Previously:
HMS Andromeda, Mothership Class Spacecraft, Milky Way Galaxy, February 2119
The bright lights of the stars whizzing by soon calmed from the frenetic swirl of ultra-lightspeed to the calm pinpoints of normal space. Staring out the window, they looked upon a small blue ball in the distance.
"You know what's crazy?" he asked. "When I graduated from the Academy, I couldn't wait to get my first assignment. I didn't care what it was as long as it was on a ship that was leaving Earth. I figured that with all the worlds out there in the galaxy, there had be somewhere better than this place. Somewhere more exciting, cleaner, with exotic alien races and enlightened thinking, somewhere that would make me forget about this little speck over there."
She hummed and nodded.
"Years later we've been to so many planets that I can barely remember them all," he shook his head in wonder. "Yet nowhere feels like Earth. Nowhere feels quite like home."
"Because I'm here?" she added, kissing him softly.
He grinned and nodded. "Especially because you're here."
She laughed and let him pull her into a warm kiss as the Andromeda crossed the remaining kilometres towards Earth.
Chapter 9:
Royal Star Navy Headquarters, Whitehall, London, England, Earth, February 2119
Mary bit down on her knuckle yet again before admonishing herself. She returned her hand to the side of her face and pursed her lips shut, breathing deeply. The nervous flutters in her stomach continued, along with the litany of fearful thoughts in her mind.
'It's fine. It's fine. He's fine.'
Her eyes narrowed and another frown creased her brow.
'Shouldn't he be finished by now? This has been going on forever.'
Her eyes wandered from the assistants standing off to the side watching their monitors to the staff circling about and taking notes on their tablets. They were all so engrossed with their tasks, barely giving the patient a second glance, and even when they did look at him, it was with the sterile detachment of scientists dissecting a lab animal. The doctors pointing and whispering to each other received her most pointed glare, however. It was almost as if they wanted something to go wrong with Matthew so they could have something to observe and comment on.
'Hurry the hell up, won't you?!'
"They're about halfway through," Sybil told her quietly. "They need to keep him under for a while longer to see how his body reacts."
Mary nodded slowly, her face still dark with concern as she watched Matthew and the monitors showing his steady heartbeat. "I know that he's all right. It's just…"
"I know," Sybil nodded, her own voice shaking slightly. "I hate seeing him lying down, too."
Mary glanced over at her sister and nodded before reaching for her hand.
Sybil did not let go until Matthew woke up again and was ushered out of the examination room.
The walk down the familiar hallway was short, but not nearly short enough for Mary's liking. She desperately wanted to be done with the day and be as far away from here as possible. When they first arrived hours ago, Matthew told her to leave and that he would be all right, but that only made her want to stay even more. The interviews weren't particularly noteworthy and his initial measurements and tests didn't bother her at all. When they administered the anaesthesia and put him under, though, she became decidedly anxious.
Now, having seen him wake up and give her a confident smile before he went to get dressed, she felt a bit better. Her guard would not be let down entirely, however, until they were out of the complex. It wasn't just that she was nervous seeing all the doctors and staff going over him. She knew that he hated it, too, though he was far too stoic to complain or even mutter an objection. Matthew was fiercely stubborn about always appearing strong, for his crew, for her, for anyone who identified him as a captain. The poisoning was a shocking reminder of his own mortality and having to talk about it and relive his eight months in stasis was horrible for him. She needed to get him out of here as soon as possible, for he would only suffer in silence otherwise.
"Be nice," Sybil warned when the glass doors at the end of the hallway slid open to allow them through.
"I was about to tell you the same thing," Mary smirked.
"Captain Crawley, Lieutenant Crawley," a perky assistant nodded to them. "The Admiral is waiting for you. Go right on in."
Sharing a knowing frown with Sybil, Mary stepped through into the large inner office. She smiled when she saw Matthew sitting in one of the three chairs in the middle of the room.
"Ah, Mary, Sybil. Hello! Come in, come in," her father smiled from behind his large desk, waving them towards the chairs next to Matthew.
Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham and Admiral of the Royal Star Navy, was still keeping well in his old age. His brown hair was greying only slightly and he seemed as lively as ever. In his youth, he rose to the rank of Captain of a destroyer before Mama made him accept an administrative position in London when Edith was born. Though he would never admit it, he much preferred being part of Command, rather than out exploring space. Politics suited him better and lately his main goal was using his position as Admiral to exert influence in Parliament.
"Hello, Papa," Mary nodded, taking the middle seat. "I trust that you have everything you need now from Matthew and we all can leave?"
"We'll be studying the results for a few days, but it seems that the initial findings are there were no marked changes in your physiology," Robert told Matthew before looking over at Mary. "I want to talk about how this all was handled."
"How this was handled?" Sybil questioned, sitting down next to Mary.
"Indeed," Robert confirmed. "As happy as I am that Matthew has come back to us, keeping Command, keeping me in the dark was not the proper way to deal with this."
Mary rolled her eyes.
"It was reckless what you did," Robert continued. "The flagship of the fleet is supposed to set an example for all to follow. By placing Matthew in stasis and not informing Command, you not only ignored the hierarchy of the Navy, but you also behaved in a cavalier and unacceptable manner."
"We informed you that he was being held in stasis," Mary noted,
"For the purpose of preserving his body to be brought back to Earth for burial," Robert snapped. "Apologies, Matthew."
"Understood," Matthew replied, watching them all carefully.
"Papa, we had no choice, surely you see that," Sybil protested. "Matthew was still alive. We had to try to save him."
"Yes, of course, my dear," Robert nodded. "But involving us from the beginning would have been much smarter. When you decided to…"
"I decided," Mary interjected. "It was my decision alone. Sybil was carrying out my orders along with everyone else. I don't want any of them held responsible."
Robert looked at both of his daughters before leaning forward and folding his hands together on his desk.
"You ought to have informed us of your intentions," Robert said calmly. "We could have helped you."
"You would have ordered us to bring him back here," Mary shook her head.
"The facilities and resources here are superior to that on any spacecraft, including the Andromeda," Robert frowned.
"Yes, but not for treating his condition. We would have lost valuable time bringing him back here and more traveling back and forth from the planets we searched to find a cure," Mary scoffed. "You read our reports. Keeping Matthew in stasis only slowed the spread of the venom. It didn't stop it entirely. We needed to monitor him constantly and have him available for Sybil to try different treatments. Bringing him back here was not an option."
Robert huffed. "Mary, there are rules…"
"I don't give a damn about rules," Mary shot back. "Not when it comes to the safety of my crew."
Robert grunted and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Mary…"
"Robert," Matthew spoke up patiently. "Everything that Mary and Sybil did was experimental. This was uncharted territory and an emergency situation on top of that. They did what they believed was best in the circumstances. Every case in future will be weighed individually, I expect. Their reports can be studied along with my test results and a protocol can be determined from that to guide any unfortunate incidents going forward. There's no point arguing about process now. They should both be commended for their initiative and dedication. I know that I owe both of them my life, as well as everyone else who helped out. Who was told and who ultimately receives the credit now is of no consequence, wouldn't you agree?"
Mary arched her eyebrow and looked at her father pointedly.
"Very well," Robert nodded tightly. "And yes, I am proud of both of you. That was never the issue. You all know how there are whispers about all three of my daughters being assigned to the flagship."
"Since when did you care about some useless gossip?" Mary asked.
"I don't care," Robert grumbled. "But we shouldn't just flaunt our family status either. Each of you has succeeded on merit, yet all it takes is one incident like this for people to think that we do as we please and that we have no regard for Navy procedures. You don't want that kind of scrutiny."
"That's fair," Matthew nodded, looking at Mary.
"I don't believe that our careers are nearly as controversial as that, but for the sake of appearances and to not make life more difficult, I'll keep all of what you say in mind," Mary allowed.
"That's all I ask," Robert said, raising his hands.
"Thank you, Papa," Sybil nodded, rising from her chair. "If that will be all?"
"Yes," Robert answered, standing up and coming around to them. "I'll see you and Tom later for dinner?"
"We'll be there," Sybil said, giving her father a quick hug.
"Mary," Robert called. "I'm glad to have you back home. It's been quite a while and we've all missed you. We've missed all of you."
Mary rolled her eyes and hugged him. "Please don't go all sentimental on me. Mama is bad enough."
Robert chuckled and shook Matthew's hand. "I'll see you all later, then."
They said their goodbyes and left the office as quickly as possible without running.
Grantham House, St. James Square, Belgravia, London, England, Earth, March 2119
"Do you ever get used to it?" Alex asked, glancing around at the splendour of the ballroom and its occupants. Staff circulated around with hors d'oeuvres and drinks. A small orchestra was set up in one corner playing lively music. There was a large stone fountain in the centre of the room programmed to let loose a coordinated light and water show every few minutes. Acrobats were hanging from the ceiling performing all manner of contortions and tricks.
"I'm still not and I've been going to these things since I was four years old," Matthew shrugged, nodding as he accepted two champagne flutes from one of the servers and passed the second to Alex.
"I don't even remember what this is in celebration of," Alex shook his head.
"The official reason? It's a hospital fundraiser," Matthew replied, scanning the room and seeing some vaguely familiar faces amongst the throng of laughing and smiling guests.
"And unofficially?" Alex probed.
Matthew smiled knowingly at him. "Cora always has other reasons. To keep the Grantham name at the forefront of Society, for one, to catch up on the latest gossip, for another, and to have all of her daughters on display."
Alex frowned. "What's the point of that? Sybil and Edith are both married, and Mary…"
"I don't think she's looking to arrange a match for Mary, if that's what you're implying," Matthew chuckled. "I've seen this before. It's all to remind everyone of what the girls have achieved. Being in the Navy doesn't carry the same amount of prestige with everyone in Society. It wasn't long ago that becoming a doctor or successful businessman was considered far more prestigious than joining the Forces."
"Indeed," Alex nodded, frowning as he recalled some of the derisive looks that Anna received when they first started dating. No one ever expected her to reach the heights she had and wrote her off as forever plodding along as a low-level officer. "I'm surprised that Lady Grantham considers such opinions important, however."
Matthew shrugged. "There are still some ancient attitudes that refuse to die despite all the progress we've made. I think that Mary and her sisters enjoy these events and see them for what they are – a chance to get dressed up and have a night of fun amongst family and friends. Anything that happens beyond that is more Cora's domain."
"And what about you?" Alex asked. "What's in it for you?"
Matthew grinned. "There was a time when I sort of hated these things. Everyone can be so fake and act like they're your best friend when all they really want is for you to fawn over them despite them doing very little to deserve it. With all the people clamouring for Mary's time, I don't get much time with her, either. Still, her family has been my family for so long that it would feel strange to no longer have this. Given how close I came to throwing it all away, I actually am quite happy to be here."
Alex nodded and sipped his champagne as he glanced to the far end of the room.
"Well," he noted playfully. "Prepare to be even happier."
Matthew frowned before turning and looking in the same direction.
Mary stepped into the ballroom flanked by Sybil and Edith and it seemed that every set of eyes turned to fix upon them. They were each dressed differently, hardly ever wanting to coordinate their ensembles. Sybil wore a more casual green cocktail dress that was designed as much for comfort as it was for fashion. Edith chose a more traditional blue gown and had her hair done in soft curls gathered to one side. Mary's dark red dress had one strap, leaving her other shoulder bare. The silhouette was form-fitting, sweeping past her chest to pinch across her waist before flaring slightly over her hips. A high leg slit allowed her to walk more easily while also making the silky material shift and shimmer as she moved. Rather than the long, tight braid that she favoured on duty, her hair was let out and fell down her back.
Matthew swallowed at the sight of her.
As the orchestra continued to play, the crowd parted for the Crawley sisters before surrounding them again as friends and opportunists alike stepped forward. There were hugs and kisses, exclamations of 'you look fabulous!' and 'it's been far too long!' and dozens of photographs taken with mobile phones and watches. At one point Cora joined them and they seemed to command the centre of the room, the Countess ensuring that the fountain was behind them in every shot to give that extra touch of opulence.
He watched on and marveled yet again at how easily Mary carried herself amidst the mob, seeming to recognize everyone even if she didn't truly know them, varying her laugh and smile by degrees depending on who she was dealing with. It could have been overwhelming to see so many people pressing the flesh with his girlfriend, to say nothing for the legion of handsome men who delighted in claiming a piece of her back or shoulders. He resisted the urge to head over and draw her away. Their relationship had to be about trust and she would be hugely disappointed in him for appearing insecure or uneasy just because she was the centre of attention.
Before posing for yet another photo, Mary turned and looked in Matthew's direction. He blinked in surprise when her eyes found his, picking him out of the crowd as though she always knew where he was from the moment she arrived. She arched her eyebrow and smiled at him and her entire face seemed to brighten. He nodded and raised his glass to her. She laughed before turning back to greet the next forgettable guest.
"Should we go and rescue them?" Alex asked.
Matthew shook his head. "Go and find your wife. I should mingle. It's important for a man in my position to keep up appearances with his adoring public."
"Aye, Captain," Alex laughed before stepping away and heading to where he last saw Anna.
Matthew sipped his champagne. The night was still young and he knew Mary would be at his side soon enough. He set out towards an older couple that he remembered from one of the last parties and put on his best schmoozing face.
Mary smiled as another man held up his mobile and pointed the camera at them. His hand snaked across her back and around her side, tucking in just below her breast before he took their photo.
"Thanks, Mary," he beamed, kissing her on the cheek before releasing her so he could post the photo to all of his social media accounts. "Great to see you."
"And you. Thank you for your support and please enjoy the party," she muttered, turning and leaving him before he could try and strike up a conversation.
She had lost Sybil and Edith in the swarm. They likely had found Tom and Bertie by now and escaped to a safer perch. Though she wanted to reach Matthew and have a strong drink, she carried on as an elderly woman greeted her and began regaling her about the challenges of being a woman in command of a crew of men.
"Half of them want to kill you. The other half want to sleep with you!" the woman scoffed. "In my day, I often needed to be escorted back to my quarters lest I be cornered by some overheated fool!"
Mary smiled and nodded politely. As the eldest daughter, she felt a nagging sense of obligation to represent her family, more so than her sisters did. When she was a child, Mama envisioned her taking over for her one day as the family matriarch, serving as a hostess and power broker behind the scenes while her husband pursued a more traditional and prestigious career. It was an archaic notion that they all found rather offensive, particularly Sybil, but Mary did agree that it was important to maintain the family status with events like this. Whether it was wining and dining politicians to support her father's initiatives in Parliament or entertaining businessmen to win favourable contracts for the Navy, the art of acting in Society remained a necessity for their sort of people and Mary had been raised to handle it with elegance and aplomb.
Besides, she always told herself that the sooner she got through such trials, the sooner she would be back on her ship and off doing what she truly loved.
"Mary."
She turned around at the sound of yet another person calling her name. Arching her eyebrow, she forced herself to smile as a shorter woman with short brown hair approached her.
"Mabel," Mary nodded, trading air kisses with her. "So lovely to see you."
"And you," Mabel Lane Fox replied, raising her glass to Mary. "It's a lovely party."
"Thank you. Mama has outdone herself I believe and we're going to raise so much money for those who truly need it," Mary answered, taking a sip of champagne as she pondered what Mabel could want.
"Yes, yes, so wonderful. I understand that you ran into Tony a few months back?" Mabel continued. "He mentioned that he saved you from rather tough spot."
Mary smiled tightly and nodded. "He provided support while we commandeered a slave ship, yes. I was pleased to see him."
"I'm sure that he was pleased to see you," Mabel laughed. "Particularly when Matthew wasn't around at the time."
"Have you seen him? He's here tonight," Mary deflected.
"I said hi a few minutes ago," Mabel nodded. "He does look a bit like a lost puppy, the poor dear. Without you to help him navigate these parties, he's a bit out of his element."
"He's fine, I'm sure," Mary answered. "He's far more adept with people than he lets on."
"Perhaps. It's easier for him with you to rely on, though, I expect. Lavinia was quite hopeless at this sort of thing," Mabel smirked. "How fortunate that he had you as his number one to accompany him on his travels across the galaxy. No finer a woman could he have as his work wife."
"The entire crew plays a role in the proper functioning of any ship, particularly the flagship of the fleet," Mary said smoothly. "It doesn't come down to two people."
"No, of course not, but it can't hurt that you and Matthew have such a long history of working so closely together. It also can't hurt that you have such a handsome Captain to serve under, either," Mabel tittered shrilly.
"Such things make no difference when on a mission," Mary retorted, keeping her smile while she slowly seethed inside. Her previous relationship with Matthew before he met Lavinia was common knowledge but she wasn't going to volunteer any information about what had transpired since, or even recently, to a gossip monger like Mabel. The woman still blamed her for Tony calling off their engagement over a year ago, she was sure, and the only reason she even tolerated her at all was because her family were long-time supporters of Mama's charities.
"No, of course not, but it makes the dreary days and nights in space a bit easier to bear, doesn't it?" Mabel laughed. "Well, always good to see you, Mary. It's so much fun when you choose to drop in and visit us back here. I always marvel at how a rare sighting of you can inspire such adulation amongst the masses. You would think that no one ever did anything noteworthy in the lengthy period that you were away. Let's get together before you leave again, yes?"
"Enjoy your evening," Mary smiled tightly, barely leaning forward to give her fake kisses.
She watched Mabel saunter away, her eyes narrowing as the woman went to engage with a group of supposed friends. Mary and Matthew weren't the first Navy couple to have an affair. Spending months away from Earth and loved ones and working in close quarters tended to lead to all manner of vices, for better or worse. They were one of the few who now had a chance at an actual relationship free from stigma or scorn, but she didn't pretend that there wasn't constant rumours about them from back when Lavinia was still alive. There would always be women like Mabel who delighted in sinking their claws into her out of jealousy or some perceived slight from the past. She couldn't be bothered to care. Still, the idea that some thought of her as a slut who lured Matthew to her bed while he was engaged to another woman was infuriating. If anything, it was he who had seduced her. Between the two of them, he was far more wicked than his prim and proper exterior belied. However, his position in Society wasn't so lofty that besmirching his reputation would count for anything. No, it was far more scandalous to portray her as the whore who couldn't keep her hands off of him.
"Have a lovely chat with dear Mabel?"
She smirked and turned as Matthew appeared at her side. He traded her champagne for a much more potent vodka Martini and she nodded in thanks.
"The woman still thinks that I broke up her idyllic vision of being married to Tony with two children and a fancy home," she rolled her eyes. "She really needs to let that go."
He laughed. "I don't know if she will so long as he still pines for you."
"Darling, it's the 22nd century. No one pines for anyone," she scolded him.
"Is that so?" he questioned. "Well, what term do the kids use now to describe that feeling when you want to be with someone so badly that it seems you can't breathe without them near?"
She swallowed as his blue eyes locked in on her, the deep timbre of his voice making her shiver despite all the people around them.
"What word best captures the feeling of wanting someone so badly that you would do anything – anything – just to see her smile?" he continued.
She was staring wide-eyed at him now like some stupid schoolgirl entranced by the handsome older boy, but she didn't even care.
"Is there a more modern definition for when you crave someone so desperately that you don't care for propriety, that you imagine doing all sorts of things to them and almost can't control yourself in their presence?" he drawled.
"It doesn't matter," she whispered, glancing at his mouth as she licked her lips subconsciously. "Tony will never have me."
"Why not?" he asked, an almost arrogant smirk on his face.
She arched her eyebrow and held his gaze. "He doesn't deserve me. I don't just accept any man who thinks he's worthy or is thirsty for my body. I decide who I want to be with."
His expression softened at her biting comment and his dark stare turned warm. "You're right. Any man would be lucky to have you and Mabel needs to find someone worthy of her, rather than concern herself with what might have been."
She smiled and reached out to smooth her hand over his chest. "She does and good luck to her. What becomes of her, though, isn't my concern. I have much bigger fish to fry."
He chuckled and nodded. "What great duty does Lady Mary Crawley have to attend to next?"
She leaned in closer to him. "Trying to find somewhere private to escape to so that I can give my boyfriend a proper kiss."
She laughed as his face lit up.
"Well, your bedroom is upstairs, isn't it?" he suggested.
She shook her head. "Will we be able to stop at just a kiss if we go up there?"
He smiled wryly. "I can try. Won't you be missed, though?"
"Not if you're quick about it," she challenged.
He nodded and quickly downed his drink, his eyes staring at her all the while.
She smirked at his boldness.
"I think I'll go and get another drink and maybe go for a bit of air," he declared.
She smiled. "I might take a bit of a stroll myself."
They shared one last teasing look before he turned and left.
"That's the view from your bedroom?" Sybil exclaimed, looking at the photos that Anna was sharing with her and Edith's mobile devices. "That's gorgeous! I would never want to get up."
Anna nodded. "That's partly the point. We're going to start trying in Italy."
Sybil grinned and squeezed Anna's hand. "Well, if you're not pregnant by the time you get back it won't be for lack of effort. That villa is fantastic and the setting is so romantic."
"You'll be getting way more than Sybil will on her camping trip, that's for sure," Edith laughed.
"Sad but true," Sybil grumbled.
Anna laughed sympathetically. "At least you've got some alone time now. Mum stayed up an extra two hours last night just to chat with us. I thought Alex was going to throttle her at one point and I wouldn't have stopped him."
They nodded in understanding and took some sandwiches when a server approached them.
"Has Mary mentioned anything about where we might be off to next?" Sybil asked.
Anna shook her head. "I don't believe we have orders yet, actually. I imagine now that Matthew's back, we'll be sent to patrol a trade route – something easy, hopefully."
"Yes, please," Edith sighed. "I hate having to be combat ready, never knowing if we'll have a battle around the corner. It puts everyone on edge, even those of us who aren't directly involved in the fighting."
"Try having your husband be part of the squadron," Sybil complained. "I almost killed him myself when he lost that last drone. Even now all these years later, in those first moments when they leave the hangar, I still feel like I'm going to throw up."
"It doesn't really go away, I'm afraid," Anna admitted. "I at least get to talk to Alex when he's linked in, but sometimes that's almost worse because I'm always afraid that I'll distract him too much."
Edith shook her head and raised her glass. "To being a Navy wife."
"It's a good life if you can get it," Sybil echoed, clinking glasses with her and Anna.
"Wouldn't trade it for the galaxy," Anna laughed.
In the end, a kiss was all that Mary and Matthew managed.
Neither of them wanted to settle for just a kiss, despite their earlier promises. The moment he closed the door to her bedroom she pressed him against it and slipped her tongue in his mouth. Being back in London meant countless appointments and meetings, as well as separate accommodations – he at a hotel and she here at her family home. As a result, they barely saw each other.
Not that distance or time played a huge part in their need for each other. They had been reunited now for mere weeks and every moment spent together seemed to make them demand more. Lust and passion weren't all they craved, either. They messaged each other and video called late into the night like teenagers. It was as if they wanted to make up for the eight months of separation as quickly as possible by being in touch as much as they could. After watching his prone form for so long, just seeing him with his eyes open was precious to her.
"Mmm, Mary," he sighed, his hands reaching down her dress and cupping her bottom.
"Just a kiss, remember?" she teased, her hand reaching down to grasp him through his trousers.
"Who are you reminding? Me or you?" he asked, breaking contact just enough to speak before seizing her lips again.
"You," she breathed, unbuckling his belt and throwing his trousers down his legs. "Restrain yourself."
"You're making that quite difficult," he gasped as her hand slipped past his underwear and took hold of his bare length.
"We can't fuck," she whispered, stroking him just the way he liked. "People will hear."
His head fell back against the door and he sighed as she kissed his neck. "We must be discrete, yes."
"Can you be?" she hissed against his throat. "I have my doubts."
"And you?" he retorted, kissing her again before groaning as she squeezed him a bit more firmly. "You love to be loud."
"You love making me be loud," she added. "Mmm, you're so big, darling. So nice and hard for me."
"Mary, fuck," he moaned. "So good. You're so good at this."
"Goodness, what a testimonial," she laughed. "And just from using my hand. What will you say when I put my mouth on you?"
"God," he growled, gritting his teeth as she continued.
"That's what you want, isn't it? To have me on my knees worshipping you while the party goes on downstairs, everyone oblivious to you defiling me in my own bedroom?" she teased.
"Mary…" he snarled, his eyes snapping open and glaring at her heatedly. "Bed. Now."
"Make me," she taunted him.
He moved to pick her up.
'Lady Mary, Lord Grantham requests your presence.'
"Fuck!" she whinged, glancing at the summons on her watch display before burying her head against his chest.
'Captain Crawley, Lord Grantham requests your presence.'
Matthew groaned and looked at his own watch before he kissed the top of her head in frustration.
"What could he possibly want now? The party isn't even halfway done," Mary complained, stepping back from Matthew and smoothing out her dress.
"His timing is impeccable," Matthew sighed, leaning back against the door.
She smirked as she looked him over. His trousers were pooled at his feet, his underwear bunched around his thighs and his arousal still swollen.
"I'm sorry, darling," she said genuinely, kissing him quickly. "I hate to leave you in such a state."
"No, you don't," he grumbled, pulling his clothes back up and righting himself. "You love seeing me dishevelled like this."
She smiled at the obvious bulge in his trousers. "You do look a sight."
He frowned. "Darling, mercy, honestly."
"I'm sorry, truly!" she laughed, kissing him again. "Just think about something horrid."
"Hell," he muttered, opening the door and escorting her out into the hallway.
They headed downstairs and past the ballroom to the library. Robert was reading over a tablet when they arrived.
"Papa?" Mary called. "What is it?"
"Ah, Mary, Matthew!" Robert smiled. "Enjoying yourselves so far?"
"We were, yes," Matthew nodded.
"We are," she smiled, giving Matthew a warning look. "Mama has outdone herself again."
"She has," Robert agreed. "Some of those acrobats and the way they twist themselves around, I ask you."
"What did you need to speak to us about, Papa?" she asked.
"Yes, yes, I have your new orders," Robert informed them, passing the tablet to Matthew. "I thought you should see it straight away so you can plan the rest of your leave accordingly."
Matthew turned the tablet so that Mary could read it with him.
"New Byzantium?" she exclaimed. "You're sending us back there? Why?"
"The recent unrest has shown the government that remaining independent may not be in the best interest of the citizens," Robert advised. "We're going to begin negotiations for an affiliation arrangement. The Andromeda will carry the delegation there and support the talks."
Matthew frowned. "A diplomatic mission? Is it necessary for us to be involved?"
Robert nodded. "It is, Matthew. New Byzantium has great strategic importance. We've been battling the Americans and Canadians to bring them into the fold. After your last visit, I believe we have better leverage to have them pledge themselves to the UK, but we must put forward a show of strength to best represent ourselves."
"Which is why you need the flagship," Mary muttered, glancing at Matthew. "Who else will be attending?"
"I've managed to secure exclusive negotiating rights for the time that you'll be there. You won't need to worry about other factions for now. With any luck, Evelyn will close the deal while he's there," Robert replied.
"Evelyn?" Matthew repeated. "He's leading the delegation?"
"He is," Robert confirmed. "He's already quite well connected there and we believe he will give us a friendly face to show to the government."
"He did arrange for our last visit," Mary noted.
"What about the insurgents? What's happened to them?" Matthew asked.
"The government has been trying to negotiate with them, though the group who held Mary hostage remains in prison," Robert answered. "They would be foolish to try anything while you're there."
"Which is exactly why they might," Matthew frowned. "What is our engagement authority?"
Robert looked at Mary for a moment before replying. "At your discretion, Matthew."
Mary blinked.
"We have unfettered access?" Matthew questioned. "I can't imagine that the New Byzantium government will appreciate us flying sorties over their city."
Robert nodded. "Don't do anything without proper consideration, of course, but the safety of the delegation and your crew is your highest priority. If anything goes wrong, pull them all out. Use whatever force you believe is necessary to guard everyone during the talks. We want this to go smoothly, but we won't be caught out again."
Matthew nodded. "Very well. I expect we'll have more questions once we receive the full briefing."
"Of course. We can speak again closer to the end of your leave. Mary?" Robert asked.
"Yes, Papa," Mary nodded. "Understood."
"Excellent," Robert grinned. "Well, enjoy the rest of the evening and the rest of your leave. We'll have the Andromeda looking brand new by the time you are ready to depart. The flagship must make a good impression, after all."
"Yes, of course," Mary nodded. "Thank you, Papa."
"Very good," Robert said, waving them away.
Matthew turned and followed Mary out of the library and back down the hall.
"What do you think?" Mary asked quietly.
"He's not telling us something," Matthew stated. "One doesn't send the flagship to escort a diplomatic delegation. These could all be just preliminary discussions for all we know. Why assign the Andromeda specifically?"
"It must be that the insurgents aren't nearly as under control as he thinks. I don't believe that Papa would deliberately mislead us, but it may be that he wants additional muscle to show the government that we aren't to be trifled with, while also not raising the paranoia that sending a full complement of ships would do," she replied.
"Whatever the reason, we'll need to be careful," he said. "I would like to know what is really at stake in these negotiations, however. What are we getting out of it? Securing the allegiance of a key outpost is valuable, of course, but why would the U.S. and Canada be so interested as well? There are plenty of colonies to go around."
"A very good question," she agreed.
"Anyway, we're on leave. Let's keep that all in mind for closer to our departure," he suggested.
She smiled. "Very well. Whatever shall we do with the rest of our leave?"
He smirked. "Well, I seem to recall that you promised to go away with me for the next week."
"Did I? I seem to recall that I said that I would consider the idea if you made it worth my while," she replied.
"Well, I have a plan to dazzle you, my darling," he teased.
"You are setting a rather high bar for yourself," she said, arching her eyebrow. "I am not easily impressed, as you know."
"I'm well aware," he chuckled as they returned to the ballroom.
"So? What is your grand plan, Captain?" she asked, taking his arm as he led her towards the far side where her sisters and their friends were gathered.
"Later, darling," he replied. "Let's enjoy tonight first."
Private Villa, Positano, Italy, Earth, March 2119
"More wine?" Alex asked, smiling down at his wife.
"Please," Anna nodded, looking up at him through her dark sunglasses.
He poured the Chianti and set the bottle back on the table. Leaning down, he gave her a soft kiss before going back to his seat.
"This is incredible, isn't it?" she asked, gazing out to the bright blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. "It feels like time stands still here."
He smiled in agreement and sipped his wine. Their villa was secluded, built into the cliff and surrounded by fragrant olive and lemon trees. Tourists and locals played in the beaches far below and cars wound their way along the narrow ancient streets. The two-storey home was centuries old and though it contained all the modern conveniences, they were tucked away and hidden as much as possible. Technology barely intruded into life here. For their meals, they went into town and bought fresh pasta and vegetables from the market, or dined at small restaurants that had no menus and served whatever was caught and picked fresh that morning. He even rented a Ferrari convertible so they could drive up and down the coast. The television and computers remained off and they barely glanced at their watches.
"You look smug," she noted, leaning back against her chair and smiling at him.
"Why wouldn't I be?" he replied. "I'm sitting on a gorgeous sun-drenched terrace enjoying a lovely meal with my beautiful European wife."
She rolled her eyes at him and turned to look back out to sea. They had a private pool on the level below and predictably, he urged her, no, begged her to embrace the old European tradition of going topless while swimming. Since there was little risk of being seen, she indulged him, wearing nothing but her thong. Topless swimming then led to topless sunbathing and now topless eating, apparently. She would need to put a stop to this before he became too comfortable with the idea and before she did as well.
It didn't help that he barely wore anything more than board shorts and sandals since they arrived. Even on their forays to Positano and the neighbouring villages he put on just a tank top or left his shirt unbuttoned. Her husband has a deceptively lean and athletic body, only truly revealed when he wore very little clothing, such as right now, his tanned arms and chest on full display. He's putting on a show for her and she's eating it up quite freely. It's just the two of them here in this beautiful paradise. The weather is sunny and warm enough without being hot as summer. The odd breeze comes through and everything is easy and relaxed.
"What do you think of going back to New Byzantium?" he asked, returning to his salad.
She sighed and reached for a slice of focaccia. "I thought we weren't going to talk about work while we were here?"
"We weren't going to take calls about work," he corrected her. "We can still talk about work with each other."
She shrugged and swallowed a bite of the fresh bread. "I'm not thrilled about it and neither is Mary. Still, escorting a diplomatic mission shouldn't be too difficult. We just need to be on our toes, is all, given what happened last time."
He nodded. "Matthew wants us to use our own vehicles and double the security drones. Apparently, we have clearance to fly patrols as we see fit. That would help a lot, I think."
"Unless the insurgents aren't intending to take hostages this time, but disrupt the talks in a more profound way," she muttered.
"We'll prepare as best we can and trust in our training," he nodded confidently.
She sighed and sipped her wine. Months later, she barely ever thought about the abduction anymore, but hearing that they were headed back to New Byzantium brought the same trepidation back that she felt when they were being held captive. The image of Alex with a gun to his head burst into her mind unbidden every so often and she had to pause to quell the dread in her stomach and calm her pulse.
"Come here," he called.
She blinked and looked over at him curiously.
He nodded, his eyes serious.
She set her wine glass down and slipped around the table to him, not at all caring that she was wearing just her skimpy bikini bottoms.
He took hold of her hips and helped her onto his lap, his one hand rubbing up and down her bare back while the other took her fingers and kissed her rings.
"We're going to be fine, love," he assured her. "Nothing will happen."
"Promise me that you'll be careful," she whispered, leaning towards him and touching her forehead to his. "Nothing wild. No flying off to try and go after anyone. Just guard the delegation and that's it."
"I promise," he replied, kissing her softly. "You must be careful, too. Napier will probably want the senior staff to attend the talks with him."
She smiled and nodded. "With Matthew back now, they'll probably leave me on the ship to supervise a certain reckless pilot and his squadron."
He grinned. "Are you saying that I lack discipline, Commander Smith?"
"You need to be reined in from time to time," she teased, kissing him again. She purred when she felt his arousal stiffening beneath her. "Learn how to take orders."
"Hmm, well, I am always very respectful of the chain of command," he drawled, his hand moving to cup her breast. "What you say goes."
"You only do what I say when you want something," she laughed, running her fingers through his hair.
"Even if that was true, which it's not," he objected, kissing her shoulder. "My exemplary record speaks for itself, doesn't it?"
"Your exemplary record, eh?" she smiled, humming as he licked the top of her breast.
"Best pilot in the fleet, you know," he murmured, kissing his way back up to her mouth. "The numbers don't lie."
"Mmm, I bet you make all the girls want you with your barrel rolls and smooth moves," she teased, pressing against him and capturing his mouth.
"Maybe. I wouldn't know. I've only got eyes for one woman," he answered. "The hottest girl in the galaxy."
She rolled her eyes and kissed him lightly. "You just want to fuck me out here, don't you?" she laughed sultrily, grinding her bottom against him. "You're insatiable."
"Some wives would be flattered if their husbands wanted them all the time," he noted.
"This wife is flattered," she smiled. "She just still can't believe a man would want her nearly as often as you seem to."
"Well, I will need to do my utmost to reassure her," he said, drawing her down for another kiss. "That…she…is…the…sexiest…woman…in the galaxy."
She laughed and rubbed against him again. "You make a very strong argument, hon. I might even be willing to let you have a go here on the terrace."
"Sex al fresco?" he questioned between kisses. "What would the neighbours think?"
"Thankfully, we don't really have any neighbours," she said. "None who can see us anyway."
"And what if they can hear us?" he asked, fondling her bottom through her boy shorts.
"As long as we don't say anything in Italian, we should be good, hon," she said, licking his lips. "Come on and show me how the best pilot in the fleet fucks his wife."
He laughed and picked her up. She held on to his shoulders as he carried her over to the nearby outdoor sofa, their lips locked together all the while.
Diamond Suite, Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo, Monaco, Earth, March 2119
Matthew leaned back and let his head rest against the cushion. He closed his eyes, the soft music lulling him to a peaceful calm. The water was hot all around him but soothing, and the bubbles lapped at his arms, almost a soft caress as he sank a bit lower into the tub.
Something as simple as enjoying a bubble bath was unheard of months ago. He had no recollection of being in stasis and what that felt like. There was a gap in his life that his mind was aware of, that he couldn't fill in. Life had gone on without him and now he still felt as if he was catching up a bit, reconnecting with both the people around him and all that he had missed.
Such as enjoying a lovely break relaxing on the French Riviera.
He opened his eyes and gazed out the large window. The Mediterranean sparkled in the distance, the clear blue sky stretching on forever. He saw lavish yachts floating in the water and the Prince's Palace and the Old Town off to the side. He wasn't one to lie on a beach for a week. What precious little vacation time he had needed to be spent productively. However, he wasn't against a bit of pampering in the middle of all the touring and sightseeing.
"Aren't you looking comfy and spoiled?" Mary smiled, coming into the spacious bathroom.
He turned his head and smiled at her. She was wearing her silk robe, her hair down and loose.
"Aren't you looking gorgeous?" he replied, reaching out a wet hand to her. "Join me?"
"I would love to," she nodded, leaning over and kissing him. "Maybe later. Can you come out? I want to show you something."
He frowned slightly. "You can't show me whatever it is here?"
She arched her eyebrow. "I'm afraid not. Come."
He shrugged and stood up, the water falling down his body.
She smiled and gazed over his fit body quite shamelessly.
"Towel?" he asked.
"In a moment," she replied, licking her lips and looking him over.
He chuckled and patiently waited for her to have her fill.
"Here you are," she said finally, handing him a large fluffy towel. "I'll be in the living room when you're ready."
He wiped himself down before stepping out of the tub. A quick pass under the dryers took care of the rest before he grabbed his robe and headed out to their suite.
She was standing in front of the large wall that served as a display screen when he found her. Her fingers swiped across her tablet, her eyes narrow in concentration. Coming up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.
"Mmm, hello," she smiled, leaning back against him.
"What did you have to show me, exactly?" he asked, playing with the tie of her robe.
"Not that. Not yet," she laughed, turning her head and kissing him. "Later, I promise."
"I quite like it when you promise me things," he said, kissing her back.
She laughed. "Is that right? You like it when I promise you that you're going to get to fuck me and make me scream your name later, do you?"
"Merciless," he growled.
"Look who's talking," she teased, kissing him one last time. "Sit down, please."
He sighed and took a seat on the sofa behind them.
She stepped away and touched her tablet. The wall before them lit up with the image of a man with dark brown hair, hazel eyes and a rather arrogant smirk on his lips.
"Who is this and why am I looking at him?" he asked.
"This is Kemal Pamuk, the Minister for Immigration in the New Byzantium Parliament," Mary explained. "He's Evelyn's main contact in the government and a bit of a man of influence over there."
He nodded. "All right, and what is so noteworthy about him?"
"He's quite ambitious. The immigration file won't keep him occupied for long. He's already part of the President's inner circle and he's likely to climb higher. He has a reputation for being womanizer, using charm to get what he wants as much as political influence," she continued.
He shook his head and waved his hand in indifference. "Again, this matters because?"
She took a deep breath. "I went on a bit of a date with him when we were last there."
He frowned and looked away from Kemal Pamuk's face to Mary. "You went on a date with him?"
"A bit of a date," she repeated.
He didn't seem appeased. "And what bit was that?"
"It wasn't an official date," she muttered. "He offered to show me around and I agreed. We had dinner, chatted, and went to a bath house."
"I'm sorry, what?" he said cautiously.
"Nothing happened," she shook her head. "Men and women are kept apart for the treatments and when we did meet up we were both fully clothed."
"Fully clothed in a bath house?" he repeated.
"Well, we were wearing robes," she clarified.
He frowned and looked over the silk garment she currently had on that barely went down to her knees.
"They were longer than this one," she rolled her eyes. "I didn't show him anything is the point."
"All right, so you went out with the Immigration Minister alone," he remarked, sounding as if the words were distasteful to him. "And nothing happened?"
"I don't think he would have been against something happening, but no, nothing happened," she nodded.
"And have you spoken to him since?" he asked.
She looked down at the carpet. "Yes."
"When and why?" he asked, his tone suspicious.
"When we left New Byzantium, he told me that he wanted to get to know me better. He messaged me soon after, but I ignored him until…"
"Until I rejected you," he finished, shaking his head.
She nodded. "I didn't have any feelings for him, really, but I didn't see anything wrong with speaking to him at that point, so I did."
"I see," he mumbled. "And now? Do you have feelings for him?"
She scoffed. "Of course not! Would I be here with you if I did?"
He rolled his eyes. "So why are you telling me this?"
She came over and sat down beside him. "I'm telling you this because I want to be honest with you from the very beginning. I don't want any secrets between us. You were in stasis for eight months and I was loyal to you. That doesn't mean there weren't those who tried to make a pass from time-to-time and I want you to know everything that happened so you have no cause to doubt me."
He took her hand in his. "My darling, I have no right to question anything that you did during that time. I was in stasis, but I had also told you before that it was over between us. Whatever you chose to do from that point on, you owed me nothing. I don't doubt you. It's just annoying to hear about all the men who are after you, that's all."
She smiled and nodded. "I know, but I don't ever want you to wonder because I know you do."
"Well, it isn't as if you didn't have admirers even when we were together," he smirked. "I was afraid you might slip and fall on the drool from all your suitors the other night at Cora's party."
She laughed and slapped his chest lightly. "Stop it. You're so oblivious to the women swooning over you I suppose?"
"Not oblivious, no, but they don't matter to me," he replied.
"And Kemal and Tony and anyone else doesn't matter to me either," she stated. "You are all the man that I need."
"That almost sounded like you being sentimental," he joked.
"Well, we can't have that. I have a reputation to uphold," she replied, leaning in and kissing him.
He pulled her closer and played his tongue against hers.
"So I will need to put up with Mr Pamuk trying to charm you when we reach New Byzantium, will I?" he asked.
"Most likely," she answered, turning her head so he could kiss her neck. "I don't think it's proper protocol to go around telling foreign dignitaries that you're my boyfriend."
"It is none of his business, yes," he agreed. "But if he tries to take you out to see the city and visit a bath house again, I am going to confine you to quarters."
She laughed. "That's rather chauvinist, isn't it? I am perfectly capable of defending myself."
"You are, yes, but I'm sorry, I like thinking of you as mine," he growled against her skin.
"Well, lucky for you that I think of myself as yours as well, then," she said, closing her eyes and holding him close.
"Mary," he breathed, reaching down and pulling her robe open.
"I'm yours, Matthew," she drawled, pulling him back up so she could whisper in his ear. "I'm all yours. Your woman."
He groaned and kissed her.
"Matthew?" she moaned.
"Yes, darling," he croaked, his hands slipping insider her robe to run over her warm skin.
"I believe you promised to take your woman out shopping today, didn't you?" she asked.
He blinked and leaned into her shoulder, taking deep breaths to calm himself. "Yes, I think that's true. You would pick now to bring that up, wouldn't you?"
"Well it's getting late in the day," she said lightly. "I do need a few hours at least."
He sat back and gave her a wry look. "Very well. Let's go."
She grinned and kissed him. "Remember, darling, I did make you a promise and I do keep my promises."
He smiled and nodded. "What was that promise again?"
She rolled her eyes and stood up. He groaned at the loss of her weight upon him and eventually stood up as well.
She touched his chest lightly and gave him a playful look. "When we get back, you get to fuck me like you own me."
He coughed in shock, his eyes bulging.
"Come along, Matthew. Time to get dressed," she declared, turning around and heading to the bedroom.
"Temptress," he mumbled, shaking his head and following behind her.
New Byzantium, Milky Way Galaxy, March 2119
"The British delegation are arriving on the Andromeda next month, as you requested, Minister."
"Thank you," Kemal replied, staring out the window at the vibrant lights of the city. "That will be all."
"Good night, Minister," the assistant bowed.
"Good night," he answered, not bothering to turn around and acknowledge her presence as she left.
He looked out across the city, watching the vehicles flying about, the neon lights of the entertainment district beckoning to the crowds that streamed through. Over the years, New Byzantium had become the must-see destination in this sector, drawing ships from across the galaxy and races of every kind. This was a place where one could be anything and do anything, or at least that was the image they presented.
"Minister."
"You're late," Kemal stated.
"I had to wait for the staff to leave so that I wouldn't be seen."
"The easiest way to arouse suspicion is to act suspiciously," Kemal replied, keeping his back turned. "No one knows you here. I've seen to that. Don't try and sneak around."
"Yes, Minister."
"Your instructions are in the packet on the desk," Kemal continued. "Destroy them once you've memorized them. I don't want any transmissions or communications to trace back to this office."
"What's this? Some kind of tablet?"
"It's paper," Kemal informed him. "Ancient Earth technology that still comes in handy when you want to write something down without it being saved and stored away to be discovered at an inopportune time."
"This is a lot of ordnance to put together."
"You have a month. Surely, that's enough time?" Kemal noted.
"This is a very complicated target."
"Don't waste my time with posturing. I'll double your fee if you're successful. If you're not, no amount of money will help you," Kemal warned.
"It will be done."
"Good night," Kemal said.
"Wait a minute. Who's this?"
"Lady Mary Crawley. She'll be part of the British delegation. I want her spared," Kemal ordered.
"That will depend on how close she is to the blast zone."
"Make it happen. Your success depends on her remaining alive," Kemal informed him.
"Yes, Minister."
Once he was left alone again, Kemal smiled and looked over to the bath house where he had brought Mary on her last visit. He recalled her shapely body spread out on the lounge chair, her eyes closed and chest rising with each breath. He had kept himself under control back then – barely. Next time he wouldn't need to be so cautious.
"God save the Queen," he grinned.