Despite everything that happened, Centauri Prime still has a lot to offer.
by The Space Witches
Despite everything that happened, Centauri Prime still has a lot to offer.
Chapter 2
September 2272
Witnesses
Demon could feel the heat as they walked down the ramp of the shuttle and she turned to look at her husband with concern. Sure enough, Matthew was already running his finger under the collar of his dress uniform, looking hot and uncomfortable. Demon suppressed a smile, knowing how much he hated wearing that uniform, and how the tropical heat of the island of Verani would make him sweat and itch even more than usual. She only hoped that he wouldn't start scratching in front of the Emperor, but with Matthew you could never be quite sure.
Glancing at John Matheson, Demon could see that by contrast the Excalibur's XO looked his usual cool, calm, unflappable self. Matthew often moaned that John's dress uniform must have been better tailored and made of a lighter weight material, as John never sweated or itched. Demon knew that in reality John was just more stoical about the discomfort than Matthew. She smiled inwardly, careful not to let any expression show on her face, as she thought that on some subjects Matthew could behave
remarkably like his son. Wearing dress uniform brought out the bad little boy in the Captain but somehow Demon didn't care. She loved the boy in him as much as she loved the man, but the man she loved was beginning to look hot and bothered; not the best start to serious negotiations.
The Excalibur had moved into orbit above the Emperor's island retreat during the night and they had all shuttled down at first light, hoping that the air would be cooler in the early morning. Demon breathed deeply, savoring the scents of fruit and flowers that wafted on the breeze.
The island was beautiful, like a tropical paradise on Earth with white sandy beaches, green trees, colorful flowers, and a small, beautifully designed palace nestling amongst the trees and lawns. The sea surrounding the island was crystal clear and Demon looked at it longingly, hoping that she'd get an opportunity to swim in it at sometime during the day. She reached out with her mind to touch her son in the ship high above, reassuring him that she and his father would be coming home soon, then she dragged her attention back to the party waiting at the foot of the ramp and followed Matthew down to meet them.
Gideon ran his finger under the collar of his dress uniform, feeling the sweat stand out on his forehead as the heat hit him. He cast an envious glance at his wife, who was wearing a sleeveless, black cotton dress, falling to her ankles, blown back against her body by the breeze coming in from the sea. The Captain knew that underneath the dress Deborah wore a bikini, and that she hoped to get a chance to go swimming later. At that moment, Gideon could think of nothing he would rather do than to take his wife to a quiet beach, strip her dress and the bikini off her, then strip off the god-awful uniform he had to wear and go skinny dipping with her. He sighed deeply and stopped himself scratching at an itch that had developed under his right arm.
The Centauries waiting at the foot of the ramp were looking up at Gideon and his people expectantly, but the Captain found himself reluctant to move. He hated being down on the planet without guards or weapons, but those were the only terms on which the Centauries had allowed them to descend. Unwilling to risk more lives than he had to, Gideon had piloted the shuttle himself, with John acting as co-pilot. They had carefully disabled the controls, using a code key known only to the two of them, before leaving the inside of the shuttle. Now the Centauries couldn't take away their means of escape. [Unless they blow the damned thing up!] Dismissing that thought, Gideon walked down the ramp with Deborah at his side, and John, Luke, Lily, and Angel just behind.
Minister Baronni greeted Gideon and the others politely, looking slightly surprised by the presence of Luke Raven, and the absence of the children. The Minister bowed as he kissed Lily's hand, then Angel's, finally turning to Gideon and saying, "But where are your delightful children? The Emperor will be very disappointed that you have not brought them. He has gone to great trouble to arrange entertainment for them."
The Captain smiled apologetically, and explained how they had discovered that all of the children had succumbed to an infectious disease. "It's called 'chickenpox', and while it's not too serious for children, it's extremely infectious and very unpleasant for adults. Fortunately, we have all experienced the disease as children, and are therefore immune. We don't think the disease can jump species, but we were unwilling to take any risks with the health of the Emperor."
Gideon went on to describe in detail the places on the body where the spots associated with the disease could break out and how badly they itched, watching Baronni pale as he continued, "I thought it best to bring our ship's doctor down with us today. It's very unlikely that any of you could have picked up the infection during the brief time my son was in the room with you, but I thought it might reassure you to have our doctor's input and expertise available, should any of you start to display any symptoms."
Baronni murmured, "Symptoms?" looking more worried all the time.
Gideon used his best poker face. "Itching is usually the first sign. You don't have any itches do you, Minister?" He knew very well that just saying the words would make Baronni's skin prickle. The Minister was in for an uncomfortable day, but was obviously determined not to express his concerns, as he dismissed the need for Raven's assistance and said that the doctor could spend the day relaxing in the gardens with the ladies.
[Here we go...] Gideon tried to persuade Baronni to allow Deborah to sit in on the negotiations, saying that his wife had specialized knowledge of Earth history and current ISA treaties, which would be extremely helpful to the negotiations. This was true. Deborah had a voracious appetite for reading and spent much of her time on the Excalibur absorbing what appeared to be the entire contents of the Earth Alliance history files, plus a few centuries of the histories of the major ISA races. She constantly surprised Gideon with the depth of her knowledge about events that had occurred while she was in stasis. [Then again, Deborah doesn't have a ship to run and fifteen million bureaucrats to satisfy--just one sometimes-cranky Captain--so she gets the time to read.]
Baronni wouldn't budge. He refused point blank to have Deborah added to the negotiating team, saying that only Gideon and Matheson had been accredited as President Sheridan's representatives.
Gideon sighed and conceded the point, turning to his wife and kissing her goodbye as he whispered into her ear, "It was worth a try, and maybe you'll get a chance to swim. Stay close to your sisters, and call me on the commlink if you need me."
He pulled back and looked Deborah straight in the eye. They had discussed what to do in this eventuality, and Gideon knew that she would fight her way through every Centauri guard on the island if she really needed to get to him. He just hoped that wouldn't be necessary. The Captain hated leaving the women with only Raven to stay with them, but he told himself that they were more than capable of protecting themselves against anything the Centauri could throw at them, short of an atomic bomb, and even then he wouldn't want to give odds on the outcome. Luke Raven would be more likely to benefit from their protection than vice versa.
With one final kiss for Deborah, Gideon accompanied Matheson into the palace, leaving his wife, her sisters and the doctor outside.
Angel smiled as Ursa Baronni joined the group still standing at the foot of the ramp and offered her his arm. From the moment she had first seen the handsome Centauri, Angel had been attracted to him. He was tall and slim, with an athletic build, and the tight pants that Centauri fashion demanded for men accentuated his slender hips and tight buttocks. Ursa's waist was narrow and his shoulders broad. Even his hair didn't look too strange as he wore a very short crest. Angel was strongly reminded of a 20th century movie star, but she couldn't quite remember his name. [Patrick something, I think. He was a good dancer, too.]
When they had first danced together, Angel had been completely swept away by Ursa's grace and style. He had led firmly and danced divinely, and Angel had felt heat spreading throughout her body from where the palm of his hand was placed firmly in the center of her back. They had danced close and slow, her breasts rubbing against his chest, arousing her further, making her want him, all of him, deep inside her.
But Ursa wasn't human. Angel had raced to the Medbay computer, checking the anatomy files on the Centauri, her eyes growing larger and rounder, her nipples stiffening as she read. Six? They had SIX?! Angel's breath had come in hot little pants. She had tried to imagine what sex with a Centauri would be like. It had been a couple of months since she had slept with a man, and her mind swept her back to her encounter with Mal Fillion, when she had last felt strong arms around her, hot lips on her mouth and body, a hard cock thrusting into her...Angel had quickly closed the computer files and wished she could take a cold shower.
Now the gorgeous Centauri was by Angel's side, being incredibly attentive, making her laugh, as he showed her and her sisters around the palace gardens. Ursa and Angel dawdled along the sinuous paths, allowing Demon, Lily, Raven, and the other Centauries to draw away from them. Ursa stopped at a tree and plucked a ripe fruit from a hanging branch, offering it to Angel to bite into.
"It's quite safe. I checked which fruits were compatible with human body chemistry. Here." He offered it but didn't let go, when Angel placed her hand over his. Holding it to her mouth, he watched as she bit into it and laughed as the juices ran down her chin. Angel shivered as Ursa ran his finger down her throat, following the line of the juice. Then he leaned forward and licked the juices from her neck. The feeling of his lips against her throat, of his tongue working its way up to her chin, set Angel afire. She found that she wanted this man, this Centauri, as she had wanted no other man since... She pushed those thoughts and memories away, concentrating on the pleasure Ursa's mouth was giving her. He pulled her into his arms, and his hands started to wander over her body, creating heat in every place he touched.
Angel was losing herself in the pleasure of it all, when she was brought back to the present by Demon's voice, calling from further up the path. "Angel? Where are you?"
Ursa quickly released Angel from his arms, and by the time Demon appeared around a twist in the trail, the two of them were standing, innocently examining one of the fruits from the tree. Angel smiled cheerily at her sister, while inwardly cursing her. "Hello. Ursa was just showing me some of the local fruits. You should try some." She held the fruit out to Demon.
Angel knew that she wasn't fooling Demon at all, and that her sister knew perfectly well what she had interrupted. Demon may not have been able to read Angel's feelings, but if Ursa were anywhere near as aroused as Angel, Demon would have been able to read him from the other side of the island.
Demon smiled sweetly and looked from Angel to Ursa and back. "The trouble with tasting fruit in the Garden of Eden is that there always seems to be a snake in the grass nearby. The difficulty can be in recognizing the snake when you see him."
Ursa looked confused, but Angel understood exactly what Demon was getting at. She smiled back at her sister. "Don't worry, I've had enough experience with snakes to last me a lifetime. I think I can spot one when I see one."
Demon nodded and turned away. As Angel and Ursa followed, the Centauri turned to Angel and asked, "What's a snake?"
Angel decided that Ursa needed a lesson in biology. She just had to work out a way to give him some private tuition.
Matheson followed his Captain and the Centauri Minister into the palace. It reminded him of pictures he'd seen of a palace on Earth, in the city of Istanbul. The name eluded him for a moment, but then he remembered. Topkapi. The Centauri palace had similar cool ceramic tiles, with geometric and floral designs in vibrant colors. There were open fretwork screens at the windows, which shielded the rooms from the sun, while allowing the cool sea breezes into the interior. A maze of passageways led from one room into the next. Matheson smiled as he remembered that some of the pictures he had seen had been of the harem in the Sultan's palace. He wondered if these rooms in the Centauri Emperor's retreat had the same function.
Baronni led them onto a large balcony, screened from the sun by a billowing canopy above their heads and surrounded on three sides by intricately carved screens, through which a gentle breeze carried scents from the gardens. Cushions were scattered around in heaps, and a low table was set to one side, laid out with golden flasks and cups, and golden plates of finger foods. Matheson and Gideon were invited to relax on the cushions, while they took refreshments.
John lowered himself carefully onto the soft pillows, finding it hard to sit upright as they gave way beneath him. He saw that his Captain was having the same problem, and Gideon was shifting uncomfortably, trying to find a position in which he could remain reasonably vertical. It wasn't easy. John suppressed a smile at the sight of Gideon struggling to sit upright.
Baronni dismissed the other Centauries and clapped his hands. The curtains covering the exit from the balcony lifted and a young Centauri woman entered, kneeling in front of them while she served their drinks. Matheson tried hard not to stare at her, but he found it extremely difficult. A quick glance at Gideon showed that the Captain was equally captivated.
The Centauri woman was tiny, not much taller than Lily, but with a body clearly that of a grown woman, and dressed to display every curve and line. She was completely covered from neck to ankle, but the fabric she wore was translucent, shimmering in the light that found its way through the screens, revealing different parts of her body as she moved, then concealing them again.
As she kneeled at their feet and poured their drinks, the movement of her arm was enough to display her firm, heavy breasts, then the view was hidden again as she placed the flask back on the table. She leaned forward to place their cups in front of them, and the fabrics shifted again, this time clearly displaying her belly and thighs. John found himself almost mesmerized by the shifting patterns of material and flesh. Somehow the woman's head, hairless except for the thick, lustrous wave of dark hair falling in a pony-tail down her spine, made her look even more naked and desirable. As she finished pouring their drinks, she raised her eyes and John saw that they were huge, dark and almond shaped. The woman's face was as beautiful as her body.
Minister Baronni clapped his hands again, and music sounded from behind the curtains. The woman rose to her feet and started to dance. Her movements were sinuous and sexy, and John couldn't help but be reminded of when Lily had danced for him and Luke. That memory brought him to his senses. Lily's dance made this woman look clumsy and amateurish.
John shook his head, becoming aware that the perfumes pervading the balcony were now much stronger. He sniffed carefully and realized what was happening. The Centauri were pumping pheromones into the semi-enclosed space, designed to arouse the human males. John had no doubt that their food and drinks were laced with aphrodisiacs, too.
Turning his head, Matheson saw that Gideon was staring at the dancing girl, his mouth open, obviously entranced. The XO leaned across and gently shook his Captain's arm, whispering, "Captain... Matthew... look at me."
Gideon turned to face his XO, but his eyes were glazed, and John wondered if he were conscious of anything other than the dance, the music and the scents surrounding them. Matheson did the only thing he could think of to capture his Captain's attention. He sent a sharp thought into Gideon's mind, the mental equivalent of a slap in the face.
Gideon blinked and shook his head, then focused on his XO. He growled, "Let's get out of here," and pushed himself to his feet, struggling out of the grasp of the soft cushions. John followed his lead, and the two of them stood, looking down at Baronni, as he lounged against the pillows. The music continued and the woman still danced, but now she slid herself between the two humans, pressing her body against them as she moved. John saw the look of distaste on his Captain's face, as he glared at the Centauri Minister.
"I thought we were here to negotiate a peace agreement. Where is Emperor Mollari?"
Baronni leaned back into the cushions and smiled lazily. "The Emperor is indisposed and may not be available until this evening. I thought you might enjoy being...entertained while we waited for him."
Gideon growled back, "You thought wrong. I lost interest in this sort of entertainment soon after puberty. Although it's always educational to see another planet's version of a brothel and a whore."
The dancing girl hissed at the last words and threw herself at the Captain, hands reaching out to claw him with her nails. John grabbed the girl's arms before she could get to Gideon, holding her off as she tried to scratch and bite him, while his Captain continued speaking to the Centauri.
"These talks are important enough to the ISA for me to ignore the insult you just paid me and my First Officer in assuming that we would indulge ourselves in your cheap hospitality. We're prepared to wait until the Emperor recovers from his 'indisposition', but we'll wait with our wives."
As the Captain spoke, Baronni struggled to his feet, giving John the perfect opportunity to thrust the wildcat he was holding into the Minister's arms, as he and Gideon turned and stormed off the balcony. John smiled to himself as he followed his Captain out, thinking, [Looks like I was right about this place, after all.]
Gideon was muttering, "No wonder they wouldn't let me bring Deborah in with me!" as he swept past the startled guards on their way out.
Baronni threw the dancing girl onto the cushions and turned as a hidden panel slid open, and his Emperor stepped through onto the balcony. The Minister saw that Mollari's face was cold and frozen, a look he associated with the Emperor's very worst moods. Since working with Mollari, the Minister had become aware that the Emperor underwent major mood swings, being kind and indulgent at one moment, and vicious at the next. He dreaded the next few moments, barely aware of the dancing girl fleeing from the room.
Mollari spoke softly. "So your plan failed. I expected it would. The humans are not stupid, you know."
Baronni nodded acknowledgment of his failure and asked, "Is the party in the garden having any greater success, Your Majesty?" He hoped that the answer would be 'No'.
The Emperor sighed. "The wives of the Captain and First Officer are being difficult. They are staying close to each other and to the ship's doctor. They are not giving us much opportunity. However, their sister--the delightful Angel--is proving more amenable."
The words that followed were spoken softly, but accompanied by a malicious smile that made Baronni's blood curdle. "It seems that young Ursa may succeed where you have failed, Minister Baronni. I shall remember that your nephew has served me better than you have."
The Minister froze in place as the Emperor turned and left the balcony. He then sighed, and at last, allowed himself to scratch at the itch that had been annoying him ever since the Captain had described the symptoms of 'chickenpox'. He decided to visit the palace doctor. Just in case.
Gideon stormed out of the palace, furious with the Centauri for trying such an obvious ploy and furious with himself for nearly falling for it. If John hadn't snapped him out of it, would he have betrayed Deborah for the sake of a cheap whore? Would his body have overridden his brain enough to do that? Gideon feared that it might. He could recall occasions with Angel when that had happened.
A flustered Centauri courtier tried to block his path, and Gideon snarled a demand that they find the rest of his party NOW! The look on the Captain's face was obviously enough for his demands to be taken seriously, as within seconds, he and John were being escorted through the palace gardens and down to a beach.
When they arrived there, the view itself was enough to start calming the Captain. Green lawns and trees led down to clean white sands, which fell away into sparkling blue water. A crystal clear stream trickled over rocks, across the beach and into the sea. Pavilion-like white tents were dotted randomly along the shore, all decorated with colorful flags that fluttered in the cool breeze blowing in across the water. For a moment, Gideon regretted not bringing Marcus down with them. His son would have loved to play on this beach with his parents, and Gideon would have loved to play there with his wife and son. He shook his head and told himself that the beauty concealed dangers to which he was not willing to expose his son. It was bad enough that his wife and her sisters were at risk.
At that moment, Deborah appeared from inside one of the pavilions, almost as if summoned by Gideon's thoughts. He watched as she walked up the beach toward him, still wearing her long black dress, her pale golden hair flowing down her back, holding her hands out to him and smiling as she walked. Lily and Luke walked next to her, looking intently at John as they joined him.
Gideon realized that John must have sent a telepathic message to his lovers, and they were expected. Deborah put her arms around Gideon's neck and kissed his cheek, whispering, "It's OK. John told Lily and Luke what happened, and they told me. There's nothing to feel bad about." The Captain hugged her tightly, burying his face in her hair, glad for once that Deborah had picked up on his guilty feelings, and that he hadn't had to tell her anything.
After a few moments, he lifted his head and turned to the Centauri courtier who had escorted them, asking for some privacy. The courtier bobbed a bow and hurried off, leaving the five humans standing together at the top of the beach. Gideon looked around and asked, "Where's Angel?"
Deborah smiled as she replied, "In the pavilion, with Ursa."
They started walking back down the beach together, Gideon gripping Deborah's hand tightly, wanting and needing to feel her next to him. He longed to pull off his boots and walk barefoot in the sand, to strip off the hot dress uniform and spend a little time with his wife on the beautiful beach.
As they arrived at the pavilion, Ursa emerged, smiling apologetically. Angel was a step behind, and Gideon could see that her hair was tangled and her face flushed. No doubt she and Ursa had taken advantage of their few moments alone together. The Captain wasn't sure how he felt about that. On the one hand, it was useful to have Angel get information from Ursa that would otherwise be unavailable to them, but on the other he hated feeling he was using her in that way. Gideon was also concerned about what the Centauri's motives in pursuing Angel might be. He reminded himself that Angel was a beautiful woman, and that would be reason enough for any man to court her, but the dangers of their current circumstances made him wary. Gideon told himself that what he felt was not jealousy. Not at all.
Ursa spoke hurriedly, saying that his uncle had called and asked him to apologize for the misunderstanding at the palace. Gideon snorted to himself, [Yeah, someone misunderstood something all right!] Ursa went on to explain that, as the Emperor would probably not be available until the evening, [Having another allergic reaction is he?] Minister Baronni hoped that the party from the Excalibur could enjoy their day, relaxing and using the facilities available to them. As Ursa spoke, he waved his arm to indicate a group of Centauries who were now coming down the beach toward them, laden with baskets.
Ursa continued, "Each of the pavilions along the beach is prepared for your comfort. Please feel free to use any of them." He turned to take something from a Centauri servant who had moved to stand next to him, then offered it to the Captain. "My uncle was concerned that you and the Commander could not relax and be comfortable in your uniforms, so he sent these as a gift."
Gideon took the item offered, which turned out to be a long, black silk robe. The material was soft and fine, and the Captain knew that it would be cool and comfortable, everything his dress uniform wasn't. He thanked Ursa and watched as John was offered a similar robe, and the servants started to unpack the contents of their baskets. Within moments, trays had been laid out within the pavilion, holding drinks and fruits, exotic foods of every kind, all spread out in front of colorful piles of cushions. Luke surreptitiously ran a medical scanner over the food and drink, and nodded to Gideon, indicating that it was free from contamination or drugs.
"The servants can stay to help you if you wish, or I can dismiss them if you prefer?" Ursa raised a questioning eyebrow, and Gideon asked him to let the servants go. The Centauri nodded and gave his orders, then turned to Angel, telling her how much he regretted being unable to spend the day with her, but as the Captain preferred his party to be alone, he would go back to the palace.
Gideon watched as Angel's face fell and her eyes filled with tears. She had obviously been looking forward to spending the day with Ursa. The Captain sighed and relented. "It's OK, Ursa, please stay. We're just not used to having servants around, that's all. I didn't mean that you should go." The smile that lit up Angel's face rewarded Gideon for his decision.
He sighed again and turned to the others, "Looks like we're stuck here for the day, so we may as well make the most of it. Deborah and I will be down in the next pavilion." Gideon wanted to warn them of the possible dangers of the place, but was constrained by Ursa's presence. He restricted himself to a general caution. "Stay close together, and don't leave the beach without letting me know."
The Captain led his wife out of the pavilion, holding her hand tightly. He slung the robe over his shoulder and grabbed a flask of wine with his free hand as he left, pausing as Deborah stooped and picked up two cups. Gideon could hardly wait to get to the privacy of the next pavilion to strip himself out of his uniform. Of course, having done so, he might decide not to put the robe on immediately...
As soon as they were inside the pavilion, Demon dropped the cups to the floor and turned to unfasten her husband's jacket, pushing it off his shoulders as he kissed her. She managed to get him undressed between kisses, but his wandering hands kept distracting her and she eventually pushed him away with a smile. "Behave! We may be out of sight of the others, but if you make me scream, the whole island will hear."
Matthew pulled her back into his arms and kissed her neck, murmuring, "I like to make you scream. You look beautiful when your face is flushed, sweat is dripping from your breasts, and you're screaming my name." Demon felt her breathing accelerate and heat growing inside her.
"Stop it! We can't do it here! If you make me come, everyone will find out what I am."
Her husband paused and leaned back. "Hell. You're right. This is typical, I get to be alone with you on a tropical island, with sun, sand and sea all around, and I can't make love to you. Life really is a bitch sometimes."
Demon smiled and kissed him gently. "You know there are other ways we can have fun. We don't have to have sex all the time."
Matthew looked surprised. "There are? We don't? Damned if I can think of anything right now."
The tall blonde stripped off her dress, revealing the bikini she wore underneath, and turned to the open front of the pavilion. As she reached the opening, she looked back over her shoulder at her husband, who was now totally naked, and semi-erect. "Race you to the sea. It should be cold enough to solve your little problem."
Demon nodded at his stiffening shaft and grinned, then ran for the water, knowing from the sound of his voice that Matthew was only a few steps behind her, yelling, "Little?! I'll show you little..."
Gideon looked down at himself as he stood inside the pavilion. "I look like I'm wearing a dress." Deborah giggled as she lay back, naked on the cushions, watching him.
"Don't be silly. You look like a dashing Arab Prince, who's going to sweep me up into his arms and carry me off into the desert on the back of his magnificent stallion."
The Captain grinned at his wife. "It will have to be a Clydesdale, if it's going to carry your weight." He ducked as she threw a pillow at him, then dropped to his knees at her side and lifted her hand to kiss it.
They had played in the sea together until the sun got too high in the sky, making the heat and glare uncomfortable; then they had retreated to the pavilion. The interior was shady, and the breeze blowing in from the sea kept the air inside cool. Gideon had helped Deborah out of her wet bikini and helped to dry her hair, then he had dressed himself in the robe that the Centauri had given him. With no mirrors, he couldn't really see how he looked, but he now decided he didn't really care. The robe was cool and comfortable, and his uniform was neither.
Gideon moved his lips from Deborah's hand up her arm, to her shoulder, then started kissing her neck, while running his hands over her breasts and thighs. He felt her move beneath his hands, becoming more aroused, putting her arms around his shoulders and pulling him down on top of her. He moved his mouth to cover hers and started kissing her passionately, knowing he shouldn't, knowing he should stop, but unable to prevent himself. After a few moments, Deborah arched her back and rolled Gideon over, until he was lying prone, with her sitting astride him. He looked up into her face as she licked her lips, swollen from their kisses, then she dropped her mouth to his ear, whispering, "There's no need for both of us to suffer."
Deborah slid down his legs, and freed his robe from where it was trapped between them, lifting it to expose his erection. As she flipped the robe back over Gideon's chest, she grinned up at him. "This is handy. I think you'll have to wear one of these at home." Before Gideon could reply, she lowered her head to his swollen cock and took it into her mouth.
Gideon groaned with pleasure as Deborah used her mouth, her fingers, her tongue, her lips, even her hair, to lift him to a state of almost painful arousal. But she always pulled back when she sensed that he was about to come, blowing on him gently to bring him back from the brink, then starting again. The Captain buried his hands in her hair, gripping tightly, trying hard not to pull on it, but getting more desperate by the minute for her to finish him off. Finally, his restraint broke and he pulled his wife's head away, grabbing her arms and pulling her up to his chest.
He rolled over and pinned her beneath him, glaring down at her. "This is what you get for teasing." Before Deborah could move or struggle, Gideon thrust into her, entering her tight vagina almost roughly, but feeling her heat and moisture easing his passage with each hard thrust.
Deborah cried out as he built up the pace, "Oh god, Matthew! Stop... please... you mustn't... I can't!"
Gideon buried his face in her hair and whispered into her ear. "Just once. Once is OK. The Centauri won't know what it is. Let it happen." He could feel Deborah's vagina pulsing around his hard cock as she approached orgasm, and he let himself come with her as she screamed his name, wave after wave of pleasure coursing through them until he collapsed, heaving for breath, on top of her.
Demon lay with her head on Matthew's chest, her body curled around his, while he stroked her hair and played with her breasts. The only sounds came from the sea washing against the shore and the birds circling in the sky. The gentle breeze and soothing sounds were lulling them both to sleep when Demon picked up a stray feeling.
The tall blonde sat upright abruptly, cocking her head to one side, almost trying to 'hear' the emotion that had captured her attention.
"What's the matter?"
Demon turned to answer her husband's question, frowning at him as he lay back in the cushions on the floor of the pavilion, watching her. "Something. I don't know what. It's right at the edge of my perception, but someone on this island is...hating. That's the only word that describes it. Someone is feeling a great hatred for something." Demon shook her head. "It's gone now. It's been doing that all day. The feeling comes and goes."
Matthew looked up at her with concern. "Do you have any idea where it's coming from? Who it is?"
Demon shook her head, saying, "I can't pin it down. I wonder if John has picked it up. He might be better at homing in on it than I am."
Matthew leaped to his feet and pulled her up to join him, grabbing her dress and giving it to her, before picking up his own robe and pulling it over his head. "Let's go find out." He grinned at Demon as she pulled her dress on. "You'd better let Lily know that we're on our way. We don't want to interrupt anything."
Gideon grinned at the sight awaiting them when they entered the tent where John, Luke and Lily had remained. John was stretched out on the cushions wearing the black robe that he had been given. Lily lay across him, her head in his lap, while Luke sat next to her, holding a large cushion down over her thighs and belly, as she giggled. The cushion was the only thing covering Lily's naked body, other than her hair. The rampant red locks cascaded over her shoulders, covering her breasts, but allowing a nipple just to peek out when she wriggled, trying to escape Luke, who was holding her down.
John grinned up at his Captain as he and Deborah entered the tent. "She refused to put any clothes on, so Luke is trying to keep her decent."
Gideon grinned, remembering the night when he had seen everything there was to see of Lily's tiny, perfect body. "Don't go to any trouble on my account." That earned him an elbow in the ribs from Deborah.
Lily escaped from Luke's clutches, and Gideon caught a glimpse of her slender, creamy white legs and tiny ass as she threw herself across the tent, sweeping up her green silk sun dress from the floor and slipping it over her head in one swift, graceful motion. She turned and stuck her tongue out at her lovers, saying, "Spoilsports!" as she scrambled back over the cushions and landed in John's arms.
Gideon watched as Matheson hugged Lily tightly, kissing her briefly but passionately, before turning his attention to the couple standing in the opening of the tent. The Captain remembered how John had been before Lily and Luke joined him on the Excalibur, reserved to the point of shyness, quiet, diligent, but lonely. Since being joined by his family, the smiles that had previously been so rare now appeared to be an almost permanent fixture on John's face. Gideon knew that his First Officer and friend had never been happier.
One of those smiles was now plastered across John's face as he looked up at Gideon. "What can we do for you? Lily said you wanted to talk to me about something." He waved Gideon and Deborah down to join them on the cushions, while Luke gathered cups together and poured everyone a drink.
Deborah explained the feeling she had picked up and asked John about it. He nodded as she spoke, then said. "Yes, I've been feeling it too, but I can't pin it down either. I'd have to do a detailed scan for that, and before you ask, Matthew, the answer is 'no'. I'm not allowed to do that. You know the rules."
Gideon sighed. He sometimes wished that his First Officer weren't so honorable and law abiding. John didn't have to worry about the Joneses any more, Gideon had seen to that, so why couldn't he... The Captain stopped himself in his tracks. He knew the answer to that question. John couldn't break the rules because he was John. Too honorable, too loyal, too concerned about the telepaths who followed in his footsteps to ever put his position and theirs in jeopardy. All the qualities that Gideon admired, that made John the best XO he'd ever had, and also made John his friend.
He sat in silence for a while, brooding quietly, when he became aware of an absence. "Where's Angel?" Gideon realized that he was repeating himself. It was the same question he'd asked earlier, and the answer was almost identical.
"In one of the other pavilions, with Ursa." Lily smiled as she spoke, happy for her sister.
The Captain turned to Deborah. "Can you check that she's OK? I don't like her being on her own."
Deborah smiled at him and leaned forward to kiss him gently. "If she were on her own, you wouldn't worry so much. It's the company she's keeping that bothers you."
Gideon decided he never wanted his wife to know how true her statement was.
Demon closed her eyes and sent, [[Angel? Are you all right, darling? Matthew is worried.]]
Angel's mental laugh sounded in Demon's head. [[Tell the Captain to stop being such a worrywart. I'm fine. In fact, I'm just wonderful! Oh, Demon, you have no idea!]] Demon's mind was flooded with words and images, as Angel sent graphic details of how she had spent the last few hours with Ursa. Demon learned more about Centauri six in those few moments than she had ever really wanted to know.
Demon could feel herself blushing as she mentally yelled, [[Stop! You're drowning me, Angel!]] and shook her head to clear it of the erotic images Angel had been sending.
A mental giggle made its way into her head. [[Oops! Sorry, I didn't mean to shout.]]
Demon sent back a soft laugh, [[That's OK, but maybe you'd better wait until we can talk before you give me all the details.]] She paused and gritted her teeth, determined to make Angel listen to her next thoughts, no matter how unpalatable they might be. [[Angel, please be careful. We won't be staying here on Centauri Prime forever, and all too soon you and Ursa are going to have to say goodbye.]]
Angel blew a mental kiss to her sister. [[I know, don't worry. I'm deeply in lust with Ursa, not in love. Just let me have a little fun.]]
Demon smiled indulgently. It wasn't often that her sister got to have fun. She sent back, [[All right, but be careful in another way, too. There's something not quite right with this place and these people. I know that you trust Ursa, but still...]] Demon trailed off, unable to verbalize her concerns.
This time Angel sent a mental hug. [[Don't worry, Demon, I can take care of myself. I have my powers remember? If Ursa tries to do anything I don't want to do, I'll throw him from one end of the beach to the other. Now go off and play with Matthew again,]] Angel giggled through the link, [[like you did earlier. Ursa wondered what was happening when you came. It certainly stimulated him though. Hmm, I'd better go, he's just started to... ooohhh...]]
Angel's thoughts disintegrated into a jumble of lust, and Demon broke the link. She focused back inside the tent and became aware that Matthew was watching her closely. "Well?" he asked.
Demon leaned forward and kissed him tenderly. "She's fine. Now, let's go for another swim. Then maybe we can nap for a while. I'm sure that Lily, Luke and John have things they'd rather do than chat with us."
With a suggestive smile at her sister and her sister's lovers, Demon pulled Matthew to his feet and dragged him out of the tent.
As they disappeared from the tent, Demon heard Lily call after them, "Hold on, we'll join you!"
Lily was floating on her back, eyes closed, rocked softly by the gentle waves, while John and Luke were kneeling either side of her in the shallow water, holding her hands. "I really hope the Centauri will rejoin the ISA, so we can come back on vacation here," Lily said with a contented smile. "I do miss the pool, and my bathtub."
Demon voiced her agreement from where she was treading water next to Matthew, a bit farther out. "Only the waterfall is missing, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were one in another part of the island."
"Oh yes, the waterfall." Lily opened her eyes and grinned at Luke lasciviously as she remembered their lovemaking under the waterfall during the Excalibur's second visit to Eriadne, almost succeeding in making him blush. [Rats,] she thought with amusement, [He looks so sweet when he blushes.]
"Hey, that's not very lady-like," John said with a grin, and before Lily could answer, Gideon did.
"They're not ladies, John, they're witches."
"That's right," Demon said, giving Matthew a peck on the cheek, "and this witch needs a nap right now."
Lily sighed and rotated into a vertical position, flexing her legs so she could kneel on the sand. "I'm afraid so. I'm not used to being out in the open air for this long."
"Well, as your physician, I have to tell you that you shouldn't strain your body too much," Luke said, and suddenly Lily found herself grabbed and lifted out of the water by her lovers. She quickly threw her arms around their necks, squealing with delight.
"You'll excuse us? We have to put a witch to bed." Luke grinned at Matthew and Demon, and as John and he carried Lily towards their tent, the tiny redhead waved back.
"Have a good nap!"
Gideon chuckled as he watched his XO and doctor retreat with their lover, then gave his wife a wistful smile. "Don't expect me to carry you like that, unless you want me to break my back."
Deborah grinned. "Too bad I forgot to bring my broomstick; it could have carried both of us."
"What? I thought you were afraid of heights!"
"Oh, you know how much I like to get something long and hard between my legs," Deborah gave him a naughty grin, then grabbed Gideon's hand and pulled him up with her. "Let's go get some rest. You may need it for the talks later."
Prosecution
Angel lay back in Ursa's arms, feeling more relaxed and satisfied than she had in years. When they had left Lily, Luke and John, and come to this lovely tent to find some privacy, Ursa had slowly removed every item of her clothing, kissing and caressing her as he did so. By the time she stood naked before him, Angel had been ablaze with lust and desire.
Ursa had lowered her gently to the pillows, then examined her body closely, finding out what she enjoyed and what aroused her. Eventually he had laid Angel on her stomach and carefully examined her back, kissing his way down her spine, his hands fondling her buttocks. Angel had lain with her head resting on her hands, her eyes closed, lost in pleasure, when she had felt him move away.
Opening her eyes briefly, she had looked over her shoulder and saw that Ursa had taken off his shirt. His broad chest had a fine covering of hair, and she had seen some diamond shaped... things resting against his ribs. Before she could examine them more closely, Ursa had leaned forward and kissed her gently, telling her to close her eyes.
Angel had done so and had felt his hands moving over her buttocks again, and his mouth kissing the nape of her neck, where he had pulled her hair aside. Then she had felt something sliding between her legs. It was warm and supple, and worked its way along her labia, stroking her softly as she lay quietly moaning at the sensations she was feeling. Angel had moved her legs slightly apart, giving whatever it was better access to her. Then another... something joined the first, sliding into her as the first found her clitoris and started gently massaging her already swollen nub.
Over the next few hours, Ursa had brought Angel to heights of pleasure that she had only experienced with one other man. As she lay in Ursa's arms, Angel allowed herself to remember the months she had spent with Lucas. He may not have had six, but with his hands, his mouth, his skill, his imagination and his large one, he had given Angel more pleasure than she had ever thought possible.
Angel smiled sadly to herself, knowing that much of that pleasure had come from her loving Lucas, in a way that she could never love Ursa. Demon's warnings had truly been unnecessary; Angel could never fall in love with this handsome Centauri. Ursa may have won her body and her affection, but he could never win her heart. That had been lost long ago and had never been recovered. Looking out of the open front of the pavilion, down the white beach to the blue sea, Angel sighed deeply. This place would truly have been paradise if it were Lucas' arms that surrounded her and Lucas' chest on which she laid her head.
Ursa must have heard her sigh, as he kissed the top of her head gently and murmured, "Are you comfortable? Is there anything I can do for you?"
Angel couldn't remember ever having been with a man who had so devoted himself to her comfort and pleasure. "I'm very comfortable, if a little warm. I don't suppose you can turn the sun down a bit to make it cooler, can you?" She looked up at him and gave him a teasing smile.
Ursa kissed her mouth then pulled back and smiled. "I haven't mastered that one yet, although I would fly to the pole to get ice for you, if you asked." The look of total devotion on his face made Angel smile as he continued, "But it will be much cooler in the palace. I have a room there that you'd enjoy. The screens shield it from the sun, while allowing the breeze to cool it. I have silk and satin pillows for you to lie on, much more comfortable than this old thing." He plucked at the rich blue rug on which they lay in disdain. "I have ice cold drinks, and frozen fruits to cool your pretty mouth." Ursa leaned forward and started to whisper about the other places on Angel's body he would soothe with ice cubes, causing her temperature to rise even higher.
Angel shook her head, regretfully. "The Captain said we should stay on the beach. I shouldn't..."
Ursa caressed Angel's cheek then kissed her again. "He needn't know. We can sneak away for an hour or so, and no one will know we've gone."
Angel thought about it. She tentatively reached out through her link to her sisters, finding that they were both asleep. Ursa was right, no one would ever know and she was feeling rather warm. His whispered description of his bathroom, with a mosaic-tiled tub large enough to swim in, filled with cool, perfumed water was so tempting... Angel made up her mind. She would go with Ursa. She could trust him to take care of her.
Ursa's rooms were everything he had promised; cool and shady, beautifully decorated with swathes of silk, the floor littered with sumptuous cushions, and a huge bed, covered by red satin sheets. Ursa led Angel to his bathroom, where they played in the cool, deep pool of water, splashing each other, touching, caressing, kissing, until Angel felt as if she were on fire with passion again. Ursa carried her back into his bedroom, both of them still dripping water, and threw Angel onto the bed. The next hour was a blur of lust and satisfaction to Angel, as again and again he lifted her to orgasm, until she could hardly tell when one ended and the next began.
When they finally exhausted themselves, Ursa leaned over Angel's naked body, running his finger down between her breasts, drawing patterns in the beads of sweat that covered her. He smiled down at her and said, "You're hot again. Let me get you something cool to drink."
Angel watched as he walked across the room, loving the movement of the muscles beneath the skin of his taut buttocks and broad back. His long legs had little hair, and his thigh muscles were strong and lithe. When Ursa turned, he held a tray with two cups and a bowl, which he brought back to the bed. He gave one cup to Angel, then reached into the bowl and pulled out an ice cube. As Angel sipped at the cool juice in the cup, Ursa ran the ice cube over her breasts, down her flat belly, then circled her mound of curls with it. Angel shivered with pleasure as his hand moved between her legs, and he started to move the melting cube around. The cool breeze blowing through the shutters caressed her naked body, and she began to feel drowsy, completely relaxed and totally sated.
Angel drifted into sleep.
Ursa stood looking down at the human women who lay sprawled across his bed. The sleeping drug in her drink had worked faster than he had anticipated, and he worried for a moment that he had made it too strong. He quickly checked her pulse and breathing. No, she was fine, just deeply asleep.
The Centauri smiled in satisfaction. This was what he had been aiming for since he had first met Angel. Her attraction to him had been obvious from the start, and he had to admit that it was mutual. Ursa had never seen a woman who aroused his passions as much as this 'Angel' did. He had wanted to have sex with her from the moment they met. He knew that it was anatomically possible for them to give each other pleasure, even if it wasn't exactly the usual way in which Centauri mated.
But Ursa was driven more by his ambition than his desire to seduce this beautiful woman. After the first reception for the humans, the Emperor had told his courtiers that they were each to do their utmost to separate one of them from the rest. Ideally, the Emperor would have liked this to be the Captain or his First Officer, but any member of their families would be acceptable.
Ursa had been anxious about his uncle's plan for the two officers, concerned that those plans might succeed and that his own seduction of Angel would then be unnecessary. He smiled to himself, deciding that even if his uncle had succeeded, having sex with Angel would still have been a goal worth pursuing in its own right. With a little training, she could become a perfect pleasure slave. Ursa had been delighted when the Captain and Commander Matheson had reappeared so abruptly, knowing this meant that his uncle's plans had failed. So Ursa would get his chance at impressing the Emperor by fulfilling his wishes.
For the next few hours, Ursa had done everything in his power to please Angel, to give her pleasure like none she had ever known, gradually building her trust until she was willing to disobey the Captain's orders and leave the beach. As soon as she had agreed to come with him to the palace, Ursa knew he had won. He could have drugged her as soon as they arrived in his rooms, but he had decided that he wanted one more round of pleasure with her first.
Ursa tugged at his lower lip as he considered his next steps. He found that he was reluctant to carry Angel, naked, to the Emperor. For a moment, he wondered why he felt like that. Had she somehow wormed her way into his affections? He shook the thought away; impossible, he couldn't possibly have feelings for this girl. Nevertheless, Ursa took a few moments to dress Angel, before he carried her to the Emperor's rooms. As he walked, he found himself hoping that whatever the Emperor had planned for Angel wouldn't harm her.
Londo looked down at the girl who Ursa had just brought to his rooms, hating what he would be forced to watch happen to her. He leaned forward and brushed a strand of hair away from her face, [Such a pretty face,] he thought and whispered, "I am so sorry, my dear. Believe me, if I had any choices left, I would never let this happen." He knew it was pointless, she couldn't hear him, and by the time she could, it would be too late.
The Emperor turned as he felt a presence behind him. His Drakh Master loomed out of the shadows to stand at his shoulder, looking down at the girl. Londo had never been able to make out any trace of feeling or emotion on the Drakh's face, and today was no exception. There was no telling what the Drakh was thinking or feeling. Did he also regret what he was about to do? Londo doubted it, but he made one last attempt to save the woman from her fate.
"Is this really necessary? There are other ways..." Mollari trailed off in the face of the Drakh's stony stare.
The hissing, grating voice emerged, saying, "It may be unnecessary. It may not even achieve what we wish, but it will improve the odds in our favor. So it will be done."
The Drakh pulled apart his robe, exposing his scaly chest. The Emperor watched in disgust as part of the chest started to pulse, remembering all too well when he had last witnessed this
atrocity, on the day when his own Keeper had been attached. The pulsating gradually changed, and a large scale tore itself from the Drakh's chest, leaving a weeping sore behind it, and dropping to the floor. As it hit the ground, long thin tentacles unfurled themselves and the scale used them to scuttle across the floor toward the couch where Angel lay.
The Drakh's voice grated instructions, "Turn her over. Bare her neck."
Londo did as he was instructed, gently lifting Angel and laying her on her stomach, then pushing aside the straps of her red dress, so that her back and neck were completely exposed. He watched as the awful thing hooked a tentacle around the girl's shoulder and used it to lever itself onto her back. It climbed up her spine, settling itself where her neck joined her right shoulder, wrapping its tentacles around her neck and under her arm, securing itself to her.
Mollari gave silent thanks that Angel was unconscious. Unlike him she would not feel the agony when the Keeper sank its...what? Its claws? Its teeth? Londo had never been sure. He only knew that the Keeper had sunk something into his body, spiking straight into his nervous system, through which it controlled him. Sometimes it did so indirectly, using excruciating pain, sometimes directly by taking control of his body. Mollari preferred the pain. At least that way, he felt alive, not like a dead man walking around in someone else's body.
The Emperor watched, cursing himself over and over again for going along with this, as the Keeper attached to Angel's neck faded from view. The girl started to awaken, under whatever stimulus the Keeper had applied. She lifted her head briefly, and shook it, but the effort was too much and she let her head drop back to the cushion, while she took a few deep breaths. Angel tried again, this time pushing herself upright on the couch, barely catching the top of her dress as it started to fall. She held it to her breasts, trying to focus on Mollari and the Drakh standing next to him.
Londo held out a cup of water to Angel, knowing that the drug Ursa had used would have left her mouth dry. She took it with one hand, the other continuing to hold up her dress, and drank eagerly. The cool liquid seemed to help bring her to her senses as she looked at Londo again, and whispered, "Your Majesty?" Her eyes slid to the Drakh standing next to him and widened. "Who...? What...? Where is Ursa? Where are my sisters?"
Mollari's heart was breaking for her as she whispered her betrayer's name. He tried to be as gentle as he could but had no choice except to reply, "You have no sisters any more, my dear. You have no family other than those you see before you."
Londo sat in his room, clutching his bottle of Brevari to his chest. That had been his reward for cooperating, a single bottle of the spirit. It was only enough to knock out his Keeper for a few minutes, but he had every intention of using those minutes constructively. Or was it destructively?
As he felt his Keeper slide into sleep, Mollari summoned a guard, who stood to attention in front of his Emperor, awaiting instructions.
The Emperor grinned maliciously. "Find Ursa Baronni and arrest him. Then take him back to the capital for execution. But before he dies, I want the executioner to remove his attributes one by one. Slowly."
The guard saluted and left.
Mollari knew his order was capricious and vindictive, but he had come to hate the man who had betrayed the beautiful human girl. He sighed and thought through the plans the Drakh now had for the woman.
After a couple of hours to allow her Keeper to acclimatize itself to her body and nervous system, she would be returned to her family and friends. When her Keeper had become accustomed to her, it would be able to control her with few visible signs. It was unlikely that the others would notice any change in her, and unsuspecting, they would take her back to the Excalibur with them, when told that the Emperor was unable to continue talks that day.
Once aboard, her Keeper would control Angel and use her to sabotage the ship's weapons and security systems. That would open the vessel to invasion by the Centauri, who would capture the ship and kill the crew. The Captain and First Officer would be brought back down to the planet for public execution as enemies of the state.
Mollari sighed deeply as he took another long pull on the bottle of Brevari. He had a plan that he thought might save their wives and children, but there was little hope now for the Captain and crew of the Excalibur.
Cross-examination
Demon slowly lifted through waves of sleep, roused by an uncomfortable feeling of... of what? What exactly was it that had awoken her? She became aware that her head was resting on her favorite pillow, her husband's chest, and that he was stroking her hair as she lay there. Looking up into Matthew's face, she smiled and asked, "Didn't you nap?"
Matthew smiled back. "Not a chance with the noise you were making. The Centauries came by to check, as they thought they were having an earthquake. I told them not to worry, it was just you snoring."
Demon laughed and turned her head to kiss his chest, then frowned. The uncomfortable feeling was still there. She sat upright and looked down at Matthew as he lay back against the cushions, smiling up at her. "Seriously, did you get any rest? If the talks don't start until evening, they could go on all night."
"I know. But I don't trust these people enough to just go to sleep when we have no guards around. I may not have any weapons, other than you and your sisters, but I'd hate to be literally caught napping."
Matthew smiled and reached out to tuck a stray curl back behind Demon's ear. She closed her eyes and leaned her head into his hand, then jerked her head back and frowned again. "Damn it! Something's wrong!" She shook her head, trying to pin down the feeling.
Her husband sat up next to her, watching her carefully. "Is it the hate thing again?"
Demon shook her head. "No, it's something else. Something is... missing." She focused her senses and gasped as she found the source of her discomfort. "Angel has gone!" Demon stared at Matthew, sternly controlling the panic welling up inside her. "I can't find Angel. I can't link to her, Matthew. She's gone!"
Matthew stood and pulled Demon to her feet. "Is your link broken? Is it like when Lucas took her away?" Demon watched as he pulled the black robe over his head, then started to dress in his uniform.
"No. That hurt, this doesn't. It's just numb. There's a place in my head where the link should be, and it's just sort of... numb is the only word I can think of."
Matthew was now fully dressed. "OK, let's not panic. She may have wandered off somewhere with Ursa where the link doesn't work. But I tell you, Deborah, if she's disobeyed my orders and left the beach, I'm going to teach her a lesson about orders that she'll never forget!"
Demon could hear the anger rising in Matthew's voice and saw the tension in his face. Not that she disagreed with him. "When we find her, we'll throw her in the brig and keep her on bread and water for a month. We can take it in turns going in there and yelling at her, but please, Matthew, let's just find her!"
By now, Demon was working hard at controlling her fears. She had no idea why she was panicking so much, but it was taking all the control she had not to start sending her fright.
Gideon grabbed Deborah's hand and ran out of the tent with her, heading back up the beach. As they ran, Deborah told him that she'd linked to Lily, who couldn't feel Angel either. Gideon was furious. He'd thought that he and Angel had an agreement, and that she'd come to terms with being a part of his crew and taking his orders. If the stupid girl had disobeyed him and gotten herself into trouble... He pushed his anger aside and focused on the immediate issue. They needed to find Angel.
Arriving at the other tent, they found all three occupants fully dressed and waiting for them. As a group, they went to the tent where Angel and Ursa had been and found it empty. Gideon's anger threatened to burst out of him again, but he could see Deborah looking at him anxiously, so he controlled himself sharply. This was not the time for an outburst of temper.
Close examination of the tent showed that there were no signs of a struggle, Angel's clothes had gone, but her bag was still there. She had probably dressed and left the tent, but intended to return. She had probably thought that no one would notice her absence. [Tough luck, Angel. You should know your sisters better than that.]
Gideon turned to the others, seeing Deborah holding Lily tightly as the little redhead's alarm surfaced as tears. He knew that Deborah was drawing as much comfort from holding her little sister as she was providing by holding her, so he left them to console each other as he ordered his party back to the shuttle. Overriding their protests he said, "This is just a precaution. There may be nothing in it, but I'll go to the palace and find Angel. John, keep wide open to me. If it is something more, if they have done anything to Angel, I'll want you to take off immediately, get back to the Excalibur and get the hell out of here."
His XO acknowledged his orders with a nod, even though Gideon could see how reluctant John was to leave him behind. Deborah started to protest, but the Captain was unmoving. "You can't do anything. Stay with the others. That's an order. If there's a problem, kiss Marcus for me and tell him I love him." He hugged his wife fiercely, then turned to leave the tent.
Luke called him back. "Captain, I think I should go with you. If Angel is hurt, you may need medical support." Gideon paused. Luke had a point, and having him as back up was better than going in alone.
John reinforced the point. "I have a closer telepathic link with Luke. It will be much easier for me to pick up a message from him than from you, Captain."
Gideon allowed himself to be convinced. "OK, Doc, you're with me. The rest of you, back to the shuttle and prepare to blast off on Luke's signal." He hugged Deborah one last time, sending all his love as hard as he could, knowing that would mean more to her than any words he could say, then he left the tent with Luke hard on his heels.
The Emperor was slumped on his throne, half asleep, when his guards roused him with the news that Captain Gideon was demanding to speak to him, insisting that his wife's sister be found and brought to him immediately. Mollari felt his Keeper stir, and knew that this would take careful handling. How had Gideon become aware that Angel was missing? Londo knew that her Keeper would not yet have had time to learn how to control her without the others noticing. He would have to buy them some time, but he suspected that Captain Gideon was not a patient man.
Mollari ordered the guard to bring Gideon to the throne room. Perhaps this could be turned to his advantage. The Emperor paused. And just whose side was he on at this point? Could he work toward freeing Gideon and getting him and his ship out of Centauri space before the Drakh could attack? Or should he focus on the needs of his own people and planet, letting the Captain and his crew fight their own battles, as soon as he had got what he wanted from them.
The Emperor sighed. He may not get the choice if his Keeper took control. He watched as Gideon and his ship's doctor entered the throne room.
John Matheson sat rigidly at the controls of the shuttle, strapped into the pilot's seat, staring out of the front windscreen, locking down on his feelings as they threatened to overwhelm him. He, Lily and Demon had arrived at the shuttle a few moments before. They had crept through the gardens, managing to get back to the shuttle unnoticed, while Gideon had provided a loud distraction for the Centauri guards. They had been able to hear him yelling and shouting all the way across the gardens as they made their way quietly through the shrubs and trees. John half smiled to himself as he remembered some of the things Matthew had been yelling. His Captain certainly knew how to act as a decoy when he needed to.
John, Demon and Lily had crept up the ramp and into the shuttle, and as far as John could tell, they hadn't been seen. On arrival he had unlocked the controls and prepped the shuttle for take-off. With its near silent engines and VTOL capabilities, John was sure that they could be well on their way before the Centauri even noticed they had gone. Now he waited, mind wide open to Luke, for the signal he dreaded.
Every instinct in John fought against leaving Luke and his Captain behind, but he knew he might have to. Gideon had placed the safety of the Excalibur and her crew in John's hands, and John would not let his Captain down, no matter how much it hurt. So he sat, rigid in his seat, staring forward but fully aware of Lily strapped into her seat behind him, crying quietly. He desperately wanted to comfort her, but he didn't dare leave his post, or even reach out with his mind to caress hers, in case he missed the signal.
The silence inside the shuttle was becoming oppressive as the minutes ticked by. John glanced over his shoulder quickly, and saw that Demon still stood by the door, looking out. The late afternoon sun created a pool of shadow just inside the shuttle, and standing there in her dark dress, Demon could see out, whilst remaining almost invisible to anyone outside. She had stayed in that spot, totally motionless, since they had returned, but John could feel the intensity of her concentration from where he sat. He knew that Demon was stretching her senses as wide as she could, trying to pick up the slightest nuance of emotion around the island, hoping to sense her husband and sister returning.
John heard a soft sigh and looked over his shoulder again. Demon had turned to face him and Lily inside the shuttle, and she whispered softly, "I'm sorry. I can't do this. Lily, if anything happens, take care of Marcus." Then she was gone, moving so fast that she was out of sight in a split second.
Lily screamed, "NO!" after her and started to struggle with the straps holding in her seat, when John sent her a loud mental and verbal command.
"STOP!" Lily paused, startled at the force of his order. John went on more gently, "We have to stay here, Lily. I have to follow Matthew's orders, and you have to stay with me. The safety of the ship, and of our children on the ship, must come first. It's killing me to even think of leaving Luke and Matthew behind, and I know how much the thought of leaving Luke and your sisters will hurt you. But if that's the price we have to pay to save our children, then somehow we have to find the courage. Stay with me, Lily. Help me find the strength to do this."
Lily reached out her hand, barely able to touch his face from where she sat, tears streaming down her face as she nodded and subsided in her seat.
John turned back and stared out of the front of the shuttle, mind wide open.
"Where's Angel?" Gideon's words and stance were confrontational, implacable, the manner of a man determined to have a straight answer to a straight question.
Mollari considered the Captain and Doctor as they stood before his throne. He had his orders from the Drakh who was his master, the Drakh who stood in the shadows created by the drapery around the throne, listening and observing everything going on in the throne room. The orders were to delay, and Londo did his best.
"How should I know, Captain? Surely you take responsibility for your own crew, and particularly for your own family? Am I supposed to keep track if your sister-in-law wanders off?" Londo kept his tone light, trying to appear as if he didn't take the Captain seriously. He watched as Gideon's eyes narrowed, and he glared at the Emperor.
"Angel was last seen with one of your men. Ursa Baronni was with her, and I want you to find Ursa and bring him here, so we can question him. Perhaps that way, we can find out what happened to Angel." The words were spat out through gritted teeth. The Captain continued, "But let me make it clear now, your Majesty," the title was almost an insult, "If any harm has come to Angel, I will consider it a clear indication of a lack of faith on the part of you and your people, and all discussions will be at an end."
Mollari waved his hands, trying to calm Gideon. "Captain, Captain, this is so unnecessary! I am sure that the delightful young lady has just wandered off with Ursa, and lost track of the time. I will send my guards to look for them, but please, be patient. There are a lot of rooms in the palace and a lot of places on the island that Ursa could have taken her. It will take a little time."
Gideon shook his head vehemently. "I'm not buying it. Ursa had a commlink when we last saw him. He used it to speak to his uncle. Call him on it. Now."
The Emperor could see that it was hopeless. Gideon was determined to find Angel, and the way he looked at that moment, he could very well start tearing the palace down with his bare hands to find her. Mollari sighed and waved to a guard, who left the room. He wanted to give Gideon the impression that they were calling Ursa and getting him to bring Angel back. In fact, the guard had been briefed to know that Mollari's signal meant that he was to go to the room where Angel was being held, and bring her to the throne room.
A few moments passed in tense silence, as Gideon stood, hands on hips, glaring at Mollari. The Captain was chewing the inside of his lip and bore a startling resemblance to a volcano that was about to erupt. The silence lengthened, and the tension increased by the second.
Gideon shifted his stance, and Mollari could see that another outburst was imminent, when the guard came back, with Angel following him. She smiled brightly at the Captain and spoke cheerfully. "Hello. Have you been worried about me? I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have left the beach without telling you, but some insect bit me and Ursa said he had something that would soothe it, so we came back to the palace. I suppose we must have lost track of the time." Angel blushed slightly and dropped her eyes, looking a little embarrassed. Mollari was impressed. The Keeper was doing an excellent job of imitating Angel's behavior. Was it good enough to fool the Captain?
Before he could find out, the Doctor stepped forward, saying, "Let me see where you were bitten." Angel held out her hand, and they could all see the red lump there, the welt that had been carefully applied a short time before to provide this excuse. Raven lifted her hand and examined it closely. After a moment, he looked up at Angel and asked, "Why didn't you come to me? I could have taken care of this for you."
Angel smiled prettily and blushed again. "You were busy at the time, Luke."
Mollari watched as the Doctor also blushed. It was obvious what 'busy' meant in this context.
Gideon and Raven seemed to be relaxing now that Angel stood in front of them, unharmed apart from the 'insect bite' on her hand. The Captain was sternly lecturing the girl about the importance of obeying orders, and how she had worried them all, but Mollari began to think that perhaps the original plan of getting Angel on board the Excalibur to sabotage the ship might work after all.
Then a voice came from the entrance to the throne room. "That's not Angel."
Gideon swung round to see his wife standing in the doorway. Suppressing a flare of anger, he sighed deeply, [Does anyone round here give a damn about my orders?] At least Deborah was alone, so it seemed that John and Lily were still at the shuttle, waiting for his signal, either to take off or to stand down. Maybe he should get Lily to give her sisters some instruction on obedience. The Captain snorted silently to himself. [Yeah, and that will be the day the Excalibur turns into a flying pig.]
"What do you mean? Of course it's Angel." Gideon's irritation at Deborah having flouted his orders came out in his words.
Deborah pointed at her sister. "It's Angel's body, but it's not Angel speaking. It's something else. Something inside her, controlling her. I can feel her struggling against it, but she can't break free. It's the thing that hates. It has her in its power."
Gideon turned to look at Angel, just catching the expression of pain and horror that flitted across her face at Deborah's words. Angel's lips moved, but no sound emerged. The words she seemed to be trying to say, but couldn't, were, "Help me!" Then Angel's face changed. Her face became blank and she turned, moving jerkily across the room to stand by the side of the throne where the Emperor sat.
The Captain shifted his gaze to Mollari's face and was appalled to see the same blank expression as Angel wore. Deborah's voice came from where she'd moved to stand at his side. "They're both the same, Matthew. They're both being controlled by something. That's why I could feel different things at different times from the Emperor. Sometimes I could feel him, and sometimes... the thing."
Mollari sat upright and waved at the guards. Before Gideon could react, he, Demon and Luke were surrounded. Five guards stood in a loose circle, all pointing large guns. [Oh shit! How in hell do I get us out of this one?] Gideon's mind started to race as he lifted his right hand and gave Luke the agreed signal. He knew that Luke would tell John to take off immediately. Whatever happened now, John and Lily would be safely on their way back to the ship. Gideon only hoped that John could get them back up there before the Centauri could pick them up on their screens and scramble fighters in pursuit. There was nothing he could do about that now, so he focused on what Mollari was saying.
"It would seem that we have to change our plans." The Emperor's face had relaxed again, and as far as Gideon could tell, it was the real Mollari who was speaking to them. The Captain stood motionless as the guards removed the commlinks from their wrists. It was pointless trying to fight when the odds were this heavily stacked against them. He would wait for a better opportunity. Gideon reached out and took his wife's hand as he listened, waiting to hear their fate. They were completely powerless... for the moment.
Mollari continued, explaining what they had planned to do with Angel, who still stood rigidly next to him, obviously totally controlled by whatever it was they had done to her.
"But thanks to your wife's intervention--and you must tell me sometime how you did that, my dear--we now have to change our plans. Captain, you and your party are prisoners. You will call your ship and order them to surrender to my forces. I am sure you appreciate that without you or your First Officer in command, they would not hold out for long against a determined assault. Why waste lives? Surrender now, and your crew and family at least will live."
Mollari paused, and for a moment, Gideon thought the Emperor looked genuinely sad. "I'm afraid that for you and Commander Matheson there is no hope. You will both be executed as enemies of the Republic. Agree to surrender and your deaths will be quick and clean. Refuse, and you will be executed by public dissection, after you have watched your friends and family die in the same way. The choice is yours."
Luke listened in horror as the Emperor spoke. He knew that Gideon would never agree to surrender. He only hoped that Mollari was bluffing, but he had a horrible suspicion that he wasn't. Luke had heard that this method of execution was a centuries old tradition among the Centauri. He watched as the Captain squeezed Demon's hand tightly, then said softly to the Emperor. "Go to hell."
A guard rushed into the room and over to the throne where Mollari sat, whispering into the Emperor's ear. The old Centauri sat up abruptly and glared at Gideon. "How did you do that? How did you get orders to the shuttle?" Luke suppressed a bitter smile. He had been in mental contact with John ever since they entered the throne room, keeping him apprised of everything that happened there. As soon as Gideon gave the signal, Luke had told John to take off. With every minute that had passed since, his link to his lover had stretched and become more tenuous, but Luke knew that meant that John and Lily were closer and closer to the safety of the ship. With one last thought, [I love you all,] Luke had felt the contact with John snap.
Gideon grinned at the Emperor. "You seem to have forgotten that my First Officer is a telepath. He knows everything that has happened in this room and will now take the Excalibur out of orbit and back to the ISA. But he'll come back, and he'll bring a fleet with him. If we're not here waiting for him, fit and healthy, you'll have a war on your hands, Mollari. Are you strong enough to fight the whole Inter-Stellar Alliance? Do you really want another war?"
Luke had no idea whether Gideon was bluffing or telling the truth, but it sounded convincing to him, and the Emperor paused, considering his words.
Mollari shook his head. "Your ship will never get back to the ISA, even with your First Officer back on board. We will shoot her down, and if the Centauri fleet can't do it alone, then our allies will soon be here to help." As the Emperor spoke, a figure stepped out of the shadows behind the throne and moved into the light. It was a race Luke had only ever seen in pictures. It was a Drakh.
Angel watched the scene in the throne room, horrified at everything that had happened, but unable to move a muscle or say a word. The thing... the Keeper they had attached to her controlled her so completely that she couldn't even weep. It had been bad enough when they had held her in a room in the palace while the Keeper worked on her, stimulating different nerve endings, forcing her vocal chords to make sounds, moving her this way and that, until it could control her completely. Angel had wept and raged internally at her own stupidity in trusting Ursa and allowing this to happen.
That rage had turned to horror, when the guard had come for Angel and the Keeper had walked her through to the throne room. Seeing Matthew and Luke waiting for her there had nearly broken her mind and spirit. These men had put themselves in danger to come back for her, and Angel had despaired, as she had been unable to tell them what had happened to her. The sound of her own voice telling the lies that seemed to convince Matthew and Luke, had made Angel want to scream. She was still unsure whether she was happy or sad that Demon had appeared and found the truth, that it was the Keeper talking, not Angel. At least knowing what had been done to her, perhaps there was a chance that Matthew and Luke could save her.
Mollari's words had removed all hope and Angel's guilt had overwhelmed her as she heard the fate in store for Matthew and John. She had never loved her Captain more than when he had stood so straight and brave, telling Mollari to go to hell, but Angel was terrified of the consequences of his actions. Would the Emperor carry out his threat and execute them all so horribly? Angel feared he might and that her stupidity had brought all of them to this. Their deaths would be her fault.
Angel wanted to scream her pain and guilt, but the Keeper wouldn't let her. It had her locked motionless in her place next to the throne, as she watched in mounting horror as the Drakh reappeared and ordered Mollari to have John and Lily's shuttle shot down and Demon, Matthew and Luke confined to a cell shielded from telepaths. Angel watched as her family was led away.
If she could have used her powers to kill the Drakh, the Emperor and every person in the room, including herself, Angel would have done so, but the Keeper was somehow blocking her telekinesis and her link to her sisters. She could do nothing but stand where the Keeper put her and watch. She watched as the Drakh left and Mollari dismissed the guards.
Turning to a small cupboard, Mollari pulled out a bottle and quickly emptied the contents into his mouth. He staggered slightly, then pulled out another bottle and moved over to Angel, grabbing her and immobilizing her. The Emperor forced her mouth open and started to pour the liquid down Angel's throat. It burned as it went down, and Angel realized it was a strong spirit of some kind. Her Keeper struggled against Mollari's grip, so Angel decided that whatever the Emperor was doing must be for her benefit. She fought with the Keeper internally as Mollari fought with it externally. Angel could feel it trying to call to its Master for help, and used all her powers to suppress the thing inside her. She couldn't stop it controlling her body, but she still had the strength to fight it with her mind.
Very quickly, Angel began to feel dizzy and drunk, and as she did so, she felt her Keeper slide into unconsciousness. For the first time in hours, she was back in control. Angel's knees gave way and she sank to the floor, weeping and screaming her despair. She felt Mollari's hand on her arm, and he pulled her upright to stand in front of him.
"We don't have time for that. This is the only way to regain control, but it doesn't last. Our Keepers will soon be awake. I have only done this for you to prevent your Keeper stopping me doing what I need to do. Watch and learn."
Mollari turned and waved at the far wall, which lit up with a viewscreen. The screen showed a schematic map of the upper atmosphere of the planet. In her fuddled state, it took Angel a few moments to focus on the symbols, eventually realizing that the large red cross must be the Excalibur, and the small red symbol moving toward it must be the shuttle. The shuttle symbol was surrounded by black deltas, indicating the Centauri pursuit ships. Angel watched as a burst of red crosses emerged from the Excalibur and she realized that the ship must have launched a fighter wing to bring the shuttle to safety. She sighed with relief as the small red cross was absorbed inside the larger one, and the other red crosses stayed circling outside. John and Lily had made it home.
Angel turned to look at Mollari who was smiling at her, eyes slightly unfocussed as he took another pull at the bottle he held tightly. "When my Keeper was asleep earlier, I gave instructions to my guards that if the shuttle escaped they were to let it go, but not to be too obvious about it. I had hoped that all of your family would be able to escape that way. It was brave and foolish of the Captain and the others to come looking for you. They should have left you."
Angel nodded sadly, feeling very woozy with the alcohol, but aware enough to agree. "I wish they had. If anything happens to them because of me..." She started to sob bitterly, and dropped her head into her hands. Angel felt the Emperor's hand on her head, gently stroking her hair as she wept, and looked up. "Can you save them? I don't ask anything for myself, it's all my own fault, but can you save my sister? And Matthew and Luke? Please?"
The sad expression on Mollari's face told its own story. "I might be able to save your sister and the doctor, but there is no hope for the Captain. My allies are determined that he must die. All I can do is to try to make his death quick and dignified." Angel dropped her head back into her hands and wept again. Because of her stupidity, Matthew was going to die and Angel knew that Demon would never be able to live without him. She had cost two of the people she loved most in the universe their lives.
Mollari watched as the young woman wept, and he knew he had no words of comfort for her. He drank deeply from the bottle again, forcing his Keeper back into sleep. He knew he would pay for this later, but he had a plan at last. A plan that would lift at least one of the threats the Drakh held over his people, if not all.
The viewscreen gave out a bell like tone, and the Emperor turned and waved it on. Commander Matheson's face looked out of the screen at him. Mollari wondered about the XO of the Excalibur. A quiet man, his contributions to the negotiations had been calm and constructive. Much more reserved and less volatile than his Captain, but Mollari sensed that a will of iron lay beneath that cool surface. The one thing that had come across strongly in all his dealings with the Commander was his absolute loyalty to Captain Gideon. Mollari knew that Matheson would follow his Captain to hell and back, but would he give up his ship in exchange for his Captain's life? Now was the time to find out.
Matheson nodded an acknowledgment of the Emperor's greeting, then cut straight to the point. "You have my Captain, his wife, her sister and our ship's doctor as prisoners in your palace. Please do not insult me by trying to pretend otherwise. Either release them immediately, or face the prospect of war with the Inter-Stellar Alliance."
As far as Mollari could tell, the Commander meant every word.
Demon sat on the bunk in the cell, rigidly controlling herself as she watched Matthew pace the floor. Her grief at what had been done to her sister threatened to overwhelm her at every moment, but she refused to add to her husband's burdens by showing her pain. Luke sat next to her, holding her hand tightly, and Demon wasn't sure whether he was trying to give or seek comfort, but she knew that the warmth of his hand on hers was helping her keep control.
Demon's mind was in turmoil as she went over the choices she had made, and the consequences of her choices. She had chosen to put her husband and sister before her son, and the guilt that she felt as a result of that decision was crippling her. Demon reached out through her link to Marcus and found that he was sleeping. Part of her prayed that he would stay that way and would never know that his mother had chosen to abandon him.
Her guilt mounted as she realized that she was doing to Marcus just what her mother had done to her. It was even worse in fact. Demon's father had abandoned her mother; her mother hadn't willingly chosen her fate. Her mother's inability to cope with that loss was hardly her fault, but Demon had always blamed her mother for being weak and unable to carry on loving her child afterwards. She now saw how unfair that had been, now she was facing the same fate as her mother, the loss of the thing that mattered most to her: her husband's love.
Demon also saw how much her own life had been affected by her parents' actions. How in abandoning her, they had shaped her into the person she had become, who had always been willing to care for others as long as she remained in control, but who had for many years been unable to trust anyone to take care of her in turn. In Matthew, she had finally met the one person she felt able to trust, someone she could rely on, who she could lean on, and who Demon knew loved her enough to want to take care of her. In their years together, she and Matthew had created a mutual dependency, a willingness to share each other's burdens and sorrows, as well as their joys. Demon couldn't even contemplate losing that. She didn't know how she could possibly live without Matthew's love.
Clamping down hard on her emotions, Demon sent a wave of love through her link to her son, hoping that he would feel it in his dreams, along with a simple thought. [[Forgive me.]] She tried to tell herself that Lily would care for Marcus and love him as much as she had, and that Lily would make sure that Marcus knew how much his parents had loved him.
Demon's thoughts turned to her sisters and her anguish grew. She had always been there for them, always tried to take care of them, and now she had failed them completely. She had failed to keep Angel safe, despite all her warnings, [I should have tried harder!]
Demon felt that she had also failed Lily. If she had gone with John and Lily on the shuttle, then Lily would only be losing one sister now, not two. [I'm sorry, Lily, please forgive me!] How would Lily go on without her sisters and her lover? Demon squeezed Luke's hand tighter, wishing that he were back on the Excalibur, ready to help Lily with her loss rather than adding to it.
Demon almost smiled as she thought of her last sister, the youngest, the sister who had for many years been almost a daughter to Demon. Ilas may be out of their link, and the loss of Angel and Demon wouldn't hurt her as badly as it did Lily, but she would still be distraught at the death of two of her sisters. Demon was glad that Max and Dureena would be there for Ilas when she needed them.
Demon closed her eyes, feeling Lily trying to link to her and she let out a sigh of relief as her sister told her that she and John were safely inside the Excalibur. Lily told her that the pursuing ships hadn't seemed to be trying very hard to catch them, and had retreated immediately when the Excalibur launched a fighter wing. Demon leaned against Luke's shoulder, hoping that any watchers would think that she was just seeking his comfort, and whispered into his ear, "They're home." They had said very little since they had been put in the cell, suspecting that their words and actions were being monitored. Luke squeezed her hand tightly, but showed no other outward reaction to her news.
Standing, Demon went to her husband and rested her hand on his shoulder, stopping his pacing, and he turned to take her into his arms. As she laid her head on his shoulder, she again breathed her news into his ear. Matthew hugged her tightly, lifting his head to kiss her forehead, as he stroked her hair and said, "Don't worry, we'll figure a way out of this."
Demon could feel Matthew's whirlpool of emotion, a mixture of anger, guilt, grief and fear. He was worried about what lay ahead for them all, but she could feel his determination that he would not give up his ship at any price. She also knew that he was lying, that he had no hope of rescue and was preparing to die. Demon forced herself not to cry as Matthew went on, "I wish you'd stayed on the shuttle. Why did you come back?"
Demon lifted her head and smiled sadly at him. "I couldn't leave you behind. If it had been the other way round, could you have left me?"
Matthew smiled gently and ran his thumb along her cheekbone. "No. I could never leave you." He took a deep breath and looked deep into her eyes before he went on, "I wish I knew what John was doing now. I wish there were some way I could get a message to him."
Demon knew exactly what her husband was asking and what he needed. "Oh, I expect that he's on the bridge, demanding that we're released, and threatening war if we're not." Part of her mind linked to Lily and obtained that information. "What would you say to him, if you could get a message out?"
Matthew smiled and kissed her, knowing that she had just offered him a way to communicate with his ship. The cell they were in might block telepaths, but it couldn't block Demon's link to her sister or to her son.
"I'd tell him to get my ship the hell out of here." Matthew pulled Demon against him, so she lowered her head to his shoulder again as she sent his message to Lily.
The response was almost instant, and Demon faked a small chuckle, "Knowing John, I very much doubt that he'd agree to that. He'd tell you that he's in command of the Excalibur now, not you, and that he wouldn't abandon us that easily." Lily's sense of outrage and pain at the thought of abandoning her family had come through loud and clear with the message. Demon had no doubt that John felt much the same.
Matthew leaned back and lifted Demon's chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. "If he said any such thing, I'd tell him that the safety of the crew and the ship comes first. There are more than three hundred people on that ship. Their safety has to come before that of the four of us down here." Demon knew how much that must have cost her husband, as she sent the message. Matthew knew that he was condemning her to death as well as himself, and his pain and guilt were almost overwhelming.
Demon leaned into him and kissed him gently. She summoned all her strength to speak calmly. "I love you, Matthew. Whatever happens, that will never change. I think I can finally understand my mother." She watched as her husband frowned at her, puzzled by her words. Demon kissed him again and continued, "I would rather die with you than live without you."
Matthew's face showed his pain at her words, and he shook his head. "I won't let that happen, if I can help it. It would be bad enough for Marcus to lose one parent. To lose both of us..."
Demon pressed her fingers to Matthew's lips to stop him. "Like my mother, I would drown in grief if I were to lose you. I wouldn't know how to go on living and it would hurt to even look at Marcus, as he would be a constant reminder of what I'd lost. Without you by my side, I would be a very bad mother, just as my mother was. Marcus will be better off knowing that we died loving him, with Lily to love him and take care of him, than he would be if I were to go on living without you."
Demon's control had started to slip as she spoke, and although she showed no emotion in her expression, she could feel her face become wet. She watched as her husband's eyes filled and tears escaped to roll down his cheeks, but like her, he kept his face immobile. Demon lifted her hand and wiped away Matthew's tears, before burying her head into his shoulder.
Defense
Commander Matheson stared at the blank viewscreen where a moment before, Emperor Mollari had looked out at him, then he turned to look at Lily. She was standing, stiffly upright but as pale as a ghost, next to the Captain's chair. Unable to reach out physically in front of the Bridge crew, John sent a mental caress, knowing that it would help a little with the terrible pain Lily was feeling, and drawing comfort from her, to ease his own anguish at what could lie ahead of them.
Their ride back to the Excalibur had been nerve-racking, with the Centauri pursuit ships not far behind them, and catching up with them fast. John had been puzzled to find that he had been able to call on ahead to the Excalibur and request a fighter escort for the last stretch. He didn't understand why the Centauri hadn't blocked his communications, as he knew they could. It was a part of the same puzzle as to why the Centauri had given up so easily as soon as the Excalibur launched fighters. Why bother to pursue at all, if they were going to turn back so soon?
Mollari's response to Matheson's threats had been equally puzzling. While the threat of war seemed to have little impact on the Emperor, he had nevertheless been conciliatory. John's concern was that he was being stalled, while the Centauri moved their forces into position for attack. He turned to the sensor station and ordered a full sweep and report on the positions of the Centauri fleet. The result added to the mystery.
Roughly one third of the ships in the area were moving into positions from which they could launch an attack, but the other ships weren't shifting. By remaining in place, some of them were actually blocking the others' attack vectors. The sensor operator turned in his chair, frowning. He asked Matheson to join him, and showed him the results of the scans on the surrounding vessels. The mystery deepened further when John realized what the scans were showing him. All of the ships in motion showed only one or two life signs, and that was of a totally unfamiliar nature. Not humanoid, not of any race previously encountered by the Excalibur, and certainly not Centauri. So who was operating those Centauri ships? And just to make things even more puzzling, all the stationary vessels had full Centauri crew on board.
Matheson pushed the puzzle to one side and returned to the Captain's chair, where Lily still stood. She was holding herself together surprisingly well, considering what she was facing. The loss of one of her sisters would have been incredibly painful for her; the loss of both could be catastrophic. John had no idea whether her mental link to him could help her through that loss. If they were to lose Luke as well... John wasn't sure how they would go on in the face of such a loss, and if Matthew were to die too... Matheson refused to even think about what this would mean to him.
To lose his mentor, the man who had been prepared to help John make his dream of a career in Earthforce a reality, the man who had become John's only real friend before he had met Luke and Lily. To allow this man to die, to leave Matthew behind for whatever fate awaited him, was totally unacceptable. The Captain of the Excalibur had never left anyone behind. While filling that role, John had no intention of breaking that record. The XO pulled himself together. He didn't want Lily to share his fears and his distress. He told himself that this was far worse for her than it was for him. She needed him to be strong for her.
John reached out with his mind and caressed Lily gently, then sent to her, softly. [[Can you still link to Demon? Or is it too far?]]
Lily turned to face him, her incredible green eyes full of pain. She had desperately wanted to go to the children when they returned to the ship, but John had asked her to join him on the bridge, knowing that she could be his only hope of making contact with Gideon. Lily had agreed, despite the pain she felt, and she now stood by him, waiting to help in any way she could. John didn't think he had ever loved her more than in that moment, when she faced losing so much but still somehow found the strength to help him.
Lily closed her eyes, and John could feel her reaching out to her sister. While he couldn't listen in on whatever mental 'band' the sisters used in their link, he could tell when they were in contact. He felt Lily's mind link to Demon's, and a moment later, Lily opened her eyes and whispered, "I told them we were safe. Demon says she'll tell Luke, and she says they are unhurt. They've been
