Disclaimer: There is nothing to disclaim in this here story. You will need an open mind to read it, though. If you find something you think needs disclaiming, however, you are more than welcome to let me know. It won’t change anything, but it may make you feel better. Ugliness will earn you a smack to the back of your head.

Thanks: To my truly awesome Beta Team. Thanks to Carol, Lisa, Marsha and Phil for the editing and for the questions, comments and encouragement. You guys ROC!

Special Thanks: To the many of you that took the time to send your kind words about A Valiant Heart. They were much appreciated by the entire team.

Author’s Note: This story picks up directly where A Valiant Interlude left off. You will have to had read it for this one to make sense. Although AVI is a stand-alone story, it is in actuality the first ten chapters lifted from this story and is the tie-in the title implies. The Storyteller’s Cardinal Rule is still in effect.

A Valiant Journey

By D

Prologue

He stood at the scrying bowl, watching things play out as he’d expected. The dark smile was malevolent... eons of anger and unfulfilled desire made it a horrid, ugly sight. My time has finally come, he thought to himself. Revenge was going to be so very, very sweet.

"Step into my parlor, said the spider to the fly."

Chapter I

It was another full day before the Marine was able to finally reach Reed at the breeding ranch. And then, the information she got was less than what she’d hoped for, though about what she expected.

*************

"I’m sorry, Randi." Reed looked as harried as she sounded. "This has literally been the first opportunity I’ve had to get back to you. In fact, I only just got your messages about ten minutes ago."

"You all right, Reed? You look exhausted."

"I am. I have been up for the past forty-eight hours. One of the bitches went into labor unexpectedly, and without Tiny here to help me, it has been a little overwhelming."

"Is everything okay?" Despite her urgency, Randi put their friendship first. She could sense the other woman’s need to vent a little.

The breeder gave a frustrated sigh. "Yeah, everything’s fine... finally... but it was touch and go there for a while." The woman sighed again. "You’d think, with all our medical advances, we’d either be able to control the birth process, or at least have a better handle on exact delivery times." Reed gave a rueful chuckle. "Guess that’s nature’s way of telling us she’s still in charge."

Randi had laughed with her. "I guess so." She sobered after a moment. "Reed." The seriousness in the Marine’s tone caused an immediate change in the breeder’s demeanor. She straightened accordingly. "Do you know where Tiny is, how to reach him or when he’ll be back?"

"No, no, and not really." They were the exact answers Randi had expected, but had hoped against hope of not hearing. "He is supposed to be in the capital city to meet with you and the Commandant by the end of the week, isn’t he? Can it wait til then?"

The unease she had been living with since finding Geoff recalled grew exponentially with the Sabre pilot’s words. Nothing she could put into words---just a cold unreasoning fear. None of this was revealed in her manner, though. The warrior had stoic down to a science. "It’ll have to, I suppose. Thanks, Reed. I hope the pups will be all right. You’d best go get some rest, my friend. You look beat."

"Thanks, Randi," with a smirk. "You really know how to turn a girl’s head."

"Good bye, Reed."

"Bye Randi," smiling. "See you Saturday."

************

It had been an uneventful but productive couple of days. Between planning for their wedding, and trying to reach Reed, Randi had prowled around Geoff’s workshop, and found some interesting new toys and gadgets. A few of them made her raise her eyebrows in question, but most of them were self-explanatory. Clever, Geoff. These are very, very clever. She tucked their uses and her questions in the back of her mind for future reference.

It was late Tuesday morning when the vid phone chirped, acknowledging an incoming call. Jill answered, thrilled to note it was Geoff on the line. Her enthusiasm turned to concern when she noted he was calling from a medifac in the capital city.

"Hi, sweetheart." His voice was normal, but it was evident by the look on his face that he was in severe pain.

"Oh, honey, what’s wrong? Are you okay?"

"I’ll be fine, Jill. It’s just my back again." She covered her hand with her mouth. She knew from times past that his pain was incredible. "Listen, I’m gonna be in regen until around lunch tomorrow. Why don’t you and the girls come down tomorrow morning? With a bit of luck, they will spring me from here, and we can all do the tourist thing for a few days."

"Will you be up to it, Geoff? You know how Gwen loves the museums. That’s a lot of walking, you know."

"I know. And I can always bow out if it is bothering me too badly. But I have to stay here until Friday or Saturday, and I thought you all might like to join me here."

"I’m sure the girls would be glad to come down. I know they were both upset you weren’t home when they arrived." For different reasons too I’ll just bet, the weapons smith thought to himself. "I’ll see what kind of transport I can manage to arrange, and get back to you shortly."

"All right, sweetheart. Just leave me a message when you will arrive about where you’ll be staying. I’ll find you when they release me."

"All right, Geoff. I’ve missed you, you know."

"Um hmm, I do know, because I have missed you too. I’ve got to go, but I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you, Mrs. Goldman."

"Love you back, Mr. Goldman." The connection went dark, and Jill sat quietly for a moment regaining her shaken composure, before searching out Gwen and Randi. They had plans to make.

************

As it happened, their plans fell into place with relative ease. The Sabre called in a favor from a pilot friend, and they flew a private shuttle into the capital city sunrise. Jill had been anxious to get to Geoff’s side, and though her manner did not show it, Randi was as well. She was certain the last pieces of the puzzle were in his grasp. She was anxious to have a bit of time to talk to him.

When they arrived, Tiny met them at the hub with a transport waiting for them. Jill went immediately to the medifac to check on her husband’s progress. Gwen, sensing Tiny’s anxiousness to speak to Randi, offered to check them into the resort. She knew it was Sabre business, and figured they might as well get it over with sooner rather than later.

Randi escorted the bard into the hotel, and pulled her off into a private alcove on one side. Their luggage proceeded to head to the desk, where it was tagged and sent to their room. Check-in was merely a formality.

"I’m sorry, love. Hopefully this won’t take too long."

"Randi, we knew this was something you were gonna have to take care of without me." Gwen glanced around and noticed they were quite alone and closed away from the world for the moment. She loosened her hold from the Marines, and reached up to cup her face. "You go, and get business taken care of. When this monkey is finally off your back, and you are free from your Sabre responsibilities, we will still have the rest of our lives together to look forward to. They can have a morning of your time, as long as they realize the rest of your lifetime belongs to me."

The Marine had noticed their solitude, and took advantage of the fact, pulling the bard closer to her. She wrapped her arms around Gwen’s back and gave her a hard squeeze. "Thank you for understanding, love."

The blonde returned the hug, before pulling back slightly to look into the blue eyes above her. "I do. Just make sure *they* understand the present reality." And without thinking, she pulled the Sabre into a passionate embrace. The kiss went on for some minutes, before dazed, Randi reluctantly withdrew.

"Oh," clearing her throat when her voice cracked slightly, "um, I don’t think I’ll have a problem remembering that." She smiled crookedly at the bard. "I love you."

"I love you, too. And I’ll be waiting here for you when you get finished. So, hurry home to me, huh?" She reached up and traced the lightly swollen lips. "We’ve got a lifetime to start."

Randi leaned in again, and recaptured the bard’s soft lips. It was only when her comm unit beeped that she pulled away. "I love you always," releasing Gwen and stepping away.

"Forever," the blonde answered. And green eyes tracked the progress of her lover to the transport until the vehicle was out of sight. Then with a whispered sigh, she went to the desk.

************

"I’m sorry to take you away from her, Randi. But the way things are breaking, I thought it best to move the timetable up."

"Oh?" The Sabre was all business now. "What developed while you were gone, Tiny?"

"I’ll tell you the whole story at headquarters. But it looks like your friend is behind the new revolution, and they are in the beginning stages of planning an all out war."

"Shit!"

Nothing else was said for the remainder of the very short trip.

************

Gwen was startled when the vid phone chirped at her. It wasn’t like anyone knew they were in the city. Of course, it could be Mother. When she looked at the ID screen, though, she frowned, until realization dawned on her. Then with a big grin, she answered the call.

"Hi, Uncle Ben!"

"Hello, Gwen! How are you?"

"I’m fine, wonderful, excellent even!" She laughed and he joined her. "How are you?"

"A bit lonely, actually. Sam is out of town for the week. When your father called me yesterday, I thought we might get a bit of a chance to talk, but he is scheduled for regen for another half day. So I thought to appeal to your better nature and invite you to have breakfast with a lonely old man."

Gwen was thinking while he spoke. She’d promised Randi to be here when she returned, but it was a good bet she wouldn’t see her partner for most of the day. Besides, breakfast with an old family friend would be a nice way to pass the morning.

"Sure, Uncle Ben. I’d love to. Where shall I meet you?"

"I’m not far from the resort. Let me come pick you up and we’ll ride out to Devon’s for breakfast. It’s been a long time since we shared breakfast there, but I’ll bet they remember us."

Gwen laughed again, remembering some of the many morning repasts they had shared together when she had been stationed in the city. "I’ll just bet they will." She smiled again. "That sounds like a plan, Uncle Ben. "I’ll see you here in, what...? Say fifteen minutes?"

"Fifteen minutes will be fine. Thanks, Gwen. See you shortly."

The bard wrote a short note for Randi and her mother, on the off chance either of them got back to the hotel before they returned from breakfast. Then she cleaned up and headed downstairs to the lobby, to wait for her old, trusted godfather.

************

The dark figure rubbed gloved hands together. "Soon, my dear. Very soon. You will be mine, and I will make Miranda Valiant pay dearly for what she did."

************

Their arrival at Sabre headquarters went virtually unnoticed, as Tiny had cleared them through the back door with the highest priority. Then Randi found herself standing in the Commandant’s office. Though she was not at all disrespectful in the nod she gave him, he observed that she neither saluted nor offered her hand. Jeremiah Daetwyler smiled sadly. Much had changed between them, and he was certain they would never regain the respect or camaraderie they had once shared as fellow compatriots. He offered them coffee and breakfast, then gestured her and Tiny to a seat.

"Let me just say, that I’m glad things turned out for you the way they have. I don’t know how you managed...."

"Please, General. This is neither the time nor the place. It no longer matters. I am here to give you my information, and then I am returning to Gwen. This is no longer a part of my life."

Tiny sat silently, eyes wide, and mouth agape. Though he had known without a doubt how Randi and Gwen both felt, he was surprised to hear the blunt fact put to the Commandant so vehemently.

"But, you can’t...."

"Oh, I most certainly can. I DIED, remember? Cleaning up a mess you left. So don’t you dare sit there and presume to tell me what I can and cannot do." Her voice had never risen, but she could have been shouting the force of her words was so strong. Jerry sat back after a moment, his shoulders slumping... his posture defeated. "Now let’s just get this over with."

"You’re right, of course. You’ve shown far more honor, given up much more than any one human being should be expected to. This is my problem now, though I would appreciate any input or assistance you can provide to ensure we end this, once and for all."

Without giving the warrior a chance to reply, he turned toward Tiny, and addressed him. "You have your reports ready?" The Navy chief nodded. "And were you able to debrief Geoff?"

"Yes, General. We went over everything on our way back."

"You were able to finish everything early?"

"He was able to see what he needed. I still have two teams out in the field, but all our information points in the same direction. They should both be in by late tomorrow night, though at this point, we firmly expect their information to concur with our own."

"Very well. Let’s get down to business. It’s time I finished this once and for all."

************

The hot humidity hit Gwen full force as she stepped out of the cool stone building. She figured her old family friend would be there momentarily, and saw no reason to make the older man have to wait. I wonder if it is getting ready to storm? The oppressive air made the bard look toward the now fully risen sun. The haze made her hope she was right, but in the meantime.... "Maybe I should wait inside. UGH! This is...." But at that moment, Ben’s transport came into view, and she smiled in relief.

"Ah, my dear," he said as he opened the transport and stepped out to greet her. He took her hands in his own and they exchanged a friendly peck on the cheek. "How well you look. Come," motioning the blonde toward the transport. "Let’s get out of this oppressive heat and humidity. I’ll warrant we’ll be having a storm by nightfall."

"I hope so. It wasn’t this bad at Mother’s, and we almost always have a cool breeze at home." She got in the transport, and immediately sighed at the cool, dry air. "Oh yeah, this works."

"Well, Gwen. You could have waited indoors."

"I know, Uncle Ben, but I knew you were due soon, and I didn’t want to make you have to wait." The transport moved away from the hotel. Gwen was too preoccupied with their reunion to take note of their direction.

"Thank you, dear. You have always been so considerate and thoughtful."

"Uncle Ben, you’re like family."

The expression on his face was one of sadness, Gwen noted, and she wondered what could have happened to put that look into his eyes. She mentally reviewed their conversation, then returned his gaze with a curious one of her own. "Uncle Ben?"

He shook his head, as if to clear it, and look at her again. "Yeah, Gwen. We are almost like family." He took a deep breath and glanced out the window, noting his hidden shuttle pad just coming into view. With snake-like speed, he reached across the space separating them, and hit a point on her temple, immediately knocking her out. "That’s what makes this so unpleasant for me. It’s a shame you didn’t use better judgment in your choice of partners. Miranda Valiant is going to be the cause of a lot of pain and suffering for you."

************

".... and so Geoff has confirmed the build-up of some interesting new weapons. He seemed a bit surprised at what they’ve got readily available for use. He kept some for further study. With any luck, he’ll be ready to give us an brief overview of his preliminary findings by Friday."

"You destroyed the rest?"

"Aye, sir. That depot is no longer available."

"Are they organized?" This from Randi, who had sat quietly during the entire debriefing.

"Not as organized as they were under Ghost Rider, but they are slowly recovering and rebuilding."

She sighed and moved from her chair to stand at the window to one side of the general’s desk. "It doesn’t concern you that they are aware you now know of their rebuilding efforts?"

Silence followed her question as the two Sabres thought about the implications conveyed in the simple statement. Randi was the first to break the silence. "Tell me, General... why wasn’t the leak plugged? Why did you make no effort to insure that the traitor was eliminated?"

He looked at the Marine, stunned. "You mean you didn’t take care of the leak? I thought... I mean... things stopped... it never occurred to me that...."

Randy focused her attention on Tiny. "You said he probably knew who it was."

The large man squirmed. The intensity of the fiery blue gaze was burning through him, and making him highly uncomfortable. "Well, I thought... I mean, I assumed...."

She refocused her attention on the General. "I gave you every possible clue for you to figure it out for yourself, to insure I hadn’t made a mistake." Her anger began to boil. "What’s wrong with you? And how have you managed to remain the Commandant for so long? You’re about as useless as...."

The Marine slammed her hand into the wall, insuring some serious bruising unless she got to a regen unit fairly quickly. Oh boy, that was stupid! Explaining this to Gwen is gonna be fun. Ow, dammit! That hurt! The silent conversation and thoughts of Gwen allowed her to regain control of her mounting temper, and speak calmly and rationally again.

She gave a deep sigh. "So let me understand this. Because you didn’t get the name from myself or Ghost Rider, and since activity pretty much came to a halt after we died, you assumed that the problem had been taken care of."

"Well, yes." This came from Jerry. He had to physically remind himself that he was the Commandant here. He felt like nothing so much as a boy in the principal’s office. "I could find no evidence to confirm my suspicions, and the leak ended when you... left."

"I DIED, Jerry." She let out a deep breath. "However, that is past. What remains is the fact that the leak is still around, and it’s time to plug it now."

************

He was secretly glad the blonde woman was unconscious for this procedure. He was really of two minds about this. He could still remember the young woman as a small child---all bright smiles and laughter and sunshine. Though the families had drifted apart in more recent years, he had always kept an eye on her, taking great pride in her skills and talent. It was only with her involvement with Miranda Valiant.... Here his thoughts turned dark and trailed off.

He seriously considered using a blade. He still had the first one Geoff had created for him when the weapons smith had begun his recovery. It had taken the smith months of work, since he could only craft for a few minutes at a time because of his continued pain. It was one of his most cherished possessions, and he hesitated using it to cause the bard physical agony. It was only the desire to inflict grief on Valiant that caused him to consider using a knife.

He shook his head, and stopped the transport. He wasn’t concerned that Gwen would come around anytime soon. The pressure point had seen to that. He took out a tiny laser, and lifted the small hand into his own. A scant minute late, the job was done. The man exited the vehicle, and moved to take the small blonde into his arms. He had chosen well. The private shuttle was isolated, and no one saw them board. Five minutes later, it lifted of, headed to parts unknown.

************

"You needed me, Jerry? I was just going to go get lunch."

"This shouldn’t take but a minute, Kene. Please come in and sit down."

The dark woman shrugged slightly, and did as she was bidden. A jolt of uneasiness slid up her spine when Tiny deliberately moved to stand in front of the door. Randi never turned from the window she was gazing unseeingly out of. The disquiet that had been roiling in her guts since shortly after their breakfast arrival, had become an unnamed, unreasoning fear. She wanted this over and done with so she could get back to Gwen, and they could get on with their lives together.

General Jeremiah Daetwyler, Sabre Commandant, sat quietly at his desk for a very long moment simply gazing at the woman who had been his friend and antagonist, confidant and compatriot. He wondered what had happened to make her turn. Knowing it was time to take the responsibility of correcting his mistakes back into his own hands, he cleared his throat and spoke softly.

"Why, Kene? Did Grace Rivers really mean so much to you?"

Confusion crossed that dark-skinned woman’s face. "Excuse me?"

"Was the love affair you desired from her worth everything?"

"I’m sorry, Jerry, but I am really not understanding what it is you are implying. Can you just say whatever it is you want to say straight out, please?"

The Commandant took a deep breath, and glanced toward the window. He wanted to be sure Randi had no desire to do the unmasking before he continued. The Marine never wavered from her studied observation of the world outside the office. He stood up, and circled around to the front of his desk.

"For some time, there has been a leak of information from this unit. Some of it has been trivial. Some of it..." and here he paused for another moment while he looked at Randi’s stiff back. "Some of it has been vital. It got our best warrior killed." Another glance toward Randi. "The worst thing, however, is that all of it has come from this office."

The light dawned in Kene’s eyes, as she realized the implications of Jerry’s statement. "You don’t seriously think that I...???"

"There are only two people in this office who has access to all of the information that was leaked." Jerry continued speaking as if there had been no interruption. "I was cleared. You, however, were not." He gazed at her sadly. "Was she worth your soul, Kene?"

The woman sat there stunned. "I haven’t given any information to anyone outside the Sabre community, General. And the last time I spoke to Grace was years ago."

Now Randi moved from the window to stand in beside the Commandant. "Then you can explain to ME how she came to know things that were planted only for you---to see if you would pass them on to her. You can explain to me why she named you as her Sabre contact in the last few seconds of her life."

"I don’t understand. I really have had no communication with her in years."

There was quiet, then an unseen voice announced, "She speaks the truth."

"Fine. Let’s start this at the beginning, and get down to the bottom of it."

************

It’s nice to retain Sabre perks and privileges, the man mused to himself. He had filed no flight plan; the shuttle was unregistered. All in all, very conducive to disappearing without a trace. He spared a glance toward the rear of the vehicle at the unconscious form, then returned his eyes to the rapidly moving world beneath him. They were almost to their destination, and he wanted no screw-ups at this stage of the game.

His objective came into view, and he powered down. It’s perfect, he mused again. The trees ended abruptly. He dropped the shuttle’s altitude, hovering just above the plain. The mountain loomed directly in his path, and he circled around to the far side. He spent a minute keying in various codes and giving several encrypted voice commands. Within a few moments, a small hole appeared at his eye level... about eighteen feet from the ground. He headed the shuttle towards it, and the vehicle disappeared from sight. The hole seemed to close in on itself. Thirty seconds later, there was no sign that it had ever been there at all.

************

"... and that was the last time I saw her. I got messages from her from time to time, right up until the first attack. Then I never heard from her again."

"She speaks the truth," the voice intoned once again.

Randi blew out a frustrated breath, running long fingers through her dark hair. They were missing a vital piece of the puzzle, and the disquiet in her guts was becoming genuinely painful.

"All right. Let’s come at this from another angle." Randi walked away from the window, and stood over the seated woman. Kene dropped her eyes after a long moment, and the Marine moved to perch on the corner of the Commandant’s desk. "You say you had no contact with Ghost Rider." She held up a hand for silence as the dark woman made to speak. "If that is true, and at this point we have to believe it is, then there is someone else you have been in touch with. Someone else who passed the information to her."

"There’s been no one. The only people who even knew about Ghost Rider are all Sabres. And there is no wa... waitaminute... unless... " She trailed off, her brows furrowed in deep thought. Randi clenched her hands in an effort not to shake the woman now lost in thought. Kene’s lips moved silently, as she reviewed some things in her mind. She reached her astonishing conclusion, and looked at Jerry with shock in her dark eyes. "Surely not...."

"WHAT??" The Marine ground her teeth in an effort to control her temper.

"Well now, mind you, he is still a Sabre, and he’s one of the four of us left who actually knew Grace before she became a rogue. But the only person I’ve talked to about any of this, outside of any of our active duty staff is...."

"Ben-ramen Ha’amaen." Both Kene and Jerry spoke simultaneously. In the next moment, Randi was rushing from the room, hardly giving Tiny time to step out of her path. The sounds of her being violently ill were very loud in the stillness of the silent office.

"Should I go check on her?" Kene asked in concern. It didn’t seem possible to be that sick for that long without physically hurting oneself.

"No." Tiny and Jerry both snapped out the answer. They looked at each other long and hard, recognizing the deep affection they each held for the Marine. The Commandant continued. "She’ll be back when she’s ready. She wouldn’t appreciate anyone seeing her right now, I imagine. God knows, I have never seen a reaction from her like that before." The large man at the door shook his head.

"You got that right, General." Silence reigned once more, until Randi returned. Her face was haggard, and drained of color. No one made a comment, nor moved to help her. The stiffness of her posture and bearing told them in no uncertain terms that such advances would be unwelcome.

"Tiny, I need you to take me back to the hotel now." Her voice was hoarse and ragged from being sick, but she spoke with ultimate authority.

"Now, Randi? But...."

"NOW. Ben Ha’amaen is like family to Gwen. She would welcome him as such."

"But...."

"You’re not getting it, Tiny. There have been subtle indications that Gwen might be in danger from someone. I have been putting safeguards in place. But, not knowing that Ha’amaen was the real problem, I haven’t told her about any of them yet. I’ve got things ready on the island and at Midas, but nothing at Geoff’s and certainly nothing here." The strain of talking was clearly evident in her tone.

"And....?"

"If Ben Ha’amaen is the danger...."

"...Gwen could be walking into trouble. Let’s go."

They were halfway out the door when Jerry’s voice stopped them. "Keep us informed, Gunny. And if there is anything we can do...."

She nodded, but made no verbal answer. She was terribly afraid, from the churning in her guts, that they were gonna be too late.

Chapter II

The shuttle landed with nary a whisper of sound, and the engine was cut. The man exited the craft and moved to the back, and removing three key chips. He placed them into his pocket, and moved to the door. He lifted the bard out, then looked around. Though she was no heavyweight, there was no way he was going to be able to cradle her this way for the journey into the heart of the mountain.

Damn poor planning on my part, he grumbled to himself. He threw Gwen over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold, and moved to the elevator. "Open." The door immediately slid aside, and allowed him entrance. "Sick bay." He felt the slightest motion, but really could not feel the five-story drop, or the horizontal move that brought him right outside the medifac. He stepped off and moved to the nearest hover bed, securing the bard neatly to it. The man took a deep breath and flexed his shoulder. Been a long time since I had a workout like that. He sighed, and gently guided the floating bed back to the elevator. "Command Center."

Another horizontal move, and a drop of seven more stories brought them to the heart of the facility. From this vantage point, well over a hundred feet into the earth, he could monitor all activity for miles. No one would get near without his knowledge.

It had turned out to be a very good day for him indeed.

************

The Sabre pair made record time getting back to the resort. They bumped into Geoff and Jill arriving from the medifac. Randi left them standing in the lobby without a word as she raced to her room. She read the note Gwen had left, and crumpled to the ground without a sound.

A knock at the door brought her out of her despair. She donned the stoic Sabre mask that had been her faithful companion for more than 10 years, and countless missions. She wasn’t at all surprised to find Tiny standing there. The Goldmans brought up the rear, concern clearly etched on their faces.

Wordlessly, she handed the large man the note, while moving to pack up the things the bard had so lovingly put away such a short time before. His shoulders sagged as he read the bard’s brief message and realized what they were up against.

"Randi?" The one word from Geoff’s lips halted her motion, her turned back stiffening. "You wanna let us in on what’s going on here?"

Tiny saw the conflict in the blue eyes that turned to face him, before they moved on to look at Gwen’s parents. He answered before the Marine could speak.

"We have reason to believe that Gwen is in the hands of the enemy."

He would have said more, but Jill’s gasp caused him to stop. "The enemy? Geoff, what is he talking about? What is going on here? Where is my baby girl?"

The weapons smith drew his wife into his arms. "Let’s let them talk, sweetheart." He glared at Tiny, and the large man lowered his eyes. Randi took a deep breath, and walked over to where the Goldmans still stood wrapped tightly together. She reached for Jill’s hand, relieved when the woman took her own willingly. She led the woman to a chair and seated her, kneeling in front of her. The Marine never released the hand she held, taking small comfort in the firmness of the return grasp. She kept her eyes on their clasped hands when she spoke softly.

"Jill, when I died, I was, um... I was taking care of some rather nasty military business."

"Military? But I thought...." She stopped talking when Geoff placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed lightly. She returned his gaze with one of her own, absorbing the shake of his head with a single nod of her own. "I’m sorry I interrupted, Randi. Please continue."

"What I was during my service, what I did... there have been times I have had to lend my expertise since my retirement. As for what happened when I died... well, let’s just say I made a very bad enemy. And now he has apparently decided to take revenge. I’m sorry, I know I’m not to terribly coherent right now." She sighed deeply. The Marine felt her chin being lifted, and kept her eyes down.

"Randi, look at me." Jill’s voice was soft. The Sabre reluctantly raised her blue eyes to meet the older woman’s. "Do you know who has her?" A nod. "Can you find her and bring her home?" Another nod. "Then you do it. I am right in the middle of planning a reception for your wedding, and we can’t have that until ya’ll are together and married."

Randi appreciated Jill’s effort to lighten the atmosphere, and gave her a small, crooked smile. Tears filled two sets of eyes, but the Marine refused to allow hers to fall. She gently squeezed the hand still held in her own and then released it. Standing, she moved to pick up her bag. Her back to the room, she sent a silent prayer to Aphrodite to keep her bard safe. Then she squared her shoulders, and became the soldier she would need to be during this ordeal. When she turned to face them again, the woman was gone, and in her place stood the Sabre.

"Tiny, you contact Reed, and have her question Kene about Ben’s possible whereabouts. Geoff, I need you to get Gwen’s last known coordinates from Jerry. I need to go back to the beach house and get my stuff."

"Waitaminute...."

"Now, hold on just a...."

A raised eyebrow brought silence to the group. Jill watched in fascination as the tall woman took command of the situation with ease.

"I’m not asking. Tiny, Reed is the only seer I trust. She cleared Kene of being consciously involved. Now I need her to find out if Kene is aware of any possible hiding places he would have. And Geoff, I need to know where they last were. It might yield us a few clues."

"And it might be a dead end."

"Yeah, it might." She was getting frustrated and angry. "But it’s all we’ve got right now." She sighed and moved to the door. "I’ll be back before the day is over. Please have the information ready for me." She left the room without another word.

There was a very long pause filled with total silence. The two men looked at each other.

"I’m not letting her go alone, Geoff."

"Neither am I, Tiny. Neither am I. C’mon. We’ve got things to do before she gets back."

************

"You ready to explain what that was all about?" Jill wasn’t accusatory, but it was very clear she expected answers on this from him. He was busy sorting through a bag similar to the one Randi had been carrying.

"It’s a little... complicated. Suffice it to say that Tiny and I are going with Randi to bring Gwen home."

"Excuse me?!?" Her hands rested on her hips, and she looked at him with fire in her eyes. "I understand your desire to go, Geoff. She’s my daughter too, dammit!" The fire turned to tears. "But you are just out of regen for a chronic back problem that has plagued you for years. And Randi obviously has the experience and training for this kind of thing. You don’t."

He was quiet for a moment, considering. "Yeah, I do," he answered her calmly. "Those are our girls, Jill, and I’m gonna make sure they come home together. They deserve that much. They deserve so much more." His voice had become a mere whisper by the time he finished, and he looked to his bride of thirty years with tears in his eyes. "They deserve a lifetime together, like you and I have had. I intend to make sure they get that chance."

Her gaze had softened with his words. "You just make sure you bring yourself home to me," she said, realizing she would never talk him out of this. "We still have a lifetime to finish together."

He took her in his strong arms then, holding her for all he was worth. Her acceptance and faith meant so much to the Sabre. It would be a strength he would take with him. He had a feeling he was going to need every ounce he could get.

************

"Are you up for this, Reed?" Tiny questioned his lover. He had explained the situation to the seer as soon as he had arrived back at headquarters. It was rare that the unit used a person with Reed’s gift in such a way. It was accurate, but terribly draining on the individual seers. Several of them had actually died of exhaustion or exposure to the emotions of another being. She had been brought in to insure that Kene didn’t lie to them, and she was very near exhaustion now. Could he ask her to risk her life for this?

"Even if I wasn’t, love, I’d still have to try." He nodded his head, knowing that would to be her answer regardless of the danger to herself. It was one of the things that had made her such a good Sabre. It still was. She lowered her voice, forcing him to lean down to her level stretched out upon the couch "Athena came to me last night. Their link can’t be broken, Tiny... not again. Neither of them will survive it." She drew a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I can’t...." She smiled when he tightened his fingers convulsively around hers. "WE can’t allow that to happen. They are destined."

Now it was the man’s turn to draw a deep breath. He hadn’t realized they were destined. But thinking about it now, he understood full well. A bond like theirs was deep and abiding, and to have it broken, especially now that it had been consummated.... He shuddered in pure horrific reaction. He had seen what their break-up had done to Gwen before. He was certain no one wanted to see Randi’s response to the same situation now. Even losing Reed, as hard as that would be for him, would be nothing compared to that.

"All right, sweetheart. You get some rest. I’ll talk to her first. Maybe we can do this the easy way."

************

The shuttle touched down with a whisper. Geoff had been fast, and Jerry had cleared channels enabling her to make it back to the beach house in record time. She wondered how long it would take Tommy or Ella to make it over, since they weren’t due back for another few days. Her heart clenched at the thought that she’d had to return alone, then she pushed it aside. They would be coming home from this together, or not at all.

She walked slowly into the small room that held all her Sabre tools. Her armor hung neatly as she had left it; the cleaning closet beside it stood empty. Her weapons stood at the ready, and she inspected them carefully with a grim smile. Then she moved with precision, gathering the items this mission would require.

She’d just stepped out of her ritual shower when she heard movement at the front of the house. You never disappoint me, Tommy. A bittersweet smile appeared on her face and she reached for her short robe. Tying it off, she went to meet the man she called brother.

He knew the moment he saw her something was terribly wrong. He opened his arms, and she went to him willingly, though she never lost her composure. Her mask was in place, and he shuddered at the thought of what could have put it there. He stroked her back gently for a moment before she pulled away from him, and moved out of his arms completely. It was at that precise minute that he realized she was alone.

"Randi?" It was all he said, but it was enough.

"Someone took her from me, T. I’ve got to go find her and bring her home."

He wasn’t sure what to say at that point, so he offered his support to her in the best way he knew how. "You do that, little sister. And you come home safe as well. You’ve both got a nephew to help us raise."

She smiled at his effort, and kissed his cheek. Then she went back to the bedroom to dress.

The armor was surprisingly light, given its strength. It was a Kevlar/titanium blend that made up the outfit, with a polymer underlay that protected her more vulnerable areas. She slipped into a black T-shirt. The polymer wasn’t particularly comfortable against bare skin. Socks next, then the pants, and finally the over-shirt. She stepped into her boots, tightening the laces to make the fit snug. She looked at the mask, shaking her head lightly before tucking it into a secure place in her belt.

Now it was time to add the weapons, and the grim smile returned. She had never expected, never planned to use these things again. Slowly, she added her boot daggers, thigh knives, samurai discs, crossbow, bolts, and both stun and laser guns. I feel like a fucking walking armory. You are, moron... that is the whole point. Now let’s go. We’ve got work to do.

Wonderful... I am now fully certifiable... arguing with myself at a time like this. Damn Valiant! Get your head on straight. Gwen is depending on you here.

That thought was enough to bring her back to herself with a start, and she grabbed the bag that held a few of the other toys she thought might be useful. Stepping out into the living area, she was surprised to find not only Tommy waiting for her, but Randall, Ella, and...."Uncle?"

The elder Mr. Steele came to stand in front of her, looking eye to eye. He awkwardly took her hands, and said quietly, "I’ve missed you, Randi. Welcome home." He pulled her into a brief, fierce hug. Now you go fetch that lovely young lady of yours. I owe her an apology."

The Marine raised her eyebrow in question, but there was really no time for answers. She would get them when she got back. She nodded an acknowledgment of his words, and he stepped back, allowing his grandson to take center stage.

"WUV!" The child yelled, and leapt into her arms. She caught him easily, cradling him gently for a long moment before kissing his head and handing him back to his mother. He struggled, unhappy with the transfer. Ella took him, and gently admonished the Sabre.

"You be careful, and ya’ll both come home safe." She reached up and pulled the dark head down, placing a kiss on her forehead as though in blessing.

Tommy didn’t say a word. He simply lifted the bag, and walked over to the door. He escorted her to the waiting shuttle, and only then did he release his hold on the bag. Now he took her in his embrace once more, and she returned it warmly, accepting the strength he offered. "Come home safely."

Randi stepped into the shuttle and stood at the door. Then she answered him with the thought she’d had earlier. "Either we’ll both come home, Tommy, or neither of us will."

He understood all too well why she said that, and he gave recognition to that fact with a nod and a small salute.

Then the shuttle doors closed, and she was making her return flight toward the capital city. The man stood there silently, watching the craft rapidly vanish from sight.

"Will she be all right, Tommy?" Ella’s question was soft. She had no desire to awaken the child who had just calmed down and fallen asleep. Her father-in-law gently pried the exhausted child from her grip, and continued back toward the Steele manse. Tommy waited until the older man had passed from hearing before he answered.

"One way or another they will, sweetheart." And Ella knew, by the look in his eyes, and the tears resting on his cheeks, that this was not going to be an easy vigil.

************

Jerry sat quietly at his desk, head cradled in his hands for a few minutes after his conversation with Geoff ended. When did I lose control? He groaned silently. When did I lose my honor? He took a deep breath, and came to a decision.

He turned to make a vid call, his attention momentarily caught by the woman who had been his compatriot for nearly thirty-five years. She stood at the window Randi had abandoned, looking out unseeing at the landscape in front of her. She had been in the same position for nearly half an hour.

"Kene?" He waited. "Kene?"

She didn’t turn, but answered him with a resigned tone. "Yes, General?"

He came to stand behind her... close enough to touch, but not crossing that line. "Kene, we’ve been friends for a very long time, and you’ve never lied to me. So I have to ask now... did you know Ben was in contact with Ghost Rider?"

Her shoulders slumped, knowing there was no good answer. "No Jerry, I really didn’t. We didn’t even talk on a regular basis; just if there was action somewhere or interesting Sabre news. He’s the only old buddy we have left from way back, besides Geoff, and I was pretty sure you kept in touch with him."

Neither of them heard Tiny McCall step into the room. The open door greatly aided his stealthy approach. He stood silently... listening.

"You’re right. I did. But up until Randi died, and Gwen went on her walkabout, we never discussed Sabre business outside of the few missions he was a part of."

"I was a fool."

"You were too trusting." The Commandant paused, thinking. "Did he ever talk to you... let you know things that were going on with him?"

The woman thought for a long moment. "Some. Nothing that would be helpful now though, I imagine."

Tiny pushed away from the door and spoke for the first time. "Did he ever mention any special places? Somewhere that could be used as a hiding place now?"

Both Sabres whirled away from the window at the first words from the Navy chief. He waited patiently with his arms crossed. Jerry crossed to sit on a corner of his desk. Kene closed her eyes and put her folded hands to her lips while she reviewed some of the information she and Ben had exchanged. She cringed inwardly as she realized how stupid and careless she had been. Finally, she opened her eyes and regarded the two men.

"I can only think of three possibilities." She drew a deep breath. "The first option would be his boat. As a Sabre, he never had to register it, and since he lives on an inlet, it would be very simple to launch it without anyone really noticing it."

Jerry moved around to sit at his desk once again. He dispatched a nearby Sabre to check this information.

"The second option is possible, though I’m inclined to dismiss it. It is a small cabin on a lake in the plains. He was telling me about it once when we were talking about comm upgrades. Said he’d never gotten reception quite like he did there."

"So what makes you want to dismiss it?" This from Tiny.

"It’s too wide open, from what he said. No good way to conceal someone, especially considering he had neighbors."

The two men nodded in agreement with her logical conclusion, and Jerry motioned for her to continue.

"The last... well, I think it would be the best place to take her. Especially if the idea is to keep her separated from the gunnery sergeant. Jerry, do you remember years ago, when we got a chance to study some of the old battlements? A few of the fortresses that remained after the Great War?"

The Commandant looked at her blankly for a minute, before comprehension lit up his eyes. "You think he took her to the mountain?"

"It seems the most logical place to go. You remember his fascination with the whole place, and it really wouldn’t be hard to upgrade the facilities. No one knows it’s there."

"Excuse me... hold on just a minute there. How can no one NOT know there is a mountain around?? That’s a pretty damned big object to try and hide."

"No, Tiny... you misunderstand. The mountain itself is hidden in plain sight. It is what is held within the mountain that no one remembers."

"And what secret does the mountain hold?

Reed appeared in the doorway as she asked her question. She had been resting on the couch in the adjoining room, but the conversation had gotten too interesting for her to remain out of it. The Sabre pilot was still drawn and pale looking, and Tiny immediately escorted her to the sofa along the far wall. Kene walked to the office door and shut it.

"What I say now, stays in this small group. Except for sharing it with Randi...."

"... and Geoff," the Navy man broke in. "We will be going with her."

The woman looked at him like he was nuts, before nodding her head in agreement. "He knows most of the story. It won’t hurt to fill him in on the details, but otherwise, everything stays between us. Years ago....

************

They had been young, and very drunk. The mission had been a success and they had all been glad to survive. So of course they had felt the need to celebrate. It had been their small unit--- Jerry, Geoff, Ben, Kene, Grace, and four Sabres who were no longer living to tell the tale. Their discussion turned to some of the wilder myths and theories they’d heard.

"I’m not kiddin’, man. It’s the gods honest truth."

"No way, dude. They were never that technologically advanced."

"I’m telling you, I’ve seen the plans."

This argument was taking place between Gunnery Sgt. Jerry Daetwyler and the usually silent Sgt. Ben Ha’amaen. Ben had a habit of never speaking until he was sure of his facts, and this made the others sit there and listen.

"All right then. This is something I want to see for myself."

After Grace had disappeared they managed to snag a copy of the plans for further study---not a difficult task considering the fortress had long since faded from public memory. It was some months later, after Ghost Rider had made her first attack, before they were able to get some time off together, and do a little investigating of their own. What they found....

************

"What we found was an impenetrable stronghold, which, though it was developed more than a century ago, was quite clever. If he has been able to fortify it, and modernize its systems...." She let the thought trail off as its implications sank in.

"I agree with you, Kene," Jerry finally spoke. It would be our best bet. Tiny...."

"Sir?"

"You and Geoff still have your uniforms with you correct?" knowing they had returned to the city directly from their last mission. The Chief nodded. "Good. I need you to go to Supply and get uniforms for Kene, Reed and myself. Grab whatever tools you think would be useful for this little expedition. Kene, you come with me. We need to find those plans and have them ready for Randi when she returns. Reed, you stay here and rest. We’ll need your piloting skills later."

Reed nodded, and promptly fell into a deep sleep. The two officers moved down the corridor toward the old record room. Tiny stood in the middle of the office, shaking his head at the bizarre turn of events. Then closing the door softly, he headed for Supply.

************

Geoff wore a bittersweet smile. It had been a long time since he and Jill had been quite so... furious in their lovemaking. Not that their sexual relationship was lacking, but with his wife knowing the danger he was walking into.... He smiled again. Quite the little tigress! He looked at the timepiece on the bedside stand again, and gently extricated himself from her arms.

"You leaving me already?"

He gently kissed her cheek, smiling into her sleepy eyes. "Yeah. I gotta get a quick shower and go. Randi should be back soon. And I’m expecting an important package at headquarters right about now too."

She didn’t say anything for a moment, though her eyes spoke volumes for her. And when she did, she gave a small nod of understanding and support. "I love you," cupping his cheek. "You stay safe and come home to me."

"I’ll do my best." It was the only promise he could make her.

He tucked the covers back in around her. I will not cry, she chanted to herself. I will not cry.

His shower was short, and it wasn’t long before he stood before her as the Sabre he had been... the Sabre he still was. She kissed him hard, and sent him on his way. The door closed gently. Then she broke down in tears over the mess she felt responsible for causing, scared of what the cost of fixing it would be.

************

Randi stood stock still as she re-entered Jeremy Daetwyler’s office at headquarters. There before her very eyes was a tableau she’d never thought to see. Tiny and the General were standing in the middle of a holo-mock up of... something. Kene and Geoff were talking quietly off to one side. Only Reed was silent, still resting on the couch. Each of them was in armor, weapons prominently displayed. On the large desk sat some of the items she’d seen in the weapons smith’s workshop.

She shook her head, trying to clear it, sure that what she thought she saw was coming from her imagination. There is no fucking way.... But at that very moment, the Commandant caught sight of her standing there, and welcomed her in.

"Randi, come in. Your troops are here, and we await your orders."

She looked at him, confused. Then the reality of his words hit home, and she shook her head again. "No, sir. I don’t think so. This is something I need to do alone."

"No, ma’am. I don’t think so. You went off alone once, and look where that got you. No, this time we do it by the book, and that means we’re your back up. Got it?"

She held his eyes for a long moment, before turning to look at the remainder of the team. Each of them, even Kene, made it clear she was not going anywhere without them. She dropped here eyes in defeat, though secretly she was grateful for the support. Around her rose a collective sigh of relief. The biggest hurdle had been crossed.

"Let us show you what we have so far." The group moved over to the holo-mockup. "Kene helped us narrow down the possibilities of where Ben has gone, and we all agree her conclusion is sound and logical. It is also going to be extremely risky to try to penetrate."

The Marine looked at the older woman with a bit of trepidation. While her head understood that this was a chance for the colonel to recover her honor, and try to make up for leaking information to the enemy (however unwittingly), her heart wasn’t nearly as forgiving and accepting of the circumstances. Randi turned her attention back to the Commandant.

He was, at the moment, waiting for the Marine to refocus on him. There was too much at stake for her to miss something. He understood well her ambivalence, feeling the same way---both about himself and Kene. But this was something they needed to do, both of them... as much for Gwen and Randi’s sakes as for their own.

He resumed speaking, the sharp three-dimensional visuals helping them to greatly understand the challenge that awaited them.

"So he has her inside the heart of the mountain." Randi was speaking, studying the holo, and trying to form a clear picture in her mind. She was still trying to digest all the information Jerry had given her.

"We think so, yes. This facility was carved into and beneath the mountain itself more than a hundred years ago. And it is part of this chain of mountains right here. The mountains make it difficult to reach, and the meadow area has been created at their base. The forest area ends here," pointing to an area a good mile from the mountain’s base. "And it’s a given that he will have put security measures out to stop you from coming in." The Marine nodded her head in agreement.

"Actually, I’ve got something that might help in that area." Geoff reached back to the desk, and removed a small box. "I’ve been working on some small prototypes of this for a while. Mike was good enough to go to the workshop, and send these out to me." He pulled out a small, mirrored device. "These can be set to reverse the polarity of any stream he has running, without disrupting their flow, and setting of internal alarms. Depending on what he’s got going, they could be pretty useful."

"This," holding up another object, "will arch any type of force field he has, without breaking it. Again, so as not to alert him to our presence."

Randi nodded her comprehension, impressed with the array of ‘toys’ they had available for this mission.

"I want one thing understood here." Randi captured the eyes of each team member. The air around her suddenly crackled with tension. "This bastard is mine. I will deal with decimating his ass. Is that understood?"

Every person in the room nodded their understanding. Geoff wanted to say something, not liking the look in her eyes. He could only hope they found Gwen alive and in good shape. He couldn’t imagine the cost to Randi’s soul otherwise.

Chapter III

Bright lights.

Searing pain.

Stark terror.

RANDI!!! No, gods, no!!! Please don’t have taken her away from me again!

Gwen had no way of knowing that the precise moment the sickening panic flooded her system, Randi was reacting to its gut wrenching intensity. She closed her eyes again, willing herself to calm down. The bard also had hoped this would alleviate some of the lancing pain splitting her head.

It seemed to help, and as the throbbing settled into a dull ache, she tried to take stock of her current situation. The last thing I remember is...

Ow! Ow! Damn, that was stupid! She eased back down on the pallet, thankful she hadn’t actually opened her eyes when she shot up so abruptly. Okay, I can think just as easily laying down with my eyes closed. All right, Gwen... let’s see if you can figure out what is going on here.

She remembered saying goodbye to Randi before the Sabre left for headquarters. She smiled in memory. Then she had been waiting for... "Uncle Ben?" The voice was a mere whisper, as realization came rushing back to her. What the hell?? But the pain in her head was growing too strong to ignore, and she decided to rest a bit longer before trying to sort things out. She was fairly certain that whatever had happened was serious, and would take quite some mulling to overcome. So her first matter of business was more rest so her head would hopefully stop pounding,.

************

The next time the green eyes opened, the bright light wasn’t nearly so blinding. It still forced her eyes to shut again, but was not accompanied by the intense pain she’d experienced the first time she’d tried it. Oh, yeah. That’s much better. All right, Love. I’m gonna hold on until you get here. Just hurry, will ya? She took a deep breath. Time to take stock.

The bard slowly opened her eyes a second time, taking stock of the world around her. Hmm, bright lights, yep... gray walls, okay... what else? The blonde head turned to survey the room.

Very... functional. Aside from the couch she was laying on (not the pallet she’d originally thought it to be), the room had gray carpet, a stark table and chairs, and a functional kitchenette. There were no wall coverings or pictures. Two doors on one wall led to what she presumed to be a sleeping area, and a bathroom. She’d check that out to be sure.

Slowly she sat up, not wanting to encounter the rush of pain or any dizziness. Happy that everything seemed o be functioning properly, the bard rose from the couch. It was then that a reality hit her squarely in the face. This room is old. The furnishings... the doors.... She stopped to inspect the solid wood that surrounded her. Hmm, well, it looks like the real stuff, and if it is, that makes this place at least a couple hundred years old.

She walked over to the nearest door, amazed by its heaviness when she pushed it open. Guess it is the real thing. Wonder where we are. Gwen squared her shoulders. Think I’ll finish my tour, and then go see what I can see. She was rather amazed at her own calm. She was fairly certain it would take a while for Randi to get to them, even with the tracer chip. And it was apparent for the moment anyway that Ben had no intention of doing her any great harm, aside from keeping me apart from Randi, that is.

Now curiosity about why she had been brought here, and the manner in which it had been accomplished, got the better of her. She decided to seek out the man in question, and ask him directly. The blonde turned away from the door that had given her a glance into a neat, if stark, bedroom, and walked to the door opposite. As she suspected, it was a door leading to a hallway. She closed the door behind her, and stood listening for a minute. Then she turned to the left, and headed down the corridor toward the sounds coming from that direction.

************

"Did you locate the chip?" Randi was speaking as they loaded their gear and themselves onto the shuttle. Reed was doing her pre-flight checks. Jerry was the last to enter, and he closed the bay door behind himself, settling into a seat.

"Yeah, pretty much what we expected. His transport was found in a field not far from here. The chip was inside." He noticed the white knuckles of her clenched hands. "There was no blood or other evidence to show she had been hurt in any way."

"And we have no reason to believe he would harm her." Geoff’s hands were almost the color of hers. It was as if speaking the words aloud would make them true in his mind. "We’ve been friends for years, and he always adored Gwen."

"Yeah, right up til now. Amazing how I continue to screw up Gwen’s life." The bitterness in Randi’s voice was a surprise to all of them, but only Geoff answered her.

"No, Randi. You complete Gwen’s life, just as she completes yours. And when we get back from this, we will all be at your... um, reception with bells on. What Ben did... what he is doing, is his own choice." The man’s voice broke for a second, before he steadied it and resumed. "He will be the one who has to live with the consequences."

The Marine realized he was suffering as well, and addressed the unspoken part of his speech. "He will be the only one to pay for this."

It was silent for a time after that, before Jerry spoke again. "By the way, Randi. I heard back from the Sabre who visited Ben’s home. It’s clean. And the boat is still in the dock. So everything points to this being the right destination."

It’d better be. There are no points for second place. And we’re not gonna get a second chance at this.

************

"ARES!!! You self-righteous little bastard!! What in Tartarus do you think you’re doing???"

The dark god stepped from his domain, and met his sister with a smug smile on his face. "Problems, Aphrodite?"

"You know good and damned well I’ve got problems. You’re the one causing them!!" She poked him periodically, emphasizing her words.

"Excuse me?" He grasped her fingers none too gently, and pushed her slightly away from him.

The blonde goddess narrowed her eyes and put her hands on her hips. She was immediately joined by her two sisters, who stood in precisely the same positions slightly behind and to either side of her. "Don’t fuck with me Ares. You know the rules. And I claimed them millennia ago. So stay away from them." The three women didn’t wait for his response. They simply disappeared, headed to chambers to find a solution for the misery the unforeseen interference was causing.

"Too little, too late, Little Sister."

************

Gwen was quick to realize that finding her way through the maze this place was would take weeks without a map to guide her. She could find no identifying marks anywhere that were helpful. Well, hopefully, I won’t be here long enough for it to matter. It did disconcert her more than a little though, that after all the trouble Ben had taken to get her to... wherever *here* was, that there wasn’t some sort of security that she could identify. Though, given the fact that I have no idea where I am or where I am going makes it pretty secure, I guess. Oh, Randi, please hurry. This is more than a little creepy. The bard rubbed her ring in reassurance. She looked down at it for a long moment, then slipped it from her finger. The pain that act caused was palpable, and she drew in a deep breath to try to alleviate the worst of it. When it had passed to a tolerable level, she untucked and removed the chain she always wore around her neck. She slid the ring onto it, and clasped it again, securely tucking it under her shirt. I’m sorry, love. You’ll put it on me again, but for now....

She couldn’t have explained the urge that had compelled her to take such drastic action, but for now, she had to go with her gut. With another deep breath, she once again headed toward the only sounds of human occupation she’d heard in this place.

Another couple minutes, and she stood outside a door that did not slide open at her approach. How decidedly odd, she thought and proceeded to knock. She heard the scan rather than felt it, and seconds later the open door granted her admittance into the inner sanctuary.

The bard halted in her tracks, just inside the door. She looked around with mouth agape and eyes wide. What the hell?? Unconsciously, she put a hand to her chest to slow her now rapid heartbeat. The reassurance of the ring was calming, and she took another step inside. And stopped, as she felt, saw and heard the second scan take place.

The room she had entered was huge. Easily high enough to be a legitimate theatre, and long enough to host several sporting games simultaneously. One wall held a bank of monitors; another had a large holo field in play. The front wall was a huge holo map of the entire globe. She actually found that to be quite fascinating. There were several banks of computers. All the chairs sat empty.

Ben stood up in the corner, where he had been crouched tinkering with some of the new equipment. "Ah, my dear. You found your way here. Excellent! Come, let me show you around."

His manner baffled her. Gwen was certain he was a threat to her and Randi, yet now he was the same cordial man she had known for years. She decided to play it cool. Any information she could gather could only be useful. Right?

"Impressive, isn’t it?" He motioned to the holo map. "I have brought the technology up to date, but many of the original concepts are still in place." He waved to the holo wall. "This was not here, of course. They weren’t capable of this sort of thing when this fortress was created. But it really wasn’t that difficult to add."

"What does it do?"

"It gives me a three dimensional view of the perimeter here."

"Is that necessary?" The bard felt a sinking feeling hit her in the guts. It was apparent he was ready to intercept anything that interfered with whatever his plans were. And the fact that he referred to this place as a fortress didn’t bode well either.

"Oh, yes. You see, though I don’t know how she could figure it out, I actually expect your friend Randi to come after you. She’s shown herself to be incredibly gifted, and very, very lucky. And while I do want her to eventually find you, I don’t want it to happen too soon." His eyes darkened. "You see, I owe her, and you’re going to be my payback."

Gwen slowly backed away from him, careful to stay out of his reach. He laughed, a chilling sound that skittered up and down the bard’s spine. "Do you really think running away from me will help you, Gwen? This place is impenetrable. There is no escape for you, my dear."

"Why, Uncle? What did I ever do to you?" She felt her back hit solid wall, and she shuddered as he drew nearer. The bard continued to hold his gaze, however, and he felt a brief moment of regret for what she was going to have to endure.

He gently caressed her face, and she made a visible effort not to flinch away from him. "Honestly, Gwen. This is not personal and has nothing to do with you directly. You simply made a poor choice in love, and there is now a price to be paid. For what it’s worth, I am sorry you have to be involved."

"So am I." She pushed away from him and ran to the door, only to be held up by the scanner. It concerned her more than a little that he did not attempt to stop her. Then the door slid open, and she left room.

The blonde wandered the hallways for a while. She found that this level was mostly the Command and Control Center, and what appeared to be Senior Officer quarters. She found several elevators, but none of them seemed to be working. It did show her however, that they were at the bottom level of whatever place they were at. Finally, she managed to arrive back in the quarters she’d vacated earlier. To her surprise, now that she’d been around the complex a bit, she found that she was actually quite close to the control room. She wasn’t sure whether or not to be relieved by that prospect.

She moseyed into the kitchen area, not really hungry, but quite curious. The cabinets were fully stocked, as was the refrigerator. The bard took out a bottle of water, and moved to continue her search. Something occurred to her right about then, and she took a seat on the couch. She assumed a meditation pose, closed her eyes and focused, trying to recall the details of the Command & Control. The truth of the situation was clear to her within two minutes, but she remained still for almost half an hour. Besides not giving her discovery away, it allowed her to concentrate on Randi. These thoughts brought a small smile to her lips, and she was more relaxed when she stood and retrieved her water.

She looked around carefully now, noting each spot where a vid cam was recording. She walked to the bathroom, pleased with the large tub, and glad that Ben was decent enough to allow her privacy here. She started the water running, and moved to the bedroom. The vid cam in this room was slightly different, allowing her to be monitored in the dark clearly. It was also in a place that could be easily covered. Bad move, Uncle. I don’t know what your game is yet, but you’re not gonna win. I have a wedding date coming up that I’m not about to miss. Especially considering what it took to get us there.

The bard took a robe from the closet, and walked back into the bathroom. May as well be comfortable. It’s gonna take a little time to figure all of this out. Her thoughts turned toward Randi. Be safe, my love. And be careful. I love you. We’ll get through this, and be stronger together for it. She closed the door and stripped, settling down for a long soak.

************

Far sooner than she expected, Randi felt the shuttle drop and come to a halt. She rose and moved to the cockpit, lifting her brow in inquiry at Reed. "Problem?"

"Possibly. I think we may have triggered some sort of security alarm."

"This far out? What makes you think so?"

"I got a brief blip on the console. I need to run a diagnostic to see what we’re dealing with."

"How long?"

"Depends on what I find." She held up a hand to forestall the argument she knew was coming. "I know, I know. I’ll be quick." The seer reached out and took the Marine’s large hand in her own strong grasp. "We’re gonna get her back, Randi. I promise."

The tall woman smiled through the tears that had pooled in her blue eyes. She clenched her jaw tightly for a very long moment. She swallowed, willing the tears away, then spoke. "You promise, huh?"

"Yeah, I do. Cause this is important to all of us. More than you know."

Randi sensed the serious intent behind the pilot’s words, but now was not the time to get into it. She simply nodded her head. "Let me know what you find out."

"You’ll know as soon as I do, my friend."

The Marine nodded again and left the cockpit. Tiny took her place. "What are we looking at?"

"I’m not sure yet," Reed answered, "but stay here. I could use an extra pair of eyes."

************

"How are you doing, Geoff?" With Tiny and Reed up front, Jerry and Kene had moved to the rear of the shuttle, ostensibly rechecking their weapons and supplies. This put Randi and this weapons smith alone together in the middle of the vehicle, and the Marine took advantage of their relative privacy to check on her soon-to-be father-in-law.

He smiled sadly at her. "I was just going to ask you the same thing."

She looked away from his gaze, unwilling for him to see the depth of her pain. "She is my source, Geoff. If he so much as harms a hair on her head...." She paused and shook her head, looking down at the floor before refocusing her sights on him. "I know the best way to devastate a person is to take away what they love the most, but... Geoff, do you think he’ll...." An audible swallow before she looked away again. "Do you think he’ll destroy her?" Unable or unwilling to mention the variety of ways he could accomplish such a feat.

The man sat there silently for a long time, unsure of the right thing to say. Finally, he spoke from his heart. "Ya know, Randi, I’d like to think Ben has retained some of his natural affection for Gwen. But regardless of what he plans to do... our job is not to speculate on his intentions, but simply stop them." He stopped, gathering his thoughts. "And we will stop him, Randi. Gwen is a very strong young woman. I saw that strength grow in her after you died. She will be all right until we get there."

"I hope you’re right, Geoff." The Marine struggled from her seat, and moved to the hatch. "Because I don’t have her strength. I won’t make it without her."

Randi stepped outside and moved away from the shuttle. A little space and some fresh air would be a welcome respite right now. And the peace of the surrounding countryside might be a soothing balm to her aching soul.

************

"It’s very soothing out here, isn’t it?" Kene questioned as she walked toward the Marine. Randi had heard her approach, but had hoped the other woman would simply leave her alone. For her part, Kene debated a long time about disturbing her fellow Sabre. Randi had made it quite clear her desire to be left alone. And the colonel had respected that for a while. But there were still some issues to be worked out between them if they were going to work together as a team. So the dark woman took her courage in her hands, and went searching for Randi.

She wasn’t surprised that the Marine ignored her until she had spoken directly to her. The colonel watched the minute struggle warring in Randi’s body and soul before good manners took hold and forced the gunnery sergeant around to face her.

"Something I can help you with?" Kene noticed the lack of name or title anytime the younger woman was forced to interact with her. It rankled a bit, but she chose to let it lie for the moment. Randi had enough issues to deal with right now.

"No." The colonel moved closer to Randi. "I just wanted to check on you." She paused, contemplating her words before continuing. "In a very different way, I understand exactly how you feel."

The Marine didn’t make a verbal response, but it was clear from her body language that she really didn’t believe Kene’s words. "You see, for a very long time, I thought that Jerry took Grace away from me. So I know what it feels like to have the one you care about...."

"NO!" Randi whirled on the colonel, forcing her to take a step back. "No, you don’t understand. Grace and Gwen are nothing alike! Don’t you dare begin to compare them." She turned her back to the other woman, refusing to look at her any longer. Kene sighed, and took a seat some distance from the Marine, keeping her eyes on the vista in front of her.

"You misunderstood me. I wouldn’t presume to compare them, as I really don’t know Gwen. I was comparing us." She didn’t flinch when Randi turned her forceful gaze back to her. The dark woman merely kept her eyes focused in the distance. "I know I don’t understand everything you’re going through right now, but I do understand a little of it, and I can sympathize completely. We’re going to get her back." She paused, then continued in an almost whisper. "I’m sorry." Now it was her turn to turn her back. "I feel responsible for this, and I never would have had anything like this happen to anyone in a million years."

"Yeah, well it did," the Marine snarled.

"I know, but we will do whatever it takes to finish this." She paused, debating internally before she finally decided to continue. "You will probably never forgive me for this... I doubt I will ever forgive myself. It’s time Jerry and I cleaned up a mess we apparently left undone years ago. Thank you for giving us the opportunity." She didn’t give the tall woman a chance to respond to this. Instead, Kene turned and walked back toward the shuttle, leaving Randi to her solitude once more.

"Hang on, Little One. I’m coming."

************

She dressed slowly after her bath. It was actually a bit unnerving to find a closet full of clothes that had obviously been put there for her benefit. Wonder how long he’s been planning this. She yawned, suddenly overcome with exhaustion. Think I’ll take a short nap. I’ll figure out what to do next when I get up. She crawled in bed and pulled the covers up, asleep before her head hit the pillow. She had no way of knowing that Ben had laced her water to induce sleep, thus making it easier for him to begin his work with her. And her fatigue fogged brain forgot to cover the vid cam.

He smiled gleefully as he watched her breathing slow and deepen. It was time.

************

Randi knew by her stride that Reed wasn’t coming out with good news. The fact that Tiny kept a supporting hand on the seer’s shoulder was even less comforting.

"We have a problem." Reed spoke with no preamble. "We are grounded."

The Marine looked at the pilot, and then at the huge man standing behind her, disbelief clear on her features. "Excuse me? I KNOW I didn’t just understand you to say what I think I heard come out of your mouth."

"It’s true, Randi. We can’t take off again." He heaved a deep sigh. "The blip? It was a virus. Technically, we should have crashed... would have had not Reed caught the blip. It is designed to detonate 10 seconds after it’s introduction into the system. It takes it that long to spread through the entire network."

"Then....?" motioning to the still intact shuttle.

"When we shut down immediately, it stopped the spread. But restarting the shuttle...."

"... would cause the virus to resume its journey, and would cause a very messy explosion." Randi blew out a breath and scratched the back of her neck as she turned away. "DAMMIT!!" flinging her arm in frustration. She sighed again and her shoulders sagged. "How far?"

"Best possible speed? Three days."

"FUCK!!" The Sabre stood stock still for a moment, gathering her strength. Then she turned around and faced her two compatriots. "All right then. We’ve got no time to waste. Let’s move." She led the way back to the vehicle with long, precise steps. "All right, people. Get your gear together. We move out in five minutes."

She moved away to her own equipment, and began to don everything she would need for the coming journey. The others, though they had questions, followed her lead in silence. They knew they would find out what they needed to know in due time. In the meantime, it was obvious the game plan had changed, and they just needed to go with the flow. No one said a thing about the fact that it was only a couple hours until sundown. This was urging Randi on, and most of them had learned to respect her gut instincts. Even now, when they knew what was driving those instincts, they responded to her leadership.

It took three minutes for each individual to be suited up and ready. Holo map in hand, Randi motioned for them to fall in and move out. "Keep your eyes open," she cautioned. "I don’t want anyone getting hurt on my watch, and we all know he’s gonna be ready for us."

The group nodded its collective heads in agreement, and dropped into Sabre formation. It was going to be a long three days.

************

They hadn’t been gone more than an hour from the shuttle when they heard the muted explosion in the distance.

"So, it is a good thing we didn’t argue her decision to push on," Tiny commented sotto voce to his lover. "We would all be dead now if we had stayed there."

Reed looked square into his face. "*We* would be, but I think he knows *she* wouldn’t."

"What?

"Think about it, Tiny. He hasn’t advertised his whereabouts, but he has done nothing to hide them, either. I think it’s safe to say at this point, that his agenda calls for her to find them, eventually."

"I’m not following you here, hon."

The seer sighed. "You’re right. This probably isn’t making too much sense. But...." She paused. "What little bit I can sense, added to what we know about Ha’amaen, points to one thing. He wants Randi to find them eventually, so he can take his revenge personally. He’s not gonna make it easy, but he fully expects her to survive."

"And does he realize she will kill him when she finds them?"

The Sabre scrunched up her brows in thought. "That doesn’t seem to be a concern. He wants revenge... he wants justice, to his mind. I...." She trailed off. "I can’t shake the feelings of dread. This could go badly so easily, and in so many ways."

"Then we’ll just do our best to keep that from happening."

"I hope we can, lover. I truly hope we can."

Conversation dried up then, as they each fell into their own contemplative thoughts.

************

The man leaned back, the pressure points in place. He would wait for the bard to awaken, and then would begin the slow methodical process of taking her memories of Randi away.

************

Darkness had fallen completely before Randi called a halt. She was loathe to do so, but couldn’t justify the risk to her team. With swift efficiency, the six set up camp. Randi was set to take the first watch when....

"I don’t think so, Gunny. We all know what you’ll do, and no one here is prepared to let you risk it. We’ll keep watch. You go get some rest."

"I thought I was in command here," the Marine growled, furious at their presumption.

"You are, but it is our job to protect you, especially from yourself. Gwen is gonna need you when we reach her, and by God, I’m gonna make sure you’re there for her." Geoff was the one speaking, and Randi couldn’t help but cave-in to his wishes on the matter. She looked deep into his eyes for a long moment, their souls speaking of shared agony. She nodded once to him, acceding to his request, both spoken and otherwise.

"Thanks, Geoff." She moved off to the tent and crawled inside, knowing sleep would be an elusive thing until Gwen was safe in her arms once again.

************

"But, Master...."

"I said, NO. What part of that did you not understand? I want her to remember Randi. I just don’t want her to remember what they had together. She spent years not understanding the truth in her heart. I want that for her again."

"Why don’t you just do a god thing then? Wouldn’t that be easier?"

The dark god whirled on the man, stopping a hairsbreadth from knocking him across the room. Anger had no place here... not right now anyway. Besides, the former Sabre had a valid point.

"Of course it would be easier. It would also be breaking the rules, and believe me, the punishment for that is not worth the ease of ‘doing a god thing’, as you so aptly describe it." He shuddered in memory at the price he had paid for breaking the rules with these two particular souls before. "Once you make her forget, shrouding her heart again will be child’s play."

Ben shook his head in confusion. There were too many rules and nuances to those rules that he didn’t even begin to understand. But he had felt the shudder that had run through Ares’ form, and knew that whatever else, the god would protect himself from retribution.

"So, as long as she doesn’t remember, keeping her feelings hidden is okay?"

"No one knows they’re being hidden. That’s the best part. All anyone will know is that she no longer remembers Randi as her soulmate."

"Very well, Master. It will be almost more painful for Valiant to have her as a friend, but unable to claim her as a lover." Ben mused aloud to himself. "Oh yes. This could work out even better than I hoped. Very well Master," he repeated. "Thy will be done."

Ares nodded his head once, and disappeared in a shimmer of light. The man moved back into the bard’s bedroom where she remained in a deep, drug-induced sleep. "Tomorrow, my dear. Everything will change for you tomorrow.

In his excitement over the near completion of his revenge, he failed to notice the hand she had clenched up near her neck. Its significance would have been missed by him completely anyway. He had no way of knowing the outcome of the fray he had just entered rested in the palm of Gwen’s hand.

************

An hour before dawn Randi rose, unable to continue the farce of pretending to sleep any longer. She crawled out of the tent quietly, careful not to disturb those around her who might actually be getting a little sleep. Not that she really thought anyone was, but still, they all need rest for the long day ahead.

Tiny was on guard duty, and he raised a cup at her in silent question when she emerged. She nodded, and he poured her some. She smiled her thanks, cupping her hands around the mug for warmth. Even in the dog days of late summer, morning in the foothills of the mountains tended to be chilly.

Time passed between them silently for a while. He moved to start breakfast, knowing the sounds and smells would bring the others.

By the time the sun was reaching tentative fingers across the horizon, the camp was packed and ready to go. Randi smiled grimly, and the troupe took up their march once more.

************

"Come, my dear. Rise and shine."

The voice that tickled her back to awareness wasn’t the one that she’d grown to love and trust. She hesitated to open her eyes, knowing the truth would come home harshly to nest the moment she did. Instead, she kept them firmly closed, her mind’s eye tracing the features she had come to know so well. He can’t take this away from me. I won’t let him.

Gwen turned onto her side, away from the vid cam she suddenly remembered she hadn’t covered. She clutched the pillow to her more tightly, physically tracing the lines she could only feel in her memories. She clasped the ring in her hand, reminding herself of their history.

After half an hour, she turned onto her back and stretched. She felt stronger for the time she had spent focused on Randi and their love for one another. Amazingly, Ben had not bothered her again once she had pointedly turned away from his voice. It’s almost as though he knows he’s gonna win, so there’s no real rush to do... whatever it is he is planning. She felt a tendril of true fear creep up her spine. But we’re not gonna let him win, are we, love? I love you, Randi. I’m gonna be strong til you get here. Just get here soon, okay? She scooped up the robe and moved to take a shower. It was time to meet the day head on.

Chapter IV

It was slow going, and tensions were running high. More than once they had been forced to slow to a crawl or stop altogether to work through some clever little trap the former Sabre had laid against intruders. Tiny had a nice slice cutting a path down the length of one thigh, and Kene had a deep gash across one shoulder. The rest were tired, bruised, and decidedly cranky.

When darkness fell completely, it found them camped in a well-hidden dell. It was comfortably silent, given the circumstances, and dinner had been companionable. The single regen unit they had was already working its magic on Tiny’s leg, but it was going to take the small unit far longer than they had to erase the wound. For now, they would have to settle for mostly healed.

Randi now sat somewhat apart from the rest, going over in her mind again and again what she could have done, should have done to prevent this. And what she was going to do when Gwen was out of the madman’s clutches, and safe in her arms again.

"All the remorse in the world isn’t going to change things, you know." Jerry’s voice startled her out of her reverie, and though she made no effort to welcome him, she didn’t send him away either. "You can’t worry about the should haves, what ifs or if onlys. And you can’t let revenge become your focus either. You need to concentrate on the here and now, and keeping Gwen safe. The rest will take care of itself."

She didn’t deign to answer him, not really sure what response to make. Instead, she kept her eyes on the tiny glow sticks that had been placed around their perimeter for warmth and a bit of light.

He sat down near, though not next to her. "That sounds ridiculous, coming from me especially, I’m sure. It is probably the one lesson I have had pounded into my brain in the last eighteen months. I can’t continue to retrace and regret the choices I made. I can only go on from here and hopefully learn from the mistakes I’ve made." He hesitated. "This is my responsibility to clean up. I’m not going to let others suffer from it or because of it any longer."

Randi saw no reason to comment, and they continued to sit in silence together for a few minutes before he rose. "I’ve got second watch, so I’m gonna turn in." He looked at her. "You should probably do the same."

She looked at him then, and nodded minutely. "Good night, sir."

He took her dismissal for what is was, and moved away to the tent. Geoff noticed the vacant seat next to the Marine. He walked over and took a seat, keeping a vigilant eye on the perimeter. They sat quietly for a time, before the weapons smith looked at her, then looked away.

"How’re you doing?"

"I’ve been better, Geoff. You?"

"We’re gonna get through this, Randi. You’ll see."

She whirled on him in a display of fear and rage. "Will we, Geoff? Will we? How can you be sure? How do you know everything is gonna be all right? My God, how can you stand to be near me, knowing I am the cause of all this. *I’m* the one who put Gwen’s life in danger, Geoff! Me!"

The Marine stomped off into the darkness before he could utter a word in reply. He sat debating for a long moment over his options.

"Best to leave her alone, I think." Reed’s voice preceded her body by scant seconds. "She’s teetering on the edge of her self-control."

"But...."

"Trust me on this one, Geoff. Let her be." She looked at him hard with eyes burning silver in the night. He nodded his head in agreement, and moved away to do a perimeter check.

"Be safe, my friend," the seer muttered to the darkness.

************

Gwen’s day started incongruously enough. After her shower, she wandered to the kitchen, fixing herself a bit of breakfast and cleaning up. Finally, unable to stand the closeness of her room, she meandered down the hallway, still looking for a way out. Though she knew that Randi was coming, it did not lessen her desire to escape. She didn’t want to endure whatever it was that Ben had in store for her, and quite frankly, the suspense was killing her.

He waited for her to near the clinic before he beckoned her, his voice pitched to draw her in like a siren’s song. Helplessly, her body responded, while her mind screamed silently in denial. No! NO! I don’t want to do this. He’s going to hurt me! NO! But even as these thoughts crossed her mind, her feet carried her over the threshold into his waiting arms.

"Very well, my dear. It is time to make you forget."

"Forget? Forget what?’ She struggled over the words, as though her body was no longer her own to control, and her mind had taken a leave of absence. What is happening to me?

"What Randi means to you, of course." He spoke to her as though she was a child, asking a question whose answer was obvious.

"No! NO! You can’t do that!" She tried to fight against him, but her body failed to obey her commands. The pressure points he had put into place were doing their job admirably. "You can’t do that," she repeated. "She is everything to me!!"

"Now, don’t you worry, my dear. This won’t hurt a bit." He grinned evilly. "Well, it won’t hurt you. You won’t remember it." The sneer became a grimace. "But it will be a down payment to your lover as payback for the grief and pain she has caused my son and I."

"Your son? You have a son?" Her voice sounded thin and far away to her own ears.

"Yes, and he is poised to take his mother’s place, since Miranda Valiant destroyed her."

The bard shook her head uncomprehendingly, the pieces of the puzzle making no sense to her fogged mind. "But what about Sam? I thought he was your partner."

"Sam is my partner as well as my very dear friend. Grace was also my lover as well as the mother of my child."

"But...."

"Sam and I have a very open relationship, Gwen. And Grace and I gave something to each other we would never have had otherwise. Now," abruptly and effectively ending the conversation, "close your eyes and relax. This will be over relatively quickly, and will be painless for you."

Against her conscious will, Gwen felt her eyes close, and she relaxed into his tender ministrations. Ben spared her a brief glance of remorse, then quickly got down to business. This was going to be more satisfying than his original plan in more ways then he could fathom.

************

The walls had been put in place very effectively the night before, and as the team gathered itself together for its second day of travel, they noticed the change. Randi spoke to no one, and her eyes had taken on a slate hardness that none of them could penetrate. With a brief nod to the assembly, she turned and started out toward the mountain they could barely see outlined in the distance.

She pushed them hard, the roiling in her gut sending spasms through her body in aching cramps. Her jaw clamped firmly shut, she tried desperately to ignore the pain in her heart. Something was terribly wrong. And her anxiousness to get to Gwen was going to cost her, and her team, dearly.

On towards afternoon, shortly after a rushed lunch that barely allowed them a pit stop, all hell broke loose.

It started simply. Reed, in the lead for the moment, stepped carefully around one trap, only to be caught firmly in the second, more agonizing one. Sharp tines flew at her, and given her height, hit her squarely in the eyes. She screamed in agony as she went down.

In his haste to get to her, Geoff, who had been right behind her, triggered the trap she had avoided. With blinding speed, a crude mace slammed into his back. His spine shattering echoed eerily in the sudden stillness, and he crumpled in an unconscious heap.

The remainder of the team, frozen as the events played out in slow motion in front of them, came to life. Even more cautiously now, they still moved forward quickly to come to the aid of their fallen comrades.

Tiny reached his lover’s side, gently prying her hands away from her eyes. She was curled into a tight fetal position, and it made his task doubly difficult. With infinite patience, the large man drew her hands back, unable to contain the gasp that escaped his lips at the sight that met his gaze. Diminutive, sharpened quills, dozens of them, were embedded in her eyes and upper face. Blood oozed from each and every one, creating a puddle beneath her head. Gently, the large man hit several pressure points, easing the woman into a deeply unconscious state.

Randi went straight to Geoff’s side, giving a prayer of silent thanks for his already comatose condition. A quick scan indicated several fractures along his spine, and the Marine cursed roundly for a long moment. She beckoned Kene and Jerry to her.

"Which of you has the med kit?" The colonel moved to pull it from her pack. "Jerry, you stay here with Geoff. If he shows signs of coming to, give us a call." Randi looked to the other woman and motioned with her head. "C’mon. Reed needs immediate attention."

Kene didn’t say anything, but moved to kneel beside the seer. It was only because of sheer willpower and biting her lip almost through that the small, dark woman managed to contain her gasp of horror. Instead, she withdrew a bottle, water tablet and saline pills, and mixed them together efficiently. Gently, she began to wash away the blood.

Randi looked into Tiny’s eyes, which were filled with unshed tears. "I’m sorry, Tiny. I wouldn’t have had this happen for anything."

"I know, Randi. No guilt, my friend. We knew the risks. She’ll be all right." He said it aloud as though to convince himself and Reed of that reality as much as to reassure his Marine friend of it.

Kene had finished her first rinsing, and looked toward them. "We need to make her more comfortable. And I need her head turned so I can remove the spines. Tiny, you’ll need to hold her still. Even unconscious, she may struggle against us."

Randi cut in. "Do you need me for anything?’

Kene was stunned by the question. "Um, no. Not right now I don’t think."

"Good, I got work to do."

"Huh?" Kene couldn’t see what was more important than what they were doing.

The Marine pointed toward a bank of dark, low clouds in the near distance. "I need to get the shelter built. It looks like we may need it soon."

"Yikes!"

"Yeah." With a squeeze of encouragement to Tiny’s shoulder, Randi moved to get started.

************

Thunder was rumbling ominously close by the time Randi had things set up. She brought out the collapsible hover bed they carried, and moved it over to Geoff. "I hate to do this, but we’ve got no choice." Slowly and carefully, they eased the bed beneath the weapons smith’s broken and twisted frame. Still in a deep coma, the man never felt the action taking place around him.

Meanwhile, Kene had finished pulling out the small spikes, and was once more cleaning Reed’s eyes and face. Satisfied she had done what she could, she nodded to the large man still maintaining his hold on his lover. He tenderly scooped the seer up into his arms, and moved to put her into the tent.

The first fat drops of rain started falling just as Randi and Jerry finished easing Geoff’s body onto the hover bed. With activation, the device started humming, and rose slightly from the ground. Just as the pallet rose to waist level, the bottom dropped out of the sky.

"Perfect," Randi muttered. "Just fucking perfect."

They moved quickly over the ground, but were still drenched by the time they reached the tent flap. The colonel ushered them inside, giving them each a dryer unit while she went to look at Geoff. She closed her eyes and breathed a silent prayer for him when she saw the damage that had been done to his spinal column. Then she set to drying his clothes to keep him from catching a chill. Her still damaged shoulder ached from the strain, but she finished, and pulled a light blanket up over him.

"Rest, my friend."

Satisfied that her two patients were as comfortable as they could be at the present moment, given the circumstances, Kene moved to the opposite corner of the enclosure, and motioned the rest to join her.

"We have a problem."

At this statement, the rest looked at her as though a gorgon had grown out of her head and was sticking its tongue out at them. She realized what the looks were for almost immediately, and held up a hand to stop the obvious comments.

"No, I mean beyond the noticeable one," gesturing at their two fallen comrades.

"She’s right," Randi replied. "We have one very small regen unit, and presently no way to get a shuttle to our location. Even if we call for help, we’re a good two days walk to the closest perimeter where transportation can land. Added to all this, Ben still has Gwen, and that’s easily another day and a half of travel from this location. And that’s only if we don’t run into anymore trouble."

"Our best bet is gonna be to split up. One of you can go with me, the other two can stay here."

"Now wait just a damn minute...."

"Hold on a second...."

"Are you out of your mind?"

Randi held up a hand, her blue gaze burning a hole in each of them until they sat quietly. "I don’t see the need for discussion or debate here, except to decide who goes and who stays. I’m going to get Gwen out, and I’ll do it alone if I have to."

"No, there’s no need for discussion." Kene was quick to break into the debate before it got rolling. "I am the qualified medic. I will stay. However, I don’t see a need for either of these two to hang around waiting for you to get back. Take them both with you. We’ll be all right here."

"And how do you propose to stand watch, hmm?" The softly spoken words were biting nonetheless.

"I don’t." The colonel was frank in her answer. "No one has come after us. And I don’t think he knows or cares about the rest of us being out here with you anyway, so I’m fairly certain that he’s not gonna send anyone or anything after us. Besides which, everything he’s done so far points to this being about you and him, and that he’s working alone. I don’t think we’re in that much danger of him coming after us."

"And I suppose Reed and Geoff laying unconscious over there is just a figment of my over-active imagination, huh? When did you decide to start thinking?"

"That’s enough, Sergeant." Jerry’s voice broke in firmly. "There is no reason for you to be this way with any of us. We’re on your side after all, remember? Besides, Kene could always trigger a medical containment field if danger was threatening. A temporary solution, but one that would work."

The Marine made no verbal answer, though the look she gave him could have seared his skin with its heat. Instead, she walked over and picked up her pack, hoisted it, and paced to the door. The weight of guilt was heavy in her eyes now, and it gave her the appearance of profound sadness. "The fact is, Jerry, that I should have done this alone. No one would have gotten hurt then."

She made a move to exit the shelter, but was held up by Tiny’s large hand on her arm. "Not this time, my friend. We all volunteered for this assignment. Each for our own reasons to be sure, but you need us as much as we need to be here. Now let us help... let us do our part."

She looked at him then, his eyes dark in the dim light of the interior. The sound of the rain cascading down in sheets was the only sound that could be heard while the two of them communicated silently. Though she didn’t understand the exact reasoning behind the thoughts he was sharing, Randi felt that Tiny was the guardian to secrets that she would find out later. She nodded her acceptance, and set the pack down, moving away from where the Army officers sat.

"Ya’ll decide whatever. I’m leaving out at daylight or when the rain stops, whichever comes first." She deliberately turned her back on all of them, and settled down to rest.

Tiny looked at her sadly for a long moment before returning to sit with Jerry and Kene. He opened his mouth to make an excuse for her behavior until he felt a hand on his arm. He looked to the colonel, whose dark eyes held warm understanding. "It’s all right, Tiny. I was wondering how long it was gonna take for her to crack. She’s holding herself together by sheer grit. She’s a remarkable individual put under an enormous amount of stress. Most of us would have snapped long before now."

"Thank you for understanding."

"Oh, understanding her losing it was easy. Trying to comprehend how she’s managed to hold it all together for so long was the hard part." She smiled. "We’re gonna get Gwen back, and you are both gonna go with her to ensure that happens."

Tiny looked over at the general, noting he did not dispute nor argue with his subordinate’s words. He cast a glance toward Randi’s stiff back, then shifted his gaze to his still unconscious lover. He leaned in toward the other two, and lowered his voice. "Reed told me something I think you are both entitled to know." Twin heads moved nearer, so as not to miss his low-spoken words.

"It is imperative that we get the two of them together soon. The feelings she has been getting are, um... well...." He pulled on his ear slightly, trying to figure out a way to explain something he had difficulty understanding. "You both know that Reed sees emotions, feelings. She can also sense emotions connected with the future, if they are exceptionally strong." He sighed, gathering his thoughts again. "Gwen and Randi, to use her words, are two parts to a single whole. They balance one another, and that, believe it or not, affects much of the world around us. She’s, well, let’s just say that she’s more than a little concerned over what the results would be if that balance is lost."

They each sat silently for a time after that, contemplating his words. Jerry broke the silence. "Then I guess we need to make sure that the balance stays in place then, don’t we?"

Kene nodded her agreement, then rose. "Right now, though, my immediate consideration is for my patients. I already placed a vid call requesting assistance as soon as possible, but like Randi pointed out, that help is a good two days away minimum. I am going to set the regen unit to working on Geoff’s back. I won’t let it fuse the bones, but I will set it to start strengthening them. He needs a doctor to do the fusing."

She looked at Tiny then, reading the unasked question in his eyes. "Reed’s eyes need to be examined with more delicate equipment than we have here. I would hate to have them heal, only to find out they were destroyed by something I missed. I *think* I got it all, but we want to be sure. I have enough saline tablets and water pills to insure more than a week’s supply of solution. We should be back to a treatment facility long before then. I will keep them both sedated, so they will be as comfortable as possible." Now she looked at both of them, catching their eyes to insure she had their attention.

"Regardless, you both should go with Randi. She is walking a very thin line, right on a razor’s edge, and she’s going to need your support. We’ll be fine here until you get back or the rescue team arrives."

A thought occurred to Jerry then, and he voiced his concern immediately. "A moot point, perhaps, but did you contact the team?"

The colonel nodded. "I had too. This is an unofficial expedition, and I don’t think we can afford to leave their health," indicating Geoff and Reed, "to chance."

Tiny spoke. "We set this up so that every communication that leaves is scrambled to sound like any of the natural sounds you’d find here. If he catches it, and takes the time to decode it, all he will get is a garbled audio message that will sound like Randi sent it. If he does, he will either think her alone and in trouble, in which case he will probably relax. Or he will think she came with a team that is now in trouble, and will still relax. Either way, it works in our favor." He paused. "Odds are, though, he won’t even notice."

"Reed and I have had several opportunities to speak at length. We are both of a mind that Ben is not interested in the team, only Randi. We don’t figure into his thinking at all."

"Well, in any case, we need to get some rest if we’re gonna head out with the maverick over there." Jerry nodded in Randi’s direction. "Why not put the field on and get some rest too? It’s gonna be a while until you’ll be able to sleep so well again."

Kene nodded her head in agreement, and moved to set the boundaries. A low hum began, and it wasn’t long before six sets of deep, even breathing filled the tent.

************

Ben was in fact monitoring them, and was well aware of the number remaining in their contingent. He was surprised they had stumbled upon his hideout so quickly, but he could adjust. He was actually ahead of the game at this juncture. His greatest drawback was that his surveillance did not extend to where the shuttle had landed, and though the explosion had registered on his screen, he had no way of knowing how many Sabres had started out from that point. It wouldn’t be unsafe to assume that the normal unit of nine had begun the journey. The six he was now tracking had only come into range that morning.

His sensors showed them halted, and that made him wonder, but he decided they were simply following standard Sabre operating procedure in enemy territory and waiting out the weather. He felt a niggling concern about the missing three Sabres, then shrugged it off. There was no way a single team of Sabres could catch him, even with Miranda Valiant. Oh, he acknowledged to himself, she’s good, but no one is as good as they say she is. Besides, caressing the vial he carried, this will solve that little problem quite nicely, eventually. He chuckled silently. No matter, though. I’ve already taken away from her far more than she ever thought of taking from me. Now he laughed aloud. Time to meet Gwen for tea. He laughed again. And this time he heard a counterpoint of dark laughter in the far distance.

************

Dark was just coming on when the downpour turned to drizzle. Randi woke at the change in sound outdoors, and sat up, looking around. Without a sound she moved to check on both Geoff and Reed, noting their deep, even breathing. She checked for fever, happy to note that they were both relatively cool to the touch.

She walked back over to her cot, and sat down to don her boots. A large hand on her arm stopped her.

"I don’t think so, my friend. It is too dangerous to go out there in the dark."

The Marine tried to jerk her arm from Tiny’s grasp. "And it’s not dangerous for Gwen to be out there with that lunatic?? Let go of me, Tiny."

"No, Randi. You are of no use to her if you are dead." He paused, thinking about what Read had shared with him, then continued. "He wants you to come after them. Whatever he has planned for her, he wants you to see it. He wants you both alive."

"I see. And you know this *how* exactly, Dr. Freud?"

"Randi, take a step back, and look at this dispassionately for a minute, will ya?" His anger and exasperation was clear in his tone and manner. "He didn’t kill her immediately. Except for removing her chip, he’s made no effort to hide himself. And if you look around, the traps he set were made to maim, not kill." He motioned to his own wound, as well as those of the seer and weapons smith. "It doesn’t take a genius to figure out you’re the target, and Gwen is the bait. Now, stop feeling sorry for yourself, and start using that fine mind to figure out a way to win here. We’ve all paid a high price... make it worth it."

She pulled away from his grip, and this time he let her go. She walked to the tent opening, wondering when she had lost focus. She stared unseeingly out into the blackness before her head dropped. C’mon, Valiant, your team deserves your very best effort. They have given of themselves to be here. What would Gwen think if she knew how you were treating friends because of her?

The Marine squared her shoulders, coming to a decision. She moved to her kit, reaching in and taking out her stash of chocolates. Tiny couldn’t help the grin that formed when he saw them. Randi smiled in response.

"And what are you looking so smug about?" Jerry’s voice was rough with sleep. "What is the joke?" He flinched reactively, but instinctively reached out a hand and caught the object flung at his head. His frown turned to a grin when he saw the miniature chocolate. He chuckled, a sound that turned to genuine laughter when two sets of questioning eyes swung his way. "I don’t suppose you realize you created quite a ruckus, Valiant." Her eyebrow rose in mute question, and he continued. "We all know what emergency rations are like." He scrunched up his face in reaction, and noticed they had both involuntarily done the same. "Right... exactly. Well, I think every team you served with more than once noticed you didn’t have near the problem with emergency rations that most everyone else did. I can’t tell you how many Sabres stood in my office *demanding* they get whatever rations you had."

Here Randi snorted. "You have got to be kidding me."

"Not at all. I assured everyone you got the same thing as they did. We just figured your taste buds had shut down in self-defense, since you went out so often." She chuckled wryly, and he joined her in sympathy. "However, I will thank you for finally sharing your secret." The general opened the small treat and moaned in appreciation. "No wonder you could tolerate the protein bars."

The Marine shared another bar with each of the men, then put her chocolates away. "I have come to a decision. You will both abide by it. Is that clear?"

Both men nodded. Jerry had to wonder in passing why she had never taken his job. People followed where she led without questioning. And until now, when her heart was involved in her decisions, her leadership had been almost impeccable. The Sabres were a stronger unit because of her.

"Tiny, you will stay here." A look silenced him before he could even open his mouth. "You are still healing, and I am not prepared to risk further injury to you. Besides, I am also not prepared to leave the camp unguarded. The colonel cannot do everything by herself. Therefore, you will stay and help her. Understood?"

Dark, stormy eyes glared into baleful blue for a full minute before he dropped his head in defeat. "Very well," she said, finally looking away from the Navy man. "General, you can accompany me if you wish. I am leaving at first light."

Without another word, she moved back to her cot. Hang on, love. I’m coming. Aphrodite, watch over her, please. And on that thought, she turned over and fell into a restless doze.

************

Tears of diamonds fell from the goddess’ face at Randi’s whispered prayer. "I will stand beside you both, but it’s going to be another uphill battle, I’m afraid." The sisters gathered around her, providing what comfort they could, and beginning to plan for the inevitable confrontation with an irate Marine.

************

"Uncle?" The two were enjoying dinner, though Gwen was experiencing a vague uneasiness. Something was just not right here. She was having trouble remembering things, and her head was killing her. The storm outside made the holo-image useless, and they had taken to the kitchen to experiment with new recipes instead. They were now supping from the fruits of their labors.

"Yes, my dear?" The man noticed Gwen was almost docile, and wondered if something had gone wrong in the processing. He had followed to the letter the steps his master had given him, but no mention was ever made of it changing the woman’s personality. He would have to look into this further.

"Why are we here?" Gwen was struggling. Her brain hurt. Images that made no sense floated in and out of her mind, conflicting with things she was sure she remembered. She was getting to the point where sleep seemed like the best idea she’d ever heard. She felt like she would sleep for days once she closed her eyes.

"We are here because you needed a place of serenity to work. How’s your chicken?"

She considered his response before answering. "Okay. And the chicken is wonderful. I think we did the right thing adding the pesto to the sauce." Conversation easily turned to the various dishes they had created, and Ben heaved a silent sigh of relief. This was much harder than he had anticipated it being. He was quite happy to excuse her to her room.

When Gwen arrived in her room, she looked around. It was nice enough, but something just didn’t make sense. However, at the moment, all she could think of was laying down. It would be weeks before she realized there was no desk or writing area in the place, and there was no sign of a computer or her glasses.

************

There were no windows in her room of course, so she was only ably to tell it was the middle of the night by looking at the clock by her bedside. Gwen sat up abruptly, wondering what had pulled her out of such a sound sleep and caused her heart to pound like a war drum. Or like Randi during band practice. She smiled then frowned. Have we been to band practice lately? A searing pain lanced through her skull, and she groaned softly. Lying back down, her hand unconsciously began to trace the pillow she clutched, willing her mind to remember. She fell back to sleep with a tiny smile gracing her lips.

************

By the time the sun was peeking over the horizon, Randi and Jerry were well underway. The day was already unbearably muggy, and it only promised to get worse as the day went on. She wondered silently if the heat would be overwhelming as well. Geoff had come to briefly before they had left the temporary hospice. The Marine thought back briefly to his commission of her.

"You do whatever it takes, Randi. You get my little girl out of this mad man’s clutches and back into your arms where she belongs." He looked at her with an innate knowledge shining through his pain-glazed eyes, and she again had to wonder at his faith in her.

She thought seriously of asking him if he knew just who the madman was. Surely he did. But....

She shook her head. Not that it mattered. Friend or not, Ben Ha’amaen was a walking dead man. And he was going to die a very painful death at her hands.

The two walked in silence for hours. Surprisingly, the closer they got to the mountain, the fewer traps they found. By mutual unspoken consent, they stopped when darkness fell. There was no reason to tempt fate, especially since they both wanted to survive the remaining journey to assure Gwen’s safe recovery. Though they had encountered no trouble, going on in the darkness was asking for it in a big way. It had now been three days since the kidnapping.

The rumble of thunder sounded the same instant that the rain started to fall. It wasn’t the most pleasant of ways to wake up, but judging from the darkness of the sky around them, Randi didn’t see it getting much better for them anytime soon. So they got up, soaked to the bone before the camp was even packed up. It took them the better part of the day to reach the tree line. Before them stretched the meadow, and beyond that was their objective.

The mountain stood tall, though it blended in with the range it resided in quite nicely. The ancients had made a very wise choice. Unless you knew, you couldn’t pick it out from any of the ones surrounding it.

The rain had continued to fall unabated all day, and now they halted to take a short break. Jerry could feel the restlessness rolling from Randi, and knew stopping her this close to their goal was going to be almost impossible.

"Let’s get a bite to eat, and rest for a few, huh? The mountain’s not going anywhere, and we need to fortify a bit."

The Marine stood staring at the broad vista for a moment longer, before turning her attention back to the man who had once been her commanding officer. She considered him silently for a bit, wondering briefly how he had managed to retain his status for so long. Surely the Sabre Commandant should have more backbone, more honor, more... something. Randi hitched her shoulders slightly, pushing those thoughts away from her. She suddenly realized he had been busy.

"I thought we could use a bit of a break, and maybe dry out a bit before continuing." She looked closer at him now, and noticed the slight blue tinge to his lips. He already had a rough covering up, and she moved now to help him finish it. Soon, they were underneath the shelter, heat sticks doing their job of both heating and drying the immediate area. After several minutes, Jerry sighed in relief.

"Better?" came the low murmured question.

"Much," he answered. "Thanks." He sat for a few more minutes, before moving to his pack. "We have a few minutes?"

The Marine nodded, still a little surprised at his willingness to relinquish his command to her.

"Good. I’m gonna fix us something hot to eat." She didn’t comment, but he could see the twinkle of agreement in her eyes. Trail rations got old in a hurry, and the body welcomed any opportunity to indulge in hot food. In just a very few minutes, the Commandant had a hearty stew ready, and the two Sabres sat down to share a silent repast.

Chapter V

It didn’t take them long, but darkness had fallen before they were done eating. The rain gradually tapered off, and when they were finished, Randi rose and stretched. Without a word, she packed up her gear, and walked to the door. He stopped her with hand on her arm... a hand that he removed at her look.

"Are you sure this is prudent?"

"No, I’m fairly certain it’s not, Jerry, but I don’t seem to have much choice in the matter. I have to go. I have done my best for the team, poor as that seems to have been this trip. Now it is time for me to do the best thing for me."

"And that means walking into the lion’s den?"

"It means taking back what is mine." She turned, and again he halted her with a hand on her arm. This time, though, he left it there, ignoring her pointed look.

"Then you can wait five more minutes, and let me get packed up. I’m not letting you go in there alone."

Her eyebrow rose at his pronouncement, but she nodded calmly. He stood still a moment longer reading her acceptance, then quickly gathered his things together. Soon, they were moving through the darkness together slowly in silence.

Eventually, a curiosity he had long held became too much, and he decided to voice his question. "Randi? Why did you never accept a commission? Surely you know that you were being groomed to become Commandant one day."

The Marine stopped dead and looked at him hard for a long moment, before she looked away, and resumed her walk. They were being quite bold... walking defiantly through the meadow toward the mountain. The roiling in her guts had turned to a painful chill, and she was very afraid they were going to be too late. She figured at this point, Ha’amaen was expecting her, and would let them proceed unmolested toward their goal.

She was silent so long that Jerry figured she wasn’t going to answer him. He fairly jumped out of his skin when her low voice reached his ears. "I didn’t want to be Commandant, Jerry. Ten years in this business was almost more than I could bear." She paused, and the silence grew lengthy. The general kept still, sensing she had more too say. Finally Randi rewarded his patience.

"I don’t really like who I was, what I had to do. I will have issues with that until the day I die again, I suppose. But to assume responsibility for it all---no. I tried that. It destroyed me, and the one I love most. It has cost far too much on many levels. So, yeah, I knew. I didn’t want it... not the responsibility, and not the commitment. I wanted a normal life." She paused again. "I still do, and this lifetime, I have a real shot at it."

He understood the truth of her words, and accepted the fact that she was gone from them for good. And in a way, he envied her the opportunity she now had to make a life with Gwen. In another, he was thankful to be able to see it.

The stillness between them resumed, and they continued to make their way toward the stronghold. Suddenly, the quiet was shattered by a hideous screech, as it became clear that they were being hunted. It didn’t take long for them to determine that Jerry was the specific target. Without warning, he found himself taken down by the largest mountain cat he had ever been witness to. He screamed in agony as the lion’s fangs sank deeply into his leg. Seconds that seemed like eons passed, before the cat became dead weight, and he felt the beast loosen its hold. When Randi rolled the weight off him, he took a deep breath, then bit his lip against the searing pain.

"Lay still. I’ve got to stop the bleeding." With the med kit and regen unit back at the camp, Randi had only the very basics in first aid supplies with her. She rinsed the wounds carefully, knowing well the danger of infection. A couple pressure points, and she was able to slow the bleeding considerably. Still, she winced at the damage the animal had managed to do.

"Bad, huh?" he rasped, biting back a groan.

"Not good, no." She looked at the mountain, the longing clear in her eyes.

"You need to go. It’s obvious he wants you alone."

"I have to take care of you first. I have a feeling he has already done whatever he was planning for her. A few more minutes won’t matter."

He looked ready to debate the issue, but a wave of pain made him dizzy, and he passed out. When he came to, a temporary shelter had been built, and his leg was neatly stitched and bandaged. He also immediately noticed that he was alone.

"Good luck, Sergeant." Then sleep took him again, and his last thought was a prayer for the members of the team.

************

Randi could not shake the feeling of dread that filled her entire being. It was as though the warmth that was Gwen, their bond, was completely gone. She had felt it dissolve on their second day out, but knowing there was nothing that could be done until she reached her bard, managed to put the feeling aside. The series of crises had put it out of her mind and heart briefly, but now the chill assaulted her full force. Something was dreadfully wrong.

It took her a while, in the darkness, to find the release mechanism that allowed her to access the interior of the mountain. Oddly, the only thing it allowed her to use was a set of stairs leading up. Up? I thought this compound was underground. But knowing not to look a gift horse in the mouth, she sighed, and started climbing.

Four stories later, she heaved a deep breath. Gotta take up running again. She wasn’t really winded, but she could feel the pull in muscles that hadn’t had to stretch like that in quite a while. She gently opened the door, half expecting an attack now that she was closing in on her goal. The only thing that greeted her was silence and emptiness. She edged out the door, noting the open hatch on the shuttle. A cursory glance told her he had removed the key flight components, and she made a mental note to search for them once Gwen was back at her side.

She spotted the elevator, and continued past it, looking for the other stairwell. It was clear that he intended her to use the elevator, but she couldn’t resist the urge to foil his plans. That defiance would cost her dearly... both now, and in the future.

The locks were fairly easy to break, and disarming the alarm was a piece of cake. What she didn’t expect was the face full of nettles or the sudden drop off. Ben had removed the entire first two flights of steps, and the hole she was gaping at through her bleeding face was quite large.

She stepped back and let the door close, sinking to the floor. The Marine had left her meager first aid supplies with Jerry, so she didn’t have so much as a spare cloth to wipe her face. Just as well, she thought, gingerly trying to blot the blood. Without a way to remove the tiny barbs, there really wasn’t much she could do at the moment.

She had to wonder at the copious amount of blood she was losing from such little irritants, until she got a look at her reflection in the mirrored wall of the elevator she now occupied. There was a scratch running almost the length of her face from temple to jawbone. She wiped the blood on her sleeve, noticing it caught roughly along the cut. She wondered how she had missed feeling that, though the tiny little quills sticking in her skin along that side pretty much answered the question. They were burning, but she had little time to contemplate that, as the lift came to a halt.

She waited a moment, not noticing the burning had stopped and the barbs had dissolved into her skin. Even the bleeding had all but stopped. The Marine stepped out cautiously, listening intently. She heard Gwen’s soft laughter, and her heart fluttered. Her feet developed a mind of their own, and she was moving toward the sound before she realized her intentions.

Randi stood in the doorway for a moment, drinking in the sight of the blonde. She crossed the threshold... an action that drew the bard’s attention to her. Pointedly ignoring the smirking man seated nearby, the warrior walked toward Gwen. With a happy squeal, the blonde jumped into Randi’s arms, squeezing for all she was worth. They pulled away simultaneously, and Randi slowly lowered her head to kiss the lips she hadn’t tasted in far too long. She felt she had barely brushed their softness when small hands pushing on her chest made her halt, and she looked into green eyes that reflected the confusion in her own.

"Randi? What are you doing? I mean, I’ve missed you too, but why are you kissing me like that?"

"Gwen?" She gazed into the bard’s eyes, looking deep into her soul, and realized what they had lost. Her ire burned hot. She turned suddenly toward the man who had cost her everything.

"You fucking son of a bitch," in a whisper so filled with venom, it should have dropped him on the spot. "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing much." He laughed. "But things will never be the same between you ever again."

The speed that she approached him rivaled that of a striking snake, and she lifted him bodily from the floor with one hand. Gwen stared at the tableau in horrified fascination, unable to will her feet to move.

"Randi... NO!"

"What. Did. You. Do. To. Her. ?" She didn’t acknowledge the bard or her words at all.

"Randi!!"

Reflexively, his hands wrapped around hers, clawing at them as he fought for air. "No... thing... much... real...ly.... She...." He chuckled as much as his gasping would allow. "She...." he coughed. "Can no... long...er feel her... love fo...r... " He coughed again. "You... nor yours... for... her." He gasped again, his face turning purple. "It’s... like it w... was... before."

"RANDI?!?"

In that moment, the warrior’s soul turned to ice, and without batting an eyelash, she drew her dagger, and plunged it into the man’s belly. A warm shower of blood coated her hand, and he gasped again as pain seared from his gullet through his entire body. She jerked the blade upwards through his chest as she let him fall to the floor.

"No more living for you."

"RANDI!!!"

At the bard’s frantic scream, her shoulders slumped, the fire and fight drained from her. She looked to the corpse, avoiding the green eyes she knew would never hold love for her again. "I need to dispose of this, then we can leave."

Gwen approached her slowly. Tears slid down her face. Though they were no longer close, Ben still held a special place in her heart from childhood. And what she had just witnessed.... "What did he do to deserve to die?" Randi noticed the blonde stayed outside of touching distance.

"It no longer matters. It was military business, and it’s done now." The words and dead tone struck a chord in the bard, and she set them aside for further study. There was a piece missing to this puzzle. She reached a hand up to her head, struggling with her confusion, and a suddenly blinding headache.

"You’re hurt," motioning to the oozing facial wound. "Let’s get you taken care of."

"No. Let me take care of this mess, and we’ll get out of here." Randi’s tone now was brusque, businesslike, and Gwen was unexplainably hurt by her refusal. And unable to reconcile her best friend with the Sabre that stood before her, she began to distance herself from the Marine, both physically and emotionally.

It didn’t take long to dispose of the body and find the chips. In short order, they were in the shuttle closing in on Jerry’s position. The silence between them was palpable, and acutely uncomfortable.

It only took the Sabre a few moments to load the wounded general onto the transport. She had curtly refused Gwen’s offer of help, and the bard retreated further within herself. Randi felt the withdrawal, and began putting up walls of her own.

Mere minutes, it seemed, and she was maneuvering a landing. The trees in this area were particularly dense, and she broke more than one branch trying to land. Randi did manage to finally set the transport down safely. Tiny stood waiting at the shelter entrance, bow cocked and laser drawn. He smiled when he saw her emerge, then frowned at her expression and her bloody condition. The next instant, Reed screamed. The big man ducked into the shelter.

"Too late," the semi-conscious seer murmured. "Too late."

Randi didn’t seem to hear Reed’s words. Instead she turned her attention to the large man now cradling his lover. "Tiny, take her to the shuttle and get her settled. It’s gonna be a tight squeeze, but we should all fit." She looked around, seeing Geoff was again sedated. "Where is the colonel?"

"She went out. Said she had an idea."

A vague thrill of alarm crept up her spine. "Which way did she head?"

They stepped out, and Tiny nodded. "North. She was looking for some sort of herb."

"All right. Can you get these guys loaded up? She should have heard us coming in, and headed back. I’ll go meet her and hurry her along."

"Can do, boss. But be careful, huh?"

She nodded before she disappeared, following an almost invisible trail. She hadn’t gone very far since she was having to move slowly and carefully to avoid the traps. Suddenly, the smell of blood wafted past her nose, and she felt another chill skitter up her spine. Following her nose now, and watching her step, she closed in on a terrible site. Twenty yards in front of her stood Kene. She was actually pinned in place to a tree by three long skewers through her neck, torso and abdomen. Randi steeled herself, and made her way over. She gently lowered the body to the ground.

Though the woman had caused untold problems, she had died a Sabre’s honorable death in the service of others. Randi took a moment to ask Artemis to watch over the woman’s soul, and quickly cremated her remains. Then she made her way back to the waiting shuttle.

************

Jerry came to while they were waiting, and Tiny moved to check on him. He’d had to put Reed into a deep coma, afraid her thrashing and moaning would cause her to hurt herself. He spared a glance at Gwen, who sat apart from the rest, eyes unfocused and arms wrapped around herself. Other than a quiet hello, and an inquiry about her father, she had sat silently. He was sure she was in shock, but he needed to tend to Jerry first.

"How are you doing, sir?"

"She saved my life, you know."

"She’s good at that. She’s done it to me a time or two as well." There was silence for a moment while the big man checked the general’s stitches. Randi had done a neat job, but they were starting to swell and get red and puffy looking.

"General, I’m gonna have to open these up. It looks like there may be an infection."

"God," the older man moaned. "Do what you have to do." He bit his lip til it bled, holding back the screams that wanted to come. He forced himself to focus on something else instead. "We had quite a conversation out there."

"Did you now?" Tiny responded distractedly. He was too busy popping the stitches and watching them begin to drain.

"Um hmm," Jerry groaned. "I asked her why she didn’t want my job."

This got the chief’s attention. "And what did she tell you?" He had always felt that Randi would have made an excellent Commandant, and was fairly certain she could have had it had she been an officer.

"She didn’t want the responsibility or commitment." He paused to breathe for a bit. "She wanted a life." He paused again. "But it was hers for the taking."

Nothing else was said, as Randi chose that moment to board the shuttle. She handed him some leaves, as she moved to the cockpit. "This is what she what looking for. Put it on Reed’s eyes... it will help ward off infection."

He knew without asking the Kene was dead. He figured he’d get the details later. "I’m gonna put some of these on the Commandant’s leg as well. I had to open it up to drain the infection that was starting."

"Damn! I was afraid of that. How’s everything else otherwise?"

He swallowed. Seeing the dead look in her eyes, he suddenly understood Reed’s cries with blinding clarity. "Um, Geoff is still out, as is Reed." He lowered his voice and took a shot in the dark. "I think Gwen is in shock. Maybe you should...."

"No. Wrap a blanket around her. We need to get back now." No need to explain that the younger woman flinched the only time Randi had reached out to her. She didn’t want to inflict any more pain on Gwen than she already had. Maybe with time, they could be friends again. Right now, she held out little hope for anything more.

It didn’t take but a few seconds, before they lifted off, and were headed toward the capital.

************

"ARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!! Somebody better remind me pretty damned quick why I can’t send Ares to Tartarus for this." The blonde love goddess stomped away from her scrying bowl.

"You mean aside from the fact that he broke no rules, and would probably enjoy it?" Artemis smirked briefly.

"Don’t worry, sister. We actually hold all the cards this time. Wait until Randi comes to you. And when she does, we will fire our first volley." This from Athena. "Remember, *everyone* wants to see them as a couple. We have lots of allies on this now, both mortal and immortal."

"You’d better not be yankin’ my chain, you guys. Too much depends on this, and well you know it." Their looks became solemn, and they nodded in agreement.

************

Randi set the shuttle down as gently as possible on the medifac pad. A Sabre emergency med team was standing by, with hover beds, and other emergency medical equipment. She motioned Tiny to stay seated, and she stepped off first. "It’s ugly. One with a broken back, two with possible infections, and one in shock."

The doctor tried to look at her face, but Randi shooed her away. "Go take care of those that need it. I can handle this myself." The woman looked doubtful... there was something about the cut that just didn’t look right, but the sergeant was correct. The others were much higher priorities right now. The medic made a mental note to check it out later.

The team moved swiftly now, and unloaded the much-damaged team. They moved Geoff out, and into a regen trauma unit they had set up as soon as they had received Randi’s emergency call. Reed was moved next, into a laser surgery room with an optical scanner. Jerry came next, accompanied by a walking but grumbling Tiny. The doctor had seen his wounded leg, and demanded he move inside for treatment.

The Marine waited for a few more minutes, concerned when neither the medic nor the bard emerged from the shuttle’s interior. She moved closer to the door, only to be met there by a frustrated looking doctor. "She’s asking for you, and she won’t let any of us near her." The Sabre looked closer, and noticed a bruise forming underneath the doctor’s eye.

"Let me talk to her. You got take care of the rest of the team, and I’ll get her inside."

The woman nodded, and motioned the rest of the medical personnel in. She followed them into the facility, with a single backwards glance, watching as Randi disappear inside the craft.

Randi stood for a moment, simply looking at Gwen, who was curled up in an almost fetal position. She offered up a small prayer of thanks for her foresight in washing up at the fortress. She slowly moved toward the bard, allowing her voice to precede her. She didn’t think she could bear the bard flinching away from her again.

"Gwen, love. It’s Randi. Can you look at me?"

The bard lay so still and silent that the Marine was afraid for a minute she had simply passed out... or worse. Randi kept up her murmuring, not reaching out to touch Gwen until the smaller woman finally looked at her and held out a hand.

"Randi?"

The Marine muffled a strangled cry, and took the proffered hand. With a strength she didn’t know the bard possessed, she found herself pulled towards Gwen. She scooped the woman into her arms.

"Oh, Little One, we’re gonna be all right. Aphrodite, please. Help us. We have to be all right."

The bard, feeling safe and protected, snuggled into her arms and fell promptly into a deep sleep. Randi moved into the medifac. She had some vid calls to make.

************

"Thanks, Morph. This will be the easiest place to help her remember," watching as the blonde’s past began to unfold in her dreamscape. "I’ve got work to do."

The dream god nodded then blushed when Dite kissed him softly before leaving. "You’re welcome," he muttered, though she was no longer present to hear it.

************

Jill reached the facility quickly. She had been expecting... something. Her first sight upon entering this unusual place was Gwen cuddled close in a sleeping Randi’s arms. She was loathe to awaken the woman, whose disheveled appearance gave quite a testimonial to what they had been through. But she needed some answers, and the Marine was going to be her best source.

A mere touch on her arm brought the Sabre to full alertness, though she looked at Jill in confusion for a split second. "Hi, Jill. Um, let me put her down," indicating the sleeping bard," and we can talk."

"Only if you need to, dear. It certainly doesn’t bother me to see her where she belongs."

The blue eyes teared up at that statement, though Randi blinked them away immediately. Jill noticed, of course, and knew this was gonna be complicated. It always has been with these two though, hasn’t it? Why should this be any different? Oh, Sweet Hestia, be good to them. They deserve it.

"What’s wrong? And what can I do to help?"

The doctor stepped out into the waiting area just then, and indicated she needed to examine the bard. Randi stood to move the blonde to a gurney, but Gwen clutched at her convulsively when she tried to move away. The warrior smiled sadly, allowing the small woman to maintain a hold on her hand. The doctor nodded, and allowed both women to accompany them to the back.

A cursory glance told the medic quite a bit. She touched a couple pressure points, and the blonde fell into a deeper slumber, never relaxing her grip on Randi’s hand. She cocked her head in question, then adjusted the spots that were out of alignment. Odd, that. She shrugged. "She should be all right when she wakes up. You will need to schedule a follow-up with psych, though. She’s gonna need to work through whatever put her in this state." She hesitated, then continued. "I don’t see any physical damage, but it looks as though some manipulation had been done to make her more susceptible to suggestion. I have readjusted the points. It will help her recovery in the long run."

Jill looked to Randi to respond, but her eyes never left Gwen and their still linked hands. The woman glanced at her daughter’s peaceful face and nodded. "Thank you, doctor. We’ll take good care of her." The medic shook Jill’s hand and patted Randi’s shoulder. Then she crossed the room without another word, and left them alone.

The older woman sighed and took a seat opposite the Marine. She gently held her daughter’s other hand, not surprised when the younger woman didn’t respond to her touch. "Now, you want to tell me what’s going on here? I get a vid call from you in the middle of the night telling me Geoff and Gwen have been hurt, and rush over. And once I get here, no one will tell me anything." Her eyes sparked with angry fire. "I think I have a right to know."

Randi looked at her directly then, and Jill gasped in reflex at the pain she saw reflected back at her. She eased the bard’s hand back onto the pallet, and moved to sit at Randi’s side. "Talk to me, Randi." She put her hand on their joined hands, and turned a gaze full of unwavering love and support on the Sabre. The Marine swallowed hard, and started talking.

"It’s very complicated, and starts a long, long time ago." Her hushed voice was a mere whisper, and Jill had to lean in close to hear her words. "Suffice it to say for now that this whole incident was brought on by a myriad of things. The straw that broke this particular camel’s back, though, was my death. Or at least, the events surrounding my death. When I died, I took some very bad people with me. This was revenge for one of them." She held up a hand. "Please don’t ask. Just go with it."

The older woman nodded, and motioned for her to continue. "Geoff was hurt when he triggered a trap trying to rush to Reed’s aid. They were our point people at the time." She waited a beat, swallowing hard. "His back was broken in three places. Even once he’s regenerated, it will be a problem for him. The damage was too great."

Randi kept her eyes down, unwilling to see the love and support fade from the older woman’s eyes. Jill lifted her free hand and cupped the Marine’s chin til the blue eyes focused on her own. The understanding was overwhelming, and it was almost her undoing. She swallowed and looked away again until Jill spoke.

"Randi, no matter what else, I want you to know something. Even if Geoff had known what the outcome was going to be, he still would have gone. He loves you both that much."

Now the tears that Randi had been so valiantly been holding in slid silently down her face. "She doesn’t love me anymore, Jill. He took that away. He took her memories of us away." And now she broke down sobbing, as the reality of her statement sank into her conscious heart and mind. She swore she felt the shards ripping her guts out.

With a muffled exclamation, Jill took the Sabre into her arms, and cradled her like a child. She hummed softly to her, hoping to calm her. Finally, the sobs seemed to lessen, and she lifted Randi’s face. Without a word, she dried the tears tracks left on the Marine’s face, and lay the younger woman’s head back down on her shoulder.

"Now, you want to start from the beginning? Who did this?"

"Ben-ramen Ha’amaen."

"Ben? BEN is the cause of all this trouble??"

She felt the Sabre’s answer when the dark head bobbed up and down in the affirmative. She swiped a hand across her eyes. "Can we start this over? I think I lost a few pieces somewhere."

Randi moved to sit up, and Jill released her, though she kept a hand on her arm. "I’ll tell you what I know, though it is precious little."

She told her mother-in-law the story then. How Gwen had pulled away from her kiss. How the connection their souls had shared had been severed. And how her heart had shattered when the bard had flinched away from her touch.

"That bastard," Jill hissed vehemently. "I’ll kill him."

"I already did... right in front of her. God, no wonder she doesn’t want me to be near her."

The older woman looked significantly at their tightly linked hands. She thought for a moment before she spoke. "I don’t think that is the case at all. I think it is more a case of her heart being hidden from her."

The Marine’s eyebrow rose, and she cocked her head questioningly at Jill. There was something familiar in the phrasing, and she wanted to hear what Jill had to say on the matter. She couldn’t help the tiny grain of hope that had sprouted at those words.

"After you... um, died.... There came a time when Gwen and I were able to talk about her love for you. About the fact that the whole world had been aware of her feelings for you, while she was completely blind. And she mentioned the fact that her gradual realization was like stepping out of a fog into sunlight. She felt like she’d been kept in the dark... a deliberate manipulation by someone or something determined to keep you apart."

"Listen to your mother-in-law there, warrior babe. She’s telling more truth than you know."

Both women jumped when the voice spoke out of nowhere, but only Randi answered it. "Aphrodite?"

"In the flesh, babe," as she shimmered into existence. "How’re you doing?" She gently brushed dark bangs, and the Sabre leaned into the comforting touch. Jill felt a thrill of jealousy on Gwen’s behalf shoot through her. "Cool it, little mama. I’m not here to ruin the best match I’ve had in millennia. I’m here to get it back on track."

"Mom here is right, though. This was a deliberate manipulation to rip the two of you apart. Her memories, like her feelings, aren’t gone. Just dormant. It will be up to you to awaken them again... to bring her back into the sunlight."

"How?"

The love goddess cradled the lost face of the Marine, the forlorn look in her eyes causing tears to form unbidden. Dite blinked, and smiled crookedly. "Hon, you courted her before, without even being aware. Imagine what you can do *knowing* what the score is. Have a little faith in yourself, and in the two of you and the bond you share. There are a lot of people, both mortals and gods on your side."

"Goddess," Jill spoke up hesitantly. "May I ask who is behind this?"

Aphrodite paused so long, they were sure she wasn’t going to speak. "Ares. Because of a stupid bet whose time has long since passed."

Electric blue eyes sparked fire. "Excuse me? I KNOW I didn’t just understand you to say what it is I think you said."

Now the goddess took a seat. She squirmed a minute trying to get comfortable. "Grody!" With a snap of her fingers, the sturdy, functional chair became a cushy, pink chaise lounge. She felt the fierce stare burning a hole right through her and sighed.

"Millennia ago, when the original soulmates of these lines united, Ares insisted he be given an opportunity to reclaim the warrior who had been his chosen. He lost, needless to say. The bond that runs between the two souls is strong. But he continues to try. The new rules make it harder for him, but...."

"But. Isn’t you’re being here breaking the rules?"

"Not this time. You see, I claimed you as chosen when your bond held against him. To find he had Gwen under some sort of spell, well... let’s just say Daddy wasn’t pleased. It’s one reason we were allowed to return you to life. And this, this has crossed the line." She looked like she wanted to say more, then stopped. The love goddess rose, and the chaise disappeared. "Look, babe, we’ll work this out. You do your part, and the rest will just slip into place."

Dite shimmered out of existence, and Jill spoke softly. "You’ve got good friends in high places. I think she’s right, too."

"I hope so, Jill," looking at the still sleeping bard and the co-joined hands. "I really cannot survive without her."

And then it grew quiet, as they each considered the trying days ahead of them.

Chapter VI

The doctor was kind enough to let Jill know when Geoff was moved into the regen unit. He had spent several hours sedated while the medical personnel did their best to align his spine properly. It was Jill’s turn to hold tightly to the Marine, who provides her with strength and unwavering support.

"I want you to understand something first, Mrs. Goldman. Given the severity of this injury, and having seen how extensive the previous one was, there is a very good possibility that your husband may never walk again."

Jill gasped and covered her mouth with one hand. The other clenched Randi’s hand in a death-breaking grip. The Sabre didn’t even flinch.

"However, there is also a possibility that he will. A lot is going to depend on both the regen and his attitude. He’s gonna have to want it badly enough."

"No problem there," Jill smiled through the tears. "He’s gonna want to be on his feet to give his little girl away." Randi squeezed her fingers slightly in both support and appreciation.

"Well then," the doctor rose. "I’ll let you know when he is moved from regen to a regular room. When your daughter wakes up, ya’ll will be free to leave." She set the release chip on the nearby stand. "Remember what I told you about a psych. I made a couple recommendations that should be able to help her." She turned her attention to the Marine. "I need to check you out, Sergeant."

"Later," Randi replied absently. "Right now she needs me."

The woman knew the Marine was no longer active military, and she had no grounds to insist. But she was concerned by the look of the wound itself. She would keep an eye out, and try to catch the Sabre before the trio left. By the slight stirring coming from the bed, she was fairly certain they would be ready to leave soon.

Meanwhile, Gwen was slowly coming to. Her hand clenched reflexively around the comforting strength she clasped, and she moaned a little. She squirmed, drawing the hand to her chest, smiling in her sleep. Randi couldn’t help the smile that crossed her lips, nor the hope that flared in heart. It was shattered in the next instant.

Gwen opened her eyes, and the first sight she saw was Randi’s face. She flinched and pulled away, rolling away so her back was to the warrior. Jill squeezed the Marine’s shoulder, and moved to take her daughter in her arms. It hurt her to see the pain reflected in Randi’s eyes, but even as she watched, the face became a mask. The Sabre stood, and walked out the door without a word.

The doctor saw the tall woman exit, and stopped her. "Please, Sergeant. This won’t take but a minute. Your Navy buddy is just about done with his regen." Randi nodded, not really caring, but needing something to do to pass the time until Jill needed her to take them back to the hotel. Then she was going home. Regardless of what Aphrodite had said, she needed some space from the bard. She wouldn’t force her affection.

"Hey, you listening to me?" The medico’s words brought her out of her haze, and she just looked at the woman numbly. "I asked you how this happened," softly fingering the cut. The warrior flinched away from her touch. The doctor picked up the regen unit, and her tools, deadening the area before she started to work.

"Mace."

"And the barbs?"

"Mace," wondering why the woman wasn’t paying attention.

"But they’re embedded."

"Look, doc, it doesn’t matter. Are you done?"

"Well, yes and no. I’ve done all I can without admitting you for a while. But you need to have someone take a look. Those barbs are embedded pretty deep. You’re not gonna be able to just pull them out and let them go."

"Fine. I’ll go see my doctor when I get home." She slid off the bed and stood up. "Now, are we all done? I need to check on the rest of my team before taking Mrs. and Ms. Goldman back to their hotel."

"Yes, Sergeant. We’re finished." She hated to let the other woman go, but she really had no authority to stop her, even though she knew in her heart that about this, Randi was lying. She shook her head. Warriors hated to admit weakness, and that almost makes them view us as the enemy. She sighed, and moved to check on her other patients.

************

Tiny was fairly easy to find. His good-natured grumbling caused Randi to chuckle despite her pain. She knocked at the doorway to his regen cubicle. His face lit up in response.

"Randi! Come in! No, wait. Let me get my pants on and I’ll join you." She politely turned her back, and waited for him to join her at the door before she looked at him.

"Any word on Reed?"

He shook his head. "That’s why I’ve been griping. No one is telling me anything about anyone."

"Well, let’s go get some answers, my friend."

It was a small facility, used exclusively by Sabre team members. So it didn’t take them long to find the other members of their unit. Reed had been moved to one of the regen body chambers the facility had. Geoff was in the other. Reed’s prospects for regaining her sight were quite good, and several comments were made praising the actions that saved her eyes. Randi made a mental note to see that a posthumous award was made to Kene for her outstanding fieldwork.

Geoff’s prognosis wasn’t nearly as good. The doctors gave him a less than twenty-five percent rating for a complete recovery. However, they had high hopes for him regaining the use of his entire upper body region. With those words, she decided to stick around for a day or two, until he regained consciousness. She wanted to be the one to insure he knew the truth. She wouldn’t ask Jill to bear that burden.

Jerry was in the next room, with a portable regen unit set over his thigh. He beckoned them in at their knock.

"Hey, guys! Come on in." He grimaced as the movement shot pain through his body. Amazing how his whole body hurt in sympathy with his damaged limb. "What’s the word?"

They told him about the team. He expressed sincere regret for Geoff, and smiled at Reed’s excellent prognosis. He teared up at the mention of Kene’s passing, though Randi refrained from detailing the gruesomeness of her death. She did mention awarding her a posthumous medal for her actions, and the general nodded his agreement.

"For all our bickering and fighting, for all the mistakes, she was an excellent Sabre, and she died in the service of her comrades. She deserves to be remembered well."

There was a respectful silence for a minute, the Jerry asked, "Randi, are you all right? What happened to your face?"

"It’s just a cut, sir. I ran into a mace unexpectedly. Guess I zigged when I should’ve zagged."

"Well, see that it you take care of it. You can’t let these things go." She didn’t answer, and he realized he’d overstepped his bounds. "I’m sorry, Randi. I meant that as a friend, and not an officer. It was honest concern."

"Well, sir I appreciate the concern. I will have my doctor look at it when I get home."

"Are you sure it’s wise to wait that long? Why not just let them go ahead and take care of it now?" He flinched as her eyes grew hard and cold, but continued. "Tiny, help me sit up." The large man eased him up gently, and held him steady by the shoulders. He pulled up his shirt on one side, and motioned her closer. "Let me show you something." He raised an arm slightly. "Do you see the lump?"

She looked, and nodded, wondering where all this was leading.

"When Grace... Ghost Rider committed her first act of terrorism, I ended up with a shard of polymer through the ribs. At the time, my team was in much more dire straits, and I put the thoughts of it out of my mind." He paused for a moment, lost in thought as he relived those first few terrifying minutes. "It took us the better part of the day to get through the rubble to our comrades, only to discover five of them were dead. And two of them... God, Geoff was bent at such an angle, we thought he was dead at first too." His eyes were distant, and Randi got the distinct feeling he no longer remembered they were in the room. A tear slipped unbidden down his face.

"It took us two days to get back to reach help, and twice I thought we had lost Geoff. Poor Kene... trying to be a medic with one arm. We were lucky to have been out with the experimental collapsible hover beds. Geoff and Ben wouldn’t have survived otherwise." He shook his head. "Anyway," he looked up and captured her eyes, " all told, it took almost five days before I got it looked at. By then, the polymer had melded with the bone and muscle. They tried to remove it, but it was going to cause too much damage. So I have had a lump there for a very long time, and every time it gets cold, or is going to rain, I know about it days in advance. It can be quite unpleasant."

"Look, Randi," lowering his shirt, and allowing the silent man still supporting him to ease him back down onto the bed. "You’re a grown woman, and no longer someone under my command. I just want you... be aware of the risks, okay? Take care of yourself."

She nodded again, but didn’t answer. Instead she rose, and moved to the doorway. "I’ll be back tomorrow to check on ya’ll before I head home. I need to get back. Rest well, Jerry."

The two men glanced at each other. "I’ll keep an eye on her, sir."

"You do that, chief. Thank you." And the general closed his eyes.

************

"Tiny, did you need a lift back... anywhere?" Randi had waited outside the door for her friend. She looked at him closely as he exited, noting with alarm for the first time his haggard appearance. She didn’t realize he simply mirrored her own.

"No, thanks, Randi. The doc in charge of the regen offered me a bed next to Reed, and I’m gonna take him up on it. I need to be near her right now."

The Marine nodded her understanding and acceptance, realizing what the whispered conversation between himself and the doctor had been about. She walked her exhausted friend back to the regen chamber. A cot had been set up for him to use, and he dropped into it rather haphazardly. He closed his eyes, only to have them pop back wide open when he felt the covers being drawn up to his chin. He smiled lazily into the blue eyes staring back at him.

"Go get some rest, my friend. This has been a rough one."

The Marine touched her face. "Indeed it has, Tiny. Rest well." His eyes closed and almost immediately his chest rose and fell in the rhythmic breathing of deep sleep. Randi took a deep breath, steeling herself for her next ordeal, and dropped the stoic mask into place. Then she moved down the hall to Gwen’s room.

************

Jill’s touch on her shoulder had caused the bard to burst into tears, and the woman took her daughter in her arms and comforted her in much they same way she had just done with the Marine. "Why, Mama? Why did she kill him? He didn’t do anything." Then the younger woman sobbed, and Jill just held on tightly.

When the tears had abated, and the breathing was calm, Jill sat her daughter up, and cupped Gwen’s face. She waited until the younger woman made eye contact, then spoke.

"Gwen, apparently Ben was into some very bad things, things that hurt a lot of people." She held up her hand, asking the bard to wait. "I don’t know all the details yet, but your daddy does, and it meant so much to him, that he insisted he be part of the team that brought him to justice."

"But she just murdered him... killed him in cold blood!"

"Did she? Or did he have the chance to defend himself? I know this is hard, especially having had to witness it first hand, but daughter, think about something for a minute. Why were you there in the first place? It’s not like you and Ben have been particularly close in the last few years. Were you perhaps being used as a pawn to draw Randi out for some reason, do you think... a pawn in a larger game?"

"No, that’s not true. I was there for the solitude. I was there to write." Her brows scrunched up in furrowed thought. "At least, that’s what Uncle said."

"And did you? Write, I mean?"

"I think... I mean...." She rubbed her forehead. "I don’t remember."

"Gwen, I want you to think about something for me. In all the years you have known Randi, has she ever lied to you? I know she hasn’t always told you everything, but has she ever lied? Has she ever set out to hurt or betray you? Or has she watched over you, and taken care of you?"

"She’s always been my best friend, Mama, you know that. She looks out for me."

"Do you remember being brought here? The blonde shook her head. "You were in shock," Jill stated. "You were in shock and refused to allow any of the medical personnel to touch you. But you let Randi take you in her arms and bring you in here." She paused a moment. "Why is that, do you think?"

The bard concentrated on her answer. There seemed to be so many holes in her memories, so many things that suddenly made no sense. "I trust her to take the best care of me, Mama. She always has."

"Then cut her a bit of slack here, daughter. She needs your faith now more than ever. If you want to remain friends, you’re gonna have to continue to trust her all the time."

"But she...."

"... had her reasons. Give her a chance to explain. She doesn’t deserve your withdrawal, and you’re not in a position to pass judgment on her actions."

"But I would nev...." She thought about her reactions. Her head dropped. "Damn! I did, didn’t I? What the hell kind of friend am I anyway? I owe her an apology." Tears slowly slid down her face. "What if she doesn’t forgive me for my lack of faith and trust?"

"Give her a chance, Little Girl. I’ll bet she’ll be glad to give you another one."

************

Randi took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. She waited then raised her hand to knock again, when the door opened and Jill stepped outside.

"I’m going to stay with Geoff. You girls have some things to work out, I think." And without another word or a backward glance, she moved to be by her husband’s side.

The Marine thought about knocking again, then she considered walking away, then shrugged. She knows I’m here. Might as well get this over with. She squared her shoulders, and opened the door, stepping in softly and closing it behind her. Only to turn around and find herself with an armful of flying bard. Her strong arms closed reflexively on the familiar body, and she held on tightly for a long moment, before the smaller woman’s words became clear to her ears. She drew back slightly, trying to catch the green, tear-filled eyes.

"Whoa, Gwen. Slow down a minute, huh?" She lifted the bard’s chin with her fingers, keeping the other arm firmly around the blonde’s waist. Her mind screamed against the pain she was setting herself up for again in being this close, but her heart and body made her mind go sit down and shut up for now. Because right now, for whatever reason, Gwen was back where she belonged. And her mind had no way to fight the feelings that brought.

Randi’s kindness brought a fresh wave of tears to her eyes, and Gwen just stood there for a very long moment, looking into those incredible blue eyes. Then she buried her head into the Marine’s chest, and proceeded to sob all over again. Randi simply picked her up, and moved them over to the bed, holding her and waiting out the storm. Finally, it seemed to slow, and she gently dried the tears. Her gentleness brought another wave of tears.

"Hey, hey now. What’s all this? You can’t keep crying like this. I’m running out of dry spots," said with a rakish grin, hoping to get a smile out of Gwen. All the tears were becoming alarming.

It wasn’t much, but she did get the smallest little quirk of lips from the younger woman, and that was enough for now. Gwen brushed at her own eyes, then smiled again, a little better this time. "Can we get out of here? I think we need to talk."

Randi’s heart seized at this, but she nodded. "The doc said you were free to go whenever." She made to get off the bed, but looked down to find herself held by a glaring bard. Her brow rose in question.

"We’re not going anywhere until the doctor takes care of you. I’m not going to let you suffer unaccountably for days because of me." Before the Marine realized what was happening, she was in the bed with the doctor standing over her, and the bard at her side.

"I don’t need...."

"What you need to do is let the good doctor work, so we can get out of here." Randi felt her eyelids grow heavy. The emotional roller coaster she’d been on, coupled with Gwen’s extreme attitude swings, and the stress of the mission were finally taking their toll. "Rest. Let the doctor take care of you. I’ll be right here when you wake up. Promise."

That had been what she’d needed to hear, and the words let her body sink down into oblivion. Gwen looked at the doctor. "How long will she be out?"

"The meds will keep her out for the next several hours, but I imagine her body will demand more, so my best guess would be until tomorrow morning at the earliest."

The bard stood, and unclasped her hand from the Marine, who frowned in her sleep at this action. "All right. I’m going to go check on my father, and I will be right back."

"I’ll still be here," the woman answered, indicating the scarred face. "This is going to take a little while."

************

Gwen made her way down the hall to the large regen chamber where her father was currently ensconced. Her father’s doctor was speaking to both her father and mother in low tones, and the bard smiled briefly, knowing Geoff was for the moment at least, conscious. Then tears filled her eyes, and she rushed headlong into the room, flying into her father’s outstretched arms.

He breathed a brief prayer of thanks that his upper body was still functioning properly, as he clasped his daughter in a comforting embrace. The doctor stepped up to move the young woman, afraid for both his patient’s well-being as well as fearful of any adverse affects the regen unit might cause the bard. Geoff motioned him back, and Jill moved the two of them away to allow the weapons smith and Gwen a moment of privacy.

Geoff allowed his daughter to cling to him, for a long minute, then he eased back, still holding her hands. "What’s wrong, baby girl?" He could see the tear tracks, and the redness of her eyes indicated some serious crying recently.

"Oh, Daddy." The tears started fresh, and she began to wonder if she would ever run out of them. In the meantime, she seemed unable to stop them. She rested her head on his chest, unable to look into his eyes. "She killed him. Just... she took a knife and...."

He looked at Jill who regarded him with an even stare. Apparently she knew more of what had happened in that fortress than he did. The short time they had been together had been spent with Jill crying in his arms. She’d managed to convey the loss Gwen and Randi had suffered, but that was about it. Well, no time like the present.

"Gwen?"

"It was Uncle Ben, Daddy." He was thankful her head was resting on his chest, because his eyes flew to his wife in shock. He read the confirmation in them and closed his own in regret. Even though he’d been told that his old comrade was the villain, he’d been hoping against hope that the information was incorrect. Ben had been his best friend for many years, and though they had grown apart, he had still held the man in his thoughts with some affection. He would be very interested to get the whole story from Randi. Meanwhile, he brought his attention back to his daughter’s words. "She just marched in and...." Here she broke off. The feelings her memories of Randi’s lips on her own created confusion, and she wasn’t ready to share that with anyone yet.

"They had some words... nothing that I understood, and then she just... she.... It was horrible, Daddy. Blood and.... he just let her...."

"And do you think she enjoyed it? Did she seem to relish it in any way?"

Horrified green eyes met his own as she abruptly raised her head. "No, Daddy! How could you think that?"

"I’m not the one thinking here, Gwen. You are."

His words froze her, and she paused. "No," she whispered. "She didn’t get any joy from it." She thought about the myriad of emotions she had seen float through the expressive blue eyes before they had shuttered against her. "It seemed to make her very sad."

"Then maybe you should spend some time thinking about why she was willing to let you see that side of her. This is something she had to do for many years, daughter. And she has had to live with the consequences and the self-loathing. You need to decide if you can. Because if can’t support her... ALL of her... then perhaps you don’t love her like you should."

Her brows scrunched in puzzlement over his choice of words, but she nodded her understanding.

"One thing though, Gwen. She wouldn’t have done it if it hadn’t been necessary. Ben had turned his back on the things he believed in, and became... well, he chose a bad course, and paid the price for thinking he was above the rules. Randi was an instrument of justice."

"Thank you, Daddy. For reminding what is important."

"You’re welcome, little girl. I love you, ya know."

"I know. I love you, too. Now," stepping back, but leaning in to whisper conspiratorially, "I’d better go before your doctor has a conniption." She smiled at her father. "You get some rest, and I’ll be back to see you later, okay?"

He simply nodded, eyes closed, his body already giving in to its need for more rest. Gwen walked to her mother and gave her a long hug. "Thanks, Mama. I love you." Then she turned and walked out if the chamber. Jill simply stared after her daughter, hoping her husband’s words would help. She had a feeling this was going to be a long, bumpy road before all was said and done.

************

Gwen didn’t head directly back to what had become Randi’s room. Instead she wandered out to a tiny, enclosed garden area at the back of the unassuming, small building. She sat down on the lone bench, watching as the sun began to peek over the horizon.

There were so many pieces missing, so many things that didn’t make sense. She found it odd that she had no clear memories of her time spent with Ben. Pain lanced through her head again. Oh Artemis! What is happening to me? She continued to stare out at the horizon, hoping to find some answers.

************

The goddess in question looked down at her favored, wishing she could give her the answers.

************

The bard wondered why she didn’t feel tired enough to sleep as she made her way back inside. In truth, she was exhausted, but too wired; her mind seemed to be racing at the speed of light. That in itself was frustrating, but the images... well, a lot of them just made no sense. She wondered if she’d ever figure out what had really happened while she’d been gone.

She opened the door to the room silently, the frown on the doctor’s face causing her immediate concern. "Is there a problem, doctor?"

The woman whirled at the sound, having been surprised by the bard’s entrance. She looked at her a long moment, before turning back to study her patient. "I’m not really sure. I’ve never seen anything quite like this before."

"What do you mean? I would think in your line of work, you would have seen it all by now." Gwen smiled slightly.

A tiny smile graced the other woman’s features. "Yeah, you’d think so, wouldn’t you? These guys have come back with just about every conceivable wound or illness imaginable. But this," motioning to Randi’s face. "This is something new." She moved to re-examine the wounds. "The barbs were deep, penetrating almost to her bones. And they were moving deeper when I pulled them out. And the cut... it doesn’t want to regenerate. The unit keeps cutting out."

"That is odd," stroking the uninjured side, and smiling a bit when Randi unconsciously turned into her touch. "Are you sure it’s not the unit?"

"Pretty. This is the third one I’ve tried." She paused. "This redness is causing me some concern too." She pointed out the inflamed area. "It should have been readily healed by the regen unit." She shook her head, trying to understand what the problem was and failing miserably. The doctor looked at Gwen. "Are you going to be here a while?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Because she seems to rest better with you here. And right now, more than anything, she needs rest." The doctor did not mention the struggle she’d had with the Sabre after Gwen had left the room. The bard’s brows rose at the first comment, and frowned at the second. She could see now the dark circles and haggard appearance more clearly, and wondered what had happened to the Marine in the time they had been apart.

She sat down in the comfortable reclining chair Randi had been using earlier, though contrary to her friend, the bard did not sit up ramrod straight perched on the edge. Instead, Gwen moved the chair as close to the bed as possible, and leaned back comfortably. The bard could see most of the warrior from this position, and it was somehow reassuring. She took one of the larger hands into her own, smiling reflexively when the hand clasped hers firmly, and the warrior gave a little sigh. She noticed there were no traces of blood on Randi’s hands, but her mind’s eye clearly saw what had been there, and she sat back to think about what had happened.

She must have fallen asleep, she realized some time later, as her eyes opened, and she spent a moment trying to focus. The after images of her dreams were confusing, and she wondered what had happened to awaken her. She looked around here, realizing where they were. She was stiff and sore, and she grimaced at having to move. A whimper from the bed drew her attention, and she hesitatingly rose up slightly to be able to see Randi’s entire face. What she saw surprised her.

The Sabre had curled up into a tiny ball, and her hands were moving, as though searching for something. Gwen noticed immediately that their hands were no longer joined. She cocked her head and listened to the whispered words, hearing her own name called out pleadingly by the still soundly sleeping Marine. Her mind went back to another time and place, and with only a moment’s hesitation, she crawled into Randi’s bed. Instantly, the warrior curled around her. She held the older woman close, whispering words of comfort and reassurance until the tears and cries stopped.

Gwen heard the Marine sigh again, then the five-year-old voice emerged from the still sleeping woman. "Gwenie?"

The bard stroked the soft hair underneath her cheek, wondering if the child was a defense mechanism that allowed the Sabre to cope with the many atrocities she had to deal with, without completely losing her mind. She put it aside for further study when the voice rang out again in mild alarm.

"Gwenie?! Gwenie, where are ya?"

"I’m right here," the blonde answered soothingly, continuing to caress the dark locks.

"I’m sorry, Gwenie. I’m sorry I hurt your friend. He was a bad man, Gwenie. I had to make him go away."

The bard was silent a long time, and she felt the warmth of tears flow from Randi’s eyes onto her chest. "I’m sorry, Gwenie. Really I am," the Sabre whispered. "Please don’t leave me."

"I won’t leave you, Randi. I’ll always be here." And surprised herself by the fundamental truth of that statement. She still had some serious issues, both with the holes in her memories, and with Randi’s actions. But nothing was going to change the fact that they were best friends. They loved and cared for one each other, and one way or another, they would make it through this intact.

The older woman sighed a third time, and curled up closer into her. "I love you, Gwenie."

Gwen kissed the top of the warrior’s head. "I love you too, Randi. Happy dreams, now." And she smiled when the Marine nestled down into her, and drifted back into a deeper sleep. She watched as darkness fell, her thoughts keeping pace with her heartbeat. It was a long time before her eyes closed in sleep again.

************

Randi woke up vaguely disoriented, confused by the feeling of emptiness and loss. She would have sworn.... With a sigh, she turned over onto her side, noticing for the first time the bard curled up in the recliner pulled very near her. A small hand rested on the bed, and she reached out to touch it. She hesitated, withdrawing before she felt the softness of the skin she missed so much. The last day or so was blurry, and she was no longer sure what was reality, what was dream, and what was simply wishful thinking. She wasn’t ready to risk the truce they seemed to have reached. She moved to sit up, and her stirring caused Gwen’s hand to unconsciously start tracing on the bed.

The Marine watched in fascination for many minutes, trying to figure out what was so familiar in the pattern. So lost in though was she that she never realized when it stopped. Only when a throat cleared, and sleepy green eyes twinkled back at her did she notice that she’s been staring. A light blush traveled up her features.

"Good morning." Her sleep-hoarse voice came out as a bare whisper, and she cleared her throat. The bard saved her further speech by speaking.

"Good morning," just a bit shyly. "How do you feel?"

"Honestly? Like I slept all day. But better. I guess I needed to rest. How’s your dad?"

"I don’t know. I haven’t been back to check on him since early yesterday, and Mother’s been with him since she left us here alone." She paused, then continued, "Randi, we need to talk."

The Sabre cut her off. "Yeah, but I think you need to stay here with your folks for now." The blonde drew a breath to speak, but Randi held up a hand to forestall her. "They need you here right now... need your love and support."

"What about you?"

"What about me? They’re your family. You know where to find me when the crisis is over. We still share an address, ya know." Not a home, not now. She tried to make light of the pain that caused, but she didn’t quite succeed. The bard could read clearly the agony in the blue eyes, though she did not understand the meaning behind it all. "I’ll still be there if you want to talk when this is all over."

She slid down from the bed, ignoring the tears she felt forming in her own eyes. She couldn’t see the reciprocal ones forming in the green eyes she loved. Randi couldn’t bring herself to look into them. "I’m gonna get dressed, and say goodbye to your folks. Then I’m gonna head out."

Gwen sat in the chair, stunned and hurt. This was the last thing she expected from Randi, after the discussion they’d just had the night before. What happened? What did I miss? She mentally reviewed their conversation of the previous evening. She almost missed the Marine’s voice, as she stopped on her way out the door.

"You take your time, Gwen. I know I’m not what you thought I was, and if you can’t live with what I really am, I’ll understand. I’ll always love you." The door closed behind her silently, and it took the bard a moment to realize that she was alone in the room. She sat there another minute, reexamining Randi’s words. Now wait just a damn minute... She thought about it, until her train of thought brought her upright in the chair. She doesn’t remember... she thinks... Oh shit!

She got up in such a hurry that she got tangled in the blanket she’d been covered with. With a frustrated cry, she threw it on the chair, scrambling across the room and out the door as quickly as she could. She rushed into the regen chamber, only to hear the whoosh of a shuttle outside. Her shoulders slumped. This day was not starting out very well.

Chapter VII

You’re a coward, Miranda Valiant. You didn’t even give her a chance to say anything!

I can’t take the chance. I can’t risk that what I remember is only a dream. She knows where to find me when she’s ready to talk.

She WAS ready to talk!

She grabbed her head in her hands, hoping to still the argument she was losing with herself.

The pilot who had been summoned didn’t say a word, but merely waited while his passenger collected her belongings from the hotel room and rejoined him. He did silently wonder what caused the tears that slid down her face, but even as he wondered, he saw her wipe them away. He looked away, respecting her privacy. The next time he looked back, to announce their landing, her face was a stoic mask.

Randi went into the house only briefly to take care of her armor and equipment. It was a habit so ingrained, she didn’t even think about it. But when she was finished, and the house was silent, a heavy depression settled on her shoulders.

************

"Why’d you run away, warrior babe?" The love goddess sounded... almost disappointed. "You didn’t even give her a chance."

The Marine became immediately defensive. "I’m giving her a chance now, Aphrodite. She’s all over the place. Doesn’t know what she wants. I’m giving her some space to put things in perspective."

"No, you’re hiding... running away from her feelings and yours."

"NO! She has no feelings for me anymore, remember? We’re ‘just friends’." The pain in her voice resonated through the sarcasm.

"Did you hear a thing I said to you yesterday?? Were you listening at all?" Randi tilted up her head, looking at Aphrodite through confused, grief-filled eyes. It was then that the goddess noticed the scarring still on Randi’s face. "What happened to you?" She touched the rough skin, pulling back instantly when the Marine flinched at her gentle touch.

"It’s nothing," the warrior mumbled. "Please, Dite. Just leave me in peace for a while. Please."

The blonde stood looking at her for a long moment, before lightly touching the bowed head. She frowned in thought, and with a soft kiss to the scar, disappeared. The Sabre fell almost immediately into a deep, troubled sleep.

************

"What happened, little girl? I thought ya’ll were gonna work things out." This from Jill. Geoff was still in the regen unit, and was once again sleeping. The doctor was cautiously optimistic now about his regaining use of his entire upper body. His responses had all been normal, and they were waiting for him to wake up to give him a more thorough testing.

"We were, Mama. We are. She just... I dunno. Maybe she needs a little space." Her eyes went distant, and her hand impulsively grasped the chain around her neck. "I remember...." A sharp pain lanced through her head, and drew a gasp from deep in her chest. Jill immediately took her arm, and ushered her to a chair.

"You all right, Gwen?"

"Yes, Mother. Thank you. I just get this pain in my head sometimes."

The woman looked at her daughter strangely. "Really? When did this start?"

"I’m not sure. Fairly recently?" A pause. "I dunno. It just bothers me when I try to remember sometimes."

"That’s odd. Maybe we should get you seen for that also." It was then that her eyes were drawn to the bard’s naked fingers, and she wondered where her ring was. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask, but she stopped, knowing a better opportunity would present itself later. "What were you gonna say you remembered, dear?"

"I remember, she’s gone away and come back before and needed some space. If what she went through before was anything like what I saw...." Gwen shuddered involuntarily in reaction. "Mama, it was so horrible. And she was so cold, so... it didn’t matter to her that he was a human being." She swallowed. "I think she feels she loses her humanity when she goes out on these trips. Not that I can disagree right now, but maybe she needs the space to recover it. So she’s comfortable in her own skin again."

"Do you really think so, daughter? Or are you trying to justify staying away from her now? You remember what your father told you last night."

"Yes, Mama, I do. There were times she’d go away before... Mama, I remember the first time she disappeared for weeks when I first worked at Midas. We were just becoming friends...."

It became still in the room, save for the quiet sounds of machinery running in the background while the bard got lost in her memories of the past. Jill noted that once again Gwen’s hand reached for her chain, and stayed there, until the woman put a hand on her daughter’s knee. "Gwen?"

"Hmm? Oh, I was telling you about Randi. She was gone... no word, no warning, no explanation. For three weeks, she simply up and disappeared. When she came home, she avoided me for a while. She avoided everybody. It took her a long time to open up again. I think she would probably like a bit of privacy to regroup from... this."

The blonde put her hand back to her chest, and her head fell forward. Her voice became the merest whisper, and Jill saw two tears hit the shiny floor before she heard a word spoken. "I think I need a bit of privacy to regroup as well."

The mother understood both the spoken and unspoken words, and with a comforting squeeze to Gwen’s shoulder, she rose and moved back to her husband’s side. The bard sat until her vision cleared, then without another word, left the chamber in search of some fresh air and solitude.

************

Tommy was thrilled to hear the shuttle set down, and take off again almost immediately. That meant Randi was home, and that only meant good news. He was quite certain she’d been telling the truth about not coming back without Gwen, and until he heard the shuttle, that had, quite frankly, scared him. He had no desire to lose her again. And he knew without the bard, that was a real possibility.

So he picked up his son, kissed his wife goodbye, and headed across the island to see his best friend. His happy steps slowed when he saw her sitting at the deck table, staring out at nothing, alone. She held a bottle of whiskey loosely in her hands, and he stood in silence for a moment simply watching her. He couldn’t be sure, but he though he saw tracks of tears on her face, but it was nearly impossible to be sure.

"WUV!" Randall’s voice rang out to disturb the quiet, and he watched as she surreptitiously brushed a hand across her eyes before waving them over.

"Hey there, boy!" Randall leapt into her arms, and she hugged him tight til he squirmed. She sat down with him, keeping her attention focused on him for the moment. He wouldn’t ask probing questions, or so she thought.

The child played with her hair, and patted her cheeks, chattering at her a mile a minute. The Marine tried hard not to flinch when he hit the scar, and mostly succeeded. She nodded and answered him back as best she could. After a few minutes, though, he took her face in his small hands and looked her squarely in the eye. She found the intenseness of his focus a bit daunting coming from one so young, but she met him stare for stare.

"Wuv, where’s Wen? Want tory."

That almost broke her. She took a deep breath, keeping her gaze on Randall, though she was intently aware of Tommy’s scrutiny. She took a deep breath and finally looked at Tommy. "Her daddy got hurt really badly, and she needed to stay with her folks for a few days."

"Is he gonna be okay?" Concern radiated from Tommy.

"They don’t know," on a shaky breath. "It doesn’t look good for his being able to walk again."

"So what are you doing here? Why aren’t you there with her, supporting them?" A bit of accusation in his tone.

"It’s long and drawn out, Tommy. Let’s just say this is the best place for me to be right now, and leave it at that."

"Why don’t you draw it out for me?"

"Because it’s none of your goddamn business!! Now let it alone!"

He got up and stormed off, leaving Randall in her arms. He knew she would take care of the boy, and he sensed instinctively she needed that connection right now. He just had to get some space.

He walked a little, out of her sight, but not out of hearing. Something terrible had happened this time out, and he’d bet his last credit it had everything to do with Gwen. He sent up a prayer for them. It was time they got a little peace together. He was just making his way back, when he heard the whispered conversation between his son and Randi.

"Wuv?"

"Hmm?"

"Miss Wen. Wuv her."

"I know, buddy." She hugged the toddler tightly. "Me too."

He watched as she got up, and moved the two of them to the hammock. Randall wiggled around for a few moments, until Tommy heard a low hum coming from the Sabre. The boy lay his head down on her chest, sighing in contentment. The sound of her voice, and the sway of the swing lulled him to sleep, and it wasn’t long before his comforting presence beckoned the Marine to join him. Tommy waited until he was sure she was asleep, before he took up a sentinel’s post at the table to keep watch over them.

He wondered, as he watched his two special people sleep, what had happened to make Randi cry. And he speculated why Randi was not with Gwen. None of the conclusions he reached were good. He would contact Jill later. He was fairly sure he could get to the truth. Maybe there would be something he could do to help.

************

Gwen found a small gate at the back of the garden that led to a tiny stream. The light danced across the ripples of water, creating sparkles in the reflected sunlight. She took a seat near the edge, entranced by the sight and sounds the surrounded her. The bard let her mind drift, finding comfort in not having to focus, or think, or feel. For right now, in this moment, she was content to simply be. There would be time later to think and feel and analyze.

She felt her battered soul being soothed, and closed her eyes in contentment. She found her mind wandering to the meditation techniques Randi had taught her, and she concentrated on letting herself float away in them.

Unbidden, a picture of Randi standing naked before her flashed in front of her, and the green eyes opened abruptly. What the hell?? Where did that come from?? She concentrated on slowing her suddenly rapid heartbeat, the tightening in her groin making her shift uncomfortably. What is wrong with me? This is Randi... my best friend. But she couldn’t stop the image from reoccurring, nor the flood of warmth it caused.

The bard was so intent on trying to banish these disturbing thoughts, that she didn’t hear the footsteps approach her from behind. She squealed and jumped when a large hand came down gently on her shoulder. Her eyes opened, and Tiny looked back at her in concern. Gwen’s face flushed in embarrassment. She knew the big man couldn’t see her thoughts, but nevertheless....

He arched an eyebrow at her quizzically, wondering what he’d missed. Something was going on, that much was certain. Randi had stopped by very briefly on her way out, and asked him to keep an eye on the younger woman. He’s been happy to agree, though more than a little intrigued on why it would be necessary. The two of them hadn’t been apart for more than a few minutes at a time since Randi’s return from the dead, up until the kidnapping. What could have changed between them in those few short days that they are now so far apart by choice?

"You okay, Gwen?"

She swallowed, and took a deep breath, thankful to have something else to focus on. "Yes, Tiny, thanks for asking. How’s Reed?"

He smiled. "Better. Better than we had a right to expect at this point, actually. If her progress continues steadily, we will be home before the weekend. We’ll be there when Ditto has her puppies."

"Oh, that’s right!" slapping her forehead. "I’d forgotten all about that."

"Well, things have been kinda hectic for you lately. How’s your dad?"

"He was sleeping the last time I saw him, but I got to speak to him earlier. His recovery is gonna be slow. He does have the use of most of his upper body, and they are saying he will fully recover his range of motion. The rest though," she shook her head sadly. "That will be up to him, but they’re not holding out much hope."

Tiny clasped his hands around one upraised knee, and looked thoughtfully across the water. "The mind is a powerful tool, Gwen. I’ve seen people do things they shouldn’t be able to do, because they made up their minds to do so. Don’t discount the human will. If Geoff wants it badly enough, there’s no telling what he can accomplish."

It was quiet for a while then, with Gwen digesting the man’s words, and trying to find a tactful way to ask a question that had been haunting her. Finally, she decided blunt was best.

"Tiny, have you ever killed anyone?"

The large Sabre looked directly in her eyes, and she flinched involuntarily at the pain she found gazing back at her. So this is the problem, eh? Well, let me see if I can help make this better. I owe Randi that much at least. He cleared his throat. "Yes, I have. Many times." He swallowed, and returned his gaze to the water. "And it never gets easier." He paused, and the blonde woman waited, sensing he had more to say. "Even when it’s justified, even when it’s the right thing to do, it’s a very difficult thing to live with... a terrible burden to bear."

"Then why do it? Isn’t everyone entitled to live?"

"Oh, if only it were that simple, my friend." He hesitated, and looked at her briefly. He saw her honest confusion, and tried to answer the unspoken question. "Do you remember a talk we had a few months ago, about what the Sabres are?"

Blonde brows furrowed, and she concentrated. "I think so." She rubbed her forehead. "I’m not sure. You wanna refresh my memory?"

He looked at her curiously, then patiently explained again about the Sabres, their purpose, and their mission. She sat listening to him thoughtfully, trying to put together the pieces. "It’s not a life any of us would have chosen, Gwen, given the choice, but it is a duty we do our best to fulfill with honor. As ugly as the job is, the world needs us, to keep the peace. To keep millions of innocents safe from the thousands who would do them harm."

"Do you enjoy it?"

"Parts of it, yes," he answered honestly. "But most of it, no. It is very trying, and even more so for Randi, I think."

The bard cocked her head inquisitively. "Why do you say that?"

"I have Reed, and even though we can’t always discuss the details of our missions with one another, we each understand what it is like. We know what the other is going through. Randi, well, she never had anyone to share that side of her with. And she’s always been the best, Gwen. She’s always gotten stuck with the hard jobs."

"So why does she go away from people? Why doesn’t she share that with someone? Let someone help her bear that burden?" Gwen was starting to see things in a little different light.

"It’s not who she is, Gwen. You know that. She would never consciously ask someone, anyone, to take on the weight of her life as a Sabre." He looked the woman squarely in the eyes. "You will have to offer to share the load, and coax her until she is willing and able to share with you. But you will have to be the one to take the first step. She would never ask you to bear what she considers to be an unforgivable past."

He rose then, turning back toward the building. He stopped when he reached the gate. "Think about it Gwen. She needs you and your faith in her, but you have to be willing to share her darkness as well as her light."

Oh, my friend. I hope that helped. I don’t understand everything that is going on here, but I know ya’ll need to get through this together. He thought about his lover who had cried stinging tears just before she’d sent him to look for the bard. "Go to her, Tiny. There’s something not right between them, and it needs to be fixed." He could only hope his words would be enough.

Gwen sat for a few more minutes, thinking over the man’s words. The truth in them hurt her, especially for Randi’s sake. So much pain, my friend. So much for you to bear. Will you share with me if I ask you to? Can I accept the darkness? Would you be willing to let me help you? It was a while before her mind stopped whirling with questions, and she got up to go talk to her father.

************

Geoff was glad to be awake. He felt as though he had slept for days. The doctor was pleased with his progress so far, at least as far as his upper body was concerned. He was able to sit on his own, and the fact that he could hug his wife completely was a blessing he was thrilled to experience again. They sat cuddled together quietly, having emerged from the regen chamber for a while. Though they all knew he would have to go back in, the doctor was glad to give him a break, knowing he needed a bit of quality time with his family.

"How do you feel, love?" Jill stroked her hands through his short-cropped hair.

"Like I got hit in the back with a mace," he quipped lightly. She looked at him seriously. "I’ve been better, sweetheart, but I’ve also been worse." He hugged her to him tightly. "We’ll get through this."

She sighed and squeezed him back. "Yeah, we will. I just hope Gwen and Randi will."

He pushed her back away from him slightly, so he could look into her eyes. "Why? What happened?"

"Do you know...? Wait. Let me start from the beginning. I don’t want to confuse the issue any more than it already is. You know Ben was the kidnapper, correct?" He nodded. "And I guess you know the story behind it."

"Um hmm. At least I think so."

She sighed. "Long story short... apparently he is tied in to someone who died when Randi did, and he blamed Randi for this person’s death. He took Gwen in retaliation. What you don’t know is that he somehow managed to make Gwen forget about her love for Randi. As far as she is concerned, they are simply best friends."

"Oh damn! Not again."

"Uh huh. Aphrodite told Randi to keep the faith, but she’s struggling with it right now." A beat. "Gwen watched her gut Ben."

"Oh no."

"Oh yes. And she’s gone back home, and left Gwen here. I don’t know if it was self defense or a desire to give Gwen some space." She paused. "I think maybe it was a little bit of both. But we’ve got to do something, Geoff. Those two kids belong together."

"Let’s play it by ear, hon. We’ll do what we can. For now though," he motioned toward the door where their daughter stood hesitating, not wanting to intrude. "Let’s see what’s on her mind." He waved the bard in.

"I’ll tell you what... I’m gonna give the two of you a little privacy to talk in. I need to go back to the hotel, shower and change. Besides, I’m betting she’ll open up to you better if it’s just the two of you alone."

He smiled at her, as the bard approached the bed. "I love you, Mrs. Goldman. Don’t take too long."

"I love you, Mr. Goldman. I’ll be back shortly." She kissed her husband soundly, squealing when he pinched her firmly on the behind. She turned to her daughter. "Thanks for keeping an eye on your old man for me, little girl. I never know what kind of trouble he will get into when my back is turned." She gave Gwen a peck, and walked out the door.

The weapons smith patted the bed, thankful again for the time away from the regen chamber. "What’s up, Gwen?" going right for the heart of the matter. "You look disturbed."

She looked at him a long time before she looked away, realizing that he too must share the service bond that Randi, Reed and Tiny did. "Daddy, have you ever killed someone?"

Whatever he had been expecting, it hadn’t been this. This came from out of nowhere and blindsided him. Of all the discussions in the world, this was one of the few he had never thought he’d ever have to have with her. While these thoughts were running through his head, he realized he was gonna have to share a lot of this with Jill as well. It was time she understood what he had been... what Randi was.

His answer was clearly written on his face before he spoke, and Gwen turned away a bit at the knowledge.

"Does it change the way you feel about me, Gwen?" he asked sadly. "I am still the same person I’ve always been."

"It doesn’t change the way I *feel* about you, I don’t think, but it does change my *view* of you. It’s probably not very fair of me, but there it is. It’s the truth."

He reached for her hand, pleased when she didn’t pull away from him. "Let me tell you something, Gwen. This is something I’ve found to be true throughout the entire Sabre unit. No one... NO ONE would have chosen this duty as a way of life. But there always has to be someone who stands between the innocent, and those who would defile them. The Sabres are the first line of defense, and not one of us would hesitate to kill to protect our loved ones, and our way of life."

"Now Ben did some horrible things. I don’t know the whole story of why he turned, but I do know he was a threat, and had caused hundreds, maybe even thousands, to die. Now Randi’s reasons for gutting him were as much personal as they were military. But you can bet your last credit, that any member of this team would have done the same thing."

"Even you?"

"Especially me. He had to be eliminated. The fact that he took you, and threatened you simply gave Randi first shot. He had no hope of coming out of there alive, and he knew it."

"But why, Daddy? What do you all, does she, get out of killing?" Tears welled up in her eyes, and clung to her lashes. He smiled sadly in sympathy with the confusion he saw shining so brightly through the pain.

"Oh, baby girl. She has lived with guilt and grief and self-loathing since becoming a trained killer. She has learned to hide away parts of her for fear she can’t be loved. The only thing she gets from killing is a heavier burden to bear. Do not judge her too harshly, daughter. She is hard enough on herself."

"I don’t want to judge her, Daddy. I want to understand, but every time I close my eyes, and see her running that blade into him...."

He nodded. "Would you be willing to talk to the doctor here, Gwen?