*13
"I hear you're eighteen today," Charlie said to Takara as they walked along in the hallway.
"Uh-huh."
"Good work on the game."
"I almost got knifed. And I didn't get on base at all," she said.
"No matter. When you and Empy would lean over
and yell'No batter! No batter!'it got 'em all to strike out. Really turned the tide of the game," Charlie said.
"It's the cleavage," she said.
"Well, sure. Who can resist? I know I can't."
"Back off," she snarled.
"Why? You're eighteen, Takara. I thought we could, uh..."
"Well, you thought wrong. I'm holding out, remember?"
"Oh yeah," he said, "I was just thinking, I mean, it's your birthday, we just won, and we gotta hit the showers anyway, so, whaddaya say?"
"I am still thinking it over," she said, "There's you, there's Tommy and there's Joss. There's others, to be sure, but you've got competition."
"Oh," he said, "Well, but you haven't let them get any further than you've let me get. Right, Takara?"
"That's for me to know. Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta get ready for my birthday dinner," he continued following her, "Oh, go back to the surface," she said, "I'm sure Hodgkins or one of the collectors can get you back down there, to your hovel."
"Hovel? It's a campsite," he said, "Dad, Mom and Betsy and I built it from scratch."
"Yeah, and it looks it," she said, "Really, didja think I would spend more than minimal time with you, Charlie? You aren't exactly high class. Tommy will be a soldier – a Lieutenant Commander or better, I'm sure. And Joss! You know where he'll be. You, you're just a grease monkey's boy. Good for fun, not much more, unless you can improve yourself pretty dramatically."
He grabbed her arm, "Look, Takara, are you gonna just keep teasing me forever?"
"As long as I want to. I'm the Empress's daughter, I'll do what I like."
=/\=
"Empy! Empy! Sheesh, can't I talk to you for a sec?" It was Kirin following her.
"No, I'm busy."
"You aren't too busy," he backed her into a wall and kissed her, but she pushed him back after a while, "What gives?"
"I got what to do," she said, "Can't be bothering with you."
"Ah, yeah. The play for Jun, right?"
"Maybe," she shrugged, "Or Izo."
"Izo?"
"His father is second in command, in case you haven't been paying attention," she said.
"I see. So you'll throw me over for the pilot's boy," he said, grabbing at her again.
"Or there's Jun – first-born definitely counts for a lot," she tossed her hair in his face, "Or Takeo, he's son of the third in command. I could give a very nice present to the birthday boy tonight."
"You're giving that to me," he said, kissing her again.
"Maybe," she said, writhing just a bit, "But probably not. There's also Arashi."
"That computer? Besides, no one knows who his father is. I know that means a lot to you and Takara, where we all fit in your little hierarchy. Surely a known quantity such as myself is superior to an unknown like Arashi."
"Naaah," she said, "See, you're the babysitter's boy. And Arashi is probably the son of the fourth in command. Far better than you ever can hope to be."
"He might be Ramirez's," Kirin conceded, "Or he could be the son of Torres. You want your kids to inherit Security's genes?"
"Who said I was having kids? I'm not gonna get fat and take care of brats."
"That's what DR is for, at least to take care of them. And if you could get him to carry them, or if Doctor Morgan could figure out how to do it, you could make him do that as well. And you and me, we could just have the fun."
"So you'd propose it would be you, me and DR? Just like Mayweather, the Empress and your dear old Dad?" she smiled at him, "With the three-way thing going, of course."
"Really, you'd do the shrimp?"
"Naah. That's where it gets ... interesting. Could bring in someone else, certainly someone cuter. There's Takeo, maybe."
"Back to Lefty, are we?"
"Well, at least we know which side he'd pick," she kissed him, "Think your mother has them draw straws?"
"Nope," he said, "My Dad knows which end he's gonna get," he sighed a little.
"No ambition. At least you have some, Giraffe," she said, "But your father, Gawd, he's been the sitter since Jun was little. Two decades or so, or close to that! Why would someone voluntarily take so much humiliation?"
"He doesn't get bothered," Kirin said, "No one's out to kill him. And he, he can be close to me, uh, us."
"No one bothers him because no one wants his lousy job," she said, then reached into a pocket.
"What're ya doing?"
"I gotta blow my nose," she took out a square of turquoise cloth and did so, "Too much dust today."
"So, yeah, Dad's close and can protect us. He made sure you and the other three got raised, too, Empy."
"The mother you never had, eh?"
"Do you remember your mother?"
"My mother is Empress Hoshi Sato," she said.
"I mean the one from before."
"My mother was a ghost," she said, "I only remember a light grey shadow."
"And your father?"
"Tall. Same eyes as me, Tommy and Joss. And certainly no babysitter," she broke free of his grasp and started walking.
"What about what we were gonna do?" he asked.
"Take care of yourself, Kirin. I gotta shower before dinner," she left.
=/\=
"Empress! We've got a situation," Crewman Gary Hodgkins caught up with the Empress as she boarded the Defiant.
"Oh?" she raised an eyebrow.
"One of the slaves is a possible twenty-one."
"Aren't the silver Calafans all twenty-ones? Ah, Travis, have you gotten theLuna ready yet?"
"Yes," he said, coming up behind Hodgkins.
"Empress, this is important," said Hodgkins.
"And so is this," she said, "Do you have a crew for the Luna?" she asked Travis.
"I figured I would pilot and command," Travis said, "And take an engineer in. Ramirez should be good. And -"
"No," she said, "The Luna is for the opening that'll be expanded tonight. It's risky. The crew have to be less, well," she beckoned Travis over and said quietly, "they have to be expendable."
"Ah," he said, the light dawning, "Come with me, Crewman," he said, "I got a place for you on the Luna."
"Empress!" Hodgkins yelled, "The twenty-one!"
"I'll deal with it later. Justice bores me," she yawned, "Now where the hell is Arashi? I need to see how much he collected so far."
=/\=
Doug and his squad were left on the surface. He clicked open a chirping Communicator, "Yeah, Hayes here."
"We need ground cover," slurred Torres, starting to sober up for the fun about to begin, "Go to Mount Arashi. Force'll be coming in that way. Look for the
Luna."
"Aye. Hayes out."
"What about rations, sir?" asked a recruit.
"None tonight," Doug said, "Now, march to Mount Arashi. Double time!"
=/\=
Joss walked along with DR, "Good playing today. You did good on the quint play."
"Thanks," said DR quietly.
"It turned the tide. But we didn't make the spread," Joss said, "I think Arashi's gonna be fine, though. He gets a cut no matter what happens I'm sure."
"Yeah," said DR.
"None of this interests you, does it?"
"No, not really."
"You don't feel like you belong," said Joss.
"I don't. I'm a full twenty-one," DR said, "Not like you and Empy and Tommy."
"That's okay," Joss said, "You belong on the other side."
"Yeah, I do. Joss, you're the only person who's at all nice to me."
"I was told to keep everyone together."
"You were only told to keep the others together, not me," DR pointed out.
"Well, I took some license," Joss said.
"You coming to dinner tonight?"
"Yeah," he smiled a little, "I gotta go. See you then."
DR left, and Joss ducked into an unused lab. He unzipped a pocket and took out a faded scrap of paper. All it said was:
Our love for you goes on forever, even past the end of our lives. Remember that. Someone was coming, so he stuffed the paper back in his pocket and straightened up.
*14
Joss hustled himself off to the galley. It wasn't a place he normally went to, but he had a mission.
"And you will, Polloria. You and me," said a silver Calafan male as Joss walked in.
"I don't think so," she replied, tugging on an earlobe, a Calafan sign for no.
"Uh, hello?" Joss asked.
"Oh, sorry, sir," Aliwev said, "We were just beginning to prepare this evening's meal."
"Oh, yeah, the birthday dinner," Joss said, "Where is the cook?"
"Not here," Polloria said.
"Yes, I can see that," Joss said, "Where is she?"
Rellie came over, "Something the matter, sir? I can get these slaves to listen."
"Where is the cook?" Joss repeated.
"Well, where?" asked Rellie.
"The brig, maybe," Polloria said, "Security came. I don't know why."
"I see," Joss said, "You need her for the dinner tonight, yes?"
"Yes," Aliwev said.
"No, we can manage," Rellie interjected.
"Well, it would be better with her, right?" Joss pressed.
"Better, yes," Polloria said, "We will manage if we must. But it would be better with her. There are a lot of you to serve."
"I will see what happened," Joss said, and left.
"Manage without her?" Polloria asked Rellie as soon as he had gone.
"We must always tell them that we can do anything they ask," Rellie explained, "No matter if it seems at all impossible or difficult. You have been doing this for years. Surely you know that by now. Nevershow any weakness."
=/\=
On the way to the brig, Joss clicked open his Communicator, "DR, come meet me at the brig."
"The brig?"
"Yes. Don't ask, just come. Joss out."
There were two guards, security crewmen Miller and Rosen, standing guard.
"Sir, something we can help you with?" asked Miller, the taller of the two.
"Who's in the brig?" Joss asked.
"The cook, sir," answered Rosen.
"For what? No one was poisoned," Joss said.
"Suspicion of sabotage," Miller said.
"Sabotage? How so?"
"Hodgkins said. We don't have the particulars. We're just here to guard," said Rosen.
"Really, fellas. With no specifics, you're just gonna stand there until further notice?"
"Those were our orders," Miller said.
DR came over, "Joss?" he asked.
"They have the cook in the brig, can you believe that?" asked Joss.
"Huh," DR said, "I didn't know cooking good food could get anyone in trouble."
"Good food?" asked Rosen.
"Yes. And the Empress is gonna be really angry if the twins' birthday dinner tonight is a meal of slop and water," Joss pointed out.
"We were supposed to hold her and then await instructions. Toss her in the agony booth if she gave us any trouble," Miller said.
"And have you gotten any trouble out of that slave?" DR asked, "This is an old alien lady we're talking about, not a soldier."
"No trouble," Rosen said, "So far."
"You can release her into my custody," Joss said, "I will be responsible."
"Sir, these were our orders," Miller protested.
"And now I've changed them," Joss said.
"Joss is good for it. You both know this," DR pointed out.
"The Empress will be angry," Rosen said.
"She'll be angrier if tonight's dinner goes poorly. Now, I understand the Luna's going out tonight, with mostly security crewmen on board. My brother Tommy is gonna command it. Why aren't you two on it?" Joss asked.
"We were told to wait here," Miller said.
"And I'm telling you to get on the Luna. Surely there's something you can do there. You get through to the other side, the Empress will grant all sorts of wishes. You remember Torres led the first incursion years ago. He got all sorts of stuff," Joss stated.
"We might get better rations, Andy," Rosen said.
"Better rations are only the beginning," DR said, "I know Torres got a bunch of women afterwards."
"Everybody knows about that. That's how we got Bernstein and Claymore in Engineering," Miller said, "And Hudson."
"If you like science," Rosen said.
"A lab coat with nothing on underneath," Miller said as the two of them departed, "Think she'd do me?"
"Only if you brought her makeup and stuff, like stockings and silk scarves and all," Rosen said, "Hudson likes silk scarves."
"How the hell would you know?"
=/\=
Once they were gone, Joss and DR looked at the lock. DR punched the wall Communicator to reach the interior of the brig, "Just a sec," he said.
"Okay," said Lili. She had watched the exchange but not heard it.
"Security override. Joss Lambda Beta two four five," Joss said. The door opened.
"What's going on?" Lili whispered.
"We may be taking you back to the galley," Joss said.
"They said they were going to take me to the booth. I take it that's not a good thing," she said.
"You don't know about the booth?" DR asked.
"No," she said.
"It's bad," Joss said.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked, "Maybe doing this," she added quickly.
"Yeah, why are we?" DR inquired.
"I think I know who you are," Joss said, "But I need for you to confirm it. Tell me something only you should know."
"Huh?" asked DR.
Lili thought for a moment, "Your middle name is Logan."
"Anyone could find that out from records," Joss said.
"And I call you Ducks. Or at least I did, when you were really small," she said, "And you hated it after a certain age."
"Go on," Joss said.
"And your favorite food is pancakes," she said, "With blueberries if they're available. You also like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but they have to be cut on the diagonal."
"The diagonal?" DR asked.
"You drink tofflin juice when you're not supposed to, and it keeps you up at night. You like baseball."
"Everybody knows he likes baseball," DR said, "He's going pro when he turns twenty in a coupla months."
"And you love animals. And you've got your father's eyes – all bluish-greenish-greyish like stones, like the pebbles you find at the bottom of a clear stream," she said.
"DR, this is, well, this is, uh, I think this is ...," Joss said tentatively.
"I'm Joss's mother," she said.
"Oh."
"You should be older than you look, right?" Joss asked.
"I was forty-nine when you were born," she said, "But this is a time travel thing. We're here to come get you. All four of you, actually."
"We'll take you to the galley," Joss said, "I dunno what else I can do right now, Mom."
She got him to bend down and kissed him on his forehead, "Your Dad is here, too. He's a Major."
"Maybe he's on the Luna with Tommy," DR suggested.
"No. He was at your game," Lili said, "But I didn't see the end so I don't know what else may have happened after I was picked up. What's the Luna?"
"There's gonna be a pulse shot tonight," DR said, "They're looking to send the Luna off to like how you're here."
"It's not going to work," Lili said, "It gets messed up somehow – the calculations are off, and instead it's another invasion to the, the twenty-one side. My side. And I bet it's your side, too."
"Yes," DR said, "I'm a full twenty-one. Just like, I guess, you are."
"Well, Tommy's supposed to command the Luna," Joss said, "You saying he's gonna fail?"
"I have a bad feeling about it," Lili said, "I bet anyone who fails is punished big time. That booth, right?"
"Yep," DR said.
"Get him off the Luna," Lili said, "Please."
"It won't be easy," Joss said, "He's really hot for his first command. He's looking to impress a girl."
"Oh," Lili said, "He'll get some other chance to do things like that, but after you all come back with us. The two of you, Tommy and Empy. And Doug and me, of course."
"Empy won't wanna go, I can tell you that right now," Joss said.
"Why not?" Lili asked.
"She'll deny it up and down, but she's in love," Joss said.
"Hmmm. That's not good. With whom? You?" she asked DR.
"Ha, no. With Kirin," DR said.
"Tommy's gonna be a hard sell, too," Joss said, "He's having too much fun playing soldier."
"Sheesh, he can grow up to be a soldier on the other side of the pond," Lili said.
"Sure, but he's got some power here and it's, well, it's intoxicating," DR said, "At least, I hear it is."
"You two have got to get them on board with the whole thing," Lili said, "Hang on a sec," she fished into a pocket and took out the two tags, "You need to get these onto your persons. Stick them in pockets, tape them inside your boots, I don't care. But the four of you have to be tagged for us to all get out of here."
DR turned his over, "It's like a test strip in a science lab. Hudson gave me one once when I was small and caught her in there with MacKenzie."
"Pamela Hudson?" Lili asked.
"Maybe. I dunno," DR said.
"Get to the galley. Make the birthday dinner like you were planning. We'll get Tommy off the Luna," Joss promised.
"I love you, sweetheart," Lili said, "Even after I die, I will love you," she kissed him on the cheek.
"I remember that," Joss said, taking out the scrap of paper, "Empy has a blue piece of cloth but I don't think she knows it was from you."
"We'll just have to remind her," Lili said, and then saw DR hanging back, "I'm sure your parents are worried sick about you," she said, "I know I would be. You'll be back with them soon, I swear."
=/\=
The other three kitchen workers barely batted an eye when Lili returned, alone.
"We have elekai meat, right?" she asked, as her greeting.
"Yes," Aliwev said.
"There's no time to slow roast it," she said, throwing on an apron, "We'll use the microwave for much of the time and then finish it off in the oven. We can use the vegetable paste for gravy. We'll mix that with the pan drippings and whatever we have left of the linfep and perrazin fat. Do we have any sage?"
"No," Rellie said, "Spices are over there," it was a meager, dusty collection. It was probably Lili's own old spices, "And you know where the salt is."
"Okay," Lili said, "We have curry, chipotle pepper powder, dill and, uh, cumin. Looks like the label's off this one," she took off the cap and tasted a tiny amount, "Garlic. All right. We'll use the garlic and the cumin. No, the curry. Save the cumin. Is there any regular pepper?"
"We ran out years ago," Polloria said.
"That's all right. We'll be fine this way. Let's get the elekai cut up. Not too small."
=/\=
The birthday dinner was well-attended but, Lili noticed, there was no Tommy.
"So, have we got the crew all ready for tonight's fun?" Empress Hoshi asked.
"We do indeed," Chip said, "Your son's first command should go well. I predict success!"
"He'd better be successful," Hoshi yawned, "Arashi, how'd we do today?"
"Collections are coming in," his Communicator dinged, "Ah, there's another one. We got Ramirez to pay up, excellent! Pity about the point spread, but that's all right. We always get a good share. No worries – it's all good."
"Uh, Emp– uh, Mom?" Joss asked. Lili couldn't help but to look up slightly while she sliced the elekai meat.
"Yes, oh star of the game," Hoshi grinned at him.
"I was thinking. Maybe, there's gotta be risks associated with the Luna going over to the future, right?" Joss ventured.
"Being a soldier is always risky," Chip pointed out.
Hoshi glared at him, "I am working," she smiled at Joss, "Do go on."
"Well, I mean, of course we all figure Tom will be great, but, you know, what if they can't get back?" Joss asked.
"He'll get back," Marie Patrice said, "He's resourceful. Hey, quit crowding me, Kirin."
"Do we have a means of recalling them?" Hoshi asked Chip.
"Hang on. I'll ask," he swallowed hard and clicked open his Communicator. They hadn't thought of that, "Masterson to Stone."
Lucy answered, "Stone here."
"We were just wondering," Hoshi said, "what kind of plans do you have for recalling the Luna once it's gone to 2378?"
"Oh, well, Empress," Lucy said, "In 2378, I am certain that they will have advanced recall technology."
"That would make sense," Susan interjected, "Well, it would."
"Maybe so," Hoshi said, "But I'd rather not risk my son. Get me Torres."
Lucy transferred her over, "Torres," Hoshi said, "Take command of the Luna and have Tommy come back here. He's missing the twins' birthday dinner."
"Yes, Empress."
"Oh, and Torres," Hoshi said, "This is another, delayed payment for how well you did in 2166. You were first in then, and there was no resistance, and I bet it was because of you! So you'll be first in again. The rewards will be greater if you succeed. And if not ..."
"The booth?" he asked.
"For starters," she said, "You can't breathe in the vacuum of deep space now, can you?"
"Not that I'm aware of, Empress. I won't let you down. Torres out."
=/\=
"Crewman Pike, may I see you for a moment?" he asked. Sitting was not good. He would have to stand.
"Yes, sir," Shelby Pike went into the Captain's Ready Room.
He smiled a little at her, but the pain made it difficult for him to be pleasant. She was a lovely woman, the color of coffee with cream. In another life, he'd've been attracted to her. But this was the life he was leading, and it was not the one he'd planned, "I was thinking. Miss Digiorno here, and young Master Digiorno-Madden, and I, we need to go to the surface this evening. I am, I am not so good for piloting these days. I realize it will be after your shift, but would you be so kind as to pilot the shuttle for us?"
"Of course, sir. Anything else, Captain Reed?"
"No, thank you."
She left.
"She won't be able to guard us," Malcolm said, "But she'll be discreet, and will let us sleep."
"You think this'll work?" asked a teenaged boy of about sixteen and a half. Neil.
"Nobody knows. I've never done this before, Malcolm. How does it work?" asked Norri.
"You wear the bracelet. I wear the cuff. I always wear the cuff; that's not exactly a variable," he said, touching it a bit, "We three maintain physical contact and we should probably keep the two pieces in contact as well."
"And then we just fall asleep?" she asked.
"Yes, that's all there is to it. We will – we may see other people at first. I will call to her, and see if she will answer," Malcolm said. If. She had to.
"But it didn't work last time, right?" asked Neil.
"No, it didn't. But perhaps there was some good reason," Malcolm said. There had to be. The alternative explanation – that Doug and Lili were both dead – was not one that he wanted to entertain.
"Huh. I dunno," Neil said.
"You look like him," Malcolm ventured, "You're getting taller like he is, as well. He shall know that you're his boy."
"But she's not related to me, right?" Neil asked.
"No more than I am," Norri said.
=/\=
"Torres, who the hell is giving you this order?" Tommy asked, furious. His first command! And now it was just going up in just so much smoke.
"The Empress herself," Torres said. He was huge, towering over Tommy and everyone else on the Luna, "She wants you back for the party."
"Go back to your Mommy," sneered Hodgkins, sitting at the pilot's station, "She's worried about you."
"But I get the next one," Tommy seethed. He was still angry when he materialized in the Defiant's rebuilt Transporter Room. A mouse skittered over his left boot just as he got the door to slide open.
*15
He got into the Observation Lounge just as the roasted meat was being served. It looked and smelled pretty good – certainly better than most of their meals. There was gravy and, ha! There were new potatoes, but they were probably resequenced protein. But still! At least someone had figured out how to get that thing to work properly again. Tom sat down in the free seat next to Takara. She looked over at him, "I hear you lost your command. Bummer."
"Yeah. But I'll get the next one. Don't you worry," he looked her up and down. "What the hell are you wearing?" he whispered to her.
She got up to show him, "Oh, this old thing?" It was a miniskirt made of zebra hide.
"Niiice," he said.
"Empy's is Siberian Tiger," she said, pouting a little.
"Yours looks better. It'll look better on the floor next to my bed," he said to her quietly.
"Maybe," she said, "Or maybe next to Joss's bed, or even Charlie's sleeping bag. At least they were both able to keep doing what they planned to do today. No one ordered them away from the game," she looked away.
"That was a game. Children play games. Men take command. A command is more serious. It's dangerous. And you find that sexy," he reminded her.
"A little," she shrugged, "And who says you're a man yet? You're just barely eighteen."
"I'm almost a month older than you are, Takara," he said, "I can make you a woman. And you can – well, I'm already a man. But it'll be fun. I can do things that I bet you've been dreaming of for a while."
"Huh. Who knows?" she said, "Seconds," she ordered, "Not so much gravy."
"Yes, of course," Aliwev said, coming over with the plate of sliced meat, "Potatoes?"
"No. Some more of that purple stuff, whatever it's called," she commanded.
"Olowa salad," he replied.
"Whatever," she said.
=/\=
The Bridge was lively. Lucy looked up when the Observation Lounge called, "Yes, Empress?"
"Are you ready? We need the entertainment."
"Yes, just a moment," she said, "Fire when ready, Ms. Benson."
"Firing," Benson said, "Pulse shot has gone in."
"Looks like the gap is opening. It's not big enough for a ship yet," Lucy said, "I'll contact you when we can get the Luna through. Stone out."
=/\=
Doug and his men were at cover near the amplifying dishes on Point Abic – no, wait, it was called Mount Arashi.
"Sir, are you absolutely sure we can't hunt for rations?" asked one of the recruits.
"Yes, I am. Sorry, but just, you'll have to wait a little."
"What are we waiting for, sir?"
As if in answer, flakes of red and copper began to be pulled into the thickest concentration of dishes.
There was a low rumble, and then a whistle, as the flakes and bits of red and crimson swirled and were sucked even deeper into the dishes.
And then it got louder, and they could all see it – a gap opening up. The flakes turned from red to white, crimson to grey and copper to silver as they passed through the gap. The gap started small, but it began to shred and tear and get larger. It was looking large enough for a man.
A recruit got up, "Just where do you think you're going?" Doug asked.
"In there. Aren't we supposed to, sir?"
"No, wait. I'll go," he got up and looked back at them all, "By myself. I will let you know what I find. Give me fifteen minutes. No more."
"What are we supposed to do until then?"
"Make yourselves useful. Gather wood for a campsite. I don't know if we'll be here tonight, but we might. But no hunting, and that's an order. Don't stray too far," Doug looked back one last time to make sure they weren't following him, and dived in.
=/\=
"And for dessert, we have what's called an Eccles cake," Lili said, bringing it out. There were no candles and there was no singing. Everyone looked skeptically at the cake.
"This is a cake?" asked Aidan.
"Yes. It's pastry with a fruit filling," she said, "There were no ingredients for icing. For that, I apologize. But a trip to a place with dairy could be next on the agenda, if I may be so bold. Butter cream would be particularly tasty. First, I'll serve the birthday celebrants."
She did so, serving up slices for the twins. Then at the last second, she remembered to serve Susan first.
Susan tasted it and, of course, didn't keel over, "It's all right," she said.
Takeo was dubious, but he did taste it and ended up cleaning his plate quickly, "Seconds," he said, mouth still full.
Lili ignored him and instead set about making sure everyone else was served.
"I said seconds!" he insisted.
"First your mother and First Officer Mayweather, yes?" Lili asked.
"Yes, slave," the Empress said, "Really, Lefty, you need to observe proper protocols."
Lili passed the pieces around but delivered Marie Patrice and Tommy's pieces personally. She saw Marie Patrice grab the turquoise cloth and blow her nose in it again. She must have been staring, for Marie Patrice commented, "This thing's dirty. Launder it, slave."
"Yes, Miss Marie Patrice," Lili said, taking the cloth from her. If you only knew who this was from, and what it means, she thought to herself.
"Who said you could call me that?" demanded Marie Patrice.
"A thousand apologies," Lili said, backing away, "I am new here."
Joss interjected, "Empy, the slave just didn't know any better."
"That's just like you, Joss, to take the side of a slave or an animal," Marie Patrice sniffed, "Really, you're too soft."
"Oh, I saw how hard he hit that ball out of the park," Takara said, "Not ... soft."
"Not soft, either, Takara," Tommy said to her quietly.
There was a communications chime.
"Yes?" Empress Hoshi was peeved, but that was nothing new.
"We have an opening large enough for a man. A scout has gone through – the Major who is on the surface," Lucy reported.
Lili looked up and almost dropped a piece of cake in DR's lap.
"Any report yet?" Travis asked.
"I am working," Hoshi said, "So, any reports yet?"
"Not yet," Lucy said, "When I hear something, you will be informed."
=/\=
Doug wouldn't have had much to report anyway. He ran down the side of Point Abic and to his house. It was all he wanted to see. Maybe someone was there. Maybe there were Calafans – he had trained some soldiers, way back when. Maybe there would be someone to resist the invading force. He didn't think much about what they'd do to him if they saw him.
But it was a desolate wasteland. Trees were blackened and stunted, completely dead. Grass was mostly gone, and the ground was eroded and pitted like the surface of an airless moon. He nearly tripped on exposed rocks as he continued running.
And then, where he was expecting to see the house, with the addition not quite finished, and the back porch and the yard and the small barbecue grill and the garden, he just saw rubble. The bricks from the fireplace were, mostly, still there, but the wooden pieces were long burned away or stolen for someone else's campfire. There was no porch, no roof, no barbecue grill and no addition. He slowed down as he came closer. There were some articles on the ground but the area was mainly picked clean, as much a victim of warfare as anything or anyone else. It was mostly grey and black – grey bricks scattered in disarray, greyish earth and blackened bits of wood.
Then he saw it.
And it made no sense.
It was blue. Well, blue and white, with some green.
He got closer, trying to keep his limited time in mind but failing a bit at that.
It was the garden.
And something was alive in it.
Day lilies.
And a few lonely stalks of asparagus, but they had gone to seed and were barely recognizable. But the day lilies – he could see a few of them.
"No one's cultivating you," he said softly as he knelt down, "How are you surviving?"
He took the small dagger out of his left boot and cut two of them. He stuffed them, as carefully as he could, into a zippered pocket. Knife back in his boot, he ran back to the gap to tell the cadets that there was nothing left to conquer on the twenty-one side. There was no reason to be there.
He didn't see or hear the shuttle, which was still a bit far, and said USS Bluebird on the side, before he leapt back into the twenty side of things.
=/\=
"The scout reports that there's nothing out there," Lucy reported.
"Hmm," Hoshi said, "Maybe it's 2378 over there. How soon can we get the Luna through?"
"In a few hours, I think, Empress."
"All right. Let's keep the ground troops out there for the moment," Hoshi said.
"You sure about that?" asked Chip.
"You know something I don't?"
"I'm only thinking, from a tactical standpoint, we can have theLunasoften up the enemy and then send in the ground forces," he replied, "Uh, seconds. That way, we can wait on sustaining casualties. The ground troops are cannon fodder but there's no sense in wasting them until we're ready, yes?"
"Hmmm. All right," she conceded, "Recall the ground troops for the night."
Lili could finally take a breath. She went to the back, where Aliwev was standing, "Can you take over for a while? They're almost done; they'll be out of here soon."
"I guess so," he said.
"You'll have to clean up, too, sorry. I can do more tomorrow. Just, please, let me do this."
"Do what?"
Lili dropped her voice low, "I want to meet my lover."
"Oh," he said, conspiratorially, "A human?"
"Not your business," she said.
"I suppose not," He said, flicking his fingers a couple of times, "If you change your mind, of course."
"I'll let you know," she said.
=/\=
The shuttle got them back quickly, crowded, standing room only. Doug was forced in the front, next to the pilot, who he recognized immediately. Shelby, ah, Shelby. She'd been a great piece, back in the day. She looked at him quizzically, "Do I know you?"
"No," he said, "I'm new here."
"Okay," she said, and went back to her piloting duties. She shook her head, "No. You look like this guy I knew. It was a long time ago, though."
"I look like a lotta guys," he said.
"We used to do it," she said, yawning, "So he didn't look like a lotta guys, by definition."
"Oh, well. I'm sure it was, I'm sure he had a good time," Doug said.
"Oh, he did," she said, and the conversation was effectively closed.
=/\=
He got out and got to the galley quickly. She was there.
"I don't know what kind of time we've got," he said, "Could be an hour or so, or it could be all night."
"You said there was an unused lab," Lili said.
"Yeah. E deck. Come on along and cringe like I'm hurting you," he said, taking her arm.
They walked along and no one paid much attention to a Major dragging a Calafan cook along.
=/\=
"And you will do it, slave," he said, menacing, backing her into a wall.
"Y-yes, sir," she cringed.
He smacked a panel and a door slid open. Two recruits were watching, "What are you lookin' at?" he yelled at them.
"C'mon, there's better looking slaves on C deck," said one recruit to the other, "Major, didn't know you liked old alien tail."
"Nobody asked you," he snarled, and the recruits left.
"You think they'll tell someone?" Lili asked nervously.
"They'll tell everyone," he said, "I am kinda counting on that. So we won't be able to use this room after tonight. But at least that covers us – this doesn't look like anything special. So far as they're concerned, I've just got bad taste," he kissed her, "But I don't."
She smiled at him, "Think we'll be able to sleep here and make contact?"
"It's not the Fep City Hotel," he said, "And it's not home. I saw our old house. Or, well, what was left of it."
"Oh, Doug," she said.
"But here, look what I brought you," he said. He took out one of the day lilies. It was a little crushed but all right.
"You know, I had thought that Rick killed them all when he landed on them," she said, "Thank you; this helps. I love you," she took the flower from him, smiled at him and kissed him.
"I guess he didn't get them all. Here, I'll take my jacket off. You put your head there," he said.
"I am not gonna be able to sleep," she said.
"Hmm, me neither. Do you, uh?"
"Yes," she said, "I want to reconnect with you. But you said we might not have a lotta time."
"We probably don't," he said, "So this'll have to be quicker than usual. You okay with that?"
"I will be," she said, kissing him, "So let's lose more than just your jacket."
"Okay," he said, "And careful of the breast pocket," he said, "The tags are in there. Where are yours?"
"I gave them to Joss and DR. DR is the fourth child; I'm sure of that."
"Good. Two down, two to go. Since you're having more luck than I am, you wanna take the other two off my hands?"
"I guess so," she said, "Doug, they're gonna send the ground troops back in tomorrow. They said they're cannon fodder."
"I'll be careful; I swear," he said, "Let's talk more later," he kissed her neck.
"A little uh, there. Oh, yeah, that's good," she said, massaging his back as she took hold of his shirt to get it off him.
The door slid open so he shoved her down and got on top, and she pretended to struggle.
"Ha, I guess this is taken," It was Marie Patrice's voice.
She and – someone – departed quickly.
"I don't wanna know what they're doing," Lili said.
"We'll get back, and it'll all be undone," he said, "She'll be our little girl again," he kissed her, "And you and I will be back home and happy."
"Yes," she said, "Mmmm, let's get the rest of your uniform off."
"You bet," he said, "And yours, too.
She smiled at him, "Almost like when we first met."
"We were in a bed then. This isn't exactly comfortable."
"But with the same sense of urgency," she replied, "Hoping to not be caught. C'mere."
"Nobody makes me feel the way you do. Nobody makes me feel more. The same amount, yes. I won't deny that. But in a different way," he said, kissing her neck.
"Here as well," she said breathily, "The same amount – and still wonderful. But it's differently wonderful. Let me show you our own personal wonderful."
=/\=
"Do you think you can sleep now?" he whispered in her ear.
"I am spent," she said, "You wear me out."
"And you do the same for me," he said, kissing her cheek, "It's not our bed, but put your head here, in the crook of my arm, and I'll make you as comfortable as I can."
"I love you, Doug," Lili said, "I don't think any other man would do this for me."
"Make love to you? I can think of at least one."
"I mean coming here so that I could see, well, my other guy."
"Well, you're here to let me see my other gal, yanno," he said, "Even after we just did what we just did. I love you. And I support you for this and for everything you do."
"That's the Calafan wedding vows. Love all days, support all nights," she replied.
"And day includes the night," he said, "So I love you even when you're doing, uh, whatever with Reed. I know he treats you well."
"And I know Melissa makes you happy. They complete our lives in ways we never thought possible, or that we even needed," she said, yawning.
"And we'll see them tonight," he said, "And everything will be complete."
=/\=
"Tom, can I see you a sec?" Chip asked as they walked through the hall.
"Sure."
"We got this new Major. He's doing a pretty good job with the recruits but I think he improvises too much. Can you keep an eye out?"
"What's in it for me?"
"Command, when I can swing it with the Empress. I know you're interested in my daughter. But she won't be impressed unless you've got a command. I won't lie to you. I know she favors Joss. But I favor you. I think you're better suited to her. She can do what she wants to and I don't have a lotta power to stop her, but I can give you an edge or two when I can."
"Thanks Chip. Give me a command, and I'll get her, and keep her."
"And then you'll owe me," Chip said, leaving, and Tom was left to ponder just what that was going to entail.