Chapter 7
A cool breeze passed over his skin, making it prickle uncomfortably. He attempted to turn over and adjust his position, but found that he was unable to move.
He opened his eyes to find himself staring at an unfamiliar metal ceiling. He was so absorbed in attempting to determine his location that it took a moment for him to realize that he wasn't wearing anything. He was lying on his back, with his arms, legs and neck restrained to the cold metallic slab beneath him.
It was difficult to turn his head to observe more, but he managed to move his view a few degrees to the side, just in time to see a door on the wall opening up. A man entered into the room, a pleased expression on his face. His brown shoes strode confidently across the floor, and he was wearing what looked like a Spectran soldier's uniform, except that it was the same brown color as his shoes, and bore insignia ranks Mark did not immediately recognize.
He was being held by the Spectrans!
He was being held by the Spectrans… without clothes. While being unclothed was embarrassing to say the least, it also offered a slim thread of hope.
Perhaps they did not know who he was.
But that hope was dashed when the man in the brown Spectran uniform spoke.
"Greetings, Commander." His tone was pleasant, however the light behind his eyes was anything but friendly. "We have been eagerly waiting for you to awaken."
"You have?" Mark did not acknowledge the man's use of his title. He had to play dumb as long as possible. He could not confirm his true identity to the enemy.
"Yes." the Spectran smiled thinly. "Ever since our troops recovered your body from the wreckage of the Pterotryon mecha, we have been anticipating this moment."
"I don't understand… Pterotryon mecha?"
"Come now, Commander, let us not play games. You and I both know that you destroyed the Pterotryon mecha by using your G-1 plane as a missile. Of course, it was not enough to stop our takeover of Earth, but it did make for some spectacular fireworks."
"Commander? I don't know whom you're talking about. My name is…"
"Oh, I know your name, Commander." the man smirked. "Visual imprints and DNA analysis of the Federation databases we have recovered indicate that you are 'Mark Turner'. However, we know that your true identity is that of the G-Force Commander."
"I'm afraid you're mistaken, although this is quite flattering…"
"Don't play games with me, Commander." the Spectran hissed. Mark suddenly found himself eye to eye with the enemy officer, and all traces of false pleasantries were gone. "You were found in these clothes."
The Spectran moved over to the wall, and Mark had to exert all of his concentration for a moment on wiggling his neck in the tight restraint, so that his eyes could follow the man's actions. The officer pressed a button on a small pad, and a panel of the wall slid back, revealing a window into a testing chamber, such as one might find in a laboratory.
Inside the chamber were his clothes.
His heart ached seeing the familiar number one t-shirt and white jeans, along with his other clothing. His shoes, his socks, his belt; even his underwear was there.
"Those?" Mark forced a laugh that almost sounded genuine. "Those are hardly the clothes of a G-Force Commander."
"No, they're not." the officer smiled wryly. "However, if we apply our Atomic Replicator Frequencies to these items…" he pressed another button on the pad, the testing chamber lit up with a flash of familiar white light, and suddenly the clothes were gone.
In their place was his Eagle uniform.
"That's amazing!" Mark exclaimed with forced surprise. "How did you do that?"
"I know it has been some time, but surely you recall that you already encountered our Atomic Replicator Weapon in the city of Lulo." the Spectran reminded him. "A man as intelligent as you are cannot fail to understand that we can use the same technology when you are not wearing your uniform to force the transmutation, or in your case, reverse transmutation process, even without the use of your bracelet."
"Bracelet?"
"Yes." the officer pointed at a corner of the testing chamber. Mark squinted to see, although with his implant-enhanced vision he didn't have to. His communicator lay on a small table in the corner of the room. The gold plate on its surface was cracked, and even from this distance the Eagle could tell that it had been irreparably damaged. He said a silent prayer of thanks that at least the Spectrans hadn't been able to get their hands on a working version of his communicator.
"So you must admit that you are the G-Force Commander." the Spectran prodded.
"I can't admit what isn't true." Mark hedged.
"So, you are not willing to cooperate with us." the officer spat angrily. "We can do this the hard way, if you insist. It won't be long before you will tell us anything we want to know…"
88888
Mark awoke with a start, shivering with the surge of adrenaline that was coursing through his body as he recalled the images from his dream. He knew, without a doubt, that these things had happened to him.
No matter how unpleasant the memories, the Eagle was glad to finally be able to recall his past. At least, this could give him insight into what had happened to him after the Spectran Invasion.
"Mark…" Princess murmured, pressing her warm skin against his icy flesh. "You're so cold…" She moved closer against him, snuggling next to him and wrapping her arms around his chest.
"Is that better?" she sighed sleepily.
"Yes." Mark whispered, burying his face in her hair. "Much better."
88888
The pleasant warmth in the air belied the fact that it was just past the first official day of Spring. It was as if the Earth itself was celebrating its freedom from the Spectran Empire. Mark and Princess walked hand in hand through the Jardin du Luxembourg park in the city of Paris. Chief Anderson had asked the G-Force Team to accompany him to Earth while he surveyed what was left of the Galaxy Security facilities on the planet. But once they had arrived, Anderson had surprised the Team with the announcement that if they desired, they could take a leave to visit wherever they wished on Earth, as long as they remained in constant contact via their communicators. Everyone except Andie had jumped at the chance. Mark had felt sorry for the Harrier, as she had always lived on Riga and didn't have any place to go on this planet. But before he could think of addressing the issue, Jason had quickly offered to let Andie join him in his travels. To the Eagle's surprise, the Harrier had quickly accepted, and the unlikely pair had gone off on leave together.
Tiny had set off to visit his old friend Captain Jack. And Mark and Princess had known exactly where they were headed.
France.
Although much of Mark's memory had returned, he still thought of France as the place where he and Princess had met, and had come to know each other. He could tell that this period of their lives held special meaning for Princess as well, and so it was on that warm Spring day that they found themselves happily wandering through the City of Lights, taking a roundabout path to their destination.
"Look, there." Mark said to her, his tone solemn. "That's where we first met." They both looked over at the spot where Princess had come striding across the grass, her red hair streaming out behind her, to prevent a group of Snakehead soldiers from harming a little girl.
"Well, it's not really where we first met." Princess reminded him. "And it was hardly a happy occasion."
"It's a day… a moment… that I will never forget." Mark told her. In fact, he still truly considered that day the first time that he and Princess had encountered one another. Back then, he hadn't even had a name, and Princess had been known as Kristin…
From the moment he had first laid eyes on her, he had known that Kristin was special; that there was something about her that made her stand out. With sudden insight he understood why that had been.
He had already been in love with her.
Even though his implant had blocked his memories, he had somehow instinctively felt a connection to Kristin, and it had been that, more than his sense of duty, that had compelled him to come to her aid.
He had loved her, even then.
From the memories that had returned to him, he gathered that he had taken Chief Anderson's admonishment to keep the Swan at arm's length seriously. But it wasn't until now that he realized how much it had cost him, both personally and emotionally, to follow those particular orders. He had been in love with Princess for a very long time, and it had only been as Luc that he had finally been able to throw away the restraints imposed on him by his superior, admit those feelings to himself, and act on them.
For the first time, he found himself glad that his memory loss had occurred.
There was one part of his past that had not yet fully returned to him: his memories of what had happened during the six months after the Spectran Invasion of Earth. Other than his two dreams and the brief flashes of recollection he had had while encountering the Spectran Captain at Ramstein, the Commander was unable to recall anything about that time period. But this was the furthest thing from Mark's mind at the moment. He smiled at the woman next to him.
For their return to Paris, Princess had dyed her hair red, and wore special contact lenses to make her eyes a brown color. Neither of them wanted to answer any uncomfortable questions about why these aspects of her physical appearance had changed. But to Mark, it was as if he was looking at 'Kristin' again, and he felt as if he was truly her 'Luc'.
"I'm glad we came back." Princess said, sighing happily. "This time it is so different, and I'm able to enjoy being here, in this romantic place, with you."
Rather than answer with words, Mark stopped walking, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her tenderly. They lingered in their embrace, enjoying the warm sun and the freedom they were experiencing, without the burden of enemy occupation or G-Force identities to uphold.
They were simply Luc and Kristin.
Passersby smiled indulgently at the young couple, approving heartily of the romance that their magical city had inspired. What better place to be in love than Paris in the Spring?
A young woman sat on a nearby bench, attempting to soothe her fussy baby. The infant was crying inconsolably, while its mother seemed harried and slightly distressed.
"That could be you, one day." Mark murmured in Princess' ear.
"What, completely clueless about being a mother?" Princess laughed. "Do you really think I'd be that terrible at it?"
"I think you will be a wonderful mother." Mark said, an unshakeable certainty in his eyes. "And I'll be there to help you with whatever you need."
"You're always there to help me." Princess blushed, instinctively shying away from the implication for their future in his words, yet clearly treasuring the thought in her heart.
The couple walked slowly through the gardens, then up the street, taking a long look at the apartment building where Kristin had once lived, and from which they had escaped by climbing up to its summit and then fleeing over the rooftops. Then they walked a few more short blocks up to their destination.
Saint Sulpice.
It looked the same as Mark remembered, and yet different too. Perhaps it was the sense of freedom in the air that gave the cathedral a dignity that it hadn't had under the Occupation. Whatever it was, Mark was glad to be back, and he was looking forward to seeing their old friend once more.
As soon as they entered Saint Sulpice, Mark and Princess began looking for Father Richlieu. Instinctively, Mark headed for the small side chapel that housed the mural of Jacob wrestling with an Angel. As he and Princess entered, they spied Father Richlieu in a corner of the chamber.
"Luc, Kristin!" the priest exclaimed, happily, coming toward them with arms outstretched. "How wonderful to see you! And so unexpected!"
"We didn't know that we would be here until today." Princess explained, warmly embracing the older man. "But since we were able to come to Paris, we knew that we would have to come and see you." She pulled away, allowing Luc to greet the priest in his own way.
"I am so glad to see that the two of you are alive." Father Richlieu smiled. "I heard from Frederic that you had successfully freed him, and one of his comrades as well, from that Snakehead Penal Complex, and had then gone on to Corsica. But after that, there was no word…"
"We are sorry that we were unable to contact you, Father." Mark apologized. "We will make certain that we stay in touch in the future."
"Well for now, I hope 'the future' includes tomorrow." Father Richlieu replied. "Unfortunately, today I must be off to visit a parishioner family with a sick infant. But I hope that you will return."
"Of course." Princess smiled. "We will be here for another day or two."
"Before you run off…" Mark said quietly, moving closer to the priest and whispering into the older man's ear.
"Certainment!" Father Richlieu smiled and nodded. "I will see you tomorrow, then."
"Thank you, Father." Mark said quietly, grinning from ear to ear as the priest rushed away to his appointment. Princess looked inquisitively at the Commander, a confused expression on her face.
"What was that all about?" she asked suspiciously.
"Come outside and I'll tell you." Mark smiled knowingly.
Curiously, Princess allowed him to lead her out of the cathedral and over to the fountain of the Four Bishops. Taking both of her hands in his and getting down on one knee, Mark looked up at Princess, his brilliant Cerulean eyes fixed onto hers.
"Princess, will you marry me?" he asked simply. His words were straightforward and honest; his love for the woman in front of him shining through his eyes and lighting up his face.
"Mark… I…" Princess appeared to be at a loss for words. It was clear that she had not expected to be presented with this particular request. But then an expression of incredulous joy appeared on her face, only to be quickly replaced by one of dejection.
"I would love to, Mark," she sighed, "but I just don't see the Chief allowing it, as long as we are both still on the Team."
"I thought of that." Mark agreed, standing up and pulling Princess into his arms. "We may have to wait for a bit, until Chief Anderson can deal with the idea of this. But I do want to marry you, Princess. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And to that end, I want to commit myself to you now."
"So… what do you suggest?" Princess asked, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I can tell that you have a plan in mind, Commander."
"You know me so well." Mark laughed. "Well, I know that we didn't truly meet in Paris, but it feels to me as if we did. I would like to get married here. Tomorrow. As Luc and Kristin."
"As Luc and Kristin…" Princess murmured, a pleased expression coming to her face. "Yes, that's perfect! It won't be official, since we won't be using our 'real' names."
"But it will be official in our hearts." Mark told her. "We can be married here, at Saint Sulpice, by Father Richlieu."
"That's what you said to him!" Princess laughed happily. "You asked him to marry us!"
"Yes." Mark confirmed. "So, does tomorrow work for you?"
"Anytime works for me." Princess smiled, throwing her arms around Mark's neck and kissing him eagerly. "But… I will need a dress." She looked shyly at Mark.
"Then by all means, let's go shopping!" he laughingly suggested.
"I knew there was a reason I'm marrying you!" Princess smiled happily.
88888
The next day, Luc Cesson and Kristin DuMaurier were married by Father Jerome Richlieu in a side chapel of the Saint Sulpice cathedral in Paris, France, Planet Earth. The bride wore an off-the shoulder white dress that was elegant in its simple, clean lines. The groom wore a traditional jacket and tie. But regardless of what they wore, it was clear to anyone who saw them that this young couple was deeply in love. Father Richlieu was beaming almost as much as the two young people were.
For Mark, it was a day that he would never forget. Yet, the words that passed from his lips, and his immediate surroundings didn't register completely on his conscious brain at that moment. Rather, it was the way he felt, and the look on Princess' face that would always be with him, safely guarded within his soul.
No matter that this marriage technically wasn't valid. It was valid in their hearts, and that was what mattered most.
They stayed in Paris for one more day before heading to Corsica, sharing their joy with Mattieu Canton, the Mayor of Calvi, where the newlywed couple had lived for more than five months. But all too soon, it was time to return to their lives as members of G-Force, and less than a week after their 'wedding', Mark and Princess were on their way back to Riga, their wedding rings carefully secreted within their luggage, rather than adorning their fingers.
The excitement of the past week proved to have been too much for the exhausted Commander, and it all caught up with him on the transport ride. On their journey back to Galaxy Security Headquarters, the Eagle fell asleep.