Title: Sojourn: Part 2 – Mindblank
Author: JadeHeart
Located/Archived: If anyone would like it, please ask me first!
Creation Date: 1994
Fandom: Blakes 7
Rating: M
Timeline: A few years after the end of the TV series.
Original Characters: Kitra and Griffen are mine.
Summary: Fate brings the players from the past to gather again.
Disclaimer: I do not own the idea/outline/characters of Blake's 7, this belongs to the original creators, nor am I making any profits from this.
Chapter 3
"Well, I've been in worse places." Kitra said, shifting position awkwardly. "Though at the moment I can't think of any."
"How long do you think we'll have to wait?" Tarrant whispered, glancing around.
She shook her head. "Don't know. I had hoped to avoid this problem."
"What..."
"Shhh!" Kitra grabbed Tarrant's shoulder to pull him back further into the shadows of the overhanging rocks as a light passed by and sounds could be heard in the distance. They waited a moment before silence settled once more.
Tarrant became aware that he was pressed up closely against Kitra, his arms around her as he supported his weight, their faces close together. He could see her still peering into the darkness, knew she was using all her senses to detect any danger to them. He felt himself responding to her closeness. Even the fact that she was an alien didn't bother him. He felt her sigh, feeling her breasts press against his chest for a moment and her warm breath brush his cheek, then she turned her head to face him, her lips parted to speak. But something she saw in his face stopped her words. Before she could do anything else Tarrant bent his head and kissed her. Her lips were soft and full, and after a moments hesitation he felt her hands move around his back.
The kiss was long and lingering. Tarrant finally raised his head to look at her. Her eyes showed the slit pupil but this alieness merely served to make her seem that much more exotic.
He suddenly felt her stiffen, her hands tightening in warning on his back as her head turned and her eyes searched the darkness. He all but held his breath as he lay there pressed closely against her. A light could be seen jumping around in the darkness and then suddenly a pair of boots appeared before them, level with their eyes. They stopped there. Tarrant could feel Kitra tensed for action if need be, although neither of them dared make any movement. Then the boots stepped away to vanish into the darkness. Tarrant remained still until he felt Kitra relax and her eyes came back to his face.
"Close call." he whispered, moving away from her carefully, trying not to make too much noise and get comfortable in their limited space.
"We'll have to wait till things die down before moving out." she said, glancing back into the night.
"What about Vila?" Tarrant asked.
"Griffen will watch him. He's used to it." She curled herself into a ball, snuggled up against his side. "Try to get some sleep." came her muffled words.
Tarrant mentally shrugged and moved to a more comfortable position, half curled around her. The warmth of her body was welcome and he soon dozed off.
"So, what's ours?" Tarrant queried.
Kitra scanned the room and began to lift covers to peer at the contents underneath. "Bel said it would be here. We'll just have to find it."
"That's not very good organisation."
Kitra snorted. "Bel has never been known for his 'good' organisation."
They moved around the room, examining everything, making their way towards the back of the complex. There was a large covered object, obviously a ship of some sort. Tarrant merely glanced at it and then ignored it. Kitra looked, then gazed around the room before bringing her gaze back to it. She shook her head slowly.
Tarrant noticed that she was standing still. "What's up?"
"I've found our cargo. Damn Bel to the depths of Tantaras!" she said, with venom.
She stalked over to the ship and cut the cords with a swipe of a vibro-blade, ripping the covering away. There was a small jump ship, only suitable for short planetary hops and limited deep space travel.
Tarrant came to her side. "What do you mean? You said the cargo was for ship components."
"Exactly. Bel just forgot to mention one thing. The components are still attached to the ship!"
"You mean that's our cargo?" Tarrant asked, pointing at the ship.
"That's our cargo." Kitra confirmed. "When I see Bel I'm going to flay him alive for this stunt!"
"Kitra," the communicator chimed.
"Yes?"
"We've got trouble." Griffen said.
"What?"
"Pursuit ships. Two of them. And coming in fast!" came Vila's voice.
"Are they on a routine patrol?"
"Not a chance. They're coming right here!"
"Damn!" Kitra thought for a moment before giving her orders. "Get 'Pegasus' out of here. Head for the other side of the planet. Have they detected you yet?"
"I don't think so, but it won't be much longer." Griffen replied.
"Then go now. We'll meet you shortly."
"Let's go," Tarrant said, moving towards the door.
"No!"
"What?"
"I'm damned if I'm going to leave empty handed!" Kitra spat.
"Are you mad?" Tarrant said. "There are two pursuit ships coming in! We have to get back to the drop ship and get the hell out of here!"
"Not without my cargo!"
"It's not worth it!"
"Yes, it is! If we don't produce goods at the end of this trip we'll have more than the Federation looking for us. My word is my bond, and I made a deal!"
"We don't have time to get what we want!"
"We're not going to. You claim you're the best pilot out. Now you can prove it. We're taking the whole damn ship!"
"We don't even know if it'll fly!"
"Then you had better hurry up and check, hadn't you?" Kitra put in pointedly. "I'll fly cover for you if need be but you'll have plenty of opportunity to show off some of your fancy flying."
Tarrant could hardly believe what he was hearing but with Kitra standing there calmly he had no choice but to believe that she was being completely serious. He shook his head in amazement and then with a reckless grin ran to the ship.
Slipping inside he began to check the instrumentation. It appeared to be in order, although he had no guarantee that everything was working. Slowly he began to fire up the engines.
"Kit, you've got to get out of there!" Griffen's voice reached her over the roar of the engines.
"What's wrong?"
"Those ships are going to be landing right where you are in minutes! They seem to know exactly where you'll be!"
"I had already guessed as much. We've been double crossed."
"I can't believe that Bel would do that!" Griffen said firmly.
"Everyone's got his price, Griffen. Although I do tend to agree with you. I don't think Bel did have a hand in it. I have a feeling that it came from the other end." The engines took on a new note as they began reaching full capacity. "We'll sort it out later!" Kitra shouted so Griffen could hear. "Keep the ship out of sight, feed the co-ordinates to the drop ship. I'll run cover for Tarrant."
Tarrant dropped from the underbelly of the ship and ran to her. "Everything appears to be functional. Do you want me to break through the roof?"
"You don't have any armoury?"
"Nothing!"
"Then do it! We've got to leave now! The pursuit ships will be landing and I've got to make it back to the drop ship! Just get off the ground and head for open space, Griffen will give you the co-ordinates. Just go and don't stop!"
"What about you?"
"I'll run interference in case those pursuit ships catch on quicker than I hope! Now go!"
Tarrant nodded and ran back to his ship whilst Kitra turned her back and sprinted out of the warehouse and back to the drop ship. Glancing upwards she made out two specks in the sky descending rapidly. The pursuit ships. Throwing herself into the drop ship her fingers raced over the controls, firing up the engines and arming the small laser cannon, the only weaponry the ship had. It wasn't designed as a fighting ship. She took off as soon as the ship was ready and shot past the pursuit ships before they could bring to bear on her. Unfortunately, it didn't take them long to cease descending and begin the ascent to follow.
"Griffen, have you got Tarrant?"
"Not yet. We have him on the detector but it'll be a few more minutes."
"Tell him to hurry up. And get the battle computers on line."
"Will do."
Kitra turned and raced head on to the rising pursuit ships. They were larger than the drop ship and took longer to build up speed. So whilst they were sluggishly attempting to match her momentum she had more manoeuvrability than they. She fired a few laser blasts, striking both ships. She could not do a great deal of damage unless it was a very lucky shot, but she could cause a distraction and maybe gain some time for Tarrant and herself. She turned again and shot out to deeper space.
"Do you read me, Kitra?" Tarrant's voice came to her.
"Tarrant?" she replied, surprised.
"I managed to patch in the communications station. I didn't know if I would pick up the correct frequency. You okay?"
"At the moment." she glanced down at the panel in front of her, seeing the specks drawing closer. "Though that could be debateable shortly!"
"This ship is flying like a slug! It's barely pushing over the sixty percentile. I can't keep up with you."
Kitra checked her screen again. "I've got you on monitor. Be with you shortly."
"Kitra?" Griffen's welcome voice reached her.
"How are things looking?" she queried, still watching her screens, gauging distances, making minor adjustments.
"Fine from here. What about you?"
"It's touch and go. The planet hopper's not at full functional capacity. We'll keep heading towards you."
"At your present speed those pursuit ships are going to be on you before you get here!"
"We'll make it! Just keep out of sight! If they spot 'Pegasus' they'll ignore us and try to destroy you!"
"I know what I'm doing! I hope you know what you are!"
The drop ship came in closer to Tarrant's planet hopper and Kitra matched the speed. It was travelling at approximately 75 the speed of the drop ship. She watched the pursuit ships gaining.
"It's going to be a close call." she said to Tarrant.
"I told you to leave this ship."
"You can say 'I told you so' when we're safely away!"
"If we live that long!"
Then the pursuit ships were there. Both the drop ship and planet hopper were small targets and more agile but the pursuit ships had far superior fire power. Kitra's laser could cause minor damaged but needed to be fired at close range, bringing her into further danger. Tarrant had to rely on his skill as a pilot to stay out of danger.
Kitra couldn't help but admire his skill. She had seen him fly before; he had piloted 'Pegasus', the freighter and the drop ship. She knew that he was good and certainly hadn't boasted of his abilities. But in this life and death struggle, she truly saw what made him one of the best pilots that ever came from the Federation academy. He made his ship dodge, duck, swerve, seem to stand on its nose or tail, spin, everything that a ship shouldn't be able to do.
At Griffen's signal they both broke off the attack and headed straight for the dark side of the planet. A plasma bolt passed under them and struck the first pursuit ship, closely followed by a second which destroyed the one following. The light from this momentarily blinded Kitra and Tarrant and when their eyes had reaccustomed themselves they both found themselves on a collision course with 'Pegasus'!
Rapidly altering course they swerved to either side, before more sedately moving into docking position. Once the grapples had drawn both ships inside and repressurised, Kitra and Tarrant vacated their respective ships with a sigh of relief.
"You all right?" Tarrant asked Kitra, hugging her.
"Fine," she replied returning the gesture. "You were the one doing the fancy flying. You're not too shabby."
He glanced down at her smiling face and felt his flesh shiver. He was finding himself drawn to her more and more and was uncertain how to deal with it. She neither encouraged nor discouraged him, but he knew that something would have to be resolved, and soon.
"Let's get this cargo dropped off." she said, turning to head for the flight deck. "We've got a deadline to meet."
"I can't believe that you just gave it to them after everything that happened. You know they double crossed you!"
Kitra kept walking. "Of course I know they did! But I honour my agreements. I said I would deliver the cargo, it is now delivered."
"But they'll just turn you in again!"
"Oh no, they won't."
"Don't tell me you believe in 'honour among thieves'?" Tarrant said sarcastically.
Kitra's laugh had a hard edge to it. "Not in the least! But I made a bargain and I have delivered as promised. They have received their cargo as requested, nothing less. But I never said a thing about anything more."
Tarrant looked across at her. A half smile was on her lips as she continued. "I left a little surprise for them."
She now stopped and moved to lean against the wall looking back at where they had come from. Tarrant too turned. Suddenly a fireball erupted in the sky and a loud 'thump' reached them a moment later.
Tarrant looked at Kitra who was watching the fireball intently.
"You did that?" he asked, motioning with his head, although he already knew the answer.
She looked over at him. "I couldn't let them get away with it. If I had, I wouldn't have a customer left, not to mention I'd be dodging the Federation at every pick up. That," she waved a hand at the destruction. "let's everyone know that you do not double cross me. And live." She brushed her hands and continued back towards the ship.
"Rather drastic, isn't it?" Tarrant asked, thinking of the possible number of people that could have been present at the time of the explosion.
Kitra glanced across at him. "Tarrant, you were the one that was just saying that I shouldn't let them get away with it."
"I didn't really mean for you to kill them all!"
"Then what did you mean!" she said in exasperation. "Tarrant, there was no other solution. I would not lower myself and set the Federation on them, I am not that cruel, but I had no choice! I could not let them live. They had to be the message to everyone else. Or it would take only a matter of weeks before Vila would be back rotting on a prison planet and you'd have no mind again. That's if you weren't both killed this time. Is that what you want?"
"Of course not!" Tarrant replied, understanding her reasons but finding it difficult to accept. Then he thought of something. "What would happen to you?"
"Me?" she shrugged. "I imagine I would be killed. After their scientists had finished with me. I have no value to the Federation except as an experimental subject. I would rather avoid that."
They walked in silence until they reached their ship, then Tarrant reached out and placed a hand on her arm, halting her. "Kit, I'm sorry. You've got your reasons and I guess there's little difference between killing them like that or if they had attempted to fight us and we killed them that way. It really does all come down to the same thing. You know what is best and you are thinking of both Vila and my own well being. Thank you."
Kitra smiled slowly and gently placed a hand on his cheek. "It's all right, Tarrant. I don't kill for no apparent reason. That is against my nature. But I will not live in danger by refusing to kill." Her fingertips stroked his cheek softly before releasing him and she entered the ship.
Tarrant remained where he stood, staring after her. He shook his head trying to shake the image of her from his mind. His cheek still burned from her soft touch. He was a man, and at this minute he desperately wanted the woman who had just left him.
He paced a few steps to the right, turning and going left, thinking furiously. What was he thinking of! She was an alien. He wasn't prejudiced but she was quite unmistakeably alien. She was beautiful, there was no denying that. She was clever, quick witted, strong, fearless and yet she could be very gentle.
He had seen the way she interacted with Griffen and Vila, both were treated like her brothers. Griffen was addressed as though he stood there in person, he was made to feel useful and needed. She would converse with him, confide in him. She trusted him.
Vila was treated as a delinquent younger brother, for all that he was older than she. She indulged him, yet also kept him in line. Tarrant understood that she had only taken on the search for himself and the others at Vila's bequest. If she had refused, Vila would have had to do it alone and Tarrant was not deluding himself, nor belittling Vila, in realising that he would probably never have been found and most certainly never had gained his memories.
Griffen and Vila had become part of her family. But what was he? He stopped at the base of the ramp and looked up into the darkness. It was time he found out.
He found Kitra in the hold, tidying away bits and pieces. She glanced up when she heard him enter. "Ready to go?" she asked, turning back to her task.
"There's nothing else to do here."
"I'll be glad to get home." She stood upright and rubbed the back her neck.
"Tired?"
She nodded. "A lot's been happening. I could do with a break."
Seeing this as an opening he could use Tarrant stepped closer and reached up to massage her neck. She dropped her hand with a sigh and closed her eyes. "That feels good," she said softly. He could feel the tenseness in her muscles. She wasn't exaggerating when she said she was tense and tired.
He continued to rub her shoulders, moving to stand directly behind her. Gradually she was leaning back against him. As he worked more on her shoulders and not her neck, her head leant back to rest on his chest. He could see that her eyes were still closed, lips slightly parted as she began to relax. He was wary about startling her, knowing that she could cause him some serious damage if caught unawares but this was as good an opportunity that he would ever get.
Very slowly he bent his head, continuing to rub her shoulders, and placed a soft kiss on her stretched throat. She did not jump in surprise, so he continued to softly kiss her throat. She leant back into him further as he slowly released her shoulders and brought his arms around her. Her eyes remained closed until he raised his head to look at her. When they opened he could see that the veil had lifted and he was gazing into two large golden eyes that watched him steadily. He leant down to touch her lips with his and they remained in a long lingering kiss. Her arms stole around his neck and her body was pliable beneath his hands.
"Please?" he whispered hoarsely in her ear, all his passion and need voiced in that one word. He waited in agony of her decision, fearing rejection even at this stage.
Her fingers ran down the side of his face as she said softly. "Yes,"
For a moment Tarrant couldn't believe he had heard correctly. Surely he had misunderstood. But she was still in his arms, and if anything pressing against him closer than before. There was no mistake. Released from his indecision, now he could act.
When they arrived back at the base Vila was aware of a change between them immediately. Even before Tarrant stood behind her, wrappeing his arms about her and kissing her cheek.
"I gather that the exchange went well?" he said.
Kitra smiled at him. "They won't be bothering us again. Anything happen whilst we were gone?"
"Obviously nothing as interesting as what you two got up to."
Kitra cocked her head to one side and scrutinised Vila for a moment. Tarrant merely grinned broadly. Vila was certain that he hated Tarrant when he smiled.
"Griffen said that Orac has something to tell us." Vila continued.
"What?" Tarrant asked.
Vila shrugged. "I don't know. Orac said he'd wait for you to return so he could tell us all."
"Sounds like Orac is being his usual irritating self. I'll go and see what I can get out of him." Tarrant turned to the door.
"You can try," Vila said. "But you can't bully Orac. He's not going to cave in to you."
"We'll just see about that, won't we?" Tarrant said leaving the room.
"Two things that never change about Tarrant," Vila said turning back to the bar. "He smiles all the time and he likes to bully people."
"Vila," Kitra's soft voice reached him.
"Yes?"
"What's wrong?"
"Wrong? Nothing's wrong. What could be wrong?" he tried to make his voice light but could not bring himself to look at her.
Her hand rested on his arm. "Tell me,"
He shook his head before looking up at her. He gazed upon her face; lovely, exotic. How could he tell her that he was jealous of Tarrant? Then he thought about it further. Until he had seen her with Tarrant he had never even considered her in that light. Not since the very first night they had met. What did he feel for her?
"Vila. Is it because of Tarrant?"
He nodded, unable to trust himself to speak.
She continued to look closely at his face, then dropped her hand away, releasing him. "Then it shall not continue." She turned away to leave.
Vila stared at her departing back, his mouth open. He finally found enough voice to say. "What?"
Kitra stopped and turned to face him again. "I would not do anything to harm you, Vila, or cause you discomfort. You are not happy with my association with Tarrant, so I shall not associate with him in that manner. I will tell him so."
"But... don't you like him?"
"Very much," She dropped her eyes and her voice lowered. "I have not had... anyone to care for before." She looked up once more. "But it is not important."
"But you like him! Of course, it's important!"
"You are more so," was her quiet reply.
Vila could not think of what to say to that. She liked Tarrant, that was very obvious, and from what little he had been able to glean of her past he didn't think she had cared about anyone before now. Her only 'family' was Griffen, and he had told Vila that there had never been any lovers in all the years that he had known Kitra. So for her to actually admit that she cared for Tarrant was rather momentous.
And yet she was prepared to walk away from it all. For him! That told him more than a thousand words how much that she valued him. And though she may love Tarrant, she actually cared about Vila even more than that. Vila closed the distance between them and impulsively reached out to hug her. She responded willingly.
"Oh, Kit! I don't want you to give up Tarrant."
She leant back from him, holding his forearms. "You don't?"
He smiled sheepishly. "No. I want you to be happy. Though how you can put up with someone as egotistical as him I don't know. Especially when there is someone of my wit and calibre right here." She chuckled in reply. "If you want to be with Tarrant, then you be with him. I don't mind. I... guess I did feel jealous. He's handsome, strong, brave, the sort that always gets the girl. I guess I just didn't want him to get you too."
"Vila, Tarrant may be all those things but I can walk away from all of it if you want me to." Kitra said seriously, scanning his face.
He shook his head. "No, it's all right. You see, you've just shown that even though Tarrant may think he has won you, I know that I'm more important to you. I guess I'm actually luckier than Tarrant. It's like we're family."
Kitra smiled at him, with tears gleaming in her eyes. "You are family, Vila. No matter how much you exasperate me. You and Griffen mean more to me than anything in this universe. Never doubt that."
Vila gave her another quick hug. "Then that means I can continue to annoy you and you can't kill me if I do something stupid or you don't like."
"I can always kill you and say I was sorry afterwards." she replied with a sarcastic smile.
Vila rolled his eyes. "You have got to meet Avon!"
"May be I will!"
"Okay," Vila said briskly, picking up his forgotten drink. "Let's got find out what Tarrant has managed to wheedle out of Orac!"
"Think that's likely?"
"Not one bit!" and he linked arms with her as they left.
Vila sidled up next to Tarrant. "You treat her right." he said softly.
"What?" Tarrant said turning his head.
"Kitra. Don't do anything to hurt her."
"Vila, what right do you think you have to tell me what to do?" Tarrant replied arrogantly, turning away.
He was surprised when Vila grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.
Vila retained his grip and stared firmly into Tarrant's face. "I mean it, Tarrant." he said forcefully. "If you hurt her, somehow I'll find a way to make you pay. She deserves better. So treat her right." With that he released Tarrant's arm and walked away.
Tarrant watched him leave in amazement. Never had he seen Vila so confident or firm. Never had he seen Vila actually become physical to get his point across. This was quite a change of character. Though then again, perhaps not. A few times there had been glimpses that maybe Vila wasn't really what he appeared. He knew that Avon often suspected there was more, and Cally had been certain of it. But he had always dismissed Vila as the village idiot, and a coward.
He thought about what Vila had said. He had already had much the same conversation from Griffen and he was beginning to feel that perhaps he had bitten off more than he could chew. How did he really feel about Kitra? He still liked her, that much had certainly not changed, but did he love her? He didn't think so, but wasn't sure.
Perhaps he simply let himself get carried away with everything; the relief of regaining his memories, of being reunited with Vila and Orac, searching for the others, the excitement and danger of smuggling, and Kitra's exotic personality. All could have made him look for more. And maybe it's just not a good idea to mix business with pleasure. His feelings towards Servalan had forever changed after their time on Vern. No matter how hard he had tried he could not hate her as he had, for all that he knew the terrible things she had done and would continue to do. That had affected his relationship with the others on Scorpio. He had hurt Dayna the most, for which he was sorry. They had been close before. They never were again. Maybe he should have resisted his impulses and left Kitra alone. He knew that she would have made no move if he had not.
He shook his head. He needed to think about this. He would need to talk to Kitra also about it.