AUTHOR: player
RATING: R - Graphic violence, language, and some sexual situations.
CATEGORY: Action/Adventure, Drama, and Romance.
SPOILERS: Season 1, and Season 2 up to OoTM.
SUMMARY: Sorry, I can't do it this time either. Anything I write would give too much away. Well, that's not entirely true. I CAN say that... Oh, never mind. I won't say anything at all. You'll just have to read the fic. :)
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters, the Jim Henson Company does, and... Like I said before, yadda, yadda, yadda.
ARCHIVING: If you want it, ask me first.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the fourth of ten fics in "The Grant Chronicles". Yeah, I finally came up with a name. I know it's not much, but at least it's something. And something is always better than nothing, right? Besides, I may come up with a new one someday. And you saw right. I said ten fics when I originally said six. I had this nagging thought in the back of my brain about the way I had originally intended to end the series. So, I came up with three more fics that will tie in with the rest of the series and will tie some plotlines up, and I came up a smut fic for some friends and anyone who wants to read it. However, the smut fic is not required reading. It's just for fun.
Anyway, the previous fics are "Going Home?", "A Mother's Love", and "To Kill For". Just like I've said before, "Going Home?" takes place two weeks after OoTM, so most of the events that happened after that never happened in this AU series. If you want to understand what's going on in this story, you need to read those other three fics.
Sharon, I can't begin to tell you how much you mean to me and how much you have helped me... But I can say I love you... Thanks once more to 13thNight and Aleria, and their "red pens" for being my absolutely fantastic beta readers.
Flashbacks denoted by asterisks.
Stepping back slightly, she crouched and rested her hands on her knees. She stared at the beaten dummy and tried to slow her breathing to calm herself as her heart pounded in her chest. With a sigh, she slowly stood up and walked out of the bedroom to the stool in front of the strategy table at the front of her quarters. Sitting down with a groan, she rested her sore elbows on her sore knees and let her head fall. She silently thanked Talyn for showing her the Peacekeeper fighting techniques in his data stores.
'Are you okay?' Talyn asked worriedly.
Looking up, Natalie said, "Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"
'You stopped so suddenly. You've never done that before.'
She pulled the band holding her ponytail in place, letting her hair fall onto her shoulders. Smoothing her tousled hair back, she redid the ponytail and softly said, "I'm just tired, Talyn. I needed a break. And..." she paused as she spun around in her seat, facing the table. She activated it, holographically displaying the first set of equations in front of her, and said, "I need to get back to work."
'You've been working for the past seven monens, Natalie. Why don't you stop for a while, so you can actually get some rest?'
"I can't stop, Talyn," she answered with a sigh. "If I stop, the damn thing just might reset, then I'll have to start all over again."
'You could be right. But just think about getting some rest. Working that hard can't possibly be good for you.'
"You're starting to sound like my mother," she said with a laugh.
'That's not a good thing, is it?'
"Well... No, it isn't," she laughingly said.
'I didn't think so.'
If Talyn had a face, Natalie knew he would be smiling. With a smile of her own, she began to study the equations in front of her, hoping to find the answer. After a quarter-arn of studying the same equation, she yelled in frustration, "Frell."
She rested her elbows on the table in front of her, clasped her hands, and rested her chin against them with a sigh. She stared at the hologram, but all she saw was a blur of numbers and alien letters. She had had enough.
Shutting off the console, she sat up, closed her eyes, and reached up to rub her neck. "Hey, Talyn," she said. "I'm going offline for a little while."
'You're not going to break anything this time, are you?' Talyn jokingly asked.
Natalie chuckled and said, "Actually, I was thinking about breaking a couple of DRDs. You know how fun they are to beat up."
'Well, just be careful, all right? I don't want you getting hurt.'
"Don't worry about me, Talyn," she said as she reached for her transponder. "I can take care of myself," she added, as she removed it.
She pushed herself up off her stool and walked to her nightstand in her bedroom, pulling off the access chip that hung on a piece of insulated wire around her neck. Opening the top drawer, she inserted the chip into the lock on her lockbox, opened it, and carefully placed the transponder inside next to the spare.
With a sigh, she closed the drawer and walked to where the practice dummy awaited and separated the bedroom and the office. She walked up to the dummy and stared at it. She went over the depressions on its surface from her previous exertions after frustrating sessions of working on the encrypted data crystal, the one that John had given to her before Moya and Talyn and their crews reluctantly went their separate ways.
After D'Argo's funeral, everyone separated and went to their respective ships. Natalie had seen Crais holding his head up high in defiance as he walked to one of Moya's golden transport pods. A part of her had wanted to laugh, and she felt guilty about it. D'Argo's body had been turned into ashes and his skeleton had just been buried inside the chapel. It just wasn't right to laugh then. With Chiana by her side, she walked in silence back to Moya's transport pod she had piloted down with Talyn and Pilot's help. Once back aboard their Leviathans, John and Aeryn quickly gathered their belongings and transferred them to Moya. With Chiana's, Natalie's, and Crais' help, they also transferred one of the Marauders and three of the Prowlers.
Chiana had gone back to Talyn first using the umbilical between the Leviathans that was helping to transfer nutrients from Moya to Talyn, leaving Natalie on Moya. As Natalie walked up to the air lock leading to the umbilical, John stopped her and gave her a copy of the data crystal he had confiscated from Scorpius. He'd had Pilot copy all the information from the original bloodstained crystal to another they had on board. He knew the information was encrypted and thought that she would like to try to 'crack the code' as he put it. He said he would contact her if he managed to find the code to unlock the decryption sequence and access the information, and asked her to do the same if she accessed it first. She promised she would and took the crystal. After one last hug, she had walked through the umbilical to Talyn and had starburst away.
Now, seven monens later she was still working on trying to decrypt the information. In one of Moya's messages to Talyn, she said that John hadn't had any luck either. She said he wanted to break the code for her so Natalie could go home, not because he wanted to go home. He had made a promise to Aeryn and he was going to keep it.
She could feel the anger build inside her as she thought about all the days and nights she had spent in her quarters at her console, working on decrypting the information. She managed to answer the first equations that she hardly understood on several occasions by sheer luck. However, usually after she entered the correct answer for the first set of questions, she would get the first answer wrong on the second set of questions. Then the sequence would reset and she would have to start all over again with a different set of equations.
Suddenly, she punched the dummy as hard as she could with a yell, knocking it back slightly. As it came back up, she repeatedly punched it using different combinations: two rights and a left to the 'head'; a left to the midsection with two right jabs to the head, then a left hook; an elbow across the 'head' followed by another elbow to the midsection, then she jumped back with a left side-kick.
She punched, elbowed, kneed, chopped, and kicked the dummy as hard as she could, seeing the bag as each person she had been forced to face since arriving in the Uncharted Territories, from McDaniel to Kcrackic and his men on the commerce planet, to the Peacekeeper she had killed on the Gammak Base - the first person she had ever killed. She also saw the mine owners and their guards and gunners on the mining colony, Barig and Rallin on the commerce station, Dalek, and the Marauder and Prowler pilots. She saw the crew of the command carrier that had been destroyed. Then there were the Nebari whom she couldn't get out of her mind.
Drenched in sweat, Natalie slowed out of exhaustion and punched the dummy one last time. Her breathing labored and her heart pounding in her chest, she leaned forward against it and rested her arms on top of it, then rested her head on her arms. She closed her eyes and thought about those Nebari.
She shot up from her seat against the right forward pylon on the floor. Running to the comms console, she said, "It's about damn time you contacted me. I've been going out of my mind up here."
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that, but we've got a big problem."
"What?" she and Talyn asked simultaneously, but John couldn't hear Talyn.
"There's a Nebari ship leaving the planet. They've got a copy of the data crystal. So, you're going to have to take them out, Natalie."
"Why?" she asked, hoping it was something she could refuse. "What's on the crystal?"
"Wormhole information."
She closed her eyes, letting her head fall, and thought, 'Damn.' She knew if the Nebari got their hands on wormhole technology they could screw the universe. She and Talyn didn't have a choice. "I'll be back in a sec," she said and closed the comms channel. "Talyn," she said, looking back at his beta channel. "Where are they now?"
'They're emerging from the atmosphere.'
Natalie sighed, turning around to look out Talyn's forward portholes, and said, "Well, you heard the man. Let's go get 'em. But be careful, okay?"
'Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself,' he said, sounding annoyed.
"Right," she mumbled. 'Typical teenager,' she silently added.
Catching up with the Expresser as it left the planet's atmosphere, Talyn formed up behind it and activated his main cannon. He targeted the Nebari ship and fired a single shot. The Expresser turned at the last second, narrowly avoiding it. The ship set course for the massive debris field that had been the command carrier in an attempt to lose Talyn, but Talyn changed course and stayed with them.
"Jam their comms. They may try to contact their host ship."
'They're already sending out a coded signal,' he yelled. 'I'm blocking the transmission now.'
"Do you know how much of the signal got through?"
'No.'
"Damn. Well, let's hope we cut enough of it off so the host ship won't come get us. I don't really feel like being mind-cleansed today."
'So, when will you feel like being mind-cleansed?'
Natalie chuckled and said, "You're starting to sound like me."
'Really?'
"Yup."
'I guess I'll take that as a compliment.'
"Don't. It's not a good thing," she deadpanned as she watched the Expresser enter the field, avoiding flying metal debris.
'All right,' he said dryly and increased his speed as he came up on the field.
"Be careful in there."
'I know,' he said annoyed.
"Just trying to help."
Targeting a large chunk of tangled wreckage as they entered the field, Talyn destroying it and said, 'I don't need your help.'
"Oh, of course you don't," she said with a knowing smirk as she looked back at his beta channel. Looking back out at the debris field, in surprise, she asked, "Where'd he go?"
Talyn slowed and began scanning the wreckage for anything that didn't match the metals and composites that Peacekeepers used in their ships. Weaving through the flying wreckage, he and Natalie searched in grids and were able to see around some of the smaller debris. Unfortunately, the larger pieces of wreckage blocked their view. Banking around a large piece of debris, they saw the Expresser directly in front of them with its main weapon at the ready. Before Talyn could do anything, the Nebari fired. The blast hit Talyn's main cannon, disabling it and many other systems, and knocked Natalie to the deck with small explosions erupting all around her. Fortunately, Natalie was okay and the gun and other systems were all still salvageable.
"Oh, there they are," she said as she gripped the console in front of her and pulled herself up. She smoothed back her hair and planted her hands on the console. She ordered, "Talyn, give me ramming speed."
'What?' Talyn exclaimed. 'I still have my secondary cannons...'
"Talyn, just do it, okay? I've got a plan." She turned to look back at his beta channel and softly added, "Trust me."
'I trust you,' Talyn immediately responded.
"Then give me ramming speed and do what I tell you," she softly said. Walking up to his beta channel, she reached up to touch him and added, "I promise that I'll try to not get you killed."
Natalie walked back to the right override console, bracing herself against it. Once he was certain that Natalie was ready, Talyn immediately started his run at full power, building speed and momentum as he raced head-on towards the Nebari ship.
"You know, someone once said that the hardest part about playing Chicken is knowing when to flinch," Natalie said offhandedly.
'Who said that?'
"I don't remember. It was just some guy in a movie I once saw. Are they targeting us?"
'No, they're just sitting there waiting for us.'
"They want to get us point blank," she mumbled, as the Expresser loomed larger and larger in Talyn's forward portholes. As the distance between the two ships shrank, Natalie saw a Nebari standing in the forward porthole of the Expresser. She thought she recognized the man standing there, but she was still too far away to be sure. In fact, she thought he looked like Meelak, and whispered, "What the hell..."
Breaking Natalie's reverie, Talyn warned, 'They're marshalling power for their main weapon.'
"I see it," Natalie said and looked down at the console. She looked back up and saw that the Nebari had disappeared. She added, "Hold your course."
The two remained silent for several microts as they sped towards the Nebari ship.
'They're ready to fire,' Talyn suddenly yelled.
"Dive," Natalie yelled back. "Target them and fire, now."
Talyn immediately dove to his left, targeting the Nebari ship as ordered, and fired at it with all four of his secondary cannons. All four blasts hit the Nebari ship as it was preparing to fire. The Expresser was heavily shielded, but the blasts overloaded the ship's own weapons system, causing it to explode in an immense fireball. The blast rocked Talyn and sent Natalie crashing to the floor.
Natalie gripped the console, slowly pulling herself off the floor, and asked, "Are there any survivors?"
'No. I'm not seeing any life signs.'
"How 'bout body parts? Is there any intact organic material that might help us to figure out who exactly was on board that ship?"
'No.'
"Damn."
'What's wrong?'
"Did you see that Nebari in the window? I could've sworn that was Meelak..."
'Are you sure? If it was, then John would've known... If he knew, then why would he lie to us?'
"I don't know..."
'Are you going to ask him?'
"No... It'll probably be for the best if I don't. But I do have to tell him something..." Opening a comms channel through her link to Talyn, Natalie solemnly said, "It's done, John. Talyn took 'em out."
Feeling something tapping her booted foot, she opened her eyes to see one of Talyn's DRDs bumping into her foot. "Hey," she quietly said with a smile, gaining the DRD's attention. "Stop that."
The DRD squeaked in response.
"I'm okay, Talyn," she said softly, knowing that the Leviathan was trying to speak to her through the small droid. "I'm just tired. But at least I didn't break anything."
The DRD turned around and scurried away out of the bedroom and into a small hole in the wall on the other side of the main room between the couch and rib
Unexpectedly, the hatch to her quarters opened, drawing Natalie's attention to it. As she straightened up, she saw Chiana standing there with a plate of something she couldn't recognize and a bottle of raslac.
Chiana stepped through the hatch, walked over to the table, and set down the plate and cup. She looked at Natalie and said, "You forgot about dinner again. So I figured I'd come to you."
"Yeah," Natalie said sheepishly. "I was just working."
"Oh, really?" Chiana asked sarcastically with a smirk.
Natalie pushed herself off the dummy, walked around the bed to her dresser, and said, "Yes, really."
"You're lucky, you know?"
"Oh, yeah?" Natalie asked as she opened the door to the dresser and pulled out a black t-shirt and a towel. She walked into the head next to the dresser and added, "How so?"
"If we were on Moya, your food would already be gone," Chiana answered lightheartedly.
Chiana's words surprised Natalie and she almost stopped dead in her tracks. But she walked up to the basin in the head, hoping Chiana hadn't seen her reaction. From past experience, Natalie knew that Chiana could still see her from her seat at the strategy table. She laid down her shirt and towel on the small table next to the basin and pulled off her sweat-drenched tank top and Peacekeeper bra, throwing them onto a large pile of dirty laundry on the floor. She pulled off the band holding the hairs that hadn't become dislodged as she beat up the practice dummy, then smoothed back her hair and retied it in a ponytail to keep it out of her face. Turning on the basin, she cupped some of the warm cleansing fluid in her hands and splashed her face.
As she washed, she wondered again why Chiana had wanted to come with her instead of going with Moya and the others. She didn't want to annoy Chiana, so she kept quiet about it and hoped that her Nebari friend would want to open up to her. But in the past seven monens, Chiana hadn't said a word. She hadn't even mentioned Moya until now. She hadn't been her usual brash self and was actually somewhat subdued. Part of it was because of D'Argo's death, that much was obvious. However, it was also something else. Was it her memories of D'Argo and what she had done to him on Moya that she couldn't face? Was it one of the others? Or was it something else? Natalie didn't know, and she wasn't going to push Chiana on it. She was going to give her as much time as she needed.
Turning off the basin, Natalie picked up the towel to dry herself and looked into the mirror. She watched Chiana solemnly pick at the food on the plate in front of her and sighed. She kept her eyes on the other woman and tossed the towel onto the floor with all her other dirty laundry, put on the t-shirt, and pulled her ponytail out of it. Turning around, she walked over to the console and sat down to eat, sharing the meal with Chiana.
"What is this anyway?" Natalie asked as she picked up a fork, pierced a piece of meat, and gazed at it.
"It's..." Chiana started, but was interrupted when the lights suddenly went out.
"Now what?" Natalie asked as she and Chiana looked up.
"It better not be what happened with that female Leviathan two monens ago," Chiana exclaimed.
"I hope not," Natalie said. "I swear he's just like a typical hormonal teenager."
"Jasik," Lieutenant Yavis addressed from his seat at the Marauder's pilot console. He reached up to scratch the stubble on his cheek and asked, "Has the sleep agent taken affect?"
"Yes, sir," the squad's blonde tech answered as she scanned Talyn. "The Leviathan is powering down and his weapons are retracting."
"What about its outer doors?"
"They're still closed, sir."
"What do you mean they're still closed?" Yavis yelled. "The techs on the Vigilante said its doors should open as soon as the sleep agent took affect."
"Well, what do you expect, sir?" the grungy co-pilot said. Glaring at his female companion, he added in contempt, "They ARE techs."
"That they are, Corporal Welin," the Lieutenant responded, glaring in the same direction as his subordinate. "That they are."
Jasik could feel their glares, but she ignored them and continued with her duties. She knew they were bred to be ignorant grots, but she didn't hold it against them. She also knew that if it weren't for her, the rest of her crewmates would've died long ago.
Her console suddenly lit up, alerting her to the Leviathan's condition. "Sir, the hybrid's outer doors are opening."
"It's about frelling time," Yavis yelled as he turned back to look out the forward portholes. He activated a comms channel to the jump bay and addressed the other two members of his team, "Kosen, Div, get ready."
The Marauder sped into one of Talyn's treblin side docking bays. As it set down, Kosen and Div jumped out of the jump bay and onto Talyn's deck. They ran for cover beside the Marauder's large forward landing struts and scanned the docking bay for any threats with their night-vision monocles. Seeing nothing, they signaled their Lieutenant, who jumped down with the three other squad members almost immediately.
"Kosen, Div, you take the lower tiers," the Lieutenant ordered as they stalked to the hatch leading out of the docking bay. "Welin, Tolec, you take the upper tiers. Jasik, you're coming with me."
"Why don't you ask me that AFTER I've put the transponder in," Natalie answered as she reached up behind her neck to insert her transponder.
"Sorry," Chiana said emphatically.
With a sigh, Natalie tried switching transponder frequencies, but to no avail. "I can't see a frelling thing." Looking directly at Chiana, she added, "Talyn's out cold and so are his senses. Not even his DRDs are working. His calorics are working on minimum, so that means..." she trailed off as she walked to the hatch and palmed it open. Looking at Chiana she added, "We have door controls and manual overrides. But environmentals are working on minimum."
The two looked at each other and remained silent in thought for a few microts. They simultaneously said, "Peacekeepers."
Natalie immediately jogged back to her nightstand, pulled out her sidearm and a night vision monocle, and laid them on the bed. As she tucked her shirt into her black cargo pants, she asked, "Do you think you can make it to your quarters?"
"Of course, I can," Chiana coolly answered as she watched Natalie pick her belt up off the bed. "But it won't do us any good."
Natalie instantly looked up at Chiana as she buckled her belt around her waist, and asked, "Why not?"
"My gun isn't in my quarters. It's in the maintenance bay."
"You haven't fixed it yet?"
"No," she answered sheepishly. "I just didn't feel like it."
Natalie put a hand on her hip and reached up to rub the bridge of her nose with a sigh. "All right," she said and looked back up at Chiana. "If we get out of this alive, you're going to fix that thing."
"Well, how the FRELL am I supposed to fix it without the PARTS I need?"
"Yeah, how can you fix it?" she asked rhetorically. She reached down to buckle the holster around her right thigh, picked up the monocle, and placed it on her head. Activating the monocle, she adjusted the light intensity and, with a sigh, added, "But it doesn't matter. Now that I think about it, we'll probably die whether you have it or not."
"Oh, that's comforting."
"I never was the comforting type," Natalie said dryly as she walked to the open hatch and pulled out her pulse pistol. She looked out into the passageway and aimed her pistol down one end then the other, checking for any threat. Hearing footsteps coming down the corridor, she spun back around into her quarters, running towards Chiana, and shut the hatch with her neural link. As she grabbed Chiana's arm, she whispered, "C'mon."
Natalie pulled Chiana to the small opening in the right wall leading to the access shaft the DRDs used to travel in and out of her quarters. It was the only place in her quarters that she was sure the Peacekeeper night vision monocles wouldn't be able to pick up their heat acoustics. Fortunately, the opening was large enough for a person to barely squeeze through. Chiana crawled in first and sat down against the bulkhead to her right. Natalie sat down on the deck and slid in feet first to her left. She saw going in feet first as the best way for her to be able to maneuver herself to look out of the dark access shaft. If she had gone in headfirst as Chiana had, it would have taken her several precious microts to reposition herself since there was hardly any room inside the shaft. Once in position on the deck with her back planted against the rear bulkhead, she raised her pistol and waited for the Peacekeepers.
The hatch suddenly opened revealing two Peacekeepers - a male and a female - in red and black special-ops uniforms with their pulse rifles raised and ready to fire. They slowly and silently stepped inside and swept the room. They checked under the strategy table, behind the manual override console, the office, and the bedroom. All the while, Natalie watched them from inside the access shaft with her pistol armed and ready.
Seeing an open hatch in the bedroom, Yavis signaled Jasik, who covered the rear as she walked around the bed. She planted her back against the bulkhead next to the open hatch to cover her Lieutenant. Yavis nodded at her, letting her know he was ready and, seeing her acknowledgement, entered the head with his pulse rifle raised. Lowering his rifle, he said, "All clear."
Following procedure, Jasik entered the head to confirm Yavis' statement. Seeing the dirty laundry scattered around the basin and shower, she said in disgust, "The captain's a slob."
"The captain..." Yavis trailed off quietly with a sneer as he knelt down and picked up Natalie's sweat drenched bra. "Is female. I'm going to enjoy this."
Chiana and Natalie had heard the Peacekeeper's conversation. They were disgusted by the male's comment, but Chiana tried to stifle a giggle from the female's comment about Natalie's hygiene.
As Natalie shot Chiana an irritated look, they heard the male say, "Jasik, I saw a data crystal in the port on the strategy table. Check it out."
"Yes, sir."
Natalie watched as Jasik walked out of the bedroom and over to the strategy table, but she couldn't see what the male was doing. She thought, 'He's probably trying on my underwear.'
Jasik activated the table and displayed the data crystal's information, but quickly found that the information was encrypted. "Frell," she said as she studied the equations in the hologram in front of her.
"What is it?" Yavis asked as he walked up to stand next to her.
"It's an access code, sir. I have to answer these equations to view the actual data on the crystal. And whatever the data is, it's important."
"Can you answer them?"
"I can try."
"Do it. If the data's that important, then First Command is going to want to see it. I'm going to find the bridge. When you're finished here, report to me there."
"Yes, sir," she replied as Yavis walked out of Natalie's quarters.
Natalie watched the Peacekeeper try to answer the equations and hoped that the tech would be able to unlock the information. She didn't think she was up to anymore late night sessions, working on trying to decrypt the information only to end up working out her frustrations on the practice dummy.
Jasik had made several attempts to answer the equations, each time she incorrectly answered one in the second set and was forced to start over again. However, this time she had managed to reach the fourth and final set and was studying the final equation. She reached down to input her answer, but was interrupted by her comms.
"Lieutenant," she heard Welin say. "We've searched the upper tiers and have found nothing."
"We haven't found anything either, sir," Div said over the comms.
"Frell," Yavis muttered. "I want all of you to get back to the Marauder and retrieve the equipment. I found the bridge and I've accessed the ship's higher functions. I'm ready to sever them. Div, I want you to bring me the laser saw. The rest of you, prepare the ship for the control collar. Jasik, report."
"I've almost completed the access code, sir," she answered.
"Good. When you're finished, go to the Marauder and help the others with the preparations."
"Yes, sir," she said and keyed in the final answer. The equation disappeared and a dizzying array of blueprints and other equations suddenly appeared in the hologram. "Frell me," she mumbled as she tried to process the barrage of information she saw. She didn't understand it, but she knew it was important and that it could mean a promotion for her.
A large smile grew on Natalie's face as she tried to read the hologram and thought about Jason and going home. Pulling herself out of the access shaft, she walked up behind Jasik with her pistol in hand as the Peacekeeper deactivated the table and pulled out the data crystal, placing it in a small pouch on the side of her belt. Unfortunately, Jasik saw Natalie's reflection in the strategy table and spun around to punch Natalie across the jaw, causing the human to drop the pistol. As the pistol slid to the right wall, Jasik immediately pulled out her own pistol and aimed it at Natalie's head.
"Stand up," Jasik ordered sternly. Seeing movement across the room, she ordered, "Reveal yourself, or I will kill your captain."
Not wanting to risk Natalie's life, Chiana slowly crawled out of the access shaft and stood up, keeping her arms outstretched.
"Stay there. If you move a muscle I will kill her, then you." Looking down at Natalie, she yelled, "I said stand up."
Natalie slowly stood as the Peacekeeper kept the pistol trained on her head and said, "I hope you realize it's not polite to point a gun at someone."
Jasik suddenly struck Natalie across the jaw with the barrel of her pistol, knocking her to the deck, and said, "Shut up. You will only speak when you are told to speak, understood?"
"Yeah, I understand," Natalie answered menacingly and rubbed her jaw as she slowly stood.
Jasik struck Natalie hard across the cheek, knocking her to the deck again, and yelled, "I said you will only speak when told to speak."
Natalie slowly stood as she rubbed her cheek and nodded in response.
She locked eyes with Natalie. Seeing the pain in her eyes, Jasik said, "You're not much are you? You're a slob...you're weak... You're pathetic and not fit to captain a vessel such as this."
"I may be a slob, but I can still kick your ass."
Jasik swung her arm out to strike Natalie again. But Grant blocked it with a chop to the inside of her elbow as she grabbed the tech's hand and pushed it, slamming the pulse pistol into Jasik's face. The Peacekeeper stumbled back slightly from the blow and dropped her pistol, but recovered quickly as blood trickled down her nose and slapped Natalie's ear, popping it.
Seeing Grant fall as she reached up to cover her ear, Chiana immediately ran to where the pulse pistol lay, but Jasik saw her and quickly pulled a black wrench out of the open tool kit strapped to her back and threw it at Chiana. The wrench hit Chiana in the head hard, knocking her out and sending her plunging to the deck.
Out of the corner of her eye, Natalie saw Chiana go down and looked up to see Jasik turning her attention back to her. She immediately planted her forearm against the deck to balance herself and kicked up into Jasik's abdomen, knocking the wind out of her and sending her back into the strategy table. As Natalie stood up, Jasik shook off the blow and pushed herself off the table, swinging around her arm to punch Natalie. Grant quickly leaned back, avoiding the blow and grabbed Jasik's arm as it swung past her. She twisted it around, forcing Jasik to bend over, then kneed her in the nose and knocked her back onto the deck with a broken nose.
As Natalie bent down to pick her up by her collar, Jasik instantly kicked up into Grant's jaw, forcing her to accidentally bite off a part of the side of her tongue.
"Shit," she screamed, covering her mouth and collapsing onto the deck at Jasik's feet with blood pouring out of her mouth.
"Like I said," Jasik said as she slowly stood up, wiping the blood off her lips and watching Natalie try to crawl to where her pistol lay. "Weak and pathetic. You are NOT fit to captain this ship." She strolled to where her pistol lay before Natalie could reach it, picked it up, and aimed it at Natalie's head, gently squeezing the trigger.
"Hey," Jasik heard from in front of her. As she looked up, Chiana immediately jabbed the Peacekeeper in the left eye with the wrench, driving it through her eye socket and into her brain. Jasik cried out as the wrench popped her eye, then fell to the deck as it penetrated her brain. Her body convulsed slightly as it slowly shut down and lay dead as blood flowed out of her eye socket.
Knowing she couldn't get Natalie to sickbay, Chiana knelt down next to Jasik and searched her. She hoped that the Peacekeeper was not only the squad's tech, but also their medic and had a med kit so she could help Natalie. She opened Jasik's red and black jacket and checked the Peacekeeper's pockets. In the inner right jacket pocket she found a small med kit and brought it to Natalie, not knowing Peacekeeper medicine and medical equipment as well as Natalie did. With just the two of them onboard, Natalie hadn't had any other choice but to learn even more about medicine since Chiana didn't seem to want to.
Kneeling next to Natalie, she laid her hand on her friend's shoulder and laid the med kit in front of her. She opened the kit and said, "Natalie, you have to show me what to use. I don't know what to do."
Trying to ignore the pain, Natalie shakily reached over and pointed to a vial of purple liquid in the middle of the left side of the case, then pointed to the syringe on the far left in the right side.
Chiana quickly removed the vial and the syringe, punctured the soft stopper in the vial with the needle, and filled the syringe with the liquid. She looked at Natalie and asked, "Where do I inject you?"
Natalie slowly reached up and pulled up her sleeve.
Chiana gently placed the needle in Natalie's arm and depressed the plunger, firing all of the liquid into her. Almost immediately, a wave of relief washed over Natalie's face and she closed her eyes and rolled over onto her back. She still felt some pain, but she was able to ignore it for the most part. Natalie slowly reached up and gave Chiana's arm a grateful squeeze in silent thanks. Turning her head, Natalie looked into the kit and reached over to pull out a small vial of red liquid. She reached out with her free hand, asking Chiana for the syringe. She gave the syringe to Natalie and watched as she depressed the plunger again, purging it of the small amount of liquid still inside. She punctured the stopper and released the plunger, filling the syringe with the medicine. Raising the syringe to her mouth, she gently placed the needle in her tongue and depressed the plunger. The shot instantly clotted her blood, stopping the bleeding, and also began to regenerate the tissue. Within a few monens, her tongue would be as good as new. Unfortunately, the shot would also cause the painkillers to wear off fairly quickly.
Tossing the syringe back into the kit, Natalie reached up with her other hand to wipe the blood from her lips and chin and, trying not to move her tongue, she said, "Thanks. You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Trying to take Natalie's mind off of the pain, she jokingly said, "You know, you really should do your laundry."
She closed her eyes, leaned back against the stool, and said, "I'm too lazy to do laundry. You're good with laundry, why don't you do it?"
With a playful grin, Chiana replied, "If you want me to do your laundry then you're going to have to pay me."
"How much do you charge?"
"Seven brandar tiles per load."
Natalie looked at Chiana incredulously and said, "Frell it, I'll do my own laundry." Reaching over, Natalie grabbed Jasik's pistol and handed it to Chiana. She reached into the pouch on Jasik's side to retrieve the data crystal and asked, "Why don't you go up to the bridge and take care of that Lieutenant? I'll go take care of the rest of the squad in the docking bay."
Taking the pistol, she asked, "Why do you get the docking bay and I only get to take care of a Lieutenant?"
"Well," Natalie said as she slowly stood on weak knees, placed the crystal inside the cargo pouch on her left thigh, and walked to where her pistol lay. Picking up the crystal, she slowly stood up, locked her eyes with Chiana, and asked, "Do you want to deal with one guy or four?"
"I'd rather deal with those four guys, Natalie."
Natalie could see the concern for her in Chiana's eyes, but she also saw something else. It worried her. "Look, Chiana, just go to the bridge, all right?"
"Fine," she pointedly responded. Seeing a strange look in Natalie's eyes, she asked, "You okay?"
"Yeah," Natalie answered. She lied.
As she rounded another corner to get to another access point, she saw a Peacekeeper directly in front of her, but she couldn't stop in time and ran into him, causing him to drop what he was carrying. Unfortunately, she also lost her pulse pistol - it had flown down the corridor and landed in the entrance of an adjoining maintenance corridor. With her eyes closed, she softly moaned as the pain in her tongue intensified, opened her eyes, and pushed her hair out of her face and found herself lying on top of a Peacekeeper who was dazed and didn't seem to notice that she was lying on him.
Shaking off the impact, the Peacekeeper finally noticed Natalie lying on top of him and locked his eyes with hers. He froze in shock, not knowing whether to kill or frell the beautiful woman. Natalie made the decision and quickly rolled off him. She spied the laser saw lying against the bulkhead and reached over to pick it up, aiming it at the Peacekeeper's head. Simultaneously, he unholstered his pulse pistol and aimed it at Grant's head as he planted his back against the hatch to the airlock.
Remembering the Lieutenant's orders, Natalie forced down the fear that nearly overwhelmed her and softly said, "You must be Div."
"Yeah, I'm Div. Who the frell are you?"
"Oh, I'm just a li'l ol' bitch who kills Peacekeepers."
Coming up to the hatch, Chiana planted her back against the bulkhead next to it. Turning, she peeked through the semi-transparent portholes and barely saw a figure in red and black moving from console to console and could barely see that the main consoles' front panels were open, revealing their inner workings. She pulled back, planted herself against the bulkhead again, and increased the power level on her pulse pistol, forcing it into overload. Realizing that the increased intensity of the pulse fire could severely damage Talyn, she decreased the power level moments before the pistol exploded.
Quickly reaching over, Chiana palmed open the hatch, slipped through it before it could completely open, and didn't draw the Peacekeeper's attention. She aimed the pistol with both hands at the commando and forcefully said, "Stop."
His Peacekeeper-honed instincts taking control, Yavis instantly spun around between the two main consoles for better access to more protected positions. As he spun, he unholstered his pulse pistol and aimed it at his assailant. Seeing that it was a female Nebari with only a pulse pistol, her legs akimbo, he relaxed slightly. A small incredulous grin grew on his face and he said, "Who are you supposed to be?"
"Does it matter?" she calmly asked with a small grin of her own as the hatch automatically closed behind her.
"No, it doesn't," he answered with a slight shake of the head, his grin growing wider. "But I like to know the name of the person I'm about to kill... Or frell, depending on the situation."
"Well, if you're going to kill me..." she started and pulled her left hand away from the pistol, spreading her arms out to her sides. "Then take your shot."
The Peacekeeper did nothing but maintain his aim at Chiana, his face blank. Ignoring the Nebari's invitation, Yavis asked, "Is there anyone else on board? Are you the captain of this ship?"
"No," she said with a giggle.
"No, there's no one else on board? Or, no, you're not the captain?"
Chiana's grin grew while she kept her eyes locked with the Lieutenant's. With a soft chuckle, she lowered her arms and hooked her thumbs into her belt as she held the pulse pistol dangling from her fingers.
"Dammit," Yavis yelled. Taking a single step forward, he planted his foot in front of him on the deck and leaned on it while he brought up his other hand to grip the pistol. "If you don't answer me, I will fire."
"Then fire," Chiana softly said, a haunted look in her eyes. She spread her arms out to her sides again and yelled, "C'mon, do it. Shoot me!"
Yavis did nothing. His blank face belied the confusion he felt. He opened his mouth slightly to speak, but immediately shut it and unsuccessfully tried to look as though he had only taken a breath.
Despite the Peacekeeper's calmness, Chiana could tell that he was stunned at her actions and said, "What? You don't want to kill me? I thought a Peacekeeper would jump at the chance to kill someone." She tilted her head and, hoping to surprise the commando again, she grinned and added, "Or, would you rather frell me?"
Yavis remained silent, but his silence only confirmed his surprise to Chiana.
"So, you do want to frell me?" she asked, acting as if his silence had meant 'yes' instead of indicating his surprise. Getting no response from Yavis, Chiana slid her free hand down her body to grab her crotch. "Is this what you want?" she purred.
Yavis licked his lips hungrily, lowered his pistol and, with a smirk, he said huskily, "Yeah, that is what I want, but I commed one of my men before you interrupted me. So, we only have a few microts before he gets here, but that's still plenty of time. And I think he'd like to have a turn at you, too."
"Well," she started as she lifted her hand away from her crotch and hooked her thumb in her belt. "Who says we only have a few microts? Maybe he'd like to watch, or even join in..."
"Maybe he WOULD like that," he said and holstered his sidearm.
Chiana immediately leapt across the bridge and onto the Peacekeeper, knocking him down to the ground and causing him to drop his pistol. She straddled his chest and pinned his arms to the deck with her knees as she wrapped her hand around his throat and pressed the barrel of her pistol against his forehead.
"You should've shot me when you had the chance," she said threateningly.
Yavis looked up at her coolly and said, "You know, you're absolutely right. I should've shot you." Lifting his forearms, Yavis grabbed Chiana's wrists, held her in place while he swiftly brought up his legs and, using his strength and momentum, flipped Chiana off him and onto her back above him. His momentum still carrying his legs forward, Yavis tried to flip over on top of Chiana, but she scrambled out of the way and behind the right front console.
Collecting his pulse pistol, Yavis spun to his left to aim his weapon at Chiana, but found that she had shifted positions while he momentarily had his back turned. With a smile, he slowly stood with his pistol out in front of him and walked up to the forward pylon and stopped. Checking the power setting on his pistol, Yavis saw that it was at maximum and lowered the power level to wound the Nebari instead of killing her. He wanted to teach her a lesson.
He took a single step forward and swiftly extended his arm to his right, ready to fire his pistol. But all he found was a dormant DRD. He turned, stepping behind the pylon and over the DRD and checked the space between the forward and second pylons. Not seeing her there, he stepped out into the center of the bridge and walked to the other side with his pulse pistol out in front of him.
"Where are you, little girl?" he asked as he walked under Talyn's beta channel.
Watching Yavis walk away from her to the other side of the bridge, Chiana pressed her feet harder against the dark gray bulkhead that made up the treblin side of the bridge and pressed her hands harder against the forward support pylon, trying to hold herself up out of Yavis' view. But her body began to shake from exhaustion. She let her head fall, giving her neck some much needed rest as she pressed her back against Talyn's ceiling. Eyeing the pulse pistol stuffed into her belt, she held her breath and tried to keep as quiet as possible to avoid drawing Yavis' attention back to the treblin side. But holding her breath only made her heart pound harder in her chest and she swore that it was loud enough for Yavis to hear.
Hearing Yavis walk back to her side at the back of the bridge, Chiana lifted her head and pressed it against the ceiling, and hoped that Yavis couldn't see the hair falling around her face. She knew she couldn't hide from him forever, her strength would never last that long. She had to act soon, not for her sake, but for Natalie's. The human would never be able to take on three Peacekeeper commandos on her own and Chiana knew she would need some backup soon.
Yavis walked to the front of the bridge and turned to stand in between the forward and middle pylons, directly in front of Chiana with his pistol pointed down at the floor. He menacingly asked, "Where are you?"
Pulling her feet away from the bulkhead, Chiana swung her legs around and kicked Yavis in the back, catching him off guard, and let go of the support pylon. She sent him crashing to the deck face first and caused him to inadvertently throw his pistol across the bridge. Chiana landed at Yavis' feet and next to the DRD as she pulled the pistol out of her belt, but her knees buckled from the impact and caused her to fall onto her back. Her breathing labored and her heart pounding in her chest, she quickly sat up and aimed the pistol at Yavis' back. Simultaneously, he flipped over onto his back and sat up, planting his hand behind him on the deck to support him as he laid his other arm on his bent knee.
She stared into Yavis' eyes down the barrel of the pistol and saw his rage at being ambushed by her, someone he considered to be a lower life form. Smiling, she said, "I'm right here." She slowly stood, but kept the pistol trained at Yavis' head. "I thought you were supposed to be part of the elite. You can't be much if you couldn't find a 'lower life form' like me."
"I am part of the elite," he said threateningly. "If I wasn't, then I wouldn't be able to take that pulse pistol from you."
"You wouldn't be able to take this pistol from me? Well, I'd certainly like to see you try."
Surprising Chiana, Yavis quickly grabbed the pulse pistol with his left hand, pulling it out of her hand and simultaneously sucker-punched her across the jaw with his other hand, knocking her down to the deck. Grabbing the pistol with his right hand, he aimed it down at Chiana.
She propped herself up on her elbow, reached up to rub her bruised jaw, and said, "So, are you going to kill me this time?"
"Maybe."
"If you're going to shoot me, then do it," she quietly said, staring up at him with her face expressionless. "Do it. Shoot me, you welnitz. Kill me."
"Oh, I will," Yavis said and crawled on top of Chiana, pushing her down onto the deck as he knelt over her. "All in good time. But first..." he trailed off as he let his free hand travel down to her crotch. "I'm going to have some fun."
Reaching over, Chiana grabbed the DRD next to her and smashed it against Yavis' head, destroying the DRD and giving Yavis a fractured skull. He dropped the pistol onto Chiana's abdomen and fell back as he grabbed his head, the blood from his wound flowing down his arm and jacket.
Chiana grabbed the pistol and stood up at Yavis' feet, aiming it down at him. She said, "Like I said before, you should've shot me when you had the chance."
Squeezing the trigger, Chiana fired a single shot at Yavis' head, but he rolled onto his side and barely avoided the pulse blast. Immediately propping himself up on his elbow, Yavis kicked up into Chiana's gut, knocking the wind out of her and causing her to stumble back against the bulkhead and lose her pistol. She protectively wrapped her arms around her abdomen as she leaned back against the bulkhead, coughing and hyperventilating.
Yavis dropped his leg and sat up and watched Chiana as she choked. He contemptuously mumbled, "Stupid girl."
Turning around, he crawled to the pulse pistol lying near Chiana but, despite her pain, she managed to kick it out of the way to the front of the bridge. With her arm still wrapped around her midsection, she tried to kick Yavis, but he caught her foot and pushed her back, throwing her down onto the deck.
She turned onto her side and propped herself up on her elbow, keeping her other arm wrapped around her midsection as she coughed and tried to catch her breath. Seeing Yavis stumbling his way to the pulse pistol as he held his wounded head, Chiana slowly got up and leapt across the length of the bridge. She landed on Yavis' back, knocked his face against the red bulkhead under the forward portholes, and broke his nose. She saw the pistol lying on the deck next to where he fell and, knowing that Natalie still needed her help, kicked it to the side.
Ignoring the pain he felt from his broken nose, Yavis twisted around, elbowed Chiana in the chin, and sent her stumbling back against the open override console. She hit the console hard, crying out in pain, and fell to the deck, reaching behind her to clutch her lower back as a large bruise began to form on her chin.
Yavis reached up to wipe away the blood flowing out of his nose and down his lips and chin as he watched Chiana struggle to stand up with her hand on her back. With his hand planted against the forward bulkhead to steady himself, Yavis slowly stood and strode up to Chiana. He grabbed her by her bodice and picked her up, pushing her against the console.
"What a waste," he said, letting his gaze fall down Chiana's body. "I could've had a good frell with you."
"In your dreams," Chiana responded, using one of Natalie's expressions, and kneed Yavis in the crotch. As he howled and let go of her to grab his crotch, Chiana grabbed his jacket and flipped them both back over the console. They landed on the deck in front of the open console with Chiana standing over Yavis, her feet firmly planted on either side of his torso. She quickly reached up into the console before he could react, grabbed a bundle of synapses with both hands and ripped them out of the console sending sparks everywhere. She quickly jabbed Yavis on the forehead with the exposed wiring at the end of the bundle, electrocuting him.
Once she was certain Yavis was dead, she pulled the synapse bundle away from his forehead and slowly stepped back. She collapsed on the deck in front of the hatch in exhaustion, her breathing labored. Remembering another expression of Natalie's, she mumbled, "This sucks."
"Why is it so important to you to know who I am?"
"The members of my squad prefer knowing the names of the people we kill."
"Oh, in that case..." she said, rolling her eyes, then flinched as a stab of pain shot through her tongue. "All right, you want to know who I am? I'm Doctor Natalie Grant."
"Who?"
"Who?" Natalie asked, mocking the Peacekeeper. "Who? What are you a frelling owl?"
"What the frell is that supposed to mean?"
"What the frell is that supposed to mean?" she repeated derisively, knowing full well that Div didn't understand her. Trying to get him to make a stupid move, she continued and hoped that she didn't anger him into shooting her. "What the frell is that supposed to mean? Just what kind of a moron are you to not understand what I said? Or have all those cesium fuel fumes turned your brain into mush? Or MAYBE you were just born stupid and the Peacekeeper's genetic screeners didn't catch it?"
Natalie saw Div move his shoulder to swing his pistol at her head and reached up, letting go of the laser saw with one hand and hitting his wrist with it to block it. Simultaneously, she jabbed the end of the saw into Div's abdomen, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to topple over. Fortunately, he let go of his pistol like she had hoped, but it was sent sliding across the deck, down the corridor.
"Too bad I didn't take up golf," Natalie mumbled, ignoring the pain in her tongue, and stood up with the laser saw in hand. Seeing that Div was still on the deck, trying to catch his breath, she faced down the corridor and aimed the saw down at the deck and held the grip like a golf club. She spread her legs, bent her knees, kept her shoulders back, and casually said, "I actually prefer hockey. The Stars are my favorite team. Yeah, I know that the Stars are in Dallas, BUT they're the only NHL team in Texas." Looking back down at the saw, she added, "And this is my first time taking a swing, so you'll forgive me if I don't get it just right."
Div managed to get up and tried to grab the saw, but Natalie saw him move and swung, hitting Div in the jaw. The strike flipped him over onto his back and knocked out a few teeth. Enraged, he immediately swung his leg around, kicking Natalie's legs out from under her, and sent her crashing to the floor. Once Natalie was on the deck, he swiftly pulled his leg up and brought it down hard across her abdomen. She cried out, wrapping her arms around her midsection, and rolled onto her side, facing Div.
He tried to get up again, but Natalie opened her eyes despite the pain and saw him. She swung her legs out in front of her as she rolled over, kicking him in the face with one leg after another. Her kicks flipped him over onto his back. Her momentum carrying her over, Natalie tucked her legs under her as she rolled over and pushed up, standing up on the other side of the corridor. Almost instantly, she spun to her right with her left hand extended down in front of her to block Div, knowing he wouldn't stay down.
Looking down at Div, Natalie finally noticed after a few microts that he had been knocked out and was now coming around. Over his soft groaning, she said, "Well, damn. I thought you'd put up more of a fight than that. But I'm not complaining...definitely not complainin'."
Kneeling beside Div, she unbuckled his belt, pulling it off him, unbuttoned the strap connecting the holster to the belt, and threw the holster away. She turned him over and put his hands behind his back, lacing his fingers together to tightly bind his hands, wrists, and forearms together with the belt. Natalie then turned him over onto his back, removed his shin guards and boots, and unzipped his trousers. She pulled them off and tied them around his ankles, but kept one pant leg free. She turned him back over onto his stomach and tied the pant leg to the belt, hog-tying him and effectively immobilizing him.
Softly groaning, he turned his head, looked at Natalie, and said, "I thought you said you were the bitch who was going to kill me?"
"Yeah, well, I can be a bitch...but I lied about the killing part," she dryly said. She grinned at him contemptuously and lightly tapped his cheek as she said, "I never kill on the first date. Maybe next time."
Standing up, Natalie turned to continue down the corridor, grab her pulse pistol, and get to the next access point, but instead, found herself looking down the barrel of another pistol. She looked up and saw that the Peacekeeper was a Corporal. She also saw, and smelled, that he could use a good bath.
With a disarming grin that belied his appearance, he said, "Perhaps you'd like to kill ME? Or perhaps you'd like to TRY?"
"Very funny," he said sarcastically.
"Yeah, well, I thought it was."
Ignoring Natalie, the Peacekeeper glanced at Div and ordered, "Untie him."
"You're kidding me?" she asked, feigning incredulity. "You actually want me to untie him after all that hard work I did?"
"Shut up and do what I said," he replied sternly.
"All right...all right," Natalie responded, putting her hands up. "I'll do it. Don't get your panties in a twist."
"Just shut up and do it," he ordered again, annoyed and not knowing what the frell she was talking about.
Kneeling on the ground, Natalie slowly untied Div's trousers from around his ankles and the pant leg from around his belt and asked, "So, who are you?"
"Why the frell do you want to know?" the Corporal replied.
"I'm just trying to be friendly," she mumbled sarcastically as she untied the belt from around Div's wrists.
Suddenly, Div brought his arm forward and swung it up, hitting Natalie across the jaw and knocking her back to the deck. Glaring at Div, she protectively cradled her jaw and tried to ignore the pain in her tongue, while he grabbed his trousers and stood up. Natalie furiously said, "You keep that up and I'll start thinking that all Sebaceans get PMS, regardless of gender."
"Get up," the Corporal ordered while Div went to stand next to him and put his trousers back on.
Natalie slowly stood up as ordered and kept her left hand behind her, keeping Div's belt (still in her hand) out of view. Glaring at the Peacekeepers, she asked, "So, what are you going to do now? Let me go?"
"Let you GO?" Div repeated in disbelief.
"Well, I would've asked if you were going to kill me, but that just seemed so cliché."
"You..." the Corporal started, but was interrupted as his comms came to life.
"Welin, where the frell are you?" Natalie heard a Peacekeeper yell through the comms. She brought her legs together, let go of the buckle, dangling it behind her, and hoped that Div and Welin hadn't seen it.
"I'm two tiers up and I just ran into Div." He smirked, looking at his comrade, and added, "He was having a trelk fight with some woman and got his ass beat."
Div hit a smirking Welin in the gut as they heard their fellow Peacekeeper laughingly say over the comms, "Leave it to Div to get his ass kicked by a trelk."
"Will you shut up?" Div asked, frustrated.
Welin chuckled and asked into his comms, "So, what do you want?"
"Me and Tolec need you to get your ass back down here to help us with this equipment. We can't move all this dren around on our own. So, quit frelling about with that trelk."
As the comms channel closed, Natalie brought her arm out, swinging the belt buckle across the cheeks of both Welin and Div. Weakened from his previous fight with Natalie, Div fell to the deck, but Welin remained standing and tried to charge Natalie. Before he could move an inch, she twirled the belt again as she jumped back, increasing the distance between them, and hit him on the top of the head. He stumbled back from the blow.
With her attention focused on Welin, Natalie didn't see Div get up. At the last microt she saw him charge, but not in time to move out of the way. Ramming her, Div mowed through Natalie, shoving her down to the ground with the wind knocked out of her. He turned around and lifted his foot to stomp on her head, but Natalie caught his foot, ignoring the pain she felt in her chest while she tried to catch her breath.
She coughed, then cringed from the smell and mumbled, "Damn, when was the last time you washed?" She swung her leg up, kicking Div in the gut. As he bent over she swung her leg again to kick him on the top of the head and pushed his foot, sending him onto his back on the deck.
Rolling over, Natalie stood up and turned around to face Welin who had already gotten up and had been watching her with Div.
"Impressive," he said.
Swinging the belt, she struck Welin across the cheek a second time, causing him to stumble slightly. She swung the belt up again and struck his chin and, feigning sweetness, said, "Thank you."
As Welin straightened up, Natalie swung the belt once more. But he caught the buckle and, quickly reaching into his belt, pulled out a knife and cut it off, causing Natalie to stumble slightly and drop the belt. "Shit," she mumbled, frustrated.
She heard a groan coming from behind her and turned her head slightly and saw Div slowly coming to his feet. She turned back to see Welin approaching her. Once he was a few feet away, she turned around, stepping back, grabbed Div's arm and swung him around, hoping to knock them both out. But Welin saw her move and pulled back his arm, trying to stab Natalie. Unbalanced by Div's surprising weight, she brought him around in front of Welin. Momentum did the rest as the blade slid into Div's lower chest all the way to the hilt. Div stared at his companion, shock written all over his face.
"Ouch," Natalie mumbled as she stood on the tips of her toes, looking down over Div's shoulder at the blade stuck in his chest. Glancing at Welin, she steeled herself and added, "Do you think you killed him?"
Seeing Welin trying to pull the knife out, Natalie shoved Div's now-dead body into the Peacekeeper and slapped his ear, popping it. He stumbled back slightly, but kept his hand on his knife, trying to pull it out. Natalie saw him and assumed that the knife was stuck on one of Div's ribs.
Still holding up Div's body, she threw a kick around him and hit Welin in the side of the head, causing him to let go of the knife and stumble to his side into the airlock hatch. Using all her strength, Natalie lifted up Div's body and threw him and herself into Welin, crushing him against the hatch. She threw a pantak jab at his forehead, disorienting him, and palmed the door sensor to her left. As the hatch opened, Div's dead weight sent Welin and him falling into the air lock. Natalie hit the door sensor and locked the hatch.
She slowly walked backwards to the other side of the corridor and leaned against the bulkhead, sliding down to the deck. She raised her knees, rested her elbows on them, and reached up to smooth back her hair with a sigh. She mumbled rhetorically, "What is it with Sebaceans?"
"Let me out of here," Natalie heard Welin's muffled yell through the hatch.
She lifted her head in time to see Welin punching at the porthole in the hatch, trying to break it. With a sigh she stood up, walked up to the hatch, and watched in pity as Welin struck the porthole and tried to pull the hatch open. She said, "Definitely has to be PMS."
"Let me the frell out of here," he yelled again.
"You know, you really should calm down," she said. "If you keep that up, you're just going to hurt yourself."
"Frell you!"
"Oh, that was intelligent." She sighed and added, "Look, I'm going to go to the maintenance bay and take care of your friends. When I'm done with them, I'll come back here, then we'll play some more, okay?"
Welin elbowed the porthole and glared at Natalie in response.
"All right, I'll be back in..." she paused and glanced up, thinking. "Oh, about a quarter arn. It could be longer." She smiled contemptuously at him and walked down the corridor to pick up her pulse pistol and head for the maintenance bay. As she walked, she yelled over her shoulder, "I'll see you then."
"You better be careful with that," Kosen yelled from across the bay as he strolled back in, walking towards Tolec. "Jasik will have your ass if you break anything."
Bending over to upright the crate, Tolec said, "I'd love to have her ass."
Kosen stopped in front of him and replied, "You're kidding, right?"
"Why?" Tolec asked, looking up at him as he strained to upright the crate.
"She's just a frelling tech."
"And your point is?"
"Oh, yeah, I forgot," he replied, bending over to help Tolec erect the crate. "You'll frell anything with an orifice."
Turning around to pick up another crate, Tolec said, "You say that like it's a bad thing."
"It is a bad thing," Kosen replied as he opened the crate they had just straightened to make sure the contents were still intact. "You could be contaminated."
"Oh, c'mon. Do you really think anyone cares that I frell trelks whenever I feel like it?"
"You should care," Kosen answered, looking at his fellow soldier. "We NEED to keep the bloodlines pure, and we can't do that if you keep frelling every unregistered alien we come across."
Throwing down the crate, Tolec looked irately at Kosen and said, "You know, I really hate people like you. You think you know everything and you tell everyone else what YOU think they should do. Well, guess what? It's not going to hurt anyone if I frell some trelk."
"So, you hate High Command? After all, they tell everyone what they think you should do, and they WERE the ones who came up with that regulation."
"No, I don't hate High Command because, unlike you, High Command actually knows what they're doing. And even High Command recognizes that that regulation is..."
"Excuse me?" Natalie interrupted as she stood in the open hatch to the docking bay. Sure that she had the Peacekeeper's attention, she continued. "Do you think you two could stop trelk-fighting long enough for me to get you the frell off my ship? Don't get me wrong; I don't mind that you're fighting. I just want you to do it somewhere else."
"Shit," she mumbled, seeing the two Peacekeepers pull their pulse pistols, and ran into the corridor for cover as they fired at her.
As she ducked out of sight, the two ceased firing and, looking at Tolec, Kosen asked, "Whose turn is it, yours or mine?"
"I'll go," Tolec answered. "I need to make up for the last time."
"Right," Kosen said, turning around to continue unloading the equipment.
Strolling to the hatch, Tolec raised his pistol, aimed to his right, and searched for Natalie, checking behind every "rib" and in every hatch. He slowly came up to a junction and planted himself against the bulkhead to his right, leaning over slightly to look down the left corridor. Natalie was standing in the corridor, leaning against the bulkhead with her pistol aimed at him. He tried to fire at her, but Natalie fired first.
Seeing the Peacekeeper duck as the pulse blast impacted on the Leviathan's bulkhead above his head, Natalie sweetly said, "Hello."
Tolec stood up and ran around the corner to take cover behind one of the Leviathan's ribs. He poked his head out, took aim at Natalie, and tried to fire, but Natalie threw a DRD that she had picked up at his head before he could. He dropped his pistol and fell back onto the deck with a fractured skull and blood flowing from his forehead.
Natalie strolled up to him and stopped a few feet away from him, her pistol aimed at his head. She nonchalantly said, "Sorry."
Confused, Tolec asked, "What?"
"I was apologizing to the DRD."
Turning his head, Tolec saw the DRD lying in pieces next to him.
"Talyn's gonna be pissed..." she mumbled casually.
Seeing Natalie looking at the DRD, Tolec wiped the blood from his forehead with one hand and tried to slowly reach for his pistol with the other.
Fortunately, Natalie saw him, kicked him hard in the shin guard, and scolded, "Hey. Look, but don't touch." As Tolec glared at her, she added, "You know, my son had the same problem when he was little. He was always touching things he wasn't supposed to..."
The Peacekeeper looked at her in disbelief, his eyebrow cocked.
"Yeah, why am I telling you this..." she said, looking at him. Stepping back, she ordered, "All right, get up."
Turning over, Tolec slowly got onto his hands and knees, then suddenly reached for his pistol. Natalie took a step forward and swung her pulse pistol, hitting the Peacekeeper in the face with the barrel and flipping him over onto his back.
She yelled, "You moron. I could've shot you in your frelling back before you got two inches." Noticing he was unconscious, she added, "And you're not listening to me." She got down on one knee, took out a cable she had earlier stuffed into her belt, and sighed, "Figures. Men never listen to me." Flipping Tolec onto his front, she pulled his arms behind his back and tied his wrists together with the cable. Standing up, she sighed contemptuously. "Men."
Forcing herself to turn around, she poked her head through the open hatch far enough to get a good look at the Peacekeeper inside. Watching him, she thought sadly, 'Damn, that's a lot of crates. You'd think with all their advanced technology they'd find a way to make their stuff fewer and smaller and actually use it to benefit others.' She also noticed that the Peacekeeper had taken out his pulse rifle and placed it on top of an off-center pyramid of crates that was nearly as tall as she was.
Crouching down with her pistol at the ready, Natalie quickly entered the docking bay and quietly made her way to a workbench, ducking behind it for cover. Keeping under the top of the workbench, Natalie tried to watch the Peacekeeper through its legs and other items in the way. She knew that, despite all the objects and the several yards that separated them, there was still a chance that the Peacekeeper would see her. The possibility that he would grew greater and greater every microt she stayed behind the workbench. But she was immobilized by the fear that was slowly overtaking her.
Hearing footsteps pounding down the corridor, Natalie turned and was about to move to the hatch to see who it was. Suddenly, she heard Tolec yell, "She's in the docking bay."
"Frell," she mumbled. Just as Kosen looked up, Natalie stood up and ran towards him, jumping over and running around workbenches and crates. She saw Kosen reach for his rifle and she raised her pistol, firing round after round after round at him as she ran to keep him from putting her into a crossfire.
Hearing Tolec firing at her, Natalie ran up the crate pyramid and fired over Kosen to keep him pinned down on the deck as the pulse blasts from Tolec's pistol impacted on the crates she had climbed. Reaching the top of the stack, she saw Kosen crouching for cover and fired down at him as he tried to aim his pistol her. The pulse blasts impacted in his head and chest, instantly killing him and sending him falling to the deck. As she fired, Natalie caught the shoulder strap of his pulse rifle lying on the crate beneath her with her boot and kicked the rifle into the air. Jumping off the crate, she twisted in mid-air, grabbing the grip of the rifle and fired at Tolec with both her weapons. She saw the first few pulse blasts hit the bulkhead behind Tolec, but the next ones hit him in the chest, abdomen, and legs. Before she landed hard on the deck and the pyramid of crates blocked her view, she saw Tolec falling.
She lay next to Kosen's dead body as she tried to catch her breath. She softly groaned as pain shot through every part of her body, especially her back after having landed on Talyn's hard deck. With a sigh, she tried to sit up, but fell back to the deck. She laid there for several microts as she tried to catch her breath and regain her strength.
Finally sitting up, she leaned back against her outstretched arms and, ignoring the pain, said, "What I wouldn't give for a good massage right about now." Looking at Kosen, she asked, "How 'bout you? I used to have a great massage therapist back on Earth. Her name was Jeannie and she was a really sweet person. I know she'd love to help you. But you're a male..." Slowly standing up, she continued, "You're probably too macho for a massage, aren't you?" She holstered her pistol, stretched her legs and back, and said, "Thought so."
Walking up to Tolec's dead body, she saw the cable still wrapped around his wrists and noticed that it had been cut in half. She slowly knelt next to his body, turned him over onto his stomach, and lifted up the bottom of his jacket. She saw a small knife stuffed into his pants and pulled it out. Looking at it, she mumbled, "You'd think that after what happened between Welin and me, I'd learn to search you guys for these things." Looking at Tolec, she added with a shrug, "What can I say - I'm a slow learner."
Stuffing the knife into her holster behind her pistol, she slowly walked to the hatch as tears came to her eyes. She stopped at the workbench she had been hiding behind earlier and planted her fists on it, leaning on it with her eyes closed and tears streaming down her cheeks. But she couldn't let the grief take her. Steeling herself, she straightened up, wiped away her tears, and continued to the hatch, wishing for a drink.
She walked into the hatch and, without warning, a leather-clad leg swung out and kicked her in the abdomen. She stumbled back into the docking bay and onto the deck and cried out in pain as she wrapped her arms around her stomach. Looking up, she saw a bruised and bloodied Welin step through the hatch with a knife in hand.
She sighed, closed her eyes, and mumbled, "What is it with you guys and knives?" Sitting up, she leaned back on one hand as she kept her other arm wrapped around her abdomen. She cringed from the pain and, looking up at him and in between coughs, she hoarsely said, "You better not have done any damage to that hatch."
"Why won't you just shut up?" he asked, annoyed.
She looked up and away, pretending to think and, with a shake of her head, she looked at him and said, "I have absolutely no idea." Impatient, she asked, "So, do you want me to get up, or what?"
"No, you stay right there," he answered and stepped back to look on the workbench for something to restrain her.
"Good, you're learning."
"Don't patronize me."
"Who said I was patronizing? I was just complimenting you."
Ignoring her, he picked up a cable and walked over to her. "Get on your knees and put your hands behind your back," he ordered.
She did as ordered and said, "You know, I know some people who would pay good money for this."
"Oh, be quiet," he said, irritated, as he pressed the barrel of the pistol against her neck and carefully wrapped the cord around Natalie's wrists.
Suddenly, Natalie pulled her neck away from the blade and threw her torso forward, extending her leg up and back, and kicked Welin in the abdomen before he could tighten the cable. As he stumbled back, she stood up and pulled her arms apart, snapping the cable. She stared at him, anger burning in her eyes with a silent challenge, daring him to come at her.
He took her challenge and charged her, slashing at her in a wide arc, but she quickly pulled out the knife she had stuffed into her holster, jumped to the side and slashed at Welin's left side, slicing him open. He stumbled to his side, falling over onto the deck. He slowly stood up, glaring at Natalie, threw his knife into his other hand, and wrapped his arm around his abdomen to hold his wound and try to stop the bleeding.
He came at her, thrusting his knife, but she stepped to her right, grabbing his arm and pulling it down to give herself enough room to backhand him in the face, breaking his nose with the knife hilt. Recovering quickly, Welin let go of his wound and punched Natalie in the jaw, causing her to release his arm. As she stumbled back, she left herself wide open and Welin took advantage, swinging his arm down and slashing her across the gut.
He watched her fall to the ground with her hand pressing her abdomen, crying out in pain. Walking up to her, he stopped at her feet and said, "It's about frelling time."
"Hey," he heard a female yell from the hatch. He looked up to see a Nebari standing in the open hatch with a pulse pistol aimed at him. Before he could jump out of the way, she fired and shot him in the gut. He fell onto his hand and knees over Natalie with his arm wrapped around his abdomen.
He tried to crawl away, but Natalie quickly sat up and drove her knife into the hollow of his throat. As he choked and looked at her in surprise, she furiously said, "Yeah, it IS about frelling time."
She fell back onto the deck, brought up her leg, planting her foot against his shoulder, and pushed him away. Sitting back up and leaning back against one arm, she watched as Welin choked and spasmed and finally died.
"You okay?" Chiana asked as she walked up to Natalie, took her arm, and helped her stand up.
"Yeah," she answered, lifting her hand from her gut and looking down at her wound. "It's superficial. I doubt I'll even have a scar."
"That's not what I meant," the Nebari softly said.
Natalie walked over to lean back against the workbench, her hand pressing against her abdomen again. She closed her eyes and mumbled, "I feel like I'm going to throw up."
They remained silent as Chiana inspected the carnage in the bay. After several microts she finally said, "I can't believe you did all this."
"Yeah, well... I got lucky. That, and they were stupid and over-sexed."
Looking sadly at her friend, Chiana said, "That's not what I meant."
"I know." With a sigh, she added, "What about Lieutenant what's-his-name?"
"He's dead."
Natalie slowly nodded, taking it in, and said, "We should get to the bridge."
"Do you think you'll be able to walk that far?"
"Yeah, I'll be all right."
Glancing back at Yavis' body, Natalie whispered, "Moron..."
"What?" Chiana asked, looking at her.
"Nothing."
Looking at Natalie, she asked, "Can you get Talyn's senses working?"
"No, not until he wakes up."
"Can you at least try to find out where we are?"
"Yeah, I can try, but who knows whether or not it'll work," she said, using her neural link to bring Talyn's propulsion system online and spin him on his vertical axis as she looked out of his forward portholes.
"What are you doing?" Chiana asked, amused.
Still looking out of the forward portholes, Natalie answered, "I'm trying to find out where we are."
As Talyn turned completely around, a Peacekeeper Pantak class Vigilante appeared in the forward portholes.
Turning to look at Chiana, Natalie said, "Well, shit."
"Is it awake?" the Captain asked as she went over several data spools containing information on Talyn and former-Captain Bialar Crais' project.
"Negative. It appears to be under manual control."
"Are they arming weapons?"
"No, sir. Our scans indicate that they do not have enough power to do so."
"Very well," she mumbled and looked up at her subordinate. "Arm the immobilizer pulse and disable their propulsion system."
"Yes, sir."
Powering up Talyn's propulsors, Natalie flipped Talyn onto his bow and sent him into a dive, narrowly avoiding the immobilizer pulse. Coming about, the Vigilante gave pursuit and launched one of its four squadrons of Prowlers. They swarmed around Talyn and fired at him as Natalie pushed his power-deprived propulsors nearly to the breaking point. Trying to catch the Prowlers off guard, and perhaps take some of them out, Natalie suddenly pulled up slightly and reversed Talyn's propulsors, flipping him onto his back, his momentum carrying him backwards. Natalie immediately brought Talyn's propulsors to full power and dove to avoid the Prowlers.
Seeing the gunship suddenly change direction, six of the fifteen Prowlers performed similar maneuvers, flipping onto their backs and reversing direction, but the Prowlers in the rear of the formation didn't turn fast enough. Their speed and momentum carried them into the Prowlers at the head of the formation. Six were destroyed. Nine Prowlers, however, pulled up instead of turning and performed loops to stay behind the gunship.
Looking through the portholes to the far left, Natalie asked, "What does that look like to you?"
Chiana looked up, glancing at Natalie, then looked in the direction her human friend was looking. She replied, "It looks like a totally unimpressive rock."
"Well, I wouldn't say it's unimpressive. It looks kind of like Earth."
"Everything looks like Earth to you."
"Well, they do say if you want something bad enough, you start seeing it," Natalie said, and changed course, heading straight for the planet. She didn't see the sad glimmer in Chiana's eyes.
With engines straining, Natalie tried to outrun the Prowlers, but calorics were still working on minimum and weren't providing Talyn's propulsors with enough power. The nine remaining Prowlers swarmed once again, flying circles around Talyn while firing their pulse cannons. Natalie rolled Talyn over and over and dove and pulled up, trying to avoid the deadly Prowlers. Normally, Talyn would have been able to stand such an attack, but in his already weakened state, he was being ravaged.
With consoles, transfer conduits, and control nodes exploding all around them, Chiana worked to repair what she could while Natalie flew Talyn. Unfortunately, they both were forced to cease every so often as Natalie doubled over as the pain being inflicted on Talyn was transferred to her through her transponder due to neural bleedback.
"Well, this is fun, isn't it?" Natalie yelled through clenched teeth as Chiana helped her get back to her feet after the bleedback overwhelmed her.
"Maybe next time you'll listen to me and you'll stop at a pleasure planet like I told you to," Chiana yelled as she resumed repairing the weapons console.
Walking back to the override console in front of Chiana, she yelled, "And who said you wouldn't have gotten into any trouble there?"
"Get into trouble on Lomo?" the Nebari replied, looking at Natalie. "Are you frelling crazy?"
"Probably," she yelled. Without warning, a pulse blast rocked the gunship and they both fell to the deck. Standing back up, Natalie helped Chiana rise, strode back to the override console, and said, "That's it. The next time you want to stop at a pleasure planet, we're stopping."
"I knew you'd come around," she said, watching Natalie pilot Talyn into the planet's atmosphere.
"Please place your seatbacks and tray tables in their upright positions," Natalie mumbled as Talyn rocked and shuddered from the atmospheric friction. Flying into the planet's bonisphere, she leveled off and pushed Talyn's engines as hard as possible to try to get away from the Prowlers who were still passing into the atmosphere. But with their smaller size and, at the moment, more powerful engines, the Prowlers caught up with the gunship in no time.
"That looks promising," she mumbled, looking at a snow-covered mountain range through the right forward porthole as Talyn rocked from the impacts of the pulse fire on his outer hull. She banked Talyn and headed for the mountain range, hoping to elude the Peacekeepers.
"What are you doing?" Chiana yelled.
"It's kind of obvious, don't you think?"
"Yeah, it's obvious, but are you sure Talyn will be able to fit in there?"
Looking at Chiana with raised eyebrows, she lightly answered, "No."
"Krell," Chiana whispered.
Natalie flew Talyn in between two rows of mountains that dwarfed Mount Everest and rolled him to his right, flying him on his side. She kept him low to the ground and tight against the mountain walls to kick up the loose snow with the thrust from his propulsors to blind the Prowler pilots behind them. Unfortunately, only two Prowlers followed while the rest remained in the planet's bonisphere, waiting for Talyn to emerge from the mountain range.
Pulling up, Natalie turned Talyn to the right while keeping him on his side and passed between two mountains as they came to a dead end, a mountain that looked like it was as large as Rhode Island blocking their path. Suddenly, another mountain became visible in the forward portholes.
"Frell," Natalie yelled, and rolled Talyn onto his other side, banking to the left to avoid smashing into the massive rock. But Natalie didn't turn in time and Talyn's tail struck the mountain, shearing off part of it and causing an avalanche of snow and enormous boulders. Natalie cried out as the damage inflicted to Talyn suddenly woke him up and sent immense pain shooting through them both. Overwhelmed by the pain, Natalie nearly passed out, falling to the deck under Talyn's beta channel, and unintentionally sent him into a shallow dive. Talyn, unfortunately, was still too weak to control his propulsors and couldn't pull up.
Sliding up to Natalie, Chiana hefted her up, throwing her up against the center right pylon, slapped her hard across the cheek, and yelled, "Hey, wake up."
"Get frelled," she mumbled, leaning against the pylon for support as she pulled Talyn up slightly above the mountain range and leveled off.
"I'd love to," Chiana said while trying to hold Natalie up. "How's Talyn holding up?"
"He's starting to pass out again. He can't take all this shit," she answered, pushing off the pylon, and walked up to Talyn's beta channel, put her hand on it, and looked up at it. She quietly said, "C'mon, Talyn, I need you to stay awake. I know you're hurting, but you gotta stay awake. If you don't, you're gonna get dead, all right?"
'All right,' Talyn weakly said.
"All right," Natalie mumbled, gently patting Talyn's beta channel and walking to the override console. She and Talyn pulled up together and banked right, heading away from the mountain range, then dove, trying to increase their speed. They kept low to the ground in a straight course. Unfortunately, they were now out in the open again, giving the Peacekeepers the perfect opportunity to try to disable Talyn.
"We can't frelling keep this up," Chiana yelled as Talyn rocked from the pulse blasts impacting on his hull.
"Well, duh," Natalie yelled, frustrated. "If you know of any place where Talyn could hide, I'd be more than happy to take him there."
"You know, there's something I once heard you say..." Pausing, Chiana turned to look at Natalie with her head cocked to one side and yelled, "Why don't you get that FRELLING stick out of your ass?"
"Okay," Natalie said, apology and exhaustion in her voice. She turned to look back out of the forward portholes. She rolled Talyn left and right, trying to avoid the increasing pulse fire as the nine Prowlers slowly came up on them. As she rolled him, she looked out into the distance over the flat plains that repeatedly looped and rocked from left to right and said, "Is that a city?"
"Looks like it," Chiana wearily said, taking in the massive skyscrapers of different shapes and colors and the winding bridge structures surrounding and cutting through the city. "Maybe we should check the place out."
"You read my mind," she said, a smile growing on her face. Noticing the lack of air and space travel, she added, "If they didn't believe in E. T. before, they will now."
'E. T.? I hope you realize you're going to have to explain that to me later, now that you've said it.'
"I know," she said with a smile.
Nearing the massive city having towers at least one hundred fifty stories high, Talyn slowed down and pulled up to avoid flying into a complex interchange with jam-packed bridges running directly into and out of the buildings. He immediately rolled onto his side to pass between twin towers, shattering the windows in both towers with his propulsors. He leveled off and dove under another crowded bridge with people climbing out of their vehicles to run away or get a better glimpse at him. As he passed under them, many of the onlookers ran to the other side of the highway to watch him as he pulled up and rolled side-over-side, flying through narrow passages between buildings. As the lethal Prowlers quickly passed over them, surprising them, the onlookers ducked in fright and they covered their ears in pain from the volume of the ships' engines which shattered the windows of the vehicles on the road.
Talyn banked around a building, but Natalie took over his propulsors and turned completely around the building. He asked, 'What are you doing?'
"Just going on a hunch," Natalie calmly answered as they flew around the tower. Coming completely around the building, they found themselves behind the attack squadron. Looking at the Prowlers' engines, she whooped and yelled, "Those are some GREAT asses. They deserve to be slapped, don'cha think?"
Chiana glanced at Natalie, smiling mischievously at her.
As the Prowler squadron flew in between and over buildings, parks, highways, and terrified onlookers, the pilots had to visually search for Talyn - the large structures hid him from their sensors. Fortunately for Natalie, Chiana, and Talyn, the Peacekeepers didn't think to look behind their own ships, and Talyn increased power to his propulsors, ramming his nose into the back of the rear-most Prowler in the formation. The "bump" destroyed one engine and sheared off one of the Prowler's winglets, sending the small craft into a spin. It plowed through a bridge and crashed into the ground in a fiery explosion.
"Talyn, what the frell are you doing?" Natalie yelled, looking back at his beta channel.
'I did what you told me to,' he answered, confused.
"I didn't tell you to destroy it," she scolded. "Who knows how many people you just hurt and killed when that Prowler went down. After this, we are going to have a LONG talk, Talyn."
'Okay,' he sighed, annoyed, remembering all their past conversations. 'But for now, I think we should focus on the Prowlers that are pulling up to get behind us now, don't you?'
"Yes, I do," she said as the Prowlers pulled up in formation out of the field of view of the portholes.
The Prowlers dove on Talyn, their pulse cannons firing as they flew in behind him. Their pulse blasts impacted on his hull and the market place below, sending the thousands of panicked shoppers fleeing as what looked like the local military began taking up positions to protect them.
Suddenly, two missiles were launched, one after the other, from the roof of one of the shorter buildings ahead of them and hurtled towards Talyn. Staying on course, Natalie slowed down and let the Prowlers catch up as the missiles raced towards them. Monitoring Talyn's caloric level, she said, "I was wondering how long it would take those guys to start shooting at us."
Suddenly, Natalie and Talyn rocked to the left as the missiles came within a quarter of a metra of them, revealing the Prowlers to the tracking systems on the missiles. With Talyn flying on his side, one of the missiles passed by him and hit one of the Prowlers behind him, causing it to explode before the pilot could eject. Natalie then rocked Talyn to the right and increased power to speed away from the Prowlers with the other missile trying to stay with them. But the targeting system on the missile saw the Prowlers and locked on, ignoring Talyn. It sheared off one of the Prowlers' winglets, then fell and hit the Prowler behind and below it head on. The first Prowler crash-landed on a bridge, the pilot killed on impact, and tumbled end over end, ramming into people and vehicles before falling off the bridge onto the ground while the other was swallowed in a fiery explosion.
"You'd think they would've shot at us sooner than this," Chiana said, looking out at the city before them.
"Well, Earth's sort of the same way... Well... I'll explain it later," Natalie mumbled. She pitched under a bridge between two buildings to their right then suddenly banked right around one of structures and circled it, coming to a stop in the shadows under the bridge they had passed.
Glancing at Natalie, Chiana started, "What are you..."
"Just wait," Natalie interrupted, keeping her eyes on the forward portholes. They watched as the Prowlers ducked below the bridge less than a tenth of a metra in front of them, never seeing them in the shadows, then broke formation and began a search of the city.
"Frell me," the Nebari mumbled. "I didn't think they were that stupid."
"They're not," she said, looking at her. "We're just very lucky. Maybe now we can finally try to save enough power for starburst."
'Or maybe not,' Talyn said, drawing Natalie's attention to the portholes.
She saw three fighters, armed to the teeth with missiles, hovering in front of them with two more fighters flying under the bridge to join them. To Natalie, they looked like F-18s, but with delta wings and air intakes and shorter vertical stabilizers both above and below the wings. With a sigh, she said, "Figures."
"At least they're not the Peacekeepers," Chiana said.
"Yeah..." she said lightly with a small smile. "That's true. And at least Talyn's senses are starting to come back online."
Increasing power to the engines, Natalie propelled Talyn forward and caught the alien fighter pilots off guard. They barely got out of the way in time as Talyn banked right and sped away into the city. But the fighters collected themselves and stayed behind him, only following him for the time being as he wound through the massive towers.
Without warning, pulse fire strafed across Talyn's bow from the left, impacting on the building he was passing. Using Talyn's senses, Natalie saw a single Prowler turn out of an adjacent "passageway" they had passed and follow the alien fighters behind her. As she watched the Prowler try to get around the alien fighters, who were trying to get behind him, she mumbled, "Don't be stupid."
Predictably, the Prowler pilot opened fire on the alien fighters and destroyed three of the five while trying to fire on Talyn. The two remaining fighters pulled up, looping over into a dive and each fired a missile at the two ships.
"You moron," Natalie said to the Prowler pilot. Seeing a Prowler a few metras in front of her through Talyn's senses, she watched as the Prowler turned and headed straight for her, and said, "Let's hope you're a moron, too."
"Who are you talking, too?" Chiana asked, confused.
"The Prowler pilots," Natalie answered distractedly, keeping track of the Prowlers, the alien fighters, and the missiles heading for them. As the Prowler ahead of her began firing at them, the pulse blasts hitting Talyn's hull, she said with a sad sigh, "Hang on to something."
Pulling up at the last minute, Natalie and Talyn avoided flying into the Prowler in front of them, but the Prowler behind them wasn't as fortunate. The two Peacekeeper vessels collided, both breaking up on impact under Talyn's tail. Before the wreckage could fall to the ground, the missiles struck them. The massive explosion claimed Talyn's tail, further damaging it, shattered the windows in the buildings nearby, and created an enormous crater in the two buildings to either side.
Propping herself up against the override console, Natalie exhaustedly asked, "Hey, Talyn, you all right?"
'What do you think?' he weakly responded, annoyed.
"That's what I thought." She sighed, rubbed the bridge of her nose, and said, "We have to get outta here. Can you see anywhere else we can go?"
'No. I can't see anything past these frelling buildings.'
"Damn. Maybe we should stop somewhere and ask for directions."
"Oh, that would be good," Chiana said sarcastically, glancing at Natalie.
"Yeah," Natalie responded, a small grin on her face. Sighing, she added, "We go up, we don't have a choice. Talyn, think you're strong enough to pull up and try to outrun those Prowlers?"
'I can try. But don't blame me if we crash or if the Peacekeepers see us.'
Pulling up, Talyn flew between several more buildings and under and over several bridges, heading out of the city. Talyn and Natalie both saw the remaining four Prowlers rising out of the city to pursue them with a squadron of six alien fighters in formation following after the Prowlers.
Diving to the deck, Natalie tried to increase their speed and flew Talyn low to the ground as the fighters were catching up to them. Once in firing range, two of the Prowlers began firing at Talyn while the other two hung back to fight it out with the six alien fighters.
Watching as the two Prowlers dispatched the six fighters with ease, Talyn said, 'I wonder if they're smart enough to not send up any more...' He paused momentarily, then continued, 'We're approaching the coastline.'
"Yeah, I see it," Natalie said. "But what I can't see is any place large enough to hide you."
'We could try the jungle on the southern continent of the left hemisphere. I think I can see some sinkholes there we could use.'
"Then that's where we're going."
Speeding away from the coast, Talyn stayed low over the ocean, creating two massive "rooster tails", as the Prowlers pulled up, flying away from Talyn.
"What the hell are they doing?" Natalie mumbled.
'They don't want to bring us down over the ocean,' Talyn answered.
"I'm an extremely intelligent scientist," she said. With a sigh, she continued, "You'd think I'd figure that out on my own."
"Well, you're only human," Chiana said.
Looking at Chiana in surprise at the insult, Natalie saw the mischievous glint in the Nebari's eyes and smiled at her with an incredulous shake of the head. "Thanks."
'There it is,' Talyn said, drawing Natalie and Chiana's attention to the forward portholes as they approached the southern continent.
Talyn suddenly rocked as pulse fire from the Prowlers above struck his hull, and Chiana said, "And there THEY are."
"Damn," Natalie said, her voice full of wonder as they passed over the coastline while still keeping track of the Prowlers as they swooped in behind Talyn.
"What?" Chiana asked, glancing at Natalie.
"I've never seen trees with that shade of purple before."
"So, you've seen purple trees before?" she asked with a small grin as Talyn shook again from the pulse fire.
"Yeah, that's exactly what I'm sayin'," Natalie sarcastically mumbled, a smile still on her face.
Turning to look at Talyn's beta channel, she asked, "Can you see any sinkholes?"
'No. But even if there WERE any here, I doubt we'd be able to see them, anyway. There's something in the rock and soil that's frelling with my senses.'
"Well, at least now we know what those buildings were made out of."
Talyn banked left to round a small mountain and, coming around it, Chiana pointed out of the portholes and said, "There."
Looking out, Natalie saw a small, but deep, sinkhole in the ground that looked large enough for Talyn if he "stood" on his damaged tail.
'Looks like our luck is changing.'
"Are you sure about that?" Natalie asked.
Talyn remained silent for a few microts, then said, 'Not really.'
"Didn't think so. But those Prowlers are still right behind us." Thinking for a microt as more pulse fire rocked Talyn, she added, "Circle the mountain again. Let's play a little game of "Ring Around the Rosie", shall we?"
"Ring around the what?" Chiana asked.
"I'll explain it later," she responded as Talyn banked right, starting his run around the mountain.
"Yeah, right along with all the other thousands of things you promised to explain later."
"Hey, we've been busy."
"Busy with what?"
She remained silent for several microts as Talyn circled the mountain, increasing his speed with every revolution, with the Prowlers flying right behind them, firing at them, and finally said, "I'll explain later."
"That's what I thought."
After several revolutions around the mountain with the two friends remaining silent, Natalie said, "All right, Talyn, when I give the word, I want you to hit the brakes and reverse course."
Knowing Natalie, Talyn knew what she was thinking and said, 'Got it.'
"Get ready..." After a few microts, she yelled, "Now."
Talyn reversed thrust, coming to almost a dead stop and hovered with the four Prowlers pulling up and diving in every direction, trying to avoid ramming Talyn. Immediately after the Prowlers passed them, Talyn activated his propulsors, pulled up, and looped over the mountain. Coming to a hover over the sinkhole, Talyn pitched up and stood on his tail over the hole, carefully lowering himself inside as quickly as possible with Natalie's help, and powered down all systems except for gravity and environmentals with propulsion running on minimum to keep them from falling.
Seeing Talyn pull up, the Prowlers regrouped, flying around the mountain again to intercept Talyn. They couldn't find him. However, they did see a large sinkhole and circled it to scan it and visually inspect it. Fortunately, something in the ground blocked their scans and, with most of Talyn's systems powered down, all of his lights were shut off and he was far enough down inside the hole that the shadows camouflaged his black and red exterior.
The sound of Natalie's heavy breathing filled the bridge as she stood beside Chiana, nervously watching the lethal Prowlers circle overhead like vultures. The Prowlers continued taking sensor readings for nearly a quarter arn before moving on and Natalie breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
"They're gone," Chiana said.
"Yeah, but what'll happen next? This place will cave in on us?"
"Probably."
She remained silent for several microts as she stared out of the viewscreen at the empty starscape before them, then calmly said, "Very well. Prepare our ground forces for immediate launch. I want them to search the entire planet starting with the area they were seen last."
"Yes, sir," Leic responded and walked away to carry out his orders.
Ordering the Colarta standing behind her, the Captain said, "Get your partners ready. I want you to lead the search for the beast. If you meet any resistance from the local population... Convince them otherwise."
"Yes, Xhalax."
'You better slow down, Natalie,' Talyn said. 'Just remember, when you rush, that's when accidents happen.'
"Oh, shut up," she lightly said. She stood up, tugging at her tank top to smooth it out, and got back to work, repairing the control node, a night vision monocle helping her to see.
'Just trying to help,' he said with a chuckle.
"I know," she sighed, turned around, and leaned back against the node. "I'm just getting very tired of the Peacekeepers. It seems like whenever we come across them, everything goes to hell, just like at the Gammak Base, the commerce station, and the old monastery."
'Well, everything turned out all right after all that happened.'
"How can you say that? What about John and Aeryn? What about D'ARGO?"
'Why should we care about them? They never cared about us. And I never did like D'Argo.'
"How could you say that?" she asked, shocked.
'It's true. They never cared for us; they only used us. Except for Aeryn, in the beginning. But after a while, she stopped caring, too. They even lied to us when we destroyed the Expresser. And D'Argo hated me. I can't say I'm sad to see him gone.'
She remained silent for several microts, taking in what Talyn had said. She finally said, "I'm sorry you feel that way." She looked at one of the DRDs helping her, letting Talyn see her sad expression, and added, "But they did care. You may not have seen it, but they did."
'Yeah, right,' he mumbled, watching her slowly going back to work on the node.
"Natalie," Chiana yelled, running up to her from behind, wearing a night vision monocle of her own.
"Hey," Natalie answered, still splicing wires. "How are the repairs coming?"
"I've done all I can, but..."
"After I've finished with this, all we have to do is wait for Talyn's tail and hull to heal and for power to build back up so we can starburst," Natalie interrupted, still thinking of Talyn. "The Peacekeepers may have some very advanced tech, but their electrical systems are still crap."
"Whatever," she said. "But the Peacekeepers are back."
Quickly turning to Chiana, she asked, "What?"
"Yeah, I was on the bridge and saw a bunch of Marauders and some Prowlers flying overhead."
"Talyn, why didn't you say anything about them?"
'What's there to say? I can't see them. Frell, I can't see anything because of this frelling sinkhole, remember?'
"Yeah. I'm sorry, Talyn. I'm just..."
'Yeah, I know. You're tired. Forget about it.'
"C'mon," Natalie said, turning to run to the bridge with Chiana.
"I saw more than twenty Prowlers, and probably the same number of Marauders," Chiana stated, coming to stand behind Natalie in front of the override consoles. "I wasn't really keeping count. They were flying pretty low and slow, too, so I'm guessing they were loaded with Peacekeeper commandos."
"Frell," Natalie mumbled. She hung her head with eyes closed, but her back remained ramrod straight. Turning to look at Chiana, she said, "You know, I'd usually say something witty or sarcastic right about now."
"So would I," she said, looking at Natalie in understanding.
"So, what do you want to do?"
The city's local militia had offered some initial resistance when they had landed, destroying several Prowlers and Marauders with their primitive aircraft and weapons. But most of the resistance had been quashed in record time. Gurin had been ordered by the Colarta, Vek, to commend his men for a job well done. Although they accepted the praise they, all of them including Gurin, were all disgusted. They didn't need an alien, especially a Colarta, to validate them for a frelling bug hunt.
"Sir," Sergeant Hasek Carel reported as she came up behind Gurin. As he turned to face her, she openly admired his thin, scarred face, lean physique, and bulging crotch. "We've rounded up nearly all the city's population. Our commandos are still encountering some small pockets of resistance made up of civilians with small firearms. But they are being dispatched as we speak. Teams in the other five cities on this frelling rock are reporting similarly."
He gazed at Carel's body as she spoke. It was just right - she had lean hips, ample breasts, a square jaw, and steely eyes. He loved her body and he loved frelling her. He said, "Very good, Sergeant. Once you've captured the remaining civilians, begin interrogating them."
"Sir, the Colartas have already begun," she said angrily.
"Frell," he yelled, turning around with his hands on his hips as he tried to quell his anger.
"Lieutenant, why is the Captain using those frelling things?"
Spinning back around to face her, he said, "Carel, don't even think like that. She is our Captain. I may put up with this dren from you because I've known you since we were children. But if anyone else hears you say something like that, you'll be brought up on charges of treason."
Coming to attention, she said, "Yes, sir."
He sighed, shaking his head with a small grin, and asked, "Are you doing anything tonight?"
"Yes, sir."
"What are you going to do?" he asked strolling up to her, his hands behind his back.
"I don't have you tell you that, sir."
"Yes, you do. As your commanding officer, I need to know where you are at all times."
Looking at him, she said, "I'll be in your bed, sir, and I will be preoccupied for most of the night."
"Very good, Sergeant," he said, looking at her with a small grin still on his face.
"Sergeant," a Peacekeeper yelled from behind her. She turned around as Gurin looked up to see two Corporals dragging an alien civilian between them. One of them was carrying a projectile rifle of the type the indigenous population used.
"Sirs," the rifle-toting Corporal addressed, dropping the alien to its hands and knees on the ground and handing the rifle to Gurin. "This piece of dren was caught on the roof of one of the buildings. By the time we got to him, he had already killed seven of us. I thought you would want to deal with him yourself."
"You thought right, Corporal," Gurin said. "Return to your posts."
"Yes, sir," the Corporals yelled, coming to attention. They snapped salutes and turned to walk back to their posts.
"What do you want to do with him, sir?" Carel asked, looking down at the alien who was glaring at her. Turning to Gurin, she added, "He might know something."
"He doesn't know anything."
"Are you sure?"
"If you keep asking questions like that I'll have to confine you to my quarters," he said offhandedly. "Besides, if he did know anything, he wouldn't have been up on that roof using this piece of dren rifle." Grabbing the grip of the rifle, Gurin aimed it at the alien's head and said, "I hate bug hunts."
"You will address me as sir, Lieutenant," Vek slowly drawled over the screams of several of the inhabitants of the planet as they were 'interrogated'.
"Frell you, Vek. You're not my commanding officer. You're not even a Peacekeeper."
"What do you want?"
"We've secured the city. The other cities have been secured as well."
"I will inform Xhalax."
"You might as well tell the Captain that what you ordered us to do is pointless. These people don't know anything. And if you were smart, you'd see that we should be focusing our attention on the jungle where the gunship was last reported."
"We have already scanned the area," Vek said, continuing to scan the progress reports and ignoring Gurin. "The beast is not there."
"Frell, you are so stupid," Gurin mumbled. "You can't know if it's there or not if you don't look."
"We can't afford to waste time looking, when these people can tell us."
Without warning, Gurin raised the alien rifle, aiming it at Vek. The Colarta raised his own rifle and tried to fire, but Gurin fired first in a three-round burst. The bullets cut through Vek's body with ease and impacted the metal wall behind him. He fell to the ground with blood pouring out of the three large bullet holes in his chest, his two hearts punctured. Gurin strolled up to Vek and stood at his feet, taking aim once again, and fired another three-round burst into the Colarta's head.
Suddenly, five armor clad Peacekeepers burst through the door into the office from the adjoining comms shack, their pulse pistols at the ready. Seeing the Lieutenant standing at the feet of the dead Colarta, the lead Corporal asked, "Sir, what happened?"
"He died of stupidity, Corporal," Gurin replied, tossing the rifle onto the console. Looking at the other Peacekeepers, he said, "I am now taking command of this operation. Get on the comms and order all unit commanders to proceed to the jungle of the southeastern continent. They're to begin their search for the gunship there."
"Yes, sir," the Corporal responded with a salute and stepped back into the comms shed with his comrades, shutting the door behind them.
Using the console in front of him, Gurin opened a comms channel to the Vigilante and waited. After a few microts, Captain Sun appeared on the monitor and said, "Yes, Lieutenant?"
"Sir," he addressed. "Vek is dead."
"How?"
"Killed by one of the locals. But I have taken care of the situation and have taken command."
"I see," she said. "How is the search progressing?"
"Very well, Sir. We have reason to believe that the gunship is still in the area it was reported missing. I have dispatched troops to the area to search it."
"You are personally going to lead the search, I presume?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good, Lieutenant. I expect a progress report within the arn."
"Yes, sir." As Xhalax closed the comms channel, Gurin yelled, "Corporal, get in here."
Almost immediately, an armor-clad Corporal burst through the door and came to attention in front of Gurin.
"Prepare a Marauder," Gurin ordered. "I am going to lead the search for the gunship myself."
"Yes, sir," the Corporal yelled, turning and leaving the office to carry out his orders.
"Frell."
"Just about another quarter arn," Natalie said from where she sat in front of the override console, monitoring the power build-up.
With a sigh Chiana mumbled, "I hate waiting."
"Well, we don't really have a choice. Unless you want to help the DRDs dispose of the bodies?"
"No thanks."
"How did you do it anyway?" Natalie asked, looking at the Nebari.
"Do what?"
"Handle the boredom. I know you guys didn't have much to do back on Moya. I've pretty much been running on full burn ever since I got out here. In the small moments where I've had to wait, I was waiting on news about one of you guys. I've never really had to do this before."
"Well," Chiana started, getting up and walking to the other override console to grab the stool under it. She pulled it over next to Natalie and sat down, leaning back against the console. "We didn't do much. We slept a lot. We needed the rest after having to go through all the dren we did. On occasion, we'd all meet in the center chamber for a meal. Other than that, we couldn't really do anything. Well, D'Argo and I..." she paused, looking away momentarily. "We just got through it."
"Chi, you..."
"Don't, Natalie," she interrupted, looking into Natalie's eyes and knowing what she wanted to talk about.
Natalie remained silent for several microts, studying the Nebari's expression. "All right," she said.
Several more microts passed as they waited. Breaking their silence, Chiana said, "This sucks."
Natalie let out a soft chuckle and said, "What is it with you and Talyn? The two of you are sounding more and more like me everyday."
"Yeah, I know. That's not a good thing," Chiana responded, a grin on her face. "That big mouth of yours has gotten you in trouble on more than one occasion."
"And what's wrong with having a big mouth?"
"Nothing, if you're me," Chiana responded, a mischievous grin growing on her face.
"Frell, don't you ever think about anything else?" she laughingly asked. "Yeah, stupid question. I know."
The smile faded from Chiana's face; she looked away and leaned forward, planting her elbows on her knees.
"Dammit," Natalie mumbled and put her hand on Chiana's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Chi... Maybe I should just get some sealant and glue my lips shut. It just might save EVERYONE some trouble, especially us."
A small appreciative grin on her face, she said, "If you did that, then I wouldn't have anyone to talk to."
"Well," Natalie started, looking out of the forward portholes. "If you want someone to talk to, I'm sure those guys out there would love to talk with you," she said, nodding at the Peacekeepers surrounding the circumference of the opening to the sinkhole, their pulse rifles trained on Talyn. Turning to look at her, she added, "Unless you want to leave?"
"Are you volunteering, Sergeant?" Gurin asked, coming up behind her.
"I don't think so, sir," she said softly, looking at him.
"Smart girl," he replied quietly, walking around her to another Sergeant from another team. He said, "Take two men, get some climbing harnesses, and get down there."
"Yes, sir," the selected Sergeant yelled, coming to attention. Addressing the two Privates standing next to him, he yelled, "You two, with me."
As the three commandos ran to the nearest Marauder to retrieve the appropriate gear, Gurin walked back to Carel. He asked, "Sergeant, what do you believe they're waiting for?"
"Sir?"
"Why do you suppose they haven't acted yet? They have to have seen us by now, and they have to know that we will be going down there to get them. Yet, they do nothing. What do you think they know that we don't?"
"I don't know, sir."
"I'm still waiting for power to build," Natalie replied, keeping her eyes on the power readout on the console in front of her. "Unless, of course, you want Talyn to be split off into three different dimensions like what happened to Moya?"
"No, I don't, but it's been over a quarter arn."
"Yeah, well..." Turning to look at Chiana, she lightly said, "Would you believe I was being hopefully optimistic?"
"No."
"Didn't think so."
"How did you find out about what happened to Moya, anyway?" she asked, watching as three Peacekeepers began rappelling down the wall of the sinkhole.
"John told me," she answered, bringing Talyn's propulsors to full power with her transponder. "After my first starburst, I asked him if you guys had had any problems starbursting before. That's when he told me what happened. And I was so thrilled to hear that, too."
"Hey, you did ask him to tell you."
"Yeah, me and my big mouth again," she mumbled, looking out the forward portholes at the rappelling commandos.
"Well, your mouth has helped us sometimes."
"Name one," she challenged, looking at Chiana.
Chiana thought for several microts and said, "I'll get back to you on that."
"That's what I thought," she mumbled, checking the readout on the console. Looking up, she watched the Peacekeepers get closer and closer, then said, "Ten, nine, eight..."
"What the frell are you doing?" Chiana asked as the three Peacekeepers landed on the forward portholes, aiming their pulse rifles down at them.
"Oh, just counting... Four, three, two, one." She immediately activated Talyn's propulsors, sending Talyn flying out of the sinkhole with the Peacekeepers still on him. "We have lift off."
As they flew out of the hole, Natalie and Chiana watched the Peacekeepers as they were thrown down against the portholes and held on as tightly as they could.
"Bye-bye," she said, taking off her night vision monocle and sweetly waving at the commandos. She immediately cut thrust once they reached the lower bonisphere, letting Talyn fall back to the deck. The maneuver caught the Peacekeepers off-guard, causing them to lose their grip and let go of Talyn. She spun Talyn around, nose-to-tail, and activated Talyn's propulsors as they plummeted, trying to increase their speed.
"Duck," Carel yelled, throwing herself to the ground.
Everyone threw themselves to the ground as Talyn passed a few denches above them, heading away from the coast. However, four of the commandos didn't go down in time and were shoved into the sinkhole by the thrust from Talyn's propulsors.
"Move," Gurin yelled to his troops as he stood up and watched them get up and run to their respective Marauders.
Coming to stand next to Gurin, Carel said, "At least we know why they were waiting."
He turned to look at her, annoyed, and said, "Get to your Marauder, Sergeant."
"Yes, sir," she said, and turned to run to her Marauder, Gurin on her heels. Suddenly, they heard yelling from behind them and turned to see three Peacekeepers falling from the sky. They hit the ground not too far from them. Fortunately, their bodies weren't visible through the tall grass. They turned and continued to their vessel as the first few Marauders began taking off, paying the dead Peacekeepers no attention.
"I see 'em," Natalie responded, watching the fifteen Marauders straining to keep up with them while still monitoring Talyn's condition from the override console.
'I wonder why they didn't send up their Prowlers.'
"We did destroy most of them. They're probably scared we'll destroy the rest. It is sacrilege, after all, for Peacekeepers to go without their coveted Prowlers."
"Don't YOU have a Prowler?" Chiana said, looking at Natalie.
"Yeah, but I'm not a moronic Peacekeeper."
"Well, I'm not too sure about the moron part," she said, a small grin on her face.
"Very funny."
"I thought it was," Chiana said, repeating one of Natalie's phrases.
Suddenly, they were thrown forward over the override console. The powerful pulse fire from the Marauders repeatedly impacted on Talyn's still healing outer hull as they passed over a winding river that flowed through the jungle.
"Ow," Natalie said, annoyed, and slowly climbed up as Chiana did the same. She then banked Talyn right to follow the river's path. "Was that good for you?"
'Oh, yeah, that was just frelling great for me,' he said angrily.
"Glad to hear it," she said, walking back around the console as she and Talyn banked and rolled, trying to avoid the pulse fire.
'Natalie, you're going to want to remove your transponder now,' he suddenly said.
"Why?"
'Just trust me Natalie.'
"Talyn, what are you thinking?" she asked, turning to look at his beta channel.
"What?" Chiana asked, thoroughly confused.
'I'm going to do something you're not going to like.'
"Well, duh," she said, exasperated. "If you tell me to take out my transponder, of course I'm not going to like it. How could I like it?"
'We don't have a whole lot of time so just take the frelling transponder out, okay?'
"Fine," she said, removing the transponder. "Happy now?"
'Yes,' he said, despite knowing she couldn't hear him, and suddenly cut thrust, decreasing his speed dramatically. As Natalie and Chiana were thrown over the console again, caught off guard, six of the Marauders slammed into Talyn's ventral hull while the rest of the Marauders pulled up, dove, or banked to either side to avoid a mid-air collision with the gunship. The Marauder's cesium full and chakan oil ignited in massive explosions microts after the ships rammed into Talyn, creating large holes in his outer and inner hulls. Talyn immediately sealed the tiers the breaches were on despite the enormous amount of pain he was in.
"That's it," Natalie said, standing up while steadying herself against the rib separating the forward portholes from the rest of the bridge. "When he gets better, I'm gonna give that boy a good spankin' and then I'm gonna ground him."
"And just how the frell are you going to spank a Leviathan with a really big gun?" Chiana asked, slowly standing up against the console.
"With a really big paddle," she answered, finding the transponder and placing it in its base in the back of her neck. As expected, a wave of pain shot through her body as she inserted the transponder.
She braced herself against the rib as she spun Talyn around one hundred eighty degrees, speeding him away in the opposite direction with the Marauders scrambling to catch up, and said, "That was a really stupid move, Talyn."
'At least we have four less Marauders to deal with,' he said weakly.
"How are you holding up?"
'What do you think?'
"Yeah, just call me Queen Obvious."
'You got it, your Highness.'
She looked at his beta channel, annoyed, and opened her mouth to speak, but she and Chiana were unexpectedly thrown forward against the bulkhead under the portholes as the pulse fire from the Marauders hit Talyn's hull.
"That'll show us," Natalie mumbled.
'Maybe next time you'll pay attention.'
"Me? You know, just forget it," she said, slowly standing up and moving to stand next to his beta channel as Chiana planted herself on a stool. Banking Talyn left to avoid more pulse fire, Natalie added, "We'll talk later."
'Then we'll talk later. But what are we going to do now? And there's no frelling way I'm going to let them slam into me again.'
"I'd never ask you to do that."
After several microts, he softly said, 'We're coming up on a waterfall. It looks like there's a large cavern behind it.'
"This should be interesting," Natalie said, turning around and walking to the override console to brace herself as Talyn banked right and flew towards the waterfall.
"Where are we going?" Chiana asked.
"Talyn says there's a large cavern behind there. He and I have done this sort of thing before, so it can't hurt to try it again."
"Krell."
Natalie planted her feet on the deck and her hands on the console and flew straight into the waterfall, the water cascading around Talyn's forward portholes and seeping into his fractured hull. As the water cleared from the portholes, Natalie and Chiana suddenly saw a massive cliff face in front of them.
"Shit," Natalie yelled and abruptly dove Talyn into the smooth, oval-shaped cavern below, skimming the river beneath them with the underside of Talyn's "wings" as two "rooster tail" waterspouts shot up from behind them. With the "rooster tails", neither she nor Talyn could see that only four of the Marauders had followed them in. She turned in relief to look at Chiana and saw her unusually calm.
Turning to Natalie, her eyebrows cocked, she said, "I thought you said it was a large cavern?"
Raising her eyebrows with her eyes darting to the side, she said, "I did and it is..." Looking at Chiana, she added, "But Talyn's still a growing boy."
As Chiana let out a soft giggle, Talyn said, 'I'm not a boy.'
"Yes, you are," Natalie said quickly and matter-of-factly.
Unexpectedly, Talyn rocked and shuddered, his ventral hull skimming the river beneath him.
"What the frell is that?" Chiana asked while Talyn continued to rock.
"The Marauders," Natalie answered, seeing behind them. "They can't see us through the water spouts we're making, so they're shooting blind."
'Just like we hoped they would.'
All of the sudden, pulse fire hit the cavern ceiling ahead of them, causing a cave-in ahead of them. Talyn increased his speed, trying to get through the collapse. But several large boulders slammed into his back, stretching his elastic skin to the point of creating large pits, before rolling off him into the river. The boulders stacked one on top of the other, effectively creating a dam.
The Marauders, however, couldn't see the forming dam with the "rooster tails" blocking their view. Unfortunately, two of the Marauders made it through the collapse, although, their hulls took a pounding from the falling rocks and boulders. The other two Marauders were buried under the massive stones, the cesium fuel mixing with the water creating a volatile solution that ignited from the sparks. The resulting firestorm reached out to either side of the dam, chasing the Marauders and Talyn with a lethal efficiency.
'Do you feel that?' Talyn asked.
"Yeah, it's getting hotter..." Natalie answered. Coming to a realization, she looked back at Talyn's beta channel and shouted, "Aw, dammit. I should've listened to my chemistry professor - water and cesium fuel don't mix."
"Don't you think you should've thought of that before we came in here?" Chiana noted.
"Oh, shut up," she lightly said. She suddenly stopped and looked up as she used Talyn's senses to look behind them through the "rooster tails". She saw the enormous firewall engulfing the entire cavern behind the Marauders. She watched as the two Peacekeeper vessels tried to pull away from the firestorm, but were soon engulfed in its powerful fury, their cesium fuel and chakan oil further intensifying the storm.
"Talyn, please tell me we can go faster," Natalie said, watching in terror as they followed the curve of the cavern, the storm quickly catching up to them.
'I'll get back to you on that, but at least we're almost out of here,' he said nervously, and shuddered hard as the fire consumed the tip of his still damaged tail and the tips of his wings.
"Shit," Natalie cried out, feeling the pain Talyn was going through as his outer hull was burned. As Chiana came to her side to try to comfort her, she steeled herself and tried to ignore the pain, focusing on getting to the end of the cavern less than a tenth of a metra away.
Talyn immediately shot out of the entrance to the fiery cavern on the side of a cliff face. He pulled up, evading a massive ball of fire boiling out of the hole behind him. The fire consumed the waterfall as well as the river below, the cesium fuel and water already mixed. Flying out of the way of the fireball, Talyn leveled off and came to an immediate stop as they saw a wall of the five remaining Marauders and at least thirty Prowlers.
Exhausted, Natalie said, "You know, there's a saying on my world that suits our situation perfectly."
"We're eccentric like that."
"I don't doubt it."
"Hey, we're going there someday, so don't knock it. You just might like it."
"A world full of Crichtons and you..." she said, thinking. "Well, that has possibilities. But we have to get there first."
"It's always something," she said, looking at Chiana.
She immediately activated Talyn's propulsors, propelling him forward at the wall of Peacekeeper ships as they commenced firing their lethal weapons at him. Rolling left and right and flipping over, he managed to dodge some of the pulse blasts, but most of them impacted on his hull. The pulse fire didn't stop him, however, and he plowed through the wall, the Peacekeeper ships scrambling out of the way to keep from being destroyed. Fortunately, ten Prowlers and two Marauders were destroyed as they collided with each other in the unorganized frenzy.
Collecting themselves, the remaining Peacekeeper ships turned and gave chase to the massive gunship. They navigated the tree-covered mountains, flying over the fiery river below that was spreading over its banks and consuming the jungle around it. Unfortunately, they flew so low over the cesium fuel-fed fire that it slightly singed Talyn's ventral hull.
"Sorry, Talyn," Natalie said. "But the Peacekeepers aren't going to come anywhere near us or fire at us if they want their own asses to keep from getting heat delirium."
'Forget about it. After all that's happened, I can't feel a frelling thing right now.'
"Well, I promise, as soon as we get away from here, you'll get all the rest and whatever else you need."
'What I need is a good frell.'
"Yeah... Well, you don't have the interlocking part to frell with. I guess when the Peacekeepers frelled with your Leviathan genetics you were accidentally neutered. Of course, they probably didn't care since they think of you as just a ship. I guess that just gives you one more reason to want to kick their ass."
After several microts, he said, 'I wish my guns were working right about now.'
"I had a feeling you'd say that," she said with a smirk.
"Say what?" Chiana asked, trying to follow the conversation.
Looking at her, Natalie answered, "He wishes his guns were working."
"Ah."
"Well, you may wish you had your guns, Talyn, but I wish we had starburst," she said. "How much longer until we can?"
'All the hits we've taken have slowed down the power build up. So we still have less than a quarter arn.'
"Frell."
'Uh, Natalie?'
"Yeah?"
'Look.'
She looked up and saw what appeared to be a massive dam and hydroelectric power station in the distance. The firestorm was spreading down-river and through the jungle toward it. She said, "Aw, dammit." Looking at Chiana, she asked, "Just what God or Goddess did we piss off to get into this?"
"I thought you said you weren't religious?" Chiana asked, looking at Natalie, her eyebrows cocked.
"I'm not. But I need someone to blame."
'Do you think we could talk about this later? I mean, we don't want to be here when that place blows up, do we?'
"No, we don't. But I'm still trying to think of how we can avoid getting shot down by those Peacekeepers. It's not like we can just turn around and keep going back and forth. They'll figure out something eventually." Seeing the fire reach the dam, the scene growing larger and larger in the portholes, she added, "Or we can just pull up and hope we don't get shot and captured."
'I say we fight. But since we can't, I vote for pulling up.'
"Then do it," she said, sounding lighthearted as they approached the dam.
Before Talyn could pull up, though, the fire broke through the dam. The fiery river flowed freely through the opening and consumed everything in its path, including the power station. The equipment inside the station added to the fire and caused a massive explosion, adding to the conflagration that was eating away at the surrounding jungle. The fire reached up and slammed into Talyn's hull, throwing Chiana and Natalie to the deck. The explosion reached high enough that it claimed several Prowlers as well.
Not wanting to waste any more lives, the Peacekeepers reluctantly broke off, and each ship flew back to its respective base camp.
Concentrating on pulling up to avoid the fire, Talyn didn't notice that the Peacekeepers had broken off. He dove back down to the deck once he had passed the massive fire to increase his speed, continuing to try to evade the Peacekeepers.
After several microts, he announced, 'We can starburst. But it's never been done in an atmosphere before.'
Natalie, who had already taken her seat once again along with Chiana, yelled, "Just do it."
Talyn immediately initiated starburst, his outer hull glowing an orange-ish yellow as his two wings retracted and he was instantly thrust into starburst, disappearing in a brilliant flash of yellow light.
Once again, she remained silent for several microts, still monitoring readings. Finally, she calmly asked, "How?"
"Sir?"
"How could our forces let it get away?" she asked, turning to her subordinate, her scarred face devoid of emotion.
"There was a massive fire on the planet, sir. The gunship used the blaze for cover, knowing we couldn't fire upon it without risking bringing it down into the flames. Apparently, they started the fire."
She looked away, thinking for several more microts, then calmly ordered, "Recall all fighters and personnel. Once they're aboard, set course for the nearest commerce planet. We'll intercept them there."
"Yes, sir."
"Hey," she said, taking a seat across from Natalie.
Startled, Natalie jumped with a yelp, spilling her drink. She planted her elbows on the table, putting down the transparency, rubbed her face, and said, "Dammit, you scared the shit out of me."
"Sorry," she sheepishly said, reaching over to grab the silver bottle Natalie was drinking from and sniffed the contents.
"Hey..." Natalie warned.
"This is kylian," she stated, worriedly looking at the Human. "You're already drunk, aren't you?"
"Not yet," she said, reaching over to the take the bottle back. She took a large swig of the kylian and added "But I've stopped hurting." Natalie went back to reading the transparency.
Resting her arms on the table, Chiana asked, "Are you sure you should be drinking that? It's pretty strong."
"Raslac and fellip nectar just don't do it for me." Looking up at her, she asked, "What's with the sudden interest in my drinking preferences?"
"I'm just worried about you. If you keep buying that expensive dren, then by the end of the cycle you'll have sold everything you own."
"It won't go that far."
"All right," Chiana said. "So, how's Talyn doing?"
"He's alive," she answered with a soft sigh. "The dents in his back are starting to disappear. His tail is healing, but it's going pretty slow. So are the breaches in his hull. He still has a long way to go. But his guns are working again. At least we now have something to protect ourselves with."
"I'm glad to hear it," Chiana said softly, looking down at the table.
She got up to get a bottle of raslac and some roasted grilnac (small chunks of toasted dough that tasted to Natalie like popcorn) from the refrigeration unit and sat back down on the stool across from Natalie. The two drank and ate in silence for the better part of half an arn.
With a sigh, Natalie broke their silence. She put down the transparency and said, "Chiana, you need to stop this."
"Stop what?" she asked.
"This. For the past seven monens you've done nothing but wallow in silence."
"Natalie, don't do this," she said, looking away.
"No, we're doing this whether you want to or not," Natalie responded sternly. "Chi, I know that D'Argo's death hit you hard. It hit me hard, too. But you have to get through it. Let him go, Chi... Just let him go."
"How can I do that?" she asked. "How can I do that knowing that he hated me for what I did to him? Knowing that we didn't have the chance to work things out before he died?"
"I don't think he hated you. At least not when he died. I had a little conversation with him about the two of you before he was killed. I think I got through to him. He may not have shown it, but I think I got through to him." Reaching out to give Chiana's hand a squeeze, she added, "I'm sure wherever he is now, he's forgiven you."
Staying silent for a few microts, Chiana smirked and said, "I thought you said you didn't believe in an afterlife?"
Grinning at her, Natalie said, "Well, I've seen a lot of strange stuff out here since I got here... So, who knows? It just may exist. But don't change the subject."
"Natalie, I don't want to talk about this right now. I just need to work some things out on my own, okay?"
Natalie nodded, gave Chiana's hand another squeeze, and said, "All right. But if you want to talk, I'll listen."
"Thank you," she said, squeezing Natalie's hand in return. She let go, took another swig of raslac, nodded at the transparency in front of Natalie, and added, "What are you reading anyway?"
Glancing down at the transparency, she took a swig of kylian and said, "It's a report."
"I can see that. Of what?"
Putting down the transparency, she said, "It's a hard copy of what was on the Marauder's computer."
"And it's so interesting that it's keeping you away from the data crystal in your quarters?"
"Yeah, it is," she sadly said.
"If you don't tell me, I'm going to take those things from you and I'm going to find out for myself."
"They're mission logs," she said, looking at the transparencies. "They say that before the Vigilante intercepted us, they dropped off several bodies near Nebari space. They were Nebari bodies. And the Peacekeepers had recreated the effects of Scarran heat projection on them."
"What the frell?"
"That's exactly what I said. Then..." she paused as she looked for another transparency. Not finding it, she said, "I'll look for it later. But suffice it to say the report came out a few monens before the last one and all the others and it said that the Scarrans outnumbered Peacekeepers ten to one. With Scorpius dead and all his research destroyed, they needed a deterrent against the Scarrans."
"My people," Chiana stated.
"Yeah," she replied. "I guess the Peacekeepers figure that your people and the Scarrans will wipe each other out. Once that happens, they'll come swoopin' in and finish off whatever the Establishment and Scarrans have left. And they'll win."
Chiana remained in stunned silence, taking in what Natalie revealed. After several microts, she mumbled, "I have to warn them..."
"What?" Natalie asked, shocked.
Looking at Natalie, she repeated, "I have to warn them. I can't let them be slaughtered."
"Chi, these are the same people who wanted to mind-frell you. These are the same people who probably got your brother killed."
"Yeah, they are, but I can't just let them all be killed because the Peacekeepers don't want to fight the Scarrans."
Natalie let out an incredulous huff and said, "Excuse me? Don't you have any idea what they're going to do when you signal them?"
"Yeah, they're going to go after the Peacekeepers."
"No, I mean what they're going to do to US. Or have you forgotten what Salis was taking you back for?"
"Then I'll contact the Resistance. I have to let at least some of my people know, so that they won't all be wiped out. I can't just let them die."
"You can't do that either Chiana. If you contact them, they're going to come after us and kill us. We did, after all, kill some of them."
Chiana looked at Natalie, stunned. She mumbled, "How did you know?"
"You just told us," she answered, looking at her. "Talyn and I already had our suspicions, and you just confirmed them for us. And if you contact the Resistance, who probably already knows that we're responsible, they're going to come after us. We don't need any more people coming after us, Chi."
"I can't believe you just did that," she said, shocked. "I can't frelling believe you just did that to me," she added and suddenly got up, storming out of the galley.
"Chiana, wait!" Natalie called after her. "Chiana! Shit..."
'I can't believe you just did that, either.'
"Ugh, what the frell was I thinking?"
'That's a damn good question.'
"Yeah, it is." She sighed and added, "Talyn, shut down the comms system. I don't want her to be able to access it."
'You don't trust her?' he asked, surprised.
"I trust her, Tal, but I also know her. I know she'll find a way to do what she wants if she thinks she's right."
'Then she'll find a way to contact them even though she can't access my comms.'
"I know. I just hope this'll give her time to cool down and think about what she's doing."
'Have you ever known her to do that?'
"Can't say that I have," she said and took another swig of the kylian.
She moaned softly in pain as she slowly roused from her unconscious state. She rolled over onto her back with another moan, bringing her hand to her forehead, her head pounding from her hangover.
'Hey, Natalie!' he yelled again.
She let out a loud groan and slowly drawled, "What?"
'Chiana just found out I shut down the comms and is on her way to see you. She's pretty pissed, too. She's already kicked two DRDs.'
"Great," she sighed. "Thanks for the warning. And be sure to keep the DRDs out of the way." Reaching up, she tapped the DRD above her and added, "If she's that pissed off, you may want to get outta here."
Almost immediately, the DRD scurried down the wall to the floor and disappeared into its small access shaft, the soft whine of its motor still slightly audible.
Bringing up one leg, she untied her boot, kicked it off, and pulled off her sock, throwing it over the end of the bed. She brought up her other leg, repeating the process. Then she unbuckled her belt, undid the buckle holding her holster to her thigh, and pulled the belt from underneath her, letting it drop to the floor. As she slipped her legs under the blanket and pulled it up around her, the hatch to her quarters suddenly opened and Chiana stormed in.
She stomped up to the end of Natalie's bed, stepping over the pile of boots and socks, and yelled, "Did you tell Talyn to shut down the comms?"
Natalie let out a loud groan, pulled the blanket up over her head, and moaned, "Don't yell."
"Sorry," she quietly said. Walking to the side of the bed, Chiana sat down next to Natalie, putting her hand comfortingly on her friend's shoulder, and softly said, "How much did you have to drink?"
Letting out a yawn, Natalie tightened the blanket around her and pitifully mumbled, "I don't remember."
Lightly stroking Natalie's shoulder with her thumb, Chiana asked, "Is there anything you want me to get you?"
"No, I'll be all right." She threw the cover from over her head, pulling her arms out from under the blanket, and reached up to rub her face and smooth back her tousled hair. Pretending not to know why Chiana was there, she said, "Why did you drop by anyway?"
Seeing Natalie's condition, Chiana hesitated for a microt (and only a microt). Trying not to aggravate Natalie's hangover any further, she softly asked, "Did you tell Talyn to shut down the comms?"
With a sigh, she answered, "Yeah, I did."
"Frell," she yelled, shooting up off the bed. "I can't believe you did that. I thought you were my friend."
Natalie pried open her eyes as she slowly sat up, trying to keep from reopening her wound, scooted back against the wall behind her, and said, "I am your friend, Chi, and I'm just looking out for you."
"You're looking out for me?" she yelled in disbelief.
Natalie cringed and motioned with her hand to 'tone it down'. She answered, "Yeah, I'm looking out for you. If you contacted the Resistance, they wouldn't only come for Talyn and me. They'd come after you, too, since you were there when John told me to shoot down that Expresser."
"They won't come after us," Chiana confidently said. "I'm Nebari. That gives us some level of protection."
"No, Chiana," Natalie began. She turned to sit on the side of the bed on top of the blanket as she smoothed back her hair. She rested her elbows on her knees, looked up at Chiana through squinted eyes, and continued, "That doesn't give you any protection at all. If they believe you were willing to let your fellow Nebari die, then they're going to come after you, too. They may go easy on you since you ARE Nebari, but they're going to come after you nonetheless. Talyn, John, Aeryn, Zhaan, the others, and me... We're not Nebari. Who knows what they might do to us. So we have to make sure that we don't draw their attention to us."
Natalie closed her eyes and dropped her head, reaching up to rub her neck. She let out a frustrated groan and mumbled, "You really screwed up this time, John."
Looking back up at Chiana, she said, "Please, Chi, don't contact the Resistance. We'll find some other way to get them the info. Some other way that doesn't involve us giving it to them directly, okay? Maybe we'll find someone at the commerce planet. With our luck, someone will probably find us."
"Okay," Chiana softly said. "How much longer until we get there anyway?"
"Talyn said three solar days," Natalie answered, then turned and fell back onto the bed. "So, we still have plenty of time to rest."
"No, I won't be very intimidating," she said, studying the wormhole information in the holographic projection above the table. "But I figured I'd just go down like this anyway and use a page out of Chiana's 'Trelks for Dummies' handbook."
'Trelks for Dummies?'
"Yeah," she said, turning off the strategy table and getting up to walk to her dresser. Taking her usual black attire, including her pistol and holster, out of the dresser to change, she said, "It's an Earth thing."
'I kinda figured that.' After a several microts, he asked, 'Are you excited about having the chance to go back to Earth?'
She thought she heard some apprehensiveness in his voice and hesitated for a microt. She said, "Yeah, I am excited. But I'm trying not to get my hopes up. According to that data crystal, we need some parts we don't have. And I'm going to try to get them when we get to the commerce planet, no matter the cost." Sitting on her bed, she put her socks and boots on, tucking her pant-legs into the boots, and added, "I have to get back to Earth, Talyn. I don't know how much longer I can go without seeing my family... Seeing Jason."
'So, what are you going to do when you get home?'
"You don't have anything to worry about, Talyn," she said, coming to a realization about him. "You are my home now. I'm not going to leave you - I could never leave you. Which is why you're coming with me."
'I'm coming with you?' he repeated, excitedly.
"Yeah," she answered, a smile on her face. "I'd love it if you and Jason could meet. Maybe the three of us could go exploring or something and see if there's actually anything near Earth. Then there's Chiana."
'She may not want to come,' he stated. 'And I've begun prepping the transport pod. It'll be ready in a few microts.'
"Yeah," she said, getting up and walking to the dresser. Opening it, she pulled out a body-hugging, floor-length duster made of a heavy-duty black cloth and put it on. Buttoning the coat at the waist, she zipped up the zipper to just below her neck, forming a 'v' at the base of her neck. She pulled her hair out of the high, standing collar that covered her transponder and hid her comms on the inside of its right side. She tied her hair into a ponytail and pulled out two strands of her bangs to circle her face, then said, "She's been pretty excited about contacting the Resistance."
'Do you think she'll want to join them?'
"She might," Natalie answered, walking to the hatch with her coat swaying as she walked, and palmed the hatch open to walk to docking bay one. "If she does..." she quietly said. "She's my best friend, Tal. It'll hurt to see her go, but she has to go where her heart takes her. But I'm not going to let her put us at risk at the same time."
'Speaking of Chiana, she's already at the transport pod waiting for you. We're entering orbit now, so you're ready to go.'
"Good," she said, rounding a corner.
'Do you really think she'd put us at risk?'
"She might. Unintentionally, but she might. She's too biased towards her own people no matter how much she may hate them for doing what they've done to us. Like she said, she can't just let them all die."
'Well, maybe she should.'
"Why do you say that?" she asked, unsurprised by his attitude, as she walked through an access point, down to the next tier.
'If the Scarrans and Nebari wipe each other out, we won't have to worry about them, especially the Nebari, frelling up the universe.'
"What about the Peacekeepers? They're not exactly the Federation Starfleet type."
'No, they're not, but at least they're better than the Scarrans and Nebari. And it's not like we have much of a choice.'
She came to a halt in the corridor and reached out to touch Talyn's rib. She said, "You're right, we don't have much of a choice. It's better to choose the lesser of three evils if we can't get rid of them all."
'Exactly.'
"But if that's what the Peacekeepers are doing, why are they still coming after you?"
'Maybe they want me to help clean up after the Scarrans and Nebari take each other out.'
"That's a possibility. But with their ships and technology, they shouldn't have any problems doing that on their own. It doesn't seem like they need you that badly... So why are they devoting so many resources to capturing you?"
'I don't know. And that makes me a little worried.'
"It worries me, too," she said, patting Talyn's rib. "Let's just hope we're overanalyzing this."
'Do you really think that's what we're doing?' he asked skeptically.
Hesitating for a microt, with a shake of the head she said, "Nope."
'Didn't think so.'
She smirked and chuckled softly. Suddenly, her comms came to life. She heard Chiana yell, "Are we leaving or what?"
Natalie winced, reached up to rub her ear, and said, "If you keep doing that, you're going to make me deaf."
"Sorry. But I've been waiting in this frelling transport pod for forever."
"All right, I'm coming," she said, pushing herself off Talyn's rib and continuing toward the docking bay. Turning off her comms, she added, "Jesus, sometimes it's like living with a nagging wife around here."
'Don't you mean teenager?'
"They're interchangeable."
She and Chiana had already spent the better part of the day roaming the decrepit commerce planet, stocking up on perishables, intoxicants, fuel for their ships and weapons, spare parts, and anything else they thought they might need in the future. Once the transport pod was loaded, the two went their separate ways - Natalie looking for parts for the stabilizer and Chiana searching for anything that looked nice that she could steal.
'That bad, huh?'
"Yup," she said, stopping at a booth to inspect a piece of junk that looked promising. Putting it back down, she walked away. With a sigh, she said, "I don't think I'm going to find what I'm looking for here. I've been nearly all over this place and all I've found is crap. The rest of this planet doesn't look all that promising, either."
'Maybe we'll find something at the next planet.'
"I hope so. But I doubt it. The parts I need seem pretty rare. And even if we find them, they'll be pretty expensive."
'But you're going to get them anyway, right?'
"Right," she drawled, a smile on her lips.
'Maybe you could get Chiana to help you.'
"Maybe. But if she does, we may end up getting our asses kicked instead, just like the last time she tried to 'help'."
'You can't really say that was her fault. She couldn't have known that the guy 'tagged' what she stole.'
"True," she yawned.
'You sound pretty tired. Maybe we should leave, so you can get some sleep.'
"Maybe. But before we do... I could use a good drink," she said, looking at a bar.
'Don't hurt anyone.'
"Well, you know me..." she mumbled, walking up to the bar.
'Yeah, I do,' he said, amused.
She let out a soft chuckle and pushed open the door, stepping inside. The room was recessed, with booths in the back and to the far left, the bar to the right, and tables in the center. The bar was nearly packed full of loud, obnoxious, drunken people and trelks, and the stench was almost unbearable. But in a short while, she wouldn't notice any of it. She made her way down the dozen steps to the floor and slowly walked through the throngs of drunken aliens to the bar. She squeezed in between two aliens she didn't recognize - one with horns, the other bald with red skin - and got the bartender's attention.
"What do you want?" he asked, animosity dripping from his voice.
"I'm not a Peacekeeper," she answered. "And I'll take the strongest stuff you have."
"All right," he said.
She watched him turn around to mix her drink and could tell he didn't believe her. Of course, looking Sebacean and wearing the black duster didn't help. Unexpectedly, she felt a pinch on the side of her neck and everything went dark.
"Wake up," she heard a male say.
She opened her eyes and cringed from the bright light in her face, immediately shutting them with a groan. She tried to raise her arm to shield her eyes, but found her wrists bound behind the chair on which she was sitting. Slowly opening her eyes, she squinted to try to see and said, "What the frell is going on?" Unable to feel Talyn, she added, "Where the frell is my transponder?"
A silent figure walked into her field of view. Her vision was still blurry, so all she saw was a blue-ish gray form. As her vision slowly cleared, she saw that he was a young Nebari and mumbled, "Shit."
"Why do you say that?" he asked.
"If you're going to kill me, then let's get it over with."
"I'm not going to kill you, yet. I want to talk first. Why did you say what you did?"
"I know you're with the Resistance." she quietly said, still sleepy from the drugs.
"You recognize me?"
"No. But you've got me here and I haven't been mind-cleansed yet..."
"Very good observation."
"I'm a scientist. That's what I do."
"You're a scientist?" he asked, sitting down in a chair across from her.
"Yeah, I'm a scientist," she answered, glaring at him.
"Not a murderer?"
"No," she growled.
"Then you're not responsible for the destruction of an Expresser and the death of six people?"
Natalie didn't say a word as remorse and guilt flooded through her.
"There's something I want you to see," he said after silence reigned for several microts. He got up, walking to her left to a small table, and pressed his finger on a small silver data chip lying on it. Unexpectedly, above the chip a holographic image of Talyn showed him flying head-on into a debris field that Natalie recognized as once being the command carrier. Suddenly Talyn dove to the side, firing all his cannons, and the image dispersed.
He slowly walked back to his chair, sat down, and asked, "Is that ship now in orbit? Are you not the Captain of that ship?"
"Yes."
"And you ordered that Leviathan to fire?"
"Yes," she sadly answered.
"Why? If you are a scientist, then why would you do such a thing?"
"I was told that they were with the Establishment, and that they had the data crystal you guys were after. I didn't find out your people were on board until a few solar days ago."
"So you killed them in error?"
"Yeah. But I had no reason not to trust the person who told me."
"What is this person's name? And where may we find this person?"
"Where this person is, I don't know. I haven't seen her or him since we left that area. And I will not tell you this person's name."
"Why not?" he calmly asked.
"This person is my friend. And I will not betray him...or her."
"You are very loyal to your friends?"
"Yes."
"You would die for them?"
"Yes."
She watched him stand up, pull a knife from behind his back, and slowly walk up to her. She steeled herself and glared defiantly at him. Surprisingly, he walked behind her and cut off her restraints. "Despite what you may think of me, I'm not a cold-blooded murderer."
Almost immediately, she elbowed him in the gut, causing him to bend over, and backhanded him across the face, sending him stumbling back against a pile of junk.
"That was for drugging me and slapping me," she said, standing up and glaring at him. Seeing her pulse pistol on a table to her right, she grabbed it, aimed it at the Nebari as she backed away slightly, and asked, "Now, where's my transponder?"
All of a sudden, the door on the other side of the room blew up and Natalie ducked to avoid being hit by the debris. As she straightened up, she saw Chiana bursting into the room, a pulse rifle in hand.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm all right," Natalie answered, relieved, keeping her eyes, and pistol, on the Nebari in front of her. "How did you find me anyway?"
Walking up to her, Chiana said, "I stopped by a bar and heard people talking about someone carrying you..." Seeing the Nebari on the floor, she stopped dead on her tracks, her mouth hanging open in shock. She shakily said, "Nerri?"
"Nerri?" Natalie repeated, surprised, looking back and forth between Chiana and her brother.
"Yeah," Chiana said, slowly walking up to Nerri as he stood up. As a large smile grew on her face, she dropped the pulse rifle and leapt into his arms, hugging him and laughing in happiness.
Natalie watched Chiana and Nerri's reunion and looked down, lowering her pistol and pushing aside one side of her coat to holster it. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her transponder lying on a shelf behind her and quickly grabbed it. Pulling back her collar, she placed it in her neck and quietly asked, "Talyn, ya there?"
'Natalie? What happened? I felt that the transponder had been removed and I've been trying to find you ever since.'
"Well, you don't have to worry anymore. Chi found me. She also found someone else."
"Who?"
"Her brother," she answered, watching Chiana place her hands on either side of Nerri's face and ask, "What the frell happened? I thought you were dead!"
"I'm sorry, Chiana," he answered, as Natalie explained what happened to Talyn. "But with what I was doing, I thought you were safer thinking I was dead. I was wrong about that, and I am sorry."
Chiana shook her head, tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks, and whispered, "Don't you ever do that to me again."
"I won't, little sister... I will never do that to you again, I promise." Putting her down, he added, "But what the frell are you doing here?"
"I sent the signal saying that I had information for you," she revealed.
"God-dammit, I knew it," Natalie yelled.
"I repaired the comms in the Marauder we have and used that to signal you," she told him.
"You know, Chi," Natalie started, gaining the pair's attention. "I'm happy that you and Nerri are reunited and that what happened brought this about, and I know that you were only thinking about your people. But you really should've thought about how it would affect Talyn and me. If Nerri had been someone else, I'd have been dead in that bar and Talyn could be destroyed by now. So, next time, try to do a little thinking, okay?"
"Natalie, I'm..." Chiana started, but Natalie didn't give her a chance to finish and stormed out of the room. "Natalie," Chiana started after her, but Nerri held her back.
"Leave her be," he said. "She looks like she could use some time alone."
"We could use some time alone, too," Chiana said, looking at Nerri.
"Yeah, we could," he said. "This place is a mess, but we should stay out of sight for our own protection. And it will make it easier for your friend to find us."
"All right."
"Not really," she answered, furious, walking out of the building she was in to return to the bar. "She almost got us killed, Talyn, so I don't think I was harsh on her at all."
'Are you sure? Are you sure you haven't been taking all that anger you've been bottling up out on her?'
Stopping in the middle of the street, Natalie took in what Talyn said. She moved out of traffic into the entrance of a small shop. "What makes you say that?" she lamely asked.
'Beating the dren out of that punching bag hasn't really been working out a whole lot for you lately, has it?'
"No, it hasn't. But she's my best friend. Why would I take it out on her? I have no reason to take it out on her."
'You're doing it because she's there; because she's vulnerable now which makes her the easy target.'
"Gawd, I'm so stupid," she blurted out, raising her hands to rub her face and smooth back her hair.
'Yeah, you can be. But you're only Human.'
She let out a soft chuckle and said, "Thanks."
'And I'd wait a while before talking with her again. She may not want to see you right now.'
"I was thinking the exact same thing," she said, walking back into the street. "I was also thinking I could use a drink."
'Are you sure you should be drinking so much?'
"Don't get your panties in a twist, Tal," she answered walking up to the bar. "I know what I'm doing."
'Like you've said on occasion, 'famous last words'.'
"Yeah, but so much has already happened, what else could possibly go wrong?" She quickly added, "Don't answer that."
'I didn't say a word.'
She opened the door and walked back into the crowded establishment and up to the bar once again. "Hey," she said, getting the bartender's attention.
"You again?" he asked. "I didn't think you'd live. So, did you kill the Nebari?"
"No, he's still alive," she said, leaning against the bar, her arms crossed on top of it.
"He's not going to come looking for you, is he?"
"No, you don't have to worry about him."
"Good. And you still owe me for your last drink."
Pulling out some Brandar tiles, she handed them to the bartender and said, "I'll have the same drink, by the way."
She watched him turn around to mix her drink. As he handed her a tall glass, she said, "Thanks." She took several large swigs and finished it in a few microts. As she tried to get the bartender's attention again, someone suddenly bumped into her. She turned around and slurred, "Hey, watch it, numb nuts." Seeing who it was, she said, "Aw, shit."
"You," Barig exclaimed, his single eye opened wide, the other covered with an eye patch.
She set down her drink, then turned back around to face Barig - one of the men who tried to kidnap her on the commerce station she and the others had been on, searching for Dalek seven monens ago. She said, "All right, let's get this shit over with."
"What?" he said, surprised.
"Hey, if you want to fight, then let's fight and get it over with," she yelled.
"You're crazy," he said.
"Hey, if you don't want to fight, then we won't fight. But if you're going to try to kick my ass, then let's get it over with."
"Frell... Too bad I didn't get you when I saw you," he said and tried to throw a punch at Natalie.
Seeing his movement, she reached back and grabbed her drink, smashing it against his head. Quickly pulling her bloodied hand away, she threw a Pantak jab at his forehead with her other hand, disorienting him. She instantly shifted to his side, grabbed the back of his head and pushed it down, smashing it against the bar. As he bounced back, nearly unconscious, she grabbed his collar, pulling him back as she kicked his legs out from under him and threw him down to the floor. As he hit, she kicked him in the stomach, then in the head, knocking him out.
"Frell this," she said and took out some more Brandar tiles, throwing them onto the bar. Slowly walking to the door, her arms outstretched to steady herself, she added, "Sorry about the mess."
"Well, we managed to get away from a Peacekeeper retrieval squad a few solar days ago..."
"Wait," he interrupted. "A retrieval squad? There was a retrieval squad here a solar day ago. They left after a few arns, but they may still be in the area."
"Frell," she mumbled.
"You and your friend have to leave now," he said, standing up and pulling Chiana up with him. He gave her hands a squeeze and added, "You're not safe here."
"No," she whispered with a slight shake of the head. "I'm going with you."
He opened his mouth to speak, but a drunken Natalie unexpectedly stumbled in.
"What the frell happened to you?" Chiana asked.
"I ran into an old friend," she answered, stumbling into a chair.
Chiana pulled up her chair to Natalie and took her bloodied hand, inspecting the glass imbedded into her palm. Looking at Nerri, she asked, "Can you do anything for her?"
"Yes, there's a medical kit in the next room," he said, walking up to them and taking Natalie's hand. "You go get it. I have to stay out of sight."
"All right," she answered, giving Natalie's shoulder a squeeze, and ran out.
As Nerri sat down across from Natalie, she asked, "Can I ask you something?"
"Yes."
"How did you know I would be here?"
"I didn't," he answered, looking at her. "Someone contacted us, saying they had some information for us. I wanted to see who it was, so I came here to check it out. Then I saw you in the bar. Call it luck, or whatever you will."
She slowly nodded, having trouble staying awake, and asked, "And why didn't you know Chiana was with me, or know who the others were who were with me when we blew up that Expresser?"
"Meelak couldn't inform me. He was under strict radio silence the entire time."
"Oh," she mumbled, looking down at her hand. Looking back at Nerri, she asked, "So, what were you telling Chiana when I walked in?"
"I was telling her you have to leave, NOW. A retrieval squad, probably the same squad that's after you, was here a solar day ago. They might still be in the area."
"Well, we can't leave yet. At least not until we find some of what I'm looking for."
"What are you looking for?"
She reached into a pouch on the left side of her belt, under her duster, and pulled out a transparency. Handing it to Nerri, she replied, "This."
He took a few microts to examine the list she handed him and said, "You may want to see Mivvaro." He handed the list back to her and watched her place it back in the pouch. "He owns a shop about a quarter metra north of here. He may have what's on that list. But don't spend too much time haggling with him. You need to leave soon."
"I finally found it," Chiana said, walking into the room, frustrated, and handed the med kit to Nerri.
He opened it and pulled out a retractor to remove the glass shards from Natalie's hand. She was flinching in pain, but tried to not move too much and make things difficult for Nerri. "So what's this information you had for me?" he asked.
"The Peacekeepers are starting a war between the Scarrans and the Establishment," Chiana quickly answered.
"How?" he asked, shocked.
"We found out that the retrieval squad had dropped off several Nebari bodies near the Nebari border. They looked like they had been tortured and killed by Scarran heat projection."
"Frell," he said, removing the last shard from Natalie's hand. He pulled a sealer out of the kit to cauterize her wounds and mumbled, "They want us to wipe each other out."
"That's what we thought," Natalie said as he put down the sealer and picked up a bandage to wrap around her hand.
"That's the best I can do," he said, standing up. He walked to a table and grabbed a towel to wipe the blood off his hands. Turning to look at them, he added, "Now, you must leave if you don't want to get captured."
"I'm staying with you," Chiana said, looking at her brother.
"You can't, little sister. The work I'm doing is very dangerous. You're safer staying with your friend."
"I'll be safer?" she yelled. "Are you forgetting about that retrieval squad?"
"No, but you'll still be safer on Talyn than with me. Trust me Chiana."
She grabbed him, pulling him into a tight hug. "I don't want to lose you again," she whispered, tears streaming down her face.
"I know," he said. "But we don't have a choice. You can't come with me." He pushed her back slightly to look into her eyes and added, "But we will see each other again." He let her go, slowly backing to the door. "I love you dearly."
As he disappeared through the door, Chiana tried to go after him, but Natalie shot up and grabbed her and said, "You can't, Chiana. He doesn't want you going with him."
"I can't just let him go," she whispered, looking at the human.
"You have to," Natalie softly slurred and pulled Chiana into a hug.
The two remained in their embrace for several microts, Chiana's muffled crying the only sound. With a sigh, Natalie broke their silence and said, "There's something I have to take care of, Chi; I have to see a guy about getting what I need." She pushed Chiana back to look at her and added, "Go on to the transport pod. I'll meet you there, okay?"
"Okay," she quietly replied, pulling out of Natalie's embrace and wiping the tears from her cheek.
The two walked to the door, picking up Chiana's pulse rifle along the way, and went their separate ways once outside the building - Chiana slowly walking to the pod, Natalie going to find Mivvaro.
It took her nearly half an arn, but Natalie eventually reached Mivvaro's shop. She opened the door and walked in, stumbling through the aisles and past all the tables, searching for what she needed.
"Can I help you?" she heard a deep voice ask from behind.
She turned around to find a large, bulky man standing a few feet away from her. If it wasn't for his yellow eyes and extremely small ears, she might have mistaken him for a Sebacean. She pulled the list out of the pouch, handing it to him, and said, "Do you have any of what's on that list?"
He inspected it and, with a nod, said, "Yes, I have all of what you need. But it will be expensive."
"How much?" she asked, taking the list back from him.
"At least ten thousand credits."
"Ten thousand?" she exclaimed. "How the frell am I supposed to get that much money?"
"I don't know," he innocently said.
"Well, maybe we could do some trading?"
Seeing her partially drunken state, he looked her over and said, "Yes, maybe we can do a little trading."
"Good," she said. "So, is there anything you want? I just might have it."
"Yes, there is something I want," he answered and strolled up to her. "You."
"Me?" she exclaimed.
"Yes, you for one sex act and five hundred credits. For that I'll give you what you want."
"Uh, no," she firmly stated and turned to walk out.
He suddenly shouted, "You won't be able to find any of what you need anywhere in this quadrant. And even if you could, I'll make sure that you can't get it."
She turned, fury burning in her eyes, and said, "You son of a bitch."
"You can call me all the names you want," he said, walking up to her. "But the fact of the matter is, you need me. And I want you. So what'll it be?"
"Despite the hangover, cuts, and bruises..." she answered and pulled out the band holding her hair up, letting it fall around her shoulders. She unzipped her coat, took it off, and tossed it onto her bed. Unbuckling her belt and holster, she threw them onto the bed as well, then turned around, fell back onto her bed, and sarcastically groaned, "I'm just peachy."
'Well, at least you haven't lost your sense of humor.'
"Talyn, what's going on with you?" she asked, sitting up and leaning back on her hands. "You've been awfully quiet since I met with Mivvaro. I figured you'd have more to say about what happened."
'I just can't believe you did what you did.'
"Neither can I," she said, resting her elbows on her knees and clasping her hands. "But I was drunk and desperate, and I was going to go back to Earth no matter the cost," she added, mockingly. "So, I figured I might as well use that 'Trelks for Dummies' handbook."
'Do you regret it?'
With a shake of the head, she said, "No, I don't. I'm ashamed of it, but I don't regret it. He was telling the truth about making sure I didn't get what I needed. I could see it in his eyes. There was no way I was going to get the parts... I didn't have a choice."
'Yes, you had a choice, Natalie. You could've said no and found another way to get what you needed.'
"You don't know that," she lamely said.
'Yes, I do. You didn't have to frell that bastard.'
Cocking an eyebrow, she asked, "Do I detect a hint of jealousy?"
'No, you don't,' he firmly said, not leaving any room for discussion. 'And don't change the subject.'
"Sorry," she sarcastically mumbled.
'Like I said, you didn't have to frell him.'
"Talyn, I was drunk. I was desperate and drunk. I wasn't thinking right."
'That's no excuse.'
"Then what the FRELL do you want from me, Talyn?" she asked, furious, shooting up off the bed and stomping around her quarters. "Huh? What do you want from me?"
'I don't know,' he answered weakly.
She sighed, put one hand on her hip, and raised her other hand to rub her eyes. "Look, Talyn, what happened happened. We got what we want out of it, so let's just put it behind us, okay?"
'Okay.'
"Okay," she said, walking back to her bed to take off her boots and socks, leaving them strewn on the floor.
As she pulled off her tank top, tossing it onto the bed, and walked to the head to change the dressing around her abdomen, Talyn asked, 'So, you got everything we need?'
"Shit," she mumbled, seeing some blood seeping through the bandage. "Yeah, we got everything we need," she answered, unwrapping the dressing from around her midsection. "And we got away with our asses in one piece. When that Vigilante showed up, I didn't think we'd get back to you and starburst before they got to us."
'Well, we got lucky. How's the wound?'
She pulled off the bandage to inspect the gash and said, "If we were lucky, then those bastards would never have been there in the first place. And it's not too bad. I guess Mivvaro reopened it when he grabbed my sides."
'So, how are we going to do this? Go to Earth that is?' he asked, changing the subject as he watched her through the DRD on the wall next to the mirror.
She pulled out a med kit and wiped away the blood from her wound. "It shouldn't take me very long to build the stabilizer now that I have the parts." Placing the new bandage on her abdomen, she continued. "Maybe a weeken, maybe two. I've been studying how to access the wormhole network, so after I build the stabilizer, all we'll have to do is find a star with flare activity."
'Then we'll go to Earth?'
"Then we'll ask Chiana if she wants to come with us," she answered, wrapping a new dressing around her body. "If she does, then I'll do some testing with my Prowler. If all goes well, I'll stick the stabilizer on you and THEN we'll go to Earth. But we'll have to find it first."
'I didn't realize it would be that complicated,' he sarcastically said, watching her inject some antibiotics into her arm.
"Well, I doubt it'll be THAT easy," she said, cleaning up the head. She walked back into her bedroom and to her dresser, pulled out a black T-shirt, and carefully put it on, trying not to open her wound again. She pulled her hair out of the shirt and said, "Where is Chiana, anyway?"
'I don't know. She turned off her comms and disappeared as soon as you came aboard. I haven't seen her and haven't been able to locate her since. I can send my DRDs to search for her...'
"She doesn't want to be found," she said with a sigh and carefully laid down on the bed, her legs crossed and her hands behind her head. She closed her eyes and added, "So, don't send 'em looking for her."
'When should we?'
"When we have to."
'Could you be any less cryptic?'
"Maybe," she said with a smirk, her eyes still closed.
'Very funny.'
"Of course it is," she said, her smile growing wider. "I said it, didn't I?"
'That's pretty arrogant of you.'
"Yeah, well... What can I say? I'm just an arrogant bitch."
'Yes, you are.'
She softly chuckled and sighed contentedly, glad to be back in her bed with a chance to finally sleep.
'What is that?' Talyn asked curiously after several microts.
She softly moaned, then mumbled, "Your timing sucks, Talyn."
'I woke you up, didn't I?' he asked sheepishly.
"Luckily for you, I was only half asleep," she groaned. With a sigh, she asked, "What's what?
'The data chip on the table - what's on it?'
"It's a recording," she said, humiliated. "Mivvaro made a recording of what we did, for 'posterity', and gave me a copy."
'He gave you a copy?'
"Yeah."
'Do you want me to destroy it?'
"No, I'll do it. I have to do it myself. But I'll do it later after I get some sleep."
"Hey," Chiana replied, popping a piece of sliced fruit into her mouth.
Walking to the refrigeration unit, Natalie pulled out a bottle of raslac and a tray with a slice of wamelon cake on it. She opened the drawer under it, grabbing the Uncharted Territories version of a fork, and walked around the table to sit across from Chiana.
"I thought you said raslac didn't do anything for you?" Chiana asked, watching Natalie digging into the cake.
"I lied," she said, taking a bite. "It does do something for me, but I sober up after a few minutes." As Chiana softly laughed, Natalie asked, "How are you holding up?"
The Nebari immediately sobered, putting the slice of purple fruit in her hand back onto the tray in front of her. She sighed and said, "I miss him."
"I know," she said, looking at her sympathetically. "But I have the feeling you'll see him again someday."
"That's what he said."
"He said that?" Feigning surprise, she added, "I don't remember that."
Chiana chuckled softly, "Yeah, he said that." She picked up a piece of fruit, ate it, and added, "You know, if you hadn't been there, or if you had passed out, I would've gone with him no matter what he said."
"I know. But can you honestly say you would've been any happier with him than you are here?"
"Yeah, of course I can," she said lamely, and Natalie shot her a skeptical look. After a few microts, she admitted, "No, I can't."
"You miss D'Argo too much?"
"Yeah," she quietly said, a small smile growing on her face as she remembered the times she had with him.
Natalie reached out, gave Chiana's hand a squeeze, and softly said, "I miss him, too."
She smiled thankfully at Natalie, squeezed her hand and let it go. The two ate in silence for nearly half an arn, then Chiana asked, "How's the stabilizer coming along?"
"All I need to do is install a few more circuits and I'll be finished," she answered, taking a swig of raslac.
"Finished already?" she asked, surprised. "That was fast." As Natalie let out a muffled laugh, Chiana grinned and asked, "What?"
"I'm sorry," she said, trying to stifle her laughter. Looking at Chiana, a mischievous glint in her eye, she answered, "But that just brought back an old memory.
"I remember this one time I was with Tom - Jason's father. We were in the middle of this field with a nearby lake at night because both our parents were home, and we were SO horny. He said that no one ever came to that lake, so we wouldn't have to worry about anyone finding us.
So, we stripped and started to make love in the middle of this field. Two minutes later, he came. I said the exact same thing you did and you wouldn't believe how red he turned. And the next thing I knew, my ass and our legs started itch. We looked down and saw we were covered from our feet to our hips in fire ants!" she exclaimed.
"I screamed SO loud that if anyone had been there, they'd have come running. Then we both jumped up and ran into the lake to get the ants off. When we came back out, we found that our clothes were infested with fire ants, too. We dumped them in the lake to wash them out, then put them in a plastic bag he had in his car.
"After that, we left and had to drive back home naked. We were both still dripping wet and we were STARK NAKED. It was SO embarrassing. Every time we passed a cop, we'd duck down just far enough so that they couldn't see us. When I got home I got lucky because my parents and brothers had already gone to bed. So, I snuck in, making damn sure I didn't wake any of them up, dried off, and went to bed.
"But the next morning, the lower half of my body was so swollen with ant bites that I could hardly fit into my clothes," she said, laughing so hard with Chiana that she started to cough. "I was so pissed off when that happened."
Stifling a fit of laughter and resisting the urge to ask was a 'fire ant' was, Chiana said, "I guess you haven't frelled in a field since, have you?"
"Absolutely not," she laughed.
After their laughter died down several microts later, Chiana asked, "Hey, how come you haven't asked me about coming to Earth with you, anyway?"
"Well," she started, a grin still on her face. "You've been so down lately that I wanted to wait until you were feeling better. But you look like you're feeling better now, so how 'bout it? You want to come to Earth with Talyn and me?"
"Frell, yeah," she exclaimed, a large smile on her face.
"Well," Natalie said, putting on her duster. "Talyn and I have already talked about this. If I don't make it back, he'll give you a transponder - a temporary transponder - so the two of you can communicate while you search for Moya." Zipping up the zipper, she added, "He'll take you back to her and he'll stay with you guys until he finds a new captain. Or YOU can stay on as his captain and you can go wherever you want."
"You're kidding," she exclaimed, surprised, as she watched Natalie walk to her night stand to search for her occulars. "Talyn will actually let me be his Captain?"
"Yup," Natalie answered, walking past Chiana to the hatch, occulars in hand. As Chiana caught up to her in the corridor, she added, "Just don't go shooting off his cannon when it's 'that time of the monen'."
"Hey, I'm Nebari, not Human or Sebacean, remember?" she said, a smile on her face.
"It was just a figure of speech," Natalie answered lightheartedly, increasing her pace to a steady jog.
Walking through the opening hatch to docking bay one, her duster swaying, Natalie hurried to the workbench with Chiana right behind her. She quickly picked up the scanner without breaking her stride and jogged up to her Prowler to perform the preflight check.
As she watched Natalie scan her ship, Chiana worriedly said, "Come back alive, all right? It'll get pretty boring here without you."
"You don't have a thing to worry about," she replied, hearing the hidden grief in her words. She climbed up the ladder to perform one last inspection on the stabilizer, which was bolted directly behind the canopy, and continued, "There's no way in hell I'm going to deprive you of your fun."
"Thanks. And good luck."
Looking at Chiana as she opened the canopy, she softly said, "Like I said, you don't have anything to worry about."
"I'll see you when you get back," she said and turned to walk out of the docking bay and make her way to the bridge.
Natalie put on her occulars, adjusting them so that they lay above her ponytail and under the two bangs circling her face, and climbed into her Prowler.
Talyn said, 'I think our luck is changing.'
"Why do you say that?" she asked, starting up the Prowler's systems.
'Well, we did find this system with flare activity.'
"Would you open the outer doors?" As Talyn opened his doors, she said, "Yeah, we did find this system. But it took us four weekens to do it, and that's not counting the two weekens we spent looking for a system while I built the stabilizer." Lifting off, she retracted the ship's winglets, pulling them against the main body, and added, "That doesn't sound very lucky to me."
'You know, you're too cynical,' he said as the Prowler shot out from Talyn's docking bay.
"Well, you can blame that on living in the Uncharted Territories for more than a cycle," she replied, flying the Prowler out to a distance of two hundred metras from Talyn then powering down her engines to hold position. "Hey, Chi, do you read?"
"I'm right here," she heard Chiana say over the comms.
"How's the uplink holding up?"
Chiana performed a quick systems check to make sure the uplink was monitoring the Prowler's systems and Natalie's vital signs. She replied, "It's doing just fine. You're ready to go."
'I'm picking up a solar flare,' Talyn interrupted.
"Here we go," Natalie said nervously, powering up the engines and the stabilizer and starting her run. Suddenly, a wormhole began taking shape directly in her flight path, and she slowed, coming to a stop. "Oh, my God," she whispered, mesmerized by the swirling blue mass before her. Snapping out of it, she exclaimed, "I'm taking sensor readings. Are you getting them?"
'We're getting 'em,' Talyn answered.
"This is unbelievable," she said, fear tingeing her voice.
'If you're going to go in to get some more readings and see where it goes, then you better go now because it's already starting to destabilize.'
"In that case," she hit the throttle, hurtling the Prowler towards the wormhole. "I'll see ya on the flipside."
She entered the wormhole and was immediately thrown into the side of the cockpit, bruising and cutting her forehead, as the twisting wormhole tossed the Prowler from side to side. Grabbing the stick, Natalie pulled herself up and made sure the sensors were functioning properly as she tried to level off the Prowler. The wormhole continued tossing and rolling the small craft, then just as suddenly as the 'ride' had begun, it was over.
"Oh, Gawd," she croaked, trying to catch her breath as she reversed thrust, bringing the Prowler to a stop. She let out a loud whoop and said, "Damn. I gotta turn that into a ride." She reached up with a groan to cradle the bruise forming on her forehead from being thrown against the cockpit side panel and added, "And I gotta strap in next time."
She immediately checked the comm system and said, "Talyn, Chiana, ya there? Talyn, do you read me?" She received no signal and couldn't feel Talyn through her link with him. "Shit. I'm out of range."
Coming about, she spun the Prowler one hundred eighty degrees to the left, facing the wormhole. "As long as I'm here..." she mumbled and took some more sensor readings.
Unexpectedly, the collision sensors came alive indicating a large planet to her left and she peered out of the canopy to take a look. Her mouth fell open in shock as she gazed at the planet.
"Oh, shit," she whispered. "I wish you two could see this," she said to no one. "That's Jupiter."
'I have no idea. I can't even feel her through our link.' Frustrated, he added, 'But then again you can't understand anything I'm frelling saying.'
"Frell," Chiana mumbled and turned to walk to the hatch. "Talyn, get the other Prowler ready. I'm going after her."
'Sorry, Chiana, but I can't let you do that,' he said, locking the hatch just as she tried to palm it open. 'Natalie didn't want you coming after her.'
She repeatedly swiped her palm over the door sensor, trying to get it open, and yelled, "Talyn, open the frelling door."
He sighed and said, 'Damn, I wish you could understand me.'
"I should've kept my pulse pistol with me," she mumbled, walking back to the override console.
She shook her head, snapping out of her reverie, and spun the Prowler to face the wormhole to take some more readings. The sensors indicated the rate of destabilization, and Natalie laughed, seeing just how slow it was. 'Thank you, Talyn,' she thought and sat back as the ship continued taking readings.
After nearly an arn of studying the blue, swirling tunnel, Natalie sighed wearily and shut off the sensors, sitting back against her small seat. Groaning again, she shut her eyes and cradled the new bruise again. Pulling her hand away, she found a small amount of blood smeared on her palm. "Shit," she said. "Might as well get going."
As she powered up the engines and gazed at the wormhole, the thought of seeing Earth instead of going back through the wormhole popped into her mind. She had been so excited about being back in her own system and taking readings of the wormhole that seeing Earth now had slipped her mind. But since she was finished taking readings and finally had a moment to take it all in, she couldn't help but think of Earth. While she knew Talyn and Chiana were most likely going out of their minds, wondering if she could make it back or if she was dead, the thought of seeing Earth for the first time in nearly a cycle was too tempting.
"So, where are you?" she asked, coming about and activating the Prowler's sensors to find Earth. Not seeing it anywhere in the area, she mumbled, "You just had to be on the other side of the sun, didn't ya? Why couldn't you have made things easier for me and been on THIS side?"
She threw the throttle forward and propelled the Prowler at full speed in a hemispherical course around the sun. An eighth of an arn later, she flew over the asteroid field, reaching the inner system, and passed Venus and Mercury, keeping her eyes locked on them in wonder as she made her way to Earth. Pulling back the throttle, Natalie slowed the ship and reversed thrust, coming to a stop a million metras away from her homeworld.
A large smile grew on her face as she gazed at the beautiful blue planet, the moon spinning in space to her left. She watched the Atlantic Ocean with Western Europe to one side and the North American Eastern Seaboard to the other and said, "Now, THAT'S a beautiful sight." Her smile turned mischievous and she added, "They're going to shit their pants when we show up. I wonder if I should land on the White House lawn..."
"Hmm, I wonder what's on TV..." she said offhandedly, activating the ship's comm system and adjusting it to monitor all Earth transmissions. She switched frequencies, flipping channels every few microts as she watched the different programs from around the world on the screen in front of her.
"I wonder if they'd consider this stealing cable or whatever you call it," she said, lingering on the different American networks and smiling as she recognized some of her favorite shows. Coming upon NBC, she exclaimed, "Hey, the Today Show."
She watched the show for several microts, catching up on events and hoping to find out the date. She also hoped to find out how the Dallas Stars were doing. Hearing one of the hosts finally announce the date, her jaw dropped in shock and she stared wide-eyed at the screen. She looked up, gazing out at Earth in front of her, and whispered, "July 7, 2001... I've been gone for fifteen months..."
She sat in stunned silence for several microts, taking it in, then repeated, "Fifteen months." She closed the comms channel and said, "I'm not going to make it sixteen." She immediately spun the Prowler nose to tail, threw the throttle forward, and flew back to the wormhole at full power.
Suddenly, Talyn beeped furiously, his lights flashing as he tried to get her attention. She looked up and, with relief, saw Natalie's fighter emerging unharmed from the wormhole. A smile on her face, she opened a comms channel and yelled, "Natalie, what the frell happened?"
"A lot," she responded, flying towards Talyn's docking bay.
'It's good to see you, Natalie.'
"It's good to see you, too, Talyn. I'm coming in."
"Is everything all right?" Chiana asked, concerned.
As he opened the outer door leading to docking bay one, Talyn said, 'You sound a little disappointed.'
"Yeah, everything's all right and I'm not disappointed," she answered, piloting the Prowler into Talyn. "Everything worked perfectly; I'm just a little overwhelmed is all."
"So, what did you find on the other side?" Chiana asked.
'Did you find Earth?'
Landing the Prowler, she replied, "Yeah, I found Earth."
Looking at Chiana, she said, "Nothing. Like I said, I'm just overwhelmed."
Pushing the ladder against the Prowler for Natalie, she said, "Yeah, but for someone who just found her homeworld, I thought you'd be excited about it."
"I am," she chuckled, slowly climbing out of the cockpit and climbing down the ladder. "I just... I just found out how long I've been away."
"How long?" she asked as Natalie took off her occulars.
She folded the occulars, stuffed them into the pouch on her hip under her coat, and replied, "Fifteen months."
"That's just a little over a cycle," she said, confused. "You've known that's how long you've been away."
"Yeah, I knew. It just didn't hit me until I actually heard it in Earth time."
'Well, you've found Earth, so when are we leaving?'
"As soon as I get out of this coat, change into my spacesuit, and hook the stabilizer up to you with Chiana's help," she stated, walking out of the docking bay with Chiana.
"I'll go get changed," Chiana said, turning down a corridor to take a shortcut to her quarters.
"While I'm doing that, Tal, I want you to send a signal to Moya to let the others know that we've decrypted the data crystal and that we've found Earth. Send them the coordinates of the wormhole and all the info we have on it and all the info we have on the stabilizer. They may want to check it out. And send them all the info we got from the crystal on wormholes just in case they'll have to open one of their own."
'Is that it?' Sarcastically he added, 'Because I'd just LOVE to do more.'
"I'm not too sure you being connected to me is a good thing anymore," she said, opening the hatch to her quarters with her link and walking through it before it completely opened.
'Like I haven't heard that before.'
"You know, when we were first connected, I hoped some of my personality traits would wear off on you to help you," she said, unzipping her coat and tossing it on the bed.
'I'm glad they did,' he said as she pulled her black spacesuit out of her open dresser.
"I'm glad they did, too," she stated, pulling on her spacesuit. "But I guess what 'they' say is right."
'And what do 'they' say?'
Grabbing her helmet, she walked out of her quarters and answered, "No good deed goes unpunished."
'Are you saying you rubbing off on me is a bad thing?'
"Well, having two people like us in this galaxy isn't exactly a good thing."
'At least not for everyone else.'
"Got that right," she said, a wicked smile on her face. Returning to the docking bay, she saw Chiana waiting in her black spacesuit and added, "So, are you going to send that signal or what?"
'I'm on it.'
"What were you two talking about?" Chiana asked as Natalie put her helmet down on the workbench next to hers and grabbed two wrenches.
"Me rubbing off on him," she answered, tossing one of the wrenches to Chiana and running up to the Prowler with her.
Climbing up the ladder behind Natalie, Chiana said, "I'm not even going to touch that."
"I guess I'm rubbing off on you, too," she said, climbing onto the Prowler and behind the stabilizer to remove it.
Standing on the ladder, Chiana unscrewed the bolts on her side and said, "I'm not going to touch that, either."
Natalie asked, "Got it?
"Yeah," Chiana answered. "So, have you done anything like this before?" she asked as Natalie climbed out, tool kit in hand.
"Well, I was scheduled for a space walk, but I got sucked into that frelling wormhole before that could happen," she stated and attached their safety tethers to the mooring points next to the hatch.
Lifting the stabilizer, Chiana stood up with Natalie and asked, "So, where does it go?"
"Up there," Natalie answered, looking back at the highest point on Talyn's hull. "Behind the hatch to Talyn's main cannon."
"All the way up there?"
"Yup."
"Are you sure we have enough cable to get there?"
"Yup."
"Then let's go," Chiana said, slowly climbing up Talyn's hull with the stabilizer in hand before realizing that Natalie wasn't with her. Turning around, she saw Natalie still standing next to the hatch, watching the wormhole. "Hey," Chiana said, getting Natalie's attention. "You coming, or what?"
Snapping out of it with a slight shake of the head, Natalie turned around to catch up to Chiana and said, "Sorry, but if you look at that thing long enough it gets to be pretty hypnotic. If I look at it long enough, I'll probably get high."
'Then don't look at it.'
"It's kind of hard not to, knowing that Earth is on the other side of it," she said, pulling on the cable for more slack.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to hearing you talking with Talyn," Chiana asked.
"Well, I'm the one hearing voices in my head, so how do you think I feel?"
'Hey, I resemble that remark.'
"And I love you for it," she said with a smile and slight chuckle.
"I'll bet you anything Talyn would be blushing right now," Chiana stated as they reached their destination and knelt down, setting the stabilizer down on the hull.
"Of course, he is," she said with a chuckle and knelt on his hull, setting down the tool kit and opening it. Looking at Chiana, she added, "He's at that stage in life where he's too old for that kind of mushy stuff."
"I was wondering when he'd get there," she said, centering the stabilizer with Natalie's help.
"This might hurt a little, Tal," Natalie said as she and Chiana each grabbed a welding torch from the tool kit. "I'm sorry about this, but we have to make sure it's secure and we can't do that by just bolting it to you."
'Hey, I had part of my tail blown off and we got through that fine. So I think we can handle something as little as this.'
"Well, you know what they say," she said as they turned on their torches. "It's always the little things that hurt the most."
As the two began to weld the base plate of the stabilizer to Talyn's hull, he shuddered slightly and Natalie felt a slight twinge of pain through her neural link. She asked, "You okay?"
'Oh, yeah - just call me a masochist,' he stated sarcastically.
As Natalie laughed, Chiana, with a smile on her face, asked, "What did he say?"
"He wants us to call him a masochist."
"With all the dren he's put up with, I'm surprised he hasn't said that sooner."
Unexpectedly, Talyn shuddered hard, causing Natalie and Chiana to stumble and float off his hull. Fortunately, before they got too far away from him, Natalie grabbed one end of the stabilizer with one hand and Chiana's tether with the other.
She pulled herself down onto the hull, pulled Chiana down, and yelled, "Talyn, what happened?"
'Dammit,' he exclaimed. 'A spark hit one of my neural clusters and it HURT.'
"Sorry," she said sheepishly and went back to welding the base plate to his hull. Glancing at Chiana, she asked, "You okay?"
"Yeah," she stated bluntly.
"Good," she mumbled, concerned at the Nebari's behavior.
"That's it," Chiana said, finishing welding the front and the right side of the plate.
As Chiana turned off her welding torch and placed it in the tool kit, Natalie completed welding the rear and the left side of the plate and turned off the torch, returning it to the kit. She said, "I have to admit I'm a little disappointed."
'Why?'
"This is the first time I've been out here and I kind of like it," she answered, still kneeling and caressing Talyn's hull with a smile as she stared off into space. "I don't really want to come back in at the moment."
"So, you want to stay out here when we go through the wormhole?" Chiana asked as she stood up, knowing that Natalie was talking with Talyn.
"Why not?" she asked, collecting the tool kit and standing, a smile on her face. "I've never surfed before and there's a first time for everything, right?"
Chiana looked at Natalie in false shock, then broke out in a fit of laughter. She said, "You are crazy."
Starting their trek back down Talyn's hull, Natalie laughingly replied, "Well, I do hear voices in my head."
Once inside, the two jogged to the bridge in silence as they took off their helmets, hoping nothing would go wrong. Natalie opened the hatch with her neural link and the two jogged in, not breaking stride. She asked, "How you holding up, Tal?"
'I'm ready to go.'
"Nervous?" she asked knowingly, as she walked to the override console, monitoring the status of the stabilizer while Chiana took a seat on the stool behind the other console.
He hesitated for a microt and softly said, 'Yeah.'
"Well, the stabilizer's ready to go," she said offhandedly. "I'll try to give you a smooth ride, Talyn."
'You're taking manual control?' he asked in surprise.
"Yeah," she said apologetically. "I've got more experience in a wormhole than you do."
'Yeah, about one hundred forty microts worth of experience.'
"Well, that's still more than you have. So, I'm flying, okay?"
'Fine,' he said, frustrated.
"All right, here we go," she said, sitting down on her stool and propelling Talyn forward into the wormhole.
He groaned and slowly stood up, picking up the chair with him. Sitting in it, he rubbed his eyes and said, "You'd fall asleep, too, if you'd had to take the graveyard shift every night for the past two weeks. I haven't been able to sleep right ever since I took this assignment." As she handed him a cup of coffee and a bagel, he asked, "What time is it anyway?"
"9:16," she answered and sat down in the chair next to him, putting down her cup and breakfast. Looking at him, she asked, "So, are you saying you regret taking this assignment?"
"Yeah, a little," he admitted.
"Do you regret deciding to become an astronomer?" she asked and pulled off a piece of her bagel, popping it into her mouth.
"Not if I don't have to work the graveyard shift again," he said, taking a sip of coffee.
She let out a soft giggle and asked, "Weren't you the one who told me you were a night owl? Didn't you say you could go for days without sleep?"
"Yeah, days not weeks," he answered, taking a bite of his bagel.
"I stand corrected."
"Well, it's not your fault." With a grin, he added, "After all, I didn't say anything about weeks."
Laughing, she ripped off a small piece of her bagel and threw it at him.
"Hey," he yelled, trying to block it.
"I'll tell you what," she said, a smile still on her face, putting down her bagel. "I'll take you off the schedule for the next few nights, so you can get some sleep. But you'd better show up for class."
"Thanks, and I definitely will."
"Is that because you want to be there, or because you like Jessica?"
He hesitated for a few seconds, then lamely said, "Uh, no."
"C'mon, I've seen the way you look at her," Paige said, and looked at the black computer screen hooked up to the telescope. Disappointed, she looked at Frank and asked, "I thought you told me you'd keep track of Saturn and you weren't going to play around with this?"
"I WAS keeping track of it," he said confused, putting down his coffee and bagel. He turned to the keyboard in front of him as Paige turned to her keyboard, punching in commands. "Or at least I was before I fell asleep."
Curious, she looked up at the telescope through the window behind the computer monitors and said, "There's something blocking the view." Looking at the monitor, she punched more commands into the keyboard, zooming out on the image, and added, "Let's see what it is."
As the image zoomed out and cleared, the two astronomers stared slack-jawed at their monitors. The image on them was of a large black and red object with a pointy front end and two large, triangular objects on either side of it.
"Tell me that's not what I think it is," Frank said in wonder and fear as he gazed at the image.
"It probably is what we think it is," she said, her voice full of wonder as well.
"In that case, I don't regret being here one bit."
"I had a feeling you'd say that." With a smile growing on her face, she asked, "Do you have any idea just how lucky we are right now? With space as big as it is, the odds of us finding something like this..."
"Oh, yeah," he mumbled.
"But just in case we're not lucky," she said, quickly picking up the phone and dialing. "You call IASA; I've got Space Command."
Picking up the phone and dialing, he said, "Hell, no. I'm calling CNN."
Looking at him, she exclaimed, "This is S. O. P. and you know it, so call 'em."
Looking back at her, he said, "I don't give a rat's ass about S. O. P., especially when it involves the government."
"You've been watching too many government conspiracy movies," she said, waiting for someone to pick up.
"You know, when I saw first saw Earth I thought it was totally unimpressive," Chiana said, standing next to Natalie, her thumbs hooked in her belt.
"And what do you think of it now?" she asked, her eyes never leaving Earth.
"It's still unimpressive," she said with a playful grin, looking at her friend and noting the dark circles under her eyes.
Her head snapped around to look at Chiana in surprise. Seeing the smile on her face and the glint in her eyes, she turned back to look at Earth with a smile of her own and sarcastically said, "Oh, thank you."
Chiana giggled, turning to look at Earth again, then sobered. She said, "But it is beautiful."
"It most definitely is. I wish John and the others could be here to see it."
"I wish they could be here, too," she sadly said.
"Hopefully, they got our message and they'll be here in a short while."
'Excuse me, ladies,' Talyn interrupted. 'I know you're enjoying your moment now, but I've been monitoring all transmissions like you asked...'
"What have they been saying?" Natalie asked, glancing up at his beta channel.
'Well, some of them are pretty weird and they really do explain why you are the way you are...'
"Oh, thanks," she interrupted.
'But there are a few that you're going to want to see,' he said and activated his imaging system, filling the forward section of the bridge directly in front of the forward portholes with a transparent hologram of a CNN news report.
"...The alien ship appears to be holding position at least five hundred thousand miles from Earth, according to Brown University Astronomy Department representatives," anchorwoman Jo-Ann Collins stated, an enhanced picture of Talyn in the upper left corner of the holographic image.
The three listened in frustration as Collins continued, "Its unexpected appearance was reported by Dr. Paige Gardner and Frank Madsen of Brown University. They first sighted the space craft at 9:20 Eastern Standard Time and..."
"Shit," Natalie said.
"So much for a quiet visit," Chiana added.
"Government officials and IASA representatives have yet to comment on the situation," Collins added.
"Well, of course, they haven't," Natalie yelled and threw her arms out in frustration, turning her back to the broadcast and walking to the back of the bridge. She sighed, wrapping one arm around her abdomen, rested her elbow on her hand, and reached up to rub her tired eyes and the bridge of her nose. "Talyn, what are government officials saying?" She yelled, "And shut that shit off."
Shutting off the imaging system, he said, 'It took me a few microts to break most of the encryption systems of all the major governments and militaries, but they're all pretty much panicking. The militaries of Earth are scrambling - they're launching all fighters and their troops are on full alert. But the government officials don't know what to do with them. Some governments want to peacefully communicate with us; some want to 'blow us out of the sky', as someone from Russia, I believe, put it. And others just want to wait to see what we do first before doing anything themselves.'
"What about the U.S. government?" she said, turning around to walk back to his beta channel, trying to keep her eyes open. "What are they doing?"
'They're doing all three of what I said. Some want to peacefully communicate, some want to blow us out of the sky, and some want to wait and see what we do. But there's been nothing from the President yet.'
"Who is the President, anyway?"
'Some guy named George W. Bush. He looks like a moron. But then again, from what I've seen, the same could be said for nearly all humans.'
"You're kidding me?" she asked shocked. "Bush is President?"
"What's wrong?" Chiana asked, confused. "Who's Bush?"
"He WAS the governor of the state I was living in," she answered, letting out an irate laugh with the shake of the head. "I never did like him. Let's hope he doesn't frell things up for us."
'He probably will,' Talyn said. 'Government officials always end up frelling things up, no matter the situation.'
She grinned and said, "You're just saying that because you're still pissed off about that one time at that commerce planet."
"All right, so what do we do?" Chiana asked. "It's not like we can just land without warning now."
Looking at Chiana, Natalie asked, "What do you mean we?"
"I'm coming with you."
"No, Chiana, you're not. I can't let you take that kind of risk."
"Frell you," she yelled. "You and I have been in this together for the past seven monens and I am not going to just walk away from it now. And I can't just stay up here by myself." With a smile, she added, "Besides, ever since meeting you and Crichton, I've always wondered what Earth was like."
"All right, we'll wait and see, okay?" Natalie conceded.
"Okay. But in the mean time we have to let em know we're coming down. If we don't, they'll shoot us out of the sky."
"They might do that anyway," she said, taking a seat on the stool.
"So, we need protection."
"Well, I never did like the media, but," she paused, leaning back against the console and propping her elbows up on it. "Maybe we could use them."
"Those keznets? Are you kidding?"
With a smile on her face and a shake of the head, she said, "No, I'm not kidding. Because if we let them keep their cameras on us twenty-four/seven and give them full access to us for live interviews or whatever, then we're safe. No one will be able to touch us because if someone does, then a lot of people are going to be pissed, especially at the government. And the government doesn't like it when people are pissed at them, because when people are pissed..."
With a sly grin, Chiana finished, "Things start coming out about the government."
"Exactly. So if we don't frell up in any way and don't get the public pissed at us, we don't have a thing to worry about."
'When'd you get to be so smart, anyway?' Talyn asked.
"Oh, I have my moments," she answered and softly chuckled.
"Get any sleep?" Chiana asked from the override console as Natalie came up to her.
"In three arns?" Looking at her, she asked, "Could YOU get any sleep if you were me?"
"Maybe. It would depend on what I had just done."
"Don't you mean 'who'?"
"Yeah, that, too," she said and the two erupted in a fit of laughter.
Natalie calmed down, but a smile remained on her face. "Talyn, what's been going down on Earth since I went to bed?"
'A lot,' he answered. 'There's been a lot of public hysteria and some rioting in a few countries. There've also been several reports about religious cults popping up around the world and protesting at government buildings, observatories, and space agencies. IASA seems to be taking the brunt of those protests.'
Natalie sighed and said, "Well, we knew that might happen."
"What happened?" Chiana asked.
"There's been rioting and mass hysteria." With an annoyed huff, she added, "And religious cults have been popping up." She sarcastically said, "Of course, no alien landing on Earth would be complete without THAT."
"THIS has convinced me," Chiana said.
"Convinced you of what?"
"That all humans are crazy."
"So you're saying I'm crazy?"
"Well, you do hear voices in your head."
"True."
A smile still on her face, Natalie looked back at Talyn's beta channel and ordered, "Talyn, take us into Earth orbit over the U.S., and put CNN on again and some other news agencies from other countries. I want to give them a good scare and see what they have to say about it before we contact them."
'You got it,' he said and activated his imaging system, showing Chiana and Natalie CNN and half a dozen other news channels as he powered up his maneuvering thrusters and flew towards Earth.
Chiana turned to look at Natalie incredulously and asked, "After what we've heard, are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yeah, why not? Who says we can't have a little fun?"
"You know, I think I'M starting to rub off on YOU."
"...Wait a second..." Jo-Ann Collins nervously reported, "We're getting reports from Brown University and the Lowell Observatory that the spacecraft is moving. It's approaching Earth..."
As the other half dozen news agencies reported similarly, their news anchors trying to keep their composure, Natalie laughed and said, "Damn, I'm loving this. This is the most fun I've had in a long time."
Laughing, Chiana said, "Yeah, it is pretty fun."
'We're in orbit,' Talyn announced.
"Thanks, Tal," Natalie said. Turning to look at Chiana, she laughingly added, "What do you say we let 'em sweat for a while?"
"There's no way I'm going to say no," she answered, giggling.
For nearly an arn, the two sat on their stools watching the different news organizations that commented on the situation, offered theories, and reported on planetary reactions. They leaned back against the forward pylons, with Natalie propping her feet up on the override console, and commented and laughed as they watched TV.
"I think we've let 'em sweat enough," Natalie said, laughing as she sat up.
"Are you sure?" Chiana asked as she sat up. "It's been a while since we've had this good a time."
"Yeah, I'm sure," she answered standing up and walking to stand under Talyn's beta channel. "If we're going to do this, then we might as well do it now and get it over with."
"Then let's do it," Chiana said, coming to stand next to Natalie, hooking her thumbs into her belt.
"Chiana," she said, looking at her. "Could you stand off to the side? I don't want them seeing you."
Seeing the concern in Natalie's face, she smiled understandingly and said, "All right." She turned and walked to the side behind the pylons and leaned back against the gray, lighted bulkheads, her arms crossed over her chest as she watched Natalie.
"All right, Talyn," she said, crossing her arms and putting her weight on one leg. "Open up a channel with IASA mission control and broadcast it to all news agencies."
'You're on, Natalie. They're receiving.'
"Hey, boys." With a smile, she added, "I'm back."
"Well, someone say something. I know it can be quite the shock seeing a ghost, but I figured some of you would have your shit together. Or maybe you do... So, if any of you need to make a bathroom stop, you can go ahead and leave. After all, we wouldn't want you to stink up mission control."
"Doctor Grant?" the flight director asked, standing up behind his computer console.
"Hey, Jack," she said with a smile. "Yeah, it's me. It's good to see you. And when the frell did you make flight director?"
"It's good to see you, too, Natalie," Jack Crichton said with a thrilled smile, hiding his puzzlement over the word 'frell'. "And I got the job not too long after we 'lost' you. Dan resigned after that happened."
"I'm sorry about Dan, but congratulations, Jack," she said. "Oh, and there's something I need to talk to you about. It's about John."
"John?" he asked, startled. "Why?"
"I'd rather not say right now. After all, the whole world is watching."
"CapCom, what the hell is she talking about?" he mumbled into his headset.
Natalie deadpanned, "Oops. I guess the cat's out of the bag now."
"Jack, this transmission is being broadcast from that space ship live all around the world," CapCom informed, worried.
"Natalie, why are you doing this?" Jack asked, leaning forward on his hand planted on his console.
"For protection, Jack. And I just want to say now, that I'll be making myself available to the media for interviews."
"Do you have any idea what you've just done?" he asked, concerned.
"Yeah, I do. I'm pissing off the military and the government and am making sure they can't lock me up for my supposed own 'SAFETY' to make sure that no one knows I'm back."
"C'mon, Natalie, you don't really think they'd do that, do you?"
Natalie just gave him her best 'duh' look.
"So, Doctor Grant, when can we expect you to be coming down here?" she heard someone new ask as he walked into view. "After all, we WOULD like to verify that you are who you seem to be. We have no assurance that you are Doctor Natalie Grant."
He was an old, lanky man with a thin, oval face, glasses, a receding hairline, and a loud, obnoxious voice - in other words, a politician. She asked, "Who the FRELL are you?"
"I'm Franklin Thompson, IASA Projects Manager," he proudly answered.
Looking at Jack, she asked, "You're kidding me? He's the projects manager? How the HELL did an asshole like him get to be projects manager? Did he get a pig to fly or something?"
"Well, that's Natalie for ya," Jack laughingly said, looking at Thompson as the rest of the operators in the room tried to stifle their laugher. "You can't possibly have any doubts after that."
Thompson looked at him, annoyed, shot a furious glance at Natalie, then turned his back to stalk out of mission control.
"Yeah, GET the hell outta there," she said. "Wait," she suddenly yelled, getting his attention. She checked the consoles in front of her and said, "Before you go, tell your boys to stop trying to figure out a way to keep me from broadcasting this. They're just wasting their time." As he angrily turned and left, she added, "Just how the hell did he get to be projects manager, anyway?"
"He got lucky," DK shouted as he entered mission control. Smiling wickedly, he came to stand next to Jack and put on a headset. "He knows the President, but to hell with Thompson. When I heard what was happening, I came running."
"It's good to see you, too, DK," she said, a smile on her face.
"You know, I figured you'd have buzzed the complex in that ship of yours and made me spill me coffee again by now."
She laughed with a disbelieving shake of the head, and said, "Don't tell me you're still pissed off about that?"
"No, I'm not pissed. But don't be surprised if I make you spill YOUR coffee," he answered, getting a laugh from the others in the room.
"Oh, there's no way I'm going to give you a chance to do that," she laughingly said.
As the amusement died down, he asked, "So, what happened? Where have you been?"
"Well, suffice it to say, our shuttle got sucked into a wormhole and I've been living in the ass-end of the universe for the past year."
"The ass-end of the universe?" he asked, surprised.
"Yup," she answered and sighed. "It's absolutely nothing like what we've see in the movies or on TV. And if it weren't for the friends I've made, this whole past year would've completely sucked. Look, I'll explain it all when I come down." With another sigh, she added, "God, I can't wait to get back down there."
"So, what happened to your crew?"
"They're all dead."
"How?"
"When we got sucked in, everyone was in the cockpit while I was in the lower deck. But the shuttle struck the wall of the wormhole and the cockpit was compromised. They all died." Sadly, she added, "When I get down there, I want to speak with their families."
"We'll see what we can do. But when ARE you coming down?" Looking at the alien room behind her, he added, "And when am I going to get a chance to come up there and take a look at that ship?"
"Well," she said, hesitantly. "You'll get a chance to come up here in due time. But when I come down there depends on what your bosses do."
"What do you mean?" Jack asked.
"I need protection, Jack. I doubt that the military and government officials would let the media film my landing. But that's exactly what I want. I want the public to see me come down. I also know the military and the higher-ups at IASA are going to want to put me in decon for a while. That's exactly what they're going to do, right?"
"That's S. O. P."
"Well, I want the public to be able to see me while I'm going through it. So I want news agencies that have no ties whatsoever to the U.S. government or U.S. interests covering me twenty-four/seven with their cameras."
"That's going to be pretty tough to get the boys upstairs to agree with."
"Well, I'm not coming down until they do. And I'm a pretty patient girl, so I can wait for as long as it takes."
"We'll see what we can do, Natalie," Jack said. "Is there anything else?"
"Yeah, I want my son there when I land. I want my parents and brothers there, too."
"They'll be there," DK promised.
"Oh, and I will not tolerate them being used against me. I know there are some government spooks out there listening to this, so I say this to you..." she paused, strolling up to the DRD/camera, her arms crossed over her chest and anger in her eyes. "Do NOT even think of using my family against me. If you try, you're going to piss me off. And you do NOT want to piss me off, especially since I'm in command of this big-ass gunship and I will not hesitate to command him to fire on Earth if that happens."
"Did you say 'gunship'?" Jack asked, shocked.
"Yeah, I said gunship. And he's got a big-ass gun, too. Actually, make that guns, as in multiple."
"Making a threat like that isn't going to help you, Natalie."
"I know. But it has to be said. Besides, you know me. I'll protect my family and the people I care about, no matter the cost."
"I can understand that," Jack sadly said, thinking of John.
Confused, DK interrupted and asked, "Wait, did you call the ship a 'he'?"
"Yeah, I did," she answered, amused.
"Aren't ships usually referred to as 'she'?"
"On Earth, yeah."
"So, ships are referred to as 'he' out there?"
"Yeah. Or at least the male ships are."
"Male ships?"
"Yup."
"How can a ship be male?"
"He can be male if he's a bio-mechanoid - a living ship."
"A living ship? The ship you're on is alive?"
"Yeah, he is." Suddenly, she laughed, dropping and shaking her head, and said, "No, Talyn, he's just never seen anything like you before."
Everyone in mission control stared at her, completely confused, and DK said, "Uh, Natalie? Are you talking to...Talyn? Is that his name?"
"Yeah, his name's Talyn and I was talking with him," she replied with an amused smile.
"Well," he hesitated, glancing at Jack. "What did he say?"
"He called you an idiot," she deadpanned.
"Why couldn't we hear him?" Jack asked, ignoring Talyn's actual comment.
"I'll explain that later," she said, a smile still on her face, as she watched a woman walk up to Jack and whisper in his ear. "What's going on?"
With a frustrated sigh, he said, "The Pentagon is calling on the sat-phone."
"The Pentagon?"
"Yeah."
"Shit," she mumbled, watching Jack listening to someone in his headset.
"They want to talk with you, Natalie," he said, looking at her.
"Well, why the hell not?" she said, rolling her eyes. She sarcastically added, "Let's see what they have to say."
"We don't really have a choice," he mumbled, flipping a switch.
A chubby four-star Air Force General, apparently of Irish descent, immediately appeared on another screen and, with a deep voice and southern accent, smoothly said, "This is General Curtis Bourne. Doctor Grant, why don't you end your broadcast? The whole world doesn't need to know what we have to discuss, now does it?"
"Frell..." she paused and angrily sighed. Looking down and containing her anger, she said, "No, let me put this in words YOU'LL understand... Fuck you, Colonel Klink. I'm not cutting the broadcast."
He bolstered and yelled, "How dare you..."
"Oh, shut up," she irately interrupted. "I'm a scientist - not military. So I don't have to do a frelling thing you say and I don't have to answer any frelling questions from you."
His face crimson red, he tried to calm himself and, through clenched teeth, said, "We have received your list of demands and I thought we could negotiate, Doctor. We cannot possibly comply with some of them..."
"You mean the part about the cameras?" she interrupted.
"As a matter of fact, yes."
"Well, guess what? That part's non-negotiable. If there aren't cameras there, then I'm not coming down. And Talyn will be monitoring all Earth transmissions. You won't be able to trick him, either. So if we don't see the landing area on the screen, then we won't come down. And if Talyn doesn't see me on the screen, he's going to get pissed off and he just may fire his cannon."
"Doctor Grant, please. This is a matter of national security. We cannot possibly allow you to give away our secrets to our enemies."
"Oh, shut up," she yelled. "The whole world needs to know what I have to say. I am NOT going to let only YOU know."
"Doctor Grant..."
"I said... SHUT. UP!" she yelled, planting her hands on her hips. "Look, this is the LAST word I'm going to say on this. I'm not coming down until you agree to my terms. It doesn't matter how long it'll take, either, because I'm a VERY patient girl. I can wait for as long as it takes. I'll let you think it over. When you have an answer, you can contact me on this frequency." Natalie instantly cut the transmission using her link and planted her hands on the override console, dropping her head with a frustrated sigh.
As Chiana strolled up to her, an amused smile on her face and her arms still crossed. She giggled and said, "You? Patient?"
Natalie immediately let out a fuming scream, pushing off the console and spinning around to stand under Talyn's beta channel. She reached up, rubbed her eyes in frustration, and planted her hands on her hips. "I HATE the military."
"Aren't your father and brothers in the military?" Chiana calmly asked.
Turning to look at Chiana, she said, "Why do you think I hate them so much?"
"I don't understand."
"My dad wanted me to follow him and join the Navy," she revealed. "Just like my brothers were going to after they graduated high school."
"That was the plan he had for you?"
"Yeah," she answered angrily. "When I was a kid, my Dad did everything he could to ensure I'd get into the Navy. No matter how much I hated it, he didn't care. He was in the Navy, my brothers were going to be in the Navy, so I was going to be in the Navy, too. I didn't want that life."
"Well, that certainly explains a lot," she said with a giggle.
"Yeah, it does. Why do you think I became a scientist?"
Softly laughing, she said, "You know, I'd love to see you say all that to him."
"Oh, I've already said it all to him," she chuckled. "I had some killer mood swings when I was pregnant with Jason and it was like being in a war zone when my Dad and I got into a fight."
"I wish I could've seen that," she laughed.
"You would've been laughing your ass off," she said, laughing as she sat down. "We would fight about some of the most trivial things. But I wouldn't change any of it."
"You wouldn't?" Chiana asked, walking up to her and sitting on top of the console next to her.
"No," she answered, nostalgically. "Now that I look back at it, I have to admit that in a sick, twisted, sadistic way, I actually enjoyed fighting with him."
"You miss him," she said.
"Yeah, I do," she replied, leaning forward, her elbows resting on her knees. "Despite what's he done, and despite being an asshole, he's still my father. And no matter how much I hate what he's done to me, a part of me still loves him."
"I know what you mean," Chiana mumbled.
"How so?"
"My parents did everything they could to try to get Nerri and me to conform," she softly said as she propped her feet on the console, wrapped her arms around her shins, and rested her chin on her knees. "Some of what they did was pretty harsh. From what you've told me of Earth, they probably would've been arrested on your world for it. But I know they still cared about us and loved us."
"Do you think you'll get a chance to see them again someday?"
"Well, I found Nerri... If that can happen, then anything can," she answered with a small, hopeful smile.
Natalie reached up, gave Chiana's foot a supportive squeeze, and said, "Talyn and I will do what we can to help. With all that you've done for us, it's the least we can do."
"Thank you," she said, smiling at her. Seeing Natalie yawn, she added, "You know, you really should get some sleep. If you want, Talyn and I can tuck you in."
Laughing with her, she said, "Oh, shut up."
'She's right, Natalie. You really should get some sleep. You can't keep going like this if you want to go at it with those 'people' down there, and you can't let them see you in a weakened state.'
"Yeah, I know," she said, rubbing her face.
"What did he say?" Chiana asked.
Smiling, she answered, "He's agreeing with you."
"Well, he's right. If you don't get any sleep soon, who knows what you'll be like when they signal."
'IF they signal.'
"Oh, they'll signal, Tal. Knowing them, they're twitchin' like potheads lookin' for a bong. They want the technology we have and they want to know about all that's happened to me. So, it's just a matter of time."
"Do you think you can wait that long?" Chiana asked with a soft giggle.
"Hey, you know me..."
"Yeah, I do know you," she interrupted, laughing.
"Then you know I'm a VERY patient girl," she sarcastically said.
Suddenly he was gone. She found herself alone, leaning back against the side of the house. He had left and she was alone just as suddenly as she had been in reality.
'Natalie,' she unexpectedly heard from Talyn in the distance. She sat up, disoriented, and looked around for him.
Louder, but still softly, he repeated, 'Natalie.'
Unexpectedly, she felt a gentle tapping on her swollen foot. She looked at her foot in confusion, then suddenly woke up, keeping her eyes closed and not wanting to face reality just yet. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself curled up against Talyn's forward pylon with one of his DRDs tapping her foot.
"All right," she slowly drawled. "I'm up." She sighed, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She looked up to see Chiana sitting behind the console in front of her, looking at her. She asked, "What's going on?"
"We're getting a signal from IASA." As Natalie sprung up from the floor to stand under Talyn's beta channel, Chiana asked, "Did you have a good nap?"
"No," Natalie answered, pulling the band from her hair and retying her ponytail. "How long was I out?"
"About seven arns," Chiana answered, looking back at the human.
"It took 'em that long, huh?" Natalie asked, rubbing her eyes again.
'Looks like it.'
"Well, let's hope they have some good news for us." As soon as Chiana got up and walked to the right to stand leaning against Talyn's bulkhead, Natalie said, "Let's see what they have to say."
Almost instantly, the imaging system came to life - the image of Jack Crichton and mission control on the right and General Bourne's still red face in front of a wood paneled wall on the left.
She asked, "So what's it going to be?"
Bourne hesitated for a few seconds, then reluctantly said, "You have a deal."
Interrupting, Jack smiled widely and said, "Just give us a day before you land to set up an appropriate landing zone here at the Johnson Space Center and to get reporters here from all over. We'll contact you when it's time."
"I'm glad to hear it," she said, looking at Jack with a large smile on her face. Looking at Bourne, her smile disappeared and she said, "That wasn't hard, now was it, General?"
"Now, what kind of landing area do you need?" Jack asked.
Running into the armory, Chiana found Natalie wearing her zipped-up coat as she charged a pulse cannon on the workbench. "Hey," she said, getting her attention. "Why are you wearing that? I thought you said the temperature was unbearably hot down there."
Turning around, Natalie lifted up the side of her coat just below the waist, revealing a holstered pulse pistol on her thigh. She smiled slyly and said, "A girl's gotta keep SOME secrets, right?"
"Yeah," Chiana answered, giggling.
"I've got another pulse pistol stuffed into my belt behind my back," she said offhandedly. She wrapped the shoulder strap of the pulse cannon over her head and around her body, hefted it up, and turned to face Chiana. Seeing the curious look on her friend's face, she added, "I figured I could use the firepower just in case."
She laughed and said, "So, I guess I should bring along a pulse rifle?"
"No, Chiana," she sighed and dipped her head, closing her eyes and shaking her head. Looking back up at the Nebari, she said, "You can't come. I'm taking a huge risk by going myself, and I'm Human. You're an alien, so who knows what might happen."
"Look, Natalie, I'm coming down with you," she stated matter-of-factly. "You need someone down there you know you can trust to watch your back. Can you honestly say you trust any of those people down there? Can you say you trust that Crichton's father and friend will be able to help you if you need it?"
With a shake of the head, she sadly answered, "No, I can't."
"So, you NEED me."
With a smile, she nodded back into the armory and said, "Grab a pulse rifle and your gun and your coat if you want it." She walked to the hatch and said, "I'll meet you in docking bay one."
"Houston, this is Prowler," Natalie said into the silver comms unit attached to the occulars.
"Uh, Prowler?" the CapCom operator asked, not knowing what a Prowler was. "This is Houston. We copy."
"Houston, I'm starting my descent."
"We copy," she heard. "Your 'escort' is standing by."
"Roger that," she said and sent the Prowler into a dive, plunging it into Earth's atmosphere over Texas.
Within microts, the Prowler entered the lower troposphere and, with the aid of her occulars, Natalie spotted her escort - four Air Force F-15 Eagles. She throttled back as she came up on them to slow to their speed and they formed up in a delta formation around her - one fighter above and in front of her, one on either side of her, and one below and behind.
Switching comms frequencies, she said, "Hey, boys. What do you say we do a little racin' and see how your fighters do against mine?"
She immediately heard a pilot say, "You will not deviate from your present course or you will be shot down."
"You guys are no fun," she said and switched back to the IASA frequency.
Coming up on the landing zone, Natalie throttled back and put the Prowler into a hover over it as the F-15s began circling the area. She asked, "Houston, I am requesting permission to land."
"Permission granted," she heard and slowly lowered the Prowled onto the L. Z.
Once on the ground, she powered down the engines and she and Chiana inspected the area through the tinted canopy. To her left, in front of the main building of the space center, she saw military personnel in full body armor, carrying M-16s. To her right, she saw more soldiers and saw that they were taking up positions to surround the L. Z. Behind the soldiers to her right, she saw politicians, military brass, IASA officials, including Jack Crichton, DK, and Amy, one of Jack's daughters. DK and Amy were standing with their arms around each other, and Natalie could've sworn she saw wedding bands on their fingers. Standing behind them was her son and Natalie couldn't take her eyes off him, noticing how much he had grown. Beside him was Kristin, her mother, still looking younger than her sixty some odd years of age, and her brother, Scott, in his Navy Class-A uniform. She wanted to jump out of the Prowler, run up to them, and hug them all. But she knew the soldiers wouldn't allow that. Behind the politicians, she saw reporters and camera crews from all around the world. Up front behind the officials she noticed Jo-Ann Collins barking orders to her crew.
Glancing at Chiana, she said, "Stay down until I tell you it's safe, okay?"
"Got it," Chiana said and tucked up into a ball, resting her head against the seatlet.
"Talyn, you keeping an eye on us?"
'Always.'
She smiled and mumbled, "Well, it's now or never." She hit the canopy release and it slowly rose, but before it opened all the way, she stood up and slowly climbed out of the Prowler. Hitting the ground and relishing the moment, she closed her eyes and breathed in the air as the hot sunshine hit her face. She turned around to face the soldiers, officials, and reporters, and noticed they were looking at her in confusion and even a little fright. She realized she was still wearing her occulars and figured they didn't know what to make of them, or why she was wearing a long coat.
She scanned the area, using her occulars for help at times, to make sure it was safe, then whispered into her comms unit, "It's safe, Chi, you can come out. But do it slowly, all right?"
Almost immediately, Chiana's head popped out of the cockpit and she looked around, slowly standing up. The onlookers gazed at her in wonder and fright. But the soldiers instantly raised their weapons, aiming them at Natalie and her. Chiana immediately grabbed her pulse rifle, aiming it at the soldiers as she pulled out the pulse cannon and tossed it to Natalie. Talyn's captain pulled the shoulder strap over her head as she pulled the pistol out from behind her back, aiming it at the soldiers to her left. She immediately wrapped her hand around the lower grip of the cannon and aimed it at the soldiers to her right.
As the soldiers yelled at Chiana and her to put their weapons down, the onlookers ducked and ran in fright, and Natalie said, "Well, it looks like we've got ourselves a little party going, now doesn't it?"
"Why don't you put down YOUR guns, you trigger-happy hillbillies?" she yelled. "After all, you were the ones who raised your weapons first. We only raised ours in self-defense. So, we're not putting ours down until you do."
"We can't do that. ma'am," he said. "Now, put your weapons on the ground."
"Oh, okay," she said, stuffing her pistol into the front of her belt as she looked at him. "Then I'll tell you what. We're leaving. If we're not welcome here, then we're leaving. And I doubt your bosses will be very happy about THAT."
"No, we won't."
"Joe," Natalie exclaimed in surprise, laughing as a smile grew on her face. She watched as Admiral Joe Nash, a friend of her father's from their academy days, came forward to stand next to the lead soldier. He was somewhat tall, in his late forties with graying hair and a stocky build, and he looked like he could still kick ass and take names. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."
"Well, I thought I'd surprise you," he said, a smile on his face. Addressing the soldiers, he said, "Sergeant, tell your men to stand down."
"Sir..."
"Do it, Sergeant," an Army general ordered as he came forward.
"Hang 'em up," the sergeant yelled as he lowered his rifle and took his finger off the trigger, his men doing as ordered.
Natalie glanced back, nodding at Chiana. She lowered her rifle, holding it against her body and wrapping her hand around the barrel. Natalie pulled the shoulder strap of hers down, pulling the cannon up to lay flat against her back.
She and Nash walked up to each other, warmly embracing, while Chiana slowly climbed down from the Prowler, the canopy closing and locking behind her. Natalie softly said, "God, it's good to see you."
"It's good to see you, too, Natalie," he said, giving her a squeeze. "We thought for sure you were dead."
Suddenly she heard, "MOM!" Looking up, she saw Jason running through the crowd toward her and she let go of Nash. Predictably, one of the soldiers' arms shot out to hold him back.
"It's okay, let him through," Nash said.
The soldier immediately released Jason and he ran into the waiting arms of his mother. She crushed him against her, not wanting to let him go, laughing and crying the entire time. She softly kissed his head and whispered, "God, I love you, Jason, and I am SO sorry. I am SO sorry for not being there for you."
"I love you, too, mom, and it's okay," he said. "I don't blame you. And your gun is hurting me, mom."
"Sorry," she laughingly said, letting him go, but keeping him at her side with her arm around him.
"What are you doing with guns, anyway?" he asked, looking at her.
"It's a long story," she answered, ashamed.
"Well, I think it's very cool."
She looked at him and strictly said, "No, it's not and I don't ever want you touching a gun, okay?"
"Yes, mom," he sighed, rolling his eyes.
She laughed and hugged him again as her mother and brother came up to them. She looked up at them and wrapped her arms around the both of them, crushing them against her with Jason still at her side. She whispered, "I missed you all SO much..."
"We missed you, too, Natalie," Scott said, hugging her.
"So, where's Dad and Sam?" she asked, pulling back.
Kristin and Scott sadly glanced at each other, then, looking at Natalie, Kristin said, "Sweetie..." she hesitated and sniffed and looked down. "They died, Natalie."
"What?" she stuttered, shocked.
'Natalie, I'm so sorry,' she heard Talyn softly say.
"Natalie, what's wrong?" Chiana asked, walking up to her and comfortingly placing her hand on her back. She noticed the confused looks on the faces of the Humans around her and shook her head, annoyed, remembering they didn't have translator microbes.
"They're dead," she said, not hearing Talyn or Chiana. She pulled away from her mother and brother slightly and pulled Jason tighter against her as her tears turned from happiness to grief. Looking at them, she asked, "What happened? How did they die?"
"Sam was killed in an accident," Scott sadly answered. "An investigation found out there was some defective hardware in his F-18's computer. His plane went down in the Indian Ocean. He couldn't eject and was killed. His crew chief was found guilty of dereliction of duty and theft. He had been selling parts on the black market."
"And your father died of colon cancer," her mother said, tears welling up in her eyes. "He died shortly after your brother. We didn't catch the cancer in time. You know how your father was with doctors. He was too proud to go through chemotherapy... He didn't live very long after the cancer was diagnosed."
Looking at Nash, she asked, "Is that why you're here?"
"Yes, it is," he answered. "Your father wanted me to look after your family after he was gone."
"Thank you for looking after them," she whispered. Crying, she pulled her family back into a hug.
Walking up to the grieving family, Jack softly said, "I'm sorry, Natalie, but I have to get you and your friend inside so we can give you two medical exams and get you into decontamination. We know that you're probably not carrying anything, but all this is S. O. P."
She pulled back, wiped away her tears, and roughly said, "I know." Taking off her occulars, she folded them and placed them in the pouch on her belt. Then, looking over at the politicians and soldiers, she yelled, "Hey, don't even think about trying to get inside or move the Prowler. Talyn's keeping an eye on it." Looking at Jack, she said, "Let's get this over with. You know how much I LOVE needles."
'Maybe she's finally moving on,' she thought.
Suddenly, the door to the small examination room opened and two doctors walked in - one female, the other male - with Jack closing the door behind them. The woman was about five feet tall with shoulder length, dark brown hair, and looked to be in her late thirties. The man was about six feet tall with short black hair, a lean physique, and looked like he came right off the set of "ER". Natalie immediately glanced at her pulse cannon lying on her coat next to her to double check that it was still active. She looked up at the doctors and Jack as they stood at the foot of the tables and exclaimed, "Well, it's about damn time. I guess some things will never change, will they? Or, rather, they have changed only for the worse. I've never had to wait two frelling arns before."
"Frelling?" the male doctor asked. "I heard you say that in your broadcast. What does it mean?"
"It's what they say out there instead of 'fuck'," she answered. Seeing the surprised look on his face, she said, "What? You never heard a girl say 'fuck' before?"
"No, I was just surprised at what it meant. I guess there are just some constants in the universe that can't be explained," he said, gazing intently at her, smiling warmly.
She chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief, and heard Jack say, "Natalie, this is Doctor Matt Donovan and this is Doctor Gail Smith. They'll be Chiana's and your doctors while you're here at the center."
"Doctors? As in plural?"
"Yeah."
"Why two?" she asked, glancing worriedly at Chiana and back and forth between the two doctors and Jack.
"Well, Doctor Smith is a civilian surgeon/M. D. from St. Luke's Episcopal," Jack introduced. Natalie noticed Jack's use of the word 'civilian'.
"How are you?" Doctor Smith asked in a heavy, nasally southern accent, shaking Natalie's hand.
"We thought you might want a non-IASA doctor to examine you," Jack said.
"You thought right."
"And Doctor Donovan..."
"Don't say it," Natalie exclaimed, seeing the dog tag chain around Donovan's neck.
"And Doctor Donovan is an Army surgeon/M. D.," he said, ignoring Natalie's outburst. "He holds the rank of Captain."
"A military doctor?" Chiana said. "Well, that figures."
"What did she say?" Dr. Smith asked.
"She said she's not surprised," she answered, nodding at Donovan. "And neither am I."
With a sigh, Jack answered, "Well, it was a concession to the military. They don't believe that our doctors or civilian doctors will be able to provide them with a thorough medical report on the two of you."
"In other words, they want to have a doctor with the ability to falsify Chi's and my medical reports in case they need to discredit us," she said.
"You can't possibly believe that?" Donovan asked, walking up to Natalie and invading her personal space.
"Yes, I do believe that the military is capable of it," Natalie exclaimed, standing up and planting her hands on her hips.
"The military would NEVER do that," he stated, getting closer to her.
"You're an idiot," she said, fuming and taking a defiant step towards him.
"Uh, we can go and leave you two alone if you want," Chiana interrupted.
"What did she say?" Gail asked.
"Nothing important." Looking at Chiana, she said, "And you don't have to leave. But Captain Donovan does."
"No, I'm not. I have been ordered to be your doctor and that's exactly what I'm going to do."
"Oh, yes, sir," she said, mockingly, with a salute.
"I've got some things I need to take care of," Jack said amused and not wanting to get into the middle of the situation. He turned to walk out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Pulling over a tray of instruments, Donovan said, "Now, take off your clothes..."
"What?" Natalie interrupted.
Looking at her, he said, "Take off your clothes and put on a gown, so Doctor Smith and I can examine Chiana and you."
"Where are the gowns?"
"There, in the bathroom," he said, looking at the door at the back of the room.
"Thanks," she said with a sardonic smile.
After their physicals, in which Natalie reluctantly found herself warming up to Donovan as he examined her, she and Chiana had been escorted, via military Humvee, to hangar four. Natalie and Chiana saw a large crowd of reporters, news photographers, and paparazzi gathering on the tarmac outside the hanger. Natalie sighed and rolled her eyes, somewhat regretting her decision. Looking inside the hangar, they saw the large decon chamber. With the exception of the head connected to the chamber on the right, it was constructed of bulletproof plexiglas, separated by white, steel support studs. Inside were two beds to the far left and on either side of the chamber, separated by a small table. In the center was a couch on one side facing away from the reporters with an end table on either of it and a lamp on both tables. On the other side were three chairs arranged in a row with small end tables separating them. In between the couch and chairs was a large coffee table with magazines and newspapers on it. To the right, a few yards in front of the door to the head and the door to the chamber were a TV and VCR for Natalie and Chiana's entertainment.
After stepping into the chamber, Natalie had watched as several soldiers took up positions, surrounding the chamber either for their own protection or to protect the rest of the world from them. Once the soldiers were in position, an IASA representative had joined them in the chamber and asked if they required anything. Natalie had requested some more clothes, knowing that they were going to be kept inside for a few days thanks to the military. The clothes had arrived in a few hours and Chiana had been spending the entire time since then trying on the new outfits in the head. But if it had been up to Natalie, they'd be at her home, spending time with her family and catching up with everything that had happened since she was taken from Earth.
Hearing the door open, Natalie lifted her arm and looked to see Chiana walking out of the bathroom, carrying a black duffle bag with her gray outfit and new clothes inside. Seeing her tight, purple camisole, baring her midriff, her very short denim shorts, and a pair of black, wire-frame oval sunglasses, Natalie laughed and said, "That's definitely you."
"You know, I think I'm going to like it here on Earth," she said and stopped to smiled at the cameras, letting the dozens of photographers take her picture.
"Don't tell me you're actually posing for them?"
"Why not?" she laughed.
"So, I'm guessing when you get outta here, you're going to want to see what Earth has to offer, aren't you?"
"Absolutely," she said, walking to her bed. As she dropped her bag next to her bed, she noticed Natalie still in her usual attire, but with her boots, socks, coat, and weapons, lying on the floor next to her, and said, "They gave us all these krell clothes and you're still wearing that Peacekeeper dren?"
"I'll change when I have to," she said tiredly, laying her arm over her eyes again.
"Tired?" she asked, taking a seat on the bed.
"No, I just don't want to miss my son when he shows up."
"Do you know when he will? Or even where he is?"
"They probably took him and mom and Scott to check them out to make sure they didn't get anything from me. If they did that, then they should've gotten out hours ago." She worriedly sat up, turning to face Chiana, and said, "I don't know where he is."
"I'm sure he's all right," Chiana comfortingly said.
"He'd better be."
"Well," Matt said, picking up the copy of Natalie's medical file from his desk and handing it to the General. "Doctor Grant said that the device in the back of her neck is a neural transponder; it's what allows her to hear what the Leviathan is saying and it allows her to control the ship if she wants to."
"Could it be controlling her?" the General asked, inspecting the file. "The ship or another outside influence, that is? Or possibly the alien she came with?"
"I don't think so, sir. I've talked with some scientists and they've said it seems to be sending a one-way signal between her and the ship. Although, she HAS stated that on occasion, it has allowed Talyn to feel her stronger emotions. It allows Talyn to feel her presence, so to speak, to allow him to know she's still connected to him."
"What about the alien microbes and antibodies in her body?"
"We've performed some analyses on them. You have to understand that two days just isn't enough time when working with items we've never seen before. But our preliminary analysis is that she's telling the truth about their functions - the microbes allow her to understand alien languages and the antibodies are only medicines that have helped to re-grow her tongue and heal the slashes on her hand."
"Do you believe we could harvest them?"
"The antibodies, yes. We can harvest them from her blood and grow more for our own use. But we will not be able to extract any of the translator microbes from her. We'd have to go into her head, but we don't have the technology to remove organisms that small from her without causing permanent brain damage."
"But it IS possible to remove them?" he asked, closing the file.
"Yes, sir. But if I may speak freely, sir?"
"Go ahead, Captain."
"Sir, if you do decide to harvest them from her, you'll have to find another Doctor to do it. I took an oath to do no harm, General, and I will not perform that procedure even if ordered to."
"Understood, Captain," he said, nodding, and handed Natalie's file back to Donovan. "So, what about the alien?"
"Well, sir," he said, handing Sloane Chiana's file. "With Doctor Grant's help in translating and answering questions, we have learned that Chiana is of a race called Nebari. And from what they've stated, the Nebari are a race we do not want to get involved with. The reasons why are on page two, sir."
Reading the page, he glanced at Donovan and asked, "Mental cleansing?"
"Yes, sir. It's apparently what the Nebari do to people who don't conform. That's the reason why Chiana left her homeworld."
"But what about her physical attributes? Does she pose any threat?"
"We don't know, sir."
Closing the file, he said, "Well, what do you know, Captain?"
"We do know that some of her physiology is similar to ours, but other than that..." he trailed off, shaking his head. "She's like nothing we've seen before, sir. We're going to need more time to study her."
"When you have anything to 'report', Captain, you will inform me and only me, is that understood?" he asked, tossing Chiana's file onto the desk.
"Yes, sir," he said in understanding.
"I think it's pretty good, actually," Chiana said, enjoying her meal.
"If you think that's pretty good, then wait till you get outta here and try some real food."
"Well," Chiana said, laying down her fork. "Are you sure it's the food and not something else?"
"Like what?"
"Jason."
"In that case... No. I haven't seen him since we landed this morning, Chi, and I'm getting pretty damn worried. What makes things worse is that no one's telling me anything, and I've even threatened to fire Talyn's cannon."
'That doesn't have to be just a threat, Natalie.'
"I know, Talyn." Raising her hands to rub her face, she said, "But I want to leave that as a last resort."
"Leave what..." Chiana started, but was interrupted when the door unexpectedly opened.
Natalie turned to see who it was, hope written all over her face. Seeing that it was just Donovan carrying a brown paper bag, she slumped in disappointment and turned back to take a drink of her Coke.
"Hey," he said, walking up to them with a smile on his face. Natalie immediately gave him 'the finger' and he said, "I knew I'd get a welcome, but I certainly wasn't expecting that."
"What do you want?" she asked, looking at him, annoyed.
"I know how bad Army food can be, so I thought I'd drop by with a..." he trailed off as he pulled out a tub of chocolate ice cream. "A 'peace offering'?"
"Apology accepted," she answered, taking the ice cream from him. Looking at Chiana, she said, "If you liked your dinner, then you're going to LOVE this."
"I wasn't apologizing," he said and sat down next to her, pulling out three spoons and handing one each to Natalie and Chiana. "I just thought I'd bring a little something because I know how bad the food can be."
She glared at him, annoyed, as he sat next to her. She put down her spoon and, trying to give him a hard time, said, "How am I supposed to know this stuff hasn't been drugged?"
Chiana immediately stopped, her spoon mere centimeters from her lips, and looked at Donovan, waiting for an answer.
He scooped up a spoonful of ice cream and ate it, looking at her and silently asking her, 'Satisfied?'
Chiana immediately ate her spoonful, letting the ice cream linger in her mouth. She closed her eyes in what looked like ecstasy to Natalie and softly said, "Frell, that's good."
"I told you you'd like it," Natalie said, amused, as she scooped up some ice cream and ate it, relishing the taste.
As Chiana took another scoop Natalie, with a sigh, reluctantly said, "Donovan, can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
Hesitating for a few seconds, she said, "Do you have any idea what's going on with my family?"
He looked at her, deciding on what to tell her. He sighed, shaking his head, and said, "To hell with them. General Sloane sent your family home after the IASA doctors checked them over. Your family was told you and Chiana were not allowed to see visitors. Sloane wants to show you who's in charge."
Natalie instantly spun around and stood up on the bed, walking around Donovan, and jumped off it. She pounded her fist against the plexiglas, getting the attention of one of the guards. "Get Admiral Nash here NOW," she yelled. "I want to talk with him."
"Yes, ma'am," he said, seeing the rage in her eyes and knowing better than to argue with a pissed off woman, and turned to run to the phone in the hangar.
Glaring at Donovan, she asked, "Is there anything else you want to tell me? And who the frell is General Sloane?"
"Let me in, Corporal," he ordered the guard as he reached the door. The soldier immediately keyed in the combination code and opened the door. Before it completely opened, Nash shot inside. He asked, "Natalie, what's wrong? The guard who called me sounded pretty anxious."
"Yeah, I sorta threatened him," she stated.
"That was not smart," he warned.
"Hey, you know me."
"Yeah, I do, unfortunately," he chuckled.
"Listen," she interrupted. "Some jarhead General told my family they couldn't see me. Can you go over his head and get them in?"
"How did you find out about this?"
"A military doctor was here a little while ago and he told me."
"You're asking a lot, Natalie. General Sloane has been placed in charge of this 'project' by the President. I can call in some favors, but it may not be enough."
"This 'PROJECT'?" she yelled in disbelief. "Well, you talk to Sloane. You tell him that if my family isn't here by tonight, then it'll be his ass the President's going to hang, especially once I let those reporters out there know what's going on. I checked and I know I've already got a helluva lot of public support, and the people are NOT going to like this."
Putting his hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her, he softly said, "Sloane doesn't take to kindly to threats. Usually when people threaten him, it comes back to haunt them."
"Well, FUCK Sloane..."
"Natalie, I'm trying to protect you here," he interrupted. "This is exactly the reason why the President put Sloane in charge."
"Do you really think I give a rat's ass about why he's in charge?"
He sighed in frustration and said, "No, I don't." He hesitated for a few seconds, then said, "All right. I'll see what I can do. But I wouldn't expect too much if I were you."
"I know you, Joe. You and dad could pull off anything you wanted to. I know you can do this for me." Pleadingly, she added, "You HAVE to do this for me, Joe. I'm going to go crazy if I can't see my son."
"I'll do what I can, Natalie."
"Thank you."
He kissed her cheek, walked back to the door, knocking on it, and yelled, "Guard, let me out."
She watched him walk out, run to his car, and drive away, his tires squealing. Slowly walking to the couch, she sat down next to Chiana, picked up a spoon, and shared the last of the ice cream.
"Do you think he'll come through?" Chiana asked.
She thought for a second, then said, "I know Joe. If he promised my dad that he'd take care of us, then I know he'll come through. He always has in the past."
"Hey, didn't you say you hated the military?"
"Yeah. So?"
"Isn't Nash in the military?"
"Yeah, he is," she said with a chuckle. "But, he's also a close friend of the family. I may hate the institution, but I don't hate him."
Raising a spoonful of ice cream, Chiana said, "Then here's to hoping he comes through."
Waving her spoon, Natalie added, "And here's to hoping none of us gets into trouble."
Swallowing, Chiana said, "C'mon, a visit anywhere for us just wouldn't be the same if we didn't get into trouble."
They both giggled and Natalie said, "That's VERY true." Sobering, she added, "But I've got a bad feeling about this, Chi... I'm starting to wonder if coming back was such a good idea. Maybe we should just leave..."
"Now that you're back, do you really think you can give all this up? Give up being with Jason?"
"Give THIS up?" With a smile, she answered, "Oh, hell yeah. I'd give this damn chamber up in a heartbeat."
Chiana giggled in response as she finished off the last of the ice cream and said, "You know what I mean."
"Yeah, I do," she softly said.
"So, do you think you can give it all up?"
She hesitated for a second and sighed. Looking at Chiana, she said, "No, I don't. I can't, Chi, and I don't want to."
"Hopefully, you won't have to."
"Yeah," she softly said, scraping at the remaining ice cream in the bottom of the tub. Looking at her, she said, "How'd you get to be so smart anyway?"
"From hanging around you so much. I've noticed that Humans have a tendency to rub off on the people around them."
"How would you know that? You only know two of us."
"Yeah, like I said, HUMANS," she said, sending them into a fit of giggles.
She flipped a switch, turning off all the lights but one lamp to allow people to see into the chamber, and made her way to her bed. After tucking herself in, she heard, 'Goodnight, Natalie.'
She grabbed her comms unit from the table, turning it on, and quietly said, "Goodnight, John-Boy."
'Don't call me 'boy',' he said with a chuckle.
"Goodnight, Talyn," she said, shut off her comms, placing it on the table, and pulled the blanket up over her shoulders. No sooner had she settled in than a pair of headlights flashed over her, reflecting against the glass and shining onto her face. She rolled onto her back, rubbing her eyes, and mumbled, "Dammit, now what?" She propped herself up on her elbow and looked through the plexiglas to see who it was. Surprised, she said, "Oh, shit."
"What?" Chiana yelled, jumping out of bed and reaching for her pistol. She saw Natalie looking out the window and saw four people getting out of a ground vehicle outside, running toward the chamber. Calming, with a smile growing on her face, she said, "Frell, he came through."
Throwing off her blanket, Natalie jumped out of bed and sprinted across the chamber as the guard opened the door, his assault rifle at the ready, making sure she and Chiana didn't get out. Before the door could completely open, Jason rushed into the chamber and Natalie threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. As she hugged him, she looked up to see her mother, Scott, and Joe walking into the chamber, the door closing and sealing behind them. Taking a moment to calm down, she finally noticed that they had all, except for Joe, hurriedly dressed themselves. They'd probably been in bed by the time Joe had come for them.
She reached out with both hands as Jason partially let go of her, keeping his arm wrapped around her, took her mother's and Scott's hands, and said, "I'm so sorry about all this."
"It's okay, sweetie. None of this is your fault," Kristin said, leaning in and kissing Natalie's cheek.
"So, are you going to introduce us to your friend, or what?" Scott asked, smiling, his gaze focused behind her.
She turned to see Chiana, in nothing but a flimsy white camisole and gray shorts with her hands stuffed into the back of them, standing behind them and smiling. Turning back to Scott, she hit him in the gut and broke his concentration. She warned, "Hey, that's my best friend you're drooling over."
"Sorry," he laughed, protectively wrapping his arm around his abdomen.
"Anyway," she said, turning with Jason to face Chiana. "Guys, this is Chiana."
"Hey," she said, but they couldn't understand her.
"Chi," Natalie started, pulling Jason around in front of her and placing her hands on his shoulders. "This is Jason." She hit Scott in the gut again, though he reared back to try to avoid it. "This is my brother, Scott. You can call him 'Hoarse' if you want."
"Hoarse?" she asked, giggling.
"Yeah, it's his Naval call-sign and how he got it is a LONG story."
"And I'd love to tell you all about it sometime," Scott offered.
"I'd like that," Chiana softly said, smiling at him.
Glancing back and forth between Chiana and her brother, Natalie said, "The three of us are going to have to have a little talk." Pulling her mother around, her arm wrapped around her shoulder, she said, "And this is my mom, Kristin."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Kristin said, holding out her hand.
Remembering what Natalie told her, Chiana stepped forward, shook her hand, and said, "It's good to meet you, too."
"So, have a seat guys," Natalie said, motioning to the couch and chairs. "We have a lot to catch up on."
With Natalie and Jason sitting on the couch, Chiana and Scott sitting next to them, and Joe and Kristin sitting in the chairs across from them, the family caught each other up on their lives. They talked into the wee hours of the morning, sharing stories of happiness and grief. Natalie had let them know about what had happened to her while in the Uncharted Territories - how she had befriended Chiana and taken Talyn's transponder. But she left out the parts about her having to kill, along with what happened on their recent excursion on the commerce planet. Natalie's mother, Joe, and Scott informed her of all the world events that had happened while she was away, including how the Dallas Stars had done and how they were doing. They also shared stories of Henry, their father, and their brother, Sam. They remembered all the good times they had before Natalie had disappeared, laughing and enjoying themselves all the while.
They also included Chiana in the conversation, using Natalie as a translator. Although Natalie and Chiana had secretly snuck in several syringes full of translator microbes, the two didn't want to reveal that secret until they were sure they had enough privacy to offer the microbes to whomever they wanted to give them to.
"Hey, boys," Natalie suddenly yelled into whatever 'bug' was in the room. "I hope you're taking all this down because I'm not going to say it again." With a sigh, she rubbed her eyes and added, "I can't WAIT to get back to my house."
"Uh, Natalie, about your house," Kristin hesitantly said.
"What about it?" Natalie asked, worried.
"We sold it, honey. We also gave away most of your belongings."
"You what?" she exclaimed, scooting forward on the couch.
"Natalie, we thought you were dead. We all took it very hard, and your house and belongings were just harsh, constant reminders of that. So, we sold them as kind of a closure."
"I don't believe this," she mumbled, sitting back against the couch in frustration. "Where has Jason been staying?"
"I've been living with grandma in Virginia," Jason said.
"Why don't you and Chiana come up to Virginia with us?" Kristin asked.
"I'd love to go up there and stay with you," Natalie replied, looking at Jason. "But I doubt the people here would allow that. I've got a lot to take care of here and they're not going to just let me go."
"Maybe you could come up with us for a short visit - sort of a vacation, a break from working here," Scott suggested. "With enough security accompanying you, I'm sure the boys upstairs would allow that."
Looking at Joe, Natalie asked, "Do you think you could pull some strings to make that happen?"
"I can try," he answered with a smile.
Looking at Chiana, she asked, "How 'bout you?"
"Frell, yeah," she answered, a large smile on her face. "I'm coming."
Looking at her family, Natalie said, "Well, there certainly is no place like home."
"What do you want, Donovan?" she asked quietly, trying not to wake up Chiana and hiding her happiness at seeing him. As she stuffed her dirty laundry into a cloth bag on her bed, she tried to ignore his open admiration of her, but couldn't repress a small grin. Keeping her back to him, she made sure he couldn't see it.
He strolled up to her and softly said, "You can call me Matt, you know."
"All right," she said, her face going blank as she turned and looked into his eyes. "Matt it is. So, what do you want, Matt?"
"I just wanted to come by with some good news."
"Good news?" she asked, incredulously, looking at him. Going back to her laundry, she angrily said, "Well, this is a first. But what's going to happen after you give it to me?"
"You know, I'm sorry about all that's happened to you. I had absolutely no control over any of it."
"You're apologizing?" she asked, tossing the bag onto the couch, and sat down on her bed. "I thought you never did that."
"I don't," he chuckled, sitting on the bed next to her, his leg touching hers. "But I'm not apologizing for myself. I'm apologizing for all that you've had to go through."
"Thanks," she murmured, looking at him. "You know, the first day... The first day Chi and I were stuck in here... It sucked. But that was nothing compared to these past four days." She sighed in frustration and laid down, draping her arm over her eyes. "Test after test after test after test on both me and Chiana. Then it was do this, do that; you can't do this, you can't do that; if you do that, we'll shoot you; we won't give you what you want..." She let out another frustrated sigh and added, "Then the interrogations started. I felt like I was a prisoner, like I wasn't welcome here anymore, even when we negotiated on when we could take them on board Talyn." Looking at him, she said, "And Chi and I pretty much ARE prisoners in here. So, when the frell are we getting out, anyway?"
"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about," he said, shifting to face her, his knee touching her hip. "You're getting outta here."
"When?" she quietly exclaimed, sitting up.
"Tomorrow," he said, smiling. "The brass are as satisfied as they're going to be with the two of you. If it were up to them, you'd be staying in here forever. But, the politicians are more interested in staying on the good side of the public, so they ordered the military to let you go."
She shot forward, throwing her arms around him and laughing, then said, "It's about damn time." She pulled back, leaving her hands on his shoulders and looking into his eyes, and asked, "But where are we going to stay? I haven't heard anything about them letting us go up to Virginia yet."
"Well, the city of Houston was so appalled at the treatment you've been receiving from the military that they're putting you and Chiana up in the presidential suite of one of the local hotels..."
"Wait, let me guess," she interrupted. "They're putting us up in the Marquis De Sade Inn?"
"You're a very cynical woman, you know that?"
"So I've been told, yeah."
He laughed and said, "I figured someone might've said something before me. Anyway, they may end up putting you in The Lancaster. Or at least that's what I've heard."
"The Lancaster, huh?" she repeated, smiling at him. "Where do you hear all these things, anyway?"
"You'd be amazed at what people tell their doctors," he said, chuckling.
"I don't doubt it," she said, admiring his handsome face and looking into his eyes.
"So," he started, looking away from her. "I also heard that your family has been coming by to see you when they can. I guess Admiral Nash helped out?"
"Yeah, he did," she stated.
"You know, going against General Sloane like that wasn't a very smart move," he said worriedly. "I'd watch my back if I were you - and Nash."
"Well, living in the Uncharted Territories for more than a year made me grow eyes in the back of my head. Besides, I've always taken care of myself." Glancing at Chiana and reaching back to hold her transponder, she added, "With some help from my friends."
"It must've been hard adjusting to life out there."
"Yeah, it was in the beginning. But after a while, I got used to it."
"You're absolutely amazing," he softly said, trying to caress her face, but Chiana interrupted.
"Hey," she slowly drawled as she woke up, but didn't notice Matt and Natalie scooting slightly away from each other. "What's going on?"
"We're getting outta here, Chi," Natalie yelled.
Chiana immediately shot out of bed and yelled, "We are? When?"
"Yeah, we are, Chi, but first, you may want to put on some clothes." Looking at Matt, she saw he was staring at Chiana's nude body and elbowed him in the stomach.
"Hey," he yelled.
"C'mon, Natalie," Chiana drawled. "He's a doctor. It's not like he hasn't seen a naked woman before."
Playfully putting her hand over Matt's eyes, Natalie said, "Well, he hasn't seen a naked Nebari before. So, put something on."
"Oh, c'mon, Natalie..." he said.
"Shut up," she interrupted, lightheartedly.
As Chiana pulled the sheets up around her body, she glanced back and forth between Matt and Natalie and, with a smile, said, "Is there anything going on here you want to let me know about?"
"No," Natalie stated, pulling her hand from his eyes. "As a matter of fact, he was just leaving, weren't you?"
"But..."
"You were just leaving," she interrupted.
"Yes, ma'am," he chuckled, getting up and walking to the door. "But one more thing," he said, turning to look at Chiana. "Are you doing anything tonight?"
As Chiana laughed, Natalie threw a pillow at him and yelled, "Will you get out of here."
Dodging the pillow, Matt knocked on the glass door to let the guard know he wanted out and laughingly said, "I'm going, I'm going."
"Oh, one more thing," Natalie yelled, jumping off her bed and jogging up to him. She softly said, "Can you get Jack and DK down here? I still need to talk to them about John."
"DK?" he asked, confused.
"Yeah, Doctor DK Moore. He's a friend of John's and mine. Can you get them here?"
"Sure, I'll bring them," he replied, smiling at her.
"Thank you," she said, smiling back at him. Suddenly, she slapped his butt and yelled, "Now, get the hell out of here."
"Yes, ma'am," he laughed and stepped out before she could do anything else.
She turned around to walk back to her bed and saw Chiana still sitting there, watching her. "What?" she innocently asked.
"Oh, nothing," she answered, a knowing smile on her face. She stood, the blanket still wrapped around her, to go to the bathroom and get dressed.
Two hours later, Matt, Jack, and DK arrived at the chamber and found Natalie and Chiana, in a bikini top and shorts, watching themselves on TV. They watched Chiana in confusion as she threw some popcorn at the TV and heard her through the PA system in the chamber yell something at the TV in her unusual language.
"Well, they do say the camera adds ten pounds," Natalie said, laughing. Unexpectedly, she heard the door open and she and Chiana turned to see who it was. "Hey, boys," she said, putting her beer bottle down on the table and sitting up on the couch.
"Sorry we're late," DK said, walking over to sit in the chair next to Chiana. Jack sat in the remaining chair while Matt sat next to Natalie.
Jack sighed and said, "General Sloane is making things difficult for people to see you two. The only people he'll allow are your family, and that's reluctantly, and Matt here."
"What about Doctor Smith?" Chiana asked, Natalie providing the others in the room with a translation.
"Sloane let her go."
"What?" Natalie exclaimed.
"He sent her back to St. Luke's." Looking at Natalie, Matt said, "He doesn't want any non-military personnel to see you. That's why we had so much trouble getting Jack and DK here."
"He's also pretty much taken over mission control," DK said. "He's using it and NORAD to monitor Talyn."
"If this keeps up, this space center will be under martial law," Jack said.
"The longer you two stay here, the more likely that's going to happen," Matt said. "That's one of the reasons why I pushed for your release tomorrow. If I didn't know the General any better, I'd have tried to get you out today. But that would've been pushing it."
"YOU got us out?" Natalie asked.
"You sound surprised."
"Well, yeah, I am. I just wasn't expecting that from you, especially since Sloane's your C.O."
"I'm a doctor first, Captain second, Natalie. I do what I feel is right for my patients. If that means going against my commanding officer, then that's the way it's going to be."
"You are SUCH a boy scout..." Natalie warmly said, but Talyn interrupted before she could continue.
'So, what are we going to do about General What's-his-name?'
Picking up her comms from the table and activating it, she said, "All we really can do is wait and see. If we try anything else, it just may come back to bite us. And I don't really feel like being bitten."
"Who are you talking to?" Jack asked, while DK looked on confused.
"The voices in my head," she said and grabbed her beer, took a swig, and set it back down on the table
Jack and DK glanced at each other not knowing whether to laugh or be worried. But Chiana and Matt made the decision for them, breaking out into laughter.
"She was talking with Talyn," Matt said, chuckling, and grabbed the beer bottle on the table, took a swig, and set it back down. "She can hear him with the transponder on the back of her neck."
"Oh," DK mumbled.
"So, you wanted to talk to us about something?" Jack asked, covering for DK.
"Yeah, I did, but first..." Natalie paused, then tapped her comms three times.
"Why did you do that?" Matt asked.
Setting the comms down on the table, she said, "To jam the 'bugs' in the room. I spent what little free time I had the past four days modifying it. Now we can talk without having to worry about anyone listening to us or watching us. But Talyn will still hear us. I don't want to leave him out of the conversation."
"What's so secret that you didn't want anyone to listen in on us?" Jack asked.
Natalie bent over, lifting up her pants legs, pulled two black syringes out of her boots, and tossed one across the room to Chiana.
Worried, Matt asked, "What's in those?"
"Translator microbes," she answered, looking at him. "Now we can talk without me having to translate for Chiana. So what do you say?"
He looked into her eyes, looking for some hidden agenda, just in case, but saw none. He said, "Go ahead."
She took his hand, placed the tip of the syringe against the top of it, and depressed the plunger, injecting him with the microbes. He flinched slightly from the sting of the injection and relaxed as Natalie pulled the syringe away, laying it in her lap. "That's it," she said.
"That's it?"
"Yeah, that's it," Chiana said.
Matt shot his gaze at Chiana as a wondrous smile grew on his face. He said, "This is amazing technology."
"And I'll even give you some to study if you behave," Natalie said, smiling at him.
"BEHAVE?" he repeated and drew back, feigning disbelief.
"YES, behave."
"And just what do you mean by behave?"
"I mean..."
'Aren't you forgetting about Jack and DK?' Talyn interrupted.
"Yeah, I am," she sheepishly said.
"Talking with Talyn?" Matt asked, amused.
"Yeah," she said, smiling at him. "Like I said, I hear voices in my head." Looking at Jack and DK, "So, how 'bout it? You want to take the microbes?"
"Yeah, why not?" Jack said, holding his hand out to Chiana.
She took his hand and injected the microbes into it, looking at him sympathetically as he flinched. Next, she looked at DK and said, "What about you?"
He anxiously glanced back and forth at Jack and Matt, looking for any changes. Seeing none, he hesitantly held out his hand and said, "Oh, what the hell? Do me."
Placing the tip of the syringe against his hand, Chiana depressed the plunger, injecting him.
"Ow," he yelled, yanking his hand away.
"That hurt?" Chiana asked, giggling.
"I don't have a high threshold for pain," he said, rubbing his hand.
"Do you want one of us to kiss it and make it all better?" Natalie asked, amused, and he immediately shot an annoyed look at her.
"So, what did you want to talk to us about, Natalie?" Jack asked, laughing.
Sitting forward with a sigh, she rested her elbows on her knees, clasping her hands together, and said, "It's about John."
"I gathered that much. But what was so important that you had to wait until now?"
"I found something out, Jack, and you're not going to like it. But before I tell you that, I wanted to let you know that John's all right. He's had it rough these past two years, but he's got some good friends he can trust and rely on. Hell, if it wasn't for them, I'd probably be dead by now."
"How do you know he's out there, anyway?" Jack asked.
"He was one of the people who found me after my shuttle got thrown into the Uncharteds. After he was sucked into a wormhole, Moya picked him up - Moya is Talyn's mother. He was still with her when they picked me up. And that's where I met Chiana. So, we all know each other pretty well."
"Wait," DK said, sitting forward. "John was 'sucked' into a wormhole?"
"Yeah, just like I was. And that's what I wanted to talk to you two about."
"What do you mean?" Jack asked, apprehensive.
"I found out that the military knew John had opened up a wormhole when he proceeded with his test. They also knew he flew into it."
"What?" Jack and DK yelled.
"Yeah, they knew he flew into a wormhole. They probably even knew that my shuttle was sucked into a wormhole."
"Did either of you say anything about this in any of your interviews?" Matt asked.
"They didn't hear anything about it from me," Chiana said.
"I didn't say anything, either," Natalie answered, shaking her head and looking at him. "Who knows what they would've done if they found out I knew."
"How'd you find out about this?" DK asked in disbelief.
"McDaniel let it slip. He was talking with Johansen in the cockpit, John came up, and he just let it slip. I had just floated into the cockpit and overheard."
"Captain McDaniel and Lieutenant Johansen?" Jack asked.
"When did this happen?"
"Well..." she hesitated, looking at Chiana. The expression on her friend's face said, 'You should tell them the truth.'
"Frell it," Natalie exclaimed. "McDaniel didn't let it slip and he wasn't talking with Johansen when it happened. When Moya picked up the shuttle, he was still alive. We stuck together when John first had us brought aboard because we didn't know who we could trust. That's when he told me what he knew - that the military knew John was alive. He also told me that all shuttle commanders, if they flew into a wormhole, were under orders to locate John and bring him home by any means necessary. So, he hijacked Moya."
"He drugged us all, except for Aeryn, John, and Pilot, and locked us up in the cells on Moya," Chiana added.
"Then he told Pilot to take him to a wormhole that was in the area. Once we were there, he drugged Pilot and tried to bring John back against his will."
"Why would John not want to come home?" Jack asked, surprised.
"Aeryn," Chiana said
"Aeryn?"
"A woman."
"Oh," he said in understanding. "So, what happened after Chris hijacked Moya?"
"I managed to help John and Aeryn get away from him, but he got back to the shuttle before John could get him and made it to the wormhole," Natalie answered.
"If he made it to the wormhole, then where is he?"
"Well, not too long after we got to the wormhole, a Peacekeeper command carrier arrived - it was Scorpius' carrier. Aeryn positioned Moya so that we were between the carrier and the wormhole, but when the carrier fired on us, John had Aeryn fly us out of the way. The frag discharge struck the wormhole and collapsed it while the shuttle and McDaniel were inside."
"I don't believe it," Jack mumbled in shock as DK and Matt sat in stunned silence.
"I was there, Jack, and I can't believe it, either," she said, watching him. She didn't like what she saw in his eyes and knew what he might do.
He pounded the armrest of his chair with his fist and shot up from his chair, trying to run to the door. But Chiana stood quickly and grabbed his arm as Natalie stood to block his path, Matt at her side, with DK standing behind Chiana, watching on.
"Don't be a dredgenaught, Jack," Chiana yelled.
"What?" he asked, looking at her in confusion.
"She means don't be stupid, Jack," Natalie said, holding him back with her hand on his chest. "You can't tell anyone ANYTHING about this yet. If you do, what do you think'll happen to you?"
"Then what do we do?" he asked, furious.
"This is our ace in the hole," she said coolly, lowering her hand. "So, we don't pull it out until we absolutely need it."
He looked back at her in confusion, not understanding a word she said. But he was extremely excited by the fact that he was standing next to an alien and that she was actually talking to him. He was also pretty bewildered by the fact that she was an alien wearing blue jeans, a red tube top, and designer sunglasses. It was almost like a wet-dream come true for him.
"Could you hurry up? We want to get inside," Natalie said, annoyed, as she came to stand behind him. Glancing back, she looked at the female reporter behind her whom she had yelled at for asking too many questions. Natalie was sure she would keep her mouth shut now and only take notes now. Behind her and in the hall to her other side, securing the corridor and the entire floor, were their dozen military bodyguards. They wore black spec-ops uniforms, including tac-vests, and carried MP5SDs with scopes and laser sights.
"Sorry," he said sheepishly, and unlocked and opened the door. He immediately stepped aside, giving two soldiers an unobstructed entrance into the room to sweep it and make sure there were no threats present.
Shortly, one of them yelled, "All clear."
Chiana immediately walked into the large main room. Taking off her sunglasses, she looked around and said, "This is pretty nice."
"I'd say it's a little more than nice," Natalie said, walking in right behind her with four more soldiers following. "It's one of the most expensive hotel rooms you'll find in Houston."
"Well, I've been in better," Chiana said lightheartedly, then walked past the soldiers that were setting up surveillance equipment and stood at the large glass window at the back of the room, looking out at the Houston skyline.
"Yeah, but I bet you didn't get to stay in any of those places for free," Natalie chuckled and threw herself full-length onto the couch. She shifted her gaze to the porter as he walked out of the bedroom, pulling the baggage cart behind him, and looked around the room for someone to give him a tip.
Sgt. Galve, the Hispanic mid-thirty year old commanding officer of the security detail, walked up to the porter and said, "If you're finished, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"Sure," he said, standing his ground, and held out his hand, waiting for a tip.
Seeing the official government liaison walk into the room, Galve motioned him over and said, "Talk to him." As the porter turned to the liaison, Galve said, "Damn kids."
"Now, Sergeant," Natalie warned, lightheartedly, unable to see the liaison over the back of the couch. "We were all entrepreneurial children at one time, too."
"Yes, ma'am," he chuckled and turned to confer with his men, the reporter, and the liaison, inquiring whether the surveillance equipment had been set up. Upon confirmation that it had, Galve positioned three of his men at the front door - two outside and one inside - while he, two other soldiers, the reporters, and the liaison left the suite, walking through the door to the adjoining suite to monitor Natalie and Chiana.
'So what's it like there?' Talyn asked, curious.
"Well, the room's big and expensive, and the view sucks because of all the smog," she chuckled, talking into her comms hanging on a chain around her neck. "But it's good to be back on Earth."
He hesitated for a microt, then said, 'I miss you and Chiana, Natalie. I can feel you, but it's still getting pretty lonely up here with no one on board.'
"I know," she sighed. "But in a few days, Chiana and I should be back up there. We'll be bringing along some scientists, too.
'Scientists? What for?'
"They want to inspect some of the stuff we have on board and they want to check you out. But I'll make sure they don't hurt you. If they try to or if they try to sabotage you, Talyn, you can shoot them, but don't kill them."
'Aw, damn. I was SO looking forward to killing someone.'
Natalie laughed softly, then groaned as she heard the door between the suites open and close. She didn't want to meet the new liaison - probably some Army officer or politician with a stick up his ass.
"Hey," Matt said, surprising both Natalie and Chiana, as he leaned over the couch, his hand planted on its back, and looked at Natalie.
"Hey," Natalie happily exclaimed, sitting up and noticing the suit he was wearing.
"Hey, Donovan," Chiana said, walking over from the window to sit in a chair, as Matt walked around the couch to sit with Natalie.
"What are you doing here?" she asked. She turned to sit sideways on the couch, her arm lying on the back with her leg bent underneath her and her foot under her knee. She mirrored Matt's position, but his ankle was lying on his knee. "And what's with the suit?"
"Well, I am your new liaison," he said, grinning at her.
"How the hell did you get that job?" she asked, smiling in surprise.
"Well, some politician wanted someone with whom you were already familiar and comfortable with, so here I am."
"Well, I'd say you're more than comfortable with her," Chiana said, smiling wickedly at them.
"We're just friends, Chiana," Natalie said, looking at her.
"So were John and Aeryn," she said, happy for her friend but still grieving her loss. She stood up and walked to the bedroom to inspect it and the bathroom.
"What about John and Aeryn?" he asked.
"They pretty much started out as we did - at each other's throats. But over time, they became friends and eventually lovers."
"Aha," he uttered with a slight nod of the head. "I get it now."
"Are you sure?" she asked, playfully. "I can explain it further for you, if you'd like. I can even explain the birds and the bees if you need me to."
He looked at her, annoyed, but couldn't keep the grin off his face. Shaking his head, he said, "You know, I'm usually the one doing the explaining on the birds and the bees."
"How so?"
"I used to be a pediatrician."
"You're kidding."
"Nope. Before I joined, I was a pediatrician and I had to explain it almost every day."
Studying him, resting her head in her hand, she said, "You know, I just can't picture you as a pediatrician."
"Why not?" he said, smiling at her.
"You look too pretty to want to work with kids," she laughed. They heard water running in the bathroom and their mirth died down. "I guess she found the bubble bath," Natalie observed.
He chuckled and said, "I have to admit that she surprises me."
"Surprises you? Why?"
"Well, she's just not what I was expecting in an alien," he shrugged.
"And what were you expecting?"
He thought for a second, then said, "Well, let me put it this way... I wasn't expecting an alien to be as sexual as she is. I also wasn't expecting an alien to want to dress in our clothes, watch TV, and take bubble baths."
She laughed and said, "Well, that's Chi for you."
He could see Natalie wasn't going to elaborate any further about it, and could tell she thought that was enough of an explanation. Changing the subject, he said, "So, how long did it take for John and Aeryn to get together?"
"Oh, nearly two cycles, I think," she answered.
"Cycles?"
"Sorry," she laughed. "Years, I mean. I'm still trying to get used to Earth time again."
"That's understandable," he chuckled. "So, why did it take them that long to get together?"
"Suffice it to say, Aeryn has issues."
"Issues?"
"Yeah, issues..." Natalie started, but was interrupted by the ring of a cell phone.
With a groan, Matt reached into his inner jacket pocket, pulled out his phone, and said, "I'm really starting to hate this thing."
"Hey, you took the job..." she said with a soft chuckle as he opened it.
"Don't make me regret it," he said and pushed 'answer', holding the phone to his ear.
She watched him as he talked, studying his face, and loved seeing the play of emotions that crossed it. She couldn't help but think of how handsome and sweet he was. And she couldn't help but think how much she had grown to love him in the past few days. What she loved the most about him was his sense of humor. He could make her laugh, but he could also annoy her at the same time. His sense of humor was similar to hers. At least now she knew how her parents felt whenever she cracked a joke.
'Who do you think he's talking to?' Talyn suddenly asked, breaking her chain of thought.
"I don't know," she mumbled, slightly concerned.
Matt looked at her in confusion for a second as he listened to the person on the other end, then smiled at her, realizing she was talking with Talyn. He abruptly pulled the phone away from his ear and folded it, stuffing it back into his inner jacket pocket and, with a sigh, said, "Guess what?"
"What?"
"I need to get you out of those clothes."
"Excuse me?"
"And into a dress," he added.
"A dress? What for?"
"That was the Presidential Aide I just talked with," he slowly drawled. "He informed me that the President will be in town tonight to meet you and Chiana. He's hosting a State dinner for you two and it's formal dress. Your family's going to be there, too. They've already been informed."
"So, Chiana and I need to go shopping," she said, miserably. Sarcastically, she added, "Yea."
"You don't like shopping?" he asked, grinning at her.
"Hell, no. I never did care about trying to look good for other people whom I don't know and couldn't care about."
"Not even me?"
"Not even you," she answered, smiling sweetly at him, and lightly tapped his cheek.
"Well, you might not care what people think of you, but etiquette says that you can't walk into an official Presidential function wearing a tank top and combat boots with a gun strapped to your thigh." Glancing down at the pulse pistol stuffed into her belt, he added, "Of course, the secret service would have something to say about that, as well."
"But the gun is so slimming," she exclaimed, sarcastically.
"Well, it does look good on you," he said, gazing at it with a grin on his face.
"You talking about the gun or something else?" she wickedly asked, leaning forward.
"A little of both," he answered, leaning into her, his lips inches from hers.
'Uh, Natalie?' Talyn interrupted, causing Natalie to draw back from Matt.
"Yeah, Talyn, what is it?" she answered, slightly annoyed.
'I think there might be a problem with the transponder. I can barely feel you.'
"All right, I'll check it out," she said frustrated, and reached behind her neck to deactivate the transponder and remove it. Seeing Matt curiously looking at her, she said, "Talyn says he can't feel me and thinks there might be a problem with this thing."
"It must be pretty strange, hearing his voice and knowing that no one else can," he said, watching her inspect the transponder.
"Not really. Actually, I'm pretty relieved to be able to hear him. I knew Talyn for a few months before he gave me the transponder. We developed a bond over that time. But it was kind of hard to maintain that bond at first because I couldn't understand him and he still wasn't very trusting of me or any of us but Aeryn. After a while I was able to gain his trust, pick up on his moods, and I was able to tell what he was thinking at times. But it was still hard because I couldn't hear him."
"Then he offered you the transponder?"
"Yeah. I can't tell you how happy I was to finally be able to hear him and just how amazed I was to feel him and share control with him over..." she trailed off as she gazed curiously at the transponder.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong," she answered, confused. Looking at him, she held up the transponder for him to see it and said, "It's perfectly fine."
"If it's fine, then why..." he paused as he watched the grin growing on Natalie's face.
She chuckled and grabbed her comms, pressing her palm against it to muffle it. Looking at him, she softly said, "He's jealous."
"You're kidding."
"I didn't see it before, but he's jealous of you." She laughed and said, "Every time you and I were having a conversation and were getting closer, he felt it through the transponder."
"It was one of your stronger emotions?" he asked, hiding his joy over her admission with a smile of amusement.
"Yeah, it was," she admitted, smiling at him. "But getting back to my point..." She tried to glare at him for changing the subject, but couldn't help but smile. "I guess you can say that Talyn can be pretty overprotective of me."
In understanding, "He sounds like he can be a little selfish, too."
"Oh, c'mon, we can all be selfish."
"True," he chuckled.
"So, now that we can talk without him feeling what I'm feeling and hearing what we're saying..." she said, looking warmly at him. "I'm going to need an escort to that dinner."
"Well, I'm sure the secret service will allow your security detail to accompany you," he said, smiling mischievously at her.
"Do you have any idea just how good it sounds to know that twelve guys will have to do whatever I say?" she asked, a wicked smile on her face. She thought, 'Two can play at that game.'
"So, are you saying you'll settle for only twelve guys? Why not more?"
"More?" she gasped, feigning shock as she leaned back and lay her hand over her heart. "What do you think I am? A Hussy?"
"Well, aren't you?"
"Yeah, more or less," she quietly drawled, winking at him.
"Well, in that case, I'd be more than happy to be one of your dates, Natalie," he said, leaned in, and softly kissed her.
As he pulled back, she reached up to hold his neck and smiled, whispering against his lips, "Do that again."
He smiled and kissed her again, lingering for several seconds, but quickly broke their kiss as Chiana cleared her throat. They turned to look at her and saw her standing in the doorway to the bedroom, wearing a white bathrobe, a large smile on her face.
She said, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"Actually, you were," Natalie said, annoyed, but still smiling. "And I'm sure Talyn's getting anxious..." she trailed off, releasing her comms and inserting the transponder back into its base in her neck.
'So is everything all right?'
Smiling at Matt, she said, "Yeah, everything's perfect."
"So, what were you two talking about?" Chiana asked as she walked to sit on the couch across from Natalie and Matt.
"We were talking about you two going out for dinner tonight," Matt answered. At her confused look, he added, "The President of the United States is hosting a State dinner tonight for the two of you. Which means you two get to go shopping for some formal dresses."
"We're going shopping?" Chiana perked.
"Yeah, Chi - shopping, not stealing," Natalie scolded lightheartedly.
"Oh, frell you," she laughed. "Besides, I think it'll be interesting to see what I can get away with."
"But before we do that," Natalie said, standing up. "There are some things I need to take care of." She pulled her pulse pistol out and stuffed it behind her belt, pulling her t-shirt over it to conceal it.
At an unexpected knock at the door she turned off the water, dried her hands, and walked to it. She looked out of the window next to the door and saw two people standing there - a man in a suit and a woman in jeans and a t-shirt. They had their backs turned to her as they talked with two people in what looked like black fatigues, standing next to a black Chevy Suburban.
Curious, she unlocked the door and opened it. She gasped in shock as she recognized that the woman was the astronaut she had been seeing on TV - the astronaut who had been part of her husband's crew. She immediately felt an anger burning inside her. Why did this woman get to come home and not her husband?
"Mrs. McDaniel?" Natalie asked.
"Yes," she answered, trying her hardest to keep a neutral face.
Natalie sighed nervously and said, "I'm sure you know who I am..."
"Yes, I know who you are," she snapped, unexpectedly irate. "Can you just get on with it? I'm very busy."
"All right," Natalie sadly said. "But may we come in? I wanted to talk with you about your husband. I wanted to let your children know that he was a hero."
"Well, what was she supposed to say?" Chiana asked from inside as she pulled up her red, strapless gown.
"Yeah, it's not like I could've said, 'Hey, your husband tried to kill my friends and kidnap me and another lost astronaut'," Natalie said, feigning cheerfulness, as she sat on the bed, putting on a pair of black high heels. Sadly remembering her friends that made up her crew, she said, "But at least I didn't have to tell lies to all the other families of my crew."
"True. But did you HAVE to tell McDaniel's family he was a 'HERO'?" He paused as he watched the front door open and said, "Hey, Chiana, your date's here."
"Hey, Scott," Chiana called from the bedroom, relieved that he could finally understand her. Before she and Natalie had gone to what Natalie called a mall to shop, they had visited her family at their hotel. It was then that they had injected them with translator microbes and Chiana had asked Scott to be her date. As she put on her high heels, she yelled, "I'll be out in a microt."
"I hope you realize he has no idea what a microt is," Natalie laughed, standing up and walking to the full-length mirror to look at herself. She wished she hadn't let Chiana and her mother talk her into getting a makeover.
"He's a smart boy," Chiana said, standing up and walking to stand next to Natalie. "I'm sure he'll figure it out."
"He's in the Navy, Chi - he's not that smart," she lightheartedly said.
"He's your brother," she replied, thinking of Nerri. "How can you say something like that?"
"You said it," she said, looking at Chiana in the mirror. "He's my brother, so I have the right to say stuff like that."
"Sisterly love, huh?"
"Exactly."
Chiana giggled, turned to walk out, and said, "I'll see you out there."
As Chiana walked out and talked with Scott dressed in his Navy whites, Natalie watched Matt walk into the room dressed in his Army Class-A uniform. He stood a few feet behind her, admiring her in her black, backless gown. "You look like a bellhop," she said.
"And you look beautiful," he said warmly, walking up to her and laying his hands on her shoulders.
"You actually like how I look with this shit on my face?" she asked, pointing to her make up.
"Well, with or without it, you still look beautiful," he answered, giving her shoulders a squeeze.
"Thank you," she said, reaching up to squeeze his hand. Chuckling she added, "But what do you think about the dress? Does it make my butt look big?"
"Oh, yeah. It makes your butt look HUGE," he laughed, letting go of her shoulders and wrapping his arms around her waist.
"God, I hate this thing," she mumbled, adjusting the shoulder straps and pulling up the low cut top. "Hell, I hate dresses altogether."
"I'm not surprised one bit."
"You know, the first and last time I wore a dress was back in high school for the senior prom. All my friends were SO shocked because I had never worn one before. I had always been 'one of the guys'."
"Well, after this, maybe I could see you in a dress more often?" As she looked incredulously at him in the mirror, he amended, "Or maybe not."
"You're damn right, maybe not."
Laying her arms on top of his and leaning back against him, she said, "You know, with my hair up like this, someone's going to notice my transponder."
"I thought you said you didn't care what people thought of what you looked like?" he asked, nuzzling her neck.
"I don't," she answered. "I'm just worried that I'm going to scare the shit out of someone and ruin the party."
"If you do, let's hope someone gets a picture," he chuckled.
Turning in his arms, she wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing his head down to softly kiss him. As she let him go, she said, "Well, I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
Pulling away, he offered her his arm and said, "Shall we?"
"Why the frell not?" she said, wrapping her arm around his.
"So, when are we going to do this?" his partner asked, watching them getting into a limo flanked by military Humvees.
"They're leaving for Virginia in the next few days with Grant's family, Flight Director Crichton, his two daughters, and a Doctor DK Moore..."
"The Crichtons and Moore?" he interrupted.
"Yeah. Grant and Chiana were with John Crichton out there at one point and they want to hear more about it." Looking at him, he said, "Now are you going to shut up and let me finish?"
"Yeah."
"Anyway, they're leaving for Virginia in the next few days." He paused, watching the caravan driving away, and said, "We'll take them once they get there."
"It's beautiful," Chiana said from her seat in the third row, leaning forward against the back of the seat in front of her. She took off her sunglasses and gazed through the windshield at the fenced-off land, the grazing horses, and the forests and mountains surrounding the log cottage and stable.
'Yeah, it is,' Talyn said, listening to their conversation through the comms around Natalie's neck as he flew in space over Virginia.
Natalie smiled and said, "I didn't realize how much I missed this place until now. I wish Dad and Sam could be here."
"I miss them, too, Mom," Jason said. She smiled at him and softly kissed his brown hair. He squirmed away from her and protested, "Mom."
Natalie chuckled, and said, "I'm sorry, sweetie." Looking at Chiana and Matt, she continued, "You'd think that since I've been gone for over year he'd want to be more attached at the hip to me than this."
"C'mon, Natalie," Chiana said, grinning at them and reaching over the seat to squeeze Jason's shoulders. "He's a free spirit."
"Just like you?"
"Yeah, of course."
"And look how you turned out," Natalie lightheartedly dug.
"Exactly," Chiana exclaimed proudly as the caravan of four armored Suburbans came to a halt in front of the house.
"Well, I can't say that I'm too sure whether that's a good thing or not," Natalie said, gazing at the cottage as the driver stepped out and jogged to cottage with rifle in hand along with the eight soldiers from the front and rear Suburbans. Two soldiers remained with Kristen and Scott and the reporter in the Suburban behind them, while the third joined his comrades in searching the ranch.
Sgt. Galve turned to them and said, "My men are going to sweep the house and the stable, so just sit tight."
As Natalie nodded to Galve, Jason, with a devious smile on his face, asked, "Why isn't that a good thing, Mom?"
"Because Chiana's a thief and a trelk," she answered, looking at Chiana.
"What's wrong with being that?" she innocently asked.
"Nothing if you're a thief and a trelk. But being your friend sucks sometimes."
"What do you mean it sucks?"
Looking at her in disbelief, she stated, "It sucks because I have to save your ass every time you get caught stealing or every time some idiot wants to get into your pants."
"Well, wasn't I the one who had to save YOU the last time?"
"The last time it was your brother who kidnapped me and he wasn't going to kill me."
"All right, I didn't have to save you, but at the time I didn't know it was Nerri."
"Ladies, why don't we just say that it sucks to be both of you?" Matt said.
The two looked at him like they were going to hit him, then cheerfully said, "Okay."
Laughing, he said, "You two are unbelievable."
"The house and stable are secure," Galve interrupted. "You can go in whenever you want."
"It's about frelling time," Chiana said, despite knowing that Galve couldn't understand her. She put her sunglasses back on and waited as Natalie opened the door, got out with Jason, and moved the seat forward. Stepping out, Chiana stretched her legs and back and breathed in deeply. Cringing, she said, "What the frell is that smell?"
"Horse shit," Natalie said and walked to the back of the Suburban with Jason and Matt, opening the doors and taking out their bags.
"Horse drat?" she asked, walking up to Natalie and taking her duffle bag. "Frell, I never thought anything could smell that bad."
"If you think that smells bad, then you haven't smelled anything yet," Jason said, taking his suitcase and walking into the cabin with Kristin and Scott behind him and the reporter behind them.
"Fortunately, we don't have to worry about anything else here," Natalie said as Matt grabbed his luggage from the Suburban and closed the doors. They walked to the cottage, Matt's arm around Natalie's waist, and she added, "The worst you'll have to put up with here is that horse shit."
"That's not much comfort," Chiana said as they climbed the steps, walking through the porch and into the cottage. "I feel like I'm going to vomit."
"The bathroom's down the hall and to the right if you need it," Natalie said, looking to her left past the staircase.
"No, I'll be all right."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
Looking around, Natalie said, "It's good to be back. Too bad Jack, DK, and John's sisters couldn't be here."
Walking around the living room and checking it out as Galve and his men set up their equipment, Chiana pushed her sunglasses up into her hair and asked, "Where are they anyway?"
"They were called away at the last minute," Matt said, taking Natalie's bag. "I wasn't told why."
"I'll bet you anything that Talyn freaked out some kid in a monitoring station and put everyone in a panic," Natalie said, annoyed.
"So, where are we going to sleep?" Chiana asked, coming up to Natalie.
"The guest room is all yours, Chiana," Kristin said, walking down the stairs into the living room. Looking at Natalie she said, "And your bedroom is still open. We had turned it into a guest room when we thought you were... But it's all yours, Natalie."
Walking up to her, Natalie hugged her, kissed her cheek, and said, "Thanks, Mom."
"I'm guessing that Matt will be staying with you?" she asked, smiling at her.
"Of course, Mom. I wouldn't have it any other way."
Kristin laughed and said, "Go to your room."
"Sending me up to my room for dessert already? C'mon, Mom, I haven't even had dinner yet."
"Okay, after dinner," she laughed.
Looking around, Natalie asked, "Where's Jason?"
"He's out back, getting the grill ready."
"He's what?" Natalie exclaimed, turning to walk out the back door through the kitchen.
"Natalie, it's okay," Kristin said, grabbing Natalie's arm. "Scott's with him. Besides, Paul wanted him to be self-sufficient, so... before he died... Paul taught Jason how to cook." Smiling, she proudly said, "He's becoming pretty good at it."
"He is, huh?" Natalie asked, a proud smile on her face. "I wish I could've thanked Dad for that."
"I'm sure he knows, sweetheart."
"Yeah," she said. "I can't wait to try whatever he's going to cook."
Wrapping his arm around Natalie, Matt whispered in her ear, "And I can't wait to try you."
Pushing him away, she smiled wickedly at him and said, "Patience, young grasshopper."
"After dinner, right?"
"Exactly."
"Oh, will you two just frell and get it over with?" Chiana asked, watching and grinning at them.
"Who says we haven't?" Natalie said, giving Chiana a wink as she pulled Matt to the stairs to put their bags away.
"I think I don't want to hear any of this," Kristin said, walking to the kitchen to help Scott and Jason as Chiana walked up the stairs to her room.
She came to the top of the stairs and walked around the railing to a large room with two couches, a large chair, a table, and a TV. Next to her was a spacious couch with a large window and glass sliding door behind it, leading out to the large balcony. Seeing Natalie and Matt walking into a hall in the far left corner with the other couch next to it, Chiana followed them. She watched them open the door to their room and yelled, "Hey, where's the guest room?"
"It's the first door," Natalie said.
"Don't have too good a time. You don't want to wear yourselves out before tonight, do you?"
"Don't worry, we won't," Natalie said, a mischievous smile on her face, and shut the door.
Opening the door, Chiana walked into the room and threw her bag onto the bed. It was to her right with a nightstand on either side of it and the closet door with a full-length mirror was to the left of the bed. It was a fairly large room with a landscape painting on two of the walls. It was well lit by the sun, shining through the two large open windows leading to the balcony that extended all the way to the end of the house. Beside the window to the left was a chair that looked fairly comfortable. Along the wall opposite the bed was an entertainment center containing a TV, VCR, and DVD player a few feet away from the chair.
She immediately went for the remote control to the TV on the nightstand, turned on the TV, lying down on her stomach on the bed and propping herself up on her elbows, and looked for something to watch. Hearing Jason and Scott outside answer questions from the reporter, she tossed the remote onto the bed, climbed off the bed, walking to the window, and climbed out of it onto the balcony. She walked up to the railing, leaning against it, and looked out at the large lake behind the house, surrounded by the mountains. She hadn't seen it before, but now that she had, she couldn't take her eyes off the scenery.
"Frell, that's beautiful," she whispered. "You'd love this, D'Argo." Turning around, she climbed back into her room to change into her bikini, wishing he could be there with her.
She slowly strolled up to him, her hips swaying as she pulled her comms off from around her neck, forgetting to turn it off. She reached back to pull out her transponder and tossed it and her comms onto the bag next to the bed as she came to stand in front of Matt. She quickly shoved him down onto the bed, climbing on top of him and straddling his hips. She brushed her lips against his and whispered, "No."
He kissed her softly, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer against him as she deepened it. He suddenly pushed her away, panting, and croaked, "Wait."
"What?" she said, her breathing labored, and planted her hands on either side of his head to hold herself up.
Looking up at her, he said, "This just doesn't feel right."
"You weren't saying that after the State dinner," she said, smiling wickedly at him. "You couldn't wait to get me out of my dress."
"Actually, I think it was you who couldn't wait to get out of your dress."
"Yeah, that, too. But what's wrong now?"
"Natalie," he said, sitting up. "I just think we're going too fast."
"Well, this is a first," she said, amused, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Usually, it's the girl saying that."
"Yeah, but..." he started, hesitating for a few seconds. "Usually, the guy hasn't just come off a bad marriage."
"What?"
"The divorce went through about two months ago. My ex hated that I was a Captain in the Army. She hated the military life, moving from base to base every few months. She also hated that I was a doctor, on call twenty-four hours a day, and that we hardly ever got a chance to be together. So, she started cheating on me."
"Jesus, Matt," she whispered, caressing his face. "I'm sorry."
"It's all right. In a way, it is my fault. I was never there for her - never there to give her what she needed."
"Well, I don't care about all that, Matt. You know how I feel about the military, BUT you also know how I feel about you..."
"Natalie, I just wanted you to know what you're getting yourself into."
"Are you afraid I'll do what your ex did to you?"
He was silent for nearly a minute, watching her watch him. He finally admitted, "Yeah, I am."
"Well, you don't have to worry," she said and gave him a quick kiss. "I'm not the bitch your ex is. I'm a different kind of bitch."
He smiled at her and said, "You're an amazing woman, you know that?"
"You keep saying stuff like that and my ego will go through the roof," she said with a chuckle.
"I can't help it," he laughed. "I want to say stuff like that to you."
"Thank you," she said and kissed him.
"You know," he said, tightening his arms around her waist. "As much as I'd like to stay here and continue with this, we should probably get ready for dinner. Your brother just might come up here, find us like this, and kick the shit out of me."
"Aw, poor, baby," she said, caressing his face, an amused smile on her face. "Don't worry, I'll protect you from the big, bad, NAVAL AVIATOR."
"Ah, you don't have to do that," he quickly said, standing up with her. "I'm in the Army; I can take care of myself."
"Uh, huh," she chuckled and slapped his butt. "Well, if you ask nicely, I'll help you. If you don't, then I'll just sit there and watch him kick your ass."
"This sucks," he mumbled. He had signed up to protect his country, not some woman and an alien.
Hearing a twig snap from inside the tree line bordering the ranch, he immediately spun around, raising his MP5 to his shoulder, and scanned the area. He reached up to speak into his radio, but unexpectedly felt a pinch in his neck. He quickly reached back and found a tranquilizer dart sticking out of his flesh.
"Fuck," he mumbled as he slowly blacked out and fell to the ground.
As Martinez hit the ground, a team of two people emerged from the darkness. They were dressed in black, wearing ski masks, night-vision goggles, and full body armor, and carried tranquilizer pistols and rifles with laser sights. The team leader spoke into his radio, "Bravo One, this is Bravo Three. Sector three is secure. We are proceeding to the cottage.
"Roger that. Sectors one, two, and four are secured as well. Be advised, Bravos One, Two, and Four are en route. I repeat, Bravo is en route to the cottage."
"Acknowledged." Looking at his partner, he said, "Let's move."
The two soldiers immediately ran to the cottage, converging there with the three other teams. As one of the soldiers cut the power lines providing power to the house, two of the soldiers entered the house on the first floor - one through the front door and the other through back door. The other five soldiers waited outside out of view of the cameras.
Without warning, the door burst open, and two men in full body armor shot the three with tranquilizers. One of them said, "All clear."
Six men immediately climbed up to the balcony and, in pairs, entered through the windows of the three rooms lining it.
In two of the rooms, they found Natalie and Matt asleep in their bed, naked, and Jason asleep in his room. They immediately shot them with tranquilizer darts, knocking them out. On the first floor, the two soldiers found Kristen and Scott in their respective beds and tranquilized them as well. But, they couldn't find Chiana. She hadn't been in her room. As two of them dressed Natalie in a pair of pants and a t-shirt they found lying on the floor, the other soldiers proceeded to search the house for the Nebari.
Seeing that he was focused on her nude body, she shoved the refrigerator door against him and smashed the beer bottle against his head. She flung the door closed and tried to charge him, but she heard a noise coming from behind her and immediately ducked. The next thing she knew, the soldier in front of her fell to the ground with a dart sticking out of his chest.
Grabbing his pistol, Chiana shot up, spinning around, and fired through the kitchen door at the five people in the living room. She managed to hit one of them in the leg and in the lower abdomen and he fell unconscious to the floor. She ran around the center island and ducked behind the counter next to the open door as the other four soldiers fired at her, their darts hitting the refrigerator door across from her.
She slowly stood up and peered over the counter through the opening connecting the kitchen and the living room and saw that one of them was making his way to the door on the other side of the kitchen. Ducking down, she quickly ran to the other side of the kitchen and poked her head out of the door, nearly hitting the soldier in the gut with her head. She raised her pistol and quickly fired her last dart at him before he could fire at her, hitting him in the neck. He fell to the floor unconscious.
Poking out of the door, she grabbed his pistol and a magazine full of darts and ducked back under the counter. She fumbled with her old pistol, trying to eject the empty magazine, and it suddenly fell out into her lap. She quickly shoved the new magazine into the pistol, grabbed the grip, and pulled down the hammer, remembering her security detail doing it with their weapons.
She raised both pistols, took several deep breaths, and ran out of the kitchen, simultaneously firing her weapons at the three remaining men. She forced them to stay down under the table and behind the couch as she ran past it to the staircase. Running up the staircase, she continued firing at them until they were out of her line of sight as she reached the second floor. Unfortunately, she had used up all her ammunition, so she threw her pistols away.
As she ran down the hallway, two more soldiers suddenly appeared out of Natalie and Matt's room. Before they could fire at her, she dove into her room, slamming the door shut and locking it.
She jumped over her bed, threw the pillow off, and grabbed her silver pistol lying on her bed. She activated it just as one of the soldiers kicked the door open and she fired at him, hitting him in the side, before diving through the open window onto the deck. Unfortunately, one of the soldiers was already waiting for her at the other end of the balcony. She raised her pistol and the two simultaneously fired at each other. She saw the pulse blast graze the side of the soldier's head and grabbed her shoulder, pretending to be hit, then fell back over the railing. She landed on the ground and scurried into an opening under the deck, hiding from view.
The soldier ran to the railing to look for Chiana as his partners climbed through the window and limped to join him. They looked over the railing, but they couldn't see her.
"Did you hit her?" the soldier asked, limping to stand next to his partner
"I thought I did," he answered. Speaking into his radio, he said, "Target Two has escaped. I repeat, Target Two has escaped."
"Acknowledged," the Bravo team leader said. "But forget about her. We have Target One; she was always our primary objective. We also have men down we need to take care of. So get Target One to the RV. We'll meet you there."
"Roger that."
"What the frell happened?" she drawled, a trace of the tranquilizer still in her bloodstream.
She opened her eyes and saw that she was in a large warehouse, several crates surrounding her. In the far left corner was a chain bolted to the floor which led up to a pulley attached to a trolley on a steel girder running above the grated, metal catwalks. At the end of the chain on the other side of the pulley was a large crate that looked like it was ready to be moved to another part of the warehouse. Looking around, she saw two soldiers in ski masks on either side of her. On the catwalks above on either side of the warehouse were several more soldiers patrolling the building, some crossing the shorter walkways in between. They all carried M-4 carbines with two connected magazines and red-dot sighting systems. In front of her was a man in a black suit, but she couldn't see what he was doing on the table in front of him. His back was to her. She also realized that her hands were handcuffed behind the chair.
She sighed and said, "What is it with people wanting to kidnap me? Do I have a sign on my forehead, or something, that says 'Please, drug me, kidnap me, sit me down in a chair, and tie my hands behind me so you can ask me questions?'"
"I apologize for what happened, Doctor," the man said, turning from the laptop lying on the table in front of him to glance at her. He had short light brown hair, blue eyes, a slight build, and an average face; his looks were completely forgettable. "But we needed to speak with you and I doubt that Sergeant Galve or Captain Donovan would have allowed that."
"A goddamn man in black," Natalie said, glaring at him. "You know, I was wondering when you assholes were going to show up."
"If we have disappointed you, Doctor, then I apologize. But if it's any consolation, we have been watching you and your friend, Chiana, since you arrived on Earth."
"Oh, frell you," she said, discreetly struggling against her handcuffs. She unexpectedly felt an oily substance on the folding chair and realized it was grease in one of the joints.
"That's a little harsh, don't you think? After all, we ARE only looking out for the best interests of Earth."
"BULLSHIT!" she exclaimed, hoping that no one noticed that she was covering her hands and wrists in the grease. "You're only looking out for yourselves. You're no better than the Peacekeepers."
"Please, Doctor Grant," he said, looking back at her. "We're nothing like the Peacekeepers."
"Oh? Then why are you defending yourself? If that were true, you wouldn't have to."
"On the contrary. I was not defending us. I was merely stating a fact."
"All right. If you want to keep lying to yourself, that's fine with me." Noticing what she was wearing, Natalie said, "Oh, and I guess I should thank you guys for putting my clothes on. Although, with you being guys, I thought I'd still be naked."
"Well, a naked woman being carried by armed soldiers isn't very inconspicuous."
"No, it's not," she mumbled, trying to pry her hands out of the cuffs.
Addressing one of the soldiers, he asked, "Where is the neural transponder?"
"We couldn't find it, sir," he said.
As Natalie let out a laugh, the man in black glanced at her and, addressing the soldier, said, "I'm very disappointed in you." Grabbing a syringe and a small vial of liquid, he loaded the syringe with the liquid, nodded to one of the soldiers, and said, "No matter. We don't need it at the moment anyway."
"Whoa," Natalie said as he turned toward her and two soldiers began placing pads on her face and chest. She looked to her right and saw that the pads were connected to what looked like a lie detector. "What is that?"
"It's sodium pentothol."
"Truth serum?"
"Yes."
"You don't need to do all this," she said, worried.
He paused for a few seconds, thinking, and said, "Very well. I'll give you a choice, Doctor Grant. If you tell us what we want..." Motioning to the syringe, he said, "Then this won't be necessary."
"What do you want to know?"
"I want to trust you, Doctor Grant," he said, rolling up a chair across from her. "I don't want to have to harm you. I don't even want to inject you with this. But if you lie to me, you WILL reap the consequences. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Can I trust you?"
"Yes," she answered.
He looked to the soldier manning the lie detector. The soldier nodded to him and confirmed that Natalie was telling the truth. He placed the syringe on the table behind him and said, "Very well."
"That's it? You're just going to trust me like that?"
"As I said, Doctor Grant, I want to trust you. I don't want to have to do to you what I am capable of doing."
"And what are you capable of doing?"
"You don't want to know."
"Gee, I wonder how I could've predicted that?"
"There's no need to be rude, Doctor."
"All right," she said, still secretly struggling against the handcuffs. "Let's get this over with. I'll tell you what you want to know."
"Then tell me, Doctor Grant, how can we override Talyn's systems from the surface? Is it possible for us to 'put him to sleep', so to speak, from here?"
She glared intently at him, remaining silent for several seconds. She glanced at the soldiers surrounding them and on the catwalks above, then looked at the man in black again and said, "You know what? I changed my mind. So, FUCK YOU."
He gazed at her intently, then calmly said, "I'm sorry to hear that."
"Oh, yeah. I'm REAL sure you're sorry," she mocked.
"I didn't want to have to do this, Doctor," he said, turning around to grab the syringe. "But you leave me no choice."
"You just love spouting all those little clichés and talking like you came right out of a movie, don't you?"
Rolling his chair up to her, he inserted the needle into her arm, causing her to cringe, and injected her with the pentothol. "It should take effect in about a minute," he said. "I'll be back then and we will start again." He turned his chair, got up, pulled out his cell phone, and walked into a small corridor in the back between two rows of boxes stacked nearly to the catwalks.
A few seconds after being injected, Natalie began feeling the effects of the serum. Her body began to relax and her mind began wandering. She felt as if she were drunk, but she tried to shake it off. She kept trying to pry her hands out of the cuffs, smearing them with more and more grease. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as the cuffs painfully dug into her skin and continued trying to pull her hands out.
Suddenly, one hand popped out of the cuffs and she glanced at the soldiers, hoping they hadn't seen her. She grabbed the cuff, twisted the chain around her finger, and tried to pry her other hand out. Just as suddenly as the first hand had slipped out before, the other did as well. She slowly pushed the gates of the cuffs inward to open them and waited.
The man in black came back in and walked up to her, then pulled her eyelids up to check her pupils. Seeing that they were dilated, he sat back down in his chair and asked, "Before we begin, is there anything you'd like to tell me?"
"Yeah."
"What?"
"I'm going to hurt you," she offhandedly said.
"And just how will you do that?" he asked, crossing his legs.
"You know my handcuffs?"
"What about them?"
She pulled her hands out from behind her back, showing him that she was free, and said, "You really should make them tighter next time."
She threw down one cuff, slapped it around his ankle, and leapt up, pulling the other open cuff and his leg up and digging the serrated gate into his eye. She turned him into a 'human pretzel'. He doubled over in his chair and Natalie reached into his coat, pulling out his Beretta. She immediately side-kicked the soldier coming up on her right while she shot the soldier coming up to her left in the leg, causing both to drop their rifles.
She immediately fell over, the pentothol still coursing through her veins as the adrenalin began pumping throughout her body. Suddenly, bullets rained down all around her. She quickly rolled over the man in black and under the metal table to avoid them as he pulled the gate out of his eye and ran for cover. But the two soldiers weren't as lucky and the storm of bullets from above tore through their bodies, killing them.
She pulled one of the bodies under the table with her and searched him for anything useful as bullets ricocheted off the table. She pulled his radio out of his tac-vest and shoved the belt clip onto the waistband of her pants. She unbuckled his belt, removed all the items adorning it, including his holster, and pulled it off. Realizing that the firing had stopped, she moved quickly. She yanked the radio from her waistband and wrapped the belt around her hips, tightening it, and shoved the radio onto it in front of her left hip. Grabbing the magazine case containing three magazines, she clipped it onto the belt behind her left hip for easy access as she scanned the area, checking for more soldiers. In the dead soldier's pants pocket she found a set of keys on a clip and attached it to the belt.
Spotting two soldiers cautiously coming through the corridor, Natalie raised her pistol, fired, and ran out from under the table over to the chain in the left corner. She shot off the bolt holding the chain down and jumped up, grabbing the chain as the boxes on the other side fell to the floor. As she was pulled up, she fired down at the soldiers on the floor, trying only to pin them down or injure them, not kill them.
Passing a catwalk, she swung on the chain and let go, jumping over the railing onto the walkway. She shoved her hair out of her face and ran down it. Bullets from below rattled off the bottom of the catwalk and the railing and whizzed past her body. One of the bullets grazed the back of her thigh and she yelled in pain, stumbling slightly, but kept moving for cover.
A soldier climbed onto the catwalk across and ahead of her and she tried to fire at him, but saw that the slide was wide open - she was out of bullets. "Shit!" she yelled, frustrated. She watched him run onto one of the connecting walkways ahead of her to intercept her and she ran right for him as the bullets continued to fly by.
He ran onto the catwalk, blocking her path and aiming his rifle at her, and yelled, "Stop!"
She didn't listen and jumped at him, putting him on his back and giving him a pantak jab to the forehead, knocking him out. Fortunately, the soldiers below didn't know that she was lying on top of him and continued firing. Their bullets rattled around them and flew through the grating and into the soldier's back, killing him.
"So much for loyalty," she mumbled, feeling his body going limp beneath her. As she curled up on top of him, using his body as a shield while bullets continued to hit him, she said, "Why do these things always have to happen in a damn warehouse?"
"Cease fire!" she heard the man in black yell from below. "Cease fire!" he repeated. At the sound of continuing gunfire, he yelled again, "Cease fire, dammit!" As the gunfire stopped, he called, "Doctor Grant?"
"What?" she yelled, then ejected the empty magazine.
"Are you injured?" he yelled as she pulled a new magazine out of the case behind her.
She inserted the new magazine, let the slide pull forward, pushing a bullet into the firing chamber, and yelled, "What does it matter to you?"
"To ensure your safety."
"Well, you're doing a DAMN good job of that, ain'tcha?"
"There's no need to be sarcastic, Doctor."
"Frell you," she said, then poked her gun out and fired, hoping to hit him. "And stop calling me 'Doctor'. It's getting annoying."
"Ms. Grant, please come down," he yelled as she stuffed her gun into the front of her belt. "We only want what's in Earth's - and your - best interests."
"The bad guys always say that," she said, picking up the soldier's rifle.
She switched the rifle to 'automatic' and fired down at the soldiers. She nearly dropped the rifle from the unaccustomed recoil, but tightened her grip on it and stood up, running down the catwalk. The soldiers below began firing at her again defensively as she ran down one of the connecting walkways. She jumped onto the railing of the catwalk and leapt off it, grabbing a chain with a crate connected to it. She fired at the bolt below, shattering it and causing the box and chain to drop with her riding it all the way down to the floor, still firing.
As the box below her hit the floor, breaking open, the toilets inside spilled out in sharp shards.
"Shit," she mumbled and started to swing the chain. She jumped off it before it took her all the way down and landed a foot away from the debris. She rolled as her momentum carried her forward, then stood up and looked at the boxes surrounding her. They all were labeled 'bathroom supplies'. She said, "Well, they certainly choose the right place to bring me to."
"Ms. Grant, we do not want to harm you," the man in black shouted.
"Don't you ever shut up?" she retorted and cautiously walked down the narrow corridor, raising the rifle to her shoulder. She kept one eye ahead of her and one eye at the floor to avoid stepping on anything with her bare feet.
"Natalie, please. We're only trying to help you."
"Don't call me Natalie, dammit." Rolling her eyes as she came up to an intersection, she whispered, "This guy must love hearing his own voice or something."
Without warning, the butt of a rifle came flying out of the intersection and hit her in the forehead, sending her crashing to the ground. As a soldier came around the corner, his rifle aimed at her, she raised the stock of her rifle, entangling it in the shoulder strap of his rifle. Yanking his rifle away, the weight and momentum of the gun carring her own rifle out of her hands as well, the soldier nearly fell on top of her. But she kicked up into his face, knocking him backward onto the floor.
She quickly stood up and heard from behind her, "Hold it."
She spun around to see another soldier with his M-4 aimed at her. She said, "Your boss is going to be pretty pissed off if you shoot me." Getting no response, she slowly reached for the gun stuffed into her belt and glanced back at the soldier behind her. She saw him slowly coming to his feet with blood seeping through his mask at the nose.
He said, "Don't."
"Don't what?" she asked and pulled out her pistol. He immediately fired at her, but Natalie dove onto her back, the bullets flying over and into the soldier behind her. As she hit the floor, she gripped the gun with both hands and repeatedly fired at the soldier, the bullets cutting into his chest and abdomen. He fell to the floor dead.
"Dammit!" she screamed, standing up and kicking one of the boxes. She leaned her forearm against the stack of boxes and propped her forehead against her arm. She rested against the crates for several seconds as she shook with anger and grief.
Pushing away from the crates, she saw that she was out of ammunition and ejected the empty magazine. She turned to continue down the corridor as she reached back for another magazine, but stopped dead in her tracks. In front of her was the man in black, his bloodied hand over his left eye, with a Beretta aimed at her head.
"I should've expected you to be there," Natalie said, annoyed.
She dropped the gun with a sigh and said, "How's the eye?"
Ignoring her, he ordered, "Put your hands behind your head, turn around, and get on your knees."
"Earlier, you couldn't shut up, and now you don't want to talk with me?" she asked, doing as instructed. "I'm hurt."
"Shut up," he said, pressing the barrel of the gun against her head as he pulled out a pair of handcuffs and fumbled with them.
Hearing the cuffs, she asked, "Are those the same cuffs I stabbed you in the eye with?"
"I said, shut up," he answered, slapping a cuff onto her left wrist.
Suddenly tilting her head away from the gun, she grabbed it and pulled her handcuffed hand away from his grasp. She instantly brought it around and gave him a pantak jab to the nose, breaking it and sending him stumbling back slightly. She immediately kicked up and back into his stomach and he crashed to the floor.
Standing up, she tried to run, but he grabbed one of the two entangled rifles laying at his side and threw it at Natalie's feet. She lost her balance as the rifle hit her and fell to the floor face first. Feigning unconsciousness, she let him walk up to her feet, his gun in hand. She swiftly pushed herself up off the floor, twisted her body in mid-air, and simultaneously kicked him in the right side and left leg, taking his legs out from under him. He careened headlong into a stack of crates to his left and dropped his gun.
She stood up, walked over to him, and grabbed the back of his neck. As he tried to get up, she shoved his face into the floor. She repeatedly pounded his face against the floor until she finally felt his body go limp.
A soldier unexpectedly rounded the corner at the end of the corridor and raised his rifle to fire at her. Natalie immediately reached for the man in black's gun and fired at the soldier, her shots hitting the crates around him as he spun behind them for cover. She got up and continued to fire at him, pinning him down, and ran in the opposite direction, picking up the rifle that had tripped her.
She wrapped the shoulder strap around her body, positioning the rifle flat against her back as she rounded a corner and walked down the corridor along the wall of the warehouse. Looking up through the windows above her, she noticed that the sun was beginning to come out. She cautiously continued along the wall, pausing to look down each corridor to ensure that they were safe. She muttered, "With a place this big, you'd figure they'd have more exits than this."
Suddenly, she walked right into a soldier and they both fell back onto the floor, dazed. Shaking herself out of it, she saw the soldier attempt to raise his rifle, but she lunged at him first, swinging her gun at his temple. He fell over onto his side, grabbing his head. Natalie tore the rifle from his hands and hit him in the forehead with the butt, knocking him out.
"Oh, shit," she said, suddenly seeing more soldiers coming toward her from the end of the corridor. She got up, dropping the rifle, and tried to run along the wall to evade them.
Down one corridor she saw an exit on the other side of the building, but advancing soldiers blocked it off. A few feet away from the end of the wall, she looked up and saw an unused hook attached to a trolley on a girder above her a few yards from the wall. She immediately began climbing a stack of crates. Once on top, she ran quickly along the top of the crates and jumped, grabbing the hook with one hand as she pulled the rifle around and aimed down at the soldiers. Her momentum pushed the trolley along the girder and she swung her legs back and forth to increase her speed as she pulled the trigger, firing at the soldiers below. They returned fire as she passed overhead, their bullets ricocheting off the girder and catwalks around her.
Reaching the end of the warehouse, she let go of the hook and fell onto a crate, grabbing another in front of her to steady herself. She let go of her rifle, letting it hang at her side, and quickly climbed over the crate and down to the floor. She tried to get to the door, but it was in the direct line of sight of the soldiers that were coming toward her, firing to keep her away from it. Unfortunately, she stumbled as a ricocheting bullet grazed the side of her thigh.
"Shit," she mumbled, reaching down to apply pressure to her wound. Looking down, she saw that her pants leg was already covered in blood from the previous wound. "Oh, that's just frelling great."
Frustrated, she raised her rifle, aiming it around the crate, and pulled the trigger, firing blind at the soldiers. When the soldiers finally stopped firing, Natalie made a run for the doors, continuing to fire at the men. She burst through the doors, slammed them shut, and barred them, shoving the rifle through the door handles.
She spun around to see four SUVs, the sun peeking over the horizon behind them, and said, "They just had to be black Suburbans, didn't they?"
Pulling the key clip from her belt, she ran through the parking lot to one of the Suburbans and searched for the keys to it. Suddenly bullets rattled off the door behind her and she instinctively ducked, pulling her gun from her belt. She saw that the door was holding and stood back up to search for the key again. She found the key with a GM label on it and tried it, but the door wouldn't unlock.
"Dammit!" she yelled, then ran around the front to the next Suburban. She ran around the back to the driver's side and inserted the key, turned it, and the door unlocked. She immediately opened it and jumped in.
She shoved the key into the ignition and started the SUV, putting on her seat belt. Without warning, the passenger side window cracked as several bullets ricocheted off it. She immediately ducked, but then realized the windows were bulletproof and sat back up. She saw five soldiers taking cover behind the side wall of the warehouse as they fired at her.
"Let's see if I remember how to do this," she mumbled, putting the Suburban into drive and stomping on the gas.
She drove toward the soldiers as they fired at her to no avail - the car was too well-armored. They ran onto a grassy knoll in front of a forest as she hopped the curb and continued towards them. Natalie stepped on the pedal as far as it would go, gunning the engine, and hit three of them. She slammed one with the side of the bumper, sending him flying around the side of the car. Another had jumped onto the hood and was holding on for dear life. But she had run over the third and his broken corpse rolled through the grass.
The soldier on the hood pulled out his pistol and tried to fire at her through the glass, but Natalie slammed on the brake, flinging him off the hood. Stepping on the gas, she drove around him and turned, heading for the parking lot. Beyond it, she turned onto a main two-way road through the woods and drove away from what was apparently a remote warehouse area.
Unfortunately, the remaining soldiers had gotten out of the warehouse and made it to the other three Suburbans. They turned onto the road immediately after her.
"Ms. Grant, are you there?" she heard the man in black say through the radio on her belt.
She pulled the radio from her belt and said, "You're still alive? Why are you still alive?"
"Yes, I am still alive," she heard as she looked in the rearview mirror, seeing the other SUVs catching up with her. "If you don't end this and surrender, we will be forced to take drastic measures."
"Drastic measures?" she laughed, and floored the gas. "What could be more drastic than trying to kill me?"
"Hurting you and letting you live."
Furious, she threw the radio onto the passenger seat and stomped on the brake, halting the SUV. The men driving the Suburbans behind her didn't react fast enough and two of them went off road, passing her on either side. But the Suburban directly behind her slammed into her. It was completely totaled, but her SUV suffered only frame and severe body damage. The rear and rear side glasses had shattered and the rear doors had been caved in. Stepping on the gas, her rear bumper tore off, still attached to the other SUV.
Ahead of her, she saw the two remaining Suburbans turn around and head straight for her. "Well, it worked with Talyn, so let's see if it'll work here," she said and sped toward the other SUVs.
"I ask you again, Ms. Grant, to surrender," she heard the man in black say over the radio.
Picking it up, she said, "You're not dead yet? Well, shit. But if you're not dead, will you at least shut up? Your voice is annoying."
The three Suburbans neared each other, playing 'chicken', but at the last second the two heading for Natalie swerved off the road. As they veered off, Natalie immediately hit the brakes and turned, sending the Suburban into a fishtail and slamming the rear of it into the SUV to her right while the front of it slammed into the SUV to her left. This sent both of them into the ditches on the side of the road.
Stomping on the gas, Natalie sped away and watched in the rearview mirror as the two Suburbans climbed out of the ditches and drove back onto the road.
The man came back on the radio and said, "Grant, if you don't stop, you will force us to..."
"You'll what?" she interrupted angrily. "What are you going to do?"
"We took you from your family's ranch, did we not?" he threatened.
"If you threaten my family again, I'm going to hurt you," she said, looking into the rearview mirror to see them. But the Suburbans weren't there. Worried, she threw the radio onto the passenger seat and said, "Frell."
As the road veered to the left, Natalie turned the Suburban to follow it and noticed an eighteen-wheeler heading down the other lane. Suddenly, the two Suburbans appeared out of the woods to her left and one of them slammed into the rear quarter panel of her SUV. The hit sent her spinning one hundred eighty degrees. The men in the Suburban didn't see the eighteen-wheeler and were broadsided by it. The driver of the truck had slammed on his brakes, but the big rig couldn't stop in time. The trailer jackknifed and the men inside the SUV were crushed. At the same time, the other Suburban drove around it, only to drive head-on into the right rear quarter panel of Natalie's vehicle, sending them both into the ditch.
Furious, she hit the gas and turned the wheel to the left, fishtailing the Suburban into the other SUV as it tried to back out of the ditch. The hit spun the SUV completely into the ditch, leaving it parallel to the road as Natalie drove toward the truck.
"All right, if you want to play," she said, stopping the SUV and putting it into reverse. "Let's play." She grabbed the radio and yelled, "Hey, isn't there some saying about women being bad drivers?"
She threw the radio back into the passenger seat, looked back at the other SUV as its tires spun in the mud, and immediately slammed her foot on the gas, squealing the tires. Natalie plowed the back of her Suburban into the top of the other SUV, running over it and tearing its top completely off. She drove onto the grassy knoll on the other side of the ditch as all four of her tires began going flat. Noticing the gauge, she saw that she was also losing gas. But before she lost all the gas in the tank and the tires went completely flat, she drove around the Suburban into the ditch, driving away from the SUV. Throwing it into reverse, she forced her crippled vehicle towards the other Suburban for one last hit and plowed right through the back of it.
Climbing out, Natalie pulled her gun out of her belt, cocking it, and walked onto the road to inspect the mangled wreckage. She saw that the two SUVs looked like they now shared the same rear end.
Unexpectedly, she heard a soft groan coming from the front passenger seat and she raised her gun in an instant, aiming it at what was left of the passenger door. Slowly approaching it, she peered over the door and saw the man in black, his face and empty eye socket bloodied and his body broken, lying half on the decapitated body of the driver.
"Well, damn," she said, lowering her gun.
"Is everyone all right?" she heard a man's voice coming from the right.
She spun around, aiming her pistol at him, and saw that it was the elderly pot-bellied driver of the eighteen-wheeler. He immediately raised his hands, showing her he was unarmed. She breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Yeah, everything's just fine."
His eyes widened in recognition and he exclaimed, "Hey, you're that astronaut..."
"Yeah, I'm that astronaut," she said, walking up to him. "Where are we, anyway?"
"We're about thirty miles east of Norfolk," he answered.
"We're not too far from my ranch," she whispered. Glancing back at the two wrecked Suburbans, she asked, "Well, my car's wrecked, so do you think I can get a ride home?"
Surprised, he said, "Uh, sure. But don't you think we should wait for the cops?"
"Oh, no," she said, shaking her head. "Knowing these guys, I'm sure back-up is already on the way, so we'd better get our asses out of here."
"All right," he said with a disbelieving chuckle. Turning around, he escorted her to his truck.
"Doctor Grant," she heard the man in black yell from behind her.
"What?" she shouted, throwing her arms out as she spun around to face him. She saw him shakily aiming a pistol at her and yelled, "Just leave me alone!" She quickly raised her gun and fired her last two bullets. One of them hit him in the chest, but the other ignited the leaking gas, setting the two SUVs on fire. The fire quickly spread to the two vehicles' gas tanks and they exploded in massive fireballs. The shockwave sent her and the truck driver crashing to the ground as the two Suburbans tumbled end over end in the air and landed in the ditch, setting fire to the grass and trees around them.
As the two stood up, Natalie stared at the wreckage in shock and said, "Aw, shit... What have I done?"
"Doctor," the truck driver said, laying his hand on her back to lead her to his truck. "I think we better get out of here NOW."
"Yeah," she breathed, walking to the truck and releasing the slide on her gun. She shoved it into her belt behind her back and pulled her t-shirt up over it to conceal it. She walked around the front of the truck to get in on the passenger side and the driver climbed into the driver's seat and maneuvered around the mangled Suburban in front of them. Natalie looked at him and suddenly asked, "Do you have anything to drink?"
"Chiana'll be all right," he answered, glancing at her. She was now fully dressed in her usual gray attire and she looked ready to kick ass as she sat waiting on couch, sipping some coffee. Glancing at the other members of the security detail in the room answering questions from the FBI with their resident reporter taking notes, he added, "She's been in tougher situations than this. Or, at least, that's what she told me."
"Did she tell you anything about the people who kidnapped Natalie?"
"Yeah," he said worriedly. "She told me that they were armed men, dressed in black from head-to-toe, and they were more concerned with knocking her out than they were with killing her."
"Is that all?"
"No. She also told me that she saw them take off in a helicopter not too far from here. From what she described, I'd say she saw a Black Hawk. Which means this was a military or a government agency operation. But the thing is, she said it didn't make a sound."
"It was silent?"
"Yes."
"Is she sure?"
"Yeah, she's sure. But I don't get it. I mean the UH-60 is a big bird. There's no way in hell it could be completely silent."
"Actually, sir, there is a way," he whispered.
"What do you mean, Sergeant?" Matt asked, looking at him in confusion.
"Well, sir, Bell Helicopters produces silent choppers for the CIA, NSA, and even Army spec-ops. I'm sure they wouldn't have any problem retrofitting a UH-60 for silent running."
With a sigh, Matt reached up to rub the bridge of his nose and mumbled, "That's just fucking great. We're in the middle of a damn conspiracy theory."
"Looks that way, sir."
"Well, if it is the Army or some other agency..." he trailed off, looking at Galve and feeling he could trust him. "Sergeant, if it comes down to it, I'm with Natalie and Chiana. I won't let anything happen to them, even if some damn bureaucrat or some General doesn't trust them, or doesn't want to have to go through them to get some goddamn advanced technology. So, now that you know my secret, Sergeant, what are you going to do?"
Looking at Matt, Galve said, "Absolutely nothing until you say so. I'm with you all the way. I can tell you right now, sir, that those people who kidnapped Natalie weren't Army. No soldier would take up arms against his brother, not even if they only carried tranq's. So, I want to get the bastards who did this to my men."
"I'm glad to hear it, Sergeant."
As he nodded his acknowledgement to Matt, he suddenly received a message through his radio/earpiece. He said, "Sir, Doctor Grant has been found."
"Where is she?"
"She's at the Norfolk Police Department. A trucker picked her up and brought her there. The police are questioning both of them now."
"Get some of your men, Sergeant. We're going to go get her," he ordered, walking to where Chiana and Natalie's family sat to inform them of the news.
"Yes, sir," Galve responded.
"Yes, sir," the officer said, then called his superior.
Looking behind him, Matt saw the worried looks on the others' faces. He also noticed that Chiana had stuffed her hands into her belt behind her back where she'd stuffed her pulse pistol and was glancing about nervously. He knew about her past as a thief and figured that, even though she wasn't in any trouble, she still felt uncomfortable being surrounded by so many law enforcement officers.
"Natalie will be all right," he said in comfort. "I know it."
"Captain Donovan?" a middle-aged man in a suit asked, approaching them. "I'm Lieutenant Jon Hummel."
"Let's cut the dren," Chiana exclaimed, interrupting and stepping forward next to Matt. "Where's Natalie? I want to see her now."
Noting the confused look on the Lieutenant's face, Matt said, "She's pretty anxious to see Natalie. In fact we all are, so if you don't mind, Lieutenant, could you take us to her now?"
"No problem," he said, looking at Chiana and clearly not knowing what to make of her. Her body language said that she was just like some of the people he arrested. "Please come with me."
They followed him into the precinct and up a flight of stairs, with Chiana nervously looking over her shoulder and glancing at the officers they passed. Arriving at an interrogation room, they found Natalie seated at the table, her right pants leg cut off, and an EMT tending her wounds.
"Jesus, Natalie," Matt mumbled, walking up to her and taking her hand. He knelt next to her and said in concern, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered as Jason and Kristin ran around to her other side. "I just wish that damn trucker listened to me and brought me home instead of freaking out and bringing me here." She gave Jason a hug and asked, "How are you doing, sweetie?"
"I'm okay, mom," he answered.
"Good," she said and flinched as the EMT cleaned her wound.
"Honey, are you okay?" Kristin asked, stroking Natalie's hair and inspecting her bruised forehead.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, pulling away from her with a grin. Smiling, she said, "Thanks, Mom." As Kristin smiled back, Natalie asked, "Did Scott leave?"
"Yeah. He had to get back to his ship."
"Hey, Natalie," Chiana laughed and clasped hands with her, giving it a good squeeze. "I'm guessing you're lucky, right?"
"You call this lucky?" she said, incredulously, glancing down at her wounded leg.
"Well, you're alive, aren't you?" she replied, smiling.
"Yeah, I'm alive. I was drugged and got my ass kicked, but I'm alive."
"You got YOUR ass kicked? What about the people who kidnapped you? With your temper, you probably made sure they wouldn't ever come near you again."
"Well," she hesitated, looking at them and lingering on each one of their faces. She stopped at Matt, looking into his eyes, and said, "THEY won't be coming after us anymore, but their friends might."
"What do you mean?" Matt asked.
"Most of them are dead. Or, at least I think they are."
"Well, I don't think we'll know if they're dead or not for a while," Hummel interrupted, indicating a file he had just received. "We sent units out to the road where the trucker found you and the warehouse you were in. They didn't find anything. No wrecked SUVs, no dead bodies, no bullet casings... not even a drop of blood. Whoever those people are, they're good."
"So, what does that mean for Natalie?" Kristin asked, sad and angry that her daughter had killed, but still concerned for her safety.
"It means she's free to go whenever she wants to," he answered. "She's already given her statement and we can't hold her or press charges against her. But even if we could, no jury in the world would convict her."
"Thank you, Lieutenant," Matt said as Hummel nodded his acknowledgement and stepped out of the room.
"You're disappointed?" Natalie asked, seeing the look on Matt's face.
"A little, yeah," he answered. "But I'm a doctor, Natalie. How could I not be disappointed?"
"Yeah, how could you not be?" she repeated. Looking at him, she softly said, "But that comes with the life I lead now."
He sighed, then asked, "Do you regret killing?"
"I can't say that I do," she said, looking away. "As much as I hate doing it, I don't really have a choice in the matter. Right now, it's kill or be killed for me, Matt."
"I know," he sadly said, caressing her face.
"Hey," Chiana said, changing the subject and getting Natalie's attention. "I've got a little present for you." She reached into the pouch on her hip, pulled out Natalie's transponder and comms, and tossed them to her.
"Talyn must be going out of his mind," Natalie said, activating the transponder.
"Well, I've been talking with him over the comms..." Chiana trailed off as Natalie tilted her head, letting her hair fall over her shoulder.
"And?" Natalie asked, ready to insert the transponder.
"I've been able to keep him from shooting anything," Chiana lightheartedly answered.
Natalie laughed softly and inserted the transponder. Jason cringed, not knowing what to think. She immediately heard, 'Natalie? What the FRELL is going on?'
"Calm down, Tal!" she exclaimed, put her comms necklace around her neck, pulling her hair out of it, and tucked it into her shirt. Feeling that his weapons were active and that he was targeting Virginia, "Power down NOW!"
As he obeyed her command he asked, 'Are you okay?'
"Yeah, I'm okay, Talyn. Other than a few cuts and bruises, I'm all right."
'I'm glad to hear it,' he said, relieved. 'But what about the people who took you?'
"I got 'em, Tal. Or, at least I think I got most of them."
'I'm glad to hear that, too.'
"I know, Talyn. I know..."
"Hey, how's her leg?" Chiana suddenly asked the EMT.
Confused, he looked at Natalie, who said, "She wants to know if I can go."
"Just let me finish up this dressing," he said, wrapping a bandage around her thigh.
As soon as he finished, Natalie stood with Matt and Jason's help, grabbed her pants leg from the table, twirled it around and, looking at Chiana, said, "Well, at least now I've got a pair of cut-off shorts."
Chiana chuckled, and said, "C'mon, let's get the frell out of here. I really hate this place."
"I figured you would," Natalie said as Matt took her hand, wrapping his arm around her waist, and helped her slowly walk to the door. Jason walked at her side and Kristin, Chiana, and Sgt. Galve and two of his men followed. "I can walk on my own, you know? I've been doing it since I was two."
"Shut up, Natalie," he said, helping her into the hall. "This gives me a good excuse to hold you."
"Well, you didn't exactly need a good excuse last night," she whispered. Jason stifled a laugh and she looked down and saw him smirking. A smile on her face, she wrapped her arm around his shoulders and said, "What are you laughing at?"
"Oh, nothing," he said lightheartedly.
"If you want me to, I could explain the birds and the bees to him," Matt whispered in her ear, brushing his lips against her. "Or I could explain them to you once we get home."
With a sigh, she pushed him away with her elbow and said, "When we get home, we have to call IASA."
"Call IASA? What for?" he asked.
Natalie let go of Jason as they reached the stairs and slowly climbed down them with Matt's help. She answered, "Yeah, IASA. To let 'em know we're still 'on' for the trip to Talyn in five days."
"You're still planning on going back to Talyn with those scientists?"
"Yeah," she said.
"Are you frelling fahrbot?" Chiana exclaimed from behind them.
Simultaneously, Talyn yelled, 'Are you crazy? Did you hit your head or something?'
"Natalie, you just got kidnapped," Chiana said. "Some of the guys who did it just might be on that shuttle when it launches at the end of the weeken."
"I know," she said as they reached the bottom floor and slowly walked to the door with more of Sgt. Galve's men joining them along the way. "But you know me - I'm not going to let a little thing like this stop me. We've been planning this trip ever since we got here and I'm not going to put that on hold because of this."
"You know, you're one stubborn bitch," Matt chuckled warmly.
'He can't say that,' Talyn interrupted.
"Thank you," Natalie said lightly over Talyn's objection, then kissed Matt on the cheek.
Pushing the doors open, the group met up with the last of Galve's men and walked to their four SUVs. Natalie announced, "But before we leave for Houston, there's one more thing I need to do."
Taking off her sunglasses, Chiana wiped the sweat off her brow and said, "Where we're going better be worth it if we have to walk in this frelling heat."
"It is, Chi," Natalie answered, swiping at the sweat on her brow and flushed cheeks. Looking at the Nebari beside her, she said, "At least it is to me. You didn't have to come, you know."
"Yeah, I know. But you needed someone."
"Thank you," she said, grateful for the Nebari's support.
"But I'm a little surprised that you didn't want Matt along."
"I didn't want him here. This is a family thing. Frell, I didn't even want you to be here, either." Glancing at Chiana, she said, "But you're a trelk. You don't take no for an answer."
"You're absolutely right about that," she said, giggling at Natalie. "So, are we there yet?" Chiana suddenly asked with a mischievously, having heard it said on a TV show.
"Don't you start with me," Natalie said, a smile on her face. "I will turn us right around if you do, Missy."
The two broke out into laughter as they walked. Once they calmed down, Chiana admitted, "Earth isn't as bad as I thought it would be."
"Well, I'm glad it meets your standards."
"No, it's not that. It's just that after all Aeryn's talked about Humans being primitive, and the technology of Crichton's module and your shuttle being so primitive... I wasn't really expecting your world to be as nice and as fun as it is."
"Well, the next time we see Aeryn, why don't you tell her that," Natalie said. "She'll probably crap her pants if you do."
"Are you kidding? Her eema is puckered up tighter than a trilix's blowhole."
"Now THERE'S a mental image," Natalie chuckled. "And do I even want to know what a trilix is?"
"Trust me, you don't."
"When it comes to stuff like that, I definitely trust you."
After walking in silence for several microts, Chiana said, "We're going to have to come back more often."
"Absolutely."
"I wish D'Argo could be here. But I'm sure he's with the Goddess or in some other place"
"You're not turning into Zhaan on me, are ya?" Natalie asked, a laughing smile on her face.
"No, you don't have to worry about that. I've sat on more ass than she's saved. I'm just saying that I'm sure D'Argo's happy wherever he is."
"I'm sure he is, too," she said, rounding a tree and stopping. She gazed at the edge of the lake, and said, "We're here."
"What are those?" Chiana asked, noticing the three stone objects protruding out of the ground.
"Tombstones," she answered, looking at the Nebari and walking to the burial site.
As they approached the graves, Chiana asked, "Whose tombstones are they?"
They stopped in front of the granite tombstones and Natalie took off her sunglasses, folding them and putting them into the pouch on her hip. From the first tombstone, Natalie quietly read, "Grant, Samuel J. May 20, 1965 to December 15, 2000." Reading the middle tombstone, she said, "Grant, Paul J. August 15, 1939 to February 24, 2001." Looking at the final tombstone, she steeled herself, then read, "Grant, Natalie. November 9, 1970 to April 2, 2000."
"Your brother, father, and you," Chiana stated, pushing her sunglasses up into her hair.
"Yeah," she softly said. Looking at her father's tombstone, Natalie got down on one knee and said, "Hey, Dad. I've missed you."
"You okay?" Chiana asked, comfortingly laying her hand on Natalie's shoulder.
"Yeah," she said, laying her hand on Chiana's. "I just didn't know what to expect when I got here. I guess that's why I've put it off these past few days." Giving Chiana's hand a squeeze, she said, "Sam... He was always there for me when I needed him. He always supported me, no matter what happened. I guess he attached himself to me and felt it was his job to protect me because he was the middle child. He didn't know what else to do. And, like I said... my dad could be an asshole, but he was still my dad and I love him."
"I know," Chiana said, squatting on the ground and giving Natalie's shoulder a squeeze.
"And Natalie..." she trailed off, smiling at Chiana and pulling her hand from hers. "Well, she was a stubborn bitch who just didn't know when to shut the frell up."
"Yeah, that IS true," she said, giggling. Taking her hand off Natalie's shoulder, she added, "It must be pretty weird standing at your own burial site."
"Yeah, it is," she said, looking at her tombstone. "It definitely wasn't something I was expecting when we arrived. But I can't say I'm surprised anymore that it's here."
Chiana looked curiously at the tombstone, then looked at Natalie and asked, "I wonder what they put in your coffin."
Arriving in Houston, Natalie had asked Chiana to take the Prowler back to Talyn and bring down the transport pod. Natalie still had some details to work out with the military, IASA, and the press. The negotiating took several hours, neither the military nor the press willing to make concessions to the others' demands. Finally, a furious Natalie put her foot down, told the military and the press what was going to happen, and that was that. She stormed out of the room and commed Chiana, telling her to wait an hour before landing the transport pod at Hangar Fourteen.
"Well," Matt paused, taking off his sunglasses as he gazed at the pod. Its forward and rear ladders and cargo lift lowered and Chiana walked down the forward ladder to greet them. "It's very... gold."
"Very observant," Natalie said mockingly, smiling at him.
He playfully tickled her side, causing her to let out a laugh, and said, "Well, what else am I supposed to say? It IS pretty ugly."
"Oh, c'mon, Matt, it can't help being ugly. After all it may be ugly on the outside, but it's beautiful on the inside."
Matt laughed as Chiana walked up to them and asked, "What are you laughing about?"
Answering for Matt, Natalie said, "Transport pod aesthetics."
Glancing back at the pod, Chiana said, "It's ugly. What's there to talk about?"
"Oh, a little something," Matt answered, a smile still on his face, giving Natalie a squeeze.
Natalie smiled at him, taking off her sunglasses and placing them in her pouch. She looked at Chiana and asked, "So, is everything on Talyn ready?"
"Yeah, we're ready to go," she answered.
Turning out of Matt's embrace and zipping up her coat, Natalie looked to the people behind them and, motioning with both of her hands, called, "All right, everyone get into the pod."
None of them moved a muscle. They glanced nervously about, each expecting someone else to move first.
Natalie strolled up to them in the hangar and said, "I know you guys are scared, but if you don't go, then you're just going to miss out." When still no one moved, she yelled, "Will you get into the damn pod?"
They all jumped at her outburst and immediately walked to the transport pod following Natalie's earlier instructions. The scientists and engineers climbed up the rear ladder, while the technicians carried and pushed their equipment to the cargo lift.
Natalie followed them back out and stopped to stand between Jason and Matt, wrapping her arm around Matt's waist. Shaking her head, she sighed, "Scientists..."
"Aren't you a scientist, Mom?" Jason asked, grinning at her.
"I'm different, sweetie," she said, winking at him.
"Yeah, you are," Chiana said, giggling. "None of the others could pull off that outfit."
Whispering in Natalie's ear, his lips brushing the edge, Matt said, "And none of them look as good as you do."
She looked at him incredulously, then looked at Chiana across from her and said, "I think he needs to get his eyes checked. How he could not notice the blonde in that group is beyond me."
"He IS a full-blooded male, isn't he?" Chiana asked.
"I thought he was," she answered, giving Chiana a conspiratory wink.
"Very funny, ladies," he said, chuckling. Picking up their bags, he walked them to the transport pod.
"Who said we were ladies?" Natalie asked, grinning at Matt. "I'm no lady. And for all you know, Chiana could be the male of her species."
Stopping, Matt looked at Chiana speculatively and asked, "Are you the male of your species?"
Giggling, Chiana smiled secretively at him, then walked to the transport pod with Jason running after her as he readjusted the strap on his bag.
"How's that for an answer?" Natalie asked.
"I don't know," Matt said, confused, and continued to walk to the pod. "But it looks like Jason might have a crush."
"I hope not. I don't really want to think of my son dating my best friend who also happens to be a thief and a trelk."
"Well, I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. From what you've told me about Chi, I'm sure she wouldn't do that to Jason or you."
"I know," she said, smiling at him as they watched Chiana and Jason climb up the ladder into the pod.
"And to answer your first question, no, I don't need to get my eyes checked," he said, stopping them in front of the ladder. "I saw her just fine and I don't care what she looks like. But you..." he paused, laying his hand on her cheek, stroking her face with his thumb. "I think you're the most beautiful woman in the universe and if you believe otherwise, you need to get your head checked."
Taking his hand in hers, she gave it a squeeze and said, "If you think that now, then just wait until you see what's out there." She gave him a quick kiss, smiling at him, tapped his cheek, and quickly climbed up the ladder.
He chuckled and shook his head and followed her up the ladder. Once inside, the ladder retracted and the door closed behind him. He walked up to Natalie as she manned the pilot's seat while Chiana slipped into the co-pilot's seat. He gazed at the pod's golden interior and the alien writing covering the ribbed bulkheads.
"I thought you said these pods were grown by Leviathans, not made?" he asked.
"I did say that," she answered, prepping the pod for launch.
"Then why is this pod gold? I mean, if Talyn's black and red..."
"Then why isn't this black and red?" she finished.
"Yeah."
"Well, Talyn didn't grow this pod. Moya did. Chiana and I just borrowed it because Talyn doesn't have any pods of his own. He's not old enough to develop his own yet. But even when he does mature far enough, I'm not too sure pods are what he's going to grow..."
"Because he's a gunship."
"Exactly." Looking at him, she added, "And you'd better sit down. We're ready to take off."
He kissed her and sat down on the stool bolted to the deck next to Jason, who was intently watching his mother and Chiana as they prepared for take-off.
"What?" Natalie asked, seeing Chiana grinning at her.
"Oh, nothing," she answered, punching commands into the console next to her. "I just never really pictured you as the kissy type."
"Well, how do you think Tom and I got started before we had Jason?" she quietly asked, grinning conspiratorially at her.
As Chiana giggled at her, they heard over the comms, "This is IASA air traffic control, Transport Pod."
"We read you, air traffic control," Natalie said, rolling her eyes in annoyance. In the Uncharteds she never had to deal with air traffic controllers; she had become spoiled, not having to deal with flight restrictions and regulations.
"You're clear for take off."
"Roger that," she said. Turning on the internal comms, she said, "Hang onto your asses; we've been cleared to take-off."
Lifting off, she retracted the landing struts and sped away from the Space Center. On schedule, a flight of F-15s came up behind the pod. Over the comms, they heard, "Transport Pod, this is Ghost Rider, do you read?"
Switching comms frequencies, Natalie responded, "We read you, Ghost Rider. It's good to see you again, guys."
"It's good to see you, too, Doctor Grant."
As they flew through the atmosphere, the F-15s in formation around the pod, Jason and Matt both got up from their seats. While Jason slowly walked up to the portholes to see the Earth pass under them, Matt stood behind the pilot's seat and rested his hands on Natalie's shoulders, just wanting to touch her.
"I wonder if any of those scientists have vomited yet," Chiana offhandedly said. Matt and Natalie both turned to look at her incredulously. She added, "If they have, I am NOT cleaning it up."
Turning to look back out of the portholes, Natalie said, "If they have, I'm going to make THEM clean it up. There's no way in hell I'm going to clean out that cargo bay or make the DRDs do it. THAT is too menial, even for them."
"Then what happens if one of you two or someone else gets sick on Talyn?" Jason asked, looking at them.
"I'll explain it later, sweetie," Natalie answered.
"That's what I thought," he mumbled, looking out of the portholes again.
Over the comms, they heard, "IASA control to Transport Pod. IASA airspace is clear. You have permission to leave the atmosphere."
Switching frequencies, she replied, "Thank you, IASA control." Switching back, she said, "Thanks for the trip, Ghost Rider. We'll see ya when we see ya."
"Roger that, Transport Pod. Good luck."
As the comms channel closed, Natalie and Chiana piloted the pod out of the atmosphere, with Matt and Jason gazing out the portholes in awe. Glancing at them, Natalie said, "You always remember your first time."
"Are you talking about going into space or something else?" Chiana asked wickedly.
"A little of both," Natalie answered, grinning mischievously at her and piloting the pod into Earth orbit. "So, what do you think, Jason?"
"This is way cool," he whispered in wonder, gazing out into space and at Earth.
"He's got a way with words," Chiana said, smiling.
Natalie smiled at Chiana, then looked at Matt and asked, "So, how about you? Is it 'way cool' for you, too?"
"Absolutely." Kneeling, he rested his chin on her shoulder and whispered into her ear, "But it can never measure up to OUR first time."
Turning her head, she grinned wickedly and whispered against his lips, "The next time I get you all to myself, I'm going to give you a good spanking for constantly saying things like that."
"I can hardly wait."
"If you two are finished," Chiana interrupted. "We're here."
Turning to look out the portholes past Jason, she said, "There's Talyn." She opened a comms channel to him and said, "Wakey, wakey, Talyn."
'Don't worry, I'm up,' he said, opening his outer door to docking bay one and activating his docking web.
"Whoa," Matt uttered, feeling the docking web grab them. "What's that?"
"That's Talyn's docking web," Natalie answered. She and Chiana released the controls and watched as they came up on Talyn. "He's bringing us in."
Noticing the concerned look on her face, he asked, "Is everything all right?"
She closed the channel, turned off her comms, and said, "I don't know. Talyn hasn't spoken much to me since the State dinner. When he has, it's only been a few words and that's it."
"He's probably jealous of Matt," Chiana offered.
"He IS jealous of Matt," she said. "For the past half cycle it's only been him, you, and me, and he hasn't had to share me with anyone like this. But I wasn't expecting him to react this badly." Looking at Matt, she said, "It'd be a damn good idea if you never left my side. Who knows what Talyn might do to you if you were on your own."
"Why do you say that?" he asked worried.
"Think of Talyn as a teenager who is emotionally stunted. Only recently has he been able to express some of his emotions. But he's never experienced jealousy before. There's no way of knowing how he'll react or what he might do."
"Then I won't leave your side." As the pod was brought into docking bay three, he quietly added, "But what about Jason?"
"Jason?" she repeated, looking at her son, and automatically lowering the pod's landing struts. "He doesn't have a problem with Jason. Actually, he's wanted to meet him and the rest of my family. So, we don't have to worry about that."
"I hope you're right," Chiana said, looking at Jason.
"Me, too," Matt added.
After landing, Natalie and Chiana opened the doors and lowered the ladders and cargo lift, letting everyone out of the cargo hold and debarking themselves with Matt and Jason. She assembled the large group in front, beside, and under the transport pod; there was very little room inside the docking bay.
"Welcome aboard, everyone. I hope you enjoyed your trip and that none of you vomited," she began. Seeing a few red faces, Natalie sighed and glanced at Matt and Chiana while the photographer snapped away and the cameraman ran film under the direction of the reporter.
"You've received your files," Natalie continued. "I hope you've studied them well. Because if you don't stay inside your designated areas and/or you do something you haven't been assigned to study..." she trailed off, then lowered two gun turrets from the ceiling and fired them at the floor on either side of the crowd. "You're not going to like it. Got it?" She watched everyone nod, some in fear, some in defiance, and some looking like they were wondering just how the hell they got into this mess and were about to lose all control of their bodily functions. "Good," she added.
As expected, fifty-five DRDs appeared in the docking bay - each one paired up with a human. The people glanced nervously between the little red machines and Natalie, wondering what was going on.
"These are the DRDs," Natalie yelled. "They're going to be watching you to make sure you guys behave and don't do anything you're not supposed to."
"You're giving us chaperones, Natalie?" they heard someone yell as he made his way through the crowd, his DRD following him.
He came to the front, smiling. In shock, Natalie asked, "DK, what the hell are you doing here? How did you get..."
"On the pod without you seeing me?" he finished, walking up to her and giving her a hug. "Well, I wanted to make this a surprise, so I hid."
"But why are you here? I thought you were called away on something else?"
"I was. But the person who was supposed to replace me got food poisoning yesterday. They couldn't train anyone else in less than twenty-four hours, so they got the only other person who had studied the file you gave him."
"You," she stated, smiling at him.
"Yeah. Me."
"Well, I'm glad you're here, DK, no matter the reason. Too bad Jack couldn't be here, though."
"Yeah. He would've loved to have been back in space."
"Excuse me?" one of the scientists asked, annoyed. He was young, looked very arrogant, and very annoyed at all that had happened to him since coming on board. "But can we get on with it? We all want to get to work studying your technology."
"Then get your asses out of here and to your designated areas." In her best schoolteacher's voice she bellowed, "And remember, CHILDREN, behave."
"In that case, I better get going," DK said as everyone filed out of the hatch. "I'll see you guys later, all right?"
"All right, DK, we'll see you later."
"Hey, mom, do you have any food around here?" Jason asked.
"Didn't you have anything this morning?" she asked.
"I overslept," he lamely answered.
"I'll take him to the galley," Chiana offered, wrapping her arm around his shoulder.
Smiling at them, Natalie reluctantly said, "All right, get outta here. But when you're done, come to my quarters, okay? Matt and I will be there."
"Okay," Chiana said, walking Jason to the hatch. Turning, Chiana added, "You two WILL be fully clothed when we get there, right?"
"Will you get outta here?" Natalie exclaimed, laughing with Chiana as her son and the Nebari walked out.
"Your quarters?" Matt asked, a grin on his face.
"Yes, my quarters and get your mind out of that gutter," she warned. She picked up her bag and walked through the hatch with Matt at her side, his bag in hand.
"Who said it was in there in the first place?" he asked.
"I did," she answered, grinning at him and giving his butt a pinch.
The two continued down Talyn's corridors and through his access points, going up several tiers. As they walked, Natalie tried to keep Matt's hands off of her, trying to increase the anticipation. Reaching her quarters, Natalie unlocked and opened the hatch with her neural link and stepped through with Matt on her heels.
She walked to the bedroom, unzipped her coat, and tossed her bag onto her bed. "Just put your stuff anywhere. Mi casa, es su casa."
"These are your quarters?" he asked, walking to the bedroom and putting his bag down next to hers as she took off her coat and tossed it onto the bed.
"Your point being?" she asked, grinning at him.
He let out a chuckle and said, "You said that Talyn was a gunship, so I wasn't really expecting this place to be so big."
"Neither was I, until I moved in," she said, taking off her belt and holster and laying them on her bed. "But these quarters were supposed to be one of the perks of being a Peacekeeper captain."
"Some perk," he said, coming up to stand behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him, slowly kissing his way down her neck.
She tilted her head, giving him more access, and laid her arms on top of his. With a groan, she reluctantly pulled away from his embrace and said, "Not yet, young man." Seeing his disappointed look, she said, "Oh, shut up. And curb your hormones. Jason's going to be here in a little while. I don't want him to catch us like that and be scarred for life."
"Okay," he said, grinning wickedly at her. "But later tonight..."
"Later tonight you'll get to put those hormones of yours to some good use."
"I can hardly wait."
"But in the meantime," she said, picking up her bag. "I've got dirty laundry to air out. You can look around if you want." She gave him a kiss and walked into the head to take care of her laundry. Talyn immediately closed the hatch behind her.
Turning around, Matt walked around her quarters and looked at the various consoles and transparencies. He walked up to the strategy table and checked it out, spying what looked like a data chip in a slot along the edge of the table. Without warning, a holographic image of what he assumed to be a Sebacean female, her back to the camera, and an alien male having sex appeared above the table.
"You're into alien porn?" he quietly asked, chuckling.
His smile soon faded though as the image viewpoint shifted and revealed who the woman was.
"I did knock," he said, walking up to him. He saw the neutral look in Matt's normally cheerful expression and tried to ask if he was okay, but Matt interrupted him.
"So, what do you want?" he asked.
"My file was missing a schematic I need, so I came by to see if I could get another one."
"Well, Natalie's in the head airing out her dirty laundry," he stated. "She should be out in a few minutes."
"Are you all right, Matt? You two didn't have a fight, did you?"
"No," he said, then turned to palm open the hatch and walk out.
As DK watched Matt leave, Natalie suddenly came out of the head and asked, "DK, what are you doing here?" Looking around her quarters, she added, "And where's Matt?"
"My file is missing a schematic," he said hesitantly. "I was wondering if you could give me a new one. And Matt just walked out. He seemed a little upset."
"Upset?" she repeated, confused. "What the hell did you say to him?"
"Hey, all I told him was why I was here."
"I'm sorry, DK," she sighed, placing her hand on her hip and rubbing her eyes in frustration. "Look, just leave it here, get back to your area, and wait there. I'll bring you back the file and a new schematic."
"Sure thing," he said.
"All right," she said, opening the hatch with her link and running out of her quarters.
Using her transponder, she searched the tier for Matt and found him not too far from her. She ran as fast as she could to catch up to him. Rounding a corner, she saw him walking down the corridor and yelled, "Hey, Matt."
He turned around to glance at her, then continued down the corridor.
"What the hell?" she mumbled, confused. Running up to him, she grabbed his arm, spinning him around, and said, "What the frell is wrong with you?"
"Nothing's wrong," he stated, looking at her.
"You walked out of my quarters without telling me, DK said you looked upset - and you DO look upset - and you're telling me nothing's wrong?"
"Look, Natalie, I don't want to talk about it, all right?"
"You don't want to talk?" she asked, surprised. "Usually I can't get you to shut the frell up. So, what's going on? C'mon, Matt, talk to me."
"Natalie, shut up," he said sternly. "Just don't, all right? I just need some time to think." He immediately turned, pulling his arm out of her grasp and walked away.
She huffed, throwing her arms out in frustration and planting them on her hips as she watched him walking away. She exclaimed, "What the fuck is going on?"
After three weekens, the scientists and engineers had examined all of Talyn that they were allowed to by Natalie and Chiana, and the reporter and the photographer got the stories of their lives. All went without incident. The scientists and engineers had also been allowed to take several items, consisting mostly of medical and scientific technology, with them on their return trip to Earth.
As Chiana walked down the ladder, she asked, "How's your mom doing?"
"The same," he sighed, jumping down off the bench.
"Still drunk?"
"Yeah," he sadly answered.
"I'm real sorry about all this, kid," she said softly, giving his shoulder a comforting squeeze. "I know how much you were looking forward to being here and spending time with her."
"Thanks, Chi."
"C'mon," she murmured, placing her hand on his back and turning him around to walk him to the hatch. "Let's go see if we can find something to sober up your mom."
As Chiana and Jason walked to the sickbay, he glanced back to see a DRD still following him. He sighed and rolled his eyes and got a giggle from Chiana.
"Don't mind him," she said. "Talyn just wants to make sure nothing will happen to you here."
"I know. I just feel like I don't have any privacy."
"I know exactly how you feel. I hardly had any privacy myself when I was still living on Nebari Prime."
"What was it like on Nebari Prime?"
"You don't want to know, kid. Trust me, you're better off being on Earth."
The two reached the sickbay after nearly a tenth of an arn of traveling through Talyn's long corridors. Talyn searched through his data spools to help Chiana and Jason find anything they could use to help Natalie. Eventually, the three found several different medicines to try. Talyn gave them what they needed with his DRDs and they mixed them to create a concoction. They hoped it would sober Natalie up after having been drunk for nearly a weeken and a half.
A few days after the incident with Matt and after several attempts to talk with him, Talyn told Natalie what he had done and she dove into the bottle. In the time since, she had drunk nearly every intoxicant and every alcoholic Earth beverage they had on board. Despite several attempts by Talyn, Chiana, Jason, and DK to get her to stop drinking, she had locked herself in her quarters three solar days ago. But Talyn was able to continue talking with her. Eventually, she became so annoyed that she removed her transponder and, fortunately for the rest of them, she no longer had control of the hatch to her quarters.
As Chiana and Jason reached Natalie's quarters, Chiana holding a syringe full of the concoction, Talyn released the lock and opened the hatch, allowing the two to walk inside. On the strategy table, they found Natalie's transponder and Chiana picked it up, carefully placing it in her pouch with the syringe for safekeeping.
"Mom?" Jason yelled and walked into the bedroom, looking for Natalie.
"Hey, Natalie, are you dead or what?" Chiana said, walking into the office and waving her palm over a sensor to turn on the lights.
Suddenly a bottle came flying at her and she ducked out of the room, letting the bottle shatter against the center support column. From inside the office, she heard Natalie slur, "Le' me alone, dammit."
"Mom," Jason exclaimed, trying to run into the office.
Chiana grabbed him around the waist and stopped him. She said, "Go wait outside. I need to talk to Natalie first."
"Oh, c'mon, Chiana," he protested.
"I need to talk with her first. So, go wait outside, okay? I'll comm you when it's okay to come in."
"Okay," he sighed and walked out.
As soon as the hatch shut behind Jason, Chiana slowly entered the office, pulling out her pulse pistol, and said, "I'm coming in. If I see anymore bottles coming my way, I'm going to start shooting."
"I don't have an'more bot'les to throw," Natalie slurred from the back of the office on the floor."
Leaning over, Chiana turned her head upside down and looked under the table. She saw Natalie, surrounded by broken bottles, leaning back against the rear bulkhead under the large Peacekeeper symbol with her knees up and her arms resting on them. Seeing her disheveled hair and clothes, bloodshot eyes, and bloodied hands, Chiana said, "You look like dren." She straightened up and walked around the desk, squatting next to Natalie. "You smell like dren, too."
"Thank you," Natalie said sarcastically, squinting, her eyes still unused to the light.
Chiana reached up to move Natalie's hair out of her face and look into her eyes. She softly said, "You're being pretty frelling selfish, you know that?"
"How so?" she asked, shielding her eyes with her hand.
"If you're drunk, then how are you going to kick the dren out of Matt for what he did, the next time you see him?"
Natalie softly laughed, letting her head fall between her arms. Raising her head to look at Chiana, she chuckled, "Yeah, tha's true."
"You've got a pretty bad problem, you know."
"What are you talking about?"
"Every time something bad happens, you get drunk. If you keep getting drunk like this, then who the frell am I supposed to talk with? It's not like I can carry on the kind of conversations we have with Jason or Talyn."
"Yeah, that's true," she answered, chuckling.
"Now that that's settled..." Chiana said, reaching into her pouch and secretly pulling out the syringe. She quickly grabbed Natalie's arm and said, "I can't say I'm sorry for doing this, Natalie." Almost instantly, she jabbed the syringe into the inside of Natalie's elbow and depressed the plunger, injecting her with the concoction.
Natalie immediately pulled her arm away and shot up, stumbling back into the corner. She exclaimed, "Wha' the hell wassat?"
Chiana stood up smiling, tossed the syringe onto the cluttered desk, and said, "Just a little something Talyn and I came up with."
Feeling nauseous, Natalie wrapped her arms around her abdomen, then covered her mouth as she felt the bile rising in her throat. She croaked, "Oh, God."
As Natalie ran past her to the head to vomit, Chiana giggled and yelled, "Just glad I could help." She activated her comms and said, "Hey, Jason, you can come in now."
Jason walked through before the hatch could completely open and heard the sound of Natalie vomiting. "You gave her the stuff?" he asked, looking at Chiana.
"Yeah, I did," she answered, pulling out the chair from behind the desk and tipping it over to dump the trash that was in it onto the floor. She plopped down on it and said, "You may want to sit down somewhere. She'll probably be in there for a while."
After nearly half an arn of intermittent vomiting, Natalie finally appeared in the hatch, wiping her mouth with a wet towel. She walked out of the head, smiling sheepishly and coming over to stand by him. Seeing Chiana sitting at her desk, she hoarsely said, "I'm going to get you back for that."
"I don't doubt it," Chiana giggled.
"How are you feeling?" Jason asked.
"My head hurts," she mumbled, sitting on a stool next to Jason and wrapping an arm around him. "I deserve it. But I'll be all right." Looking at him, she ran her fingers through his hair and said, "And I gotta get you back to Earth."
"C'mon, Mom, I want to stay up here with you, Chi, and Talyn," he pleaded.
"I'm sorry, Jason, but I have to take you back. You've got a life and your grandmother and friends - people who care about you down there - and I can't take you away from that."
Looking down, he mumbled, "I don't have any friends."
"Jason, what are you talking about?"
"I don't have any friends, Mom. I had to leave all my friends behind in Houston when Grandma and Grandpa brought me to live with them."
"I'm so sorry, Jason," she said softly.
"I don't want to lose you again, Mom," he quietly replied.
"You won't, sweetie," she said, pulling him towards her and kissing his hair. She pushed him back slightly to look at him. "I'll tell you what. We'll go back down to Earth and we'll talk about it, okay?"
"Okay, Mom," he said, smiling hopefully.
She kissed him on the forehead, stood up and stretched, and said, "But first I need to take a shower and change. We'll leave as soon as I get out of the shower. Why don't you go to your quarters and get ready?"
He immediately jumped up and ran through the hatch to his quarters as Chiana got up and walked over to Natalie. She asked, "Are you sure that's a good idea letting him stay on Talyn with us?"
"For a little while, yeah, so we can spend some time together. But eventually, he's going to have to move back down there."
"Mother knows best, right?"
"Right," she chuckled. "And you'd better get outta here unless you want to stick around and watch me shower."
"I think I'll get outta here," she said, walking out of Natalie's quarters. "But one more thing..." She reached into her pouch and tossed the transponder to Natalie. "I figured you might want that back."
"Thank you, Chiana."
"Yes, sir, it was," he answered, walking up to Sloane's desk. "We were allowed minimal access to Talyn's systems, but I think we got a fairly good overview."
"Good enough to reproduce?"
"Yes, sir."
"Is there anything else?"
"Yes, sir," he said, placing a bag on the desk. "We were allowed to bring back several items that I'm sure will keep the engineers happy for a while."
"Good work, Doctor."
"Sir, there's one more thing."
"Oh? What would that be?" The man opened the bag and took out a fairly large item, placing it on the desk. Sloane asked, "What's this?"
"It's called an image viewer," he answered, taking a data chip out of his pants pocket.
"This is what you wanted to show me?"
"THIS is what I wanted to show you, sir," he said, holding up the data chip, then placed it in the image viewer. Suddenly a hologram appeared above the desk - it was of Natalie having sex with an alien.
"Well, this is certainly interesting," he said, watching the vid playing out. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Doctor."
"It's about damn time," she responded, and flew the Prowler into the atmosphere.
"Does it usually take thirty minutes for them to let you land?" Jason asked.
"No, it doesn't," she quietly said, worried.
She checked her sensors to find her fighter escort, but they weren't anywhere to be found. Opening a comms channel to IASA, she asked, "IASA control, this is Prowler. Where's Ghost Rider?"
"Prowler, this is control. Ghost Rider has been reassigned. A fighter escort has been deemed no longer necessary."
"Thanks, guys. Prowler out," she replied and closed the comms channel. "Well, how 'bout that?"
"What?"
"They said we don't need a fighter escort anymore."
"Is that a good thing?"
"I don't know... At least, not yet."
They remained in worried silence for the rest of the flight down and landed at hangar twenty-eight. As Natalie climbed down from the Prowler, she noted the lack of a greeting party. Looking worriedly up at Jason, she said, "Jason hand me that pistol next to the pilot's seat."
He grabbed her pistol, tossed it to her, and climbed down from the Prowler. As she stuffed the pistol in then front of her belt under her coat, he said, "What's going on, Mom? Is there supposed to be someone here to see us?"
"Yeah, there is," she murmured, and thought for several seconds. She suddenly yelled, "Shit, Jason get back into the Prowler!"
Without warning, two black Suburbans sped around either side of the hangar and stopped in front of and behind the Prowler. As four masked men in full body armor climbed out of each SUV, aiming their M-4s at Natalie, Natalie pulled out both her pistols, aiming them at each Suburban.
"Jason, get inside the Prowler now," she whispered. As Jason climbed into the Prowler, she whispered into her headset, "Talyn, we've got a problem down here."
'What is it?'
"Those guys who kidnapped me are back."
"I frelling knew it," Chiana piped in.
Talyn immediately activated his cannon, charging it, and turned to face Earth, aiming it at Natalie's position. 'Just say the word, Natalie,' he said.
"Put your weapons down, Doctor Grant," she heard one of the men to her right yell.
"Put 'em down, NOW," one of the men yelled from her left.
"Or what? You'll kill me? Like I told those other idiots who tried to get me, your bosses won't like it if you do that."
"We WILL kill you, Doctor, given no other choice," the first man said firmly. "Now, put your weapons on the ground or we WILL fire."
Spinning around to face Jason while maintaining her aim on the men, she looked up at him and mouthed, 'Get down.'
As soon as he hunkered down inside the cockpit, Natalie raised her pistols and glanced back and forth between both sets of soldiers. Without warning, she crossed her arms over her chest, aiming at the two sets of soldiers and fired rapidly. Her pulse blasts shattered the windows of the SUVs and burned through their bulletproof metal panels, forcing the soldiers to take cover under and behind the vehicles.
Once under cover, they immediately returned fire. Natalie ducked and rolled under the Prowler as the bullets ricocheted off its hull. Spinning around and standing up, she quickly grabbed the edge of the cockpit and pulled herself up, flipping herself into it in front of Jason.
Seeing her disappearing into the Prowler, the soldiers slowly came out of hiding and cautiously approached the Prowler from either side. They didn't get far though. Natalie activated the Prowler's engines, throttling up to full power, and burned two of the four men behind the Prowler to a crisp. She quickly popped out of the Prowler with a pulse pistol in one hand and a pulse cannon in the other, the shoulder strap wrapped across her body. She fired rapidly at the four men in front of her, the pulse blasts from her cannon tearing through the metal of the SUV and destroying its engine, forcing them to run for cover.
She climbed out of the Prowler and jumped to the ground, running to take cover behind the SUV in front of the Prowler. She crouched down behind the right front wheel as the soldiers fired at her from inside the hangar, then poked her head out under the front bumper. Using her occulars, she saw where each one of the six remaining men were hiding. Two of them took cover behind several metal barrels three rows deep and five columns across to her right. The other four to the left were hidden behind several large carts full of diagnostic equipment and a gangplank.
Rolling to the left under the open door, Natalie lay down on her stomach and fired under the Suburban with her cannon. She fired first at the two to the right, zooming in on them with her occulars. She hoped that the metal barrels they were hiding behind were filled with explosive fumes that the soldiers didn't know about. Her pulse blasts cut through two rows of barrels, but stopped short of the third barrel and the soldier hiding behind it. She continued firing as the soldiers returned fire, their bullets bounding off the SUV. Her pulse blasts eventually found one barrel with lingering jet fuel fumes and it exploded in a fireball, consuming the two men and killing them.
Unfortunately, while she was focused on the two to the right, she didn't notice two of the four soldiers on the left making their way to her. They slowly walked around the back of the Suburban and crept up to Natalie.
As the barrels exploded, Natalie shut her eyes and zoomed out the occulars. Opening her eyes, she spied the two soldiers out of the corner of her eye. She immediately swung out her leg, her coat catching in the wind, and kicked their legs out from under them, sending them crashing to the ground. The momentum of her leg carried her around, rolling her onto her back and spinning her around perpendicular to the men. She quickly raised her leg as they tried to get up and immediately brought it down across the abdomen of one of them, causing him to grunt in pain and ball up onto his side. She reared back her other leg and kicked the soldier in the face, knocking him out just as the other soldier got to his feet.
Seeing him stand up, she raised her cannon and fired at the same time he did, as she slid her upper body to the side. The bullet hit the ground where her head had been, but her pulse blast hit the soldier in the chest, killing him and shoving him back to the ground.
"Mom," she unexpectedly heard Jason yell.
She immediately leapt up and saw the two remaining soldiers standing next to the Prowler, aiming their weapons at her. She saw Jason in the arms of the soldier directly across from her. He was holding him up around the waist with a gun to his head, using him as a human shield. Finally noticing the soldier standing next to the cockpit, she instantly raised her pistol at him. She also raised her cannon, holding the lower grip, and aimed it at the head of the man holding her son.
"You know what? You're an idiot." She threatened, "Don't you realize that you NEVER, EVER come between a mother and her son?"
"Drop your weapons, Doctor, or he dies."
"How could you threaten a child like that?"
"It's not as hard as you think," the other soldier replied. He climbed up the side of the Prowler and fired at the controls in the cockpit, destroying them to prevent anyone from taking the craft anywhere.
Monitoring the situation, Talyn suddenly fired his main cannon at Earth, just off of Natalie's exact position.
"Aw, shit," Natalie mumbled, feeling what Talyn had just done through her link with him.
Hearing something from above, the two soldiers looked up and saw the enormous pulse blast heading for them. Taking the advantage, Natalie shot the soldier on her Prowler in the head, killing him and sending him falling to the ground. She aimed at the man holding Jason, but Talyn's shot suddenly hit the hangar across from their vehicles. It erupted in a massive explosion, destroying two hangars on either side of it along with the three hangars behind them. The resultant shockwave sent Natalie, the soldier, and Jason crashing to the ground. Unfortunately, Natalie hit her head on the concrete and was knocked out momentarily. The soldier, however, was protected by his helmet.
Seeing Natalie trying to get up, the soldier immediately leapt up and grabbed Jason, running with him to the remaining Suburban as Jason punched and kicked the soldier and yelled for Natalie the entire time.
She heard the start of an engine over the roar of the fire consuming the remnants of the hangars and slowly opened her eyes to see the soldier and a restrained Jason in the passenger seat inside the Suburban behind her Prowler. Ignoring the large scraped bruise on her forehead, she quickly got up and ran towards the SUV while the soldier put it into reverse and hit the gas, trying to speed away from her.
He turned the wheel sharply, spinning the SUV to the right as Natalie ran to it, and put it in drive, hitting the gas. As he spun the SUV's wheels, Natalie jumped onto the bumper and grabbed the roof rack, hanging on as the Suburban sped down the tarmac.
As she stuffed her pistol into her belt, Natalie yelled into her headset, "Chiana, get down here with the other Prowler! Come in on my comms signal."
"I'll be there in a few microts," Natalie heard as the soldier began swerving the Suburban from left to right, trying to throw her off.
Unexpectedly, the SUV turned sharply to the left to head down the road to the main gate, throwing Natalie off. She immediately tucked into a ball and rolled once she hit the ground. She received many bruises and scratches, but she ignored them and got up, running after the SUV as fast as she could, her coattails catching in the wind. Annoyed by the cannon hitting her leg as she ran, she adjusted it and tightened the strap so that it lay flat against her back.
She zoomed in on the Suburban with her occulars as it sped away from her. She watched as it crashed through the main gate, the security guard jumping into his small booth for cover. Once it left the Space Center grounds, it turned right, entering the busy main highway.
As if on cue, Natalie heard the Prowler overhead and looked to her side, zooming in to see the Prowler coming towards her. She said, "You've got some great timing, Chi."
"Sorry, but I had a little trouble over the Gulf of whatzits. The military didn't like the fact that I entered the atmosphere without permission. But I outran them. They shouldn't be bothering us for a while."
"I'm glad to hear it. But when you land, get into the backseat. I'M flying."
Once near Natalie's position, Chiana set the Prowler down sideways in front of her, the ship's engines still running, and opened the canopy as she stood and jumped into the back seat. As Natalie ran, she pulled the shoulder strap of the cannon off, then jumped and quickly climbed up into the cockpit of the Prowler. She immediately closed the canopy and stowed her cannon next to her as she lifted off, retracted the landing struts and buckled her restraints, taking off after the Suburban.
She stayed low to the ground to avoid radar and banked right, following the direction of the SUV. Using her scanners and her occulars, she scanned each and every car on the road, looking for the Suburban.
"Are you sure we'll be able to find them?" Chiana asked. "They have a pretty good head start on us."
"Yeah, but we're still faster," Natalie responded, throttling up and pushing the engines to maximum power. Spotting a black Suburban ahead of them, weaving through a sea of drab cars, trucks, and SUVs, Natalie said, "And there they are."
"Let's kick the gris out of 'em," Chiana said, leaning forward, her hands on Natalie's shoulders.
"You read my mind," Natalie drawled, then dove.
She flew in directly behind the Suburban, the cars around it swerving out of the way and stopping altogether to avoid being hit from above. Throttling back, she matched its speed and flew directly behind it a few feet above the road as they weaved through the vehicles scattering out of the way. Unfortunately, as the cars swerved they caused several accidents.
"Sorry," Natalie exclaimed, looking back through the small side window at the wrecked cars behind them.
"Look out!" Chiana yelled. Natalie immediately looked forward and saw the Toyota directly in front of them, the Suburban having swerved to avoid it.
"Shit!" she yelled. She pulled up, but the main landing skid struck the rear of the car, spinning it out into another car and causing a five-car pile up.
"Are we okay?" Chiana asked, cringing and holding her forehead in pain. Her momentum had caused her to strike her forehead on the trailing edge of the top of the pilot's seat, creating a large gash just below her hairline.
"Yeah," Natalie said, checking all systems and keeping an eye on the Suburban as she flew above traffic. Glancing back at Chiana, she said, "And you should strap in."
"Don't you think I know that already?" Chiana said, annoyed, and strapped herself in with her free hand.
"I was just making sure," Natalie said. "How's your head?"
"What do you think?"
"Well, are you going to be all right?"
"Yeah, I'll be all right."
"Then hold on," she said, diving for the road. She came up beside the Suburban over the shoulder of the highway, looking through the side window at the man driving the SUV, and said, "Too bad we can't roll down the window so I can flip him off."
Suddenly the Suburban swerved into the Prowler, forcing Natalie to pull up to avoid running into a stalled car. She dove back down beside the Suburban and swerved into it broadside, forcing it into the other lane and into another car. The oncoming car spun out into more cars causing another wreck. But the soldier regained control of the SUV, straightened it out, and stepped on the gas.
Natalie immediately increased power and sped up to the SUV, ramming it and trying to get it off the road. Suddenly, it skidded to a stop and Natalie pulled up, to avoid running into it as other cars careened around it. She looped over as the Suburban started down the highway again and came up behind it. Unfortunately, she hit a car with the lower skid and flipped it over in the process.
"Dammit!" Natalie yelled as she throttled up to catch up with the Suburban.
'Natalie, what the frell are you doing down there? Talyn asked.'
"I'm trying to take this guy out," she grated.
'Then shoot him.'
"I'm not going to risk Jason by doing that."
'What do you think you're doing now?'
"I'm trying to save him."
She pulled up and lowered the main skid. Diving, she hit the roof of the Suburban with the skid and veered, hitting the side of the Suburban with the side of the skid, causing it to swerve and nearly spin out. She throttled back and pulled up behind the SUV, ramming the skid into the rear window, then throttled up, pushing the SUV.
Seeing a bridge quickly coming up, Natalie pulled up and tore the skid through the roof of the Suburban to fly over the bridge. But as she did so, she caused the SUV to spin out into the grass and run head-on into a bridge support column.
"Where the hell is he?" Natalie asked, flying back down to the highway. She banked, turned around, hovering above the pavement, and saw the smoldering Suburban wrapped around the support column. "Oh, shit."
She flew the Prowler back over the bridge and landed in the grass behind the SUV. Before the canopy could open completely, she was out of the cockpit and running up to the car.
"Jason!" she yelled, running up to the passenger side. Looking inside the window, she breathed, "Oh, my God."
After pulling an unconscious Jason from the wreckage, Natalie told Chiana to take him to the Prowler while she searched the dead soldier for a radio or phone. She found a cell phone and immediately called Dr. Gail Smith. Dr. Smith was the only civilian doctor she knew in the area and Natalie let her know what had happened, telling her to get ready for their arrival on the roof of the hospital.
When the Prowler had landed, Dr. Smith and a medical team were waiting. They carefully pulled Jason's bloodied and broken body out of the cockpit and placed him on a stretcher, taking him directly to surgery. If Natalie and Chiana could have, they would have gone into the surgery room with them, but they were stopped by an orderly and sat down to wait. The hospital staff glanced nervously at them, but the pair didn't pay them any attention.
"C'mon, Natalie," Chiana softly replied, sitting sideways in her seat, her elbow resting on top of the back of the chair. She hissed in pain and cradled her stitched forehead. "You only did what you thought was best."
"And what I thought was best nearly got my son killed," she said, worriedly picking at her coat. "You and Talyn told me what I was doing wasn't a good idea, but I wasn't listening."
"No, you didn't listen. But you did what you thought was right."
"Actually, I wasn't thinking."
"Oh, really?" Chiana said sarcastically.
"Yes, really," she replied, annoyed. "I just wanted to get that bastard so badly for taking Jason."
"Well, that's the way you are. Sometimes that can be a good thing, sometimes that's a bad thing."
"But how good can it be if it endangers the people I love?"
"If you keep thinking like that, you're going to get yourself frelled. Sometime it IS a good thing because it saves our asses. Remember the commerce station? If you had thought about it, you wouldn't have killed Rallin, and you and D'Argo would've both died."
"Yeah," she said offhandedly. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall. "What I wouldn't give for a drink right now."
"That's kind of a stupid thing to say, isn't it?"
"It probably is," she softly chuckled. "You know, I hope all those other people on that highway are all right."
'I've been monitoring all police and medical frequencies, Natalie, Talyn said. They've all been taken to local hospitals, but I haven't heard anything about them since. Earth medical treatment isn't as advanced as ours, but the human doctors know how to treat humans the best. I'm sure they'll be able to help them... and Jason.'
"Thanks, Talyn," she said into her headset. She had been so worried about Jason that she hadn't thought about taking it off.
"What did he say?"
"He told me that he's sure the doctors here will be able to help Jason and all the people who got hurt out there."
"He's probably right."
"Yeah, he probably is." Leaning forward, she rested her elbows on her knees, clasped her hands, and sighed, "I wish Matt was here."
"You want to beat the dren out of him now?" Chiana asked, grinning at her. As Natalie looked back at her, annoyed, she said, "Hey, it might make you feel better."
She laughed softly and said, "Well, it might make me feel better, but I can't reach him down here. He's not answering his comms, so I doubt he'll answer his cell."
"Well, what did you expect? Males never want to talk. They're too stupid to do something like that. It doesn't matter if they're happy or if something's bothering them - they're just too stupid."
"So, are you calling my son and Talyn stupid?" Natalie asked and cocked an eyebrow at her.
"Well, they're still young enough..." she giggled. "And they're going to stay with us, so there's still hope for them if we teach them."
'Oh, thank you,' Talyn said acidly.
"What's the matter, Talyn?" Natalie asked, grinning. "You don't like the sound of two chicks teaching you something?"
'No, I just don't like being called a stupid male.'
"Well, she didn't say that, exactly."
'Maybe not, but...'
"Excuse me, Natalie?" Dr. Smith said, coming out of surgery and pulling down her mask.
Natalie leapt up from her seat with Chiana at her side, walking up to Dr. Smith, and asked, "How is he?"
"Well, we managed to stop the internal bleeding in time, but we had to remove his spleen. He should be okay, though. We'll have to watch him for the next forty-eight hours, but he should be all right. Both of his legs were broken and his right patella was shattered but, with some physical therapy, he should regain full use of them in about ten weeks."
"So, he'll be all right?" Natalie translated for Chiana.
"Eventually, yes," Dr. Smith said, smiling.
"I can't thank you enough, Gail," Natalie softly said.
"You don't have to. I was glad to help."
Natalie smiled at her and asked, "Can we see him?"
"In a little while. We're moving him to the ICU now. You'll be able to see him once he's there."
"Where is the ICU?"
"It's on the third floor."
"Thank you, Gail," she said, running to the elevator with Chiana.
Arriving on the third floor, they saw Jason being pushed on a gurney out of another elevator and into the ICU by a few orderlies. Behind them was Dr. Smith, walking into the ICU with them as she monitored Jason's condition. Natalie and Chiana tried to get in, but were stopped by a nurse.
She ran out from the nurse's station in front of them, holding them back, and said, "I'm sorry, Miss, but you can't go in there."
"My son is in there, dammit," Natalie exclaimed.
"I know, ma'am. Everything will be ready in a few minutes and you'll be able to see him then."
"All right," she sighed and planted her hands on her hips, turning around to pace in frustration.
After several minutes, Dr. Smith walked out of the ICU to meet Natalie and Chiana at the nurse's station and said, "You can see Jason now, but he's still unconscious."
"Thank you," she said, walking past Dr. Smith with Chiana. They didn't notice the two elevators stopping on their floor. A police detective and a half dozen uniformed officers walked out of the elevators to the nurse's station.
"Uh, Natalie," Chiana interrupted before they reached the ICU doors, looking back at the police.
"What?" Natalie exclaimed impatiently.
"I think we have a problem," she mumbled as the detective noticed them.
He rested his hand on his pistol under his coat and said, "Doctor Grant, stay right where you are."
"I'm thinking you're right," Natalie said, and ran through the ICU doors with Chiana right by her side.
Unexpectedly, Dr. Smith walked up to the officers and held them back. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you in there. Only family members of our patients are allowed in the ICU."
"Step out of the way, Doctor, or you'll be arrested for obstruction." She stood her ground, holding them back, and the detective ordered, "Place her under arrest."
One of the uniforms immediately grabbed her arm, pulling her out of the way. He placed her against the wall and handcuffed her hands behind her back as the detective and the other uniformed officers ran through the ICU. They saw the two refugees running to the other end of the ICU, darting around the duty station, and slamming through the doors on the other end. Pulling their pistols, the officers gave chase.
"Which way?" Chiana asked, reaching another duty station with dead ends all around them. She looked back and saw through the small portholes in the door that the police were running after them with weapons in hand.
"I think we should go this way," Natalie said, eying the window at the end of the long hall to their left. As the doors to the ICU burst open, the two ran down the hall towards the window.
"Do you think we'll make it?" Chiana asked.
"Well, we're only three stories up, so I'd say we have a pretty good chance."
"I'm glad to hear it," Chiana yelled, then jumped through the window with Natalie.
The window shattered as they hit, sending glass shards flying through the air as they fell. They unexpectedly found their fall broken by the canopy above the front driveway, Natalie landing on her right side and Chiana landing on her feet and rolling out of the fall. Unfortunately, she hit her head on an air-conditioning unit and was knocked unconscious.
"Oh, shit," Natalie croaked painfully, grabbing her shoulder as she rolled over and crawled to Chiana. "Chi, wake up!" she shouted, then rolled Chiana over onto her back. "Dammit," she mumbled, inspecting the large gash on her forehead and the blue blood flowing down the side of her face.
"Leave me alone," Chiana drawled hazily.
Hearing the cops, Natalie looked up and saw several of them standing in the window and one of them climbing down. "Frell," she mumbled. Turning back to Chiana, she shook her, trying to get her to wake up. "To hell with this," she muttered and slapped Chiana hard across the cheek, yelling, "Wake up, dammit!"
"Natalie, stop," Chiana groaned.
"C'mon, Chi, you gotta get up," Natalie said, taking her arm and standing her up. "We have to get out of here."
"All right, I'm coming," she said, leaning on Natalie for support.
"Hold it," they heard.
Natalie snapped her head around and saw the young uniformed officer aiming his sidearm at them, circling them and walking to the side of the canopy. She sighed, rolling her eyes, and reached up to massage her shoulder. Looking at him, she said, "Hey, my friend is hurt. I'm not going anywhere without her. So, put your gun away and help me."
"All right," the officer said reluctantly, lowering his weapon but not holstering it.
As Natalie turned back to face her, Chiana whispered, "What are you doing?"
Natalie winked at her, then suddenly turned around and charged the officer, ignoring the pain in her side. She rammed him in the gut with her left shoulder, sending them both over the side of the canopy. They landed on top of a car waiting to be valet parked, Natalie lying on top of the officer. She had used his body to break her fall.
As he groaned, Natalie propped herself up on his chest, tapped his cheek, and said, "Next time you get to be on top."
"Natalie," she heard Chiana yell. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, now get your ass down here," she answered, climbing off the cop and onto the ground. Looking around, she glanced at the crowd forming around her, waved at them, and said, "Hi."
'Natalie, what's going on?'
"Oh, nothing new," she answered, waiting for Chiana to join her. "The police are after us."
'Need any help?'
"No!" she exclaimed. "Talyn, I know what you mean by 'help', but you cannot fire on our position. This hospital and this city are full of innocent people. I do not want you firing on them, no matter how much you want to protect Chiana and me. Do you understand?"
'Yeah, of course I do. You don't have to yell.'
"Sorry," she said, a sheepish grin on her face. She looked at the gathering crowd and saw the confused looks on their faces. She waved at them again.
Climbing down from the canopy, Chiana landed on the officer's abdomen, knocking the wind out of him. Looking at Natalie as she helped her down from the car, she said, "You could've helped me, you know."
"No time to argue," Natalie mumbled, seeing a half dozen officers running through the lobby towards them. She grabbed Chiana's hand and ran with a slight limp to the parking garage with her.
"Are we going to steal a car?" Chiana asked, pulling her hand away from Natalie's and running beside her.
"We're going to try." Looking down one side of the garage, she saw a man firing up a motorcycle, a blue Yamaha YZF R-1. She added, "Or maybe not." Pulling Chiana along with her, she yelled, "C'mon." Running up to the man, she shoved him off the bike onto the ground and apologetically said, "Excuse me, but we're REALLY in a hurry."
As she got onto the motorcycle with Chiana climbing on behind her, the man got up and yelled, "Hey, get off my bike!"
Chiana immediately pulled her pistol, aiming it at the man, and said, "You'll get it back once we're finished with it."
The man didn't understand what she said, but he did get the gist of it with the pistol in his face. He raised his hands, backing off, and said, "It's all yours."
"Thank you," Natalie sweetly said, then backed up.
"Stop," they heard coming from the other end of the garage.
They looked up to see the police running after them and Natalie put the motorcycle into first gear. She said, "Hang onto me, Chi."
As Chiana wrapped her arms around Natalie, she twisted the throttle and let out the clutch. The rear wheel spun, propelling the bike forward and lifting the front wheel up off the ground in a cloud of smoke. She sped through the parking garage on the rear wheel toward the officers as they aimed their pistols at her, yelling at her to stop. But she drove through them, forcing them to dive out of the way. Coming up to the exit, Natalie dropped the wheel, locked the brakes, and turned the bike, leaning into it and dragging her foot on the ground for support. Straightening out, she twisted the throttle, but immediately let go and pulled the brakes as she saw two patrol cars pulling into the exit.
"Frell," she yelled. She spun the bike around and drove it back into the garage with the two police cruisers following.
"Do you have any idea what you're doing?" Chiana yelled over the noise of the engine, tires, and the wind whipping by.
"What do you think?" Natalie replied, rounding the corner at the end of the garage. She sped down the side of it, then rounded the corner at the rear of the garage, turning right.
"That's what I thought," Chiana said. She tightened her arms around Natalie as they fishtailed around a turn to the driveway leading up to the next level. Natalie suddenly popped another wheelie as she twisted the throttle. As the front wheel came down, Chiana added, "We're SO frelled."
"Oh, I'm VERY glad to know you have so much faith in me," Natalie yelled sarcastically, shifting into second gear.
She sped up the inclined driveway and, as it leveled off, she spotted the spike strip not too far in front of her and two cops hiding behind a car to the right, ready to pull the strip under her. Locking the brakes, she skidded to a stop a few feet away, lifting up the rear wheel. She spun the bike on its front wheel, turning it around one hundred eighty degrees. Twisting the throttle, she dropped the rear wheel and sped down the driveway in a cloud of smoke.
She suddenly saw two patrol cars skidding to a stop parallel to each other in front of her, blocking her path, and increased her speed, upshifting. She yelled, "Hold on!"
"What the frell are you doing?" Chiana asked, instinctively tightening her arms around Natalie.
"Oh, something you're not supposed to do on a motorcycle," she said, shifting into neutral and locking the brakes as she swiftly passed between the two cars. She swung the rear out, fishtailing the motorcycle to lessen the impact as they skidded to a stop behind the parked cars in the rear of the garage.
Natalie pulled the pistol from her belt, her other hand still on the throttle, revving the engine, and aimed it at the tires on the car to the right. The police immediately drew their weapons and jumped out of the way just in case she was aiming for them. She mumbled to Chiana, "Shoot the tires on the other car."
Chiana immediately threw her pistol into her other hand and aimed it at the tires of the car to the left. The two fired and blew out two tires on both cars.
"Sorry if we disappointed you, boys," she yelled at the cops. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another exit behind them. She immediately twisted the throttle and spun the bike around, and shouted back, "I'll see ya later... Maybe."
Speeding out of the garage, Natalie turned onto the street as Chiana held on as tightly as she could to keep from falling off. As Natalie weaved through traffic, Chiana yelled, "Where are we going?"
"I have no idea," Natalie shouted, shifting gears. "I'm just trying to get away from those helicopters above us at the moment."
Looking up and back, Chiana asked, "Who are they?"
"Police and media," she answered, then turned onto the sidewalk, locking the brakes. She added, "And so are they."
Chiana immediately snapped her head forward and saw the police at the intersection ahead of them with their weapons drawn, aiming at them. She also noticed the wrecked cars there and the people the police had been attending to. "Frell," she mumbled, then snapped her head around as she heard the sirens coming from behind them. She saw a half dozen patrol cars coming at them. She said, "Uh, Natalie, I think we should get going."
"I think you're right," she replied, looking at the police behind them. "But which way?" she mumbled, looking around for an exit that wasn't blocked by the police or other cars. She saw a tow truck ahead of them with its flatbed lowered to the ground, ready to pull up one of the wrecked cars. A grin instantly appeared on her face. "Hang onto your ass, Chi."
"What are you talking about?"
"Just hang on tight," she yelled, then twisted the throttle, jumping off the curb and speeding straight for the flatbed.
Realizing Natalie's intention, Chiana smiled and let out her trademark war-whoop.
'Natalie what are you doing?' Talyn asked, seeing them speeding toward the truck.
"Just something crazy and stupid," she answered, tightening her grip on the bike.
They sped onto the flatbed and jumped over the truck. As they landed, the motorcycle bottomed out, sending sparks flying everywhere, and nearly toppled over. But Natalie, however, managed to regain control, then turned right.
"I bet that's going to make for a great news clip," Natalie gasped, trying to catch her breath.
"I can't believe we just did that," Chiana yelled, a large excited smile on her face.
'Natalie, you'd better turn somewhere right now,' Talyn warned. 'I can see cars blocking off all streets in a five-metra radius around you and there are some units closing in on you. You have to come up with something now.'
"Well, shit," Natalie griped, then accelerated, turning left through a red light. Cars spun all around her, trying to avoid her, and she navigated through them with ease.
'There is one thing,' though.
"What?"
'Jack still has the comms you gave him,' he said. 'I'm tracking him now. He's only a half metra away from you. It looks like he's heading for you.'
"Get me a comms channel with him," she yelled and immediately hopped the curb and sped down the sidewalk, seeing a red light and the cars stopping in front of her. As the pedestrians jumped out of the way, she shouted, "Excuse me!" Coming up to the intersection, Natalie sped up and jumped the curb, driving straight through the intersection. Unfortunately, she jumped into the street right in the middle of midday traffic, causing cars to swerve out of the way and crash into each other. "Sorry," she yelled.
'I've got him on the comms, Natalie. You can talk to him whenever you want.'
"Jack, where are you?" she yelled, weaving through traffic.
"I'm on Holcombe right now, heading towards St. Luke's," he said. "Natalie, what the hell is going on? I heard that something happened to Jason, the next thing I know, you and Chiana are involved in a police chase."
"It's a long story, Jack, and I'm going to have to tell you later. But you know the auto rental place on Holcombe and Greenbriar?"
"Yeah."
"Meet me there in the car lot. I need to see you."
"I'll see you there," she heard and closed the channel.
"Why do you need to see him?" Chiana asked.
"I need to give him something."
Without warning, the motorcycle was hit from behind and Natalie nearly lost control, sending the bike swerving every which way. Regaining control, Natalie looked into the rearview mirror as Chiana looked back. They saw a large man in overalls and an old red baseball cap behind the wheel of a beat-up Ford pickup truck.
Natalie said, "Oh, that's just exactly what we need right now - a goddamn redneck in a pickup trying to be a hero."
Speeding away, Natalie suddenly locked the brakes and turned, spinning the motorcycle around as she pulled her pistol from her belt. She aimed it at the truck as it sped up to her, then fired. The pulse blasts tore through the front tires, suspension, and engine, sending the truck out of control. As she came to a stop, Natalie spun around to continue to the gas station and watched the pickup plow through a telephone pole, sending it crashing on top of the truck as the vehicle came to a stop.
"Oops," Natalie deadpanned.
"He doesn't look very happy," Chiana mumbled, looking back at the man.
"I doubt he is. We just wrecked his most prized possession."
The two continued on in exhausted silence, Chiana resting her head on Natalie's shoulder as they sped toward Hertz rental. Turning into the canopied lot, they stayed out of sight of the helicopters and saw Jack waiting for them by his Chevy truck.
Natalie pulled up to him and said, "Thanks for coming, Jack."
"It's no problem, Natalie," he replied. "So, what do you need?"
Glancing at Chiana, she answered, "I need you to take Chiana and hide her somewhere safe."
"What?" Chiana exclaimed, pulling back from Natalie.
"Chiana, you've watched all those chases on TV," she said, looking at her. "You know how these things end. I do not want you there with me when that happens. I'll draw them off to give you guys more time to get away."
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, I'm sure," she answered, her jaw set in determination. "It's the only way I can keep Chi safe until John, Aeryn, and the others can get here."
"How can you be sure they'll make it?" Chiana asked.
"I'm going to have Talyn send a signal through the wormhole. Knowing Moya, she'll bring them here no matter what." Looking at Chiana, she said, "C'mon, Chiana, you gotta get off now." When Chiana only shook her head in stunned silence, Natalie yelled, "Chiana, get off!"
"I'm not going to lose you, too, Natalie."
She looked down, then glanced meaningfully at Jack, silently asking him to pull Chiana off. As he lifted her off the motorcycle, kicking and screaming, Natalie whispered, "I'm sorry."
Jack wrapped his arms around Chiana, pinning her arms to her sides to keep her from going anywhere. He said, "You'd better get going."
"Yeah, but first..." she paused, unzipping and taking off her coat. She threw it onto the truck and said, "You can use that to conceal her when you leave." She took off her occulars, throwing them onto her coat, removed the second pistol from her belt, and removed her belt and pulse pistol clad holster. She threw them onto her coat beside her occulars, grinned, and said, "You may need those. Besides, I don't want anyone else to get them. And I'm going to want those back the next time I see you."
"All right," he said, returning her grin. "I'll keep them safe for you."
"Can you check in on Jason from time to time? See how he's doing?"
"Anything you want, Natalie." He pulled one arm from around Chiana, shook Natalie's hand and said, "Good luck."
"Natalie, don't do this," Chiana pleaded, shaking her head. "They're going to notice that I'm not with you anymore."
"Yeah, but they're not expecting Jack to be helping us. Watch your ass, Chi."
Chiana suddenly started to struggle again, but Jack tightened his arms around her, holding her against him. Natalie smiled confidently at her and shifted into first, accelerating away from the lot. She turned onto the street and headed straight for the roadblock.
Speaking into the comms chained around her neck, she said, "Talyn, were you listening?"
'Yeah, I was,' he sadly said. 'You're really going to do this?'
"I don't have a choice, Tal."
'Like I haven't heard that before.'
"Talyn, can you just send the signal to Moya and tell them to get their asses over here?"
After several microts, he said, 'I sent the signal.'
"Here's hoping they get here soon," she said, eyeing the roadblock ahead of her and screeching to a stop nearly a hundred yards away. She watched as the police drew and aimed their pistols and shotguns at her.
'Natalie...' he whispered.
"Yeah, Talyn?"
'I love you.'
She smiled and softly said, "I know."
'I'll catch you on the flip side, right?'
"You bet your ass."
"Doctor Grant," she heard one of the police yell through a bullhorn. "Get off the vehicle and get down on the ground face-down with your hands out to your sides."
"You can kiss my rosy-red ass," Natalie mumbled and suddenly shifted into first, twisting the throttle and accelerating toward the roadblock. She spun her rear wheel and popped the front wheel off the ground. The police immediately fired non-lethal beanbag rounds at her with their shotguns as she charged them. The rounds bounced harmlessly off the underside body-cladding of the Yamaha.
Still riding on her rear wheel, Natalie swiftly passed between the bumpers of two patrol cars and immediately dropped the front wheel. Unfortunately, one of the cops shot out her rear tire with his pistol. The motorcycle wobbled and fell over, throwing her off. She skidded and rolled across the concrete, coming to a stop, face-down, in the middle of the street.
"Ow," she groaned hazily. She tried to push herself up, but collapsed back onto the ground in pain.
Running up to her, the officers trained their weapons on her while one of them stood over her, unsympathetically pulling her arms behind her back and handcuffing her. He said, "Doctor Natalie Grant, you're under arrest."
=================================
She punched the red triangular Peacekeeper practice dummy in front of her, denting the leather. Quickly spinning around, she backhanded it and, spinning around to the other side, she elbowed it hard. Instantaneously, she swung out her arm, backhanding it again. She immediately brought her arms up, protecting her torso against the enemy she imagined the dummy to be, and repeatedly kneed it in its center. After kneeing it one last time, she spun around and swung her leg out, kicking the dummy as hard as she could with a spinning back kick.
************************************
"Hey, Natalie, ya there?" she heard John ask through the comms.
************************************
With a sigh, Natalie tried to drive out the thoughts of the Nebari ship, but to no avail. She couldn't help but think about the Nebari she had seen in the porthole. Whenever she closed her eyes, she saw the male Nebari's blurred face. If it weren't for the fact that female and male Nebari hair differed in color, she wouldn't have known he was male, and she probably wouldn't be going through what she was. Because of his hair, she couldn't help but think that the Nebari might've been Meelak - the man who was responsible for Zhaan's madness and for tricking John and the others into stealing the data crystal. A part of her wanted to know who he had been to clear her conscience, despite what she told Talyn. However, she still wasn't very sure if that's what she really wanted. But it was either that, or she wanted to kick John's ass for lying to her. She couldn't make up her mind.
=================================
"Direct hit, sir," weapons officer Tolin said as he scanned his console.
----------------------------------------------------
Chiana tried to watch from her seat at the strategy table as Natalie pulled a transponder out of the lockbox in her nightstand, but it was so dark she could barely see her. While her human friend reached up to replace the transponder, Chiana asked, "Anything?"
----------------------------------------------------
As the painkillers wore off, Natalie rounded a corner and passed through the access point leading to the next tier down and jogged to docking bay two. With no room left in docking bays one, three, and four with the Marauder, transport pod, two Prowlers, and various crates of cargo, she was sure that the Marauder was in bay two. She felt the stabbing pain in her tongue from her regenerating tissues as she ran, but she knew she had to put up with it if she wanted her tongue to grow back. Unfortunately, her jogging made things worse. It also made the lump in her throat feel like it was going to suffocate her.
=================================
Chiana stalked along the wall of the corridor leading to the bridge with pulse pistol in hand and the night vision monocle she confiscated from Jasik strapped to her belt. She had been forced to use the monocle as she made her way to the bridge as quickly as possible. Unfortunately for her, the lights on tier ten were still functioning and had momentarily blinded her after she opened the hatch to the access point to tier eleven. She had thrown the monocle off and rubbed her eyes, waiting for her vision to return, and hoped she hadn't damaged it.
----------------------------------------------------
"YOU are going to kill me?" Div asked laughingly, staring down the barrel of the pistol he was aiming at her head. "C'mon, trelk. Who are you?"
=================================
"And the plot thickens," Natalie said, placing her hands on her hips and shifting her weight onto one leg as she stared impatiently at the grungy Peacekeeper. "So, should I kick your ass now, or should I do it later?" Taking in the Corporal's appearance, she added, "Doesn't matter. I'll probably die of the stench long before I get to that. I've got a very sensitive nose, ya know."
----------------------------------------------------
"Hey, Kosen, you finished yet?" Tolec yelled as he dropped a crate full of sensitive equipment onto its side. "I need your help with this dren." Frustrated, he added, "How frelling long does it take to make a call, anyway?"
----------------------------------------------------
Reaching the hatch to the maintenance bay, Natalie planted her back against the bulkhead next to it and checked the power setting on her pistol. She sighed in nervous anticipation and flinched as a stab of pain shot through her tongue. "Dammit," she whispered, annoyed. With the adrenaline wearing off, the pain she felt all over her body was so intense she could barely move. And the nervousness she felt made sure that she wouldn't. She knew, however, that she needed to get the Peacekeepers off Talyn.
----------------------------------------------------
The two walked through the hatch before it completely opened and stepped onto the bridge. They made their way to the override consoles, shut the panels, and checked to see what they could get to work.
=================================
"Captain," Lieutenant Leic, first officer of the retrieval squad, said as he approached his commanding officer where she sat at her desk in her office. "The Leviathan is coming about."
----------------------------------------------------
"What the frell are they doing?" Natalie mumbled, staring at the Peacekeeper vessel as a device between the two forward mandibles lit up. Coming to a realization, Natalie and Chiana looked at each other and simultaneously said, "They're going to fire."
----------------------------------------------------
Lieutenant Leic left his command console on the bridge, turning to approach his commanding officer standing behind him, and announced, "Captain, the Leviathan is missing. Our sensors cannot locate it anywhere on the planet."
=================================
"Shit," Natalie yelled, as the secondary control node she was repairing shot a shock through her body, sending her crashing to the deck. She cringed and wrapped her arm around her bandaged abdomen as pain seared through her wound.
----------------------------------------------------
Entering the bridge, Natalie ran to the forward portholes to try to see the Peacekeeper vessels invading the planet. She asked, "How many did you see?"
----------------------------------------------------
Lieutenant Arman Gurin watched as his forces marched most of the remaining population in two columns through the streets to the recently built base camp and detention center outside the city. He noted their appearance and cringed as the sounds of pulse fire went off in the distance. They all looked alike with their beige, featureless bodies, shoulder length hair, and flat faces with mere slits for nostrils and mouths. They all wore tan tunics and trousers as well. They looked disgusting to him, and he would have had them all exterminated in a microt. But he had his orders to search them all and find out if any of them knew the location of the beast. What made things worse, his orders were given to him by the Colartas.
----------------------------------------------------
"Vek," Gurin addressed as he walked into the Colarta's office in the command center of the Peacekeeper base camp, still carrying the alien's projectile rifle, and watched the alien standing behind a console, checking progress reports.
----------------------------------------------------
"How much longer do we have to wait, anyway?" Chiana asked, sitting against the bulkhead under the forward portholes.
=================================
"There it is," Carel mumbled, looking into the sinkhole at Talyn's nose. "But who gets to go down there to get him?"
----------------------------------------------------
"Uh, Natalie?" Chiana said, glancing at her. "Why aren't we leaving?"
----------------------------------------------------
Seeing Talyn falling back, Gurin turned to his forces and yelled, "Get the Marauders in the air. Force it back out into space."
----------------------------------------------------
'Their Marauders are coming after us,' Talyn said.
=================================
"There's a saying on your world for frelling everything," Chiana said, still helping to hold Natalie up.
----------------------------------------------------
Once again, Leic found himself approaching his commanding officer. Only this time, he was fearful of what she might do once she learned of his news. Coming up to her as she stood at a console monitoring the ship's functions, he said, "Captain, the gunship... It has escaped, sir. It starburst a few microts ago inside the planet's atmosphere."
----------------------------------------------------
She found her in Talyn's galley, a drink in one hand and a transparency in the other, with several other transparencies spread out on the table in front of her. Chiana didn't say anything, though, and walked right up to Natalie who was sitting behind the table, facing the hatch. She saw that Natalie was so focused on what she had in her hands that she didn't notice her enter.
=================================
'Natalie?' Talyn said, watching her through the DRD perched on the wall at the head of the bed, hoping to get her to wake up. He watched her as she slept on top of the blanket, fully clothed with her pulse pistol still strapped to her thigh and her long hair spread out over her shoulders and face. Seeing her passed out, he yelled, 'Natalie!'
----------------------------------------------------
'I know you're "busy" with that wormhole info, Natalie,' Talyn said, watching her sitting at the strategy table in her quarters. 'But I figured you'd want to know that we're half an arn away from the commerce planet. You might also want to get dressed before you go down. I doubt you'd be very intimidating in gray shorts, a bra, and a bandage wrapped around your stomach.'
----------------------------------------------------
"This place is a real shit hole," Natalie said, roaming the sandy market place, looking for parts to build the phase stabilizer that was outlined in the blueprints on the data crystal.
=================================
The sting of someone slapping her hard across the cheek slowly roused her out of unconsciousness. She was feeling extremely sluggish and had difficulty opening her eyes. She felt another slap across her cheek, accompanied by a sharp stab of pain in her sore and regenerating tongue, and mumbled, "Dammit."
----------------------------------------------------
'Don't you think you were being a little harsh on her?'
----------------------------------------------------
"So, what was this information you had?" Nerri asked, sitting in a chair across from Chiana, holding her hands.
=================================
'How are you feeling?' Talyn hesitantly asked as Natalie walked into her quarters, taking the money she had left and a data chip out of the pouch on her belt and tossing it onto the strategy table.
----------------------------------------------------
"Hey," Natalie said, walking into the galley and seeing Chiana sitting at the table, her back to the hatch.
----------------------------------------------------
"C'mon, Natalie. What the frell am I supposed to do if you don't make it back?" Chiana asked, standing in the human's quarters and watching her take her coat out of her dresser.
=================================
"Where is she?" Chiana yelled, looking back and forth between the console in front of her and the wormhole visible in the forward portholes.
----------------------------------------------------
Turning the Prowler to face the gas-giant, Natalie watched in wondrous silence as the storm in the lower atmosphere slowly spun across the planet. Breaking the silence, she whispered, "That's absolutely amazing..."
----------------------------------------------------
Chiana sat in nervous anticipation, her elbow resting on the console and her hand on her forehead. Her eyes traveled back and forth between the wormhole and the sensor readout on the console in front of her, hoping to catch a glimpse of Natalie's Prowler.
----------------------------------------------------
Running into the docking bay, Chiana found Natalie still seated in her Prowler, the canopy standing open, with her eyes closed and head leaning back against the seat. "Hey," she said, getting her attention. "What's the matter?"
----------------------------------------------------
Climbing out of Talyn's dorsal airlock behind the bridge onto his hull, Chiana turned around and took the stabilizer from Natalie.
=================================
"Hey," Dr. Paige Gardner, Ph D, yelled as she entered the observatory control room at Brown University, carrying two cups of coffee and two bagels. Startled, her thirty-something student, Frank Madsen, fell over in his chair at a computer console onto the floor. She laughed as she walked up to him, standing over him, and said, "You fell asleep again, didn't you?"
----------------------------------------------------
"I'll never get tired of that view," Natalie said, standing under Talyn's beta channel, her arms crossed, looking out through the forward portholes. Gazing at Earth in the distance, she added, "It's a beautiful sight."
----------------------------------------------------
'I've adjusted my comms system and we're ready to transmit and receive, Talyn said as Natalie walked onto the bridge, tying back her hair.
=================================
Everything stopped dead in mission control as everyone stared in shock at the sudden appearance on the main screen of a brown-haired, brown-eyed woman with an athletic build, standing in a large red and black room. They kept their eyes glued to her image - the image of a supposedly dead astronaut.
----------------------------------------------------
She and Tom were contentedly sitting on the wood porch of the large two-story log cottage on her family's ranch in Virginia, her home state during the spring. She was sixteen years old, pregnant, and was having problems with her parents. But at the moment, she was with the father of her child and she didn't care. She sat between his legs and leaned back against his chest as they both caressed her bare belly - her oversized shirt pulled up over it - feeling Jason as he kicked. They smiled and kissed and were having a great time together, enjoying the cool breeze as it passed over them.
----------------------------------------------------
A day later, Talyn had received word from IASA that the landing zone (the main parking lot at the space center) was set and that Natalie could land at any time. But they wanted her to signal before she did. They had a fighter escort waiting for her and they didn't want her to get shot down by mistake as she entered the atmosphere.
----------------------------------------------------
The two sat in the Prowler in Earth orbit - Natalie behind the pilot's controls, wearing a pair of occulars, and a coatless Chiana seated behind her, both in their 'seatlets'. They had removed the large ejection seat and installed the 'seatlets', giving the cockpit enough room for the both of them with the pulse rifle and pulse cannon stowed behind them.
=================================
"Throw down your weapons and get down on the ground NOW," the soldier in front of her ordered in a southern accent.
----------------------------------------------------
Inside the center's medical facility, Natalie and Chiana sat on separate examination tables across from each other. They were waiting for the IASA doctors to arrive to discuss the X-rays and CT-scans they had taken when they first arrived in the medical facility and to perform their physical exams. They had been waiting for nearly two arns. After the scans, the nurses had come by to extract some blood from them. After Chiana had removed a glove and rolled up a sleeve, the nurse arrived with needle and vial in hand. Seeing what they wanted to use to take her blood, Chiana had punched the nurse across the jaw, knocking her out, and pulled out her pistol. But Natalie assured her that it was safe - it might hurt a little, but it was safe. Chiana complied, sitting back down on the table with pistol still in hand, and allowed a new handsome, MALE nurse to take some blood. If it had hurt, Chiana hadn't shown any sign of it. She was too focused on her nurse. But when he had left, Natalie didn't see the guilt in her friend's eyes that she expected.
----------------------------------------------------
"Why don't they ever shut up?" Natalie mumbled, lying on the bed in the sealed decontamination chamber, her arm draped over her eyes as she tried to ignore the yelling of the paparazzi outside. "My record for having bad ideas is growing and growing and growing AND growing..."
----------------------------------------------------
"So, what did you find out?" General Sloane asked, entering Dr. Donovan's temporary office in the space center. Sloane was a tall man in his early fifties with gray hair and a stocky build. He had a long, distinguished career in the Army and his methods could be harsh at times, but he got the job done.
=================================
"God, this food tastes like shit," Natalie said, laying down her fork and pushing away her tray of spaghetti. Sitting on her bed, the table between her and Chiana as they ate dinner, Natalie rested her forearms on the table and added, "It's definitely worse than hospital food."
----------------------------------------------------
"Joe," Natalie yelled, seeing her family friend get out of a car next to the crowd of reporters and run to her. She shot up out of her chair and ran to the door, with Chiana watching on still eating the ice cream.
----------------------------------------------------
Natalie walked out of the bathroom, wearing a pair of green flannel shorts and a t-shirt, and found Chiana already fast asleep. Not more than ten minutes before she had been wide awake, reading a tabloid magazine. Natalie couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Chiana reading that kind of trash, but it didn't surprise her one bit.
=================================
"Hey," Donovan said, walking into the decon chamber. He did a double take as he noticed the black tank top and denim shorts Natalie was wearing and adjusted his suddenly uncomfortable pants.
=================================
"You call that a lock?" Chiana asked as she watched the sixteen year old porter fumble with the card key and try to slip it into the slot in the door.
----------------------------------------------------
She stood at the kitchen sink and slowly washed the dishes, glancing every so often at her son and his two older sisters playing in front of the TV in the family room. She smiled sadly at them, wishing her husband - their father - could see them.
----------------------------------------------------
"I can't believe you outright lied to her like that," Matt said as he paced outside of the closed door to the bedroom, the reporter who had been assigned to them waiting in a chair on the other side of the room.
----------------------------------------------------
"They're coming out," the intelligence officer said, watching Grant, the alien, their dates, and the reporter from a black Suburban parked several yards away in the parking garage.
=================================
"There's the ranch," Natalie said, seeing her family's Virginia ranch coming into view. Sgt. Galve was in the passenger seat of the Suburban and one of his men was behind the wheel. She turned to her left, smiling at Matt and at Jason sitting in between them.
----------------------------------------------------
"Are you sure we won't?" Matt asked, smiling wickedly at Natalie as she shut the door.
----------------------------------------------------
"Checkpoint four, all clear," Corporal Martinez said into his radio immediately after Granger (Checkpoint three) had radioed in. He continued walking, scanning his patrol area with his night-vision goggles, his MP5 rifle at the ready and his finger on the trigger.
----------------------------------------------------
"What the hell?" Galve exclaimed, shooting up from his chair and knocking over the reporter in her seat as the power suddenly went out. He unholstered his pistol, looked at the Corporal seated next to him, and ordered, "Get on the radio..."
----------------------------------------------------
Chiana slowly crept into the kitchen in the nude, having just awakened and gotten out of bed. She opened the refrigerator door and knelt on the floor as she looked for something to drink. She grabbed the last bottle of beer and smiled. She'd thought that Natalie had drunk the last of the beer during dinner and wasn't expecting to find any. She slowly stood up as she twisted off the cap, then jumped back in surprise as she saw a man standing behind the refrigerator door and yelled, "Frell!"
=================================
"Welcome back, Doctor Grant," she heard as she slowly awakened.
=================================
"Drop the gun," he said, shakily.
----------------------------------------------------
"How is she, sir?" Sgt. Galve asked Matt as they stood by the staircase in the living room of the Grant family house.
=================================
Matt burst through the police station's doors with Chiana, all of Natalie's family but Scott, the reporter, and Sergeant Galve and three of his men behind him. They walked right up to the main desk and Matt showed the young officer manning the desk his ID and stated, "I'm Captain Matt Donovan, U.S. Army, and official liaison to Doctor Grant. I want to see her NOW."
----------------------------------------------------
Walking along the rolling, tree-covered hills of the ranch, Natalie and Chiana made their way around the lake to a point opposite the main house. To save time before they left for Houston, the two had dressed in their usual attire before their walk. Natalie had also said that their dark clothing was fitting for the occasion, but Chiana didn't understand.
=================================
"There's our ride," Natalie said, standing outside Hangar Fourteen in the Johnson Space Center. Matt and Natalie stood with their arms around each other's waist and Jason stood alongside. They rolled their eyes as they watched the crowd of reporters on the other side of the runway, clamoring to film and take photos of anything they could. Turning their attention back to the sky, they watched Chiana land the transport pod in front of them and the F-15s flying overhead, circling the LZ. A group of twenty top scientists and engineers, thirty technicians providing support, a press photographer, and a reporter with a camera crew, all waited behind Natalie inside the hangar. The men and women were the best in their fields and they were all extremely nervous; they were not part of IASA and had never dreamed of going into space.
=================================
Unexpectedly, the hatch began to open and the hologram quickly dissolved. Matt turned around to see DK walking in, a DRD following him and the hatch closing behind him. He asked, "Don't you know how to knock, DK?"
----------------------------------------------------
Jason sat on a workbench in the docking bay, his elbow resting on a DRD. He watched as Chiana gracefully landed the transport pod after having taken the humans, including Matt, back to Houston.
----------------------------------------------------
Hearing a knock on his office door, General Sloane closed his laptop and said, "Come in." Watching the man closing the door behind him, he asked, "So, was your trip to Talyn productive?"
----------------------------------------------------
"You have clearance to land at hangar two-eight," Natalie heard through her occulars/headset as she and Jason sat waiting in the Prowler in Earth orbit.
=================================
"Some mother I am, huh?" Natalie mumbled, slouching in the chair next to Chiana outside of surgery at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital.
=================================
The End
=================================
ADDITIONAL NOTE: I've never been to Virginia and I have only been to Houston once, but that was when I was a young kid, so I don't remember much about it. So, I just want to apologize now if I've screwed anything up in regards to the state of Virginia and the city of Houston. :)
=================================