Cassandra's Challenge Read online

  “Have your men ready. Dismissed.” Raising the shield Marat leaves.

  “Tar!”

  “Sir.” When he approaches the Admiral the security shield lowers.

  “Upon our arrival the High Admiral will be coming aboard. He will be escorted to my ready room.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “You will remain.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Once the meeting is over we will leave for the House of Protection.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Make sure everything you want to take is in the hanger bay. It will be loaded onto the shuttle.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “And Quinn. Thank you.”

  “Not a problem Will.”

  “You can still change your mind.”

  “And miss all the fun? No way.” Tar grins at him as the Admiral raises the shield he gives him a slight salute then leaves.

  “They need a scan of your measurements to make the clothes.” Javiera tells her.

  “Okay.”

  “You need to be naked.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “They need your real measurements Cassandra. Then they can cut the clothes and get started.”

  Having sent Javiera the pictures and drawings of the gowns and clothes she liked to forward on to her family, Cassandra had thought her gown issues were done. But now they need measurements.

  “Give me a minute.” Pulling out of the closet what she needs she heads to the bathroom.

  “Cassandra.”

  “Just a minute.”

  Closing the bathroom door she changes into her sleeping shirt then covers her birthmark with a sock.

  “Let’s do this.” Cassandra returns to Javiera.

  “Cassandra?”

  “No one sees my birthmark Javiera. Not until the Assembly. The measurements will be fine with the covering. How long will this take?”

  “A couple minutes. You’ll need to stand with your arms out, legs slightly apart.”

  Taking off her shirt Cassandra stands as instructed as Javiera walks around her with the scanner.

  “Done.”

  “Are you packed?” She asks from the bathroom as she gets dressed.

  “Just about. We’re telling Amina tonight.”

  “We’ll be telling Victoria too.” She looks at her friend. “There’s still time to change your mind.”

  “Cassandra, we’ve been through this.”

  “I know. But if something happens to one of you.”

  “We’ll make sure nothing does. Stop worrying about us.”

  “Alright. You’ll get that to your family?” She nods to the scanner.

  “In a little bit.”

  “I have some other ideas…” Standing, Cassandra has to stop as the room starts to tilt.

  “Cassandra? What’s wrong?” Javiera grabs her arm to steady her.

  “Nothing.”

  “Cassandra…”

  Looking into the eyes of her friend Cassandra can’t decide what to do. Does she tell her she thinks conceived before she tells William? But if she hasn’t and she tells him will he think she’s like Salish?

  “You’ve conceived.”

  “I don’t know.” She can’t stop her she from replying. “It’s been only been twenty days since my cycle, I’m not late.”

  “When did the Admiral go off the Ollali juice”

  “I don’t know if he has.”

  “Cassandra.”

  “We’ve been a little busy.”

  Javiera looks at her, thinking about everything she’s been through. Could her body just be reacting to all the changes?

  “We could go to Bliant…”

  “No, there’s no time.”

  “There’s a test. You can do in the morning. Normally you take it after your late, but…”

  “Like a home pregnancy test.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but woman normally take it before they go to the doctor.”

  “Can you get me one?”

  Javiera looks at her, wondering how hard it would be to have everything going on that she did and not know if you’d conceived. Could she handle it?

  “I’ll get you the test. But Cassandra you can’t be worried about how the Admiral will react.”

  “If I’ve conceived, no, I know how he’ll react. But he doesn’t need to wonder.”

  “But you’re feeling okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, I’ll go send these to Pazel.”

  “Thank you.”

  Chapter 12

  With dinner finished, Cassandra looks at William then turns to Victoria.

  “Victoria, I need to tell you something.”

  “What Aunt Cassie.”

  “Tomorrow we’ll be in Carina.”

  “I know. Amina told me.” Excited eyes meet hers.

  “Once we’re there we have to leave the Retribution.”

  “What?”

  “We’re going to a place called the House of Protection.”

  “But we’ll be coming back right.”

  “No, baby we won’t.”

  “But my room!” Tears well up in Victoria’s eyes as she gets up to run to her room.

  “Victoria….” Rising Cassandra follows her, finding her crying on her bed.

  “It’s not fair Aunt Cassie!”

  “I know baby, I know.” Rubbing her back she tries to explain. “But we can’t stay here. The Admiral has found us a better place.”

  “But we have to leave!”

  “I know. But we’ll be together. And how do you know it’s not a better place.”

  “But Amina won’t be there!”

  “But Amina is coming with.” Victoria rolls over looking at her aunt. “So is Lucas, Javiera, Leander, Hutu, Colonel Tar and the Admiral.”

  “Really?” Victoria looks over Cassandra’s shoulder to the Admiral.

  “Really.” He tells her. “Tomorrow we’ll get on a shuttle, bigger than what brought you to the Retribution, and go to a special place on Carina.”

  “So you need to pack tonight so we’re ready.”

  “What can I take?”

  “Anything you want.” Sad eyes look from Cassandra to the Admiral.

  “Okay.”

  William pulls Cassandra into his arms once Victoria’s door is closed.

  “Shhh….it’s okay.”

  “Am I doing the right thing here William? Should I just let it go?”

  “You’re doing what needs done. That’s all you can do.”

  “But the look in her eyes…I never thought about how much her room meant to her.”

  “We’ll get her another room. It’s just a place Cassandra. It’s the people that make the difference.”

  “You’re right. I know you’re right but right now….”

  “You’re just tired. Come on tomorrow will be a busy day, you need your sleep.”

  “And you don’t?”

  “We both need our sleep but first we’ll make sure Victoria’s ready.”

  With Victoria packed and asleep they climb into bed together. Pulling her close to him she lays her head on his chest.

  “What time tomorrow?”

  “We’ll get to Carina about 1000. Valerian will be waiting. King Jotham’s security will arrive shortly after.”

  “You don’t want him to know.”

  “Not until absolutely necessary. He won’t take it well.”

  “Can he stop us from leaving?”

  “Not with the King’s protection.”

  “I love you William.”

  “I love you too. Now sleep.”

  The tentative touch on her hand has Cassandra jerking awake, William’s arms tightening protectively around her.

  “Aunt Cassie?” William’s arms loosen so Cassandra can rise.

  “Tori, what’s wrong?”

  “I’m scared. Will you sleep with me?”

  Taking his arm from around her William picks Victoria up, putting on the other s
ide of her Aunt. With a grateful look Cassandra rolls to her side, pulling her close.

  “Did you have a bad dream?”

  “No.”

  “What’s wrong then?”

  “I miss mom and dad.”

  “Oh baby, so do I.”

  “Can the Retribution go kill all the Regulians?”

  “What!?!” Cassandra is stunned.

  “Payback. Daddy always said he believed in payback. So do you. Shouldn’t we payback the Regulians for killing everyone on Earth?”

  “Victoria….” Cassandra is at a loss of what to say. Victoria isn’t wrong. She and Peter did say that. They both believe in it, but not like this. How is she going to explain it? William’s hand on her hip tells her she has his support.

  “They all need to die, the Regulians, just like everyone on Earth.”

  “No, Victoria, no.” Putting a hand on her niece’s face Cassandra looks her in the eye. “That’s murder.”

  “It’s what they did!” Victoria’s eyes are fierce.

  “Yes, I know but not all Regulians did it.”

  “I don’t care!” Tears fill her young eyes.

  “You do, I know you do.” Taking a deep breath she tries to explain so Victoria will understand.

  “Let’s pretend that the Retribution did kill all the Regulians. What does that accomplish?”

  “They wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone else.”

  “True, but not all the Regulians did that. Regulians have families too. Mom’s, dad’s, children. Should they all die for something they didn’t do?”

  “But that’s payback.”

  “That’s not what your dad meant. You know that. If you listened, or should I say eavesdropped, you know that’s not all he said.”

  “He said he believed in payback.” Stubborn eyes met hers.

  “What else.”

  “That when someone hurts you, you hurt them back.”

  “That’s not what he said Victoria Lynn and you know it. He believed that some people do bad things and that when they do, someone has to stop the person responsible, that’s justice.”

  “That’s what I said.”

  “He never said you kill everyone. Kill the innocent. He said you find the person responsible and stop them.”

  “But the Regulians are responsible!”

  “All of them? Even the families that don’t even know what happened?”

  “No, but…..”

  “If the Retribution kills all the Regulians, even the innocent ones that had nothing to do with Earth, what does that make us?”

  “What?”

  “If we do what the Regulians did, it makes us no better than them. And Victoria,” Cassandra’s eyes bore into her nieces. “We are better.”

  “But I miss them!” Letting her cry Cassandra rubs her back.

  “It will be okay Victoria. It will.” She mummers to her.

  “But how? If the Regulians are still out there how can there be justice?”

  “Because we find the person responsible.” Tori raises her eyes to Cassandra’s.

  “The Glitter Man.”

  “That’s right. He’s responsible. We get payback, justice, for everyone on Earth, for Grandpa Jordan, your mom and dad, by stopping the Glitter Man.”

  “That’s why we’re going to this special place?”

  “Yes.”

  “I get to help?”

  “You get to help. Now sleep, we have a lot to do tomorrow.”

  When Victoria rolls to her other side Cassandra pulls her close, wrapping an arm around her. Behind her William does the same, covering Cassandra’s hand with his own.

  He’d listened to everything she’d said to Victoria. How she struggled to explain the difference between payback and revenge to a nine cycle. That Victoria understood is a tribute to her parents. There are adults, like Valerian, that don’t understand the difference. Kissing her neck he whispers in her ear.

  “You are an amazing woman Cassandra. You’ll make an amazing Queen.”

  “As long as I’m your Queen, I don’t care.”

  “You’ll always be my Queen. Sleep.”

  Waking to a ringing comm the Admiral pulls on the headset, hoping not to wake Cassandra and Victoria.

  “Zafar.” He answers walking away from the bed.

  “Admiral, I’ve just arrived on the bridge. We are an hour out of Carina.” Colonel Tar informs him.

  “What!”

  “Sir, apparently orders came through over nigh that we were to increase speed.”

  “Orders from who!” As if he didn’t know.

  “High Admiral Valerian, sir.”

  “Why wasn’t I notified?”

  “The High Admiral requested it that way. Sir.”

  “Slow us back down Quinn. I want two hours.”

  “Yes sir.” Pulling off his headset he turns to find Cassandra watching him from their bed.

  “Valerian ordered an increase in speed overnight. We’ll be in Carina in two hours.”

  “Go do what you need to do. I’ll get Victoria to Javiera’s.”

  Nodding William grabs some clothes and heads to the shower. Laying back in bed Cassandra organizes her thoughts. Valerian was trying a power play showing who is in charge. He’s in for a surprise.

  Dressed except for his jacket the Admiral sits down on the bed.

  “I want you back here, with the hatch secured, as soon as you take Victoria to Leander’s. Understand?”

  Cassandra nods, putting a hand on his thigh.

  “You do not open the hatch, to anyone.”

  “I won’t.” Giving her a hard kiss he leaves their quarters, pulling on his jacket.

  “Tar! Status!” The Admiral enters the bridge.

  “Admiral, we’re ninety minutes out.”

  “Contact Marat. Tell him his men are to be at their stations in thirty.”

  “Yes sir.”

  Going to his comm he contacts Leander.

  “Chief, you have sixty minutes.” Then Lucas. “Leander’s in sixty.” Disconnecting he turns to Quinn.

  “You ready?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “I need to contact King Jotham.”

  “I have a secure line ready for you sir.”

  “Connect me.”

  As the Admiral puts on he’s headset, he looks around at his people on the bridge. They knew something was up, their quick glances telling.

  “Jotham.”

  “Your Majesty, we are less than ninety minutes out.”

  “Why the change?”

  “High Command.” He replies.

  “Understand Admiral, ninety minutes.”

  “Thank you, Majesty.”

  “Wake up Victoria we need to get you to Javiera’s.”

  “Aunt Cassie?”

  “Yeah. Come on wake up.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing is wrong, it’s just time to get you dressed and get to Javiera’s. Time to find the Glitter Man.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. Quick shower, change and we need to go.”

  “Okay.”

  With Victoria the shower Cassandra fixes the bed for one last time. Taking a moment she runs her hand across it, thinking about everything they’d shared there. Picking up a pillow she smells William on it. She knows this isn’t the end, but Victoria is right, it is still hard to leave. Putting the pillow back down she turns, time to start they’re future.

  “How you coming Tori?”

  “Just about ready.”

  Picking up the bag she put her and the Admiral’s clothes in after her shower, she goes to collect Victoria’s. Finding her brushing her hair she smiles at her.

  “Aunt Cassie?”

  “Yeah.” Leaning down she picks up the towel Tori dropped.

  “Are you and the Admiral going to get married?” Freezing Cassandra looks at her.

  “I don’t know. Why?”

  “Well, if you get married, I could call him Uncle instead of Admira
l. He’d be family.”

  “Yes he would. But Victoria,” She crouches down, “He’s already family. Family isn’t just your related to by blood, it’s who you love.”

  “I know that!” She says in an exasperated voice.

  “Then what?”

  “Everyone one calls him Admiral, even you sometimes. No one calls him Uncle.”

  “That would be special wouldn’t it.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, I can’t promise anything, but you never know. Now finish up, we need to go.”

  “Okay.”

  Leaving the heat of the bathroom, Cassandra leans against the wall. She’d stood too quickly. As the room rights itself she takes a deep breath. She doesn’t have time for this.

  “Ready.”

  “Let’s go.” Opening the hatch Cassandra discovers guards.

  “Mam.” Marat nods to her. He’d witnessed her take down Falco in the Brig, while he isn’t sure what was going on, he knows his job is to protect her.

  “I’m sorry,” Cassandra looks at the rank on his uniform. “Chief. I don’t know your name.”

  “Marat, mam.”

  “Chief Marat, I need to take Victoria to Michelakakis’ quarters.”

  “Yes mam, you will be escorted.” Securing the Admiral’s quarters, Cassandra turns, as she and Victoria start done the corridor the security force closes around them.

  Entering Michelakakis’ quarters, she finds Lucas pacing the room, seeing Victoria he immediately calms.

  “Hi Lucas!” Victoria runs over giving him a quick hug.

  “Hi.” Leaving him she runs to Amina.

  “Ready?” Cassandra looks from Leander to Javiera to Lucas.”

  “We’re ready.” Lucas answers for all of them. Walking over to the girls Cassandra squats down.

  “Victoria, I need to go back to the Admiral’s ready room. I’ll meet up with you on the shuttle, until then Lucas is in charge. Do you understand me?” Tori looks from her Aunt to Lucas and back with serious eyes.

  “Yes Aunt Cassie.”

  “Okay, give me a hug, you too Amina.” As they do she gives each a quick kiss and stands. “I’ll see you at the shuttle.”

  Leaving the security detail closes around her. Entering the ready room she secures the hatch than sits to wait.

  “Navigator, put us into orbit.”