Cassandra's Challenge Read online

  Putting on his headset he connects to his quarters.

  “Chamberlain.” Just hearing her voice eases some of his tension.

  “What’s your status?” The Admiral demands.

  “The girls are in Victoria’s room. I’m running searches. What’s yours?” She retorts back.

  Realizing he’s treating her like a member of the crew he rubs his eyes.

  “Are you okay?” She asks.

  “Fine, it’s going to be awhile.”

  “Anything I can do?”

  “Just what you are. What were you talking about earlier? About Procne.”

  “You used his name in a transmission. I wanted to know what ship he was on.”

  “You isolated the code.” William should have realized she would, given time.

  “Parts.”

  “Which.”

  “William, I don’t have it all yet, I don’t know what it means.”

  “Tell me what you’ve got!” The Admiral demands.

  On the other end Cassandra’s a little shocked then realizes she shouldn’t be. If she was in his place she’d want the information too. Lives are being lost.

  “The twenty line transmissions were both sent to someone on the Sentinel. Fleet locations were sent to the Regulians shortly after by whoever initiated the transmissions.”

  The line is silent. Results from her latest search come up on her consul. She’d isolated the extra line of coding sent to the Sentinel. It wasn’t just a code, it looks like…

  “Cassandra!” William’s voice is low and urgent.

  “What? Oh sorry, I was distracted. What were you saying?”

  “What else?”

  “I know that no one on the Retribution sent or received any transmissions from this sender.”

  William takes a deep breath, his tension easing a little more.

  “Thank you. Look I…”

  “Admiral, transmission from High Command.”

  “Transfer it to my comm. I have to go.”

  “I heard. I love you. See you later.” Cassandra disconnects.

  Setting down her headset she turns back to the consul, studying the search results. This line isn’t like any other coding in any other transmission. It seemed to carry little strings of codes, almost like a search.

  “Oh fuck! It’s a Trojan!” The person receiving the transmission doesn’t know it’s there. He doesn’t know he’s giving up his ship’s location. The Sentinel is the specific target of these attacks. Why? There wasn’t a traitor on the Sentinel just someone, someone wanted dead. Who?

  Entering the receiver’s code into her query she waits for the results, hoping she can track it. Hoping they weren’t already dead. Impatiently she stands to pace.

  “Aunt Cassie?” Turning to two little girls Cassandra tries to switch gears.

  “Hey girls. Sorry I kind of got wrapped up here. Are you hungry?” At their nods, she calls Hutu.

  “I know we’re still on Alert, but I’ve got two hungry little girls here.”

  “I’m just about done here mam , should be no more than fifteen minutes.”

  “Hutu, you’re amazing! See you in a little bit.” Turning to the girls, “Won’t be long. What have you been doing all afternoon?”

  “I’ve been showing Amina pictures of Earth, telling her about it. Carina’s not that different.”

  “It’s not?”

  “No, I mean the creatures look different.” Amina tells her. “But otherwise a lot seems the same, especially when you compare what things are like.”

  “Give me an example.”

  “Well. Take baisteach. It’s liquid that falls out of the sky.”

  “Rain?”

  “Yes. See it’s just a matter of finding out what’s the same.”

  “You are a very smart little girl Amina. So you’ve found lots in common between Earth and Carina.”

  “Yeah lots!”

  “That’s good to know.” With Hutu’s arrival the girls sit down to eat as Cassandra walks him out.

  “Thank you again, Hutu. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

  “You’re welcome mam. Make sure you eat too. Otherwise the Admiral won’t be happy.” Smiling at him she just nods.

  “Oh, I put some extra treats on the tray for later. I thought the girls might like them.”

  “I’m sure they will. Has the Admiral eaten yet?” Hutu smiles at her concern.

  “I’ll be fixing his next. He insisted I prepare yours first.”

  “Good, you make sure he eats too.”

  “I’ll do my best.” Giving her a full blown grin he leaves.

  Sitting down to eat Cassandra enjoys the girls chatter. It’s amazing how close the two have become in such a short time. That bond will become even more important once they reach Carina.

  Disconnecting from High Command the Admiral leans back in his chair, he hadn’t told him anything he didn’t already know. Actually he knew more than he did thanks to Carnot’s call. He hadn’t relayed that information to Command. If they didn’t know that there were survivors still on the Sentinel then neither did the traitor.

  Hopefully the First Son was among them. Seeing Hutu enter the Bridge he looks at the clock. 1900. Time to refuel for a long night.

  Hutu sets two plates on the Admiral’s desk, one for the Colonel, and waits until he has the Admiral’s attention.

  “What is it Hutu.”

  “Sir,” Looking around he quickly leans over to relay Cassandra’s comments.

  “Thank you Hutu.” As Quinn approaches he sees a glimmer of humor in the Admiral’s eyes. Picking up his plate he starts to eat.

  “Hutu tell a joke or what?”

  “No. Just a bit of payback.”

  Realizing it must involve Cassandra, Quinn eats. Whatever it was, it eased some of the pressure the Admiral was under.

  While the pressure on the Admiral is easing, back in his quarters it was building. Results were coming in on the latest search. There were matches, in both eighteen and nineteen line transmissions.

  Leaning back from the consul Cassandra runs a shaky hand through her hair. Suddenly she was nervous. Why? Instinct? She wished William was here. Selecting the first eighteen line transmission she closes her eyes and listens.

  “Chief you’re to report to the Retribution.”

  “What for?”

  “That will be explained to you once you get here.”

  The transmission ends.

  Cassandra recognizes the Colonel’s voice but can’t quite place the other. She should know it. Reviewing the codes she isolates the Colonel’s transmission code. Listening to the next transmission Cassandra is no closer to the identity of the voice then she was before.

  “SHIT!” Standing to pace she grabs the edge of the consul as the room tilts. Taking a deep breath she waits for it to right itself.

  “Time to take a break.” On her way into Victoria’s room she grabs the treats Hutu had brought.

  “Admiral, High Admiral Valerian is on the comm.”

  “Zafar.”

  “Admiral, support has arrived at the border. You can back down from Alert Status One, go to standby. You are to maintain your present position until the border is fully secured.”

  “Understood. They’re early.”

  “Yes, I ordered them to maximum warp. No other news?”

  “Not at this time, sir.”

  “Tell your people good job.”

  “I will sir.” Ending the transmission, the Admiral opens a comm.

  “Attention, this is the Admiral. Support has arrived at the border. We are backing down from Alert Status One to Standby and will maintain our current position until the border is secured. Good job people! That comes not only from me but from the High Admiral.”

  In quarters two little girls jump up and down on the bed.

  “Aunt Cassie! Did you hear? It’s alright!”

  “I heard. I told you the Admiral would keep you safe. Now you both need to calm down before yo
u fall off that bed. Then we’d have to go to medical.”

  Giggling the girls plop down on the bed.

  “Hutu sent some extra snacks for you. Ready for them?”

  “YEA!” As the girls devour what appears to be cookies Cassandra just shakes her head. Oh to be so young.

  “It’s late, you need to get ready for bed.”

  “Oh Aunt Cassie….”

  “I mean it. It’s late. You need to get to bed. You can talk for a little bit but that’s it.”

  “Okay.” As the girls change, she takes the plate out to the counter. Returning they are in bed whispering.

  “Well that was quick.” Leaning down she gives Amina a kiss. “I love you Amina. Sleep good.”

  “Night Aunt Cassie, love you.” Reaching over she kisses Tori.

  “Goodnight Tori. I love you.”

  “I love you too Aunt Cassie.”

  “I see you in the morning.” Putting the lights as low as they would go, she closes the hatch.

  Cassandra can’t bring herself to go work at the consul. She’s not sure why, she just knows she wants to wait for William. She’s very close. She can feel it. She just isn’t sure they’re going to like what she finds.

  Changing for bed she finds she can’t lie down. Entering the ready room she walks over to William’s desk, pours herself a glass of Carinian ale, and sits. Sipping the ale she tips her head back, and lets her mind wander. So much has happened in such a short time. What’s connected? What isn’t? What didn’t she know?

  Chapter 10

  The ruins of Kayseri in the moonlight have always appealed to Cassandra. The desert had reclaimed so much, but man is fighting back. In the quiet of the night you can almost hear the ancient voices.

  What would they tell you?

  “What do you want to know?”

  She should be startled, but she’s not. Turning, Sabah is walking towards her, her long flowing gown not hiding the fact that she’s heavily pregnant. Behind her the ruins return to their former glory.

  “Everything.”

  “That’s too much.”

  “It’s what I need.”

  “It’s only what you think you need. Think smaller.”

  “Smaller! Okay try this one. Why do I have to solve a problem you started?” Her sudden anger surprises Cassandra.

  “I am the beginning you are the end.”

  “Oh please… like that’s an answer.”

  Sabah’s eyes flash. “It is the answer.”

  “The way I see it you took the easy way out, you left and I get to clean up the mess.”

  “Easy!” Sabah rubs her distended belly. “Nothing about it was easy!”

  “You decided it was too hard to stay and fight, fight for what you believed was right. So you left. You made a good life here. You made a difference here. But what you left behind…it eventually destroys all this.” Cassandra makes a sweeping motion with her arms. “It destroys all I love. And threw me into a world I barely understand. One that wants to destroy me and all I’ve come to love, because of you!”

  “It seems you understand it quite well.”

  “This is the world you ran away from. You had all the knowledge you needed to defeat them, I don’t.”

  “You have all you need. You have your life mate, what you don’t understand he will. It will take both of you.”

  “That’s a bunch of bull shit. You’re just trying to justify running away! Seven billion people died because of you.”

  “No because of you!”

  “ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU!” A man strides towards them.

  “Kayden.” Cassandra whispers.

  Sabah’s eyes flash “Yes.” She turns to him. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  “She’s mine as much as yours.”

  “This is mine to handle.” Sabah lashes at him.

  “And you’re not.” They were nearly nose to nose completely ignoring Cassandra.

  “So you still get to fight when you’re dead?” Angry blue and violet eyes whip around to her.

  “Yes.” Sabah finally answers.

  “And make up?”

  “Yes.” Kayden grins.

  “Good to know.” Cassandra can’t help grinning back.

  “It wasn’t Sabah’s fault.” Her grin fades as Kayden moves to her. “It isn’t yours. Other’s decisions caused it. They took advantage when they should have protected.”

  “I want to change it.” She whispers.

  “To change it,” Sabah interjects, “You’d have to sacrifice all you’ve found, your life mate your child.”

  “I’d accepted I’d never have a life mate or child on Earth, so I wouldn’t have known.”

  “But you do now.” She argues back. “So you’d give up your life mate for seven billion people, honorable. What about the child you carry? Will you sacrifice that as well?”

  “What? What child?”

  “Sabah!”

  “What! I’m not telling her anything she doesn’t already know, in her heart.”

  Cassandra turns away from the twos bickering. Has she conceived? Is she carrying William’s child? Putting both hands over her still flat stomach she closes her eyes.

  Yes, a child nestles in her womb. William’s child.

  “Stop it! Both of you!”

  A stunned silence greets Cassandra as she turns back to the two royals. It’s been eons since anyone dared talk to them like that.

  “How do I end it?” The life mates look at each other.

  “That’s your decision.” Kayden tells her.

  “Mine?”

  “And your life mates.” Sabah adds. “You will always be stronger together then you ever will apart.”

  “You already suspect. You have good instincts. Your House of Protection is strong.”

  “She gets it from the House of Knowledge.” Sabah argues back.

  “Stop! Please.” Watching the moon hover over the horizon Cassandra is more confused than before. There’s too much to understand.

  “Cassandra,” Kayden takes her hands. “You have what you need. What you choose to do with it, only you can decide. Just remember you’re not alone. You have your life mate. He has great inner and outer strength―you’ll need both before this is over.”

  “I would sacrifice everything for him, even our child.” Cassandra looks into Kayden’s blazing eyes, so like William’s.

  “Find another way. If you sacrifice what you’re fighting for…”

  “Then you’ve lost.” She finishes.

  “Yes.” Turning, she walks to Sabah.

  “Which child is this?” Gently she puts a hand on her belly, feeling the baby kick.

  “Our first son, we’ll name him after Kayden’s father.” Sabah puts a hand on her flat stomach.

  “You’re son will be strong, like his father.”

  “Yes, he will.”

  As the moon touches the horizon they fade.

  With all stations moved to stand by the Admiral is finally willing to leave the bridge in the hands of the Major of the Watch. He is going to get some much needed down time with Cassandra. Thinking about holding her in his arms he opens the hatch to her sleeping in his chair. Securing the hatch he rounds his desk setting aside the nearly full glass of ale resting on her stomach.

  The shadows under her eyes, tell him she’s been working too hard with the transmissions, taking care of the girls. She’s changed for bed and that’s exactly where he’s putting her.

  Scooping her up, he carries her to their bed. When he lays her down she opens sleepy eyes to his.

  “William….”

  “Shhh…sleep.”

  “Not without you…” She raises a hand to caress his cheek.

  “You won’t be.” Kissing her palm, he moves to the closet. Moments later he’s pulling her close.

  “I love you Cassandra.” He mummers into her hair in minutes both are asleep.

  Waking with Cassandra in his arms is William’s favorite way to start the day. Her thick ebony ha
ir, messy from sleep, long dark lashes fanning out on her cheek, full lips slightly parted, her head on his chest, arm around his waist, a leg thrown across him.

  Running a hand along her bare thigh he marvels that he found her. They shouldn’t have. Not with Earth so deep in the Relinquished Zone. Not with Earth’s inability to travel to other planets. But here she is, sleeping in his arms, a gift from the ancestors. Whatever it took for them to be together, they would do, together.

  Slipping his hand under her shirt William follows the curve of her hip up to a narrow waist. So small, so soft, traveling up her ribcage he cups her breast.

  “Hmmm.” Cassandra presses her body closer to his. Waking up with him, his hands on her, is her favorite way to wake. Kissing the place where his heartbeats she looks into his eyes.

  Forty days, he thinks, looking into those deep sapphire blue eyes, heavy from sleep, glowing with love. Just forty days ago he’d never seen these eyes, now he’d see them for the rest of his life.

  Rolling her to her back he props himself on his forearms looking into those eyes. Leaning down he gives her a soft kiss filled with all the wonder, all the love he’s discovered since she’s entered his life.

  Cassandra’s breathless from the tenderness of William’s kiss. Running gentle hands up his back she pulls him closer, returning the love-filled kiss.

  Leaving her mouth William works his way down her neck, lavishing the same attention to each place his mouth stops.

  “William.” Whispering, her body arches up as her hands traveling down to release him. Lifting his head, he watches her eyes widen as he slowly fills her, his eyes melding with hers.

  When he slowly withdrawals she lets out a little gasp, her body tightening around him. He continues to slowly torture them both, until those beautiful eyes start to lose focus.

  “William….” Pulling his head down Cassandra slowly wraps her tongue around his, imitating their bodies.

  Hooking an arm under her hips William lifts her pressing deeply into her. Groaning she releases his mouth, she can feel her body tightening around him. Her release so close.