A/N: A short chapter in the lives of two people in the beginnings of their budding love affair, one that—unknown to either of them—will carry them into a war of terrifying proportions.
I want morning and noon and nightfall with you. I want your tears, your smiles, your kisses … the smell of your hair, the taste of your skin, the touch of your breath on my face. I want to see you in the final hour of my life … to lie in your arms as I take my last breath. — Lisa Kleypas, Again the Magic
• 18 JANUARY 2179 and onward •
Yuán Xiùlán hadn't had a chance to 'enjoy' Traynor's company in the week since sharing after-dinner beers in her quarters. She had started using their Monday afternoon free time instructing Sam in the basics of Jing Quan Dao, [警拳道] or Way of the Alert Fist, a combination of different Chinese martial art styles designed for practical applications, founded in the mid-1990's by Tao Zhong Xian of Shandong Province. Xiùlán had been a bit surprised at how rapidly Traynor was learning the basics of this ancient art form, until Sam told her of the comments made by several of her fitness training instructors during basic training back on Earth and Titan [… you have a real talent for close in hand-to-hand combat … you just need a knowledgeable instructor willing to take the time needed to mold you into a human weapon].
For her part, Sam had been spending ninety minutes after dinner each evening tutoring Xiùlán in the technical aspects of their course work, particularly regarding using their new omnitools for undetectably hacking electronics, checking for hidden recording devices and using the mini-tools, such as the micro-plasma cutters.
The pace of the class work had grown relentlessly since arrival, and they generally spent their evenings together, studying until just before lights out so they could keep up with the 'on-your-own-time' work required to maintain their grade standing. Xiùlán appeared to have a real aptitude for the minutiae of hacking comm systems, aided by the excellent Serrice omnitool; she was even gaining ground on hacking server nodes without leaving a trace of her presence. She had actually learned how to shift the back trace to look like someone else had been infiltrating the system.
They still spent a bit of time talking about how they were going to get Joesiar tossed out of the program and out of the Alliance; fortunately, he wasn't in any of their classes, and the pace of the program had apparently caught up to him as well, since they seldom saw or heard him in the common areas. They all agreed Joesiar needed a civilian job … mopping floors perhaps, or washing windows or cleaning bathrooms, sweeping, emptying garbage … all on an elcor freight-hauler. Samantha had told Xiùlán that taking Heather with her to file a harassment complaint at the AG's office had gone quite well; 'glasses', as they now referred to the clerk there, had not wanted to record the complaints of either of them until Traynor told him a certain Chinese woman would be following up on his actions. Sam said she thought he was going to wet himself. Xiùlán had chuckled at this … she could just picture his discomfiture at having been reminded of her visit just two days prior. She just needed to make sure the complaints were actually being filed with Alliance brass.
• 15 FEBRUARY 2179 •
In the month since Xiùlán had started teaching Samantha Traynor the intricacies of Jing Quan Dao, Sam had developed an intense dislike for Monday afternoons. Xiùlán had chosen Mondays as the best day of the week to review what she'd been taught so far, and introduce Sam to new things … a new attack, a new avoidance technique, a new exercise for her 'aching arms', her 'battered hands', her 'sore almost beyond all belief' thighs and calves. Sam had accused her … no! … had sworn! … vehemently so, that Xiùlán was being a harsh taskmaster, to which Xiùlán always replied she was doing only what needed to be done to ensure Traynor would never have her ass handed to her by some miserable batarian or militaristic turian or a creepy little mentally stunted misogynistic human. Xiùlán insisted she should be able to mop the floor with anyone; she held Joesiar up as a prime example.
The only consolation right now was the nearly full-body massage Xiùlán was treating her to. "Ahh-ooohchhhh! Xiùlán, lighten up, you're mmmpppffffhh … killin' me!" Sam squealed as Xiùlán applied some additional pressure to her thigh muscles just below her butt. How can this woman's hands be this fuckin' strong? she thought as she cried out, "Shit! Don't! … eeeaaahhhh! Xiùlán, for pity sakes, have a bit of … bloody fuckin' 'ell! … mercy!"
"You're just being a big baby, Sam. I'm not using any pressure at all …" Xiùlán chided as she used both hands to grab Sam's calf muscles and asked innocently, "Does this hurt?"
"Damn! Hell ye … aaahhh … ssss! That really hurts! Sonuvabitch, Xiùlán! You were taught these torture techniques in some … eeeaaahhhh! … horribly cold, dark-as-a-tomb prison, weren't chu-ooohhh ouch! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Let go, damn it!"
"Apologize!" Xiùlán said with a wicked grin. "I didn't learn to do this in a prison! Apologize!"
"For what!? Stating the obvious? I mean, Shanghai, right? Ahhhhhhhhh! Shiiiiiit! Xiùlán!"
Xiùlán loosened one hand, only to grab Sam's other leg in the middle of her calf. She applied alternating pressure to Sam's legs, squeezing just enough to momentarily hurt.
Sam capitulated. "I apologizzzzzzzeeeeee! I'm sorry! Damn, am I ever sorry."
Xiùlán released Sam's legs, waited for her to roll over onto her back, then leaned over, kissed her on the cheek and said, "I learned it in a dungeon, silly girl. Now don't tell me you didn't enjoy that massage."
"I can think of a couple of other places you can massage, Xiùlán," Traynor replied with an equally devilish grin. Reaching up with both hands, she grabbed her trainer's boobs and said, "I'll even return the favor," as she gently kneaded them through her sports bra.
Xiùlán looked at Sam's nearly nude body for several moments, enjoying the feelings evoked by Sammy's talented hands on her breasts; she reached down with her own hands, gently covering Sam's breasts before sliding her hands down along her ribcage, down to the swell of her hips. Sam whimpered a bit from the dual pleasure of having Xiùlán's breasts in her own hands and having Xiùlán's loving hands tenderly caressing her. Xiùlán leaned in to kiss Sam, teasing her lips with the tip of her tongue until gaining access to her mouth; Sam returned the kiss, gently at first, then with a bit more passion, until Xiùlán pulled away and stood up.
"Okay, rookie. Time to hit the showers." Holding up a finger to quell the incipient protest, she waited for Sam to sit up before continuing. "I've made up my mind about you, Sammy. I feel … I need you. Not only …" she indicated her own body, " … physically, although I think that would be a real slice of heaven. Wo ài ni, sà màn shā … [我愛你薩曼莎 - I love you Samantha …] can't say it any plainer than that. Wo yào yongyuan hé ni zài yīqi. Wúlùn women zou dào nali, zài liánméng, wo xiang hé ni yīqi qù." [我要永遠和你在一起。無論我們走到哪裡，在聯盟，我想和你一起去。– I want to be with you forever. Wherever we go in the (Alliance) league, I want to go with you.]
Samantha's look of puzzlement was priceless. "I don't have any idea what you said, although I believe I heard the word 'love' in your firs … wait, did you just say 'Wo ài ni', Xiùlán? Did I hear you tell me you love me? You wouldn't rip my heart out by teasing me, would you?"
"Of all the words in Mandarin you do not understand, you understood those three?" Xiùlán smiled at her with that special smile reserved only for Sam … a smile of true joy and delight for a woman that had impressed ever since they'd crashed into each other on arrival day. "Incredible! Do you understand your name in Mandarin, Sà màn shā?"
Sammy grinned at her as she jumped up and flung her arms around her friend. Kissing her softly on the mouth, she whispered, "Xiùlán, I've wanted you since the moment we collided on arrival day. Don't ask me why … I have no words to express what I'm feeling for you." Sam softly, lingeringly kissed her again, not to arouse but to affirm. "I need you, Xiùlán. I've never had a close friend … ever! And now? Wo ài ni, Xiùlán! Wo ài ni, yongyuan!" [我愛你，永遠 – I love you, forever!]
It was Xiùlán's turn to be surprised. She hugged Sam to her, as if afraid of losing her forever if she didn't hold on. "Samantha, only now do I realize how incredibly lonely I've been since I left my parents' home in Shanghai. I joined the Alliance for a career … I intend to be captain of a warship within ten years. I took the courses here to round out my education. I wasn't looking for love, never expected to find a companion, certainly not a woman. Does loving you mean I too am a lesbian? I always felt I would find a man someday, get married, have some children, settle down … until I crashed into you."
She kissed Sam, as if experimenting for the first time with the sensations of kissing another woman. "I kissed a few boys when I was in secondary school; some young men on dates before the course work got so crazy and time consuming." Xiùlán kissed her again, as if sampling a fine wine. "Your kisses are different, Sēn měi. [森美 – Sammy] Why is that?"
Samantha gently took Xiùlán's face in both hands and held her as she firmly placed her lips against hers, kissing her not as a casual encounter, not as a one-night only dinner date, but as a lover. Pulling back, she said in a husky whisper, "Difference is, Yuán Xiùlán, none of those guys were in love with you. Their loss, really. I am in love with you, xiànzài hé yongyuan." [現在和永遠 – now and forever]
Xiùlán grinned. "So, I suppose we should celebrate! Showers, fresh clothes, dinner, then coursework until lights out. You have to tutor me in using this brand new omnitool for something besides playing games. Sound like fun?"
Samantha thought it over. Spend the rest of the day with the person that had just declared her love for me, or spend the evening alone. Not much of a choice at all! Grabbing her bathrobe and shower supplies, she smiled, motioned Xiùlán to the door and said, "After you, Luv."