Chapter Seven

I'm losing my mind, thought Teela as she lay in bed in bed in her quarters, still in her nightgown. It was now eleven-thirty hours, well past the time she should've been in uniform and on duty. My own mother is forcing me to choose between her and He-Man!

I don't want to be hers or anyone else's hired gun, Teela thought. She had hardly slept in over four days. Her hair was disheveled. Beads of sweat were running down her face. Maybe he destroyed that village, maybe he didn't. It's not my place to be judge, jury … and executioner.

My one chance to see my mother … and I've BLOWN it!

A knock at the door broke Teela's fevered reverie.

"Who is it?" Teela called out.

"It's Captain Atreyu," came the reply from the other side of the door. "May I come in?"

Captain Atreyu … the cute chaplain, Teela thought with a smile. She then wondered, How does he know where I LIVE?

"Come in," Teela cried out in reply. On the other hand, I could use someone to talk to, she thought. If you can't trust a priest, who CAN you trust?

The door slid open to one side, allowing Captain Atreyu to enter. As usual, he was wearing his regulation full-dress Royal Army uniform.

"What brings YOU here?" Teela inquired.

The Captain stood by the side of Teela's bed. "I was told … that you'd called in sick," he said, his normally smiling face now a mask of concern. "Is everything all right?"

Teela shook her head … No. "Can't sleep," she said.

"What's wrong?" The Captain inquired as he took a seat on the edge of Teela's bed. "Why haven't you been sleeping?"

"I've been ordered … to kill someone," Teela replied.

"Who?" The Captain asked. "Who have you been told to kill?"

"I can't say," Teela replied softly.

"Who put you up to this? Is this Crown business?" The Captain asked. He was now beginning to wonder if he was going someplace that he shouldn't have.

Teela shook her head … No. "Family," she replied.

"Someone close to you?"

"You might say that," Teela replied.

"This isn't the sort of thing one should keep secret," said The Captain.

"If I don't kill him, she'll disown me," said Teela.

"You said 'she'," said The Captain. "I presume … that we're talking about a woman?"

Teela nodded … Yes. There's that … electricity … in the air again, Teela thought. What IS it about this guy? "I've said too much," she said.

"You really need to tell someone," said The Captain softly. "If not me, then someone … you trust."

All at once, a wave of sleep began to wash over Teela. Her head began to feel heavy, listing to one side. Her eyes began to water, her eyelids feeling as if they were being pulled down by lead weights. "What's going on?" Teela wondered. "So tired. Can't keep my … eyes open."

"Shhh … Get some rest," murmured The Captain as he gently placed a hand on Teela's shoulder. With that, Teela rolled over on one side and fell into a deep sleep, The Captain sitting at the side of her bed, keeping a silent vigil.