Chapter 41

QSS Ka'naesh
Near Earth orbit

Luke did not spend the rest of the night watching Sin and Spencer canoodle in a too quiet hospital bed. Instead he hunted down the Canadian team, got the cooks tour off one of them who knew a couple of guys he knew once, then joined them for dinner and all the dirt on the locals. "And I got nothing." He said to Penelope the next morning.

"Nothing?" She replied.

"They're good people. Helpful. Pleasant. Nice. And these are Canadians, they know from nice. I asked them if they knew anything about Nobles, their training, anything and they said they knew they had them, they knew they were important, but they never identified them. They got nothing."

"I just hope he doesn't get hurt or anything."

"So do I."


As Luke made his way back to medical he was intercepted by a courier who brought their go bags, shipped up from New York with the first ship of the day. Which meant that when he got where he was going and found everyone awake he could get them clothes to wear. Only hitch was that Spencer was still a little pink around the eyes, but a good ninety percent better than the night before, and they stopped him before he put his contacts in. "Six months." The doc said. "Let your corneas heal. In the meantime wear framed lenses."

"Framed lenses?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah. Crystalline structure, they sit in a frame that hooks over your ears, rests on your nose." She made a familiar gesture.

"Glasses." Spencer sighed and went digging in his bag for his spare pair. "Like these?"

The doctor smiled. "Yes."

Spencer put them on and took them right off. "No. My prescription has changed."

"We can make you a new pair. Come on."

While they were gone Luke's tablet chimed an incoming call. "How's everyone feeling?" Emily asked.

"Up and moving." Luke held the tablet out where Sin could wave hello as he finished buckling on his boots. "Reid's getting new glasses. Other than that he's okay."

"Oh good. Have you read your new assignment yet?"

"No. Haven't gotten that far." Luke dug the manila envelopes out of his go bag. "Personnel exchange?"

"The Q government has informally allied themselves with the Special Counsel's office, for lack of a better description of the sides here. They're sending people and technology."

"We're so behind we need the help." Luke said.

"I know. They want Reid to head up their team. They're offering training to get everything started. Three weeks at…I can't pronounce this."

Sin looked over Luke's shoulder. "Bara'cum." He pronounced it bara-cOOm. "I did basic there, it's a good place."

"Reid has every physical waver offered by the FBI." Emily said. "Make sure he doesn't die."

"I'll give it my best." Luke said. He looked up at movement. "Oh, those came out nice."

"Thanks." Spencer looked around until he could see the screen. "Good morning Emily."

"Good morning!" She replied. "Nice glasses. How are you feeling?"

"A little itchy, but otherwise all right."

Emily went over the same information. "When you and Sin get back you're being transferred. Before you say you don't want to leave the BAU, it's temporary and you're working with Hotch."

"All right. I need to talk to someone first though. Here."

Emily sighed. "I hope you know what you're doing Spencer."

"So do I." They finished off and hung up. "How do I find someone on ship?" Spencer asked.

"Ask your comtab." Sin replied.

"So you just…" Spencer looked at the tablet they issued him. "Do you push a button or…?"

"Technology is not one of your gifts." Sin reached over and tapped an app on Spencer's screen. "Computer locate Commander Dmogah and set a follow."

Commander Dmogah is on Observation Deck A. A computerized female voice replied. A line on the floor lit bright blue. Observation Deck A is restricted to authorized personnel only.

"Damn it."

You are authorized Lord Garron. The computer said in a second voice. This one was also female, but somehow richer and older.

"Um, I prefer Dr. Reid." He was arguing with the computer.

Your name is Lord Snoom Garron. The computer replied in a decidedly testy voice.

"Snoom?" Luke asked.

That is the correct translation from English to Quadrainian. The older computer voice said. Dina did not choose well.

"Wait, what?" Spencer asked.

"Never argue with a possessed computer." Sin said. "Go ask her already."

"I am missing half this conversation." Luke said. "Ask who what?"

"That's classified." Spencer said.

"It actually is." Sin replied. "Ever been to a zero G gym?"

"You're distracting me." Luke said. "I'm supposed to make sure he doesn't go back dead."

"She hasn't killed anyone yet. At least not in…"

"Uhhh!" Spencer cut that conversation off. "I'll be all right. I'll catch up to you both later."

Luke sighed. "All right." He followed Sin.

Spencer followed the blue line.


The woman Spencer was looking for was indeed waiting on Observation Deck A, which was as small and private as you might expect. She cradled a mug in her hands, another sat on the rail next to her and a box of cookies. He could smell the coffee from here. "The food isn't the best." Sa'rai said as she took a cookie. "But the view makes up for it."

"I'll say it does." The observation room was about five stories high, a large atrium, with windows or view screens on one side that showed what was outside the ship. He could see the moon from here, and the International Space Station, and the other ships in orbit, and below them the immense blue curve of the Earth. But he could not give this wonder of a view the attention it deserved. "I'm scared." Spencer finally admitted.

"Of what?" She turned so her attention was fully on him. "How can I help?"

"Of…this." He did not take his eyes from the planet. Not yet. "That is…I know the people here represent my family of origin, I get that. But the people there are the family I choose." There being the BAU, or the US, or maybe Earth as a whole. "Now they need me. They need me with everything I can bring, only to get there I have to participate in an act that I have built into something so fraught with meaning and power that it was terrifying to even consider, before I found out it would alter my DNA and re-wire my nervous system." He closed his eyes in utter defeat. "I always thought this would happen in love, not in desperation."

"But this always happens in love." She replied. "I don't care what the Terrans do or why, when we do this it is always out of love. It is a gift we give to each other." With that she reached over and took his hand.

She's not wearing gloves, he realized, and neither am I. And now he knew why they wore them, because he could feel all of her in that simple contact. He could feel the immensity of love she carried. Love so strong it radiated right out of her skin. No fear could ever stand in the strength of that love. "Help." He said. "Please."

She smiled and stepped into his arms. "Yes."