Endgame-Part III
From Betamountain.org
The examination had been sheer hell. Goose paced outside, straining to hear the
muffled voices through the heavy wooden door, then had to give up when one of the
nurses dragged him off to tend to his concussion. By the time he returned, Niko
sleeping fitfully. He was at her side when she finally did wake. It was a
comfortable room in a country hospital, not too different from the one he had
taken her to after being shot by the Scarecrow. Comscreen in the corner, large
beds with a nurses call button affixed to each. He had asked they be in the same
room, insisted on it, knowing he did not want her to be alone when the sedative
finally wore off. The look on his face convinced them it would be the right thing
to do. They didn't dare not, not the way his eyes were blazing when they brought
the wounded rangers in.
His ribs had been bandaged, and the new skin where the gash had been
itched, and he had to restrain himself from scratching every few minutes. He
wore borrowed clothes, and had not spoken much since they were brought there.
He had asked not to be disturbed, not even by Doc or Zach, who he knew would be
on their way. They were outside, he had heard their muted voices through the
door. No doubt the country doctor had given them his report, explained where
they had been found, and in what condition. Everything but the one thing that
hurt the most, because Niko had yet to awaken and give her consent. Shane and
the Doctor who examined her were the only ones who knew.
And there was still the matter of Killbane. No body had been found. A
great deal of blood, easy to track at first, but the rain washed away the blood
and the tracks too quickly. They had lost him, in the end.
She stirred under the heavy quilt that looked like it had been made by
somebody's grandmother. Shane loved modern medicine. All her bruises and
scrapes had disappeared overnight. Now what about the scars that the doctors
couldn't see? Her eyelids twitched, and then opened slowly, revealing sparkling
blue-green depths. She was confused at first, a side effect of the drug they had
given her, unsure where she was. Shane held her hand in his own, and her fingers
tightened around his as she took the first painful breath after memory...
The eyes widened in fear, other hand clutching at the quilt. Then she
relaxed, and saw Shane for the first time.
"I thought... I thought it might have just been a nightmare..." She
swallowed, tears in her eyes. In a flannel nightgown one of the nurses had
brought for her, little pearl buttons up to her neck, hair clean and combed, she
looked nothing so much like a little girl tucked in for the night. The tears
began to fall, and he seated himself on the edge of the bed, took her in his
arms.
"It's okay, it's okay... He's dead," he lied. It killed him, but he lied.
She drew in a shuddering breath, and he held again until the quiet tears
stopped, and she drew in deep hiccuping breaths while he stroked her hair.
"Better?" He asked, giving her a glass of water to sip, and she nodded.
"The others are outside. I haven't spoken to them yet. Doc, and Zach. I think
Waldo and Zozo are on their way too. Walsh himself would have hopped on a
freighter, or maybe just brought the whole fleet with him. Green's World has
never seen so much activity."
"Do they know?" Her voice was very soft.
"No," he whispered.
"Then they never will. Never." She shook her head violently, almost
spilling the water. He took the glass from her shaking fingers. "I'm not sure
I want to go back."
"Then we won't. We'll go anywhere you want to go, do anything."
"They won't let you. The Council wants you to track down the rest of the
Supertroopers. The only reason they haven't locked you up is because you're the
only one who can find them."
"I don't care. I'll run, if you do."
"I won't run away. I would like to, but I won't. I can't. It won't ever
solve anything, not really." She wiped at her eyes, still feeling groggy from
the sedative. "Besides, BETA is home. Unless I choose Xanadu, which I won't,
then where else can I go? I won't run. I'll stand and fight."
"That's my girl." He kissed her forehead, and she rested her head on his
shoulder. So you're the runt's woman... the ugly words came flooding back, but
she pushed them away.
* * *
"Heard you stopped the business end of a digging instrument with your
forehead. Knock any sense into you, my Gooseman?" Doc joked when Goose finally
emerged from the room.
"We Supertrooper's have thick skulls." He tapped his temple, going along
with the jest.
"Tell me about it." He leaned casually against the wall of the hallway,
but both he and Zachary had circles under their eyes from worrying.
"I thought for sure Karen Walsh would have found a way to catch a ride with
you guys."
"If there was a medal for trying, she would have aced it. Almost stowed
away. Flynn stopped her from sneaking on board. Commander would have nailed her
hide to the wall if she'd gotten away with it." Zach smiled at the memory. "She
was worried sick all the same. The kid is really fond of you two."
"And with a mug like yours, I can't imagine why." Doc winked.
"Can we see her now?" Zach finally voicing the question on all their
minds.
"She's awake. I think we can use the company. Rough night." He opened
the door slowly, saw her sitting up in the bed, trying to look rested. He took
the same seat at her side, felt her fingers searching for his, and took them,
knowing at this point no one really was unaware any longer.
"You look lovely as always." Doc bowed, making an elaborate arc with his
hat.
"Flatterer. I feel like hell." She squeezed Goose's fingers.
"I thought with you helping him fly that thing, he might be less prone to
crash into such nasty obstacles as planets. That's the fifth time in one year."
Zach wagged a finger at her.
"If it's got wings, I can crash it," Goose announced with pride. She
chuckled, and he was so relieved that she could laugh again...
"That wasn't so bad, now was it?" he asked her once the visitors had been
shooed out by the head nurse, a woman of eastern european descent who was not to
be trifled with.
"It was okay." She nodded, leaning against him. The hospital beds were
not meant to fit two, for obvious reasons, but Shane had managed to prop himself
up at her side, so she wouldn't have to fall asleep alone. "The doctor said we
can head home in a few days, once all the tests are finished. And then you are
to take it easy, on account of those ribs." She poked him in the side with a
finger. "He thinks it's too soon, though."
"I told him two days."
"He said it might take days..."
"You'll be fine in two days. You're too feisty." He wanted to get her the
hell off green as soon as possible.
"Where do you come up with a word like feisty?" She snuggled against his
shoulder.
"I look at you and think `Now there is a terribly feisty young woman. Look
at how she shoots and knows tae kwon do, and plays pool altogether too well for
someone brought up on a planet that is supposed to have absolutely no pool halls.
And she sings too. Now that is feisty-'" but she had dropped off to sleep
somewhere in the middle of the sentence, head still on his shoulder and he
chuckled. Completely worn out. Must be the drugs. Certainly couldn't be the
fresh air.
* * *
She woke in the middle of the night, a scream dying in her throat as she
realized where she was, whose arms where around her. In the dim light form the
window, she could make out Shane's features, his peaceful smile. He must be
having a good dream. I'm jealous. She sighed, overcome with a fit of shivering,
having broken out in a cold sweat, the blankets suddenly oppressive. She forced
herself to be still, lest she wake him. He deserved his rest too. It probably
tired him out, watching her all the time. She would have to be careful, as he
was balanced on the bed somewhat precariously. She did not move, but relished the
feel of his arms around her, body next to hers under the quilt. She couldn't
stop the shivering, but she could try to bury it for a while by just feeling, and
not thinking. She was thinking too much. It brought back bad memories.
He always looked so fierce awake. In sleep, he was very boyish really,
looking much younger than she knew him to be. There was perhaps eight years
between them. Not much, in the long run, though it had seemed so important at
first. She still remembered how he called her `girl' all the time, and in a way
that she didn't always mind. At least she knew now he meant it not in a
diminishing way at all. She would probably be `his girl' until she was eighty
years old. She almost laughed, except she was suddenly cold, and wished he was
awake so he could chase all the nightmares away with a kiss or a touch or a
whispered assurance. That was all she needed really.
* * *
They left the next afternoon, against doctor's orders. It was a quiet
trip, all of them in Ranger I, Zach and Doc sensing if not really knowing that
something had happened. None of the usual light banter. Buzz, Q-ball, and the
ambassadors met them in Walsh's office. Goose would give the report later,
alone. The two of them had agreed the Commander should know, but no one else.
The first week was the hardest. Niko spent most of it sequestered with Dr.
Leahy, at the commander's behest. Karen Walsh left countless messages with
Niko's home AI unit, all left unanswered. When she finally did see her friend,
she seemed tired, jumpy, and brittle. There were large circles beneath her eyes,
and she only seemed to half listen to what Karen had to say.
Dr. Leahy called Goose in to her office the next day. She was a smallish
woman, her blond hair pulled back into a french twist, and her English accent
gave a formality to her that was belied the bright gleam in her eyes. She was
very concerned about her patient, and it showed in her line of questioning. The
moment Shane was settled into one of the comfortable chairs, she began.
"Were you and Niko lovers before the rape?" This took him aback, and he
stiffened self-consciously. "Please answer honestly. I'd like to have a session
with both of you sometime soon, but to help her, I need to know."
"No," Gooseman looked uncomfortable. "Not yet. She wanted us to wait."
"She is going through a very difficult time. She needs reassurances
constantly. Don't be afraid to touch her, to show you still-"
"Doctor, I think you're underestimating her."
"Ranger Gooseman, I think you'd best listen to me, and listen well. If you
love her, you'd best stay by her. I know she may seem tough to you, and
indestructible, but appearances can be deceiving. Give her time."
"She jumps every time I come near her." Shane frowned darkly, feeling
helpless.
"She's not reacting to you, just your presence. The scars of the attack
are just too raw. But she's trying."
"I know. I know how hard she's trying. It's wearing her out, the trying!
Doctor," Goose clenched and unclenched his fists. "I feel.... responsible."
She blinked as the large man got up and began to pace.
"Exactly how do you mean that, Ranger Gooseman?"
"Don't turn shrink on me. I just mean, it was Killbane's hatred for me
that moved him to do what he did. He wasn't striking out at her, he was striking
out at me, through her. Because I... because I love her, he knew how much it
would hurt."
"I had heard Killbane is dead."
"The body hasn't been recovered."
"Then you think he might still be alive?"
"If he is, then he'll want revenge. His whole life is built around it.
I don't want Niko to ever be hurt because of me again."
"I can't predict the future."
"I guess I'm not asking you to." He sighed, and fell back into the chair.
"I just need to talk to someone."
"`Shrinks' as you put it, can be like bartenders. Everyone needs a
sympathetic ear once in a while. We just generally charge more." Dr. Leahy
smiled.
"She doesn't know."
"Pardon?"
"She doesn't know that Killbane might still be alive. I don't know if we
should tell her."
"It would be best not to keep anything from her, but I can see your
concern."
"I just don't want her to hear it from anyone else, to read it in an active
file or hear it as scuttlebutt."
"Then I would suggest telling her as soon as possible, and staying to talk
it through with her. Don't let her pull away from you, into herself, or you
might lose her." She watched the tall cowboy get up to go, still looking
troubled. "Cheer up, Ranger Gooseman. You may get lucky, he may really be
dead."
"I hope you're right, Doctor."
* * *
Goose met with Commander Walsh as soon as the session was over, who granted
them three weeks leave, effective immediately. It was late, but Goose went to
tell Niko the news anyway. He found her in her quarters.
She was in her robe, hair still damp, all the lights out, in front of the
large window that dominated one wall, staring at the patterns the rain made on
the glass. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest, hands holding fast to
the sides of her forearms, and she didn't seem to hear him approach. When he put
his hands on his shoulders, she flinched, and he saw the tracks of silent tears
on her cheeks, silver in the pale light from the window.
He knew what she was thinking, what memories were playing themselves over
and over in her mind, and he felt her fingers brush his hand, curl tight around
his as she began to shiver uncontrollably. He had never seen her so pale, so
frightened, so helpless, not since the rape.
"I don't want to be like this. I don't want to have to have these memories
every time I hear his name," she whispered, turning to him, her face in shadow.
"I don't want to see his face every time I close my eyes, hear the laughter when
I am alone."
"You're not alone." He held her tight, kissing away the tears. She
stiffened, but didn't move away.
"I am tired of waking screaming, not knowing where I am. I'm tired of
being afraid to sleep, for the dreams. Every night it's a battle, and I try to
think of you to drive away to darkness, but you're so far away. And I'm so
afraid." His heart felt as if it would break as he held the sobbing woman in his
arms.
"I need new memories," she whispered, mouth next to his ear. "I want to
think of this, the two of us, here, when it rains. I want this memory. I want
you." She pulled back to meet his eyes, and then, slowly, carefully, she lifted
his hand from her waist, and placed inside the robe on her breast.
"You're certain?" He asked, searching her eyes, and she nodded, still
shaking. Then he slipped the satin robe over her shoulders, kissing her neck,
hands in the damp mass of her hair, lifting her off her feet as they kissed, her
warm flesh pressed against him. She stroked his hair, touched the nape of his
neck, felt the cheekbone beneath her fingers, the hard shoulders as she slid down
the length of him. Then he scooped her up, and carried her into the next room,
his lips never leaving hers as he lovingly placed her on the bed.
I love you, he whispered in her ear. Over and over until they crawled
under the sheets, pulled the blanket close around them, snuggling together for
warmth, and fell into an exhausted sleep.
* * *
Goose awoke to screams. The rain had stopped, but room was pitch dark and
he fumbled for the crying woman amoung the blankets. Half awake she pushed away
his arms, and he held her tight, whispering into her hair.
"Shhh, it's okay."
"You were dead, I dreamt you were dead and he was there--" She couldn't
stop shaking.
"It's okay, it's okay. I'm here." He stroked her hair, brushing away her
tears with his thumb.
"It was so real...so real...."
"Go back to sleep."
Part V
Dreams
"Where do you want to go?" He asked her as he placed the breakfast try the
computer had provided between them on the bed. It was actually long past
breakfast time, but it was the first full night's sleep she'd had in days, and
Goose wanted to let her enjoy as much of it as she could. He hated seeing her
so pale, and the long sleep, among other things, had put more color back into her
cheeks.
"What do you mean?"
"We have three weeks. Where would you like to spend them?"
"You mean, anywhere in the universe?" Her eyes were bright, cheeks flushed
as she took a bite from a croissant. It had been wonderful, waking beside him.
She wanted every single morning to be just as wonderful. And every night...
"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" She blushed, realizing a long silence
had stretched out between them as she sat there thinking. He was smiling that
same cheshire cat smile that had not left his face since he had opened his eyes
and saw her staring at him in the faint sunlight that streamsed through the door
of the living room.
"Perhaps the best vacation in the universe would be to never have to leave
this room." He raised a brow suggestively, and she laughed. She had pulled a
pajama top on, dark blue satin, and he unbuttoned the top button now, and ran a
finger along her collarbone. He suddenly got up, moved the tray to the floor,
out of harm's way, and then settled back down beside her.
"I suppose we could go to Xanadu..." she thought aloud, as he traced the
curve of her ear with the tip of his tongue. "I know Ariel would like to meet
you..." He was unbuttoning to rest of the shirt, hands straying lower. "The
coffee's going to get cold." She murmured, eyes dancing.
"So we'll order more," he growled happily, pulling the covers back.
* * *
"This is hideous." Niko craned her neck to see what Karen was reacting so
strongly to. "Unisex dress uniforms! That's sick. The least they could have
done was give you a skirt or something."
"It's not so bad." She giggled at the affronted look on the girl's face.
"If you keep inspecting every piece of clothing in that closet, we are never
going to get me packed."
"You asked for help, you are going to get help. Of the most important
kind. I am lending you half my wardrobe. This," She gestured to the tiny pile
she had approved thus far "will simply not be adequate."
"I'll probably spend most of my time out by the pool anyway, in a suit."
"Or nothing at all." Karen grinned lecherously.
"Get your mind out of the gutter, young lady."
"I have never, in all my years, seen anyone so prone to blushing."
"I swear I never used to blush so often."
"You had nothing to bring one to your cheeks before, I'll warrant. Ah, but
I envy you. A romantic, secluded hideaway, a tall, handsome cowboy."
"And no nosy teenagers." She sighed, and Karen punched her in the arm with
a look of mock hurt.
"Still, three weeks on Rees! It's supposed to be gorgeous there, not to
mention expensive."
"Well, we a little help in that department," Niko admitted. "Ariel has
more money than she knows what to do with, so she wastes it on me."
"She's like your mom, isn't she."
"I don't remember my parents. I was too young."
"Your file said you were five." Karen didn't mean to pry, but she was
curious.
"The first thing I remember was Ariel and the circle on Xanadu, in the
council chambers. They found me... raised me."
"Do you think you blocked the memories?"
"I must have. When they psychtested me when I joined BETA they offered to
regress me, but I declined. I decided that the memories would come back if they
were going to, and wait them out. They haven't yet." She shrugged, and zipped
up her valise.
"My mom and died three years ago." Karen tried to sound like it was no big
deal. "I was in school on the mainland when it happened. The power went down
on the offshore kelp harvesting plant mom and dad worked at, and there was a
faulty backup system. It overloaded and the whole pylon blew sky high."
"Karen, I'm sorry, I didn't know-"
"Hey, it's okay. But see, at least I got to know them for fifteen years.
And sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't have hurt as much if I hadn't known them.
I guess that's why I asked."
"I wish I had an answer, kid." She smiled, squeezing Karen's shoulder, and
set about finishing packing.
She removed her badge from her uniform, and placed it in a case which she
then tucked in the pocket of her bag.
"Think you'll be needing that?"
"You never know." The door chimed, and Niko jumped up to let Shane in.
He greeted her with a long, wet kiss.
"Whoa, I saw tongue!" Karen raised a brow.
"Naughty girl, don't you have class?" Niko laughed.
"I'm going, I'm going." Karen put up her hands in defeat, and slipped out
the door, blowing kisses.
Shane held up a garment bag, a gleam in his eyes. "This arrived this
morning, for you." Niko looked puzzled, and unzipped it, a hand going to her
mouth. It was the dress Ambassador Ramos had bought her on Boru. She ran her
hand over the taffeta, a slow smile spreading across her face.
"I think this vacation is going to be just perfect." She sighed.
* * *
Shane didn't think he had ever seen anyplace that screamed money quite so
loudly. The crystal dome of the hotel lobby stretched as far as the eye could
see, and echoed with the roar of waterfalls and the cries of tropical birds. It
was as far removed from BETA as anything he could think of, he decided as he
plucked two blue and orange drinks off a passing tray and winked at the green
skinned waitress. Niko poked him in the ribs and he handed her one of the fruit
concoctions.
"Hey, no more harem jokes, remember?" Niko grinned, and sipped the drink
as they followed their bellboy through the maze of plants, people and vendors to
the lifts. The hotel boasted an entirely organic staff, in the style of an old
fashioned holiday resort. This far above the canopy of the Rees rainforests, the
sun shone clear and bright through the dome, but as they entered the clear
aluminum elevator they began to descend into the lush green tree cover.
The habitat ring circled a glade of the forest, and in the centre for as
far down as she could see everything was color. Birds fluttered through the
trees, and further below guests all decked out like peacocks sat around the
springs and pools, talking, taking sun, or sipping drinks. It looked like no one
had a care in the world, and that was exactly the way she wanted to feel.
"You like?" Goose prompted, giving her shoulders a squeeze.
"Oh, I like." She grinned and kissed him. The bellboy looked at the two
of them out of the corner of his eye, and smiled. Kort liked his job for a
multitude of reasons, the chief ones being the high pay, tips, and opportunity
to speak twelve intergalactic dialects. But one of the lesser perks was watching
people make out in the elevator. They may fight later on, but when they first
got here, it was always the same.
They stopped on the forty-third floor to pick up another passenger, but the
two of them just kept at it, hardly noticing. However the fellow they had picked
up leaned closer, peering at the two of them, squinting and chuckling. He was
a grizzled looking old guy in the loudest hawaiian shirt Kort had ever seen and
khaki Bermuda shorts. He continued to stare until the couple, suddenly noticing
they had an audience, broke apart, the lady with high color in her cheeks and the
big blond guy grinning. The old guys eyes went real wide as they passed the
thirty-second floor, and the lady blushed a deeper shade of pink.
"Why Miss Niko!" The old fellow's face was split with a wide grin, and the
big blond guy laughed out loud.
"Cody Wildfire Carson, you old space dog!" Goose exclaimed, and Kort shook
his head as the three of them shook hands like old friends, which, he supposed,
they were.
"What are you doing here, Wildfire? I thought you were ranching on Ozark."
Niko was recovering her color, and slipped her arm around Goose's waist, leaning
her head on his shoulder.
"Well, there's no law says a man can't take a bit of a holiday, now is
there?" Cody winked at her, and she laughed.
"What are you wearing?" Goose eyed the shirt with distaste, and Niko
collapsed against his chest with a fit of giggles at Cody's affronted expression
as they slowed to a stop at the eleventh floor.
"This is your stop, ma'am, sir." Kort began to push the luggage trolley
out into the carpeted hallway, and the three of them followed.
"Just getting dressed for the part," Cody replied. "My buckskins would
stand out a bit, dontcha think? And I see you two are out of uniform. Here on
business or pleasure, though may I say it is always a pleasure to see you, Miss
Niko, even if you are being all business like."
"We're here on vacation too. Strictly pleasure." Niko was used to the
blustery cowboy's flirtatious manner, and found it refreshing after the way her
co-workers had been treading on eggshells around her ever since Green's World.
She smiled genuinely at Cody, and the old man's eyes sparkled.
"Well now, Miss Niko, I expect it's time you had a holiday and let all us
old outlaws have one too. You work too hard. And if you ever tire of this big
fellah, well, there's always a place for you on the Buchanan."
"I appreciate the offer, Wildfire, but I think you know my answer."
"I know, this side of the law and all that. You'd make a wonderful outlaw
though."
"Goodbye, Cody." Shane smiled broadly, dragging Niko into the suite, and
Wildfire made a lavish bow before heading back towards the lift.
* * *
Kort wheeled the baggage cart into the centre of the room and opened the
closet to set the suitcases outside the sliding doors. "There's a wet bar here
in the room, all compliments of the hotel. The dining room starts serving at 6,
but room service is available until 1 am should you wish to dine in. If there's
anything else you need, fresh towels, etcetera just dial 'h' on the comm and
they'll put you through to housekeeping." He set the keycards down on a glass
table near the door and then stood there, waiting for something. Shane stared
at him. Niko sighed, and fished a credit chit out of her pocket and placed it
in the young man's palm with a smile. Kort headed back towards the lifts,
grinning. He didn't think he'd see those two till morning, if not afternoon.
"I thought you weren't supposed to tip in a fancy joint like this." Shane
circled arms around her waist, kissing the top of her head.
"Apparently not." She leaned back against him, smiling, and then began
unpacking. She stopped in the midst of hanging up Ambassador Ramos's gift to
study the suite.
The front room was huge, with a wall of windows facing the forest, sliding
doors opening up out onto a small balcony set with chairs and a table. There was
a sitting area with a vidscreen about the same size as the one in the lounge at
BETA, except this one was equipped to show holos and vids, and a peek inside the
cabinet beneath it revealed disks with just about every film ever made all the
way back to the early 20th century.
Goose had wandered into the bedroom, and she could hear his low whistle of
appreciation from there. She gasped at the sight the greeted her as she passed
through the double doors.
There were fresh flowers everywhere, overflowing from vases and baskets on
every surface. All of them were orchids. She grinned, recognizing Ariel's touch
in this. The bed was covered in brightly patterned pillows and a real honest to
gods down comforter over clean white sheets. She bounced on the bed, laughing
like a little girl.
"Damn, sure beats the quarters at home." Goose plopped down next to her,
and she rolled over on her stomach to look him in the eye.
"Oh I don't know, I have very fond memories of my quarters. Lots of good
memories"
"Oh really?" She nodded, and was glad the windows in this room were
covered by sheer white drapes, because she definitely didn't want any witnesses
to what she was fairly sure was going to happen next.
Because anyone who watched would have been treated to quite a show.
* * *
"Do you ever wonder what it would have been like to grow up with parents?"
Niko rolled over, resting her head on his chest. The suns had set hours before,
and in the dim light the orchids were bled of color, all painted in whites and
blues from the moonlight streaming through the windows.
"I don't know. I had Max, and then I was shipped off to Wolf Den. I
didn't know anything else." She sighed, and he stroked her hair.
"Me too."
"Did you ever think about it?"
"Sometimes, when I was growing up. I always wondered, who do I look like?
Do I have my mother's eyes? Do I have my father's hair? Was one of them psi?
Where both? Or neither? I don't know, I guess I could find out easily enough.
I'm sure BETA has it all in the files."
"What makes you think so?'
"They did a DNA work-up on me when I first came to Earth. I chose not to
pursue it."
"But now?"
"Karen started it. Then it was seeing all the orchids. I spent my life
surrounded by them until I was 16. I had no idea they were so rare on Earth."
"She really loves you, Ariel does."
"I know she keeps an eye on me, even though she swears she isn't spying.
Kind of like having a fairy godmother, except mine made me eat carrots, and
study, and go to bed early."
"None of the perks, eh?"
"Oh, I think I got to the ball. I found my Prince Charming, didn't I?"
"In slightly tarnish armor."
"My off white knight." She giggled.
"Max hated carrots. But he made me eat them anyway."
"What about Commander Walsh?"
"He didn't care if we ate our vegetables, just so long as we didn't kill
each other."
"Sometimes I wish you had." She said it without even thinking, and his
arms tightened around her reflexively. "I'm sorry... I can't believe I just said
that..."
"You have nothing to be sorry about, ever." He sounded so fierce, and
sure. "And you'll never have anything to worry about ever again."
"Killbane's dead." She sighed, pulling the blankets up closer, and
snuggling down next to him, yawning.
He could tell from her breathing that she was sleeping, but he couldn't
join her. He couldn't. He was remembering the hour in the cabin while he
tinkered with that damned comm, cannibalizing parts from the scanner. She had
been curled up on the cot, wrapped in a motheaten blanket, with cracked and
broken ribs, the bruises darkening from yellow to angry red and purple before his
very eyes.
And her eyes had been empty. He had tried talking, but she hadn't heard
a word. He knew it. The tears had all dried and there had been nothing left
except pain.
He never wanted to see her eyes that way again.
Even if it meant searching every inch of the Universe for Killbane and
ripping his heart out himself.
* * *
Goose came up behind Niko as she was towel drying her hair and dropped a
kiss on her neck. She jumped about a mile high, and his grin vanished.
"I'm sorry, babe."
"No, it's my fault. I didn't hear you coming, I guess it's this carpet."
She smiled, trying to still her heart, which was beating like a hummingbird's.
"You just surprised me." She resumed toweling her hair, trying hard not to admit
that even though she had known it was Goose, could be no one else except Goose,
she had still felt that moment of panic.
"How about a swim?"
"That sounds perfect." She flashed him a genuine smile, and he returned
it.
* * *
Walsh cut the visual on the comm, and rubbed the bridge of his nose with
two fingers, knowing that it would do little to prevent the oncoming headache.
Normally, he would be glad for any tip Geezie sent BETA, but just this once he
wished he had never heard what the nosy pedulont had to report.
However, that didn't change the facts.
He keyed up the comm, wondering what he was going to tell the man who was
like a son to him.
* * *
Goose ducked as she kicked spray in his general direction.
"Hey!"
"You're already wet." She laughed, lazily swimming a few strokes to his
left.
"You're going to be wetter, shortly," he growled, and she shrieked as he
lunged for her. He picked her up and threw her into the deep end of the pool.
She came up sputtering, and his face was split by a wide grin.
"You're going to get it, Shane!" Her eyes narrowed.
"Oh, am I really?" He arched a brow, treading water.
"Maybe." She cut cleanly through the water, auburn hair streaming out
behind her.
"Is that they way this game is to be played?"
"You don't know where, and you don't know when..." she giggled as his hand
brushed her waist.
"You're going to get sunburned," he whispered in her ear.
"You feel like lunch?" She put her arms around his neck, kicking lazily.
"Let me do some laps, work off breakfast first."
"I'll go up and order room service."
* * *
She finished towel-drying her hair, a smile tugging at the corner of her
mouth. The message light was blinking. She figured Goose must have rung up
while she was in the shower.
Niko picked up one of the vases of orchids to put on the table, and on the
way pressed the flashing message button on the comm. She froze at Commander
Walsh's voice.
"Goose, I'm sorry to disturb you and Niko on your vacation, but I'm afraid
it's important. Killbane has been sighted on Tortuna."
The vase of orchids slipped through her hands to shatter on the hard wood
floor of the breakfast area.
"I'm sorry, Shane. He's not dead. Zach and Doc have been dispatched, and
I assure you we will--" She didn't hear the rest, her heart was roaring in her
ears, and she stumbled into the bedroom, rummaging through her bag until she
found what she was looking for.
She closed her fingers around the gleaming gold badge, trying to will her
hands to stop shaking.
Killbane was alive.
Not for long.
* * *
Cody damn near had a stroke when he brought the lights up in his room and
saw her sitting on the edge of his bed.
"Miss Niko..."
"I need your help."
The way she was looking at him, he couldn't say no.