The next few days passed by in a blur. Now and then, it felt like a bad dream to him. Like a bad scene in a terrible movie. Or like it didn't actually happen to him but to someone else.

It was Neri's misery that reminded him that this nightmare was real. His mother had broke with them. His interior felt heavy. Just now, he realised how much he had relied on her to be around.

Of course, they had never actually asked for her help in the past adventures. When they had freed Charly, found Mera, retrieved the synchronium,... Diane had always been one of the last to know. But she also had been there. And now, he was too busy to comfort Neri in her pain to be able to grief himself.

Most of the time, they spent in Neri's room. Either in bed, where she buried her face in his chest or sitting in a corner in close embrace.

They barely spoke.

If the circumstances were different, he maybe would have enjoyed her needy behaviour. But now, it began to annoy him. It was his mother, after all, and she had not only broken with Neri but also with him. Neri still had her mother around.

With this thoughts, a wave of guilt rushed through him and made him feel even worse. For the most time of Neri's life, though Diane had been the only mother, she knew.

When Neri had fallen asleep at the third evening after Diane's leaving (his watch was the only thing that made him keep up with the change of day and night), he carefully climbed out of bed to finally give in to his need for some fresh air, and some time alone to process.

Apart from some guards, the floors of the pyramid were empty. When he arrived at the entrance pool room, he was suddenly reminded, he had no minifin and no diving equipment. He was used to living underwater, but at ORCA, he just had to take the lift for some real fresh air.

He was no claustrophobic kind of guy but he certainly felt trapped. And he didn't felt like outback air, either.

He crouched down at the pool. The water moving and glittering, casting flickering reflections of light against the walls had a smoothing effect. He dipped his hand into the cool water.

The sound of bare footsteps approaching, made him look up. "Hey beautiful," he said quietly and rose. "I didn't want to wake you."

"Hey, handsome!"

It wasn't Neri.

"Shersheba," he identified her.

"Yes, just me," she replied apologetically and smiled. "I know your affectionate reception wasn't meant for me but nevertheless, I take the beautiful."

Her smile crumbled when he denied her an answer right away. Her face went serious. "I just wanted to go for a swim," she explained. "I didn't intend to disturb you."

"No, it's fine," he said, when she turned to go, her long rope swiping on the floor. "At least, one of us gets to get out of here for a while."

"Jason," she began, and the vulnerability in her tone made him look at her. She took a few steps and froze at the other side of the pool across from him. "I am so sorry about what happened with your mother," she told him. "I had no idea it was a secret."

Jason shrugged. "It's not your fault, Shersheba," he assured her honestly. "You were actually great at that council meeting. It was brave, the way you stepped in for me."

"Coming from you," she replied, "that means a lot me. But I didn't do it just for you."

Jason nodded. "Yeah, I figured. Your reproach was pretty tough. I thought they were elected to this new council because they never supported Malakat."

"Not officially," Shersheba acknowledged. "Some of them even rejected his ideas in public."

"Sounds like, you doubt their integrity."

Shersheba sighed. "It is certainly not my place to call anyone a hypocrite," she said with a hint of annoyance. "But they call me a traitor. Refer to me as that person." The anger in her voice was now audible. "I know, I did bad things. I made mistakes out of bad judgement. But they use his words and spread his version of Earth among the people. And they dare to look down at me!"

"You think, they followed him after all? In secret?" Jason asked, ignoring the complaint about losing her reputation and status.

Shersheba shook her head vehemently. "No, at least not consciously," she stated. "But many people have been listening to him for too long. Malakat's maybe gone, but his ideas linger."

"Circumstances are rough," Jason argued, resting his hands on his hips. "Going through difficult times changes people."

"Not our people. Not like this," Shersheba objected.

She took a few steps, starting to circuit the pool to his left. "Can you imagine a world, filled with people who are very much like Neri?" she asked. "Almost ridiculously compassionate? Kind, and sweet to an almost sickening grade? Trusting, and believing in good fortune?"

She froze at the corner of the pool next to a column and pointed in the direction to the throne room behind her. "Look at the Queen," she asked him. "Choosing such an idealistic and naive person as their leader requires an even more naive folk. You can say many bad things about Malakat. But he is a strong leader. Charismatic, radiating with trustworthiness."

Her expression was suddenly gentle while reminiscing, her voice warm. It took her a second to wake up again.

"He had years and years to feed our fears," she spoke on, all traces of admiration erased from her face and voice, "encouraging the people in their anger towards the government by using every little misjudgement of the council. He did it right under Shalamorn's nose. You see, why people lose faith in her?"

"Yeah, I get the picture," Jason replied. "Are you saying, you're the better choice as a leader?"

Shersheba blankly stared at him for a moment, and he regretted his harsh tone. She seemed genuinely surprised.

She shook her head. "No," she said firmly and came closer. "I'm saying Shalamorn needs to show herself to her people. Since her return, she only spoke to them over the communicator. She has to be attendant in person, – at least, for a while. To show her people, that she still cares for their needs. That she is still their Queen."

"Did you tell her this?"

She snorted. "She doesn't listen to me."

An only too well know feeling began to stir in him.

"Let me guess," he said angrily. "You want me to talk to her. Did we really meet here by coincidence?"

He didn't wait for her answer and turned to go right away.

"Self-pity doesn't suit you, Jason."

He froze, then slowly turned around again to face her. "What?" he asked startled.

"Please. Shalamorn's report was detailed and honest," Shersheba replied. "But while people watched her talking, I watched you reacting. You still feel like being used, and –" she took another step, now standing in front of him, "you're right. But like you told your mother two days ago: you chose this path on your own. So, if you stopped feeling sorry for yourself for just one minute, you would actually realise that the reason, why people keep choosing you as an intermediary, is not because they want to use you as a shield, but because they appreciate your ability to see both sides of the story."

It took him a second to process, he had just got lectured by Shersheba.

"So," he began, "you think, Shalamorn should do the inventory herself? Look over the councillor's shoulders? Spend some time with her folks?"

Shalamorn had retreated one step, her smile all friendly again as though the lecturing hadn't happened at all.

"Not just Shalamorn," she nodded. "The princesses as well. And you, of course."

"Me?"

"Shalamorn broke Neri's engagement off. Those, who know about you, are curious about the human the princess chose for herself."

Jason frowned. "So, she was promised? She never told me."

Shersheba shrugged. "I guess, she didn't know of that engagement herself. The guy was not suitable, anyway. No more than a boy in spirit. He almost gave the synchronium to a human scientist."

"Kal?" Jason exclaimed.

She chuckled. "Yes, I heard, you met. And if you ask me," she added. "To let Neri keep you as her man was definitely the right choice."

He felt himself slightly blushing by the look she gave him. He hated himself for feeling flattered by her compliment but she could be admittedly charming if she wanted to. But her honesty deserved at least a friendly smile despite whatever she was trying to gain from her flirting.

"So," he replied. "Any more requests? Anything, I should know?"

"None, I can think of right now," she answered.

"Don't you want to go home, too?"

She frowned, thinking about his suggestion. "I don't know," she confessed. "I feel homesick, but they call me traitor on both planets. At least, on Earth, I have a clean ocean to swim in. I guess I will do whatever the Queen demands of me."

"I'll talk to her in the morning," Jason promised.

"Thank you," she said with a genuine smile.

"Isn't there a clean ocean waiting for you?" He nodded down to the pool.

She broke into a grin and took her robe off. Something about the way, she let it slip to the ground made him blush again. She positioned at the pool and was just about to jump into the water.

"Shersheba?"

She froze in the move, looking at him with a questioning look.

"Thank you," he said. "For … kicking my ass."

She chuckled. "Anytime, handsome." Then she jumped into the pool.

Smirking, he turned to go, when Mera appeared in the pool room.

"What was that all about?" she wanted to know.

He shrugged. "You'll see tomorrow."

He passed her, and she took him by his arm.

"Be careful with Shersheba," Mera told him intensely. "You never know, where you stand with her."

"Well, actually," he responded. "I get that feeling from a lot of people around her. So, please forgive me, if I rather judge for myself."

She withdrew her hand. "I didn't want to upset you," she assured him bleakly. "I'm sorry."

He took a breath, feeling guilty again for acting out. "No, I'm the one who should apologise, Mera. I shouldn't have bluffed at you."

Mera gave him a smile. "It's fine. I understand."

He gestured to the entrance. "Well, I go back to Neri, then."

When he left the room, he felt her glance on his back.

Straightening him up had been long overdue, Jason realised on his way back to Neri's chamber.

Shersheba had been right. In the last couple of days, since their return from Vancouver, he had been moody, easily annoyed. Everything had felt like a burden, – even Neri.

Now, with a task ahead, he suddenly felt relieved and confident. Now, he could focus on the real problems again.

Neri stood in the middle of the room when he entered. Without a word, he conquered the distance between them with just a few steps and pulled her into a hug. He caressed her back and buried his face in her hair. She hugged back, her arms wrapped around his waist.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "You already have to deal with so much negativity, and now you had to deal with my self-pity, as well. I was selfish."

Her arms tightened around him, wandering up his back. Her whole body was now pressed against his, and he inhaled her scent, smiling.

This was, how it was supposed to feel like.