Grand Designs: Endless Tales

by ParadoxLegendsInvestigations

Tales of Assassins, War, Romance. Our main hero San Mercon, and his incredible tale of battle, love, and a little theatrical comedy thrown in for flavor. Rated M for a reason...all characters and places are original. NOT a fan-fiction. Work in Progress...

Prologue

Thin tendrils of smoke curl lazily from the cherry-red burning end of a hand rolled cigar. The hand holding the cigar was well aged and covered with small pock-sized scars marring the surface. The hand's owner was leaned against a brick wall; about the only thing keeping his frail body from collapsing on the ground. But then again, his wife would've shot him dead anyways if she caught him smoking near the house; let alone smoking at all. But then again, some habits are very hard to break and some are just meant to be enjoyed. A very sad and all-knowing smile caressed his face as the passing thought of his wife took a bigger hold in his mind. They had been married for more than three millennia and he still reacted like a newly wed when he thought of her. Of course at his advanced age he doubted that he was "reacting" physically as he did then but in his heart and mind age was not improtant. He almost keeled over laughing when his body jerked a little in response to his thoughts. He was not that old yet.

That was the draw back of his species; their extended life spans made living more than just a little interesting. He had come from one side of the universe and crossed incredible oceans of space and time by the time his wife was born. He had taught her through life, once as a mentor and twice as a spouse. Unfortunately, for him life wasn't done teaching him. Standing against his wall, he felt stronger and more invincible than he had in eons but then a low keening echoed from the building at his back brought perspiration beading on his face and under his arms. The cigar dropped from his fingers as their shaking increased ten-fold. He knelt down, sliding his back down the wall and wrapped his arms around his legs. The shakes became more intense the longer he held his position and the irresistible urge to run inside coursed through his mind.

"Father? Mother is calling for you and the longer you hide outside the worse her condition is getting. Please come inside with us. Please?" his internal com unit located behind his ear keyed into his mind with his son's voice. She was doing so well this morning.

"What's going on, son?"

"She's calling to you in the Old Language. Her mind has slipped so far away from herself that she isn't even registering my voice. Dad, she's become delusional. I don't know if I can keep standing here while she's trying to tear her hair out. I didn't pay enough attention when Mother tried to teach me the Old Languages and now I'm no use in translating what she's saying. Can you please come back in the house and comfort her like you were earlier?"

"Of course, son. take your brothers and sisters down to the living room and I'll be there shortly."

"Yes, father."

His com signaled off and he took a deep cleansing breath. Delusional? His wife? Huh, not a day in her life but then his oldest was always the worrier. He straightened his legs and worked the cramps from them with great care. It would be a while before he could come back out for fresh air so the cigar would just have to burn out. Damn shame, it was the last one he had. The house was cold as a tomb and dark as pitch. A foreboding feeling tried to claim dominance in his thoughts but he pushed them away. His brother and sister-in-law were sitting in the chairs by the fire on the first floor. As if pulled by a magnet, his brother's head jerked up and his eyes bored right through him.

"Is there nothing that can be done for her? Nothing at all?" The question hung heavy in the air separating the two men but the old man's life experience had taught that patience as well as temperament was usually the right combination when people panicked. Unfortunately, not the same could be said for his brother. The old man stood in place while a man of identical looks and mannerism stomped back and forth in front of the fireplace. His sister-in-law was coolly sitting in a chair next to the one her husband had vacated only seconds before. She rolled her amber colored eyes toward him and sighed expressively.

"Could you please give him a complete answer so that he will quit pacing like a caged Meckalis worm? Is there anything we can do for her?"

The smile slowly faded from his face and the shaking returned to his hands. He lifted one shaking palm to his face and tried to wipe the perspiration from his cheeks. The world blurred slightly and a tight sensation clogged his chest. He crouched down in the floor and tried to force deep breaths into his aching lungs. When the forced breathing wasn't working, he rose to his feet and fell backwards to the floor. The force of the blow rushed air into his lungs but just as soon as he exhaled, he found it difficult to bring air in once again. His heartbeat was pounding in his ears but through all that he could hear his brother yelling orders to his sister-in-law and his children.

"No! Turn him on his side while I check to make sure nothing was damaged. Try to get him to breathe. Jacen, take Mathais, Darias, and Morgan downstairs immediately!"

He heard all three eldest boys storming down the stairs and the collective yelling of his name and the repeated questions but he couldn't answer them. His breath rushed in once again but once it was gone, he was right back to the problem the inability to inhale. Blackness started creeping in around the edges just as he felt a needle stick in his neck.

"Alisanos! Wake up!"

Chapter One

"Alisanos! Wake up!"

San's feet flew off the top of his desk and his chair teetered on the back two legs as he tried to balance and wake up at the same time. Cyke Svorsen was standing at the doorway of his office grinning like the Chester cat that ate a mouse.

"Did I interrupt your beauty sleep, princess?"

"Cyke, dammit. That was the first time I had any decent sleep in 3 cycles. What the hell do you want?"

"Ooooh, mighty testy today aren't we? Would you be interested in a report involving THE Imperial Family?"

It didn't take a person five seconds to guess which family Cyke was going on about. The only family for the next fifteen solar systems that had any importance was the Moridens. They had been ruling since San came to the solar system millennia earlier. But if there is one report, there is another.

"No Cyke, I'm not. Remember, I helped that family in the last major stellar war about one hundred years ago and the ruler then made my skin crawl. I'm only interested if the current ruler steps down to let his heir take over before it's too late."

"Well, the report is about the heir. Only, it doesn't have anything to do with her taking position as Queen. It's an assassin's mission with a 30% success rate."

"That damned idiot! I told her to let Mariah take care of it!"
"Mariah can't, San. She's been recently injured off world and can't even walk let alone kill anybody right now. So, now, do you want to know about the report?"

"Hell yeah, give it here!"

ioi

A blade slashes forward and a female figure leaps out of the way. Two more parries and then another thrust and a hidden dagger is revealed. With a silver glint in the candle light, a scream of agony fills the chamber walls and the sound of loud breathing fills the air. A short hilt woman's dagger protrudes from a wound in the female's shoulder, pining her to the wall without any effort on his part. Put in her place, he thinks smugly. The Count seeing victory begins to beat her senseless and bloody. A grimace of pain graces her face as she lifts her wounded arm and yanks the dagger from her body, screaming her pain and anger to the heavens. The flick of a wrist and a dagger is buried to the hilt in the chest of the man who challenged her and lost. She slowly stumbles out of the room and staggers her way down the hall of rushing people and frantic soldiers. They are all screaming "Alarm!" but they don't realize as they pass her that she was the danger and the Count is already dead. Good fucking riddance. Now, to get back out of this infernal palace is another subject. Strong hands grip her unwounded shoulder and begin to pull her around. Her good arm comes around, ready to fight but a stronger one clamps onto it and wrenches the dagger from her loose grip.

"You wouldn't want to stab me; I think I'm the only person in this damned place that wants to help you instead of kill you. Now, let's get out of here before any of these fools gains a clue and actually uses his brain."

"San? What...what are you doing here?" she mutters, shocked at his presence.

"Rescuing you it appears? Are you going to be able to make it?"

"Where's Andran?"

"He's thirty arns dead the other direction and more's the pity for the betraying bastard. He got the easy way out. But he managed to eliminate your extraction unit. Guess you'll just have to fly home with me."

"Did you make his death as painful as possible?"

"Well, as painful as I had time for. Once I learned of the situation here, I was on a limited time. Making sure you had assistance was my primary objective. Andran was just a bonus."

"Well, thank you San, but I didn't need your help. I had things under control."

"Yeah, certainly looked like it. Okay, whatever. Let's get you home, and then we can debate all you like."

People still rushed past them even as they entered the hanger bay and loaded into the fighter craft. Once the Anarians figure out what happened they would have both jumped to hyperspace and vanished from radar.

San Mercon fought hands as he tried to patch the hole in Mac's shoulder. The disrobing of her left shoulder had been painful and a little difficult but they had managed. It was only until he tried to sew her up that she started actually trying to fight back.

"Girl, if I don't get this damn wound patched up you'll bleed out before we get to Graydan and then your whole family will have MY ass. Quite frankly, I like it right where it is."

"San, I can make it. Just leave me alone about the goddamned stitches and let me fly this damned thing home."

Expelling a frustrated breath, San quickly snapped his hand out and hit autopilot with the backside, came forward and punched her in the jaw with a quick snap. She passed out without a protest.

"Machaela Moriden, you have the thickest skull in the galaxy. This is no time for foolish pride"

Alisanos figured he had about an hour before she would wake up swinging and nuclear mad. His conscious told him that he had better get her moved before the pain overrode her current state. Easier said than done because he knew she was going to bleed anyways and they didn't have any extra pints of blood onboard. He was just going to have to take that chance. Hefting her up over his right shoulder, he carried her to the one wall bed that folded up when not in use. Placing her down gently, he assessed the wound. Thirteen stitches, ironic. He set his shoulders and slowly started cleaning the wound. It only brought a faint reply from her so he continued without worry. A half an hour later, Mac started coming to consciousness as San finished the last stitch and tied it.

"Ooooh, my head. You're dead, San, you just don't know it yet."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You have been promising that for a long damn time. Get a new line."

"Ok, how about, 'Why did you have to hit me so goddamned hard?' "

San angrily growls at her childishness. "Next time you should listen to me when I'm trying to help you. Now, shut up and get some rest. We still have a long ways to go."

Alisanos turned to go but Mac grabbed his arm. He turned to face her and her hand came up to his face.

"Thank you, Alisanos." She caressed his cheek three times before dropping her hand and shutting her eyes.

Unchecked desire raged through his body at the unexpected gesture and he ruthlessly put a leash on it. Their relationship was years in the past and his body's reactions wouldn't help them out right now. Returning to the pilot chair, San realized that something was different but definitely not right. After a few arns, he calculated that they were within a day's distance from home. That suited him fine except he was worried about Mac. Gods forbid he should actually try to take care of her for a change. That damned girl wasn't anymore than a few millennia old and she thought she could continue bossing him around like a child. San thumped his hand against the armrest and froze in place as he felt a familiar, cold tingling sensation pass over his mind. Almost as if someone were blowing air across it. Grabbing at the controls, San executed a perfect barrel roll as blaster beams shot past where the hull would've been. Great, they had company and he was a man short for the guns. Slapping the autopilot on, he ran to the port batteries and took a cursory look around. Not much was out here so a ship would have stood out against the black of space. Nevertheless, oddly enough, there wasn't anything out there but space and stars. Then a haze passed over one of the brighter blue stars and a slight differential in the light pattern was noticed. Shields? This far away from any life forms? Where in the hell did it come from? Ah well, if it isn't following or shooting, who gives a damn. San returned to the helm to find Mac sitting in the pilot's chair, sleeping. She looked more comfortable there than she did on the hard bed so San left her there. She needs the rest.

After a few hours at the helm, San felt a big shudder go through the ship and the vents stopped pushing air out. The space ship was going to be freezing cold soon and he figured that somebody on Anaria got in a lucky pot shot to his life support while they were battling they're way out of the solar system. Two Anarian Battle Cruisers decided to try to take on his ship single-handed. Big fragging mistake. San's ship was only half the size of the Graydon Dreadnaught but was equipped with enough firepower to destroy every planet in the Empire. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, one of the Anarian pilots got lucky and hit him right where it counted. With life support on a bare minimum, he couldn't risk turning on the heaters. He had worked on it enough that at least there was cold air pushing through the vents for them to breath but a thought came across his mind that made him turn cold. It was freezing cold in the ship and Mac was back in the med bay for almost falling out of the harness straps. She was probably close to hyperthermia by now. San turned to face her just as he heard her voice, thin and weak, calling out to him. Going down a floor, San rushed to the med bay.

"Mac?" he called.

"San?" Her speech slurred with hypothermia. "S-s-s-sso ccold."

"I know, darlin'." he said as he lowered his body beside her.

"Cold." she shivered.

He pulled the blankets off her and began to remove her clothes.

"Hey!" she protested weakly.

"Need to get you warm, I'm sorry but" he explained as he continued to pull her clothes off. "Skin to skin is best." When she was naked, he covered her with the blankets and removed his own clothes. He slipped under the blankets and pulled her body to his.

He hissed as her cold skin encountered his. "Forgive me, Mac. You're almost frozen. But you'll be warm in a moment."

She burrowed, gratefully, into his warmth and sighed. He was so warm. Gradually, she stopped shivering and fell asleep. San had much more trouble falling asleep. Her breasts pressed against his chest and the tangle of curls that marked her femininity brushed his belly. His body was reacting in a predictable manner. With a great deal of concentration, he was able to ignore the throbbing in his groin and fall asleep.

The dream began as it always did; Mac's hot mouth was against his neck, nipping and licking. He moaned as her mouth moved lower, her tongue flicking out to lash his erect nipple. At the same time, her small hand crept up his thigh and wrapped around his hardness. She slowly began to caress him in a maddening rhythm that always made him see double.

The dream continued as he reached for her hips, pulling her close. His fingers lowered to her womanhood, separating the delicate folds. She was so wet, so ready for him. She threw her leg over his hip and guided him to her. He thrust forward, seating himself fully inside her.

"God!" he hissed as he came awake. "Mac." he moaned.

"Don't stop." she begged, writhing in his arms.

"I can't." he gasped as he began to thrust. "I can't stop!"

He rolled her under him, continuing his powerful, rolling thrusts. He wanted to stay inside her forever. He rose up on his hands and looked at her. Her skin was flush with passion, her breath coming in short gasps. Passion always made a woman more beautiful but Mac was glorious. He glanced down to where they joined. The sight of his manhood plunging in and out of her body was almost enough to make him come. He closed his eyes and thought of Cyke's latest briefing. It was not working. He reached down and found the little nubbin of nerves at the apex of her womanhood and began to massage it in time with his movements.

"Oh San, oh my god!" Mac screamed.

Her hips slammed upward into his and she froze. He gave the tiny bit of flesh a pinch and she came, shrieking and screaming his name and he was right behind her, coming with a force he had not felt in many years. He collapsed on her, shaking and exhausted. He had not had an orgasm that powerful since before she left. Gathering the last of his strength, he rolled to his back and settled her on his chest. Making sure the blankets covered her, he began looking at her face, with questions, he noticed Mac was already asleep. San brushed a few stray strands of hair out of her face, and gently kissed her lips. Mac gave a contented sigh, and burrowed futher into San's chest. A few hours later, San rose gently from her. He had to get the ship repaired, or Mac wouldn't survive the trip. Finding a small portable fusion heater in the medical cabinet, he turned it on, to help keep her warm. He gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead, and then proceeded to the bowels of the ship.

Mac woke the next morning, and the first thing she noticed, it was no longer freezing cold. San must have gotten it working again. How long has he been awake, looking after her? Protecting her? Loving her? And then Mac's mind went into full panic mode.

" Oh no, what have I done! San has always been trying to protect me. He's always been there, no matter how badly I've treated him. It's so easy to fall in love with him. He's always like that. What do I do now? How do I go about telling him what really happened? Things are never easy as San is always fond of saying. It always seems easier in the plays and books. Hell with it. I still love him, and I still want him."

She did not need to wander the ship for long. She found San in the engine room, working on the life support. More like cursing in all different sorts of languages and swearing the machine a very nasty death if it didn't cooperate. But then again, it always has been that way with this damn ship. It never wants to work right the first time. Clad in only a tight leather strapless shirt and a long black skirt, she padded her way barefoot into the engine room and perched on the edge of a step just five steps behind San.

"What seems to be the problem, El Capitan?"

That voice. All it took to get his cock twitching and burning was that soft, husky voice. San could've wrapped himself inside of that voice and died a happy man. A very, very happy man.

"We took a hit on our way out of Anaria and lucky enough for the bastard that was shooting at us, he hit the life support. Now it's being as fickle as a female in heat."

"Well, isn't that a damned good analogy." Oh shit, that's not what she meant to say at all.

A deep aggressive rumble sounds from San "Fine Mac, since I obviously mean so goddamn little to you, other than a quick fuck, go back to the med bay. I have work to do."

Mac knew that she had hurt him. It wasn't hard to tell, she wanted to cry for hurting him so much. She had been at odds with the man for so many years, she was still in the habit of being harsh to him. But that's not what she wanted at all. Then realization and an idea spurred in her head. Since she was facing his back and during all the pulling and pushing San had been doing, his shirt was hanging on the railing beside him. There was nothing between her and that glorious span of flesh that she never got tired of caressing. She placed a palm on the back of his neck and slowly traced her fingertips down his right shoulder and spinal cord. She had felt him flinch slightly and a dull ache settled in her heart that let her know it was because of the pain she had caused. During the years that they had been separated, Mac had taken up some Healer technique classes and had found herself very adept. They only way she knew to get through his anger and his pain was through something known as Touch Therapy. She placed both pointer fingers at the base of his neck where it connects to the back and slowly caressed out toward his shoulder tips. At first, she wasn't sure if he was even registering her efforts until tiny little chill bumps raised up all over his back and arms. The little hairs on the back of his neck raised and stood erect. Her implant picked up the subtle difference in his breathing and she could take a guess that his nipples were hard little pebbles.

"Wha…What are you doing, Machaela? Gods!"

"Shhhh….just feel San. That's all I ask."

Placing the pads of her ten digits on his upper shoulder above his scapula, she carefully traced tight circular patterns down his back to his waistband and back up. San's head tipped forward and lulled loosely as she worked her fingers around his back and up and down his arms. Mac could feel the tension and stress beginning to ebb from his body and moved to the next stage. She placed her pointer fingers on the collarbones just over the edge of his shoulders and pressed with a medium amount of force with her thumbs into the meat of his lower neck and upper shoulders. Slow vibrations sounded from San's chest and Mac had to suppress the laugh bubbling in her throat. He was growling in appreciation. After a few minutes of intense muscle massage, she eased the pressure to light and slowly eased out the remainder of his tension from his body. San's body was completely slack and if she was cruel enough, she could push him over with one finger. However, that was not her reason for relaxing his body. She laid her hands down on his shoulders palm down and gently eased them into his thick red hair. Her left hand stayed positioned just below his left ear and her right hand circled up past his ear and around the top of his head to rest on his left cheek. Since San was still standing in one of the maintenance pits used to access the ship's systems, his head had only reached her stomach and she had to kneel down to work on his back. She molded her body against his back with her hands in the same position. She eased her mouth to San's ear and spoke gently.

"Alisanos…Gods know that I don't usually do this and I don't do it very well but I'm going to try my damnedest to apologize."

San further relaxed into her embrace. He was still a little peeved at her, but she was not into the habit of apologizing to him. So when she said it, she meant it.

"I'm listening."

Mac, who still had his head trapped in her hands and her lips to his ear, cupped his face in her right hand and placed a gentle kiss on the place just under the shell of his ear, directly on top of an erogenous zone. His body responded with a rush of blood to his loins and he hardened instantly.

"I've missed you, these last four years. Everyday has been a slow lesson in hell and the things that can happen to yourself when you push people away have taught me well. It is eating me alive until I am empty inside except for the anger I feel. The anger wasn't even directed at you, it was directed at myself. I didn't mean to snap but it's a natural response to hide my true feelings. I'm sorry, San. I'm so sorry."

San tried to move again and this time Mac allowed him to rotate his position so that he was facing her. Her normally bright blue-green hazel eyes were filled with unchecked sorrow, pain, and San's heart actually hurt. He grabbed her for a deep kiss that set both of their bodies on fire and electricity sparked through their blood. San pulled her legs around his hips and lifted her skirt enough that her core was right on top of his cock and only his leather pants stopped his entry. He slowly pulled the zipper down and in one swift move, seated himself fully inside of her. Her head lulled back and a low erotic sound pushed out of her throat. He grabbed her by the back of the neck and steadied her for his pounding thrusts that brought both of them to climax at the exact same time. Mac lowered her face to San's shoulder and he felt the wetness of her tears. Just the presence of those tears broke his heart. Gently he carried her back to the med bay, cleaned both of them off, then hooked her up to the blood machine, and quickly pumped all the prepared blood from his body straight to the machine. Once he was done, he rubbed her cheek gently and gave her a deep soul lingering kiss before he dragged his ass back down into the bowels of the ship. If he doesn't get the life support fixed, well...San wasn't about to let that become a possibility now.

Chapter Two

After another twenty-four uneventful hours at the helm, San was happy to see Graydan come into view. His life support system on the verge of total breakdown. Graydan's crystal clear skies, blue waters and blackish purple sand. Both suns, one yellow and one orange, were in full view today and almost took up most of the mid-morning sky. It was going to be another scorching day. San docked the ship at the main transport bay and released the landing lever. Mac was still sleeping in the co-pilot seat with her arm bound to her chest. San smiled to himself and shook his head in amusement. Even though she was injured and losing blood, she still aggravated the hell out of him until he allowed her to help. It didn't take long for her to pass out again and San had only strapped her in tighter and locked the controls to the co-pilot station. Now home, he wondered if she would fight him much. He leaned over and unbuckled her seat.

"Hey Princess, we're home. You gonna be able to walk out of here? I'd hate to think what your sisters would think if I carried you to your quarters."

She opened her right eye and glared at him. "I don't give a damn. I don't think my legs will support me so you'll just have to be my assassin-in-shining armor."

San cracked a laugh, saluted and scooped her up. "Yes, ma'am."

They made it all the way to her quarters before someone caught up with them. It was unfortunately her other ex, Daran.

"What the hell is this! You brought her back all right, but wounded. You are nothing more than a useless KILLER! I needed her healthy so I could try to propose marriage. But now she's damaged goods! Look at me when I'm talking to you, ASSASSIN!"

San swung around, the implants in his eyes glowing red. Behind him, Daran of New Ithoria was standing with his prim little nose in the air and his chest puffed up like a peacock. At first glance of San, Daran cowered himself slightly and shifted uneasily on one foot to the other. Daran looked like an over-dressed peacock with folds and folds of lace bunched at his throat and wrists. A small violet colored waistcoat was unbuttoned but still looking prim as ever. To finish off his little lordling appearance, Daran had worn slim form-fitting riding pants and riding boots to go with his loose unbound raven colored locks.

"Daran. No matter what, or when, or how far you think you can run. I'll will be back, and we will be discussing this insult. You insulted me, you insulted my MATE. I've never failed to kill my mark...never. Prepare yourself, you'll be finding out first hand, if you don't get the fuck off this planet right now."

Just as quickly as he appeared, Daran made a very hasty retreat down the hall and never looked back. San took a deep breath and let it out in an audible rush of air.

"Comp, release the last batch of antibodies into the blood supply and check for any impurities or variations. I want it perfect."

"Acknowledge."

"Damn girl, you got an interesting taste in men."

"It was political and I only dated him. I personally think he was a flake. Can't imagine why?"

San threw his head back and laughed. She smiled and shifted uncomfortably. Now that his computer was taking care of the extra blood supply going to Mac, he could concentrate on getting her bandage changed. The layout of her apartment was similar to his but with a few noticeable changes. For starters, her bedroom was in the far rear left section and it had a sitting room for her at-home meetings. The living room was first off the front door and the kitchen was to San's right. San made his way to her bedroom, put her down on her bed, and removed the blanket from her shoulders. Blood was oozing into the bandage, coating it and seeping through.

Since the outer shirt she had been wearing was torn from the dagger, he had to strip her down to her leather undershirt that bound her size C breasts tightly and a long black cotton skirt that she had been carrying in her bag. He guessed it had been part of her original disguise and she had kept it in case of an emergency.

"All right, time to get you taken care of."

He laid her back on her pillows and she grabbed both wrists.

"Where did the first transfusion come from? We didn't have any extra on board."

"I need some more supplies for your bandage so I can change it out."

She looked up at his eyes and then tilted her head to the left.

"Since you're able to see better than me, there is some in the nightstand beside us."

San pulled out of her grasp easily and began unlacing the bandeau top from the back. She felt the top give way and held it to her chest with her good hand.

"Damn it, Machaela! I can't fix your bandage if you play shy on me. Now move your hand."

"Not until you tell me."

"From me, goddamn it! Where else?"

She released her top and her heavy pale breasts were exposed while San unwrapped her bandage from around her lower rib cage and shoulder. The three-inch round hole in her shoulder bled profusely as San slowly and methodically stitched her. The implants in San's eyes clicked into infrared and then to night vision as the day slowly faded into night. After about two hours of work, both sides were sewn up and Mac was beginning to look a lot more pale than when they had began.

"All right, time for your transfusion."

"Have you already completed your changing cycle?"

A little pole-axed, San gritted his teeth and balled up his fists.

"Woman, you try every ounce of patience I have and then some. Of course, I have. Now quit making excuses, and lay back."

Rummaging around, San hit an empty box of birth control injectors and felt a cold sweat pour down his back. Damn it! He was sure she was still on her shots or he would not have emptied himself inside of her. Hell, it's not as if he really had the option of a pullout; they'd wanted each other too badly. Mac's eyes were closed so apparently she had not seen him find the box and continued to pull the rest of her supplies out. Once he moved back to the bed, he moved methodically and knowingly as he gently cleansed the wound on the front. When it came time to do the backside, Mac began to fight him just a little bit more.

"Damn it, Mac, I gotta get to the other side, woman. Don't make me sedate you."

"How about we call in one of my servants to help me out until you are ready for the blood transfusion."

"What are you babbling about now, Mac? I know you're not delirious, my computer would have warned me of any changes."

"Well, then you've been ignoring your computer for the last thirty minutes. Look down at your pants, San."

San closed his eyes and counted in a language that had no alphabet system, only numerical. "Divide the sum of the 4th quadrant, muliplied by the z axis, exponentially expand by 5 dimensions, and the outcome is..."

"I need you to lean up and clamp your mouth over the cut on my wrist. Normally I would transfer blood by connecting one line to me and the other end to you but you've lost so much that I need to do it this way. I know this is very different for you but your body will absorb it into the bloodstream quicker. Trust me."

"I do, San."

With that simple phrase, she stole his heart all over again. Even after all the years of separation and the suitors that have come between them, it meant nothing at all when those words passed her lips. He was still lost in thought when she closed her mouth around his wrist and he was very much unprepared for the leap of lust in his gut. He clamped what control he had left on his lust and was determined to ride through the transfusion without breaking a sweat. She continued to literally feed from his wrist for what seemed like decades until the required amount had been transfused and his body shut off the supply. The cut on his wrist healed up in almost seconds but the feeling of her lips on his body made his dick tingle and leap in hope that she would caress it as well. San backed away from her, placed the heel of his palm against his cock, and pressed down firmly, trying to get it to go down some so he could walk away without crawling. The feeling of a small hand on top of his made him jump but the other hand at his cheek calmed him at the same time. Without opening his eyes, he tilts his head back.

"What are you doing? You think I don't know that you're not on the birth control injections. I found your empty box in the nightstand."

The hand over his at his groin never left but the hand on his cheek did and he finally opened his eyes to look down at her.

"Well, I took all of them before my mission like the doctor told me to just in case sugar went to shit and something freaky happened. You never know. However, I'm guessing at this but I believe I have about another hour before it wears off. You wanna risk knocking my ass up?"

His internal computer did the calculations for him in less than a second and he knew that there was a 40% chance they would be safe. Forty percent isn't exactly safe but, hell, he'd just had her less than an hour ago and now his body was clamoring to have her again. Did she think he was stupid or dickless? He had to get out of here before he had her legs around his hips and his cock working into her tightness. The image flashed behind his eyes and he groaned aloud. He heard her inhalation of breath and smelled her arousal in the air. He opened his eyes that he didn't remember closing and almost swore out loud. Mac was staring at him with lust and hunger leaping behind her lashes. She locked eyes with him and with her good arm, she rubbed down her breasts grazing her nipples caressing her stomach and sinking her fingers into her folds.

Moist heat enveloped her fingers as she rubbed between them, searching for her clit. Mac had never been brazen or overtly sexual towards anybody in her life. Sex was a bodily function she either found somebody to take care of for her or took care of herself. More often than not, her services got her through the night. For some unknown reason she felt like her blood was on fire and a heavy knot of lust set in the pit of her loins. All she could think of was completion. She eased her finger into her sex and rubbed the nub of her clit with her palm. A low-sounding growl came from the spot San was standing. She turned her head again and San was rubbing his erection through his pants while watching her rub her sex. Pure lust etched lines all over his face and in his eyes. He licked his lips as if he could taste her from where he was standing. She closed her eyes and laid her head back on the pillows, just rubbing herself, building up the sensations. She could feel her nerve endings buzzing with anticipation as she felt herself getting closer to climax. She arched her back, thrusting her hard nipples into the air and slipped easily over the edge. An arm slipped underneath her shoulder blades and she felt a moist sensation close around her over sensitized nipple. Her climax soared higher with each pull on her nipple. San growled and laved her nipple with every twist of his tongue. The cool air grazed her skin as the covers pulled back and the smooth leather of his pants caressed her inner thigh as he lay between them. He grabbed her good hand and slowly licked her juices from her fingers. Heat collected in her loins and she wrapped her legs loosely around his hips, the leather lightly rubbing her clit and sensitive lips. He growled at her and ground his covered erection into her folds. He grabbed her hair and crushed his mouth against hers in a furious kiss that immediately softened at the first taste of her mouth. She tasted like warm honey, nutmeg and something else completely different. Very exciting. He could taste her arousal in her kiss. She hadn't kissed him like that in so many years that he couldn't count. He pulled away from her and tightened his grip in her hair to the point of pain, but without going over.

"You smell good, luv. Your taste is driving every sensible thing out of my head and I can't wait to get more. I want it all over me. I want to wakeup and smell you, I want to go to sleep at night smelling you. The sight of you under me is so exotic that it makes me feel like a teenager with his first woman. I'm about to push my cock into your body and pound you until we both cum…..screaming. Do you want that, Mac? Do you want me to fuck your brains out?"

Dirty talk was the key to making her blood pound faster and her arousal jump several levels. She arched up against his body, clamped her right leg around his waist and ground into him. A low erotic groan rolled from her lips.

"What is it with you and dirty talk? Anybody else talks to me like that and I'll cut their head off. You just get my blood boiling. You want me to undo your pants or do you? Because I'm getting more than a little needy here, hon."

"It's your own fault my love."

With her good hand, she pulled the snap and unzipped his pants. His cock sprang out into her hand and she measured him slowly. His big body corded violently and shook as a leaf caught in a storm. The veins in his neck stood out in stark relief against his skin. She was amazed at his level of self-control and the agony written across his face as he fought himself down. He grabbed her wrist and squeezed until he was afraid of breaking it.

"You have to stop! My skin feels so tight right now that I'm not even sure I'll last long enough. Now that is something I thought I would never confess. Control is my life and you are shattering it with the smallest flick of your wrist. You had better be goddamn sure you want this because it's going to hurt and I can't be gentle. I'm pushed too far to control myself or be easy. I am large compared to you and you will get yours. Just decide because once I enter you, jacking off isn't an option."

She tilted his cock down and when the head touched her opening, she rolled her hips shoving him in all the way to his balls. Her eyes bulged at the feeling of being completely stuffed by him and could already feel little jack hammers of her climax start in her loins. His face almost looked feral as he smiled and pumped her with short, sharp jabs that hit her G-spot and her clit at the same time. Two more strokes and she was screaming at the top of her lungs while her climax rolled through her. Since being ruthless was so easy for him…he rolled his hips deep and picked the pace for fast. So fast that the vibrations from his body hitting hers made her clit throb deliciously. Her body tightened and a small gasp escaped her lips as more juices flow from her body. San didn't know then why giving her one climax goaded him on for the other three but when you think about it, they had some catching up to do. Four damn years because her parents were controlling her life. He grabbed one leg under her knee and slowly worked it up until her ankle was level with her chest. His redoubled caresses went deep and rough, hitting all of her nerve endings. Her eyes rolled again and this time when her muscles clamped down, he let go of her leg and pinched the little nub of her clit. She screamed her climax into the air as he slowly rode her climax and then continued to put pressure on her clit. Knowing her, he had to wait five more seconds before... Mac almost came off the bed as she climaxed three more times in his hands and in the last climax her muscles got him off guard and he pounded his climax into her; filling her body with his cum. But he wasn't done yet. After spending 4 more hours, satisfying every passion and need Mac thought she had, San and Mac both came one final time. He dropped his forehead onto her chest and then slowly eased off her to rest his body beside hers. Mac easily cradling her body to his caressing his chest with her fingers. Eight times...That put a smile on her face before she fell to sleep.

ioi

Mac kept getting this feeling that she was being watched. San's arm was still thrown across her chest and his leg still draped over her leg. She slowly cracked her eyes to see her older sister, Allea, snickering at her.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I heard that you had been injured so I came to check on you. Daran didn't tell me that San was with you. If I had known that you had taken him back into your bed I wouldn't have bothered until your debrief tomorrow. I'll go and tell the others that you are well and that San is 'taking care of you'."

"Allea?" The total vulnerability in Mac's voice caught Allea's attention fast. Mac was never vulnerable, never. Allea turned to face her sister once more.

"What, sister?"

"What if I wanted to keep him here forever? Would that be so bad of me to ask him?"

Allea rubbed the back of her neck and grimaced. Something was definitely up, Machaela never waxed poetic, never talked about her feelings, and never asked for an option before she did anything in her life. Something happened on that rescue mission that she figured only Mac and San knew about and they weren't telling.

"Changed your mind about marriage, have you? Or are you hoping that San will just stick by your side for the rest of your lifetime and not want that part?"

Tears welled in Mac's eyes and sobs wracked her body. Allea kneeled at the edge of the bed and held on to Mac's hand.

"Machaela…honey, I didn't mean that in a snide way. I'm just so used to being at odds with you because that is just how we are. There are only two years between us and I know that I'm the eldest in the family but I would want your position for the entire treasury in the galaxy. I walked away from all that five years ago and I know that it was cruel but I refused to be played. What makes you cry, sis?"

"I walked away from him four years ago when he needed me the most. I mean, my parents were highly pissed with the 'selection' I brought to be considered as a husband. We share the same father but our mothers are totally different. My mother is the coldest bitch in the solar system and I'm just like her. When faced with the possibility of losing my family and position, I turned away from the only man I was ever happy with."

"Then you disappeared for about six months. San went totally nuts because he couldn't find the place where our father stashed you. When you finally returned you were a different person. What happened on that planet?"

"I went to that planet voluntarily thinking that father would send San to me later on. I went to give birth to my first child, Allea. Instead, San never showed and I miscarried in a bathroom all by myself. By the time the guards found me, I was dying from blood loss and was still hemorrhaging. It took 12 hours of infusions and bed rest to be strong enough to come home. I never forgave our father and eventually my mind partitioned off my emotions from my logic. Not hard considering that I have a computer implant."

"Did you ever discuss this with him? Does he know about the miscarriage and your blood loss?"

Allea stroked the hair away from her face and dried the tears from her face. "Never mind, I know that answer."

"I will. Just not right now. I don't know how he'll react. He already wants to kill father for his treatment of me. Anyways, thanks, Allea."

"Don't thank me just yet but call me if you need to talk some more. As for the answer to your original question; For the right man, what wouldn't I do? I'd sacrifice everything to be with him. Night, sweet."

Allea left shortly after and within five minutes Mac was back to sleep once more. San knew because he could feel the change in her breathing. He also had been awake during the sisters' conversation but had decided to play it safe and play dead. Sometimes, it pays to be sneaky and sometimes it pays to be patient. Problem was, which time was now since his heart was involved.

Chapter Three

Well, the answer to his mental question two weeks ago had been Patient. Only, he didn't realize it until the two weeks had passed and he was standing in the shower after his latest off-world mission and had been remembering that night. He had done the calculations in his head and then mentally smacked himself for letting himself get bogged down in work. San could remember when he had left in the early morning while Mac was sleeping…

ioi

San blinked, groaned and tried to roll over. The sunlight was blinding him and he felt like he had a one hundred pound weight on his chest. His brain finally cleared and became a little disoriented. Sunlight? His windows were covered all the time and there shouldn't be any light hitting him in the face. A female groan caressed his ear and the weight shifted on the left side. He glanced over and saw a dark red head of hair and a woman sleeping in the crook of his shoulder.

"Mac?"

Ah, damn! It hadn't been one of his deep dreams again. He knew that Mac had a way of breaking down all of his barriers but he always thought that he could control himself, even around her. One night with her totally blew that out of the ballpark. He was easy about lifting her off his body and gently laying her back down on the mattress. She stirred just a little but he gently smoothed her hair away from her face and she settled back down to sleep. He quietly grabbed his pants and other clothing and at least had those on before he left her room. Once he shut the door softly, he used the one ability his kind came to naturally. He orbed himself from the hallway to his quarters. He stripped his clothes and walked naked to his bathroom. He turned on the shower and let the steam build up and fog up the mirror. He could still smell Mac on his skin and his body hardened in response. He closed his eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath. All it did was bring her scent even deeper into his nose and brain that just made him harder.

"Damn it! You had her eight different ways last night. Eight! That's enough for any man, even of your breed. Get over it!"

He jumped into the shower and the muscles in his body turn into mush. Changing and donating blood always taxed his body out and then a night of exercise just made him feel like he'd participated in a couple of marathons back to back. Damn that girl knew how to milk his body.

ioi

Machaela rolled over and inhaled deeply. San's side of the bed was cold but she could still smell his unique, musky scent clinging to the sheets. Looking at the pillow, there was a folded piece of paper. Reaching over, and unfolding it, she read three words that made her heart melt. Her body ached all over but not unpleasantly. Mac stretched her body out and tested her left arm. There was a little bit of stiffness but no lingering pain. Whatever was in San's antibodies they sure did their job. She slowly crawled out of bed and looked at herself in the mirror. Dark red hair fell around a pale face and grazed sturdy shoulders to a point at the small of her back. Old scars were small white lines and circles that lightly covered her body. Her gray eyes were too large for her face and her skin dusted with small freckles. Even standing there with a bandage covering her left shoulder joint she looked soft and fully sated.

"That's what happens when you get your brains fucked out of you eight times in one night."

The thought only brought a smile to her face. If anything were to be said about San, it would be that he was very thorough. Her door chime sounded and she quickly grabbed a long velvet gown and threw it on before her door opened.

"Machaela? Hey, where you at? You missed your Metallurgy class today and you didn't have a replacement."

Mac cringed when she heard her twin sister's voice coming down the hall. After the visit from her older sister, she was wondering when her baby sister would make her rounds. Ok, Mariah was her baby sister by two minutes but hey, she could wish. She guessed that wishing for a shower was out of the question now. Mariah would surely recognize the scent coming off her body. At one point in time, Mariah and San had dated for about a solar year. Even though they're relationship never crossed to the physical side, Mariah would know his personal scent. After all, they were still best friends that went on missions together on occasion.

"I'm back here, Mariah. What time is it?"

Mariah cleared her bedroom door and stopped dead still. Her eyes bugged out as if she had never seen her identical twin before. For identical twins, anybody looking at Machaela and Mariah would call you a liar. Mariah's hair was brown with bright silver streaks thrown in as highlights. Unfortunately, her hair isn't the case of a really good dye job. Mariah's hair really was silver but only in random streaks. As for the rest of her, Mariah was only twenty pounds lighter, two inches taller and had violet purple eyes. However, when you are a Royal Assassin your whole life you tend to lean for more slender side of the body.

"You got laid last night, didn't you? Don't tell me that's the reason you skipped out on your class today?"

"Gods, no Mariah! I got laid last night as if it were any of your business. Got wounded in the shoulder too and needed time to heal. Did my students go on a rampage?"

"No, Daniel covered your class. He's the good child in this family."

"If that was meant as a slap at me you better take it back, or else."

"No, it's just a statement. Was he any good and who was it?"

"I'm not saying. Come talk to me in the bathroom while I get a shower."

Mariah followed Mac into the bathroom and just as soon as Mac pulled her dress off, Mariah's eyes bulged and her mouth gapped open as she recognized a very distinct pheremone.

"Holy Shit! You were with Alisanos last night! Nevertheless, how? I thought you told me you could never be intimate with him again after what happened with your pregnancy four years ago."

Mac shrugged slightly and turned on the 360-degree showerheads.

"I also never thought he would ever come close enough to even place a hand on me. Honestly Mariah, I've always loved that man dearly and you know that. But I was afraid of hurting him more. But you know San, my sister. He's persistant enough to get what he wants in the end, even though I was the one to nudge him into it this time."

"Yeah, I love him too. Only, my love for him is kind of like that for our brother, Daniel. That's why we couldn't continue seeing each other. Either I was gone all the time or he was gone all the time. We never got to see each other except in those few sparse minutes in between missions. However, we're not broken up over it either. San and I have one of the best friendships that I could ever want. Ahhhhh, Machaela, did you take your birth control injections?"

"What do you think?"

"Ok, right, sorry sis."

"It's ok honey, you have a right to be worried about your sister and your best friend. Tell me about what happened while I was gone."

They talked about everything that happened while she was gone. Not much, of course. Mariah had just finished when a knock on the door sounded through the bathroom. Machaela crouched down, completely nude with a dagger Mariah never saw in the room. Footsteps sounded through the living room and a knock echoed through the empty bathroom.

"Mac, where you at, woman?"

Mariah cocked an eyebrow at Mac and hitched her thumb toward San's direction. Machaela nodded her head in agreement and went out the second door connecting to a secondary unknown room connected to her bathroom.

"Come on in, San. She ain't in here." Mariah answered for Mac.

San entered the bathroom and bear hugged Mariah.

"You here to check on Mac for me?"

"Nope! Thought I would come by and finish the job that asshole Count couldn't. You know, put her out of her misery. She is the worst patient a person could get stuck with."

"I would actually have to agree with you on that one, old man."

Mac was gone out of the room but San's senses picked up a strong trace of her scent. One that he didn't notice until now. He felt the prick of a dagger in his back, right above his kidney. A smile graced his face and mirth danced in his eyes.

"Either you're mad at me or that dagger digging into my back means you're happy to see me."

He heard a low female giggle directly behind him.

"You're just lucky I traded the gun for a dagger. What are you doing here, San?"

He turned to look at her but she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Not a good idea, my friend. You surprised me getting out of the shower. By the way, the shoulder feels better but the rest of me is a little tender."

Heat washed through his loins at her mention of last night. He clenched his right hand and then let it out slowly. She was referring to him as her 'friend' again. This damn female was switching from hot to cold and back quicker than a bitch in heat.

"Then I'll close my eyes and be good."

Mariah and Machaela both cracked a laugh and Mariah barreled over, laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"You wouldn't know how to be good if your life depended on it."
"Hah, hah girls. Really funny. Mac, go get some clothes on please."

Mac popped him on the head and walked away.

"Why do you still call her Mac? It makes her sound so masculine."

"Because, Mariah, I've been doing it since she was eighteen. That's the age most assassins from my world have their naming day. It's a title of adulthood."

"But why "Mac"? Why not something else?"

"It's a carryover from those months when we dated politically. Remember? Your father wanted to get in good with me, because of the underworld connections I have with the Pirate Empire and used your sister as a bargaining chip."

"So you did it to annoy my father and my family?"

"No. She used to hate it when I called her that. Eventually it grew on her and here we are."

"What was yours San? What name did you recieve on your naming day"

San looks ashamed for a moment.

"I was never given one. My parents died before that day ever came. I'd rather not talk about that Mariah, I'm sorry."

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Forgive me." Mariah gives San a heartfelt hug.

Mariah's face sobered slightly and looked San in the eyes apologetically.

"You realize that she's wearing your Claiming scent again, right? It didn't come off in the shower and you can smell it under the perfume that she's spraying on right now."

"Kind of hard to miss in the quantity she uses. But I don't mind. I don't care who finds out.

"Good San, because I don't either. Well, what do you and Mariah think?"

San glanced over at Mac who just walked in and his eyes began to bulge. Mac was dressed in tight leather pants, a low cut, shoulder-hugging asymmetric hem peasant blouse that hugged her body from the base of her breasts to the top of her pants. The sleeves belled out from the hem at her shoulders to the point just above her elbow. Three inch heeled stilettos peeked out from under the flare-leg of her pants and all of her long red curly hair was piled on top of her head with some tendrils hanging around her face. Mac never was one for wearing makeup and jewelry but there she was with full makeup on and one-carat diamonds hanging from slim chains from her ears to her mid-throat. San was almost ready to throw Mac on the bed and repeat the previous night. Almost.

"Damn, Machaela, what's the assignment this time? I don't think I remember the last time you dressed up." Mariah spoke in such awe.

"Thanks, sis. I think."

San just stood there with a stupefied look on his face. After eight years, he couldn't believe how much she had grown into a beautiful woman right in front of his eyes. He remembered that he was staring and held out a hand.

"I take it you are the guest-of-honor at the General Assembly tonight?"

"Gee, I wondered how you figured that. I hate getting dressed up."

San laughed deep in his chest and walked her to her door.

"But you pull it off so well."

ioi

Going from her quarters that day, San had immediately returned to Command Quarters to give Admiral Dorsik and Cyke Svorsen the low down on the Count's death and Mac's injury.

"Alisanos! I see that you were able to retrieve our errant Head Regent before she could come to any serious harm. Did she succeed in killing the Count or is he able to be saved?" Admiral Dorsik clasped hands with San as they met in the War Room.

"No. They won't be able to resurrect that prick unless they get their necromancer to do it. But you know the Regent, smart enough to have dealt with him first. They are both dead and all the more better for it."

"What about the double agent/mole that you found? Is he eliminated as well?"

"As ordered. He actually begged for me to spare his life and I simply told him that if the government is sending me then he was obviously dead before I got here. He just didn't know it yet."

"Good work! Now, there is a rumor circulating that Regent Machaela was injured during the mission. I was hoping you could shed some light on this subject."

"Yes, Cyke, she was stabbed in the shoulder. It took fifteen stitches to put her back together but she'll recover just fine. Almost no scarring."

Cyke and Dorsik glanced at each other and Cyke shifted from one foot to the other uneasily. San was getting that uneasy feeling in his gut as he watched one of the only men that he'd ever trust in battle.

"Gods, what now? Did her father throw a damn temper tantrum? Frag guys, it happened before I ever could arrive on site to assist her."

Cyke folded his hands behind his back and stood directly in front of San to keep their conversation personal.

"Let's go to your office, old friend. I need to ask you something very personal."

San led Cyke to his office and shut the door. The whole office was sound proof and San kept the place clean of any listening devices or probing devices for complete silence. Cyke helped himself to a cup of coffee from the replicating machine inset in the wall. He silently offered San some but he refused knowing that it would just settle in the pit of his stomach like a stone. After a few minutes of complete silence, San began pacing the room growing more agitated with the passing minutes.

"What is so important that we couldn't talk about this with the Admiral?"

"San, your ship isn't equipped with a full med bay. You barely have enough supplies to reset a broken arm. I know you San, you can heal everything on your own. You don't need a med bay. So how in the hell did Mac make it all the way back here without a blood transfusion?"

"She had a blood transfusion, hell two of them before we docked at the hanger. What type of question is that?"

"This means that you changed blood for her and transfused her from yourself. San, I know about the ups and downs of doing that. That's one reason why I won't accept more than one transfusion from you. I know that it's not sexual when it involves men of any species but the antibodies in your system are so strong that they make our bodies dependent on them after the second transfusion. However, I also know the side effects if the receiver is female. Especially a female that you have had a previous relationship with in the past. Now, I wasn't there so I don't know what happened and quite frankly, I don't want to know because it's personal. I could tell something was very different with you when you arrived a couple of minutes ago. You look younger than you have in years and you smell like Machaela. Now, before you blow nuclear on me, hear me out. Have you thought this all the way through?"

San raked his hands through his hair and expelled a pent up breath.

"Hell no I haven't thought about this. I haven't had time to think anything since that mission. I've been on running on pure instinct. And in truth, it was Mac who came foward with an apology and a confession. Honestly, after everything that's happened, I just didn't know what to do. Hell, would you?"

Cyke cracked a sly smile and laughed out loud.

"No, I wouldn't old friend. Ok, I get it but remember what happened last time? Her father and mother split the two of you quicker than a log on a chopping block."

"There were also some extenuating circumstances. I didn't know the whole story and unknown to Mac and her older sister, I listened in on a very personal conversation they were having when they thought I was asleep."

Cyke's brows knitted together and he stroked his mustache. "What could possibly be so important they couldn't tell you out right?"

"She was pregnant four years ago, Cyke. That's what set her parents off so badly in the first place."

"If she was pregnant, where is the child…..oh shit! Oh man, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry for me nearly as much for her. She almost hemorrhaged to death on the bathroom floor. They barely found her before she bled out."

"No wonder she looked so distraught and pale when she returned from off-world."

"Apparently, her father told her that he would send me to her if she went to this other planet to have the baby. They never said a damned thing to me. Now I have this sinking feeling that her father was feeding her an abortive to rid her of the baby and she never knew. Her body was so resilient that it fought for six months before succumbing to the poison. That's why all the blood."

"What are you and Mac going to do now?"

"Well, I had plans to take her from her father's grasp and live the rest of our lives together."

Cyke cringed and handed San the data pad that he had carried into the room with him.

"Unfortunately, you won't be here for the next three days so you'll have to wait until then."

"God's be damned, Cyke! I'm not taking another mission off-world."

"Isarie, the fourth eldest child is on Kalax writing a peace treaty. She's having difficulty keeping the insurgents from storming the palace. We need you to take a team there and help control things until the treaty is signed and negotiations are through."

"Why aren't you sending Aleena?"

"She's already there with 1,000 men and it's still not helping. The Rebel force numbers 2,500. Aleena is out numbered and as the fifth eldest child, shouldn't even be there but she accompanied her sister."

"Fine! God's take the Rebels if they frag up my personal life forever. When do I leave?"

"Right this second. You'll only be gone for three days."

"I'll hold you to it, Cyke."

Two weeks later…

From that night, San left for off world and didn't return for two more weeks. No matter how many times he screamed and lectured Cyke in those two weeks, he had to stay there until both Moridens females were home. Just as soon as he was in orbit, San sent his resignation straight to Admiral Dorsik's office via high priority. Once his feet touched the landing, Daniel Moriden intercepted him and shook his head.

"Boy am I glad that you are back. You do not know how bad it has been around here since you left. It is to the point that I would be willing to take a trip to the next solar system and head minister the students there. Please tell me you aren't rushing off-world anytime soon."

San clasped Daniel's in a tight arm shake, common between the two men. "No, I'm here for the duration. What's going on?"

"Machaela has been in a sour mood for about two weeks now. She won't tell any of us, not even Mariah. Probably pissed because you jumped off-world the night that father told her she had to either find a suitor from the room full of delegates or produce one of her own in two weeks. Tonight is her deadline because she slapped the shit out of that pansy-ass Daran. Do you mind going to talk to the pain in the ass?"

"No, Daniel, I don't mind at all. Where is she?"

"I think she's in her office at the academy. Probably dealing with an errant student."

"Did she really slap the shit out of Daran? Damn! I had to be gone when I would have had more fun watching that. Did he do anything or did he just stand there and take it?"

"He punched her in the face, man. She was sporting a bruise for a week."

San's body stilled and switched into battle ready form. Daniel backed slowly away from San and the smile eased from his face. Holding his hands up in a purely non-offensive posture, he eased his way closer.

"San? Man, chill a couple of degrees for me. Half the people on the flight deck just went into full battle alert. You're making me nervous and that's hard to do. The prick spent a week in the main holding cell and then was banished from the planet surface for the extent of his lifetime. We take care of our own and she's my big sister. I was taking care of her for you."

San could feel his pulse pounding in his skull and Daniel's words barely registered in his mind. He was seeing red and a word was repeating like a broken record in his mind. Mine, mine, mine, mine…

He cleared his thoughts and shook the coiled tension out of his body. An easy smile graced his face and he tried his best to let everybody think that he was cool. He offered his hand to Daniel again.

"Nah man, it's cool. Where did you say that she was again?"

"Her office at the academy."

"I'll catch you later then. Take care of my ship for me? Oh! And have the dockmaster get a crew together. I need some patchwork done to the hull. But tell that cantakerous old fool, to stay off my engineering deck, or I'll be paying him a personal visit again."

"Anything you want, man. Be like ice, man."

San orbed to his shower and then returned to the hallway in the main assembly area dressed in loose fitting leather pants and boots with a form-fitting, dark blood red shirt and heading straight for Mac's office at the planet's only academy where she was residing head mistress. Hah! Go figure! Head Regent and Heir to her family and Head Mistress. He also knew from experience that she was eternally a very tired creature. He could hear from the voices from the office that it wasn't entirely a great thing.

"Listen, Mr. and Mrs. Tsotsky, Oren's behavior was unacceptable and if it were any other student I would be doing the exact same thing with them right now."

"I guess you are telling us that the real problem wasn't his behavior?" Mr. Tsotsky cocked an eyebrow at her.

"No, the real problem isn't his behavior; it was the poor judgment of said student. Oren seems to have this bad habit of treating other females from other races as his slaves. Now normally, I steer away from forcing the students to conform to a basic set of rules. Having been made aware of that and, as you can see by the agreement both he and you signed, you agreed to follow these rules. He clearly chose to overlook the third rule and grabbed Riah by the rear end. When she spun around and ordered an explanation from him, he slapped her face, called her a whore, and proceeded to manhandle her. My Assistant Head Master, Cypher Si'Arenth, removed the young man to another classroom and Riah informed me of the incident. Under our rules and laws, he must be placed in one of our sister schools."

Both parents looked appalled and glanced at each other before speaking.

"But this is the best. It took four years to be accepted and six months on a waiting list. All of this for some girl's hurt feelings? Maybe she was dressed inappropriately."

Mac counted to thirty in a 6 languages before slowly opened her eyes.

"I realize that it took that long to be accepted, I oversee every application. The realization you are not excepting is that your son pulled this stunt with the Head Assassin here at the school. My younger twin sister. Mariah could have accidentally killed him but she knew he was standing there. You're lucky she didn't geld him. Because if it would have been me, and not my sister, he'd be coming home in a box."

Mr. Tsotsky reached over and popped Oren on the back of the head while cursing him in native Gorjican. Oren looked to Mac and bowed submissively to her.

"We would be most grateful for your recommendation to your next best school."

"That, at least, is permissible. I'm going to allow you to take him home tonight because I don't want my sister finding him. By tomorrow, you will be off world. By the beginning of next week, you will be enrolled and in class. The matter is therefore closed."

Mac stood, shook hands with both parents and motioned toward the door.

"I'm sorry if I seem like I'm rushing you out but I have a lot of paperwork on my desk."

Both parents nodded in acknowledgment and let themselves out. Just down the hall, San nodded to the threesome as they passed and the father must have recognized him because he stopped and shook hands with San.

"Ahhhhhh, damn! I guess he's recognized my damn face!"

"It's good to finally meet you. My son talks about seeing you around home port all the time."

San paused and cocked an eyebrow at him. "Sir, I haven't been on planet in over six solar cycles. Could he possibly have been mistaken?"

"No sir, he was very adamant because you are the best pilot in this 'verse. My son was in the pilot's program. That is, before this incident. Now we will just have to see. Good day to you, Mr. Mercon."

"Good day yourself, sir."

The boy's father walked off and San's brain processed the recent information. Gods help him if he is right...

San, feeling a little apprehensive, he hesitates at Mac's office door. Recovering his wits, he steels himself, and enters the office with fluid...albeit, "nervous" grace. Looking around the room, the person his eyes were trying to locate wasn't there. San, notices the window slightly open, and the soft breeze blows an odd fragrance around the room. San, smiles sensing a playful touch to the whole situation, knowing Mac has retreated to the training room, to escape her exhausting position. San returns to his quarters to change into a pair of black loose fitting training pants and black muscle shirt. He figured it was a good day as any for a walk and head out for the sparring room on foot. Hopefully by the time that he arrives, Mac would have already worked herself into a fit and her form will be sloppy. If not, he was just going to have to pull a few new tricks out of the bag.

ioi

San approaches the small group around the sparing mats and moved up slowly behind the line of men and women. Mac was within the circle, clad in very revealing shorts and top that left barely anything to the imagination. She was already on her fifth opponent, her skin slick with sweat. San could see the others she had sparred against, and all of them had large welts where her strikes had landed. Mac executed a spinning chop that caught the young man on the shoulder and caused him to yelp in pain as his arm went numb, the staff falling from his grasp.

Mac spun around. "No one else?" She taunted.

"How bout me?" San spoke, stepping onto the mat.

Mac turned at his voice, a cruel smile creasing her lips. "San." She said. "I see you have come out of hiding." She bows deeply but never lets her eyes leave San's. He recognized it as one taught to her by the other sensei before he took over education. It wasn't one of respect, it was mocking.

San ignored her insult and took his fighting stance. "From the looks of things, it looks like I'm not the one hiding...young one." He popped.

Mac let out a scream and launched herself at him, her knife flashing around with almost inhuman speed. San didn't move, simply lifting his hand to deflect the blow. Gasps escaped the gathered men and women, Mac was moving so fast. San just stood there casually, very relaxed posture...like someone who was bored. Mac continued to press her attack, bringing the opposite end of her knife around in a vicious jab for San's neck. Again, he simply stood there and deflected the blow with an almost casual ease. He could feel the tension radiating from her, and knew she was not holding back in the least. Her anger was also making her sloppy, and causing her to drop her defenses ever so slightly. San knew he had to end this quickly before it got out of hand. Mac brought her knife down in a wickedly fast blow that would have easily impaled San's skull. Her eyes widened when her knife simply kept going and plowed into the floor, snapping the sturdy blade. She spun around just as the large fist crashed into her face. Mac staggered back, her eyes wide, glaring at San. He had moved faster than she had ever seen him move before, his face emotionless, his breathing slow and steady, nearly impossible to recognize. She wiped the blood from her mouth and tossed down the broken end of the dagger.

"You have not drawn blood from me in many years San." She said. She bristled when he did not reply, simply returning to his fighting stance.

San knew Mac was perhaps the most lethal unarmed combatant he ever trained. She had a smooth combination of power and speed that was added to her already lethal precision. She had taken to the Assassin arts like a fish to water, absorbing everything he had taught her, and he him-self was by far the deadliest anyone had ever seen in any form of combat. But San, of course, had a combat talent that was truly unique. And his age and experience, just made him that much better.

"Your form is sloppy. You're betraying my teachings with this pathetic display. Perhaps I should have taught everything to Mariah. She at least had the balls, not to let her emotions interfere with her fighting ability. Get your head out of your arse! I taught you better than this! " San stated coldly, causing Mac's eyes to grow angrier. Deep down, it was one of the most painful things she's ever heard from him. She leaped into a staggering attack with her hands and feet that immediately put San on the defensive. He blocked many of her blows, but San allowed many to connect, still wearing a bored expression. The impacts and sheer power Mac was unleashing, rocked his head back and bloodied his mouth. Her lean and feminine figure belied Mac's ability, and it had been many years since he had been on the receiving end of her anger-enhanced skills. Mac caught the side of his shoulder with a lethal snap kick, causing numbness to race through his upper right shoulder, feeling an old wound resurface. He realized she's losing total control of her-self, and San knew he would have to end this right now before she hurt someone, namely...him-self. He knew Mac almost as well as he knew himself, and he knew what her next move would be when he began to favor his numb shoulder. She let loose with a high front kick that would have in fact snapped his neck had it connected; however, San was ready for it. He dropped to one knee under the kick and as Mac tried to stop her movement, he hit her in the back of her thigh with a vicious two-knuckle punch. His two knuckles drove into the meat of her thigh, directly on the nerves connecting her muscles. Mac screamed and collapsed onto the mat as she lost all use of her leg. San didn't relent and dropped to his butt, spinning around and sweeping out with a bare foot, the blow catching Mac in the side of the face, snapping her head around. She rolled onto her stomach, curling into a fetal position as pain and sobs wracked her body.

San pulled himself to his knees and looked around at the faces filled with awe at the display. "Leave us." He spoke firmly. Noone dared to argue. San just proved he is still the true master of the Assassin Arts.

The men and women who had gathered slowly turned from the mat and made their way out of the gym. In moments, it was silent, and San moved over next to Mac, pulling her into his arms, and pushing the long hair from her tear streaked face. She looked scared and angry.

"Damn you San, why, WHY? Why can't I just take control of my life? Why must everyone stop me from having peace? I want it all to end, I'm just so tired of it all!"

"Shhh, it'll be alright!" He told her. "I am here. Things will improve. I promise you."

Mac's arms encircled his waist as she wept uncontrollably. She reached for the one thing that had always been a constant in her life. San.

"San." She sobbed. "I tired of all the planning and scheming to gain an advantage on a political opponent. I prefer the silent moves taught by assassins but my father won't allow that anymore. I am to be the perfect little puppet for him to control. All my life he's done this to me. I don't even have control of my own life. My father seems to have complete reign. I came down here looking for an actual way out of it. Once my eyes fell on you, I was hoping to provoke you enough to let your strength slip and I'd let my resistance slip. I want it to end, San."

"Then rest Mac. I'm here for you. But never assume that I will willingly let you remove yourself from my life. Especially by the ways of suicide. Damn it, woman! Do you not know what you do to me? Talk that way again and I'll bend you over like a child and bust your arse." He told her.

"You… you are my strength. You always have been. But I keep pushing you away...why do I keep doing that?" Mac said.

"Nobody is perfect Luv." San said softly. "Especially me. And maybe it's best if I left for a time. There's some things I have to do, and I can't put it off anymore..."

Machaela glanced her tear filled face up in his direction and orbed completely out of his lap.

"WHAT? Gods be damned that female is a pain in the ass! Always leaving before I can finish the goddamn sentence!"

San orbed out of the training room straight to Mac's quarters. He searched everywhere in the apartment for her but didn't find anything. Swearing, he orbed to Mariah's quarters. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up straight just as Mariah brought a dagger down toward him. He grabbed her wrist and pulled the dagger out of her hands.

"Where is Mac?"

Mariah's stone hard face never showed a single emotion.

"How should I know? Have you lost her again, San?"

"Don't be an ever-suffering smartass and tell me where she is."

"I. Don't. Know. I can feel her orbing all over the cursed planet and she's been doing that off and on since you docked. Why did you leave her?"

"I didn't intentionally leave her. I was sent with more troops to keep your younger sisters from getting their heads handed back to them!"

"San, you weren't needed there. I found out later that Daddy found out about you and Mac and made High Command send you on a useless mission. He kept you there on purpose so that Mac would lose hope in her future and bend his way. What nobody but Machaela and I know is that Daddy dropped the find-a-suitor-or-step-down clause when she threatened to leave the solar system for New Alexia. Go ask Allea where our sister is."

Mariah left the room and San orbed to Allea's quarters. Allea was sitting at her desk in the main room and only glanced at his arrival.

"Let me guess. You want to know where Machaela went and why she's running from you?"

"What are you? A fragging Oracle?"

Allea jumped from her desk and planted both of her palms on the desk.

"She can't orb on her own San! Use that god-like mechanical intelligence of yours and put the puzzle together. If it wasn't her, why would she be orbing all over the goddamn place without taking anything of hers with her?"

"Dammit Allea, Mac only knows a fragment of the truth! She thinks I was going to leave her, but she left before I could finish trying to tell her something important. Just tell me...please. Where is she?"

Something on Allea's screen caught her attention. After inputting information into the computer, Allea glanced up at San with an extremely sad expression.

"Because you're too damn dense we just lost the thread on my sister. She just orbed off-planet and I can't tell where she went. I just know that she's not here anymore."

San felt his heart slam into his chest with a loud thud. Mac was gone. He slowly walked forward and sat in the chair in front of Allea.

"What do I do now?"

"I don't know what to tell you but you can't be here. You need to leave, San."

"What's going on, now?"

The door to Allea's quarters slammed open and High King Roman Moriden stepped through the threshold. At first, Roman was looking at his eldest daughter with a smile on his face. The next second he had a hand on San's neck and was lifting him off the ground.

"Gods damn the sight of you! I told you to leave my family alone. I don't repeat myself for my health. Where is my daughter?"

San brought his hand down on top of Roman's wrist and snapped the connector bones in half. San dropped to the floor as Roman back off howling in pain and ten High Guards stormed into the apartment. As ten different blaster pistols trained their sights on his head. His eyes implants glowing gold, he didn't even look at them, he kept his eyes focused on the King.

"Don't you dare presume to come here, and treat me like one of your pawns! For you to interfere in my life like you have...I should kill you. I've been allies with your family for 7 generations. Ally...not servant!"

"STOP! All of you just stop right now! Guards! Out of my quarters now!"

"Roman...You are a very lucky man. I've learned of your treachery against me. You killed my child. And nearly killed Mac too. Be very thankful to your daughters. They are the reason you still exist. Tell these guards to get there damn guns out of my face! NOW!

The guards glanced at the King and Roman nodded his head yes. After all the guards filled outside the door, Allea came around the desk and backhanded her father across the face.

"How dare you bring that shit in my house? I told you, if you want to cause trouble or have someone killed do it on your own time and don't threaten the one man that Machaela loves almost more than her family. Now, do you need medical assistance? San? Sit your ass down in that chair and don't say a word."

Roman nodded his head yes and San just stood there with his mouth hanging open like a fish, but moved to the chair and sat down. He had never seen anyone other than himself, treat the King that way and still live to tell it. But then again, Roman raised Allea by himself for eight years before he married Machaela's mother. They had a deeper understanding than any of the other Moriden children did.

Roman glared at San and seethed. "Why you? Why not somebody I picked out for her? Why did it have to be you every time?"

"It's called Free Will, Highness. She was never going to let you hand pick her life for her. You knew that when you put her under my tutelage so many years ago. She rejected all those other teachers before me, right?"

"But those were just teachers. We weren't talking about the man that would one day inherit my kingdom."

"Should it matter when your daughter's happiness is the key? Why not me?"

Roman thanked his daughter and flexed his newly healed wrist. "That's the point Alisanos. It's because it's you. You don't age like us. For all we know, you don't age at all. You won't age with her or die when she dies. You'll continue to live on and my grandchildren will never inherit from her."

"So this is all about inheritance? Roman, I don't want the throne, I never have. I'm not a politician. I'm an Assassin, a Traveler. Is that what you truly fear? That we'll leave and never return?"

"Partly. The other part is a father's fear that whatever children you and Mac have won't be fully Graydarian. What if the people revolt because of that single reason?"

"Highness, people are revolting already, and it has nothing to do with Mac.

"No, I won't have it. Stay away from her, Alisanos. Stay far away from her."

"Not your decision Roman. I will do what I think is best for her happiness."

"You will do what I say, Mercon. This discussion is over."

San's eyes twitched with rage, but a quick glance at Allea, made his anger vanish.

Roman gave Allea a small smile and left in all the grandeur that he arrived. Nobody could care less. Allea came to stand beside San and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I truly and honestly do not know where she is. If I did, I would tell you and let you and Mac work everything else out between the two of you. To hell with my father, he's a close-minded bastard."

"Thank you Allea, I think I'll take leave of you and return to my ship. I guess that's the best place to start looking for her." San gave Allea a tender hug, and walked out of her quarters slowly and in deep thought...

Chapter Four

Three months later…

"You look like deep fried horseshit, my friend."

San looked up from the bottle of Derullian whiskey that he was putting away pretty fast. Cyke Svorsen was standing over him and the look of pure pity pissed San off beyond all limits.

"Wwwwhaa tha hell ya wan Cyke? I coulda giva shit what ya want."

Cyke grabbed the bottle and chunked it in the trash bin on the other side of the room.

"Heeey, I waddn't dun wif tha."

"You've had enough to kill about five elephants, man. It's time to sober up for me."

San sluggishly lifted his right and lifted his middle finger. He laughed and hiccupped a few times.

"So you give up already? I guess you're just going to leave Mac to die somewhere?"

San's internal computer recognized Cyke's voice and instantly started the purge process. San ran to the trash bin and heaved until every drop that he had consumed for the last three days was gone.

"Gods damn you, Cyke. It took forever to get to that level of drunk."

"Then you should have remembered to shut off the purge routine that is activated by my voice when you are inebriated. Tough shit, man."

"What was that last vibe about letting Mac die?"

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot why I originally came up here in the first place. 'Mac' and 'die' in the same sentence is part of the purge process you set up. Don't you remember?"

"Yes, hard to forget. Did you find something important?"

"Yes, oh mighty puke breath, we got a hit. An informant on Santarac says he saw your woman at the local market yesterday. She was traveling with a maid that apparently is a native and the informant followed her back to the quaint little cottage back in the hills. He says that she walks to town and back everyday."

"Ok, why should the fact that she's walking be such a big deal. She prefers walking over riding any day."

"The trek to town in a ten mile hike one way."

"And yet again we are emphasizing this because? She can run 5 miles in 10 minutes."

Cyke threw a stack of pictures down on the desk and San stared at the face on the copies with great interest. Machaela's face had filled out a little bit and she had let her hair grow out and hang free. In the first two pictures, Mac is dressed in a long sleeved black gown that has full skirts and a large shawl that was gathered in the front. All in all, Mac was hiding her true form under yards and yards of material. Under the shawl, a person could not tell if Mac was a slender girl or a rather robust girl. Another girl was present in those pictures and San figured this was the personal maid. Why Mac would voluntarily hire a maid was beyond him but that was kind of typical. Pushing the photos to the side, he gathered up the rest and flicked through them. After he processed the surroundings and the market in the backgrounds, he stopped on the last two photographs. The first one was dated with yesterday's date and showed Mac wearing a simple dark blue shift dress that reached the top of her bare feet. A slight bulged showed around the vicinity of her abdomen. San jumped from the chair, knocking it over, and looked at the second picture in his hand. It was a close up that showed great detail in his woman's body. She was what looked to be five months pregnant but she had only been missing for three months. Prior to that, he had scanned her whole body when she was injured. There was no way she could be that far along.

Cyke placed a hand on San's shoulder and San directed his gaze back to his best friend.

"The only other person that I have told is Mariah and that's because it was her informant. Go now before she tells everybody else. She gave you a week and pray by that time you can get everything worked out."

ioi

Today was starting out like every other day on Santarac. Machaela got up with the sunrise and made breakfast for both her and Zyeda. Being independent came natural to her considering she's had to do everything for herself since a very young age. After breakfast was cleared away, it was time to work in the garden. Using some of the knowledge that Mac had learned on Graydan, she was able to start one of the largest Hydro-Pod agriculture centers on the planet. Currently, she was growing eight different native vegetables, three off-world vegetables, fifteen different types of fruits and one particular type of herb garden. Only she and Zyeda were allowed into the herbal section of the green house. It kept the merchants and their spies from stealing not only her own special crop of herbs but the technology to grow it as well. There wasn't anything of the narcotic type grown in the herb garden but just a very hard to find spice that the people of the planet were having to pay off-worlders for.

The herb garden just happens to be when San finally came upon the cottage. When Cyke had said that it was a ten-mile hike from town, he hadn't been joking. The very faint trail that broke off from the main road was just that, very faint. After ten miles of hiking in dense trees and brush, he was beginning to wonder how healthy and strong Mac was after all this workout everyday. Set back in the trees, her cottage was just as Cyke had described. It was a small, two-bedroom structure with a joined kitchen and sitting area. Entering through the open doorway, San noticed a rocking chair sitting by the fireplace and a very large baby's crib in the first bedroom off the left. Everything in the house was immaculate and put in its place. The floor was set in hardwoods from the surrounding forest and the walls were kind of a staccato-like covering. Obviously, Mac had made her mark on this little house in the middle of nowhere and wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon.

The bedroom door on the right hand side of the main room opened to allow a small woman into the doorway. From all of the photos that Cyke had showed San, he easily identified Mac's maid and housemate. The small woman didn't look intimidated by his appearance in the open room.

"I'm looking for your mistress. Machaela Moriden?"

The woman gave him a confused look and spoke rapidly in the local dialect. San realized that Mac picked a native girl for one really good reason. The woman couldn't speak Galactic Standard to save her life. Switching to her native language, San repeated his question. Understanding this time, she answered with a kind smile.

"She's in the herb garden. Would you like for me to go get her for you?"

"I would appreciate that greatly. Just tell her that I am a merchant looking for a special kind of herb."

"Very well. Wait right here please?"

The woman headed out the doorway and quickly turned around to face him.

"My name is Zyeda. My mistress Machaela showed me your picture once when she first came here. I know who you really are but I have to ask something of you."
"Certainly, name it."

"Are you the father, sir?"

"Yes I am."

Zyeda seem to visibly shed a great wait from her shoulders. She came forward and placed her hand on his arm.

"In our culture, it is unheard of that a pregnant woman would separate from her husband while she is breeding and the village elders have often worried about her being here all alone with just a maid. Are you to take her from this place?"

"I don't know yet. I just want to speak with her. I am not her husband but I have the desire to be so. I just found out about the pregnancy."

Zyeda shook her head in agreement.

"At night, she calls out for a man named Alisanos. Even sometimes, San. Are you this person she calls for?"

"Gods, yes. I have a hole in my soul where she should be."

"Then I will help you and I will bring her here under the false identity you gave me."

Zyeda picked up the hem of her skirt, rushed toward the back of the cottage, and entered through the main greenhouse door. Inside, Mac was just putting the last bit of fertilizer over the last of her herbs when Zyeda entered.

"There you are! Are you feeling any better after that stomach ache you had last night?"

"Yes, ma'am. I am feeling much better. Ma'am, there is a gentleman merchant here to order some of your special herbs. He waits at the house."

"Well why didn't he come out here instead?"

"He suffers from a horrible limp and it proved to cause him pain when he walked. I asked him to stay at the house. Is this ok?"

"Yes, Zyeda, that was very considerate of you. I'm done here so its time to head to town anyway."

Mac and Zyeda locked the greenhouse up and made it to the house in a few minutes. Once she entered the house, Mac knew something was wrong. Zyeda closed the lower portion of the front door and locked it.

"What's going on?"

Mac's bedroom door opened and in only one word, she was able to describe that clawing feeling that had been in her brain since yesterday.

"San."

"Machaela."

Being as she was working in the greenhouse today, Mac had forgotten to grab her shawl from her bedroom. So here she was, standing in the middle of her receiving room with San and her belly sticking out like a banner. Instead of trying to hide the inevitable, Mac pressed a hand to the side of her stomach where one of her sons was digging his foot in. The small action brought San's attention down to the bulge ever-present under the empire waistband of her day dress. His breath sucked in audibly as if a vale had been lifted from his eyes.

"When I saw the recon pictures that Cyke gave me I wasn't sure if that was a figment of my imagination or if was true. Are you really pregnant with my child?"

"Ahhh, hell, San what do you think? That I'm pretending there is a foot stuck in my floating ribs?"

"There's what stuck where?"

"Here, give me your hand." Mac grabbed San's hand before he could react and stuck in to the side she was rubbing.

"Now, rub in deep rotating circles and maybe you can get your son to remove his foot from my ribs."

San's hand did exactly as she directed and a low appreciative groan escaped her mouth. Continuing to massage the little bump on the side of her stomach, San felt another stronger bump right beside it. Arching an eyebrow at Mac, he quirked the corner of his lip up.

"Somebody else likes what I'm doing besides Mommy."

"Nope, somebody else is jealous."

San dropped his hand and the same time that his mouth dropped open.

"Hey! Wait a damn minute! Why'd you stop?" Mac groaned before seeing San's expression.

His head was spinning and spinning and the roller coaster ride didn't seem like it was going to stop anytime soon. Mac smiled deeply and called for Zyeda to help her get San in the chair behind him. He collapsed down in it and quickly looked up at her.

"Just how many children do we have running around in there?"

Mac smiled from ear to ear and leaned down to his ear.

"Three, my love. All of them boys."

San lurched up from the chair, unlocked the door and bailed head first out the door. Mac grabbed the shawl from the rocking chair and followed him outside.

"San, don't leave...I...I...I'll never be able to live each day of my life alone without you. Even if my future has some small piece of hope, I don't want to live it without you there to hold me. I don't want to see reminders of you everywhere and feel the deep-set ache in my heart as it breaks anew each and every time. Stay with me please." she sobbed

San took her face in his hands and looked at her. "I don't give a damn about politics, or titles. I've earned my reputation through blood and honor. But now I wish to start something that requires a little less blood, and a little more honor. I'm...I'm not worthy yet. I don't deserve this blessing" He spoke softly almost in tears.

"I have made up my mind; I am requesting retirement status, indefinite until I decide to return."

Mac looks at San almost horrified. He was leaving her. He had already left High Command and now he was leaving her.

"What now?"

San looks at Mac and frowns. "Mac, I have trained you in Assassin Arts, but that's not what I wanted either of us to become. I'm just a soul trying to find his own way in the universe without causing too many problems. My long journey is gettin' rather complicated. I have too much blood on my hands. I think it is time I left for awhile. I'm ready to have children...truly I am. And I want nothing more than to share this with only you my love. But I'm not worthy."

"But you once told me that if you aren't serving as an assassin then you are happiest in deep space. If you give up your position on Graydan, then that means you won't be around when the boys are born! You know that I can't deliver in dead space. It messes with the internal pressure of the skull."

Mac starts to sob, and then puts a hand over her stomach, as if she's in pain. Fearful that she was suffering some kind of pain from the pregnancy, San had a medical scan initiated.

"Computer, scan target for irregularities"

"Brain Chip...optimal,

Blood analysis...optimal,

Organ function...within normal limits during pregnancy..."

"Computer run Logistics scan."

"Affirmative, target became pregnant during the escape event from Anarian Space. Three months and six days in gestation period."

"Too early for normal tests and scans?"

"Only for those who are not running a cranial implant. Subject possesses such implant. Subject knows its current state of health. Further note: Beginnings of cranial implants detected in fetus's brains. Any distress is probably mental and not physical."

San steps closer and places a hand on Mac's cheek "Mac, why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?"

"How was I supposed to tell you anything? You left without sending word or even attempting to give me a message. If you had to leave so suddenly, why not drop something by before leaving. I know it takes at least an arn to fuel and supply your ship. That and I was afraid... The birth control, I had taken so much before leaving out for Anaria and I didn't know for sure if it had any effect because your semen regenerates like the rest of your cells. Therefore, instead of killing off the semen that came in contact with my body, it regenerated and acted like normal. That and I was three days out of my cycle when I went on the mission. That's why the doctor told me to take all of my birth control shots. I spent the first week in total agony when my computer identified a foreign tissue in my womb. At first, I was afraid of some damage or a medical illness. When the computer told me that my blood was producing chemicals present in only pregnant females, I passed the hell out. Right into Mariah's arms none the least. I came to and barely made it into her bathroom before losing what little I had eaten that day. I didn't tell anybody because I wanted to find you but then I heard about your current mission and just let the hormones kick in. So, yeah, I'm pregnant, and even though I didn't plan things to go as they did, I was kind of hoping you would stay around." Mac suddenly becoming nervous moves away from San.

"What about when I docked into the Docking Bay? Why did you run from me?"

"I didn't exactly have a choice. I can't orb all by myself, San. I have to be with somebody that has the ability. I guess the triplets sensed that I was nervous and started orbing from one place to another. When I finally stopped orbing from one place to another, I was on Nubek in the next solar system. From there I caught a refuge ship here to Santarac. When I arrived, I was checked by medical personnel and they discovered I was carrying triplets. The whole village chipped in and helped me get this place built and up and running. From the income I get off of the produce and herbs I was able to hire Zyeda to help me as I grew larger."

"You didn't answer the question. You went around it completely. Why didn't you contact me?"

"Because I couldn't face you if something happened to these babies like what happened to our daughter. I was progressing along perfectly and then one day I started feeling horrible. I had caught the local variation of the flu and it weakened my immune system. I miscarried in my bathroom four days after I hit six months. Because I was a very private person, I never allowed my father to hire a personal maid to assist me when I grew larger. So by the time the guards made their rounds six hours later, I was almost dead. I don't want that to happen again. I want to carry the triplets to full term and give birth to fully healthy babies. Stay with me, I know it's not your way, you always wander…and if you refuse, I won't stop you but I won't leave this planet and we will always be here when you come back." Mac couldn't see San's face for the tears overflowing her eyes and the nagging feeling that she had to blow her nose. Zyeda handed her a handkerchief and she loudly blew her nose. All three people laughed because it was a good stress reliever and it was the only thing left to do.

"Mac, I said I'm leaving. Something very important has come up. I have to leave. I have no choice. But...let me finish this time woman!" he turns toward her seeing her utter look of sadness "But I never said when. I will stay for as long as I can. After the children are born, we need to talk and make plans. Until then, I'm here for you and our children. Until then, I am yours."

Mac starts crying again, but this time she's happy and she runs towards San and lets him fold her into his body.

"Did you miss me, luv?"

San growled into her neck and lightly bit her. He moved his way down her neck and kissed her on the collarbone then tilted his head up.

"Do you think we could go inside to your nice comfortable bed so that we can have some privacy?"

She grinned and cuddled in closer. She dismissed Zyeda to go and visit her parents for the night so that she and San wouldn't disturb her during the night. San leads Mac to her bedroom and strips her bare. Just as he's taking his pants off, Mac saunters over and rubs her hands across his back. San straightens slowly and cocks a smile.

"Is that better? I'm completely naked for your viewing pleasure. Now, do you want to ride or be ridden?"

Mac grinned like a pirate. "What do you think, luv?"

San pulled her around in front of him and picked her up. "I say we try something new that won't hurt our precious bundles of joy. Are you game?"

"You lead, I follow."

Chapter Five

6 weeks later...

San sits on the bridge of his ship, doing minor maintenance to his Navigational Array, pondering his turn of events over the past few months. He thinks back to his first meeting with Mac. Never in his entire existence did he ever think he would find such a spirited woman he could spend a few thousand millennia with. She was the only one of his students to absorb his knowledge as if she knew what he knew. She's dependable, honorable, caring, and now...carrying his children. He's searched his whole life, for the true reason, he exists. His race now only a memory in his own mind lived to find the reason, the logic behind life. Now, he's found a different reason to continue on. To raise children he could call his own, with the woman he loves. Mac...she has fought her whole life, to be something she never wanted to truly be. She wants to live her life on her own terms, but because of her heritage, and her training, she's had to take the responsibility she's dreaded all her life. Now, she gets a chance to live her life how she wants. Mostly because San, threatened her whole family. San challenged them all, he was serious, and was truly ready to take on Mac's whole family to ensure, the Mac was given her freedom for a few centuries. Still working on the Nav system, San's senses come alert. Someone is coming down the main corridor. Catching on to a particular wave of pheromones, he realizes its Mac. Judging from the heavy thuds of her boots, she was walking quickly and aggressively. "Ah crap, she knows I forced her leave..."

Mac, given an unwanted leave of absence, storms through San's ship, ready to pummel his logic bomb with a talent only a woman in love can give.

"SAN, get your ass out here right NOW!" San came into the corridor with a look of a kid, who's been caught with his hand in the cookie dispenser. Any other time, Mac would have found that extremely cute. Of everyone in the 'verse that San has encountered, Mac was the only one he feared, and she was his only weakness...

Mac, walks straight up to him, staring him dead in the face. San simply stands there docile, yet on edge. He's expected this. "Yes, Luv? What's got you all upset?"

"Don't you dare fucking play stupid with me San! How could you force me into early retirement, I have responsibilities, my family..."

San sits against the panel, readying his muscles internally for what's coming...

"Umm, helloooooo? Mac, you are pregnant, and missions can go wrong. Even if the children were already born, I will not let our children grow up without there mother, because she was too stupid and stubborn to know when to quit!" San said what he needed to, waiting for Mac's predictable reaction.

She did not disappoint as she sent a full power kick, which would have cracked his skull, had he not been prepared and caught her foot. San swung his foot out and knocked her remaining foot out from under her. At the last second, San caught her, and slowed her fall to the floor so she wouldn't be hurt.

"Get something straight Mac, I have done everything we have needed to do, even though killing your father would have been nice. But I don't because of you and your sisters. We're a family now. To hell with the entire Galaxy, and it's problems. Family is my first priority. YOU and the babies, are my family. Everything else is just a distraction."

San sits cross-legged now. Speaking softly, "Mac, your sister has agreed to take over things here for you, until you decide to return, Cyke has granted you maternal leave indefinite until you decide to return. Mac, you are my wife now, and the mother of our children. Can't you spare a few hundred years, hopefully a few thousand...and live without the senseless missions and bullshit games with your father? Do you really want our children to be apart of all the mindless struggles and death? I don't. I'm tired of it all. I want peace, I want to be with my family. Mac...you want the same thing. And it's yours to take."

San lifts Mac to her feet, and embraces her, feeling her tremble. "Mac, say something..." He pulls back and looks at Mac, tears were running freely from her eyes.

"Oh gods yes, I want the same thing. I want to spend it with you, my love. As long as we can...As long as I'm with you, I'll always have what I want. And more...But damn it! Could you at least have told me before you did something like that? You ultimately rearranged my life like my father used to. It's the only thing that set me on edge. I agree by the way of marriage vows to love, honor and obey. However, I guess I figured this was something we could talk about first. I was just going to ride a desk at the academy, doing nothing at all until we were ready to leave the system. As far as I'm concerned, Daniel can deal with it all until I get back and Mariah can take care of the school. They won't miss me now that I'm no longer a pawn in daddy's little chess game."

San leans forward and locks with Mac in a passionate kiss, that sends tremors through both of them...they were finally complete, with special children soon to be born. "I'm sorry my love, but I felt I had to do it. Sometimes you really do amaze me, Mac. There are other times when I just jump up and try to take care of you the best way I know how. Now if that means doing something behind your back and rearranging your whole life without asking you first, it's because I love you so damn much and I want time for us. Just us. No more damn orders or missions between us. Just us and the kids."

"Ok, when can we leave?"

San laughed deep in his chest and embraced Mac tightly. Looking to his left towards the panel he was working on. And delivers a very hard kick to the side of it, causing it to make an aweful grinding sound, before it settled into a low hum. Still smiling at Mac, as he turned around.

"Whenever you like. We're ready to go." Mac rolls her eyes and walks away muttering...

ioi

Two weeks later, a series of murders occurred around the rim of Tsikodia Asteroid Colony. Cyke had commed San privately and relayed the details to him.

"Listen San, I know you and Mac are retired for a spell. And I'm truly sorry to call you like this, my friend. The reports of these murders are being kept quiet for now, but the details of these murders are being spread through an underground Pirate's Ring. They reported directly to us, because of the trading relationships you established with their leader. They say that one man is responsible for these murders. This brings me to my next question. Who is Ewen Mercon?"

The question floored San, and he just slumped into the nearby chair as he just sat there in complete shock. "He's my twin brother...this doesn't compute, he died aeons ago. Believe me, I was the one who killed him. Cyke, other than Mac, you are the only person I completely trust. Therefore, I hope you will keep the events I'm about to share with you to your-self. Can you do that? Noone but Mac and Mariah are allowed to know." Cyke looked grim, but nodded his agreement. "I was born on a small planet called Prism. This was destroyed, when my universe ended. During the escape, my brother's ship was caught in the shockwave of a rogue supernova. And since I was a small child, I have been drifting through empty space, thinking I was the last of my kind. For millions of Eons, I have been drifting through empty space. I was in empty space for so long, I still have trouble adapting to your galaxy and star systems, I am still sometimes more comfortable in dark space, with only my engines humming and my Nav computer beeping as it calculates trajectories while traveling through Klien Points. When the first stars began forming, I did feel relief. Knowing that life was returning to the universe and I wouldn't have to spend it alone anymore. I was on the very edge of losing my sanity. I traveled to every single world I could find that started to show sentient life." San shook his head as he remembered, so clearly, the loneliness, but the exhilaration of finding new life forms.

"A very long time ago, when I first came to this world, Grayden was still a lifeless barren world. No life on it, of any kind, no atmosphere. It was just another rock. So I continued on my journey through at least 7 different galaxies, studying different races and worlds. But after 300 billion cycles "Grayden Time" of travel, I returned to this system. And to my great suprise I discovered life on Grayden, and it's semi advanced society. That's where I met your grandfather. He was a wise leader, and a worthy friend. Your world was so much like my own, and I admit I was homesick. I decided that I had found a worthy place to settle for a while, and I was starved for social interaction. But, after a few hundred years while staying on Grayden, I recieved a faint quantum signal. I found that my brother had survived the events, and had escaped as well. Nevertheless, he was bitter, and angry at the events that had happened. He began to hate life, all life. After a time, he began to hate me as well. During the Chronal Schism of 327 ESD (Eve standard time), which to you, that would have been around the time your grandfather had defeated a race of Kyron Needle Spiders on Sentalia and met your grandmother. I had found my brother causing trouble on a small planet called Nube Jose. He had taken the princess there hostage, and killed the royal family."

San stands up and begins to pace around stopping his story for a minute. Reliving his memories.

"When I showed up there, I rescued the princess Tabina and her unborn child. I fought my brother but he escaped and sabotaged my ship. I spent two weeks, in a recuperating coma because I caught frag in my chest and neck, and very nearly died if it wasn't for the princess. When I was strong enough, I had tracked him down again. He had killed over 200 royal families across the edge of the Sculptor's Void during my sleep. I had decided to end it for the last time. I contacted him, and he agreed to a final duel between brothers. We met on a rogue moon, the very place he considered a second home, and I killed him, or so I thought. He had abilities that only recently I've learned I'm capable of. Ewen is the only person in the universe I am actually afraid of. Unlike me, he has no morals or conscience, and an unquenchable thirst for destruction of all life, and absolutely no fear to use his abilities to there full potential..." San stood up, and walked to a nearby window, staring somewhere the couldn't be seen. "Mac is not going to like this..."

Mac, having just boarded the ship, when she recognized a voice, she had just heard earlier that morning. It was Cyke, and she heard San talking as well. As she continued down the corridor, she heard San as clear as day. "If my brother has returned, then I must kill him now. If he finds me, he will make sure my family suffers. Machaela and our children are in extreme danger if he still lives."

Mac came to a screeching halt in the corridor, having heard this. Machaela and our children will be in danger if my brother still lives. Mac couldn't believe it...San had a brother, who was a psychotic killer. Totally frozen in place with awe and fear, she broke into a dead run to the other room where San and Cyke were talking. Cyke cleared his throat and Mac looked over at him. He stepped forward with a bow and extended his hand.

"Lady Machaela."

"Hello, Cyke. What's going on, San? Alisanos! What the hell is going on?"

San turned slowly and just stood there, peering into his wife's eyes as if he was searching for the secrets of the universe in them. Gods know how much he loved her. Everyday for years and years on end, all he could think about was how much he desired to make this woman his own. Now that she was his, he was very much afraid of losing her. He gently laid his hands on both of her shoulders and took a deep breath.

"When I was born, my twin and I were separated after a nearby rogue star went supernova. I was the first son and he the second. I was given everything until the demise of our planet and he was never acknowledged as kin. I was only a child when I was sent away and later in life, I thought that maybe Ewen hadn't made it out of the dark matter nebulas of the Big Crunch. Later I found out that I was terribly wrong. Gods, was I wrong. After so much death and slaughter, I tracked him down for the sole purpose of killing him. He was hurting people, many people and I couldn't stand by and let him continue. I barely made it away from that moon alive. The last time I saw him, Ewen had a slit throat and a hole in his chest, from where I cut his heart out. He shouldn't be alive, Mac! He shouldn't be alive, luv. Almost four months ago, when I tracked you down to the sparring rooms, I ran into the Tsotsky's right outside of your office. The mother and the student continued down the corridor but the father stopped and shook hands with me. At first, I was thinking that he was thanking me for the assassination of the Gorjican leader about a decade ago. Instead, he wanted to shake hands with the pilot that his son was always bragging about. Mac, I haven't been down to the actual soil of Graydan in the last six solar cycles. How could I have been in the pilot's hanger bay everyday for the past three cycles?"

Mac stood there somewhat shocked and he could see the wheels in her head spinning. "That would mean that he was either trying to feel you out again or he was looking at a member of my family as his next victims. Oh, gods, San! What about Daniel, Allea, Arina, Mariah? The rest of my family? They're in danger now and here I am about a week's travel at a star base. I've got to send a message of some sort to notify my brother. He's Acting-Head-Regent for the family and in center display all the time."

"Whoa! Slow down, baby. You need to slow down and take a few breaths. Your family is safe for the moment. Why don't you go lay down for a few minutes and Cyke and I will be in there in a minute?"

"San's right, Mac. You need to take it easy."

Mac turned to the doorway and grabbed for the shelf unit just beside the door as her body bunched up and she went down to her knees. Her body buckled again just as San scooped her up from the floor.

"Cyke, I need a little direction here. Where's the next med bay that can handle her?"

"My ship has the best doctor, what's wrong?"

"I think it's the triplets. She has passed out completely. I'm going to orb both of us over there. Meet you there."

"Ok, see you there."

ioi

An hour later, Cyke was sitting in a chair in the waiting room as San paced back and forth across the floor. San should have known something wasn't right. He should've been monitoring her every second while they were talking because of her stress level. Lately, he's been trying to help out as much as he can. Sometimes Mac would scream at him to quit hovering or she was going to their quarters and locking herself in for at least an hour. San smiled at that and wished that she was right here screaming at him. Anything to stop the gut-wrenching pain from knowing that his wife and children were in distress and they weren't letting him see them. San caught the doctor coming his way from the corner of his eye and darted over to him. Cyke jumped up and joined him.

"What's going on? Why is my wife being kept from me? What's wrong with her?"

The doctor held his hand out and smiled deeply, "My name is Doctor Norsod and I have been through this twelve times with my own children. Trust me when I say that I hate the fact that they separate the men from their wives but we had to do a physical on her and you would have been in our way. Come this way and I'll explain what's going on."

Cyke decided to stay in the waiting room, which left San by himself with the ship's doctor setting a swift pace down the corridor. "Well, first off, at least your wife and the babies are doing fine. We stopped her labor before it could really do any damage to the surrounding tissue and we're just trying to keep a close watch on her vital statistics. Naturally, Mac is awake and has already cussed me for a solid thirty minutes on how fast I was to deliver you to her. She's royally pissed but only after she found out that the nurses had kicked you out."

"Good, good, good. So, what caused her complications Doctor? Was it her stress level, or something else?" Norsad nodded "Partially. There is a chemical abortive in her bloodstream...it's very faint. Her brain chip, couldn't analyze it and alert her, because it's been in her blood stream for so long. Her body has adapted to it. But only partially. This is going to be a very tricky situation, when she does go into labor." Norsod looked to San's hand, and paled three shades white.

San glanced down and noticed that he had tried to pull the wall rail toward him in an arch pattern, and succeeded. "Can I see my wife now?"

"Oh yes, you most definitely can. I think she let everybody on staff know that she was missing you. Right up to the point where her body needed sleep and she slipped off into a light nap. But I don't think she'll mind as long as you're with her."

"Thanks doc."

"Not a problem. Just this way."

Norsod led San back to the medical beds and from the doorway of her private room; he could see that Mac wasn't completely out of it like some of the nurses might have thought. The doctor shooed all of the bodies out of the room and shut the door on his way out. San sat down in the hover chair right next to the bed and picked Mac's left hand up. Her wedding band sparkled under the harsh lights of the med bay and he found himself in a trance by the reflections of both his thoughts and the stones. He'd finally found happiness with a woman that he's loved for years on end. They've gone through everything together, been in worse positions than most people can dream of and finally were graced with the ability to start a legacy of their own to leave behind. Now here she was, lying in a hospital bed because she almost lost their children. Children. Gods save him; he has three children coming instead of one! It was enough to throw any man into a spin.

"Well, well, well, brother of mine is expecting triplets. What do you know, it is a family trait."

"Ewen? How the hell..."

"What? Did you think you could have possibly killed me? You never destroyed my brain and that is where you fucked up. Well, make that the first thing you fucked up. The second was not covering your tracks just a little bit better. It was easy to find out about the little bitch that you have taken up with and then to find out that you not only sired three children with her, you married her. Where is your sense of priority? You never marry the bitch that gives you your heirs. You just simply get rid of her when they come off the breast. Too soft? I'll do it for you for free."

"Ewen, your best bet is to leave my family alone. This is between you and me and I want to keep it that way. If you hurt anybody else but me, I'll make you spend the next few millenia computing your failures in my personal pocket watch."

"Was that a threat brother? As weak as that came out, I am having a hard time being intimidated by you. Why don't you just come to me? You have one standard Prismian week to do so or I'll come and find your pretty little pregnant wife and have myself some fun."

"Be prepared little brother. I won't make the same mistakes again."

"Be prepared yourself Alisanos, this war between us will end one way or another. If you run, I will kill everyone you love, there families. Anyone who has ever seen you or heard of you, I will kill them all. One week...brother."

San opened his eyes and glanced over at his wife. Mac was steadily staring right back at him and there were tears in her eyes and flowing down her face.

"How can he share the same genetic coding as you? My gods, he's one of the worst I've ever seen."

It didn't take a genius long to figure out that Ewen had tapped into the personal com link that Mac and San shared. She had heard everything that Ewen had said and it was disturbing her greatly.

"Sometime, I wonder about that myself, sweet. Now, onto another subject. One I find a whole hellava lot more stimulating. You were going to tell me something before you heard me and Cyke?"

Machaela blushed just a little bit and grinned from ear to ear. "The doctor says that the triplets growth rate is in the above normal range. I should only be around 4 months, but according to the doctor, I'm well past 7 already. I wish you knew something about your family's genetic history. We truly are flying blind."

"I know love, I wish I knew too. But no matter what is happening elsewhere, I'm happy."

ioi

After Mac fell asleep, San refused to leave her side. Now sitting at the window, San thinks about his brother. The things that could have been, but never happened. The wishful thinking about having kin, someone who actually remembered more of his home world, and his family...what it would be like to have had a father to pass on the knowledge of becoming a father. "How am I going to raise children, when I've never had a father figure in my existence? How will I ever explain to them, about my long dark history?"

"Ewen, I wish to talk."

"What?"

"Ewen? Why couldn't things ever be right between us?"

"Because we chose different paths. You chose the path of the protector/assassin. I chose the path of destroyer/conqueror. I will kill everyone in this universe. I will kill all life. You stopped me once before, that won't ever happen again. We are the rightful heirs to this universe, not these pitiful little empires and governments..."

"But Ewen, what happened to us as children can't be undone, no matter how much we BOTH desire it. Does that mean this new universe has to suffer because of what happened to us? The woman I am in love with is carrying my children. But does that mean they can't ever have an uncle to look after them, to learn from?"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH! I have no interest in your pathetic and weak children, nor your pitiful little assassin bitch. My only interest it destroying the universe as ours was destroyed. And since you decided to protect this mockery of a verse, I'll kill you first."

"Ewen...Tabina is still in love with you..."

"...She...no...You have six days Alisanos! No more!"

...flashback... On a massive planet know as Prism. The Prismians are a very unique race of people. They a born with computers for brains, not cybertechnology, but biological computers. And are a race entirely made of Assassins and Scholars. They knew the universe was ending, and decided to logically end with it. The Prismians were as intelligent as God, and but less open to the fluidity of space and time. But one man and his wife decided to break logic, and give the illogical a try, by sending there twin sons into space through the nebulonic clouds of the compacting edge of the universe. With special ships made to withstand the universe's end, their only hope is that their children will survive...

Two VERY young boys are playing in the hanger by the ships they are destined to spend there childhoods.

"San, San, looky, my ship is bigger than yours." Ewen gleefuly smiles to his older brother San. San returns the smile with a bigger one, and says

"Yes my brother, it is bigger, but mine is faster." And both laugh and playfully punch each other, until there father approaches in a hurried rush of fear.

"Boys, it's time. San this is it. You are the first to launch, we haven't much time. You have to get clear of here, right now. Ewen you'll launch second, and you will follow your brother, is that clear? You have to survive San, you are our only hope." San looks at Ewen, and then back at his father. "Dad, Ewen should launch first, his ship is slower than mine, because of it's size." Their father looks at Ewen, and then at San, "No, this is the way it must be. Now both of you get out of here now. You only have a 27 second launch window. And that is in 7 minutes. Now GO!"

"Brother, please...you are the only kin I have, why can't there be peace between us? You have someone who loves you, as I do. I just want all this violence to end."

"Six days! There will be no peace! I will never be in your shadow, ever again!"

Ewen forces the channel closed, leaving San with a twitching headache.

San, for the first time in his existence, sits on his knees, and begins to cry. When he's done, he looks over at Mac, and she's staring at him again.

"Forgive me Machaela, I didn't mean to interrupt your sleep." Machaela lifts her hand out to him, and San takes her hand into his own, and sits next to her bed.

"San, I love you, and your children will love you. There are something's that you should never worry about, and our love is one of those things. I love you husband. Your children will love you. We both have had to make very hard decisions. And in time, we'll probably have to make more. But no more about that now. I have a question my love, I'm still curious about something?" San looks at her.

"What's that Luv?" Mac sits up a little to bring San closer…

"Who is Tabina?"

"Ahhh hell, woman! You're sitting up in a med bay bed and you're more worried about my severely fucked up family?"

"Umm, husband, Ewen is now MY family too. Of course, I am worried. It is called sticking together and working things out. Not shuttling me off to Graydan or some other way out there planet in order to 'protect' the children and me. Don't you think for one moment that he wants to do that? To separate us so he can take advantage of that. Remember, love, he is your twin brother. Now tell me, who is Tabina?"

"She is my sister in law. And the mother of my only niece. She's Queen of Nube Jose. She's also leader of the Pirate Ring, that I established trading relationships with during the last war."

Mac ponders this for a moment.

"Why didn't you ever tell me about her? You never mentioned her by name, or even her existance. There were times when I thought you were seeing another woman. But you were just seeing family?"

San looks sorrowful for a moment. And then straightens back up.

"A promise. Her protection, and my nieces protection. Nube Jose is 4 galaxies away from here. I brought her here to this galaxy when she was still pregnant. To survive the long trip, I put her in stasis. When we arrived, and I woke her, we became very close." Mac looks at him crossly.

"Not THAT close luv! Her love was for Ewen. I may be the spitting image, but our personalities are vey different. She confides in me. And I in her. I never kept anything from her. I couldn't. I believed I had killed her husband...my own brother. I guess, I felt obligated to keep her safe."

"Okay, I understand that. But, how did she become the Pirate Leader? He...SHE, is like the most untouchable person in this galaxy, more connections to the underground than even our family."

San smirks. "Well, my heart, I wasn't always an Assassin in shining armor with a beautiful pregnant wife beside me. It all began..."

Chapter Six

Reality took a trip around the sun and dropped San right back into his body as his brother shot another charge of electricity through his body. As his body convulsed and Ewen charged himself to do it again, San grabbed the dirk from the holder on his belt and poked his twin in the stomach.

"If you do that one more time while I'm awake I swear to you that your wife won't be mourning your death; just one aspect of that particular life. Got me, brother?"

Ewen's eyes bulged to the size of saucers and let the electrical charge disburse through his body. Out of pure frustration than anger, Ewen slugged his brother in the chest hard enough to equal the strength of the electrical charge.

"Thrice-cursed son of a bastard demi-god! I swear Alisanos, if you ever give me another damn heart attack like that again I'll let you die before I try to help again!"

"Thrice-cursed son of a bastard demi-god? Who is the one trying to electrocute the other? What the hell happened to me?"

"Please lay still, Father. I'm going to scan your body to see if something is out of sync."

Jacen's hands began to glow a golden light from his fingertips that spread to his palms as he moved over his father's body. A small projection of San's body appeared above him and they could see the inner workings as they were now.

"Well, you're still smoking after mother told you to quit but other than that I don't see what's going on. Maybe it has to do with their personal link to each other."

"What? You think that something is wrong with your mother and it is affecting my body as well?"

"Not like a virus or an infection. More like she's ailing and her mind is over-compensating by drawing on your strength. Unfortunately, your brain is completely wet-wired and not meant to be linked like that to another being. Because you have a true biological computer for a brain, the link sometimes produces chemicals your brain doesn't recognize. In other words, you're brain just short circuited because of the strain mother is putting on your body. When this chemical builds up, it causes your higher brain functions to shut down."

Ewen was the only one that knew that could happen with his race. While he was exploring the unknown universe trying to locate signs of San, Ewen had tapped into the vast database accumulated by his world and then transferred it to his ship's main memory banks. He had been studying for over several thousand aeons and still had only touched maybe one-fourth of the information stored there when he came across this particular case. When a male of his race finds the one perfect woman they are destined to be with, the soul connects itself to the mate's soul and they are bonded until death. However, if either soul mate were to become severely ill, their mind would automatically link with its mate and try to use its resources. That meant breathing, speaking, etc. Essentially, Mac's body was trying to use San's to keep her alive and there was nothing to be done until she was better. Ewen rose to his feet, slowly but with control. Ewen watched his brother with concern."Come with me brother, we have something to discuss. Tabina my love, keep a watchful eye on everyone. We will be in San's ship." San looks vacant, totally emotionless, but nods. Ewen walks out the front door and down the stairs, San following quietly, too quietly. Rounding another corner, Ewen suddenly turns away from the house. Ewen walks toward the cliffs, where he liked to train himself and the children daily. San finally showing signs of life...

"Brother, I thought we were heading to the ship?" Ewen just keeps walking. San follows wondering what Ewen was planning.

"San, we have something we must do right now. It is for the sake of your wife, and your life. As well as my own. We must fight once more." San slowly nods, pauses, then looks totally confused at Ewen

"No brother, I will not fight with you again, we made a vow, it's too dangerous for us to fight here with our abilities." Ewen smiles, it's nice having a brother again after so long, it still takes getting used to.

"Listen, Mac is drawing off of your essence, energy, your very life. Correct? " San nods his head slightly, still confused.

"Compute San, your wife is ill, she is using you to compensate, you're conserving energy, instead of buiding it up. And how do we Prismians charge ourselves brother? In single combat, by fighting at our full potentials." Ewen smiles, and it's almost feral. San runs the logistics of Ewens theory, it sounds good, but it was still extremely dangerous. San and Ewen have only ever fought thrice in there very long lives, there skills are unique and legendary. Ewen is the more aggressive and powerful fighter of the brothers, but San was the strategist, able to think quickly in combat and adapt to his opponent. Ewen is the ultimate warrior, while San, was trained to be the ultimate assassin.

"Let's do it Ewen, but if something should happen..." Ewen smiled and clasped his hand on San's shoulder, it is truly great to have a caring family.

"Brother, we have nothing to fear. Our wives will be the ones to kill us if we survive. Now, realease your restraints. Show me how my older brother can still kick my ass" Ewen steps back shuts his eyes, and his eye implants glowing crimson. San merely snickers and does the same, his implants however changed to a deep gold.

"If I recall, you kicked my ass last time." then San charged at Ewen, and Ewen did the same. They ran at each other at inhuman speeds, and punched at the same time. The power behind the punches actually released a large friction shockwave, and it was felt throughout the entire area.

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Tabina, had been gently rubbing a wet towel over Mac's brow, trying to soother her fever with common remedies she learned from Ewen. Suddenly, the house shook, and she heard a small explosion from outside, when Mac, lerches foward screaming. And then Tabina feels an odd sensation within her own mind.

"Jacen!" she yelled.

Jacen was looking out the windows trying to figure out what was going on, when he heard his Aunt. He races up stairs as fast as he can move his legs. And what he sees, will forever mark a spot in his memories for however long he shall live. Mac was sitting straight up, holding her hands in front of her face examining them. But the one detail, that didn't escape Jacen's mind, was the fact that his mother was very young. She looked in her prime once again. And next to her, Tabina was experiencing something similar. But suddenly they both close there eyes and fall asleep. Mac just falls onto her pillows, and Tabina lays her head down on the bed next to Mac. Jacen walks next to them, and scans them both. His mother and aunt are both in "perfect" health. Just exhausted from being genetically re-constituted.

Forgetting him-self, Jacen runs downstairs and out the front door, looking for his father and uncle. Hearing another small explosion, he turns toward the cliffs. Coming to the small clearing his uncle used to train him in, he sees the next most memorable event of his life. his father and uncle fighting. A fight Jacen has seen countless times in his genetic memories from his father. But what he was witnessing was beyond explanation of skill or experience. Every punch and kick served a purpose, there was no wasted movement, every move was calculated and precise. Every move was delivered with lethal finality. His dad and uncle, were known as the most powerful, and most deadly fighters in the cosmos. And they were proving it right this second. Using a subtle scan on his father and uncle, he sees that their brains are working overdrive. Complete control of the body, precise control of chemical, eletrical, and thermal processes. San's brain was working much harder, processing an incalculable amount of data every nanosecond. Ewen's wasn't working as fast however, but Ewens brain had a higher power output. And like his mother and aunt, they too, were young and strong again. Jacen stumbles to the ground, after another shockwave is unleashed. Jacen, makes a silent prayer, with only one thought in mind. "Gods who walk among us. What are you two doing?"

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