REBELS AND SAVIORS

Lachesis

Michael made it to the Bridge, pulling Maria behind him. Taking his station, he checked his security scanners. Weapons were already online, and Liander nodded to him as he gave him a report.

“Check the battlements and full armory.” Liander nodded and took off, smiling at Maria who was standing silently next to Michael.

Max turned in his seat to observe his brother as he entered the Bridge. His eyebrow raised at the sight of Maria there as well, but he held his tongue as he noticed her hand held in his brother’s when they entered the Bridge.

“Princess, we’ve entered the Upper Kingdom.”

Maria nodded and looked at the opening star system and a full web of sensor ships littering the space.

“I see that. What's the time to Imohep?”

“About eleven hours at impulse.” Max read a report handed to him. “It appears the shields are holding. We’ve yet to be detected.”

“You will want to oscillate the shields on revolving frequencies as the amount of scanner ships increases. They are less likely to break the shields. Also, you're visually apparent, so taking cover in a traveling fleet will help decrease discovery.”

Max nodded. “Sam, there’s a prowler. Pull tack to starboard and bring us into her shadow, but avoid her wake.”

“Aye, Cap.”

Reis, the communications officer, was frowning as he listened to incoming chatter and intercepted messages.

“Cap, I’ve got subspace chatter about Khivar.” Max turned in his chair. “The Imperial fleet has instructions to scan and test all pregnant women for anomalies.”

Alex cussed under his breath, as his eyes locked with Max's. So Khivar finally knew, or at least suspected that Kathleen was gone, and that she had left another Eminent One in her place. A child, as yet, unborn.

“Pierce.” Alex said quietly. “I will kill him one day.”

Max nodded. “I’ll make sure you do. That I promise you.” Max sat back in his chair and frowned. “What do you want to do?”

“Nothing. Let them look. If we contact Agape it will draw attention to that world, to Amy and to the children. The child is not just mine anymore, but Kyle’s unborn sister.”

Max accepted the truth of that statement. They had to believe that the baby would be protected, and therefore avoid giving Khivar reason to direct any undue attention to that world.

Alex shut his eyes in weariness. “That must be the reason he set in ambush for us in the Etruscan system. He needs to search the ship. To search me.”

“That and the twins.” Max looked at Maria. “With added security, it’s going to be hard to get you down on the planet without papers. They’ll be scanning everyone and checking papers. No matter how distracting you and Michael can be at times, I don’t think you can be that distracting.”

“I’ll have to get your Immaculate.” Maria shook her head no at Michael’s suggestion.

“It won’t work. You’ll never locate her.”

“I was there last time. Just show your necklace thing, say a few words, assure her I’m not a ‘Princess’ and bring her back. Easy.”

“Except you’ll have no papers for her either. So how you going to get her on board?” Alex pointed out.

“Damn.” Michael thought about it for a moment. Then turned to Maria again. “You can open one of those corridor thingies, like you did on Zion! Maybe from here to the planet, and then back.”

Maria shook her head. “I can’t. I’m not powerful enough to transport that distance, and off world. I’ve only been able to move from one point to another on an established world, and only so much distance.”

Max just picked up his coffee and thought about it. “Okay, we’ve got eleven hours to come up with a plan, barring our getting caught in the interim. So brainstorm, and we’ll come to a concrete plan when we approach Imohep.”

Maria stood on the Bridge, watching the fleet of Khivar’s ships actively scanning the area.

“Why here? Why now?”

Max came to stand beside Maria smiling to himself as he heard his brother behind him bitching about his sensors being offline. Michael worked best when things broke, and Max suspected that was because Michael tended to break them.

“What are you saying, Maria?”

“He came here, to the Upper Kingdom for a reason.” Maria turned to look at the silent man. He was stroking his scar unconsciously. “Coincidences, I don’t believe in them.”

“Neither do I.” Max had to agree. It was too significant that Khivar would be searching for them in this specific area.

Alex had silently entered the Bridge. He joined them and studied the fleet of ships. Maria started and suddenly looked at him.

“Pierce. It’s Pierce.”

Max frowned at the two. “How can you be sure?”

“The matrix...it bends.” Alex said softly, and he asked Maria, “You saw it too?”

“Yes.”

Alex and Maria shared a look of Understanding. But he turned and watched the hunt.

“The wind changes, thunder sounds and the tree is felled.”

Maria just nodded. “Hunter and prey, it’s hard to say.”

“It is understood, and the wind changes. That which was protected becomes exposed.”

Maria nodded again and made an tsking noise in her throat. Max looked at her, back at Alex, and then at Maria again.

“You understand that gibberish?”

Maria just shrugged. “Not really. But the mind understands before the consciousness.” Alex made a sound in his throat almost like a chuckle as Max flopped his arms and left them.

Alex smiled as Max left, watching him go. Suddenly his eyes became serious and disturbed.

“What is it that you know?”

“Not much.” Maria looked at the space in front of them. “It worries me.”

“Indeed.” Alex grabbed her arm and forced her to look at him. “How does he know?”

Maria just shook her head. “Unless he found the Immaculate, I don't know. But my instinct tells me that he looks for you, and because I'm here as well, the disturbance is greater.”

“We are bending the matrix.”

“A ship doesn’t see its own wake.”

Alex swore. “So no amount of protective shielding can keep Pierce from following our trail.”

“I think it’s worse than that.”

“Explain.”

Maria discreetly looked over at Michael still bitching and working at his station. Max was busy as well.

“This Universe has been unstable for a while. Khivar saw to that when he killed the Eminent Ones. But its been evolving for a long time.”

“Maria...”

“This ship. Look at us. Attilaans...they share a mental bond with their twin...correct?” Alex nodded. “But that bond goes on to include their mate. And Alex...” Maria double checked Michael’s location. “...that bond isn’t ordinary. It touches the Understanding.”

Alex looked at the twins. Michael and Max. They always had a way to feel each other, but the actual mating bond was a mystery to outsiders.

“How much do they touch?”

“Watch Michael.” Maria said turning her back to the room and looking out at the search ships. Alex peeked at her and was shocked when she unfastened her top and ran her hands up her torso, touching her breasts, and... “Alex!” Maria whispered adamantly, “Watch Michael and then Max. Not me!”

Alex turned, and frowned when suddenly Michael stopped working and looked at his hands, flexing his fingers, and then just as suddenly he was searching for Maria. It was Max that amused Alex. The moment Michael looked up, Max did as well, frowning at his brother, and then at Maria’s back.

“Stop it! You are going to get into trouble.”

Maria just laughed. “Story of my life.”

Alex swore, and swallowed a laugh. “Too late. One horny Attilaan bearing down fast.”

“Hide your women!”

Alex laughed and Maria quickly fastened her top. Michael grabbed her arm and dragged her into the conference room, not bothering to see whether the door shut or not.

“What the hell was that?”

“What?” Maria tried to feign innocence.

“That...you! You were feeling yourself up on the Bridge!”

Maria just rolled her eyes. “I was adjusting myself. I got dressed very hurriedly. All things weren’t exactly right.”

“Maria...”

“Michael.” They both turned to Max’s voice from the door. “I need you on the Bridge.”

Michael nodded and walked to the door, but pointed a finger at Maria. “Behave.”

Alex watched Michael and Max leave, and came into the room. “You are driving him insane.”

Maria hopped up on the conference table and checked out the fastenings on her top. “I refuse to be held accountable for a mental state that has been deteriorating long before I came on the scene.”

Alex just laughed and sat next to her. “So you are joined.”

“Don’t know what that means exactly, but if you mean do I feel him? Oh yeah. And I’m picking up static from Max as well.”

“So they bend the matrix too.”

Maria nodded. “They, and Kyle.”

Alex grimaced. “It will not take much for Pierce to track a ship full of empaths and mentally challenged rebels, will it?”

“No.” Maria fidgeted. She was slightly uncomfortable. “Still...Alex, Pierce was here before we were. How? Or better yet, why?”

Alex thought hard, and long. Why? How could Pierce know?

“Maria, do your Immaculate ones...do they bend the matrix or connect to the Great Understanding?”

“Yes! They resonate. That’s how they can hold the crystals.”

“He is tracking your second gem.”

~~~

“Sean, I can’t shut it down!” Sean swore at his assistant, and tossed himself down a ladder from an upper level.

”Bloody hell! What caused the injectors to freeze?”

“I can’t pinpoint the area, but they're frozen solid. The plasma coolants are overloading and now offline without the injectors.”

Sean swore again, and called the Bridge. “Captain, we’ve got a problem!”

Max voice came over the com system. “What’s the problem?” The words ‘this time’ weren’t said, but were very obvious in his tone.

“My coolant injectors are offline, frozen like hell. We’re going to be leaking plasma in a few moments.”

Max looked up and turned to his Operations officer. but Maria interrupted him.

“Max, plasma venting will give us away.”

The Operations officer nodded, agreeing with Maria. They couldn’t be scanned, but a plasma trail would pinpoint their position.

“Helm, plot us a jump out of here in case we need it.” Max hit his console. “Sean, we can’t be leaking plasma today. Get it under control or you’re fired.”

“Great - could use a fucking vacation.” Sean swore at someone and acknowledged, “Understood.”

Maria looked at Max one more time. “We can’t leave without my next gem. Pierce is tracking her. If Khivar...”

“Maria, we can’t take on this entire fleet. Your ship is still down and even with new technology and shields, we’re outgunned. I can’t...”

“I know.” Maria did know. Max’s first concern had to be the safety of his ship and crew. Maria headed for the door.

Michael stopped her. “Where are you going?”

“To do my job. I’ve got to get my Immaculate, so that means we can’t vent the plasma.”

“Maria...”

“Michael!” Max called to his brother. “Let her go. See what you can do, Maria. I’m sure Sean would appreciate the help.” Maria acknowledged Max and was gone.

“Dammit, Max!”

“I don’t want to hear it, Michael. Do your job, and let her do hers.” Michael’s jaw clenched, but he took his station again snarling at anyone that got in his way.

~~~

“What is it, Sean?”

“Frozen plasma injectors. I can’t find the reason they’re frozen. It could be some fried wiring from the battle that got missed, or something else.”

“Has Liz looked at it?”

Sean nodded. “She’s searching the schematics.”

“How long until the plasma vents?”

“Core temperature is rising. With the coolants offline, it will be critical in about twenty minutes. Then the failsafe will kick in, and it will vent the plasma.”

Liz came to join them. “I can’t find the problem, but I’ve got it narrowed down to three possibilities.” Liz pointed out three main junction areas. “If there is a failure in any of these relays, it will cause a safety protocol to enact and the injectors would be tripped to keep it from overloading.”

Sean looked at the three position. “Liz, you take the upper deck access 3C, I’ll cover the lower one in cross-section 6B.” Sean looked at Maria. “Could you take the one below the forward command module?”

Maria nodded and grabbed a repair kit. Sean looked at Jonesy.

“Go with her.” Sean quickly sent other men with Liz, and he took off as well.

Liz was the first to make her destination. Quickly spanning out, the crew she was with checked all the leads into the plasma injector core.

“Sean, it’s Liz. 3C is clear.”

Sean and his crew were finally inching forward into the area he needed to check. It was still a tight fit from previous damage.

“Understood, Liz. Head back to engineering and contact Maria. See how she and Jonesy are doing.”

“Understood.”

Sean quickly scrambled from the access tube, and nodded for his men to start running diagnostics. The area was clear.

“Maria, it’s Sean. You make the forward access area yet?”

Sean swore when Maria failed to respond.

~~~

“Princess, this panel is hot.” Maria placed her hand next to Jonesy, and quickly took it away. It was too hot.

“We’ve got a fire in the well.” Maria took her tools and quickly opened the access panel. “Go around to the far side and take some of the crew with you. Start rewiring the junction wires to route around this module. The injectors must have tripped because of the fire.”

Maria turned to look at a man standing next to her. “Can you find us something we can use to douse the fire?” He nodded and was gone.

“Sean?” Maria waited. No response. “Jonesy, I can’t connect to Sean.”

The man tried his com badge as well. No response. Maria looked up at the paneling above them. It was a heavy alloy, made to withstand a forward blast into the overhead command module.

“I think the paneling is blocking our communicators. Go forward and contact Sean, and then see about that rewiring. I’ll put out this fire.”

“Princess...”

“Jonesy, you know the ship better than most. You know where to start the rewiring. We’ve got no time.”

The man nodded, agreeing with her assessment. He cringed when the panel came open and a firewall was apparent. The last thing he saw before he went up ladder was Maria and a few crewmen entering the forward compartment.

~~~

“Sean?”

“Jonesy! What the hell! Our positions are clear. What's going on down there?”

“We found the problem. The forward compartment is on fire. We’re dousing the flames now. I’m rewiring the plasma injectors to compensate.”

“You’ll need to not only rewire, but within the forward compartment is a Y-switch. You need to throw the junction and reboot by priming it, then turning it back on.”

“That might be difficult. The forward compartment is toast. I’m not sure how much damage the fire is causing.”

“I’m on my way.”  Sean grabbed another kit, along with fire gloves to handle the hot components.

“Princess!” Jonesy coughed through the smoke. A few of the crewmen were outside the compartment coughing and trying to get air back to their lungs. He grabbed one and shook him. “Where's the Princess?”

The man just pointed in the burning room. Doom had a name. It had a feel. It had a master. Jonesy could feel the Commander’s anger already.

Rushing into the compartment, he stopped a crew member trying to leave.

“Where the hell are you going?”

“I’ve got to get fire extinguishers for plasma. This fire is a plasma leak.”

Jonesy swore, and spied Maria over the flames working on a panel not yet engulfed.

He searched for the Y-switch, but couldn’t find it. Making his way to the other side, he came up next to Maria.

“Princess, you need to leave.”

“In a minute. I’ve almost got the internal rewire done. But there should be a triggering switch, a primer.”

“Yes, Sean told me that we need to throw it for the rewire to work.”

Maria nodded, and finally spied the red handle she was looking for. It was melting, so it had to be hot. Great, sure it was red. Everything she touched was red.

“Found it!” Jonesy saw what she was reaching for, and stopped her.

“It’s too hot! You’ll burn your hands!” Maria looked around. They needed something...anything.

“How much time till the plasma vents?”

Jonesy looked at his work pad. “Four minutes.”

Maria closed her eyes. She was too tired and too sore for this crap! Pushing her tools into Jonesy’s hands, she quickly took off her leather shirt and folded it up. Grabbing the burning handle, she pulled the switch, and then tried to prime the pump. Jonesy’s hands came around her, and he added his strength to the job. Together, they moved the handle three times back and forth before resetting the switch to an open position.

As soon as it was done, Jonesy picked up Maria and headed for the way out. She stumbled and protested about leaving their tools, but Jonesy kept the recalcitrant Maria on a one-way trip to fresh air. The plasma was burning hot enough to send spewing burning metal pieces after them.

Sean stopped in his tracks as Maria came through the access panel with Jonesy pushing her through. She was coughing violently, and her hands were burnt. The dark soot was marring the white skin of her body, as Sean noticed her in nothing but a small scrap of material...silk bra, and her leather pants.

Sean swore and tossed air units to Jonesy and Maria. They both staggered to the corridor and collapsed to the ground breathing hard into the units.

Gasping between breaths, “Plasma fire. We rewired and threw the switch.” Jonesy went back to breathing.

Sean nodded, and winced when he picked up Maria’s hands and turned them over. They were severely burned. A plasma fire burnt hotter than a regular one, and even though she used a piece of leather the heat had burned right through. Jonesy’s hands looked bad too.

“Liz, are the injectors online?” Sean swore again when there was no response. Maria pointed upward at the heavy paneling and alloy plating.

Fire teams finally showed up. Sean stood and took Maria under one arm and Jonesy took the other.

“Get those fires out, and someone find out why the damn internal sensors didn’t pick it up!” He headed Maria and Jonesy in the direction of Sickbay.

~~~

Michael was running scans on the different ships in the fleet, comparing them with their databanks on known ships. Suddenly he dropped everything and stood back from his panels with a sharp shout of pain.

Max stood up at the same time, reading his twins pain. Michael was standing there looking at his hands.

“What is it?” Max moved to his side. “Michael?”

“My hands. They’re burning.” Michael and Max quickly looked over his station trying to find where he received the burns. His hands were hot to the touch, and had a real pinkness to them.

Max shook his head. “Nothing.”