applause. But I'd like to suggest to this great gathering that we ought to give them at this point a very, very special applause. Let's just give them a wonderf-- " she was cut off by applause. ". . .Thank you."

More applause followed.

"You know the story of the farmer who in his back yard had chicken, and then he had a chicken that was a little odd looking, but he was a chicken. It behaved like a chicken. It was pecking away like other chickens. It didn't know that there was a blue sky overhead and a glorious sunshine until someone who was knowledgeable in these things came along and said to the farmer, "Hey, that's no chicken. That's an eagle. "Then the farmer said, "Um, um, no, no, no, no man. That's a chicken; it behaves like a chicken. And the man said no; give it to me please. And he gave it to this knowledgeable man. And this man took this strange looking chicken and climbed the mountain and waited until sunrise. And then he turned this strange looking chicken towards the sun and said, "Eagle, fly, eagle. "And the strange looking chicken shook itself, spread out its pinions, and lifted off and soared and soared and soared and flew away, away into the distance.

"Now I say to all of you, you are no chicken; you are an eagle. Fly, eagle, fly. Shake yourselves, spread your pinions, and then lift off and soar and rise, and rise toward the confident and the good and the beautiful. Rise towards the compassionate and the gentle and the caring. Rise to become eagles, not chickens."

Lili Marquette got a lengthy applause.

"It's your turn to fly. I have no doubt at all that all of you are going to make a very significant contribution to the universe out there. "

One of the Irish cadets yelled "Let's get pissed."

Stryker picked at his new pips. "Don't wear them out Lieutenant." a voice said playfully. He turned across to face the smiling face of Lt.Cmdr. Sharon Edwards. "Thank you." Stryker said, scared that this will likely be the last time he'd meet her. "Thank you for your help and encouragement."

"Alice, Stryker. You make a lovely pair."

Stryker felt light headed again, it happens only when Alice is near.

"Commander Williams and I would like to offer you a position right now." Sharon Edwards told the couple.

"We would like you two to stay at Starfleet Academy as instructors."

Alice and Stryker looked at each other their eyes, wide with surprise. After a minute of discussing in private, Alice and Stryker both refused, requesting to be posted together on a starship "where the real adventure is."

Edwards looked sad and upset. He looked at the couple, "The offer still stands. Anytime you want to come back."

Two hearts

Their wedding was held on a beach, near Sudwana, South Africa. The sun was almost set. An ebb-tibe rolled in and out slowly. Four huge candles burning with chemical flames cast a purple light on the wedding, four bells were hang nearby.

Mouse and Laenia was the matriarchal masters of ceremony. Each was dressed in long dark blue skirts. A pale pink flower and pale green vines pattern that looked like it is crawling up the left side of the skirt. Mouse had two silver bracelets on her right wrist, on her left hand, her trademark mouse gold ring on her index finger.

Stryker was painted in blue from the neck down. He wearing the blue armored version of his Guardian uniform.

Alice's long red hair held off her forehead by a wire circlet. A black bodysuit under her short sleeve purple dress. A blue-gray mantle hang around her shoulders. A stripe of white paint on each cheek and arm.

Alice was tortured by a delicious mix of anticipation and apprehension. Her red hair that fell to the small of her back, and she carried herself with an easy, self-assured grace. Embraided on her dress, a golden jerkin

The wedding couple stopped in front of Mouse and Laenia. Stryker reached out with one finger and held it under her chin. "For you, I would face anything thrown in my path." he whispered.

He could feel her tremble slightly at his touch and it was all he could do to control his own trembling. He reached down and held the bracelet in both his hands then tugged. Alice stared in shock as it crumbled in his hands. He raised one brow and grinned slightly. The bracelet was part of the ceremony, like an engagement ring, but since it was no longer needed.

He clasped her hand, entwining fingers. "There is a blind bird sings inside the cage that is my heart. And the image of your face is with me always. If I could give a shape to this ache that I have for you. If I could find the voice that says the words that capture you. Beautiful Alice."

Alice looked at Stryker, "Perhaps we are two halves of a broken vessel, lying useless for our purpose until mended. You will be mine forever, I will be yours My purest heart for you. I love you Stryker. Do you give yourself to me as I give myself to you ?"

Stryker whispered "Yes."

Mouse and Laenia stepped forward. Alice saw a flash of something in Mouse's eyes as she stood in front of Stryker. Stryker hestitated as Mouse took off his t'santari, he fought the defensive reaction nearly putting up a hand to block her, away from his t'santari, an Edenian's most important ascept of one's self, honour and linage. He looked on as 2 lockets dangled from the necklace chain. Laenia removed Alice's tsantari.

Alice and Stryker looked at each other directly, "If there is any meaning In the fate that pulled us together, With this exchange, will you make me truly happy, By giving yourself to me, as i give myself to you. This is who we are, my beloved. Stronger together than we were apart, braver and better hand in hand." they said together.

Laenia added another locket to Alice's while Mouse did the same to Stryker's.

"You are now binded. In faith and in love." Mouse and Laenia said in perfect sync as Laenia put Alice's tsantari necklace back around her neck, while Mouse was securing Stryker's tsantari around his neck

The wedding crowd cheered. Alice and Stryker took off running, into the ocean and began to swim away.

Later that night.

Alice and Stryker was alone in their room. Alone for the first time since the marriage ceremony. She disappeared quickly into the washroom, and shut the door.

Alice reappeared a minute later. She smiled shyly, wearing only a simple robe. It fell to the ground.

Stryker admired the view. He remembered the first and only time she'd seen her naked. That was three months ago, five days before their fateful shuttle mission started. He failed to press the doorchime on the door to their quarters before entering. Alice was asleep. Her sheets were on the floor as if she had tossed them during a nightmare. He quickly exited before she had woke, or so he thought. She joked about it later that day in ten-forward. Stryker didn't find it quite so funny. His face was as red as his neck tunic.

"Come here you." Alice teased, her electric green eyes sparkling. Her gaze became very soft as Stryker approached her. He raised her up and held her in his arms. She pressed her warm body up against him and he embraced her even tighter. He gave her a little kiss on her forehead, then her cheek, and then her mouth.

Alice looked up, then pulls his head down to her, and drank deeply of his lips. He pressed himself into her. She leaned back from her waist, held upright only by his embrace. As their lips part, she rolled her head backward, exposing her soft neck. Stryker let a trail of kisses on her neck.

Stryker took Alice's face into his hands and softly tracing her lips with his right thumb. His left hand crept around to the back of her head, combing his fingers through her mussed hair. Pulling her face towards his, he kissed her fully on the lips. Alice's lips quivered but answered his kiss tenderly. The kiss became more intense as he trailed his hand along her jaw. Dropping her hands into the open neckline of his shirt and pulling it open. Their breath became ragged as they ended their kiss and gazed back into each others eyes. Instead of kisses, their lips shared smiles.

They looked into each other's eyes. He kissed her again on the lips, a soft, open mouth kiss that she returned with equal tenderness. Alice began to kiss his chest. He ran his fingers down the line where the bottom of her breasts met her ribcage.

Her soft, warm breasts rubbed against the skin of his chest. She kissed his lips with a slow but fierce passion. He responded in kind, letting his hands run up and down her spine as their lips caressed each other. Stryker would tease her, letting his hands go down her back until he felt her shiver in pleasure. Then he would take the massage back up and slowly work his hands down again.

He pressed her breasts, very gently crushed them against her body. He kissed the center of her chest, Alice felt herself getting dizzy from the pleasure. His hands and tongue on the tender underside of her breasts, and the sides, eventually both breasts wet from his tongue and lips. His moist tongue tickled each brown nipple in turn, he sucked each nipple for a while. Stryker rolled her off of her and got up on his knees.

He pulled down his pants to his knees. He hurriedly tried to hop out of them as best he could. She laughed warmly at his first few futile attempts and didn't even wait for her to finish before pulling his underwear down as well. He leaned her back on the bed and kneeled over her again.

Stryker lifted both of her long legs into his arms. Alice giggled when he blew long streams of warm air on to the soles of her bare feet. Alice's legs opened wide and he stared at her vessel before him.

Stryker started at the inside of her knee and kissed down her thigh. The closer he got to her vessel, the slower he would move forward. The brown fleshy destination so close. Within a minute he reached his destination, his tongue to drew a line around her entire sex. Another short live tease as he ran his tongue across her sex. He seperated the fleshy walls with his tongue. Slowly, his tongue travelled up and down, and once in a while, sucking gently on the fleshy sides.

She moaned sweetly as he gently coaxed pleasure out of her tiny clit. He could taste her joy as it began well up inside of her. She gasped and he felt her muscles tense up. He thrust his tongue inside her as deep as he could. She moaned and twisted her nipples as a soft cloud of pleasure fell over her.

It took a while, but Alice eventually recovered the ability of think, looked down at him and said, "Now it's your turn."

It was she who now leaned his body back on the bed and kneeled over him. Her hands ran down his chest and around his hips to his thighs. She brought her hands up between his legs and cupped his tight sack. His eyes rolled back into his head as she took one hand and massaged his sensitive rocks. With the other she gathered up some of her own wetness and then slid it up and down his throbbing member.

She looked at him out of the top of her eyes with a teasing glance then and kissed his orange-red head before sliding it into her mouth. The combination was almost too much. Yet, he somehow managed to keep himself and still enjoy the moment.

They both sat up and kissed each other. Alice laid back on the bed and spread her legs before her again. He crawled up to her and positioned himself at her threshold. He paused, both of them savoring the moment. Then he slide slowly inside her. He grunted as her smooth walls grabbed her tightly. He pushed deeper and deeper until he was completely inside her. "OH!" both of them moaned. The feeling was so intense, so different when you are truly in love, and not just mating because you feel horny.

Their bodies were soon rising and falling as one. He plunged deep inside her over and over again. Stryker kissed her face, neck, shoulders and breasts as she kissed his face and chest. Again and again, Alice came up to meet his thrusts. Faster and faster, the breath came and left our bodies. Thin layers of sweat formed over her body. He was panting.

Their moans began to get louder. The bed began to shake with the power of lust. They were lost in each other's arms. Finally he felt it. Her body tightened up, all her muscles contracted and squeezed whatever resistance he had left out of him. When her face contorted and a tiny squeak escaped her mouth, the dam inside of her burst and let loose a torrent inside of her.

They collapsed into each other's arms and let the feeling flow though them. Alice and Stryker kissed each other's lips softly as they gasped for air. She stretched her body in a fashion that Stryker suddenly found very fascinating.

Alice ran her tongue over her now dry lips. She was bruised and the whole room smelled of her desires but she was still beautiful and innocent; the feelings she had were in her blood

"It was like nothing I had ever experienced before." Stryker told her. She nodded in agreement.

The passion and fire that had opened thereafter between them had washed over her, through her, and she found herself rising higher and higher above it, feeling glorious, exhilarated, and animal in her desire as she gave her body willingly to him. She could feel his own need burn within him as he attempted to quench the flames in her, feel him reach the pinnacle of his desires and leap willingly over the edge. She had felt his satisfaction afterwards as he held her with a tenderness she had never expected.

Alice sighed contentedly and rolled to her side, curling her body against the sleeping form of Stryker, wincing slightly at the soreness between her thighs.

"You are awake?" Stryker's voice came softly in the semi-darkness. Alice had been a bit surprised to feel the fire burning within him once again, but it was softer this time – the keen edge had been taken from the blade. He had taken her once again, this time slower, exploring her body more fully, delighting in the reactions he could elicit from his tender caresses.

Stryker finally felt tranquillity as well as passion.

Friends first, friends forever

Alice embraced Mouse, a few tears in her eyes. "I am going to miss you."

Ray and Mouse was assigned to the Toyama Maru. Mouse and Stryker kept their usual personal distance from each other. "I guess this is good bye, Lizard breath." she finally said.

"Goodbye! You annoy me for so long and then you just leave ?" he asked. Ray and Mouse climbed onto the transporter pad.

"Mark my words. You will miss me too." Mouse said with a smirk.

"Energize." Ray told the operator.

"Damn. She always gets the last word." Stryker complained as Ray and Mouse disappeared in transporter haze. Alice stared at the formally occupied space where her best friend stood.

The future shining brightly

He hugged Laenia tightly. "Take care of yourself."

"You too. I hope you return home soon. I miss having you around, you big nullhead."

Laenia let go of him eventually. She waved before stepping onto her shuttle, the Elysdeon. He hugged Eiko and held her for nearly a minute before letting go. "You got everything, Eiko ?"

Eiko rolled her eyes. "Everything, and before you ask, yes, I double-checked. Honestly, you need to have some kids of your own," she added with a wink. Stryker felt his face growing warm. There was that grin again, and this time it wasn't just coming from Eiko.

Alice bent down to give Eiko a hug. "Well, goodbye, Eiko. It was really nice meeting you."

"'Bye, Alice! It was awesome meeting you !"

"Bye, Deanne! 'Bye, MRess !"

MRess and Deanne smiled, "'Bye, kid. take care of yourself !"

Eiko turned back to Stryker and hugged him with every ounce of her strength. "'Bye, Rakurai! It was terrific seeing you. Will you come visit me sometime ?"

"I will try. You're welcome to visit here whenever you have a chance."

"Well, not too soon. I have to give this planet time to recover." Eiko laughed.

"You got that right. Good luck at the Guardian Academy, and give my love to Suelo and Nekise." he said.

"Give it to them yourself! They'd be thrilled to see you again."

Eiko nodded. She turned and waved one last time. " 'Bye, everyone !" She stepped into the shuttle. The door closing behind her. Stryker wanted to follow her and return home but managed to restrain himself somehow.

They watched as the Elysdeon took off and rose into the cloudy sky. Alice said nothing, but stared thoughtfully. "Stryker? If we ever do have children, do you think we'll sort of cancel out ?"

Stryker smiled, "Let's hope so."

Proceed to the final chapter ...
Epilogue