Author: Invid Fan
Title: The Waifs
Part: 4
Summary: When war has reached every corner of the known worlds, what can you do? Teen soldiers steal a space ship to try and find out. Once you kill, can you still be a kid?
Keywords: MinimulSex, SciFi, mf, teen

****

THE WAIFS 
By Invid Fan
(c)2013

Chapter 18

The Liberty slowly dropped down towards the moon Rhea.

Rhea was unique in the solar system: an ocean world wrapped in an ice coating. Beneath the two kilometer thick frozen shell that provided its visual surface, lay a twelve to fourteen kilometer deep ocean of pure water. A resource that humanity, naturally, was exploiting to its fullest. A half dozen pumping stations littered the moon, drilling down to the liquid treasure, filling enormous tanker ships to satisfy the needs of man. Already a ten meter gap existed in places between the bottom of the ice and the top of the ocean, and speculation as to what might happen as even more water was removed ran to the bizarre. Some had the ice shell collapsing, killing all living there. Others saw the creation of a brand new living space on the exposed rocky surface under the ice ceiling. An idea put forward by some engineers was to spin the ice shell, giving the inner surface its own gravity, and thus creating three surfaces on the world for man to colonize.

Those engineers tended to not find paying employment.

The spaceport landing pads were virtually empty as the ship touched down at Catty Township. The bulk of a water tanker dominated the field as the landing cradle adjusted to the much smaller size of the Liberty and a boarding tunnel was extended. It made contact just as the engines cut out. They were down.

****

"Welcome to Catty," the rather unimposing Dock Master told Kine as the ship hatch opened. The official was waiting for them right in the boarding tunnel, along with a dozen Rebel guards. They made up for his distinct lack of... well, anything. Kine almost hadn't noticed him standing in front of the armed soldiers, despite his bright orange uniform. His brown hair was short and neat, and he had the type of face computers tended to churn out to fill in crowd scenes.

"Greetings," Kine said, not stepping off the ship quite yet. His eyes flicked from the official to the guards, then back again. "Expecting trouble?"

"Always. Step aside so we can inspect your ship." The official motioned the guards forward, but Kine stood his ground.

"No."

The guards paused, as the man's eyes widened. He looked down at the pad in his hands, then back at Kine.

"No?"

"Nope. Not gonna allow it."

The two locked eyes. The dock master broke off his gaze and glanced at his data pad again.

"L-look, after everything that's been going on out there, we HAVE to inspect every ship! I mean, we don't want the same thing to happen here that happened to the London!" He was sweating, partly due to Kine, but perhaps even more so due to the condescending looks his men were giving him. Kine was almost ready to feel sorry for the guy.

"But it's pointless." The official looked up. "I mean, if we ARE the spearhead of a Federation attack, as soon as your men step on board, the troops I have ready in the passageways behind me just out of sight will spring out and kill you all." The guards half raised their weapons at this. Kine remained still, calm. He went on, casually. "If we're NOT Feds, then naturally we'll probably assume you men are, and are trying to take over our ship. In that case any attempt to board us will result in either those troops behind me ready for just such a betrayal jumping out, or I'll shut this hatch and we'll try an emergency takeoff. This will likely destroy the cradle, and the docking bridge on which you're standing."

The Rebels were now looking at each other, concern on their faces. Kine caught the eye of the Dock Master, who was completely flustered.

"Now, given all that, and given this really is a small ship and we don't want any trouble, what I'd do if I were you is put a camera and a portable turret aimed right at this door, then let us into your fine town to resupply and spend money. If the camera picks up any large troop movements, you can have the turret blast away. What do you say?"

The man considered. He looked once again at the sensor readings they had of the Liberty, then at Kine... and nodded.

"Sergeant, put a sentry gun and a guard on this gangway. Again," he said, in a relieved and happy tone, "welcome to Catty." Kine stepped out of the ship and walked over to shake his hand. Mel exited behind him, first excursion party organizing behind her.

Kine looked the officer over again. He seemed the type that knew lots of stuff, but just needed a friendly ear. He gave him his most charming smile.

"You know, we could really use the latest gossip from this system. There's so much rumor floating around out there, we have no idea what's going on. Why don't I buy you a drink, to make up for all this, and we can talk?"

The Dock Master's eyes widened, a slow smile growing on his face as his eyes traveled up and down Kine. The blond teen suddenly realized Sean would have been better suited for this. The man moved to Kine's side and, as the two started walking, put a hand on his back.

"You know, that sounds like a wonderful idea. It's about time for my break. I know this wonderful place down by Suzy's that serves these wonderful poached fish..."

****

Shelly ached all over.

It was bad enough working out. It was bad enough working out next to super warrior Lessa, and the young and eager Wendi. But, did they have to have the gravity turned up over one gee? "Oh, this way we'll really work those muscles, and you'll be ready whatever the conditions we fight in." Bullshit. It was all a plan to torture her, to make her feel weak and inferior.

The bra made it worse.

Lessa and Wendi, and Mari who was just doing stretches while watching the older girls, had decided to train nude. Something about it being just more natural and relaxing. It only took Shelly about five minutes to discover her larger boobs didn't like that kind of treatment, so there she was with her boulders restrained while everyone else showed off what the gods had given them. Grrr... it made Shelly want to go find a man and bang him silly just to prove her body was in fact good for something. VERY good for it. Right now, though, she just needed drink and sleep.

The rec room door opened, the sound of soft music, mostly strings and woodwinds, lofting through the air greeting her. She was also greeted to the sight of Sean sitting at a chair pulled up next to a pool table, with a glass and bottle of booze in front of him on the railing.

Gee, just the male to solve her problems.

Sean turned as the door closed behind her, and it was obvious he had put a dent into the bottle already. He smiled, raising a full glass to her in toast.

"Hello, Slut!"

"Hi, Buttfucker."

Shelly went over to the bar, looked around, grabbing a bottle of white wine. Opening it, she turned, leaned back against the bar and took a swig. She probably should be hydrating, or some such, but man she needed this.

"So, what have you and the Evil One been playing at?" Sean turned his chair a bit so he faced her across the pool table. Shelly suddenly noticed how... tired he looked. His day hadn't been much better than hers.

"Oh," she said, taking another swig before dropping her arm to hold the bottle casually by its neck. "just training to be super soldiers. You know how it is. Can't destroy all your enemies without getting in some jumping jacks." Sean just shook his head at her.

"WHY are you doing this? You have to know she's crazy."

Shelly closed her eyes.

"I know, I know..." She sighed at Sean. "The last time she was like this, I did nothing. She went off and just... butchered. Came back two weeks later with... scalps! If I'm with her this time, maybe..." She shook her head. "I have to try. I can't live with myself if I don't."

"You're as bad as Kine," Sean snorted. "Worse, maybe. He's going along with her to try and steer her madness into productive, non-suicidal paths. You're just going to follow along and hope, when the time comes, you can talk reason into her."

"There will be more hitting than talking, I suspect."

They both took a drink. Shelly gave him a speculative look.

"Why don't you just leave? If you know where this is going, and you don't want to be caught up in it..."

His sigh mirrored hers.

"I should. Just go. Leave all of you to flame out, in a meaningless blaze of glory. But..." Sean looked down at his empty glass. "I'm still somewhat of an outsider here, socially, but this is the most welcome I've ever been. If I leave... well, unless I go back to the Guard, I'm back to ground zero. Except I'm alone on a strange moon instead of my home world."

They were silent. Shelly contemplated the bottle in her hand, found the cork and shoved it back in. Putting it back on the shelf, she looked back at Sean. He was actually rather handsome, now that she actually thought about it. Then again, maybe it was the wine

"Either help us... or leave." He looked up at her. "I'd rather you were around, myself."

With that, she walked out to find some lucky boy to fuck.

****

"You see," the Dock Master, whose name was Timothy, said as he took the small umbrella out of his drink, "the whole place is falling apart."

Kine sat across from him in the booth, nursing a beer. It had a nutty flavor he hadn't tasted in awhile, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. The same went for this bar, and his companion, nutty flavor and all. He was surrounded by the tackiest decorations he'd ever seen, a collection of bright colors and fake plants that give the place the look of... well, his own personal hell. As for Timothy... at least he was as talkative as Kine had guessed.

"I mean, take yesterday as an example," Timothy continued, pausing to sip at the straw coming out of the fake coconut. "We get this SOS from the London, right? Big attack! Then it cuts out, which you kind of expect if the attackers are doing their job. But, then there's another message about us doing this big invasion of Nene, and them calling for help followed by silence. Imagine, two major operations at the same time! Naturally, we figured one of them had to be fake, but who knows!"

"Was there an attack on Nene?" Kine interrupted, leaning forward. He was barely touching his drink, but didn't think his companion had noticed.

"I don't THINK so. My former roommate Rodney is in logistics and usually sends me warnings about that kind of thing, but I haven't heard from him this last week. It's just like him. He was always vanishing for a day or two, not bothering to tell me where he was spending the night..."

"Have you heard anything about what happened on the London?"

"Oh! Yes! My friend Shela was on the first relief wave that got there. The sneaky Feds had already left by then, naturally. They even destroyed the docking ring as they did! Imagine that!" Kine did imagine it. "So, she goes inside with everybody, and it's a bloody mess. And I mean, bloody. Lots of survivors, yes, but they didn't care who they killed. Sent missiles everywhere, just blowing things up..."

"But," Kine asked, trying to actually get useful information, "what were they AFTER?"

"Oh," Timothy said, waving his hand dismissively, "Who knows. There's that whole secret weapons development place there at the far end. Could have been anything from there. They trashed the place, that's for certain, from what Shela said. Fired at everything BUT the base at the start, but after their troops had gone in and done whatever, they blasted the hell out of it. Tough thing, those old stations, the outer shell never ruptured..."

"I'm just curious as to how they managed to get that close undetected." Kine sat back in his chair. This was the important question, so far as they were concerned.

Timothy waves his hand dismissively.

"Oh, probably was that new fangled scanner jammer thingy they have. Ours still has some bugs, although it's suppose to be better than the Fed crap, but obviously they work well enough to do the job. Silly things, changing the balance of power and all that..."

"But," Timothy suddenly said, leaning forward and giving Kine a look many a girl had given him before, "enough of that. Tell me something about yourself..."

"Big Brother!"

The whinny little girl voice startled both of them. Turning, Kine saw Amanda running over to him. She was holding her stuffed bear, pouting like she was six. He was half surprised, and half relieved. And half angry if she had been allowed to come here alone. A quick glance behind her, though, showed Jenny and Hanna in the doorway. Hanna gave him an unobtrusive wave, then the two of them were gone. His attention turned to his sister who was standing next to him looking worried and angry.

"Kine! Billy took Mr. Snuffles and won't give him back! Make Billy give him back! Please?!?" She grabbed his arm, trying to pull him up out of the chair. Timothy just stared at her, uncomprehendingly. Kine turned to him, apologetically.

"Sorry, family emergency. Gotta go."

"Come on!" Amanda pulled harder, and Kine let her drag him towards the door. He never glanced back, but instead walked faster until both of them were out onto the street. They were about twenty meters from the bar before Amanda stopped pulling and just broke down laughing. Kine looked down at her, amused.

"OK, what was that all about?"

"Oh," Amanda said, wiping tears from her eyes with Teddy's fur, "Mel was worried you were going to be seduced, so she sent me to come get you whenever it seemed the conversation turned in that direction. She figured it wouldn't be good for you to actually turn the Dock Master down, so this way you stay on good terms with him." She hugged his arm, enjoying having him this close. Kine suddenly realized how little time they had spent of late, just the two of them. She looked up at him. "So, did you find out anything?"

Kine reached over and rubbed her head.

"Oh, a few things. Nothing good, but that's to be expected. So," he asked, cocking an eye at her, "what now?"

"Shopping!"

****

"Shelly!"

Shelly turned, watching the small girl running towards her. Mari was dressed, back disguised as a little girl rather than one of Lessa's nude warriors. She looked better like this, in pinks and yellows. Little girls should stay little girls.

"What is it, Mari?" Shelly dropped down into a crouch. She always felt better talking to the kids on their own level. One of her uncles had done that with her and her sister.

The thought of family wiped what little good mood she had left from her mind. Mari came to a stop before her, hands on Shelly's shoulders. Her face was serious.

"You left early! You missed seeing Lessa throw Wendi over her shoulder! It was funny!"

"I'm sure it was," Shelly said, forcing a smile. "So... are you going to keep training with us?"

Mari nodded.

"Yup. Lessa is training Wendi, and Wendi is going to train me. I'm going to be a warrior!"

Ice went through Shelly's veins. She had to stop this. Stop it now, before... before what? Before the girls learned to defend themselves? It was what Lessa planned to do with the training that was the problem, not the training itself. Maybe... maybe Shelly could...

"Good," she said, smiling at the girl. "Good. Train hard. We have an important job, you and I."

"Really?!"

"Yup. You and I, and Wendi, have to protect Lessa. Protect her, and the baby. Think you can do that?"

"Yes!"

"Good girl!" Shelly stood, muscles groaning. Gods, she was out of shape. A door a bit down the hall opened, a blond boy passing through it. Shelly's next course of action became clear. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a boy I need to hunt down and rape."

****

"We're lost, aren't we?

Jenny looked at Hanna, who was looking from the map displayed on her pad up to the street signs at the intersection. The look on her face wasn't good.

"The streets are all straight! How can we be lost?!?"

Jenny sighed, looking around. It was an interesting settlement. It was enclosed, naturally, protecting their frail forms from the cold and unfriendly atmosphere, but they had built it as if it was a terrestrial town, just putting a clear ceiling on the place. The effect provided you with the impression you were walking on the surface of this strange planet, with the gas giant Hikaru and some of its moons hanging over you. It was incredibly pretty, she had to admit, but it was the type of beauty that could only be taken in small doses. If she had to see that over her every day, Jenny thought she'd go insane.

Hanna, on the other hand... Jenny could look at her beauty every minute of every day. Her gaze went to her chosen wife, who was chewing on a finger in concentration as she tried to figure out the map. Her hair, the sweep of her jaw, those eyes... Jenny had always been bi. From when she had been a kid, both boys and girls had interested her, and the fact of her own particular gender had never really figured into anything she did. All of her actual loves, though, had been male. There had been no real reason for that, apart from an accident of who she happened to be around. She had always loved machines, worked around male mechanics... she had really liked Ger. Still did. They worked well together, and he was smart, fun to be with. He could also tear down an engine faster than she could. It's just... well, if Hanna hadn't come along, they probably would have worked things out, still been, at least, fucking occasionally. But, once Hanna had hesitantly taken her hand in her cabin that night... Jenny still shuddered at the memory.

She was never going to leave her.

"Stupid!"

Hanna looked almost ready to throw the pad onto the paved ground. Jenny reached over and touched her hand.

"What is it, Love?"

"I'm stupid! The directions I was following haven't been updated in five years! The stupid store isn't even there anymore!" Jenny had to just laugh at that.

"And I assume we're both too butch to ask for directions!"

Hanna gave her a disgusted look.

"YOU may be too butch, but I'm a dainty feminine flower who has no such hangups." She looked around. "However... from the info I did find, this area isn't used much anymore. They had a die off a couple years ago and compressed the population closer to the center."

"Anything contagious?" Jenny asked, turning serious and carefully looking around. There was a general sense of abandonment to this area, it was true. But, not abandoned enough to not be dangerous in many ways, and they had been forced to leave the ship unarmed.

"Doesn't say," Hanna replied, now starting to get nervous. She reached out and grabbed Jenny's strong hand.

"Which way back?"

Hanna turned around, and they started walking down what she assumed was the street they had come from. Now that they weren't talking and flirting with each other, it was clear they should have noticed something earlier. There were no lights on in the various store fronts, and foot traffic was nonexistent. The place was clean, though. Had to give the town that. A planet side city would have turned into a shit hole inside of a month.

They were passing by a gap in the buildings when a soft crying came from the opening. Hanna paused, jerking Jenny to a stop after taking another step. Jenny looked at her.

"What is it?"

She didn't answer, but with an unsure expression on her face Hanna started to slowly walk into the alley. Jenny let go of her hand for a moment, walking over to the side of a building and grabbing a half rusted metal rod that happened to be wedged behind a garbage bin. Her mate had waited for her. The buildings on either side were only three stories tall, not creating too many shadows, but they still were careful. There was a pit with a stairwell leading to a basement door in the middle of the alley, and the crying seemed to come from there. Carefully approaching, they peeked over the railing.

There was a dead woman lying at the bottom. Her neck was bent unnaturally, a dark red stain peeking out from under her. On top of her...

... was a baby.

"Oh!" Hanna's voice caught in her throat. The child couldn't have been more than a few months old, and from the position of the dead woman's arms she had tried to cradle the infant as she fell. The baby's cries were hoarse. Who knew how long it had been down there, starving and lonely...

Jenny glanced at Hanna's face, then quickly dropped the rod and carefully descended the stairs. She knelt down, examining the woman for a moment. She was in her 20's, plainly dressed but very pretty. Jenny memorized the face. A bad habit, she knew, one of the many reasons she kept away from the fighting. She would remember this poor woman, always. With a sigh, she picked up the baby. Its diaper was filthy and it stank. She looked up.

"It's a girl. She needs food and a change." Hanna nodded, going to the top of the steps as Jenny climbed three of them to hand the baby to her. Jenny then went back down and searched the mother. She found a purse with a small amount of money, an unopened jar of baby food, and that was about it. No identification, no photos. Was she running away? A robbery? She took the jar and climbed up, showing it to Hanna. Hanna nodded, sitting down on the street cuddling and cooing to the still crying infant while Jenny struggled with the lid. Finally getting it open, she sat down next to Hanna and dipped a finger into the jar. Bringing it out covered in the wet apple mush, she brought it to the baby's mouth.

The crying stopped, as she tasted the sweet mush for the first time in maybe days. Jenny pulled her finger out to refill it, and as the child greedily sucked nourishment from her Hanna undid the diaper and almost gagged at the stench.

"Gods! No wonder your end is so cute, given how this end looks! Gimme that water bottle." Jenny handed it over with her free hand, and Hanna started washing what she could down there. She tossed the old diaper off to the side, looking critically at both her and Jenny's outfit to see what could be sacrificed as a replacement. Jenny looked at her.

"What do we do?"

Hanna paused, looking down at the infant in her lap. She reached down and stroked her dark hair, then her soft cheeks. Looking up at Jenny, tears were in her eyes.

"Do you want a daughter?"

Jenny looked at her, eyes wide. A... daughter. They'd be a family. She'd... have a real family. That part of Lessa's plan had seemed silly to her up till then. But... feeding this baby, seeing how naturally Hanna held it, the love in her eyes... She reached out, with her non-baby food hand, and touched Hanna's face.

"Our daughter..."

****

Shelly lay on the bed as Dave thrust in and out of her.

It wasn't working.

Oh, Dave was doing the best he could, and the foreplay had been nice (if a bit rough), but her old joy at the act of sex wasn't there. The body still responded, nipples hardening, opening getting nice and wet, but mentally this was doing nothing for her. What was wrong...

She looked up at the blond on top of her. He was cute enough, in a geeky way, and she had been with him before. This wasn't his fault. She wasn't going to ask him to stop just because of her mood. That wouldn't be fair. It had always been her philosophy that if you worked a guy up, you had to see things through. Teasing had never been for her.

... and that's what it had seemed Lessa was doing to her that morning. Teasing her. Doing those stretches nude, her firm breasts jutting out, the swell of her tummy, the brown triangle of hair between her legs...

Shelly felt a contraction between her legs, and she closed her eyes. She could see Lessa's firm leg muscles bunching and flexing, her lovely back arching, those eyes...

She came. Shelly gave a half scream, arms and legs tightening on Dave as she pulsed around his manhood. This pushed him over the edge, but Shelly didn't even notice. Her mind was still filled with the image of her lovely Lessa, a nude goddess, perfect in every way. It wasn't until she felt the weight lifting off of her and she opened her eyes to see the grinning boy that she realized what had just happened.

Lessa... had made her cum.

"Go away," she whispered, closing her eyes as tears started to come. Dave just stared at her, not understanding. "PLEASE!" He stood, confused, hurt. She wanted to tell him it wasn't him, it was her, it was always her. Quickly dressing, he gave her one more sad look, mumbled something, then left.

Shelly put her hands over her eyes, turned on her side and half curled up. She cried... tears of joy, that her body finally felt about her love as her mind did, and tears of horror... Lessa was now beyond her reach, in mourning for another love that she dare not compete with.

Why did life hate her so.

Chapter 19

Kine looked at the guitar in the store window. It was black, shiny... and expensive. Sighing, he looked down at his sister, who was clinging to his right arm.

"You're serious."

She smiled up at him, her blond hair tied in a ponytail today with a pink ribbon.

"Yup! You get a guitar, I get a keyboard, maybe we talk some others into learning the drums or something. We can spend our time writing and playing songs!" She was practically bouncing, and seeing his expression just laughed and looked back into the storefront. "Come on! I know you used to play! It'll be fun! We need something to do while we sit and wait! Besides..." Amanda squeezed his arm tighter. "... we can do something together this way."

Ah, thought Kine, so that was the reason. He considered. He HAD enjoyed playing guitar when he was a kid. Mostly hard fast stuff, the kind Amanda hated with a passion. Hmm... this had possibilities.

"Tell you what," he said, stroking his chin with the hand attached to the arm without the brat attached to it. "We're gonna be on Rhea for a few more days getting supplies. You can go around asking people if they play anything or are interested in learning, and if you can get enough people willing to buy the instruments then I'll get the guitar."

Amanda jumped up and kissed his cheek, then gave him a mischievous grin.

"Well, no matter what, I have enough to get a keyboard!" With speed and determination she marched into the music store, pulling her protesting brother with her.

****

Lessa sat on the cargo bay floor nude, her arms resting on her crossed legs. Wendi sat in front of her, copying her position. Before the other day she had never seen a pregnant woman exposed like this before, and it was still all the younger girl could do to not stare. She kept her eyes on Lessa's calm face, and listened.

"The secret, really, is to be willing to die, but to want to survive." Wendi nodded. "You have to have the trust to run across that open field at your enemy. To know with all your heart that death is a certainty at some point, and if it comes now so be it. BUT!" Lessa struck her fist on the hard smooth floor. "Your death will not come cheap! You are not throwing your life away! You are doing it because it will achieve some goal, because drawing their fire will allow your companions to flank them, because one of you must get close enough to throw a grenade at them, whatever! Everything you do must be for a reason, a reason that will advance your goals. I sometimes fight based on instinct, true..." and Lessa smiled, "... but I think I've trained my instinct to be pretty smart!"

Wendi smiled back. This was what she wanted. To get into the mind of this warrior she admired.

"Who trained you?"

Lessa's smile faltered. She looked down into her lap, and Wendi panicked.

"I... I'm sorry, Mistress! Forgive me!" Lessa shook her head, and with a sigh she moved her arms behind her and leaned back. Her breasts thrust themselves forward, eyes on the arched ceiling high above them. She was silent for a few moments.

"Who trained me... the universe did. I'm the way I am because that's what it takes to survive in the world. The weak die. Especially those who get between me and survival."

There was silence for a few moments, and Wendi wasn't sure if there would be more.

"Fuck on a fuck stick! Who turned the gravity up in here?!?"

Lessa was on her feet in an instant, with Wendi just a moment behind her (although that delay seemed forever in her mind. Would she EVER be good enough?).Both turned to face the source of the voice while getting into combat stances. A fully clothed Ger looked at them, eyes wide. His hand was on the gravity control panel next to the door, and as the girls relaxed they started feeling lighter.

"Um... hello, ladies. Am I interrupting anything... sexy here?" Lessa gave him a dark look, which he ignored. "Well, regardless of what you're playing at, I'm afraid we have to use the cargo bay for actual cargo. So, unless that's the way you want to greet the dock workers once that big door over there opens, you may want to dress and leave." He turned and walked over to a loader, giving it a once over before it came time to use it. Wendi and Lessa shared a glance, then laughed. Lessa walked over to where she had shed her clothes and started dressing, while Wendi just looked down at her body.

"Should I be offended that he didn't keep staring?"

Lessa chuckled, slipping her panties up her legs.

"If you care about that, I don't want to see you again." Wendi looked over at her in horror. "Your body is a weapon first. Any other use should be far from your mind, until our task is done. Even then," Lessa added, "any who don't appreciate you for what you are shouldn't concern you. Never change to please them."

Wendi nodded, and went and started dressing. It had only been Ger, after all. It's not like it had been Kine dismissing her like that...

****

Babies were expensive.

Oh, not to have. Not only could you get free ones just from being stupid while having sex, but now apparently you could just find them lying in the street. But, actually KEEPING them... Jenny was now having second thoughts that they could actually do this.

Hanna was holding the now diapered and sleeping infant in her arms as they walked through the third baby store they'd come across. Cribs, toys, clothing, food... it was all going to add up very quickly, and the more money they spent on this the less they'd be able to save up for when they eventually left the ship. Jenny lifted up the tag on a high chair that turned into a stroller.

"Maybe she can earn her keep if we charge girls for the right to babysit her." Hanna laughed, stroking their daughter's light covering of black hair. She walked over to a plastic playpen, giving it a good shake with her free hand.

"Think you can make something better than this stuff, Love? Maybe we should go to the hardware store for the big stuff and just buy the bare necessities in a place like this."

Jenny ran a hand over the playpen, then dropped to the floor and took a good look under it. It didn't look too hard, really. Hanna could make all the fabric coverings and such... she looked up at her wife.

"OK, we can try it. Why don't we get just what we need for right now, then go home and make a list of what we really need for our cabin."

Hanna nodded.

"We should also try and find a good book on babies, then take her in for the twins to look over. If she needs any medical care we want them to be able to stock up before we leave this moon. Besides," Hanna added, smiling down at their child again, "it'll be good practice for them for when Lessa gives birth."

Jenny stood up, and leaned in to give Hanna a quick kiss. Her eyes then widened.

"We haven't named her yet!"

"I have," Hanna said, eyes on her wife, "if it's OK with you."

"Yes?"

"I wanna name her Irene, after the girl who died rescuing me."

Jenny looked into Hanna's beautiful eyes, and nodded. She looked down at the baby in her arms then, and let her fingers softly stroke the sleeping girl's cheek.

"Hi, Irene... we're your mommies..."

****

Randy watched Mari pack her things.

Andy fidgeted next to him, legs kicking as the two sat on the edge of Randy's bed. He frowned at his younger brother, wishing he'd stop. Andy could be such a kid. Couldn't blame him, though. Randy was upset too.

"Do you HAVE to go?"

Mari didn't look at him. He sighed. OK, they had been ignoring her. Doing their own thing, hanging out with some of the older boys. Still, they liked her. HE liked her. Little three year old Pug had already abandoned them, taken by four girls who wanted to be his mommy. They saw him all the time, of course, played with him, but he lived elsewhere. And, now...

"Look, Mari, you can stay here. We like living with you."

"Yeah," his brother nodded. "Stay."

"Nope!" Duffle bag full, she turned to them, smiling. "Wendi said I could live with her and Sirenia! That way the two of us can train together, and other stuff! You two wanted your own room anyway!"

If they had wanted to be by themselves, he thought, they could have done so any time. There were still lots of empty cabins. Trust a girl not to understand.

"Fine," he grumbled. legs kicking in unison with Andy's. "Go."

Dropping the bag, Mari came over and hugged him. A quick hug, releasing the slightly younger boy before he could even react, doing the same with Andy.

Then... she was gone.

The two sat, alone in the large cabin. Andy put his hands on his knees, stopping his legs.

"Maybe we can go live with Sean. I heard someone say he likes boys."

****

Sean was drunk.

He honestly hadn't been sure he could do it. The way things had been of late, everything he had set his mind to had been a total failure. Thus, the very idea that he could sit here at this pool table in the rec room and actually succeed at getting himself totally shitfaced should be considered as a very positive achievement. He wasn't a total loser.

There was a problem, however.

Sean raised his head and looked at the bottle in front of him. It was very clear-ish, not the brownish it had been when he started this endeavor. That, he thought, meant something. But, what... he reached out an unsteady hand and raised the bottle. It was light... and light was shining through it... hmmm... ah! It was empty! That was it! He was out of booze!

Out of booze... that wasn't good, was it? How could he keep succeeding at being drunk if there was no drink? Must get more... from where? Sean's gaze hovered over to the bar against the far wall. There were bottles there... with brown stuff in them. Also green and red stuff, but that's not what he wanted. His skin was brown, so he drank brown stuff. Or, was his skin brown BECAUSE he drank brown stuff? No, no... he was pretty sure his skin wasn't white back when he drank milk as a baby. Although, he had liked chocolate milk...

Oh, right! The booze! He had to get over there! Could he do it?

... no.

Sean put his head back down. He was a failure. His plan for this evenings encounter with alcohol had been fatally flawed: he had set up his base of operation too far from his supply depot, and now his supply lines had been cut.

He was such a cunt.

So, now what?

Well, he could leave. Leave the ship. Nobody would miss him. Well, Shelly had said she had wanted him to stay, but then she was a cunt too. Cunts should stick together. Although, maybe only lesbians said that. But, regardless, he should leave. Go, walk out the hatch, onto this moon... and find a bar. Because he wasn't going to be able to stand up for long without a bar to hang on to. Hmm, is that why they call those places bars?

His head hurt.

Sean heard the door behind him open, and someone enter. He had been alone in this room for hours. Most everyone was off the ship, or doing various things. Some had stopped in, but seeing him they quickly left. Even Shelly hadn't stayed long. The cunt hadn't stuck around.

Ha.

The sound of a chair being moved broke his train of thought, and he felt it being placed next to him on the right, someone sitting in it. Whoever it was said nothing for a few moments, then finally spoke in a tired voice.

"I see you're being productive."

Sean turned his head, still keeping it on the pool table railing, and looked. It was Vince. The long haired blond looked... haggard. Sounded it, too. Not fit and healthy like he was. Sean struggled to raise himself, and felt Vince put a hand on his back to keep him from falling backwards. He looked at his lover.

"Hey."

Vince removed his hand, and used it to reach over and pick up the empty bottle. He shook it.

"Mission complete?"

"Yeah..."

Vince shook his head.

"When you never visited, I started to get worried. Thought maybe they weren't telling me something... then I thought maybe YOU were in fact telling me something." His eyes were moist, and his very kissable lips trembled a bit. "I see now that you were."

"VISIT you..." Why would Sean have to make a special trip to visit... oh, right, he was hurt. Got a boo boo when Don got his brains blown out. They got the raw deal out of that exchange. No, no, that's unfair... he hadn't said that out loud, had he? Nope, didn't look like it. Good. His eyes wandered over Vince, and saw he had two crutches leaning on the other side of him against the table. Sean's eyes wandered down and saw the big inflatable cast on his leg. His eyes came up to meet Vince's.

"Yes, the leg is doing better, thanks for asking. The twins did an incredible job."

"Good... good to hear it. Glad you're better." He saw Vince just shaking his head at him.

"I thought I loved you, you know. Thought it was worth all the danger to be with this incredible, sexy man. But... I was wrong. It's not worth it. YOU, Sean... you are not worth it."

Vince slid off the stool onto his one good foot, and grabbing the crutches propelled himself over to the bar. He grabbed a bottle, then swung himself back next to the pool table. He gave Sean one more long look, then sighed. He put the bottle down next to the empty one.

"Goodbye, Sweety."

With that, he left the room.

Sean looked at the bottle for a long time, then a thought came to him.

"Didn't even get to tell him he's a whinny bitch and I'm leaving him..."

****

Mel was outside the ship, talking to the Rebel guard.

He was a nice guy, really, and they were hitting it off quite well. Being bored and of the opposite sex had a lot to do with that bonding, but it was established early on that both were already spoken for. If anything, this freed them up. When you don't have the worry of actually trying to impress the other person or trying to build up to a real romance/seduction, you can flirt with impunity. It was also nice, at least for Mel, to talk to someone new for a change. Things were so... known on the ship. There were no surprises.

The sound of footsteps came echoing from beyond the Liberty's open hatch, and Mel looked over from her position sitting against the entry bridge wall. She wasn't expecting anyone.

Vince appeared inside the airlock. He was dressed in a horrendous purple one piece outfit with a low cut neck line and yellow ruffles. He was managing to use his crutches and at the same time pull a small cart loaded with travel cases. Mel got to her feet, as did the guard Wesley. Vince made it out of the ship, and stopped in front of them. Mel raised an eyebrow at him.

"Going somewhere?"

"Away from this evil deathtrap," he replied, his voice happy and upbeat. He saw Mel glance down at his leg, and grinned. "I consider myself lucky to have only damaged that while with you guys. But... enough is enough." His grin faded.

Mel nodded. Kine had told her of Sean's problems with regard to his boyfriend, so obviously things had come to a head there.  Of all those to be the first to leave, though, she wouldn't have picked him.

"Well, best of luck to you."

The Rebel guard put a hand out, shaking his head.

"Wait, wait, wait... you're intending to STAY on Rhea? In Catty?!"

Vince looked at him, puzzled.

"Well, yes. I can't very well stay on the surface. It's a bit cold out there. Why, is there a problem?"

"Yes there's a problem! We can't just let anyone come to live here! There are rules to follow, immigration protocols to deal with! Damn it, we have standards!" Vince was looking at him as if he had heard all of those words before in a different context, but really couldn't figure out what they were supposed to mean in this case. He looked at Mel, to see if she could help. She was about to do her best when there was a voice from the other end of the bridge.

"OK, what's going on here?"

It was Dock Master Timothy.

He came up the walkway, his bright orange uniform crisp and sharp. His eyes landed on Vince.. and he stopped dead in his tracks. Vince's eyes found his face, and the younger man sucked in his breath. There was silence, as the two just stared at each other. Mel glanced between the two, a sly smile crossing her face, as the guard just lowered his head and shook it in disgust. Mel stepped forward and put a hand on Vince's shoulder while looking at the Dock Master.

"Vince here was thinking of leaving our fine crew and living in Catty. He has no place to stay, though..."

"Oh!" Timothy's eyes widened, and he started stammering. "W-well, we can't have people just wandering around! V-vince, you said? A beautiful name! I'm sure we can find accommodations for a fine newcomer like yourself! Oh! What happened to your leg?!? Let me help you with those bags!" He rushed up to the blond and went to grab the cart handle. His hand brushed Vince's, and both men paused, blushing. Vince's demeanor became more submissive, and as the two started walking away their hands began accidentally brushing against one another.

Mel laughed, and slid back down the wall into her former sitting position. Problem solved!

****

An hour later, Mel's conversation with a new guard just come on duty was interrupted by a small group coming up the bridge. Kine and Amanda were in the lead. Amanda was smiling and skipping as she carried a number of shopping bags, and Kine was... pushing a keyboard on long thin metal legs that ended in wheels. Some other items were perched precariously on the keyboard. Mel just shook her head. She had the feeling she'd be hearing quite a bit from her man about the day's events.

Behind them, walked Hanna and Jenny, hand in hand. Jenny was carrying a number of shopping bags as well, and Hanna carried...

A baby!

The four stopped in front of Mel and the guard. Mel looked from the keyboard to the baby, then at the four shoppers. She shook her head.

"Do I WANT to know?"

Kine shook his head in reply.

"Nope."

Chapter 20

"Operation 'Hide Like a Bitch' can now begin."

Villa hit the final few buttons to shut down all engines, feeling the Liberty settle onto the rocky ground before the artificial gravity compensated. He checked a few systems, then looked over at the command chair. Kine was looking back with an expression of... disdain.

"So, you think we're hiding like a bitch? Really?"

"Oh," said Villa, quickly, "I'm all in favor of hiding. Anytime, and anywhere. I'm just also in favor of being honest about it, that's all." The boy looked around, trying to get some support. The last thing he wanted was confrontation. That would go against his whole "hide, don't make waves" philosophy. This in turn was based on having had his ass kicked over and over again. He learned. Oh, yes, he had learned...

Kine shook his head and looked down at his sister.

"Which Bitch do you think we're being like, Amanda? We can name the mission after them."

Amanda glanced over at the navigation station, grinning.

"Operation Villa it is, then."

Villa nodded. He could live with that.

****

The ship now lay next to a crater wall on a small asteroid sized moon orbiting Hikaru. It was free of either settlements or mining operations, yet not that far from the moon Rhea which they now knew to be a safe harbor. Hell, it was within shuttle range, which, Kine thought, might come in handy over the next month or two.

Kine left the bridge, heading down the second level passageway towards the dining hall. Two months... they could be stuck in one spot, bored and consuming supplies, for two months. Now, really, in a space ship there's not much difference between moving and not moving for those inside it. If you could keep busy. The hard part would be, beyond that, trying to gather enough information to make their next move. If a move was to be made. He still held out hope this delay would let Lessa calm down a bit, but then he was an optimistic man.

Realistic, but an optimist.

Mel fell in next to him, seemingly out of nowhere. Kine glanced over at the bald teen. She had appointed herself, without so much as a by your leave, his right hand woman. She kept at his side when he might need support, did any tasks he needed done (often without a word being said), dealt with petty problems before they grew to need his attention... almost, in a way, promoting him to full leader just by doing all the things a good second in command should do, and doing it in his name.

He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Kine still didn't want to be leader, naturally. The responsibility wasn't something he had any interest in, and if anyone asked him, Kine would point to Lessa as the new commander after her rousing speech. But... she wasn't leading much at the moment. The only one trying to actually get things done was Kine... so, did that make him in charge? And if so, could he quietly steer things in a better direction?

And why was Mel doing this?

He liked her, yes. After both had lost their partners, hooking up to ease their joint sorrows had seemed... natural. And good. Damned good. When Mel shed her clothing... damn! Kine had never had a lover like her before, and unless she was a hell of an actress he thought she sort of felt the same way. At the very least, she responded to him, in and out of the bedroom, as if she was his to command.

So long as that command wasn't, "leave".

"Where's Lessa?" He asked, as the two came to the mess hall door. Mel shrugged.

"In her cabin, I think." She looked at him. "Are w-you going to move into the captain's cabin?" Kine caught her slip there, and sighed. He'd given Mel the same talk he had given Irene, but... times were changing. Maybe Amanda could survive sleeping in her own cabin, maybe paired up with Sirenia or Wendi. He spent enough nights in Mel's cabin as it was, there's no reason they had to keep doing things this way.

"Given that there's a passage from Lessa and Shelly's room into that cabin, she'd have to move before I'd feel comfortable in there. So, it's no go. Besides," he grinned, hitting the button to open the door, "I'm not the captain."

"If you say so," muttered Mel under her breath. Kine ignored her as they entered.

****

"She's so cute!"

Kine and Mel walked into a scene of female bonding as they'd never seen it before. Almost every girl on the ship seemed to be there, all fussing over Hanna and Jenny's new baby. The happy couple had set up at one of the larger round tables, the infant Irene lying on a blanket in the middle for maximum access for the throng of potential mothers. Hanna was beaming, happily answering questions (and making up answers for things she was completely ignorant of), while Jenny sat with a possessive arm around her waist. Mel gave Kine an amused look.

"Shall we join them?"

Kine laughed.

"I'd be afraid to go anywhere near that group. You can go. I'll get our dinner." Mel patted his shoulder sympathetically while giving his cheek a quick kiss, then wandered over to check out the newcomer more closely.

Kine ambled over to the back of the room and the serving line. Sirenia and Mari were behind the counter, aprons on, gazing enviously over at the concentration of female hormones. Sirenia was the first to notice Kine, elbowing Mari to get her attention. The younger girl looked up at the tall blond and blushed.

"Hi Kine! Hungry? We have lots of good stuff today!" Sirenia laughed at Mari's eagerness, but Kine tactfully ignore it. Every girl went through a crush stage with him. Hell, many went through at least one a week. The numbers of males and females might be more or less even, but that didn't mean the number of "suitable" members of each gender matched, or that there was enough of every type to satisfy.

Kine, he was every girl's type.

The teen gave the selection before him serious consideration. This soon after leaving Catty there was still fresh food to be had, and it would be wise to help himself to as much as possible before it was replaced with canned and frozen goods. He raised an eyebrow at Mari.

"Which ones did you make?"

"I peeled and sliced the vegetables!" The preteen pointed at the appropriate steaming pans. "I also took the chicken out of the oven!"

"Well then," said Kine, grabbing two large plates and putting them on a tray on the counter, "I think I'll have four pieces of chicken and some potatoes and green beans, and for Mel's plate give her corn, beans, and... some of that pork." The food was quickly dished out, his portions much larger than those of his female companion. Grinning thanks and winking at Mari, he walked down the line to get some drinks, then settled in at a table far from the action.

****

"No change," Mel said, plopping down across from Kine and grabbing a fork, "kid looks the same as she did the other day."

"Well I hope to hell they've changed her since then, or the smell would start to kill us."

Mel chuckled as she started in on her meal. The two ate quietly. She liked these moments, when the two of them could just... be together. No important decisions to be made, no actions to be taken, no hot sweaty sex to distract... even no conversation. Just Kine and her, enjoying the silence of each other's company. It was so... domestic. Only having it be a meal she had prepared for him herself could make it more complete, but such a thing would be taking matters too far. Might scare him away. Mel had observed Kine and Irene back then, seen what he wanted and didn't want so far as relationships went. You had to casually work your way in, past his defenses, so you were into his life and into his heart before he even noticed. She thought she was a good way there now. Let him be the one to make the next major move, all the while thinking it was his idea.

Then again, he was smart enough to probably know what she was doing. If so, the fact he wasn't protesting was a wonderful sign.

Mel noticed Kine looking up over her shoulder at the crowd of baby watchers.

"I should have said something," he sighed, taking a sip of the fruit beer.

"And driven them away? What good would that have done?"

"But I saw the missing person news item! That poor husband is looking for his wife and baby!" Kine shook his head. "They had no right to just... 'adopt' any unattended kid they find. That wasn't the middle of a battlefield, it was a civilized town."

"I don't think most of us see a difference nowadays. Especially after the London." Mel picked at her corn. It was a touch under done. "From the chats I had with the guards, things are likely to get bad there soon anyway. We probably saved the child."

"Like things won't get bad here," Kine mumbled darkly. He speared a couple beans on his fork, and noticed a long hair. "See? First sign of the apocalypse."

****

Lessa lay on Don's bed.

Her clothes were scattered around the floor, a trail going back the secret passage. The only light was the one shining out of the half closed door, reflecting off the three lockets between her bare breasts. Lessa's closed eyes didn't see them sparkle. She saw Don. Her Don. Don kissing her. Running his hands over her. Lessa's own hands mirrored his, caressed her body. Don... she loved Don. Only Don had ever loved her, ever touched her... she pictured him looking down, eyes full of love, desire. Desire that made her feel like a woman. Desire that made her want to have his baby. She arched her pelvis up at him,felt him penetrate her.

"AH!"

Lessa cried out, head whipping back and forth as the fingers of one hand plunged in and out between her legs. The other hand grabbed the lockets, their cold metal almost burning with loss. Her breathing became manic.

"Don! Don!"

Back and bottom lifting completely off the bed, she tensed, not so much in pleasure as release. She cried out again, mind a collage of a hundred images of her love. Foremost, she pictured that last time, as his hands caressed their baby through her skin....

Finally, Lessa collapsed into a heap. She was covered with sweat, body shaking. The moment fading... she cried.

****

Amanda ran her fingers down the keyboard.

Music...

She missed music.

Oh, she and her friends sang, and listened to tons of recordings bought or stolen over the course of this adventure. But... real music. Music you created yourself. Music that expressed your inner feelings, that told the world how you felt at that moment...

Mom and Dad had given her a toy piano when she was three. While the other girls were busy with dolls, Amanda had banged away creating epic songs that lasted for hours. Dad had recorded them, without her knowledge, naturally, and in later years he had brought them out to her great embarrassment. Dad could be such a...

"No," Amanda muttered. She wasn't going to do this. This wasn't a time for memories of heartbreak and loss. Maybe later. Now was a time for happiness. Joy.

Music.

Ger came into the room, drum set on a trolly pushed ahead of him. The teen two years her senior nodded his head at her as he parked and began to set up his kit. Amanda looked him over. Oh, sure, the fourteen year old was sort of cute, in the way all plain boys were, and his muscles were well defined, and seemed to glisten when he was working in the shuttle bay... but she still couldn't figure out why Sirenia had a crush on him. Nope, Amanda could see no reason anyone would have feelings for this older, attractive...

"So, Amanda..." The girl was jerked out of her thoughts by a grinning Ger. "How many fools have you tricked into joining this band of yours?"

Amanda laughed, letting her finger play a scale on the keyboard.

"Not many. Kine has his guitar, naturally. Ohn plays clarinet. Hanna flute, if she shows. Shelly bought a bass, although she claims to not know how to play."

"Oh, now THAT should be fun. I hope her tits don't get in the way."

"Maybe she'll let you hold them still."

Ger tossed a drum stick at Amanda, who sounded a dramatic chord as it hit the wall and stuck her tongue out at him. Ger laughed and used the stick in his other hand to mirror the sound of its brother as it clattered to the floor. Amanda bent to pick it up, and Ger easily caught the return toss, complete with accompanying cymbal crash.

"Sounds better than I expected."

They saw Sean enter, fiddle case in hand. He looked... embarrassed.

"Everything OK, Sean?" Ger asked. He positioned his stool behind his kit and took a seat as the older boy stopped to consider the question. Sean shook his head.

"Nope. One reason I'm here." He pulled a chair over, then opened the case and took out the old wooden instrument. Sean gazed at it for a few moments, just admiring. Amanda let out a whistle.

"Wow! Where did you get THAT?! I didn't think you'd been off the ship in Catty!"

"Found it on one of our raids. Use to play as a kid, and thought I'd take it up again. Then Vince came on board and other things took up my time..." He shook his head, clearing that thought, and starting tuning.

"So, what are we doing here?"

****

Villa sat watch on the bridge.

He liked working the watch. Nay, he enjoyed it. Why? Because Villa was a coward.

Villa was not, though, the type of coward who runs and hides with his head buried in the sand. No, no, that will get you killed. Villa was the type to run and hide, and keep both eyes on the source of the danger at all times. What you can see, you can avoid. What you can see, can't surprise you. Thus, spending his off time sitting on the bridge, all the sensor readings spread out before him, was his way of dealing with the unknown. Seated up here, nothing could sneak up on him.

The conference room door behind him opened.

"Gah!"

Villa spun around in his chair, heart pounding. Two levels below him, Trish looked up from the novel she was reading instead of looking at the blank screens. Both saw Lessa walking out of a room they had not seen anyone enter. The pregnant teen, dressed in black with hair a bit mussed, walked up to the third level command chair and sat down. She looked over at Villa.

"Status."

"Um..." He looked down at Trish, who suddenly was very busy checking various systems. Sighing at his lot in life, Villa hit some buttons and brought up the relevant screens. "We're settled nicely in the crater. No ships within sensor range."

Lessa nodded, turning to look down at the blank navigation sphere.

"Do we have the extra listening posts set up?"

Villa quickly tried to find out, but Trish answered first.

"Rich was out there an hour ago and set up four around the rim of the crater. We should be able to hear any signals despite our shelter." The girl looked up at Lessa, hoping that was good enough. You did NOT disappoint Lessa....

Lessa sat back in the chair, satisfied. She detached an earpiece from the chair arm, and put it in her left ear.

"Villa, direct all captured signals and transmissions to my chair. Record everything for later analysis, naturally, standing order, but for now I want to hear them myself." The boy did as he asked, watching as the woman closed her eyes and listened to the voices in her head. He and Trish shared a glance.

Bridge watch was no longer relaxing...

Chapter 21

"Damn, will you look at that crowd out there!"

Amanda peered around the curtain, literally bouncing. The rest of the band was setting up on the make shift stage in the mess hall, ignoring her. You had to ignore the girl, really. It was the only way to get anything done. Amanda had taken to the idea of forming a band and putting on concerts like... like... well, like Lessa takes to slitting throats. With just as much bloodshed if you made fun of her.

The scene on the other side of Hanna's freshly sewn curtains was, really, no different than any other large gathering of the kids. Tables had been moved to the sides of the room so there could be dancing, true, but otherwise it was nothing special. They'd all seen it before.

Not so for Amanda. This was her moment. This was what she'd been dreaming of for years, what had been in her head when she had dragged brother Jimmy onto the kitchen table to dance for Mom, what was before her when she played her keyboard epics for her stuffed animals. What had been the reason she had pleaded with her brother to get others to get instruments and play with her.

She was going to have a concert.

A REAL concert. With an audience and everything! People were even getting drunk out there already!

She felt so adult, she could just kiss the stuffed bear sitting on her keyboard.

"So, Brat, are you ready?"

Kine stood behind his sister, hands on her shoulders. He pushed down, trying to stop her bouncing motion, but all that accomplished was getting her to bend her knees so she could bounce up to the height of his hands. Grinning, he moved his hands closer to her bare neck, hitting the tickle spots there. Amanda spun away in laughing fury.

"Stop it!" Kine just laughed at her, a sound echoed by the rest of the band. Even Sean cracked a smile, shaking his head. With murderous fury in her eyes, Amanda advanced on him. The crowd started chanting.

"Music, music, we want music!"

"Not me, I want sex!"

That brought a cheer, and a chant for sex. Kine shook his head, picking up his guitar.

"I think we'd better start before they start chanting for silly things." Amanda stuck her tongue out at him, and ran to her keyboard. Once in place, she looked around. Everyone else nodded back, so she gave the signal to Sirenia. The girl went around the curtain to stand in front of the mob.

"Ladies, gentlemen, other!" The mob cheered and jeered loudly. "We bring you tonight the first, and maybe last if you break their tender little hearts, concert from... 'The Waifs'!"

Sirenia reached over and pulled a cord. The large blue curtain dropped from its moorings and floated down to the ground. Kine tore into a power cord on his guitar, and they were off.

****

It had been an interesting month or so. Oh, boring as hell, but for some that was a nice change. Others, who tended to avoid the usual excitement, didn't notice any difference.

For Amanda and her small band, time had flown. The sheer audacity of trying to find, let alone compose, music that fit all their various instruments and tastes kept things lively and interesting. Clarinet and guitar don't often go together, but they did their best. Where two sounds couldn't exist together, they worked out pauses that would let one solo for a few passages before again being drowned out. Now, it was time to see if they had just been fooling themselves...

****

The music fast and heavy, Kine walked to the center of the stage and posed, guitar wailing out. Looking out at the crowd, he sang.

"Gone from our homes, gone from our friends
Into lands of sorrow with no ends
Family died, oh so long ago
Tell me why, cause I wanna know!

We're the Waifs of the Universe, trying to live out our lives!
We're the Waifs of the Universe, hoping the good can survive!"

The lyrics weren't the best, Amanda knew, but who cared. Kine sang them with conviction, which was the important part. Sean's fiddle provided a counterpoint with his guitar, with Amanda trying to support whatever the main player was doing at any point. Or she was just randomly banging on keys, as Ger put it, but, then, that's what he was doing with his drums so his point of reference might be flawed.

They came to the bridge. Everyone's playing tailed off, leaving just Hanna on the flute. Kine stepped into the background, as Amanda came out from behind her keyboard. The sorrowful sound drifted through the air, and despite having heard and sung this endlessly, tears still came to the twelve year old. She looked at the crowd before her. Looked out over her new family. Saw... ghosts...

"Why do we live, why do we die...
Why must love end in the blink of an eye...
Is it just us?
Are we to blame?
... Or is the whole universe perversely the same!"

The whole band exploded back to life. Amanda forgot her instrument, whirling in dance. Dance... she danced for the dead. She danced for the living. She danced for life. She danced... for joy.

****

They were a hit.

****

Sean left the party with things still going strong. The band had played its catalog of six songs twice, and now it had turned into a drunken jam. So many panties had been thrown at Kine, girls must have either come prepared, or snuck out to restock between sets. One had landed on the end of his bow. Luckily, Sean's mood had been good enough to take that in the spirit it had probably been intended. Tonight wasn't the time to get all grouchy over small things like that.

However... Sean had no interest in the drunken orgy to come.

Oh, he knew it wouldn't get that bad: despite what was often said about teens these days, sex was almost always a personal matter among this group. No fucking on the dinner tables... well, there was that one time, but most of the crew were off the ship, and Vince had wanted to "serve himself" to Sean...

Another reason to avoid the drunken orgy. He didn't need to see others having that kind of fun.

"Sean!"

The dark teen turned, and saw Lessa walking after him. He waited.

"I thought I saw you in the crowd, Lessa. Didn't stay?" She scoffed, a hand on her belly.

"I can't stand for that long anymore, at least without reason. Plus Shelly was getting a little too frisky, so I figured it was time to go." She leaned against the wall, shaking her head. Sean leaned against the opposite one, chuckling.

"So..."

"So," Lessa said, looking him in the eye, "I need to talk to you."

"Talk."

She shook her head.

"I need to sit. Rec room?" Sean nodded, and off they went.

****

"As I was saying... so." Sean sat back on the couch, drink in hand. He had cut back, having gone through the drunken "woe is me" phase for long enough, but still liked to partake on a regular basis. Plus, there was no way he was going to try and deal with Lessa without a buzz.

"So... I need your help, Sean." Lessa held a glass of juice in her hands, resting it on her belly. Must be nice, Sean thought, to have a built in shelf.

"I'm sure you do. What with?" He took another swig, as Lessa gathered her thoughts.

"We're going to raid," she said, looking at him. "Soon. Maybe in two days." Sean raised an eyebrow at that.

"Oh, are we now? Why would we do that?"

"Because they're practically begging for it!" Lessa sat forward, fire in her eyes. Sean kept his expression the same, and in a moment she shook her head to clear it. "I had Rich reset the exterior sensors on the asteroid so they aimed mostly above and below the orbital plane. That captain we picked up had mentioned that was where to avoid to stay out of the Fed's way, so the reverse would naturally be true." Sean nodded. Made sense. "There's a military cargo ship that makes regular runs right above us. Comes by every six days, regular as clockwork. However, they seem to be coming closer to us each time. I suspect they're trying to shave some time off the trip, and figure that despite regulations there's no chance some enemy is hiding on this small rock."

"And... you want to hit it."

Lessa nodded.

"But... what the hell is on it? How do you know it's not a troop transport?"

"Doesn't matter." This got both of Sean's eyebrows to shoot up. "What I want, what I need, are the codes. We've intercepted tons of transmissions, but some we can't crack. Maybe that ship will have what we need, and if we knock them out fast enough they won't get a chance to erase them."

"So... our little ship, which you've promised not to endanger, is going to take on a cargo vessel that is obviously armed enough not to need an escort. I assume you have a fool proof plan?"

"Depends on the fool, naturally, but... I think it will work." Sean waved a hand for her to go on, taking another drink with his other. He figured it would help all this make more sense. "The ship, like I said, will come directly above this crater. If we move the Liberty slightly and wait, we can launch a full missile strike that will hit it with only a second or two's notice. Take out the engines, and punch holes in the crew compartments. If both shuttles take off from the surface at the same moment, they can add their firepower as they swoop in for a forced docking."

Sean closed his eyes, trying to picture it. It would depend on the type of ship, naturally. How it was oriented, what the crew size was... he trusted her to have done her research on this, to the extent that was possible. It... could be done. He opened his eyes.

"So, why do you need me?"

Lessa sighed, and looked down at her belly.

"I'm no longer in any shape to do this kind of thing, and Wendi isn't ready yet."

"What about Shelly?"

Lessa barked out a laugh.

"Yeah, right! Good one..." She shook her head. "Anyway, so I need someone to lead the raid. I want it to be you."

Sean stretched his arms out along the top of the couch, looking at the woman. She was insane. Yup. Totally insane. Nothing new there. Then again... nope, there was no 'then again'. She was nuts.

"You do realize I completely disagree with your entire quest thingy, and think you're a dangerous nut job, right?" To his surprise, Lessa nodded with no sign of disagreement with that statement.

"Fair enough. But, that said, I want you to do this. We need Kine to command the ship, so unless I get Mel to do this the only person strong enough is you."

"And what's in it for me?"

"You keep kids from dying."

Sean looked at her. Damn that bitch... she had him. The psycho had him. He had to protect the others from her mad ideas, and that meant... damn it! She saw it in his eyes, but there was no hint of satisfaction or even acknowledgement in her expression. She kept acting as if there had never been anything in doubt.

"Take Wendi with you, keep her at your side. Everyone else will be a volunteer."

"Wendi doesn't get a choice?"

Lessa shook her head slowly.

"Both her and Shelly have made their choice. They're mine, to do with as I please."

****

The party was breaking up.

Amanda watched from her table in the corner as Kine and Mel helped a drunk Shelly stagger out of the mess hall. She shook her head. That woman had no self control.

"Now, come on, Wendi, admit it: this was more fun than training!"

Wendi shook her head at Sirenia, smiling but not commenting. The redhead snorted in disgust and looked over at Amanda.

"Can you believe this girl? She'd rather play soldier than dance!"

"Someone has to keep you idiots alive."

"What do you think I'm doing every time I make meals for you?"

"Slowly poisoning us."

"You bitch!"

Amanda just sat back, watching her two friends got into a mock sissy fight. It had been too long. Between Wendi's training, and, she had to admit, Amanda's band training, the three girls had barely spent any time together. It was like... well, like they were growing apart. Or, maybe worse, like they should never have been together in the first place. They were friends by accident of age, the only preteen girls before little Mari's arrival. Maybe... they just really had nothing in common.

"OK, ladies, break it up before I have to spank one of you." The ladies in question looked up with a start, an amused Kine standing over them with his arm around the bald Mel. Wendi turned bright red and looked down at her lap, a reaction Sirenia wasn't about to let go. She grinned up at the blond hunk.

"I think Wendi wants that spanking, Kine, especially if it's on her bare ass... ouch!" Sirenia suddenly jerked away, her teasing expression turning to one of anger as she brought her right hand up, rubbing some new injury. The anger slowly turned more in the direction of fear as she saw Wendi's expression. There was... something new in her friend's eyes...

"Enough!" Kine said, shaking his head. Silly girls. He looked down at his sister.

"Mel and I are going back to her cabin for the night. You sober enough to make it home?" Amanda nodded, made the 'OK' sign with her fingers, then tried to belch and yawn at the same time.

"Yeah, I'm OK. I didn't drink too much." She looked up at Kine. "Think we did good?" He put a hand on her head and rubbed her scalp.

"We done good. You played a great concert."

Amanda smiled up at him. He never praised her just to be nice. Every complement was always earned. She looked over at Mel.

"Try not to wear him out too much tonight. We have first watch in the morning."

"Not MY problem," she said, with a grin that told all that she, for one, was just getting started on her evening's entertainment. Taking the chuckling Kine by the arm, she steered him towards the exit. Her hips swayed, all three girls momentarily doubting their sexual orientation as they followed her movements out of the room.

"Sigh... I... I'm sorry, Sirenia," Wendi said, looking over at the redhead. She offered her hand to her, a peace offering. "I shouldn't have hurt you. So much of what I'm learning is just reacting, and... I'm sorry."

Sirenia took the offered hand, and squeezed.

"It's OK. I was being a cunt." She turned to Amanda. "How about you? Want to apologize for anything while we're at it?"

"Well... I'm sorry I haven't spent much time with you two." She reached over, covering Sirenia and Wendi's hands. "The 'Trio' should spend more time together, no matter what we're doing otherwise." The two nodded.

"How?" asked Wendi.

"We need to find a way to do something together. Some activity we can all do."

Sirenia looked down at their joined hands, and a sly smile touched her lips.

"Well, if we all turned lesbian..."

Wendi and Amanda jerked their hands away with lightning speed.

"Ewww!!!"

Chapter 22

Why did Sean let himself get talked into these things.

The shuttle sat in the shadows of the small moon crater, its weapon pods fully stocked but as yet unpowered. Ger sat at the controls, reading a book, as Sean sat next to him in the cockpit. The older teen kept going over all the things that could go wrong, WOULD go wrong, in this mad scheme. Sean had long ago stopped trusting luck in any form.

"Would you relax," Ger said, leaning back in his chair. "If we die, we die."

"That is NOT the attitude I like in my pilots. Any chance of getting Craig over here to take your place?" Ger chuckled at that, cocking an eye at his companion.

"He's worse, one reason I get all the plum flying jobs." He leaned forward and checked a couple systems again. "No, don't worry. I'll get you to the ship and docked safely. It's once you get inside that you should worry about. Going in blind is never good."

Sean shook his head.

"Tell me about it..."

****

Lessa paced back and forth on the bridge. Every couple seconds she passed behind Kine in the command chair, and it was getting on his nerves. It was bad enough they would be risking ship and life in a foolhardy plan, but you NEVER wanted a nervous Lessa behind you. Always keep her where you can keep your eyes on her.

"Will you stop that," he sighed, not bothering to turn back towards her. "Find a chair and sit down, before your baby makes you topple over." He heard her stop, and a few moments later he felt a weight pushing on the back of his chair as she placed her hands on the top of the seat back, straddling his head. This was NOT an improvement.

"Anything yet?" Kine looked down at his sister's station, knowing the answer. They'd be shouting out at the first sign of the transport without being prompted. It's not like anyone was going to sit on the news, or look away from their screens and have to be reminded to pay attention. The look Amanda shot up at him said as much, so he just shrugged his shoulders at her and she went back to her job. He sighed again.

"Look, Lessa, I know you're nervous, we all are. Just have a seat and let us..."

"Got it!"

The call came from Nora, down in front of the Navigation Sphere. A split second later the holographic image that dominated the bridge showed the dot that had just come within range, and its projected course. Lessa let go of the chair, and stepped around to stand next to Kine.

"Get ready," she whispered...

****

Sean stood and floated through the door into the main shuttle compartment.

"Suit up!"

The eight teens quickly grabbed their helmets, fitting them in place and checking the seals. The space suits were a marvel, almost form fitting, clear helmets allowing enough room to turn your head and no more. Any larger and they became too big of a target. As it was, any shot that ruptured them was likely to have hit your head anyway. Sean sealed his own suit, and checked the radio.

"Wendi, you guys ready?" He saw her give an affirmative hand sign, and he returned it. The eleven year old was way too young for this, but... well, who couldn't you say that about? He turned around and slid back next to Ger, also now suited up. "How long?"

He was answered a moment later by the sight of the Liberty firing. The ship had been moved so it lay at about a seventy degree angle pointing out of the crater, at the expected path of the cargo ship. It now let loose with four missiles, then two more similar bursts. At that exact same moment he saw the second shuttle lift off from the far side of the crater, and in his seat he felt the jolt as Ger turned on all systems and launched them on their way.

****

"Three volleys away! Shuttles taking off!" Amanda's hands flew over the keyboard, occasionally reaching up to move the displays around on her screens as what information was important changed. Three beeps alerted her to an update, and she relayed the information. "Missiles on course! Target hasn't reacted! Shuttles have also fired!" She bit her bottom lip. This had to be just right. Too heavy an attack, and there'd be nothing for them to capture from the ship. Too light, and their boarding crews would be wiped out. She was glad Kine wasn't with them this time, partly as she had long ago decided to be on the shuttle crew whenever he was in danger, but now Wendi was putting her life on the line. If anything happened to her...

****

It took ten seconds for the shuttles to get within visual range of the cargo ship. Ten seconds in which they had no idea how it was reacting. Ten agonizing seconds in which Sean could just see the missiles bouncing harmlessly off of the hull, and a dozen hidden turrets revealing themselves to take the incoming shuttles out. Information was life, and every moment without it let his imagination run wild.

He didn't used to be this bad.

Sean, at one time, was as calm, as cool and as collected as a warrior could be. He could roll with the punches, letting neither the unexpected keep him from completing the mission, nor causing him to freeze and not withdraw to fight another day. He had been one with the ways of war.

Not now.

Now... he just wanted it to be over. He just wanted to get in, do it, and get out.

He wanted to live.

That, he knew, would be the death of him.

****

"All twelve have hit!" Amanda yelled, her voice full of glee at the hopefully good news. "Cargo ship has stopped all transmissions, and is still continuing at the same speed. Course has altered slightly, but not enough to have been a deliberate course correction. Shuttles are now approaching."

She looked back up at the Captain's chair. Kine was fastening his seatbelt, and Lessa finally was moving to a free chair. Amanda's brother looked down at her, his face serious but still with that slight smile in his eyes she loved so much.

"Lift off, and set course to follow."

Her hands were issuing the commands before she had even turned her head back to her controls.

Now it was up to Wendi.

****

Wendi was sweating.

She had never been in combat before. Not really. Oh, she had been shot at, and that ambush on the London probably counted, but never before had she gone of her own free will to kill people.

She honestly didn't know if she could do it.

Wendi knew Lessa had tried to get her ready. The older teen had described, in bloody, gruesome, detail, what war was like. Had shown her video of the dead, the dying, trying to get her used to the horrors of war so she wouldn't freeze. But... even that great warrior had admitted nothing could be a substitute for first blood.

Let that blood not be hers.

She looked around the cabin. The other seven were experienced warriors, all veterans of not just earlier raids, but of the War itself. They had fought, killed, and survived. And here she was... well, not their leader, thank the gods, that was Sean's job. She was Lessa's arm. She was doing that great woman's will.

And that, somehow, was even more frightening.

Sean, in his dark brown spacesuit, re-entered the cabin. Holding onto a strap attached to the ceiling, he looked around.

"We're moving in to dock at a port close to the bridge. The other team is going for the cargo bay. No life rafts have launched, so who knows what it's like inside. Fire at anything that moves, or looks like it might move. It's us or them." Wendi thought he looked a little disgusted as he said that, but maybe it was her imagination. He was a warrior, a member of the Guard! She gave her head a quick shake. It had just been her nerves projecting. That's it.

There was a loud clanging sound, the shuttle shuddering. Wendi could hear the sound of hydraulics, as well as a few other bangs. One of the boys, Harry, went to the shuttle door control panel. He turned to Sean.

"No gravity, atmospheric pressure low and dropping." Sean nodded.

"Good. Let's hope most of the crew is gone, or at least out of action." He drew his weapon, the others doing the same. Wendi looked at her handgun. All that practice...

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up. Sean was looking down at her with an understanding expression.

"Don't worry," he said, and squeezing, "just stay with me and do what I say with no questions or hesitation." She nodded. Not smiling, he returned the nod and went to float above the hatch. Raising a hand, he waited while two teens grabbed a limp space suited figure and positioned it right in front of the door. Everyone grabbed a hand hold.

He lowered his hand, and both hatches opened.

****

The limp dummy shot out into the cargo ship passageway, along with all the air in the shuttle. A moment later Sean hurled himself out hugging the ceiling facing the floor. He had just cleared the hatch when they heard the sound of gunfire, the dummy shuddering as it passed the first intersection. Sean took aim at the source of the shots, and as the two suited crew members came within view he fired down at their heads. Their helmets jerked back, and the two bodies began to drift aimlessly as blood started to leak from the helmets. Sean bent his knees, got his legs around facing the right way, then pushed himself off down the passage they had been protecting. Wendi and the others followed.

****

"Rich says the cargo bay was decompressed and lifeless. They're raiding the supplies. Sean reports resistance, says Lessa is a motherfucker."

Amanda paused. She really should have edited that part out. She looked back, and with great relief saw the fucker of mothers in question wasn't upset. Maybe she was use to it by now. Lessa met her gaze.

"Have they reached the bridge?"

****

Sean picked himself off the floor.

It figured.

The only place on the whole god damned ship with gravity was the short hallway in front of the bridge door, and naturally he entered it at ceiling height. THIS was why any rational commander sent someone they didn't like up on point. Let them get their ass kicked by whatever random shit was awaiting the squad. Mother fucking...

"You OK, Sean?"

Turning his head, Sean saw Wendi walking up to him, followed by the others. Her expression was one of honest concern, which made it all the worse. He shook his head to clear it.

"Oh, I'm fine. I think I only broke what little ego I have left." He waved her towards the closed door in front of them. "Check and see what's behind that." Wendi quickly moved up to the door control panel. Like all space ships, it was designed to let you know the condition of rooms before you entered. Nothing worse than walking in on complete vacuum. She hit a few buttons, then gave a confused look at Sean.

"Um... there is no bridge."

"What?"

"This thing says it's just open space on the other side of the door."

Sean looked up at the ceiling. Gods save him from rookies...

"Let me see..." He walked over as she stepped aside, and took a look. Shaking his head, he looked down at the pre-teen. "This just means Lessa got a little enthusiastic in her attack and punched some holes in the bridge. That's probably a good thing, really, but with luck she didn't destroy the very data we're trying to steal." He glanced at the door. "At the very least, they probably didn't have a chance to delete it themselves." Sean paused, did some mental calculations, then addressed the others. "OK, here's the plan. Harry, you and Vivian go back to those doorways we passed and act rearguard. Make sure you grab onto something." They nodded and quickly left. "The rest of you get on either side of this door, and hug it tight. There's not much air left in here, but it'll still go out in a rush." He waited, giving the rearguard a couple minutes to get in position. A beep came through his speakers, sent by Harry, so positioning himself to the left of the door he hit the door override.

All spaceship door, for safety reasons, won't let you open them if conditions don't match (or at least aren't an improvement on) those of the room you're currently in. That was just common sense. However, it only took a few hundred deaths for easy overrides of that fundamental safety system to also be installed. The story of the Denesin family dying a slow, horrible, death because they couldn't leave their nice, safe, supply-free cabin and get to the storage rooms because of the vacuum in the passage between was legend. Man had come to learn there is no action so silly or stupid that, at some point, won't be the only realistic thing you can do to save yourself.

Or commit piracy.

The sound of the air rushing by slowly faded, as the sound conducting gas vanished into the bridge then out into space. Sean waited a second, then poked his head around. Bodies were floating. Signaling with his hand, he sent the others in.

****

"Bridge entered," Amanda relayed. She sensed movement, and saw that Lessa had stood and was walking down to the second level to stand next to her. Man, she though, Lessa was NOT happy being stuck back here during this raid. Putting a hand on Amanda's chair for support, Lessa leaned over and looked over her station.

"Was there any sign of a distress signal? How much time do we have?"

Amanda shook her head.

"No idea. We probably should assume some warning got out, but we should be done well before any ship gets here. But," she added, looking up at Lessa, "We're going to have to assume some system on that ship identified us and that we'll no longer be welcome at ANY Federation port."

Lessa nodded.

"Good. Like we should be going anywhere near those murderers for any reason other than retribution..."

****

The computers were still working. That was one positive discovery among Sean's day of bad luck. Hacking would have been so much harder if they had been forced to either physically remove memory units, or try and use the portable power cells they'd brought to bring isolated systems online. As it was, they just had to find secret codes and "convince" them to download onto their memory cards. Easy.

Luckily, that wasn't Sean's job. He had gotten them here, and would get them out. His six companions were the ones responsible for draining the computers.

Sean floated around the bridge. It was a two level affair, not much different in layout from the Liberty. It's crew had been five, assuming none had been sucked out the two meter hole down on the first level floor. Five dead... plus the two he had killed, and the three bodies they had passed... Sean pulled himself over to one young man with an ensign's patch. He couldn't have been much over twenty, and his face... there had been beauty in that face. Beauty now marred by an expression of horror and pain, by death sudden and pointless. Sean reached a gloved hand out and closed the man's eyes. Yet another death...

"Fuck this." Sean looked over at Wendi, who was near the navigation controls. "Wendi, where are we at the moment?"

"Wha?" The question caught her off guard. "Um, we're closing in on the current position of Rhea. We probably should be going soon so we're not around when we come within their sensor range."

"Not my problem," he muttered, causing her to look up in shock. Sean looked around. "OK, change of plans. Everyone, finish doing what you're doing and get back to the shuttle. Wendi is in charge."

"WHAT?!" The girl pushed off and floated up to him, eyes wide. "What about you?!?"

"I," Sean said, "am deserting. The escape pods on this thing have some navigation controls, so can bring myself down on Rhea no problem. It's been nice knowing you."

He stuck out his hand, and in a daze Wendi shook it. The others came up, forming a rough circle, and one by one said good bye. They were not friends. He had never really had the knack for that. But, they were companions. They had fought together. They had saved each other's lives. The bonds of respect are in some ways closer than that of friendship... and Sean knew in his heart he would always regret leaving these boys... no, men... and women. But... to stay was to compromise what little self respect he had left.

"Go," he said, and with a final nod the others floated towards the hatch. Wendi stayed for a moment, eyes still unbelieving.

"Why?"

"Because you're going into death, and I won't kill or watch you be killed anymore."

She didn't understand. He knew that. Idealism hadn't been beaten out of her yet. Give it time, he though... if she has time. Bracing his feet, he put his hands on her and shoved the pre-teen towards the door. The others were waiting, and in a moment... he was alone.

Alone.

Sean looked around the bridge. A part of him had anticipated this decision. At his belt inside the suit was his wallet, with enough money to easily start a life. Maybe he could find Vince again... no, no. Best to start over completely. He'd land on the other side of the moon from Catty. Find a place to stay, a job... maybe as a body guard. Hook up with a cute guy with long hair...

It was a plan.

There was slight tremor in the control panel his hand was resting on. Probably the shuttle taking off. Time for him to go.

****

"Shuttles have both detached, heading back to us."

"Right!" Kine sat up, happy. A perfect mission. No losses, no large Federation fleet wandering by to blow them into little pieces. He looked down at Lessa. "So, we continue with the plan, or do you want to hide again until you've seen what information they've found?"

Lessa shook her head as she looked up at him.

"No, no, take us towards Xeres. Time to get the fuck away from this system."

Kine nodded, and looked down at the navigation station.

"Make it so."

****

The Liberty was nowhere to be seen when an escape pod ejected from the cargo ship Golden Leaf. The teardrop shaped craft floated away from the body of its parent, then gently reoriented itself until it was pointing at a distant ball in space. With the mass of the gas giant Hikaru at its back, it began accelerating towards the ball of ice its occupant would soon call home.

Assuming he could get the landing systems back on line...

Chapter 23

Amanda... was in darkness.

She wasn't asleep. What little her mind could grasp understood that. She was... she was...

Pain.

There had been pain...

****

"Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to you!"

The room broke into cheers, as well as some good natured boos and catcalls. Wendi and Mari, sitting up on the stage in the "Birthday Thrones", grinned and blushed as tradition demanded. They were dressed in the finest silk and lace monstrosities that Hanna could design, as befitting birthday girls. The newly twelve Wendi was decked in red, neckline dropped to show off budding breasts, both sleeves and hemline short to show off limbs now strong, muscular, and graceful. Mari was in a flowing gown almost tacky enough for a princess, pink with white ruffles everywhere. Her hair was piled on her head, held together with pins and a pink butterfly.

They looked so cute, a laughing Amanda thought she might puke.

Kine, with a graceful bound, leapt up onto the stage and walked up before the girls, hands raised to the crowd for silence. He didn't expect to get any, naturally. He wasn't a fool. But, the forty or so kids did calm down a touch, which was good enough.

"Ladies! Gentlemen! Brat!"

"Hey!" yelled back Amanda, tossing up a middle finger at her brother. He blew her a kiss, the crowd responding noisily.

"Today, we celebrate the joint birthday of two of our young ladies! We celebrate life! Beauty!" He suddenly did a comedic double take look at Wendi's chest. "And breasts!" Wendi's hands shot up to cover her eyes in embarrassment, especially at the exasperated look Lessa gave her from the back of the room. She also thrust her chest out at Kine. Catcalls asking to see the breasts in question rang out, and the hands over Wendi's eyes responded by extending their middle fingers up while she continued to jokingly cringe. Mari jumped to her feet.

"Hey, I have breasts too!" She shoved the puffy decorations on her flat chest out, and received the same catcalls. Kine grinned at the kid, then turned and raised his arms in the air.

"Speaking of boobies, it's time to eat!"

He jumped down... and let out a relieved breath as the attention of everyone was attracted to the bowls and platters of food being brought out of the kitchen. Being naturally entertaining wasn't easy. He felt a hand lightly grip his right arm, bringing a smile to his lips as he recognized Mel's touch. Another hand gripped his left arm, causing Kine to cock his head at his little sister. Her eyes laughed at him.

"That was horrible!" she said, shaking her head in dismay. "You have no stage presence!"

"I did need you on keyboard behind me," he agreed, then with no warning jerked his right arm and the attached Mel to his front. His lips moved in with practiced ease and kissed her, her body molding to his automatically. Amanda watched, as always half amused and half jealous. She never turned away, though, which was good as Mel, despite being good and distracted, shot a hand out to try and tweak the younger girl's nose. Amanda jumped away just in time, slapping the hand away. The kiss ended, and Kine looked over at his sister in amusement.

"What's your problem?"

"That bald bimbo tried to hit me!"

"I'm sure you deserved it."

"What does the birthday girl deserve?

The three turned to see Wendi walking up to them. This, thought Amanda, should be fun. Her friend was still crushing on Kine. Would she make a move?

Kine made a great show of looking the twelve year old over, pausing to examine certain areas closely. Mel said nothing, unless you looked at her eyes, but Kine didn't so that didn't count. He grinned down at the student of Lessa.

"What does the birthday girl want?"

Wendi moved closer, hips moving with unpracticed grace.

"I'm an adult now. What if I want you?"

Kine pretended to consider the matter. Mel and Amanda looked on with... interested amusement.

"Well... you see, Wendi, while you are now older and very beautiful and sexy..." This almost broke her composure, her face turning red at the honest sound of his words. "... I do have standards. So! I'll tell you what. Once your breasts get out to..." he held a hand about six inches in front of her covered hard nipple, "... here, you can compete with Mel here in open competition for me." Wendi looked down at where his hand was, her face braking into an evil grin.

"I know what my mom looked like by age thirteen." She pointed to Mel. "In a year, you're going down!" With that, she practically skipped off to join the food craving mob.

Mel cocked her head at her man, eyes... dangerous.

"I'm not even out to there..."

"Exactly," Kine said, secure in his position. "If I'm going to dump you, it has to be for an upgrade."

Shaking her head, Mel looked down at Amanda.

"Try to fall for a shy, geeky guy. It makes life so much easier."

****

Amanda couldn't feel.

She was trying. She had... sensations, which she could almost place, but everything kept slipping away. She remembered being like this once, when she had a fever. She had been in bed for days, mind unconnected with either body or reality. Was she sick? Was she dead? Was she...

****

"Stupid fucking...!"

The cursing floated out of the open cabin door into the hallway just as Amanda was passing, and with a laugh the girl stopped and popped her head in.

"What up?"

Hanna interrupted her stream of profanity and looked up. She was, it appeared, in battle with a baby crib. Amanda wasn't sure if she was winning or not. It probably depended on if she was putting it together or taking it apart. If the first, it seemed to be the end of the battle, although given the state of her dirty blond hair resistance had been fierce.

Not far from the crib was Jenny, walking... nay, swaying, while holding little Irene. The baby was happily cooing, hands reaching up and playfully grabbing at her chin or a bare breast. The topless mother started towards the door.

"Look, Irene! It's Amanda! Hi Amanda!"

There was something... oh so wrong with this butch, muscular, small breasted, buzz haircut wearing teen using baby talk. Amanda looked from one woman to the other.

"Aren't these roles reversed here?"

Jenny gave her a huge grin, and held the gurgling Irene up in front of her with both hands.

"Well, it's not MY fault that little Irene will only stop crying when I hold her! Who's your favorite mommy? Who is it? Is it me?"

There was a thwack, then a thud, as a cloth diaper few across the room and hit Jenny in the back of the head before falling to the floor. Jenny responded by bringing the baby up until their noses touched.

"Why, Irene, we'd better hope that was a CLEAN diaper, or SOMEONE isn't getting a spanking tonight!"

Amanda blushed, and put up her hands.

"Too much information!" She walked quickly around the laughing Jenny and went to Hanna. "Can I help?"

"Oh, would you?" She stretched, cracking her back, and Amanda could see the sweat on her from earlier efforts. "I'm trying to break this down so we're ready to move out. Miss Butch over there built it to be portable, but she makes things so SHE can deal with them."

"I'm a delicate flower, I am!"

Amanda couldn't help but grin, then her face fell.

"There's no talking you out of it?"

Hanna looked her in the eye, and slowly shook her head. Jenny came up next to them, their child now resting her head on her chest and searching for the sandman.

"We have to go, before... you know," Jenny told her. She gently stroked Irene's head. "We love you guys, and if you ever settle down we hope you send us word, but..."

"But we have a family now, and a family needs a home."

Amanda looked at the now sleeping baby.

"Home..."

****

She felt air.

That was new. And, exciting. Amanda existed in the physical world! She felt air moving across her face!

Face... she had a face!

...maybe. Could be a toe. Maybe a toe with a face...

****

Kine held out his hand, and first Jenny, then Hanna, shook it. Hanna surprised him by pulling the large eighteen year old in for a hug, and with a sigh he closed his eyes and returned it.

"Thank you all for rescuing me," she whispered. "I owe you... gods, I owe you everything." She pulled back, tears in her eyes. "You'll always be welcome here. Our door will be open to you." She looked over at Amanda and Ger. "All of you." Releasing Kine, she went to give Amanda, Mel and Ger quick, if powerful hugs as well. Jenny handed the baby to her and gave the girls quick hugs, then walked up to Ger.

They looked into each other's eyes for a moment, then Ger looked around them. The stone farm house was in good shape. There was room for a custom order dress shop, if Hanna went through with that, the barn would make a great machine shop, they were only two kilometers from a nice little town...

He reached out and touched the face of his former lover.

"You'll be OK?"

She copied his gesture.

"Yes... come visit us soon. Or, even stay! There's room..."

"Someday," he said. "I will." His eyes traveled to Hanna, who met it with tears in her eyes. Turning back to Jenny, he tenderly kissed the best mechanic he'd ever known. Breaking the kiss, he whispered, "You don't think I'd leave my kids without a dad, do you?" He dropped a hand down to her trim belly, then turned and began the trek across the field to the waiting shuttle. The others made a final goodbye, and followed.

"I think they'll be OK", Mel said, taking Kine's arm. He nodded.

"Three kids will be a chore, though," Ger added. He paused to pull a leaf off an unfamiliar bush, then continued on. The others just looked at him.

"Three?" Amanda assumed he could count. Unless there were some hidden in the luggage she had carried over?

"What? Oh, that." Ger shook his head. "There's only one way they can have kids without, you know, stealing them, so Jenny asked me to help." He kept walking, never noticing his three companions had stopped in their tracks.

Kine looked first at his sister, then Mel. Then back again. Finally he just had to chuckle, and putting an arm around each he led them after the receding shuttle pilot.

"Can't we stay here?" asked Amanda. He squeezed her.

"We stick to the plan. We do this upcoming raid Lessa wants. Then, in a few weeks, Lessa pops out her kid, then probably a day later she declares she's all fit to fight, and we take the ship and drop her and her commando force off to do whatever it is she's doing for her act of revenge."

"Do we know what it is yet?" Mel asked, worried.

"I think," Kine said, finding himself conflicted because he wanted to rub his chin yet his hands were occupied holding females, "she's going to try and assassinate the officer who commanded the raid on the London."

"Really." That was all Amanda could say.

"Yup. So, anyway, we drop them off, and go hide. At the predetermined time, we send a shuttle to the rendezvous point and wait one hour. At the end of the hour, the shuttle comes back... and our new lives start. One way... or another."

"What are your plans, Big Brother?"

He looked at her. She'd be thirteen soon, and still kept her blond hair in pigtails. She was his everything.

"I think," he said, looking around, "we settle down. The three of us." Amanda saw a twinkle in his eye. "Then, my wife and I try to make you an aunt."

Her eyes bugged out.

"Wife? Aunt?!"

"You'll be Auntie Amanda!" said Mel. She watched the girl say that title over and over again, trying to wrap her mind around it. An idea struck Amanda, and she looked up at the two of them.

"Well, I'd better get started making you an Uncle then!"

****

Amanda was moving. She thought she finally had her situation settled on, at least to that extent. She was being moved... pushed... dragged? Her mind was still fighting towards the surface of consciousness, dragging itself up two levels before dropping back down one. The higher she went, the more she started to feel pain. Pain everywhere, especially in her arm. Maybe. It was all so fuzzy. What had she been DOING?

****

"The plan," Lessa said, "is simple. The shuttle drops down to this clearing here." She pointed with a metal rod to the spot on the map. Her belly, sticking out of her seventeen year old frame comically, kept her from getting close enough to just use a finger. This annoyed her, and she looked around the conference room at the dozen raiders to see if anyone dared be amused. "It then retreats to safety after letting our raiders out, who then move in close to the target, here, and wait till about 3 AM. They go in, as we've practiced, get the supplies, set the charges, then blow up the whole Federation depot and get out of there for a pickup. Questions?"

Shelly raised her hand.

"Shouldn't we get out of there before we blow it up? I don't want to mix this up."

Lessa looked over at her friend and roommate. She was different now. Physically... and mentally. Months of training had turned her soft curves into hard muscle, apart from her breasts, but even they looked firmer. It was her attitude, though... Shelly was more... serious. Attentive. Protective. Almost as if she was competing with Wendi over who would be her favorite companion. But, Lessa thought, there was no competition. She loved Shelly. Not in any way close to what Shelly deserved, let alone wanted, but... probably as much as Lessa was now capable.

Don... she missed Don...

"Any serious questions?" Lessa looked around.

****

"I was serious," muttered Shelly. She wasn't used to missions. She never went on missions. But... if she was going to go with Lessa, going to try and protect her love from herself... she needed this. Needed the experience. It was her last chance. Another month left...

"Why CAN'T I go?"

Everyone turned to look at Mari. She was next to Wendi, dressed in identical combat attire. Her hair was in a braid identical to Lessa's, her face just as determined. She looked between Lessa, Shelly, and Wendi.

"I want to do this! I want to go with you guys! I've been training, haven't I? Please!?!"

Shelly and Wendi exchanged glances. Wendi put a hand on her shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze.

"No, not this time. We do have a job for you, when the time comes. An important job. Probably the most important."

"Really?" The girl looked up at the twelve year old. You could see she wanted to believe that. Wanted, with all her heart, to believe her three idols would let her join them. Let her help. Let her...

"Yes," said Shelly, softly. "Yours is the most important job of all. When the time comes, you'll know." And, it was, too. More important than keeping Lessa alive, even. Mari... was to be left with the baby. Left to, if needed, raise it. Left to... remember, and pass Lessa's love on to her child.

Mari saw the truth in Shelly's eyes, and nodded. They WOULD use her!

Lessa suddenly grimaced, hand going to her belly, and without saying anything she waddled away from the table and sat down on a chair against the wall. Kine stepped into her spot.

"OK, we know the plan. Go in, get out, only those fuckers get hurt." He turned to Amanda, who was standing next to Ger. "You're still insisting on going in the shuttle?"

"If you're going on the mission, yes." Her eyes were determined as she met her gaze. "Somebody has to watch your back and make sure you get out."

He nodded. Probably would be doing the same thing in her place. Then again, he couldn't see himself even staying on the shuttle if she were putting herself in danger. His eyes turned to Ger.

"Remember, my sister gets even a scratch on her, I rip off your balls."

****

Amanda saw green.

Her eyes, finally, were open. Maybe. Thoughts were still fuzzy, and this could all be yet another fever dream. But.. it looked like... leaves. Branches. She was moving under them, at a steady rate. Moving... but she couldn't move. Nothing worked.

What... what had happened?

What was the last thing she remembered?

****

The shuttle touched down in the grassy field, the side door whooshing open. Wendi was out in an instant, running towards the tree line. Shelly followed, then the rest. Kine took an extra second in the doorway, turning to give his sister a reassuring smile.

"Don't forget, Ger!" Then, he was out.

Amanda hit the button to close the door, yelling "Clear!" as it whooshed closed. She stared at it for a moment. Her brother was on the other side. Soon, he'd be in combat. He'd be... She shook her head. She couldn't dwell on that. That way lay madness.

Or at least needless crying.

"We're away!" yelled back Ger, and she could faintly feel the vibrations as the shuttle lifted off. The artificial gravity was on, counteracting most inertia, but it wasn't on full obviously, given the planet itself had almost a full gee. She looked around the empty cabin, wondering what she should do to kill time...

 She felt the floor jolt. Her hands shot out, grabbing the back of one of the seats attached to the wall.

"Hey!"

"Incoming! Buckle up!"

She was seated in a flash, hands going to the straps with practiced speed. Her eyes were locked on the open doorway leading to the cockpit.

"What's going on!?" She could see, from this angle, Ger's side as one hand flew over the displays while the other worked the floor mounted joystick coming up between his legs. The sky beyond the front window whirled, with the ground coming in and out of view.

"Terrestrial fighters! Man they move fast!" The sound of the top and bottom gun turrets suddenly echoed through the cabin, the noise transmitted through the hull. "Shit! We can't make orbit! They'll cut us off!"

There was a bang, and everything shuddered. Amanda's eyes were wide, focused un-movingly on Ger, while her hands turned white gripping the straps holding her into the seat.

"Ger?!?!"

"I'm sorry!" he yelled. She saw the view spin outside the ship. "I'm cutting the artificial gravity! I need the power!"

The next thing Amanda knew she was slammed against the straps, pointing towards the back of the ship. She felt the ship spinning.

"C'mon, bitch, move!!"

The side of the shuttle exploded next to Amanda. Her scream went unheard above the sudden rush of air and banging of metals and ceramics. Her chair detached from the wall, and hit the far side of the cabin. Her head knocked back into something, and her vision tripled.

"Taking it down!!!"

She could see, barely, green rushing by the opening. Then the entire shuttle started flipping and falling, trees coming right into the cabin. There was crushing, crumpling, banging...

Darkness.

****

Amanda managed to raise her head a fraction. She was in... a body bag. No... it was an inflatable stretcher. She recognized it from the shuttle medical supplies. Her entire body was being held immobile, as someone pulled her along the ground. There were branches and leaves covering the top of her, as if she was being camouflaged.

What... what had happened?

She took mental stock of her body through the general pain. Legs? There. She could wiggle her toes. Head? Hurt. Arms? She could wiggle her left fingers, and flex her muscles a bit. Right arm...

Pain.

Nothing but pain...

Oh... gods...

"Ger..." she whispered the name, not even sure if it made it past her lips. The wait was forever, then...

"I'm here," came the voice, from above her head. "I'm... I'm sorry."

Ger kept pulling her deeper into the forest.

Chapter 24

Ger sat on the log, looking up at the night sky.

He had traveled through that. He, Ger, son of Val and Py. He... had traveled in space. Already it seemed like another life, so long that day had been. Would he ever get back? And... did he want to?

Amanda moaned. Flexing his shoulders, trying to stretch sore muscles, Ger stood and walked over to where she lay. The painkillers he had shoved into her had kept the girl out most of the day. Probably the best thing for her, all things considered. And him. The longer he could put off looking her in the eye... No, no. That wasn't it. He had done his best. Nothing he should be ashamed of with her.

But... how could he tell her?

Kneeling down, he unzipped the stretcher bag and examined her. The tourniquet was still tight on her upper arm. That was good. He had no idea if it had to come off at some point, but there was no way he was playing with that with his limited medical knowledge. The bandage on the end of her arm, above where the elbow use to be, had dried blood and assorted fluids staining it, but seemed to be holding. He decided to leave that, too.

Ger sat down on the ground next to her. Looking at Amanda's face, he sighed. He wasn't a medic, let alone the surgeon she probably needed. That she was alive at all was most likely pure accident. Hell, if he had been given time to THINK about what he was doing, cutting what was left of her trapped arm off, he probably couldn't have done it.  He almost thanked the gods for that Fed fighter buzzing the crash site.

Amanda shifted in front of him... and opened her eyes.

"Trees... night..." Her head rolled towards Ger, and he saw wonder in her eyes."I ca-COUGH!" She gave a dry hack, and Ger was up in an instant looking for a water bottle. He was back beside her in moments, water pouring into his cupped hand.

"Here... slowly..." He raised his hand to her dry lips, letting the clear liquid drip into her mouth. She coughed again, and he gave her some more. Amanda's dirty left hand came up and grabbed his, controlling the flow of water better. Ger refilled his hand cup, letting her drain it again. Shuddering, as if the warm water was a shock to her system, she lifted her left arm up over her head where she could see it.

"I've... wanted to move so badly for forever." She rolled her head back and forth, testing. Then... with great hesitation... she looked at her right arm. She started to lift it, and Ger quickly put his hand below her shoulder, to gently, but firmly, hold it down.

"No, not yet. Just... leave it. For now." Her blue eyes focused on his face in the moonlight, biting her lip.

"How... bad is it?"

Ger thought for a moment. Everything he had planned to say, was gone.

"You... you will be fine, Amanda. Despite my bungling, you'll make it. Your arm, though... it's gone."

She closed her eyes.

"It hurts. How can something not there hurt so much?"

He reached down and petted her hair, stroking her soft cheek.

"I'm sorry. I don't have much painkiller for you. I tossed a ton into you today, and we have to ration it from now on. You understand?" She nodded, her remaining hand coming up to trap his against her soft cheek. "I... I'll give you one a day. I'll let you decide when you need it. Do you need one now, to sleep?"

"I'm not... sleepy...."

Five minutes later, she was back asleep.

****

Amanda opened her eyes.

Green leaves passed over her head, blue sky peaking through now and then. She could hear birds, as well as the constant sound of a weight being dragged over dirt and rocks.

Her weight.

Amanda took an inventory. She swallowed. Mouth, dry. Pain? As soon as her thought turned to that, a horrible stabbing pain came from seemingly her whole right side. Damn it! Her mind must have been suppressing those nerves, adjusting to her body's new reality, and she had to go reopen old wounds. So to speak. Was it bad enough to bother Ger, or could she wait and just deal with it?

"Ger! Hurts!"

It came out as a croak, and the movement stopped instantly.

"Just a second!" Ger quickly was at her feet, and lifting her head slightly she saw he had tied their few supplies to the end of the, well, giant sleeping bag she was in. About a half minute later he had what he needed and shuffled up to her head. Unzipping the bag, he ripped what looked like a large square bandage off her shoulder. She grunted at the pain, mostly from the adhesive. She hand't even known that was there! Tossing the used pad behind him, Ger brought a fresh one up, stripping the paper from the sticky side. He paused a second, re-reading directions, then placed it about where the old one had been.

Amanda's eyes shot open. It... the pain was gone! Almost as if a switch had been turned off! She turned her face up to Ger, who was looking at her with worry.

"Wow!"

"Feeling better?"

"Yeah! Oh, gods, that's... amazing!" Ger chuckled.

"Well, don't get use to it. If we don't either get picked up or find supplies within a week, you'll be doing without completely." He stopped. Amanda might not be herself yet, but she saw he regretted telling her even that much about their situation. She reached her left hand, after trying to use her right, up to him, and reluctantly he took it with both of his.

"What's going..." She coughed, and smacking his forehead as if it should have been the first thing he had done, Ger quickly had a handful of water at her mouth. As the warm liquid eased her dry throat, he answered the question he knew she wanted to ask.

"Our situation is... fluid. We're fucked, but not THAT fucked. It all depends on what else is going on. I can't get a signal through to the ship. I'm assuming there's jamming going on." Amanda knew it could be other things, and glumly he nodded that he knew them too. "Anyway, plan A is to get the hell away from the wreck, which we've done, and hopefully get somewhere that I can set the distress beacon. Before each raid I pick out nearby places that might make good pickup points. As luck has it, we're not all that far from two of them. I'm taking us towards the farthest one, as the other was in the direction of Fed installations." Hand now empty, he refilled it and she kept drinking. "I don't know how long it'll take us to reach there, at this rate. I... I hate to do this, but we have to get you up and walking as soon as possible."

Taking his now just wet hand, Ger ran it over her face. It felt so good, Amanda was about to ask for more before she realized water, as well as drugs, had to be rationed. Food too, probably.

"Want me to try and walk now?"

Ger smiled down at her, taking his own drink of water before screwing on the cap again and putting the canteen on his belt.

"Not THAT soon. I still have some energy left, so let me pull you some more. Once we stop for lunch, I'll let you sit up and we can see where we stand... so to speak." She nodded, but protested when he went to zip the bag back up.

"Leave it open! I can't move when it's closed!"

"Well, that's the idea. But..." He zipped it only up to her waist, allowing free use of her arm. "Better?"

"Better." She smiled up at him, and returning it he stood. Rotating his shoulders and stretching, Ger yawned. A few minutes later, garbage picked up and everything closed up and fastened, he grunted and started pulling.

****

"OK... upsy daisy... that's it... now, stay there until I move this... there!"

Ger straightened up, looking down at his handiwork. Amanda was sitting up, her back against a large tree, the stretcher bag keeping her bottom off the ground. Her hand went up to her head, and Ger quickly was down on one knee beside her.

"Everything OK?"

"Just dizzy... whoa."

"All that blood flowing out of your brain. Now, you'll just be as stupid as you always were."

Grinning, he didn't move as Amanda's hand swatted at him. An Amanda that could take offense was an Amanda that would survive. His eyes went down to her right arm. He had changed the bandage before sitting her up, and it didn't look like the change in orientation was affecting much. The tourniquet was still holding. He was sure it wasn't good to have it on this long, but what could he do? Amanda followed his eyes.

"I'm sorry I'm so much trouble."

"You? Trouble? Well, yes, always, but not because of this."

She growled at him, in response to which he patted her on the head.

"Good dog!"

She barked, then whimpered when Ger stood and went to his pack. Rummaging around a bit, he brought out two small items. Coming back, he sat down and handed the survival bar to her. She looked at it with resigned disgust.

"I've always hated these." Amanda moved it a bit, then gave a somewhat hysterical laugh. "I just tried to open it using both hands!" Chagrinned that he hadn't considered that, Ger started to reach for it but she shook her head. Bringing the package up to her mouth, she used her teeth to rip the wrapper off. Spitting the paper out, she took a bite. "Yuck. The paper tasted better."

Ger nodded, although he never had a problem with the taste. By the time you were reduced to eating these, any food was appreciated.

"We'll rest here a bit, then see if you can stand. And walk. One without the other won't do us much good."

She looked down at her body. She... should be OK. It was just her arm, the rest was OK. Well, apart from some bumps and bruises, and the back of her head seemed to have taken a good whack. Apart from that, she was fine. Chewing the disgusting bar, the thoughts that she had been trying not to think of came to the fore. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back against the tree.

"Did... did the Feds know we, my brother, were coming? Were they waiting for him?"

"No idea." She opened her eyes and looked at Ger. He had never lied to her, that she knew. When she was in the shuttle, waiting for her brother, he always spoke the truth. Always kept her spirits up, yes, with a joke or some such, but he never sugarcoated things. Amanda liked him for that.

"They didn't hit us until we were heading away from the drop zone, so it's very possible they didn't notice our little stop. They should be OK. Assuming," Ger added, looking down at the half eaten bar in his hand, "Lessa knows we've been shot down and sends Craig with our last shuttle to pick them up."

"And... if not?"

"Then your brother does the same thing we're doing, only probably much better." He looked at the sky. "I thought I heard a large explosion far in the distance last night, so there's a good chance they completed the mission. Don't worry," he said, turning to the blond, grinning, "I'm sure Kine is in much better shape than we are!"

"Oh, now THAT is reassuring!" She threw her now empty wrapper at him, which he picked up and put in his pocket. "I don't know why Sirenia lusts after you."

"And who do you lust after?"

Amanda's face turned serious.

"Lust is silly."

Ger raised an eyebrow at her, and she looked away, blushing. There were times he forgot how young she was, and other times that he forgot how old she was. Amanda was in that between, where nothing fit. He reached a hand out, and put it on her head.

"I agree. Lust is silly. Fun, but silly, and should be kept in its place. Love and friendship, though... those are important." He stroked her hair, her eyes closing as her body relaxed. Ger's own eyes found themselves looking at her face, taking in every cute detail. Shaking his head, he berated himself. Jenny and Hanna had offered him a home, and more. No need to even think of taking advantage of a hurt friend. If she needed someone to hold her, a shoulder to cry on... that was one thing. But, he would do nothing more.

Why, then, couldn't he keep his eyes off her face?

****

The first attempt at walking didn't go well. With her back against the tree, Ger helped pull Amanda to her feet. She almost immediately collapsed down again, forcing Ger to grab under her right shoulder to keep her from tumbling over as he eased her back down to a sitting position. This jostled her arm, and despite the meds caused some pain. Her chest was heaving from the exertion.

"OK, that's it," he said, looking at her with concern. "I'll pull you for the rest of the day." She looked up with eyes that reminded him of her brother.

"No! I can do this! You can pull me later, but if I can walk, even if I'm leaning on you, we can make much better time! Right?"

Sighing, Ger nodded. They could double their daily speed if she could walk for even an hour or two. Given they had no idea how long the Liberty would stay in orbit trying to find them...

The second attempt went better. He held her up while Amanda stretched protesting legs. Taking a couple short steps, Amanda managed to keep her balance without support. It took effort, though, and there was no way she'd be able to walk that way. Moving her back so she was leaning on the tree again, Ger quickly broke camp and packed everything up. He tied the pull straps of the stretcher bag to his waist, enjoying how light it felt without her weight, then gathered the young girl to his side.

"You ready to learn to walk again?"

Despite the obvious strain on her face, her eyes twinkled with her usual mirth.

"Goo Goo!"

"That's my little baby!" Without thinking, Ger leaned over and kissed her on the nose like he use to do with a young cousin. Amanda giggled... then stopped giggling. Her eyes regarded him with a seriousness that... he found himself returning.

They both seemed to come to their senses at the same time. Ger flexed his shoulders and got the kinks out of his body, then tightened his grip on her.

"On the count of three! One, two... walk!"

They were off.

****

Amanda was dominated by two trains of thought. The more important parts of her mind were focused with all they had on her two feet. Left, right, always moving forward, always keeping under her body so as not to get off balance. She could do it, especially if she kept her mind off the throbbing pain just under the surface of the pain killers. She had maybe a couple hours before things got too bad, and she fully intended to spend every moment of that on her feet. She could rest later. Hell, there was no reason for Ger to be struggling to pull an Amanda that was in any way awake!

Ger... The other half of her mind, the emotional half, was completely focused on him. Oh, it had the excuse that like her feet, her left arm had to stay around his waist tightly, and his arm had to support her in the same way. But...

Why did she feel like this, heart fluttering, skin hot? He had held her before, like that time she twisted an ankle a couple month ago, and that had been nothing special. Why did the pressure of his fingers on her waist send waves of pleasure through her? Why was she so light headed, leaning against his warm, strong body? Well, OK, she could think of a good excuse for that, but everything else...

Why did she want him to kiss her nose again?

****

They didn't talk. Talk would take effort, effort that was needed elsewhere. But, without words... they said much.

****

It was over two hours later that Ger called a halt. He had noticed he was now half carrying the small girl. Despite her inner strength, her body needed rest. She protested, but as weakly as a virgin with her one true love. He found a good flat spot, gently lowering her into a sitting position against a tree. Breathing labored, she closed her eyes.

"We did good, right Ger? I did good?"

"You did great! I'm proud of you! Here!" He handed here the canteen, and taking it she took deep swallows. When she stopped, her face suddenly looked alarmed.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I drank too much!"

Easing himself down next to her, Ger took the canteen back and took his own long swallow.

"Naw, we're OK. There should be a stream a bit over to the south. We'll head that way next and refill the water bottles. Don't worry." Relaxing her body and sighing, Amanda leaned against him.

"Mmmm... can I use you as a pillow?"

"For awhile," he chuckled. "I have no problem being used by beautiful women like that."

"That's what I've heard..." She yawned, head on his shoulder, and snuggled close, finding a nice comfortable spot. In minutes, she was asleep.

Ger looked down at her. He would protect her. From everything, even himself if need be. Reaching over, he gently moved some stray hairs out of her face. Content that she was well, Ger leaned back against the tree and napped.

****

It was dark when they awoke, but the planet above them was almost full, providing more than enough light. They ate, with no complaints this time from Amanda about the bars. Her body demanded energy, and they provided it.

"How much further?" she asked, swallowing the last bite. She could feel her tummy rumbling for more.

"At this rate? We'll probably be there by tomorrow. Which is good, since if they don't hear from us there's no reason for Lessa to keep them in orbit."

"Kine wouldn't leave without me," she said, with all the conviction of a child who worships her brother.

"Yes, but if he knows you're dead he's not stupid. We have to tell them we're alive as soon as possible."

"Have you tried contacting them?"

"Not since last night. Hmm... maybe we're out of range of the jamming..." He stood and walked to what was now the long storage bag. A moment's digging brought out the radio. "What to say..." Digging again, he got out his maps and positioning system compass. Amanda watched him work. He was so good at this! Not that she thought he was great or anything. She bit her lower lip.

"OK, let's try this." Ger folded down the collapsible keyboard, and typed out a short message. "So, we encrypt this, hit the send button... done." He sat back.

"Now what?"

"Now, we wait a half hour and see if there's a reply. I've told them where and when to pick us up."

"And... if we hear nothing?"

"Then we go on, and try again at the pickup zone. If we still hear nothing... we head off towards a non-Fed town and focus on survival."

She looked at him. His short brown hair, those eyes... they radiated such caring... would it be so bad, being stuck with him?

A light flashed on the receiver, Ger immediately hitting some switches. Amanda leaned forward, body tense. Was it...?

"Yes!" Ger jumped up, fists raised to the night sky! He spun in a circle. "They're up there and waiting!" Amanda managed to get to her feet on her own, adrenalin pumping through her, and Ger sprang over to her and gave Amanda an excited kiss on the lips.

His head jerked back almost immediately. Amanda's eyes were wide with shock, as were his. Ger's arms were on her waist, to support her he told himself, and her arm was on him with a similar excuse. They looked at each other, and with infinite slowness Ger leaned in and gently kissed her again. It was sweet, and innocent, and like nothing he had ever felt before. Jenny had been all about pleasure, but this...

"I love you..." The words were out of Amanda's mouth almost as soon as his lips left hers. There was no other word for how she felt. She had never, EVER, been like this. It had to be love!

Ger brought a hand up to caress her face. His own feelings were in turmoil.

"We... don't have time for this now. Once we're rescued, we'll see." She nodded, nuzzling his hand, not believing his qualification. It was true love all right. Ger stepped back from her a bit. "Well, the good news is, not only are they alive, but now we don't have to be as stingy with your pain killers. Want a new one?"

"Oh gods yes!" she said, tears coming to her eyes in relief. "I didn't want to say anything!"

"It's OK," he grinned. "In return, we'll try walking some more tonight. OK?"

She nodded. Things were going to be OK.

****

The memorial was unexpected.  

Amanda stopped in her tracks. Ger continued on along the forest path for another step or two, halting when he sensed her no longer at his side. His eyes were worried, questioning, but already she was elsewhere. All that existed was the statue.

It was simple, crude, and elegant. A carving of a young child, holding a small furry animal, set in a small break in the trees near a brook. Flowers circled it, red and blue, she thought, although in the moonlight it was hard to tell. The small eyes were upturned, and as Amanda's met them...  

...they said they forgave her.

The almost thirteen year old girl dropped to her knees. She wanted to bury her face in her hands. Cry, like she hadn't in years, but her blurry eyes were captives of the stone child. She couldn't even raise a hand to wipe them. What she had done... what THEY had done... it seemed the stone eyes softened even more, the small head nodding at her thoughts, at memories of lives lost and wasted. The stump of her right arm ached, the drugs wearing off. She couldn't breathe. The pain, the anguish...

Suddenly, Ger was there, kneeling in the grass beside her. His arms went around her, guiding Amanda into his chest as she finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. His tattered clothing was on its way to being a muddy mess, but his arms held her tight. He had been through worse. They both had. Finally, a small stone digging into his knee ended the moment. It was time to move on. Gently, he moved his hands to her shoulders, pushing her back a few inches. With his right, he wiped the mud and blond hair away from Amanda's eyes.  

"We have to go."

"But..." Amanda sniffled.

"Look..." Ger hated being the adult. He was only two years older, damn it. Shifting his weapon a bit to get it out of the way, he brought the two of them to their feet. Her blue eyes meet his brown ones- she saw safety, love. He saw trust he in no way deserved. Mentally flailing around for something to say, he finally sighed.

"Remember. Remember what Don once said."

Amanda stiffened in his arms at that name. Her eyes hardened a bit, sanity returning. Ger nodded.

"Sometimes... you just can't do what's right."

****

It was a bit before dawn when they stopped and rested for the night. There was a depression in the earth, and Ger opened up the stretcher for both of them to lie on. Amanda snuggled into him, mood once again swinging back to happiness. Ger could only think of the horrors she had been through. Could he protect her? Could he keep her happy and safe?

And, did he want to do it for the rest of his life?

The answer, for now, was... yes.

****

They reached the clearing Ger had picked out about an hour before sunset. Leaving Amanda just inside the tree line, he ventured out into it and set up the radio. The agreed upon signal was sent, then he retreated back to Amanda.

Nothing to do but wait.

"Do you think Kine made it?" Her voice was shaking, as was her body. The closer they were to rescue, the closer they were to discovering answers she might not want to hear. He hugged her tight.

"We'll find out together. Remember, no matter what happens, you'll never be alone."

She turned and kissed his cheek, and he could feel the tears from her face.

The sun had just hit the horizon when Ger jerked his head up into the sky. Something was... yes! A ship! For a wild moment, he didn't even care whose it was! Then his mind started processing the details of what he saw. It... wasn't a shuttle. Neither was it a Fed fighter, that's for sure. It was big, and...

The Liberty!

Why the hell was the entire ship landing?!?

Amanda was gazing up as well, and with a start she pointed up towards the back of the descending craft. Ger followed her gaze, saw with amazed horror that one of the four main rear engines was destroyed! Just torn scrap metal and ceramics! What had happened?!?

The ship was coming down into the middle of the clearing. It was too long to actually fit, and Ger was very happy they weren't hiding on either of those two sides. About a couple hundred meters off the ground, they saw the front shuttle bay door swing open downward, making it flush with the bottom of the ship. The bottom turret withdrew upwards as well, the ship now within a hundred meters of the clearing. What they hell were they doing? That was sort of answered when he noticed people now standing on the open shuttle door. They were in defensive positions, obviously to cover their run to the ship. He turned to Amanda.

"Time to go!"

Scrambling to their feet, abandoning the stretcher that had served them so well, they ran into the clearing. Ger could see someone stand and wave to them, and when they were about fifty meters away a rope ladder was tossed over the side. The ship came down almost to ground level, snapping trees as its front and back made room for themselves.

"Hurry up!" came the cry, and with a final burst of speed the two were there. The shuttle door was about three meters thick, and Amanda with grim determination grabbed the ladder and began to climb. Ger got behind her and put a hand on her butt to support her, in case the one hand couldn't do the job, but once she was half way hands reached down from the top and pulled her up. Ger jumped on the ladder, and before he was even half way he heard a shout to take off. The engines, which had never turned off, became almost deafening as the ground started to recede. He too was pulled up, and was hurried off the platform as the shuttle bay hatch began to swing upward and closed.

They were home.

A cheer went up as the bay door clanged shut. Ger looked around, wearily. It had only been... what, three days? Was that all? And yet it was as if he had been gone forever. Everything looked different, or at least unfamiliar. He had to adjust.

His friends were around him, patting his back, happy at his return. He gave them a tired smile in reply, then broke free and quickly went over to Amanda. Bell and Bella were there with her, greeting Ger with shock in their eyes.

"What happened?!?"

"Trapped under the wreckage. Went though the bone, but I had to cut through some stuff to free her. The tourniquet has been on three days."

Bell nodded, as her sister ran to get surgery ready. She picked out a nearby male to help her, and the two started to get Amanda up on the stretcher.

"Amanda!!!"

Amanda broke free of her helpers, her smile splitting her face in two.

"Kine!"

He ran across the shuttle bay, leaping over anything in his way. Mel was close behind, a relieved grin on her face. A happy Kine was a good Kine. With one final jump over a long metal box, he was before his sister. He was about to grab her in a tremendous hug, when... he saw her stump.

Amanda grabbed him, hugging fiercely, but he gently if firmly pushed her back so he could look.

"What... what happened, Amanda?!? Are you OK?!?"

"I'm fine! It's OK! Ger, he..."

Kine released his sister and swung around. Ger was walking up to him. Unhurt.

Kine took two long steps, and with all his strength smashed the back of his right hand into Ger's face.

Ger flew back, only staying upright because of the people behind him. He swung his head back, looking at his friend. He deserved this. He hadn't protected Amanda. Let her brother do whatever he wanted. It was fair, and fate...

Kine took a step forward, and with no thoughts other than the sight of his maimed sister he drew his gun.

"No!!!"

Kine barely had it out if its holster when he saw Amanda throw herself in front of Ger. Her one and a quarter arms were spread, shielding the traitor. He looked at the child.

"Move, sis."

"No!"

"Move, or I'll make you."

"No! He's my savior! I won't let you touch him!"

His eyes widened. She... Kine's eyes flicked up to Ger's, who was standing behind her. His expression was... regret. For how much, Kine fumed. In how many ways had he hurt his beloved sister...

The three stood like that for ages. Kine, finally, holstered his sidearm. Turning, he nodded to Bell to get with it, then walked away. If Amanda wanted the traitor...

"Kine, no!" Amanda started to go after him, her face in anguish. Bell caught her, and maneuvered her towards the stretcher.

"Later! Give him time! We have to get you to sickbay!"

Amanda went limp, defeated, and let Bell do her thing.

Mel walked over to Ger. They looked at each other, knowing what the future held.

"I'll work on him," she said. "It's been a bad couple of days."

"Really? I can't say I'd noticed..."

Chapter 25

Lessa sat in the bridge command chair. She was alone, apart from Villa down by navigation and Jenna at the sensors. Alone... in so many ways. Don... her Don... she could have saved him. She knew it. Saw the killing blow in her mind. Over, and over. If she had just...

It wasn't over. She could still do this. Still honor the memory of her love. Still dip his locket in the blood of his killer. He'd want that. These... setbacks of the past few days. They didn't change anything. Everything still pointed to her standing over a mound of corpses, her companions at her side...

"Lessa."

The sound came from right next to her. Eyes refocusing on the here and now, the teen turned her head. Kine was standing there, one foot on the stairs and the other up on the command level. His eyes... nowhere in them was his usual playfulness. They had seen pain. Lessa could respect that.

"What is it."

Kine stepped up next to her, hand moving to the back of the chair next to her head. She looked up, defiant. His glance seemed to go down to her now larger breasts, or at least the necklace and lockets hanging between them, shaking his head as his eyes came back up to meet hers.

"It's over, Lessa."

Those three words... confused Lessa. They had meaning, yes. But, not one she immediately could apply to anything. Why was he bothering her with this?

"What is?"

"All of this," Kine replied, shaking his head and gesturing all around them. "Your plan, your revenge, our part in it... it's over."

She still didn't understand. 'Over'... it wasn't, so what the hell was he... Her eyes widened. No! He couldn't mean!

Kine nodded, seeing understanding finally seep into that warped brain. He braced himself for the coming battle.

"Yes, Lessa. you've had your fun. No more."

"FUN!?!?" She rose, pregnant body making her aggressive movements both ludicrous and horrific. "FUN! This is NOT fun!"

"No," Kine said, firmly but rationally, "it isn't. We've indulged you and your psycho fantasy for long enough. We're not going to die for you and your silly revenge. Don wouldn't want that."

"What the FUCK do you know about what Don wanted?!?" She stepped forward, hand still gripping the chair for support. Lessa's face... was red. The outrage! Kine was stepping where he had no right! She had the right of revenge, and no living thing could stand in her way.

Kine's eyes were sad. She saw pity. Fuck pity.

"You have two choices, my friend." Lessa's eyes bore into him as he spoke. If not for her condition, she'd have attacked by now. "Either you forget this silly quest, and join the living, or..." he sighed. "... or, you, and those who would follow you, leave."

Lessa took a half step back, as if slapped. He couldn't! No!

"We're docking at Peart station in twenty hours, to refit. After that, we head to the outer systems for good. You've made it too dangerous for us to be anywhere among the habitable worlds. They're looking for us, and I don't want to die. Your choice." Turning, Kine headed back down the stairs. As he passed Villa, he added, "Villa, you have the bridge. She's relieved."

Villa cast a startled glance down at Jenna, getting a similar look in reply. Fuuuuuck...

****

Sickbay was crowded.

The biggest group was surrounding Amanda at the far end of the room. She was sitting up on the bed, showing off her professionally bandaged stump to Sirenia, Wendi, and Mari. All were both horrified and fascinated, although the arm was NOT what they were most interested in.

"How come YOU get stranded with Ger alone for days on end!" Sirenia pouted. Many of her fantasies had, in fact, started that way. It just wasn't fair that some other girl, especially a friend, actually got to experience it. It might even be worth an arm!

"Come on," Wendi scoffed at her friend. "Look at her! You don't think anything happened, do you? It's not like they kissed or anything!"

Mari was the one looking at Amanda's face, and while she may not have known anything of love, she did know a guilty face when she saw one. She pointed, eyes wide.

"She kissed him! Look at her!"

Amanda's face turned red, as her two girlfriends just... looked at her. Time to change the subject.

"So! What the hell happened to you guys!" She didn't wait for a reply, but rushed on. "How did the raid go? How did you get picked up? What the hell happened to the ship! C'mon, guys, tell me!"

"Yeah, tell her," came Shelly's voice from the other side of the room. Bell was removing a bandage from around her left breast, and she really didn't want to hear a fight over boys. Wendi glanced over at her fellow follower of Lessa, saw the annoyance there, and reluctantly pushed the more important matter aside. There'd be time later.

"Well... it was interesting," she told Amanda, organizing the tale in her mind. "Really, you should have been there!" Wendi saw her friend take a pointed look at her arm, realized that she had just stated the obvious, and quickly moved on. "Let's see... we got to the depot no problem. Never knew about what happened to the shuttle, so we weren't worried about it. Kine divided us up into two squads, and a bit after midnight we struck!" Her voice couldn't contain the joy of her memory of the attack, and Sirenia and Amanda exchanged a quick glance. They did not share this... kink with their friend. "It was going kinda OK, until one bunch of Feds stonewalled us. Couldn't get them out of there! We were like this," Wendi's hands indicated Amanda's knees under the sheets were the two groups of attackers, then moved one hand up near her thigh, "and they were blocking the entry way here. We couldn't get at 'em! Shelly, though... Shelly decided to get all macho!" A groan came from behind them, Bell warning the injured hero not to move. "Shelly decides to draw their fire, so she jumps out and runs like mad!" Two of Wendi's fingers imitated the run. "You should have seen it! Her breasts were bouncing like crazy, and I bet the soldiers didn't know whether to fire or whack off! They finally did start firing, but right then Kine, who'd managed to sneak to a flanking position, let them have it and took em all out!"

Her hand showed an explosion between Amanda's legs, and the three girls giggled.

"So, we're like, we won! And then we hear this cry, 'Help! I've been shot in the tits!'" They broke into laughter, looking over at the casualty in question. Bell was re-wrapping the bandage around the damaged boob, and without looking back she gave the youngsters the update.

"It was just a graze, thankfully, so no permanent damage to her pleasure globes. She won't be tit fucking anyone for awhile, though."

"Oh, like I EVER did that!" This drew even more giggles, but after a moment Amanda returned their attention to the story at hand.

"But how did the ship get damaged?"

"Oh!" Wendi's excitement kicked in again. "Well, Craig came in the other shuttle to pick us up, which shocked your brother let me tell you! He wanted to go after you right away, but Craig wouldn't have it, not with fighter craft around! So we get back to the ship, and Kine argues with Lessa that we had to stay and give Ger a chance to make contact. That was a fight, let me tell you! When the Fed destroyer showed up, Lessa gave him this 'I told you so' look, but your brother took over and managed to blow the sucker up! He was amazing!" Her face lit up, talking about her future husband, and now it was Sirenia's turn to share an exasperated look with Amanda! "So, anyway, your message actually came in the middle of the battle"

Amanda shook her head. Leave the ship for a couple days, and all the exciting stuff happens! She reached over to itch just above her bandage when Craig barged into the cabin. His eyes were wild, and seeing Shelly he let out an excited stream of word.

"Didn't you guys hear?!? Kine kicked Lessa off the ship!" He was out the door again, not waiting for a reply.

Shelly, Wendi, and Mari looked at each other in shock. Shelly jumped off the table, grabbing her shirt but not bothering to put it on before rushing out the door. Wendi let out a whimpering "no!", then followed with Mari on her heals.

Alone, Amanda and Bell just looked at each other. When the enormity of it finally sank in, Amanda jumped off the table.

"Where's my clothes?!"

****

Lessa was in her cabin when Shelly and the others found her. The three burst in, skidding to a stop at the sight of their Mistress filling a travel pack. Their arrival was ignored, her face saying conversation had better be short and to the point.

Shelly ignored the warning.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Kine," said Lessa, disgust dripping from her words, "said to take my vengeance and get the fuck out of here. So that's what I'm doing." She didn't look behind her at her old friend. There would be an expression of disbelief, of skepticism... and of compassion. None of that was appreciated just then. "Pack your stuff. We're going as soon as we dock at Peart station."

"We... we're LEAVING?!?" Wendi was aghast. She looked between her idol, and her friend. They couldn't... "BUT! My friends!"

"Do you follow them or me?" Lessa's voice was cold, and Wendi stepped back as if slapped.

"You!"

"Then pack!"

The youth grabbed the hand of the uncomprehending Mari, fleeing the cabin. Shelly stayed, giving a sad sigh as the door closed.

"We don't have to do this, Lessa."

Lessa paused, then turned. She was still beautiful, thought Shelly. Even angry, even unreasonable, even... evil, she was still beautiful. Heart in her throat, she tried again.

"You've fought back, Lessa. You've spilled blood to avenge Don. WE have done it, in your name! It's enough! Let's stay... and move on."

"If you want to leave me, then go." Her face was hard, emotionless. Lessa's hands crept up to the lockets between her breasts. "I have work to do, and if you're not with me I don't need you."

Shelly stepped closer, head shaking in sorrow.

"I'll always stay with you, Lessa. I love you. Even... even if you no longer know what that means."

Turning, she walked to her bed and began to pack.

****

Ger stood up from the park bench as Amanda entered. That she would come here, eventually, was not the reason he had hid himself in the garden. No. He... he needed to understand. The world had changed. He had changed. The garden was a refuge from the reality of the ship. A reality he was no longer sure he belonged in. Opening his arms as she ran to him, Ger engulfed the young girl as she crushed herself against him. They stood like that, unspeaking, for what seemed like ages. Which was how Kine found them.

Ger saw him approach, and with a small shake turned Amanda in front of him to face her brother. Noting that it looked like he was using the twelve year old as a shield, he moved so he was at her side, although still holding her soft hand.

"I hope I'm interrupting," Kine said, cheerfully. His eyes, however, had no mirth. Ger gave him a serious nod in return.

"I'm just comforting her. I assumed she's heard about Lessa."

"How COULD you!" Amanda spat her words at her brother. "I'm losing my best friend because of you!"

"If Lessa stayed, we'd lose more. You know that." His eyes met Ger's. "Speaking of which, after we stock up and such, and drop off Lessa... we're going to head to the outer systems." Ger raised his eyebrows. "We have to get out of here, start over. The Feds are going to be all over us. So... if you're thinking of going to be with Jenny and Hanna sometime, you probably should leave with Lessa."

"Kine! No!" She leapt at him, her one hand reaching up, grabbing his shirt by the neck. "No! Don't! He saved me!! I'll hate you!!" Kine's arms slowly went around her, and bawling like a baby she mashed her head into his chest. Kine's eyes, however, never left Ger's. The two regarded each other. Ger knew this rift between him and the older teen was temporary. Just a momentary blip in their respect and mild friendship. But... so too was probably this attraction between him and Amanda. Kine's offer was not one of malice. Once the ship left... he might never be able to return to Jenny, to his as yet unborn children. Was he willing to lose all that... for Amanda?

"I think I'll stay for awhile," he told Kine, his voice soft but firm. "There are still things to do here before I... retire."

****

Over half the remaining crew milled around the docking corridor outside the Liberty, waiting. Twenty teens, who had seen hell, found salvation, and now were slowly seeing their numbers drop one by one. The future was always in doubt. Now, today was becoming just as foggy.

Just inside the ship, Shelly waited with Wendi and Mari. Lessa was somewhere, talking to Kine. Or killing him. Neither would surprise Shelly. She felt a touch on her hand, light, hesitant. Her head looked down at the crying Mari.

"I don't want to go, Shelly... I wanna stay!" Shelly sighed, dropping to one knee, both hands resting on the young girl's shoulders.

"Mari... what did you promise?"

She sniffled.

"To... to protect the baby."

"Right." Shelly smiled. "So, wherever the baby goes... you go."

Slowly, Mari nodded. Her face was as serious as it could be.

"But..."

"But nothing. Someday... we'll come back, if we can. Until then... we protect Lessa. With everything in our power, and some things beyond." Looking up, Shelly saw Wendi nod. She stood, and gathered the three of them into a hug. "We three are sisters, with one duty. Never forget that."

****

Lessa arrived not long after, accompanied by Kine, Mel, and Amanda. Amanda ran up and gave Wendi a quick hug, then ran outside to a waiting Sirenia. Lessa nodded to her followers as she approached, and with Kine leading they went to stand just inside the space station. Stopping, Kine raised his hand to the crowd for quiet.

"Everyone, we'll make this quick. You all know we're losing Lessa. This is sudden, and I know you need to say your goodbyes. So... party at Screaming Skull Tavern!" He grinned, and after a moment's shocked silence he was greeted with a happy cheer. Shelly looked at Lessa in disbelief.

"Party?"

"The bastard talked me into it. Guilt, perhaps." Whose, Shelly wondered, but she stayed quiet. The crowd was moving out. With a shrug, the girls grabbed their packs, free hands helping the eight and a half month pregnant Lessa on the start of their new journey. They were starting a new life.

****

Fortunately, once inside the station proper there were moving sidewalks to ease the path onward towards the chosen drinking establishment. It seemed silly to Wendi to have artificial gravity, then have to install devices like this instead of just letting people float to their destination. But, then, she wasn't an adult. Thank the gods.

Their path was around the outer rim of the station, which was built like a tall cylinder (although too small to be spun for any useful purpose). The wall to their right was clear, and Wendi watched the docked Liberty for one final time. She'd miss it. It had been a good home...

She blinked.

Was the Liberty... moving?

Startled, she looked to see where the others were. Lessa and her other two companions were a meter in front of her, but the rest of the crew was far ahead, almost around the next curve of the station. She grabbed Shelly's arm.

"Look!"

The top turret of the Liberty was swinging away from the station, at a point to the left of the planet. It fired, the ship at the same moment jolting itself free of its moorings as it broke away from the station. Alarms began sounding around the station. Wendi, to her horror, saw PEOPLE sucked out of the docking bridge! Shelly was looking up, trying to trace where the shots went, and gasped.

"Fed transports!"

Her yell came the same moment the Liberty exploded.

****

Kine's head swung around in time to see, barely in his line of sight, their ship vanish into a mist of scrap. The floor shook, hundreds of bangs echoing through the corridor as the station was pounded with debris. The largest, the top of the bridge, hit a level or two above them, sounding like an explosion. Chaos erupted around him, but Kine's eyes were on the transports. They were coming in fast, and could be docked in... minutes, maybe.

Fuck.

"Um, attention!" A nervous voice came from everywhere, cutting through the yelling of the civilians and workers. "Attention! There's no need to panic! Ah, we are happily welcoming some Federation Peacekeepers onto our fine station to deal with wanted criminals. Please go to your homes, and prepare to WILLINGLY help these fine officers with ANYTHING they request!"

Kine saw his friends already had their weapons drawn. Amanda was next to Ger, terrified. Couldn't blame her. He looked at Mel.

"Where's Lessa!?"

She ran a bit back down the moving sidewalk, then turned back.

"Gone! Probably saw an interior corridor and took it!"

"Smart! OK, let's get out of here!"

Easier said than done.

****

The passageways were becoming less crowded as people locked themselves in, and Shelly didn't like it. They were getting too exposed. There had been the sound gunshots behind them, as well as explosions on the level above. They had nowhere to go, and no way to get there.

"Can't we just hide?" Mari's eyes were wild, although her shoulders were steady as Lessa leaned on her as she briskly kept moving. Shelly shook her head.

"We don't know what they're looking for, or how hard they'll look. If they search cabin by cabin, we're just delaying the inevitable. We need to find a way off of here." They came to a bank of elevators. She looked at a tired, straining Lessa. "Up or down?"

"Down," Lessa panted. "Cargo ship."

****

All was going well until Kine's party turned a corner and saw the backs of a half dozen Federation soldiers... and the fronts of a half dozen more. The teens had opened fire almost at once, training overcoming the need for any orders. Four soldiers refused to go down easy, diving for and reaching cover. The kids dropped into cover positions themselves, thankful for the large, thick planters and such decorating the station. The path to the central elevators, though, was now blocked.

"Fuck!"

They didn't have time to fight pitched battles. Or any battles. They had to keep moving. Get ahead or around pursuit, or even behind...

Kine heard a sob. Turning, he saw two dead in the middle of the corridor. Nathen... and Sirenia. Ger was holding Amanda back, eyes wide and one arm reaching for her friend.

Fuck.

Mel slid next to him. She peeked around the corner, one hand wiping the sweat off her bald head.

"Here. Found this for you." Her other hand raised up and opened, revealing a grenade. "Only one anyone brought, so enjoy." Kine gave the side of her head a quick kiss, pulled the pin, and lobbed it.

They were off again.

****

"Attention station residents! You are now under Federation martial law! Anyone now in public areas will be shot on sight."

Wendi took aim at the guard in front of the stairwell, and fired. She crumpled to the ground, helmet clattering on the floor.

"Got that right," Wendi muttered. They left the disabled elevator and continued.

****

"Gah!"

Kine spun, but kept on his feet. They had almost made it across a rather pretty botanical garden, which most likely formed the center of this level. The pain, and growing red stain just above his thigh, indicated others had also reached that peaceful room.

"Here!" Ger almost threw Amanda to the ground behind a series of large solid planters topped with high bushes. In moments the sixteen teens had set up a defensive position, return fire attempting to pin the soldiers down. Kine grimaced, sitting with his back against their cover. and looked down at his wound.

"Great, just great."

"Why did you go and do that?" Mel dropped beside him, examining it. Her eyes lifted, met his... and he nodded. Sighing, she quickly pulled her shirt over her head, small bare breasts out of place in the middle of the chaos, and tied the top tightly around her man's abdomen. Kine grunted at the pain. It would have to do.

"Think we got 'em," Villa said from nearby, "but there will be more!"

"Well, duh."

Kine looked around. They were fucked. So fucked. He'd failed them. He'd failed... eyes turned to his sister. Amanda... was almost catatonic. Her body was still weak from the previous disaster, and now this. Ger was holding her, limp form pressed against him, attention on the opposite doorways and the probable arrival of more troops. Ger...

Fuck.

Kine sat up straight, checking his weapon.

"OK everyone, new plan. Run like hell until you get to any lifeboats, and take them. I'll cover you."

He met Ger's eyes. The younger boy did not protest, did not plead with him to join them in escape. Instead, arm tightening around Amanda, he holstered his gun and reached a hand out to her brother. Kine took it.

"Take care of her."

"Always. Meet us at Hanna and Jenny's."

"We will."

With that, Ger pulled an uncomprehending Amanda to her feet and led the exodus from the room.

Kine sighed. He was a good kid. He'd do right by his sister.

Beside him, Mel had her two sidearms out and lying on top of the planter as she checked her ammo. Kine turned his body, pain and nausea growing with every movement, and double checked his own weapon.

"You know, you don't have to stay here." He spoke casually, but there was nothing casual about what his eyes said. Mel answered gruffly.

"My head is already shaved. I have no other hair to cut off in honor of a fallen friend." Kine raised an eyebrow, eyes dropping to between her legs. She scoffed. "You'd like that, you pervert!"

There was movement across the way. They readied themselves.

"Love you."

"Love you."

****

They were close, Shelly thought. Had to be. Lessa could hardly walk, and they were almost carrying her. The signs seemed to be pointing to some sort of docking bay, if only for unmanned cargo containers. That would be good enough.

They had seen no sign of life for a good ten minutes, which was also good. The doors they passed were mostly storage rooms, although some probably hid cringing locals. Let them hide. Shelly didn't want innocent blood on her hands.

Thirty meters in front of them, a squad of soldiers entered the hallway.

Shelly didn't even think. Her elbow slammed into the controls of the cabin door to her right, even as Wendi and Mari dropped and began firing. With a shove, Lessa stumbled into the room. She whirled just in time to see the door closing, and Shelly firing at the controls.

****

Lessa was alone.

"No!"

Lessa threw herself at the door, one hand pounding while the other frantically jammed at the open button. Both were as effective. From the other side, she could barely hear the sounds of combat, of cries of pain.

They...

She backed away from the door, eyes wide. Shelly, she.... she had...

"I love you. Even... even if you no longer know what that means."

Shelly loved... oh, gods... what...

The veil fell from her eyes. The madness lifted from her mind.

The Other fled.

"No... Shelly, NO!!!"

Lessa dropped to her knees, and screamed.

****

It was like seeing heaven.

For as far as the eye could see, the entrance hatches to escape ships lined the curved outer wall. Villa turned to Ger, his eyes watering.

"I've never seen anything so beautiful."

Ger nodded, shifting Amanda's weight. He noticed some discoloration on the end of her stump, and hoped that wasn't from her. To his left, he saw Jenna just shaking her head.

"They'll blow the escape pod out of the sky. You know that!"

"Not if we launch all of them."

"Huh?" Jenna was more than willing to be talked into any escape plan, and quickly followed Villa over to a control station. The boy played with them for a moment, then gave a desperate grin.

"See, you can launch the entire bank from here. We split up, one or two people per pod... and launch them all and take our chances."

There was silence. The kids looked down the row of pods... counting, calculating the odds.

"Fuck it. Do it."

It was like the breaking of a dam, the remaining kids bolting for open doorways. Gone was any sense of family, of camaraderie. It was every child for themselves.

Ger quickly ran down the corridor. His goal was one near the far end, just because. Maybe he was punishing himself, making his tired body work one final time before letting it collapse. Behind him, he heard Villa shout out that they had one minute before launch. There had been no mention of a timer on the controls...

The chosen hatch appeared, and Ger limped in with Amanda. The door shut. Quickly, but gently, he placed the girl in a chair and strapped her in. She looked around, only half there.

"Where's Kine?"

"He'll be following."

Amanda nodded, hugging herself, shivering. Ger never lied to her.

Confident the life control systems were in fact working, Ger sat down next to her and fastened his own harness. She looked at him, face white, eyes full of despair.

"You won't leave me, will you?"

He reached up, moving a few strands of hair out of her eyes.

"Never."

There was a bang, a jolt... and they were off.

****

Lessa... was alone.

Alone.

She had lost Don. The only boy to ever love her.

Gone.

And... what had she done, with that loss?

She had thrown away another love.

Shelly... Lessa sat on the floor of the small storage room, weeping. Shelly! Four months! She had thrown away four months of her life, the only remaining four months! And for what?!? REVENGE? Gods! She...

She could have been loving Shelly.

"I love you. Even... even if you no longer know what that means."

She HAD forgotten! Forgotten that love even existed! And, why, Shelly? Why did she have to die for Lessa? Lessa should have been the one to die for her! She would have done so, willingly! She had nothing to live for, why couldn't she DIE for something?!?

There was a kick in her belly.

Her tears stopped.

Her baby.

THEIR baby.

Life... from love.

Lessa's hands went to her swollen front, and caressed her child.

"Oh... sweetie... it's not fair." She bowed her head. "You'll be meeting your father before you ever get to ever see me." There was another kick, "And you never got to meet Shelly! You would have loved Shelly! She and I..."

She couldn't finish. Rocking, Lessa began to sing a half remembered nursery song, hands holding her baby.

There was a banging on the door.

She ignored it.

There was silence for awhile, broken only by sobbing songs, songs of fairytale lands and happy endings. And, the sound... of something cutting.

They were coming for her.

This was it.

Lessa looked around. There was no escape. It was just her, her baby... and her gun.

She stood. It took more effort than she had ever expended, but she stood. She could feel her baby moving inside her, and she once again caressed it. She had denied her love not just to Shelly, but to her unborn. Her evil had been incalculable. May she be forgiven in death.

The cutting sound got louder. Moving her hand up to her lockets, she opened them. There was Don... her Don. And Cynthia... his sister. Had she been waiting there for her dear brother? Were they now happy together? And... could she join them?

There was a bang from the door, the sound of the locking mechanism failing. Lessa drew her gun.

"Shh, hush, my baby. We're going to see your Daddy now."

****

Fate only exists when looking backwards.

One can never look at the future, and say, "this will happen, because of that." The universe is too perverse for such thoughts. Only once a story has ended, may you look back and say, "ah, that was always what was to be."

And so it is here.

There are two futures on the other side of that door. The story that was, and the story that is. Both end in death, for death is the end to all stories of life. But... for one, that ending is delayed. Maybe just months, or days, or even hours, but what is important is it is not now. One future gives us hope, gives us love recognized, acknowledged, and sealed with a first kiss. One future, unintended in the chaos of the beginnings... gives us life.

****

The door opened, revealing a battered, bloodied, alive, Shelly, Wendi, and Mari.

****

Epilogue

****

The sound of cursing drew Hanna out into the yard. The sun was warm, although not unbearably so, and a welcome change from the coolness of the house. In an hour, though, she knew the reverse would be true.

She heard the cursing again. Walking down the porch steps, one hand on the railing and the other on her slightly swollen belly, she looked over at the tractor that was spewing such bad language. Two bare feet were protruding from the side. Near those feet, in a basket with a cute pink umbrella over it, was Irene. Shaking her head, Hanna walked over.

"Fucking Bitch on a Bitch stick!"

It was unclear, really, if it was the feet or the tractor that was doing the swearing. Only one way to find out. Hanna kicked one of the feet.

"Hey. Stop swearing in front of the baby."

The swearing stopped, and the feet turned into legs, then a pair of denim shorts, and finally the greasy, naked, slightly pregnant, top of Jenny. She looked at her wife from her position on the ground with great bemusement.

"How is she supposed to learn, if I don't teach her?" Hanna gave a disgusted snort at that, and sank down to sit on the grass next to the basket. Jenny sat up, sliding over next to her. Their hands found each other.

"Is the tractor that bad?"

"Well," Jenny said, arching her back to stretch sore muscles. Hanna was reminded of that first time she really SAW her love, and only the grease and dirt kept her from attacking those thrusting breasts. "This thing is old. I'm almost tempted to say it came over on the colony ships, and was shipped used at that!"

"But can you fix it?" Hanna reached her free hand into the basket and brought the stuffed bunny up to their daughter's face. The resulting giggles made her smile.

"Of course I can fix it. Doesn't mean I have to like it." Jenny gazed off into the distance, and after a moment squeezed her wife's hand.

"Anything in today's messages?"

"No... still nothing."

They were silent for awhile. The sound of insects, and the baby happily eating the stuffed bunny, provided the background for their private thoughts. Hanna finally spoke.

"I'm sure he'll come. Ger said he would."

"I know."

"Come inside," Hanna said, getting to her feet. "I'll bathe you."

"I never used to like baths." Jenny stood, and picked up the basket. Putting her other hand around her love, the three of them went home.

****

The End.

Nov. 18, 2011
Reworked Jan 31, 2013

For Jodi. I still miss you.

Edited by SciFi Nut

Comments more than welcome.

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