We have lived in our armor for so long, you and I. And now, I am not sure if either of us knows how to remove it. — Holly Black, The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3)

Ài – [愛 – love] (whether spoken by Xiùlán or Samantha, the meaning is 'Luv')]
ARC – Alliance military slang for Arcturus Station
ȼ – Written shorthand for 'credit' – former 20th & 21st century shorthand for 'cent', as in 'dollars and cents'
Chandra - insect resembling a honeybee, same name as sweetening nectar it produces (Thessian)
Inamorata – A woman with whom one is in love; a female lover (Italian)
Kaffe – equatorial Thessian vine, the seeds of which are used to produce a non-alcoholic beverage of the same
· · · · · · name, the taste described as a mix of coffee and chocolate. (Thessian/Source: CDN)
Ø7 – An allegedly discontinued vocational code in the Systems Alliance military.
· · · · The Ø designates covert operations; the 7 refers to the highest level of proficiency.
OMPF – Official Military Personnel File. Administrative record, containing information about the subject's service
· · · · · · ·history, such as: date/type of enlistment/appointment; duty stations and assignments; training, etc.
Qíngfū or Qíngrén – [情夫 – lover]
Qīzi – [妻子 – wife]

• INSIDE IRINGÙ-EẞIZKUR, AT LARGE, SOL SYSTEM •
⸰ Friday Evening, 25 August 2220-CE ⸰

I couldn't help but grin at Griff's appearance—along with the irritation in his voice—as he came online. "This had better be super important, Traynor! You're interfering with my beauty sleep."

"I'm really, really sorry, big guy, but I had a thought while Irin and I were discussing protection for Xiùlán and RaeLee. Their dress jackets, Griff. Would it be possible to have a jacket made for each of them? … with flexible armor plates integrated within the fabric, for added protection?"

His peeved expression quickly changed to one of thoughtful contemplation as another face, this one with sleep-tousled hair, slid in next to Buchanan's. "Hi, Sammy," she grinned in a decidedly cheeky manner. "You absolutely sure this couldn't wait another few hours?" I immediately understood the implications of Oriana's question, especially given the intimate way she—after briefly planting her lips on his temple—placed her cheek against the side of Buchanan's face and gazed meaningfully at me.

"I am terribly sorry, Ori." I cocked my head and insolently snarked, "It would appear I am interfering with a bit more than Griff's beauty sleep."

She mirrored my smirk with one of her own as Buchanan spared her a glance, than looked back at me with a sigh. "While I was still piloting a desk in postwar London, I heard mention of a company that was experimenting with inserting flexible, ceramic reinforced woven carbon panels in officers' clothing, in an effort to give them a bit of an edge against sniper assaults in some of the more, shall we say, desperate? … sections of the city. Wasn't my department, so I don't know if they actually made a go of it." He stroked his chin for several moments, then continued, "We'll look into it, Sammy. If dress uniforms that offer more protection than standard issue exist, we'll find them."

"Thanks Griff … and Ori. I'll send you their measurements and jacket sizes. If you can find anything that will offer any protection from small arms fire, buy them for me, and I'll reimburse you, no matter the cost." I grinned, cocked my head slightly as I studied their images and quietly offered, "You both have my sincere apologies for disturbing your … umm … slumber?" and cut the connection.

• INSIDE IRINGÙ-EẞIZKUR, HIGH EARTH ORBIT • SOL SYSTEM •
⸰ Monday Morning, 25 September 2220-CE ⸰

I had heard nothing from Oriana or Griff in the month since I had apparently interrupted their lovemaking with an urgent, late-evening call for assistance. I was about to contact them again when my comms alerted me to an incoming call from Alliance headquarters in Vancouver. Predictably, it was my Qīzi. "Xiùlán," I purred as the image of her face coalesced on the monitor.

"Sà mǐ … Nǐ zài nǎlǐ, qīn'ài de? Nǐ hái zài tǐzhì nèi ma?" [你在哪裡，親愛的？ 你還在體制內嗎？ — Where are you, my darling? Are you still in system?]

"Actually, I am … in a geo-synced orbit right above you. And before you ask, I've been attempting to discover a way for us to survive the upcoming change-of-command ceremony unscathed."

Her response was colored by an irrepressible smirk. "Perhaps that would explain the package I just received from Peomeon Wangjo Specialty Supply outside of London. A jacket, for my dress uniform? Looks exactly like the one I already own, right down to the rank insignia, awards and ribbon rack, but it feels a bit heavier than my standard jacket … as in four, maybe five kilos heavier?"

I breathed a silent thanks to Griff and Oriana as I replied, "Ballistic armor plating in the liner, Ai. Along with my modified shield generator, it should turn any non-AP round fired at you. As you have received yours, General Park should have received hers as well. Have you tried it on yet?"

"I have, and it fits me perfectly. Will you be sitting beside me on that stage, Sà mǐ? And if so, what protection will you be wearing?"

"My custom-fitted Alliance armor, under my heavy, hooded leather duster. I have every intention of surviving whatever that miserable little troglodyte has planned for us, darling, and just so you know, I fully intend to see him dead—whether by my hand or that of others—after he makes the attempt." Seeing the change in her expression, I added, "You've made it quite clear he cannot be preemptively killed, Linn, but there'll be no reason to capture him alive after he takes his shot. He's a convicted criminal, in possession of a weapon the SA has prohibited him from owning. There's only one direction for him afterwards, one that will not include placing 'im in custody."

"You're convinced Joesiar is going to make the attempt, aren't you?" With a resigned shake of her head, she huffed, "Are you sure you're not being just a bit paranoid?"

I closed my eyes for several moments, long enough for my silence to prompt a whispered, "Sà mǐ?" Eyes reopened to narrow slits, I responded, "One of us has got to be paranoid, Xiùlán, and since you don't seem to be taking this threat seriously, I believe that burden falls to me. I won't see you or General Park lying dead on that stage from a sniper's bullet. I just won't!"

Shaking her head slightly, she signed off with, "Okay, Sà mǐ. I have to get back to unpacking my stuff. Have to get our quarters squared away so I'll have someplace to sleep tonight."

"Need any help?" I offered as she cut the connection. With a heavy sigh, I entered General Park's I.D. in the device and waited a few moments for her to answer.

Speaking before her image came into focus, she gushed, "Traynor! Good to hear from you." Continuing with a huge grin, she said, "I suppose I have you to thank for the new dress uniform jacket that arrived a short time ago." With a slight smirk, she observed, "You do realize I'll get very little use out of it."

I shook my head as I responded, "Doesn't matter, General. Worth every cred it cost if you wear it only once and it turns a bullet. Xiùlán will be wearing one as well." I paused, then asked, "After all these years, why in 'ell is that derelict building still standing across from the main gate, General? Any thoughts as to why the Alliance hasn't purchased the property and demolished that eyesore?"

She frowned, shook her head minutely and grumped, "Haven't a clue, Sammy. The entire lot is fenced. There are motion detectors and cameras covering most of the grounds, along with the ground floor of the building—what's left there, anyway. We've been gradually placing surveillance devices ever since Delarosa's attempt on my life in the early 2190's." With a discouraged shake of her head, she added, "About ten, twelve years ago, the Alliance attempted to force the property owners to sell through eminent domain; they've had our lawyers tied up in the courts ever since. According to the JAG Corps, the owners of the site have a massive surplus of credits, and their attitude is they'd rather litigate than take any shit from anyone, especially the Systems Alliance!"

I giggled with my response. "Sounds just like me, General … at least, the part about not taking any shit from anyone. I can only dream of having a massive surplus of creds."

She nodded in agreement, then asked in a snarky tone, "Are you sure you're not the owner?"

"Really, RaeLee?" I replied with a smirk. "If that property was mine, I would have had that shell of a building leveled as soon after Delarosa's capture as possible. Place is a dream location for a sniper … even one as unskilled as Joesiar."

"Don't sell the creepy little troll short, Sammy. He received the same basic Ø7 training before the war as you and Xiùlán; he must have paid attention to some of it if he managed to get into a good position to take a shot at Miranda during her stay in Huerta Memorial." She paused for a moment before adding, "Damn near killed Xiùlán instead."

I shook my head slightly at that memory. "As if I need a reminder." Having nothing else to say, I concluded, "Just so you know, I intend for all three of us to get through the ceremony with our lives intact. I'll see you in a few weeks, General."

She replied with a heavy sigh, "Sounds good, Sammy. I'm really looking forward to this miserable business being concluded." She nodded as her image faded to black.

• VANCOUVER, BC, AT LARGE • EARTH, SOL SYSTEM •
⸰ Wednesday Evening/Thursday Morning, 11/12 October 2220-CE ⸰

Joesiar skulked through scraggly knee-high weeds and unkempt grass growing through the fractured and broken pavement covering a majority of the large, empty lot across the road from Alliance Joint Base Vancouver. He had been scouting the area for a number of days, since just after his arrival from the Citadel, and had diligently mapped the locations of the numerous motion sensors and IR-cameras installed within the fenced-off area. Once he had their locations pegged, it had been relatively easy for him to avoid their coverage zones.

In spite of that, he felt a tiny itch at the back of his neck … one he simply could not seem to scratch – suspicions that he was being followed by … someone … or several someones; try as he might, he could never actually see anyone displaying any interest in his movements or activities.

His erratic, meandering approach to the west side of the derelict building near the road had taken longer than he would have liked but, if he had learned anything after spending over thirty years in a damned prison cell, it was patience. Thinking, A'm closer now than ever. Success is gonna depend on me taking my time, getting into a good position, then waiting for the perfect opportunity.

Looking up at the partially destroyed concrete edifice, he swallowed hard. Joesiar was a coward at heart … contemplating scaling the side of this broken building, even with the assistance of a personal mass reduction generator, nearly caused him to abandon the attempt before he even began. Having studied the structure from a distance, he knew there were a significant number of hand and toe holds to be had … but looking and doing were two entirely different things. Thinking, Ya didn't hesitate to climb out on top of that fuckin' sky bridge on the Citadel so as to take a shot at dat stinkin' biotic whore in her hospital room, an' dat was way higher den dis place. Get on wif'it.

The mass reduction generator he had purchased at the surplus yard was an older, first-gen model; the power cells held their charge well enough, and it seemed to operate as designed. After trying it out a couple of times, he trusted it would do the job. He had attached it to a makeshift harness at the small of his back, right under the backpack full of supplies he felt he needed, then attached the case carrying his rifle vertically beside the backpack in order to distribute its weight as evenly as possible. Of some concern, however, was this would be the first time he'd attempted to employ the mass generator to reduce the combined weight of himself and the rifle.

Looking up at the building's deteriorating concrete wall, he sighed heavily. After a quick inspection of his surroundings, he energized the device, squatted, then jumped straight up. In mere moments, he was clinging to the edge of a metal frame that had once held a clear plexi-panel, eight meters or so above the broken pavement on which he had been standing. Gazing in through the empty rectangle, he discovered what appeared to be a mostly solid floor. Using a great deal of care, her swung his legs over the edge and gingerly set his feet down; then, by carefully ducking down, he was able to bring the long carrying case containing the heavy rifle inside with him.

He squatted beside the wall, remaining motionless as he visually inspected the area around his position. Seeing nothing obvious, he energized his omnitool to scan for short-range RF signals that would indicate the presence of passive proximity detectors or remotely monitored cameras. As there didn't appear to be either in his immediate vicinity, he slowly stood, deactivated the mass reduction generator and began carefully moving towards the front of the building.

He found himself inside a room that was quite large, and completely unobstructed by walls or interior partitions from front-to-back. Turning to walk alongside the forward facing wall, he moved through a doorway into an even larger space that, with the exception of a 12-meter wide walkway along the wall, was open to the main floor below and the broken roof 20 or more meters above. Of more importance to Joesiar, there were two open doorways about half the distance of the span along the wall; these opened onto some sort of open-air balcony. He gingerly eased himself out just far enough to confirm the stability of the surface.

Quickly assuming a crouching posture, he moved towards the edge; once there, he was overjoyed to discover there was an unobstructed sightline, past the perimeter wall and into the parade grounds of the Alliance base. Sprawled out on his belly, he used a compact spotting scope to carefully inspect the stage being set up for the upcoming ceremonies. Dis is a perfek setup, came the thought.

Slithering back inside the building, he unpacked his shoulder bag. He fastened the long edge of the camo net he had brought with him along the wall beside the door; this done, he spread the net out in a haphazard manner, then disappeared beneath it to set up his makeshift bed. He pulled a bottled energy drink and a 'bat-rat'—battle ration—from his pack, rolled out a sleeping mat—this he would use to lie on outside when he set up to take his shot—placed his back against the wall under the net and settled in to wait for the weekend festivities. Oughter be festive fer me as well.

• INSIDE IRINGÙ-EẞIZKUR, AT LARGE, SOL SYSTEM •
⸰ Saturday Morning, 14 October 2220-CE ⸰

I was just finishing my breakfast when my personal comms unit trilled. After refilling my mug with the last of the coffee I'd brewed, I strolled back to my research compartment, sat in front of and activated the unit. Of some surprise, the always welcome image of Buchanan resolved itself on my monitor; I grinned at his visage, solemn as it was. "What's up, Griff? Why so glum?"

"After this business is finished, Sammy, I'm going to send a crew out to destroy that damned building, before it can be used in another attempt to cause someone's death." He shook his head slightly as he continued without pause. "Donkey-faced little bastard is already there, Sammy. Dokken's team has him positively located up on the second floor, in the same location Delarosa was setting up for a shot at General Park. Say the word, they'll take him out … quietly. Xiùlán will never know they were involved."

"Unfortunately, I would know about it, Griff … I. Would. Know! Much as I hate to admit it, having a Shadow Broker wetwork team preemptively end Joesiar would not be something I could hide from Xiùlán … nor would I wish to try." I sat back in my chair as I mulled over his offer; leaning forward once more, I said, "They'll have to wait until he takes a shot, then grab him … immobilize 'im with a tranq-dart and take him alive for me, so I can beat 'im to death."

"That's assuming you aren't the first one to catch a bullet, Sammy. Plus, you'll need definitive proof of Joesiar taking the shot at one of you." He paused for a moment, then continued with, "I'll have Dokken make a real-time vid of Joesiar taking the shot, from a viewpoint looking over his shoulder at the parade ground. Should be all the proof you'll need to justify the punishment you plan to dish out." With a slight chuckle, he added, "The Shadow Broker will send a copy of Joesiar's criminal act to Dominic Osoba for review, a day or two before the full council's next regular meeting, along with a warning that his punishment for commuting the little bastard's sentence will be forthcoming."

That brought a smile to my face. "That would actually be a good idea, Griff, except that a day or two warning would give the corrupt bastard time to either flee, or invent a plausible story in order to place all the blame on General Bradley Joesiar. He'll certainly attempt to hide all the proof of his own collusion." I shook my head as I continued, "I hadn't remembered until just now that Osoba is mostly to blame for all this. I think General Park and Admiral Yuán may be addressing the full council after all the dust settles, and I expect the other councilors will see the benefit of relieving the human councilor of his cushy position." Another thought struck me. "Think we can get the Alliance to boot Uncle General out as well?"

"Unknown. We'd have to discover if Lieutenant Colonel Elliot Chapman kept any notes or records of the general's communications with him prior to sentencing." Griff shook his head slightly as he continued, "Osoba is another matter altogether; just like any other councilor, he's required to keep all his official comms, from any source, secure and available on demand for official inspection at any time—in perpetuity. If Bradley Joesiar was coercing Osaba to commute his nephew's prison sentence, there should be readily available records to prove it."

"Okay, Griff. Hold that thought until next week. Number one priority is stopping Jay-Jay from getting off a second shot. I'll do my best to keep everyone safe as I can until I have confirmation from Dokken's team they have 'im in wrist-binders. Oh, and let them know I'll be wearing an earwig tuned to their frequency." With a nod of appreciation, I cut the connection.

• VANCOUVER, BC, AT LARGE • EARTH, SOL SYSTEM •
⸰ Sunday Morning, 15 October 2220-CE ⸰

Early mid-Autumn sunshine had effectively burned off the fog that had rolled in from nearby Boundary Bay. The air was crisp, with the promise of cooler temperatures to come, as I strolled past the several rows of portable chairs set up on the grass covered parade grounds. To me, today's event really didn't merit all the hoopla—the temporary stage, guest seating, luncheon—all being done to announce the retirement of the current base commander, and to introduce her replacement.

I was thinking about everything as I surveyed the venue. I suppose this change is somewhat noteworthy. A Navy Admiral, replacing the Marine General that has led this base since just prior to the start of the Reaper War. I shook my head slightly and grinned. Change at the top of the brass chain happens so infrequently, I guess it's as good an excuse as any for the Alliance military to hold a celebration.

I climbed up on the stage and walked to the podium, already placed just left of center near the platform's leading edge. After looking over my shoulder, back to the chairs where the dignitaries and their family members would be seated, I looked out over the 60 chairs, lined up in six rows of twelve divided by a center aisle, then studied the numerous tables—also with chairs—set out on the remainder of the lush green lawn. While appearing to admire the entire site, I surreptitiously inspected the abandoned concrete structure sitting across the highway from the main gate. I know you're in there, Joesiar.

Being familiar with the location of Savina Delarosa's thwarted attempt on General Park during my tenure as the Shadow Broker, I could actually see the location from where he'd most likely make his attempt; he'd have an unobstructed line of sight to target anyone up here, whether standing or seated. Who will be your first target, Jay-Jay? Xiùlán? General Park? Me? I mentally shook my head as I pondered the question. What enhancements will you be applying to the ammo?

I eliminated myself from the equation, as I was already dressed out in full combat armor; Xiùlán and RaeLee would each be wearing their dress uniforms … although they would be wearing a dress jacket with ceramic armor plates hidden within the fabric. Unfortunately, our heads would be exposed. A successful head-shot at that distance would be a helluva lucky thing, came the thought. Delarosa was a professional assassin, with a computer controlled scope that made minute aiming adjustments on a continuous basis. Jay-Jay doesn't have the skill she had, and his scope is a simple optical device. I strolled over to the row of chairs at the rear of the stage; sitting in the chair bearing my name, I looked up past the podium in time to catch the briefest flash of light.

Touching the comlink in my ear, I addressed the Broker's wetwork team leader: "Jonathan … this is Traynor! What's happening up there?"

I could hear the man's smile in his reply. "Hey, Traynor. Our target just completed setting up to take his shot."

"Do you have any new info on his rifle?"

"Nothing new, Traynor. Standard optical scope with a laser designator. He'll probably use it momentarily to confirm he's on target." A brief pause, then, "Oh, and I do have a vidcam lined up on him and the parade grounds. You'll have all the proof needed to successfully petition the council to impose sanctions on Osoba for freeing the little bastard."

"If we can all avoid getting killed down here, Mister Dokken. Just … please make sure he doesn't take a second shot, nor manage to get away. I want to confront him after this is all over."

The chuckle I received gladdened my heart. "He's got no way out of here, Ma'am."

⸰ Noon Sunday, 15 October 2220-CE ⸰

I was, quite literally, sitting on the edge of my seat, as Systems Alliance Prime Minister Tagilima Seiuli extended a warm welcome to everyone attending today's ceremony. She introduced the VIPs sitting along the wall behind her, saving RaeLee Park for last; she named the general as the retiring commander of the base and asked her to come forward. Park rose from her chair, walked forward to join the Prime Minister, briefly exchanged pleasantries, then stood behind the podium to address the audience.

My comlink came to life … it was Dokken. "Traynor! Joesiar looks to be lining up a shot on the speaker behind the podium … standby." I held my breath and waited. Speaking once again, he quietly observed, "He's just lying there, Traynor, watching through the scope. It appears he intends to wait for Yuán to begin her speech."

I whispered, "Copy that," as I continued to watch for movement at the building. In a way, it made sense that Jay-Jay's first target would be my wife … in his mind, Xiùlán had stolen Miranda away from him, in this very city; before that, she had embarrassed him on the live-fire range during our Ø7 classes on the moon, and had, by dint of teaching me the intricacies of close quarters combat, been totally to blame when I rearranged his ugly face. Being the most visible of the many women working to have him booted from the Navy was simply disgusting icing on top of his loser cake.

I glanced at Xiùlán, calmly sitting in the chair to my left. During our breakfast together, I had offered to provide her with a comlink, only for her to decline with an explanation that hearing our conversations in her ear might be too much of a distraction … that she needed to concentrate on addressing the audience. She had agreed to listen for a shouted warning from me, should Joesiar move to take the shot. I fervently hoped he wasn't using AP enhanced rounds … even at distance, the damned rifle was deadly enough when using non-enhanced ammo. I really do not wish for a close-up view of the damage it's capable of inflicting with AP or incendiary rounds.

I refocused on General Park. Apparently having concluded her remarks, she had half-turned and brought her hand up to welcome the new base commander, her replacement … and my wife, to the podium. I leaned over and, knowing she wouldn't ignore my use of Mandarin, whispered in her ear, "Jīhuó nǐ de dùnpái, wǒ de àirén." [激活你的盾牌，我的愛人。- Activate your shield, my love.] As everyone stood to acknowledge and applaud the new base commander, Xiùlán surreptitiously did as I'd requested as she slowly moved to stand beside RaeLee. They shook hands, briefly embraced, then a smiling Xiùlán moved to stand at the speaker's podium while RaeLee returned to the chair on my right side.

"I felt the tingle, Sammy," she commented. "Power level on her shield must really be cranked."

"Yep," I replied. "Power cell won't last long, but it only needs to be active for thirty minutes, max."

As everyone retook their seats, Dokken's voice murmured through my comlink: "Get ready, Traynor. He's up on his elbows now – eye to the scope …" I slowly stood from my chair, hoping I could distract our shooter's attention. Xiùlán, standing at parade rest with her hands on the corners of the podium, had just offered her greetings to the audience. For a split-second I saw the telltale green of a targeting laser coming from the building and hollered in Mandarin, "Xiùlán! Xiàng yòu yí!" [秀蘭！向右移！- Xiùlán! Move (Break) right!] as I rushed up behind her. Unfortunately, I had started moving too late.

She had shifted her body to the right in response to my shout; her left hand jerked loose from the podium as she was suddenly spun halfway around towards me from the impact of a projectile. Accompanied by bits of flesh and an enormous amount of blood spray, it erupted from the back of her left shoulder area, accompanied by the sound of a high-powered rifle shot, echoing in diminishing waves over the parade grounds.

Even as I enveloped her in my arms to keep her from falling, I was aware that people out on the lawn were panicking and running for cover, knocking over tables and scattering chairs in their haste to find shelter. The expression of intense pain on Xiùlán's face told me all I needed to know; gasping out, "Gods, Sà mi!" she collapsed into my embrace. Dokken's voice came over the comlink as I eased my Qīzi to lie on the floor. "We got him, Sammy! He made the mistake of trying to use that gun at close range on Järvelä." A brief pause, then, "How bad is it?"

I frantically yanked her jacket open while thinking, Dammit, Xiùlán! This is no fuckin' good! As I'd feared, there was a bright red stain spreading slowly across the left shoulder of her white blouse. "It's bad enough! She's bleedin', Jonathan!" I responded through gritted teeth. "Bring that little shite-bag here so the Marines can lock 'im down."

Flicking out the blade on my folding boot knife, I sliced her dress blouse open; upon seeing the exposed entry wound, I grimaced in empathy as I pulled a small tube of medigel from a thigh pocket, flipped the cap off with my thumb and injected as much as possible into the small hole, then rolled her towards me so I could repeat the process for the much larger exit wound through the dragon's head tattooed on her back.

She was using both hands to hold onto my forearm in a vice-like grip. I gazed into a pair of sable-brown eyes, dull with shock and pain, and said, "You're going to be okay, Xiùlán … repeat that back to me!" Her mouth was set in a grim, straight line; I was surprised when she actually managed to lift the corners slightly. "Wǒ huì méishì de, Sà mǐ." [我會沒事的，薩米 –I'll be fine, Sammy.]

I looked up at the corpsman that had placed a hand on my shoulder; squeezing slightly, he said, "Let's get her to the base infirmary, Ma'am." With a brief smirk, he added, "Not about to allow our new commander to bleed out before she's even had a chance to sit behind her desk!"

I knew my attempt at a smile came across as a grimace as I replied, "I'm glad to hear you say that, Corpsman. She's my wife … I'd be awfully upset if I lost her."

General Park leaned in and said, "We'll take good care of her, Sammy." Picking up Xiùlán's ruined dress jacket, she added, "I've got this. You go now! … deal with that damned assassin."

"No! Much as I want to go beat 'im to death, a Shadow Broker team has 'im in custody … they'll bring ֯'im here, lock 'im in a holding cell. I'm going with Xiùlán." Turning back to my darling wife, I whispered with all the conviction I could put into my words, "Wǒ huì ài nǐ zhídào shíjiān de jìntóu. [我會愛你直到時間的盡頭。– I will love you until the end of time.]

The sparkle in her eyes returned ever so slightly as she affirmed, "Nǐ jiāng yǒngyuǎn yǒngyǒu wǒ de ài, Sà mǐ." [你將永遠擁有我的愛，薩米。– You will always have my love, (literally, you will have my love forever), Sammy.]

I watched as two corpsmen gently slid her onto a hover litter, covered her with a blanket, then began moving towards the main building. Falling into step beside an extremely somber General Park, I followed them inside to the base infirmary.

⸰ 1850, Sunday, 15 October 2220-CE ⸰

I watched intently as my Qīzi, sluggishly waking and recovering from the effects of the anesthesia, slowly eased her eyes open to look at me. Guessing her mouth and throat would be dry, I set the edge of a cup full of ice chips against her lower lip. "Here, Luv … suck on a couple of these for a few moments." She actually crunched one of them, then swallowed; I handed her the cup, which she gingerly took with her left hand as she used her right to grab and squeeze my hand while whispering, "Hurt like hell when it hit me. How bad was it, Sà mǐ?"

"I'm glad you moved when you did, my darling, else that round would have gone in the middle of your chest. Shoulder wound was a through and through; miraculously, it missed anything vital."

She coughed, then asked, "Shields? Armor plates?" She sucked on another ice chip; speaking around it, she asked, "Why didn't they stop that bullet?"

"Missed the armor plates in the jacket by mere centimeters. My enhanced electronic shielding should have stopped it; seems like it may have only been slowed down a bit. I'll do some digging … see if I can discover what went wrong." I shook my head slightly. "You're damned lucky, Xiùlán. You do realize that all of this might have been prevented if you'd have looked the other way … allowed me to eliminate the little bastard before he was in a position to take another shot at you."

She squeezed my hand as she sighed, "First shot back then was meant for Miranda. He's in custody?"

"Locked in a cell down in the basement … should actually feel familiar to 'im. In fact, I'm surprised we can't hear 'im up here … he's been vehemently complaining non-stop that the Alliance is violating his rights as a citizen!"

That brought a hint of a smile. "Nàme, tā de quánlì bāokuò qìtú móushā wǒ? Nǐ? RaeLee?" [那麼，他的權利包括企圖謀殺我？ 你？ – So, his rights include attempting to murder me? You?] She shook her head minutely, sipped a bit of the ice water in her cup and added, "No repercussions? By my ancestors, Sà mǐ! Can he really be that ignorant?"

I was about to answer when a soft double rap on the door from outside drew our attention. The door slowly eased open to reveal a familiar face. General Park beamed, "Mind if I join you?"

We both bade her to enter. She continued speaking as she pushed the door open a bit more and eased herself through the opening. "I'm glad to see you're awake, Admiral …" she chuckled, "… and that you don't appear to be too much the worse for wear." She placed her hand on the blanket covering Xiùlán's knee and grinned, "Think you'll be back on your feet in time to attend my retirement party on Friday?"

"I'll probably have my arm in a sling, but that shouldn't be too much of a hindrance. Sounds fun."

"Good." The grin disappeared. "I'm glad you're injury wasn't more serious, Xiùlán." RaeLee glanced at me as she continued, "I know you don't wish to hear this, but …".

Xiùlán interrupted with, "… you don't need to say it, General. Sà mǐ's instincts were spot on. She's been correct ever since that miserable cretin was released from lockup." She grimaced, closed her eyes and attempted to move slightly in order to relieve the pressure on the exit wound in her shoulder. "It wouldn't hurt my feelings if someone managed to permanently end him, RaeLee. He needn't be tried for this crime. I'm told a vid exists, recorded by the Broker team that captured him."

"That's good news. Should be all the proof needed to get him convicted yet again for attempted murder. Too bad the Alliance lifted martial law shortly after his previous conviction, otherwise, a death sentence would be a lot more difficult for a judge to reduce to life in prison." She shook her head sorrowfully. "After all these years, what's amazing to me is his continuing, single-minded focus on killing you or Sammy, or even me. It really makes no sense."

"No way to predict his future actions back then, RaeLee," I commented. "His attempt to kill Miranda on the Citadel should have been a clue; nearly killing Xiùlán instead wasn't his intention, but …" I looked at my Qīzi as I continued, "I think that's when he shifted his blame to you for all his troubles from that point on, especially after his attempts to kidnap her failed so miserably."

A knock on the door drew our attention; a physician's assistant slowly entered. "I'm sorry, but it's time for the admiral's meds, and I need to inspect the dressings on her wounds … make sure there's no further bleeding."

RaeLee and I both looked at Xiùlán; RaeLee spoke for both of us. "We'll go have a spot of dinner, Admiral. You probably should take a nap. We'll check back with you later this evening."

I leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Wǒ huì ài nǐ zhídào shíjiān de jìntóu. [我會愛你直到時間的盡頭。– I will love you until the end of time.]

She grinned, replying softly, "Nǐ jiāng yǒngyuǎn yǒngyǒu wǒ de ài, Sà mǐ." [你將永遠擁有我的愛，薩米。– You will always have my love, (literally, you will have my love forever), Sammy.]

A/N: My apologies for not posting this on either of the two previous weekends. I am currently dealing with health issues, such that sitting in front of a computer monitor and keyboard for any length of time is a bit unpleasant. Next chapter will go up (hopefully) on the 7th of January. My sincere thanks to all of you for reading.