Chapter V

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

"Are you sure this is prudent?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Randi... NO!"

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

"Randi!!"

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

"RANDI?!?"

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

"No more living for you."

"RANDI!!!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

"How are you doing, sir?"

"She saved my life, you know."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Randi?"

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

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

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



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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Ben-ramen Ha'amaen."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"How?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



Chapter VI

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

"I want you to understand something first, Mrs. Goldman. Given the severity of this injury, and having seen how extensive the previous one was, there is a very good possibility that your husband may never walk again."
Jill gasped and covered her mouth with one hand. The other clenched Randi's hand in a death-breaking grip. The Sabre didn't even flinch.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Mace."

"And the barbs?"

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

"But they're embedded."

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

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

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

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



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

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

"Any word on Reed?"

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

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

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

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

Jerry was in the next room, with a portable regen unit set over his thigh. He beckoned them in at their knock.
"Hey, guys! Come on in." He grimaced as the movement shot pain through his body. Amazing how his whole body hurt in sympathy with his damaged limb. "What's the word?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

"And did you? Write, I mean?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

"But she...."

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"I don't need...."

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

"Gwen?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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



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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Yes. Why?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Gwenie?! Gwenie, where are ya?"

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What about you?"

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

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

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

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

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



Chapter VII

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

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

She WAS ready to talk!

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

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

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



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

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

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

"NO! She has no feelings for me anymore, remember? We're 'just friends'." The pain in her voice resonated through the sarcasm.

"Did you hear a thing I said to you yesterday?? Were you listening at all?" Randi tilted up her head, looking at Aphrodite through confused, grief-filled eyes. It was then that the goddess noticed the scarring still on Randi's face. "What happened to you?" She touched the rough skin, pulling back instantly when the Marine flinched at her gentle touch.

"It's nothing," the warrior mumbled. "Please, Dite. Just leave me in peace for a while. Please."

The blonde stood looking at her for a long moment, before lightly touching the bowed head. She frowned in thought, and with a soft kiss to the scar, disappeared. The Sabre fell almost immediately into a deep, troubled sleep.



"What happened, little girl? I thought ya'll were gonna work things out." This from Jill. Geoff was still in the regen unit, and was once again sleeping. The doctor was cautiously optimistic now about his regaining use of his entire upper body. His responses had all been normal, and they were waiting for him to wake up to give him a more thorough testing.

"We were, Mama. We are. She just... I dunno. Maybe she needs a little space." Her eyes went distant, and her hand impulsively grasped the chain around her neck. "I remember...." A sharp pain lanced through her head, and drew a gasp from deep in her chest. Jill immediately took her arm, and ushered her to a chair.

"You all right, Gwen?"

"Yes, Mother. Thank you. I just get this pain in my head sometimes."

The woman looked at her daughter strangely. "Really? When did this start?"

"I'm not sure. Fairly recently?" A pause. "I dunno. It just bothers me when I try to remember sometimes."

"That's odd. Maybe we should get you seen for that also." It was then that her eyes were drawn to the bard's naked fingers, and she wondered where her ring was. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask, but she stopped, knowing a better opportunity would present itself later. "What were you gonna say you remembered, dear?"

"I remember, she's gone away and come back before and needed some space. If what she went through before was anything like what I saw...." Gwen shuddered involuntarily in reaction. "Mama, it was so horrible. And she was so cold, so... it didn't matter to her that he was a human being." She swallowed. "I think she feels she loses her humanity when she goes out on these trips. Not that I can disagree right now, but maybe she needs the space to recover it. So she's comfortable in her own skin again."

"Do you really think so, daughter? Or are you trying to justify staying away from her now? You remember what your father told you last night."

"Yes, Mama, I do. There were times she'd go away before... Mama, I remember the first time she disappeared for weeks when I first worked at Midas. We were just becoming friends...."

It became still in the room, save for the quiet sounds of machinery running in the background while the bard got lost in her memories of the past. Jill noted that once again Gwen's hand reached for her chain, and stayed there, until the woman put a hand on her daughter's knee. "Gwen?"

"Hmm? Oh, I was telling you about Randi. She was gone... no word, no warning, no explanation. For three weeks, she simply up and disappeared. When she came home, she avoided me for a while. She avoided everybody. It took her a long time to open up again. I think she would probably like a bit of privacy to regroup from... this."

The blonde put her hand back to her chest, and her head fell forward. Her voice became the merest whisper, and Jill saw two tears hit the shiny floor before she heard a word spoken. "I think I need a bit of privacy to regroup as well."

The mother understood both the spoken and unspoken words, and with a comforting squeeze to Gwen's shoulder, she rose and moved back to her husband's side. The bard sat until her vision cleared, then without another word, left the chamber in search of some fresh air and solitude.



Tommy was thrilled to hear the shuttle set down, and take off again almost immediately. That meant Randi was home, and that only meant good news. He was quite certain she'd been telling the truth about not coming back without Gwen, and until he heard the shuttle, that had, quite frankly, scared him. He had no desire to lose her again. And he knew without the bard, that was a real possibility.

So he picked up his son, kissed his wife goodbye, and headed across the island to see his best friend. His happy steps slowed when he saw her sitting at the deck table, staring out at nothing, alone. She held a bottle of whiskey loosely in her hands, and he stood in silence for a moment simply watching her. He couldn't be sure, but he though he saw tracks of tears on her face, but it was nearly impossible to be sure.

"WUV!" Randall's voice rang out to disturb the quiet, and he watched as she surreptitiously brushed a hand across her eyes before waving them over.

"Hey there, boy!" Randall leapt into her arms, and she hugged him tight til he squirmed. She sat down with him, keeping her attention focused on him for the moment. He wouldn't ask probing questions, or so she thought.

The child played with her hair, and patted her cheeks, chattering at her a mile a minute. The Marine tried hard not to flinch when he hit the scar, and mostly succeeded. She nodded and answered him back as best she could. After a few minutes, though, he took her face in his small hands and looked her squarely in the eye. She found the intenseness of his focus a bit daunting coming from one so young, but she met him stare for stare.

"Wuv, where's Wen? Want tory."

That almost broke her. She took a deep breath, keeping her gaze on Randall, though she was intently aware of Tommy's scrutiny. She took a deep breath and finally looked at Tommy. "Her daddy got hurt really badly, and she needed to stay with her folks for a few days."

"Is he gonna be okay?" Concern radiated from Tommy.

"They don't know," on a shaky breath. "It doesn't look good for his being able to walk again."

"So what are you doing here? Why aren't you there with her, supporting them?" A bit of accusation in his tone.

"It's long and drawn out, Tommy. Let's just say this is the best place for me to be right now, and leave it at that."

"Why don't you draw it out for me?"

"Because it's none of your goddamn business!! Now let it alone!"

He got up and stormed off, leaving Randall in her arms. He knew she would take care of the boy, and he sensed instinctively she needed that connection right now. He just had to get some space.

He walked a little, out of her sight, but not out of hearing. Something terrible had happened this time out, and he'd bet his last credit it had everything to do with Gwen. He sent up a prayer for them. It was time they got a little peace together. He was just making his way back, when he heard the whispered conversation between his son and Randi.

"Wuv?"

"Hmm?"

"Miss Wen. Wuv her."

"I know, buddy." She hugged the toddler tightly. "Me too."

He watched as she got up, and moved the two of them to the hammock. Randall wiggled around for a few moments, until Tommy heard a low hum coming from the Sabre. The boy lay his head down on her chest, sighing in contentment. The sound of her voice, and the sway of the swing lulled him to sleep, and it wasn't long before his comforting presence beckoned the Marine to join him. Tommy waited until he was sure she was asleep, before he took up a sentinel's post at the table to keep watch over them.

He wondered, as he watched his two special people sleep, what had happened to make Randi cry. And he speculated why Randi was not with Gwen. None of the conclusions he reached were good. He would contact Jill later. He was fairly sure he could get to the truth. Maybe there would be something he could do to help.



Gwen found a small gate at the back of the garden that led to a tiny stream. The light danced across the ripples of water, creating sparkles in the reflected sunlight. She took a seat near the edge, entranced by the sight and sounds the surrounded her. The bard let her mind drift, finding comfort in not having to focus, or think, or feel. For right now, in this moment, she was content to simply be. There would be time later to think and feel and analyze.

She felt her battered soul being soothed, and closed her eyes in contentment. She found her mind wandering to the meditation techniques Randi had taught her, and she concentrated on letting herself float away in them.

Unbidden, a picture of Randi standing naked before her flashed in front of her, and the green eyes opened abruptly. What the hell?? Where did that come from?? She concentrated on slowing her suddenly rapid heartbeat, the tightening in her groin making her shift uncomfortably. What is wrong with me? This is Randi... my best friend. But she couldn't stop the image from reoccurring, nor the flood of warmth it caused.

The bard was so intent on trying to banish these disturbing thoughts, that she didn't hear the footsteps approach her from behind. She squealed and jumped when a large hand came down gently on her shoulder. Her eyes opened, and Tiny looked back at her in concern. Gwen's face flushed in embarrassment. She knew the big man couldn't see her thoughts, but nevertheless....

He arched an eyebrow at her quizzically, wondering what he'd missed. Something was going on, that much was certain. Randi had stopped by very briefly on her way out, and asked him to keep an eye on the younger woman. He's been happy to agree, though more than a little intrigued on why it would be necessary. The two of them hadn't been apart for more than a few minutes at a time since Randi's return from the dead, up until the kidnapping. What could have changed between them in those few short days that they are now so far apart by choice?

"You okay, Gwen?"
She swallowed, and took a deep breath, thankful to have something else to focus on. "Yes, Tiny, thanks for asking. How's Reed?"

He smiled. "Better. Better than we had a right to expect at this point, actually. If her progress continues steadily, we will be home before the weekend. We'll be there when Ditto has her puppies."

"Oh, that's right!" slapping her forehead. "I'd forgotten all about that."

"Well, things have been kinda hectic for you lately. How's your dad?"

"He was sleeping the last time I saw him, but I got to speak to him earlier. His recovery is gonna be slow. He does have the use of most of his upper body, and they are saying he will fully recover his range of motion. The rest though," she shook her head sadly. "That will be up to him, but they're not holding out much hope."

Tiny clasped his hands around one upraised knee, and looked thoughtfully across the water. "The mind is a powerful tool, Gwen. I've seen people do things they shouldn't be able to do, because they made up their minds to do so. Don't discount the human will. If Geoff wants it badly enough, there's no telling what he can accomplish."

It was quiet for a while then, with Gwen digesting the man's words, and trying to find a tactful way to ask a question that had been haunting her. Finally, she decided blunt was best.

"Tiny, have you ever killed anyone?"

The large Sabre looked directly in her eyes, and she flinched involuntarily at the pain she found gazing back at her. So this is the problem, eh? Well, let me see if I can help make this better. I owe Randi that much at least. He cleared his throat. "Yes, I have. Many times." He swallowed, and returned his gaze to the water. "And it never gets easier." He paused, and the blonde woman waited, sensing he had more to say. "Even when it's justified, even when it's the right thing to do, it's a very difficult thing to live with... a terrible burden to bear."

"Then why do it? Isn't everyone entitled to live?"

"Oh, if only it were that simple, my friend." He hesitated, and looked at her briefly. He saw her honest confusion, and tried to answer the unspoken question. "Do you remember a talk we had a few months ago, about what the Sabres are?"

Blonde brows furrowed, and she concentrated. "I think so." She rubbed her forehead. "I'm not sure. You wanna refresh my memory?"

He looked at her curiously, then patiently explained again about the Sabres, their purpose, and their mission. She sat listening to him thoughtfully, trying to put together the pieces. "It's not a life any of us would have chosen, Gwen, given the choice, but it is a duty we do our best to fulfill with honor. As ugly as the job is, the world needs us, to keep the peace. To keep millions of innocents safe from the thousands who would do them harm."

"Do you enjoy it?"

"Parts of it, yes," he answered honestly. "But most of it, no. It is very trying, and even more so for Randi, I think."

The bard cocked her head inquisitively. "Why do you say that?"

"I have Reed, and even though we can't always discuss the details of our missions with one another, we each understand what it is like. We know what the other is going through. Randi, well, she never had anyone to share that side of her with. And she's always been the best, Gwen. She's always gotten stuck with the hard jobs."

"So why does she go away from people? Why doesn't she share that with someone? Let someone help her bear that burden?" Gwen was starting to see things in a little different light.

"It's not who she is, Gwen. You know that. She would never consciously ask someone, anyone, to take on the weight of her life as a Sabre." He looked the woman squarely in the eyes. "You will have to offer to share the load, and coax her until she is willing and able to share with you. But you will have to be the one to take the first step. She would never ask you to bear what she considers to be an unforgivable past."

He rose then, turning back toward the building. He stopped when he reached the gate. "Think about it Gwen. She needs you and your faith in her, but you have to be willing to share her darkness as well as her light."

Oh, my friend. I hope that helped. I don't understand everything that is going on here, but I know ya'll need to get through this together. He thought about his lover who had cried stinging tears just before she'd sent him to look for the bard. "Go to her, Tiny. There's something not right between them, and it needs to be fixed." He could only hope his words would be enough.

Gwen sat for a few more minutes, thinking over the man's words. The truth in them hurt her, especially for Randi's sake. So much pain, my friend. So much for you to bear. Will you share with me if I ask you to? Can I accept the darkness? Would you be willing to let me help you? It was a while before her mind stopped whirling with questions, and she got up to go talk to her father.



Geoff was glad to be awake. He felt as though he had slept for days. The doctor was pleased with his progress so far, at least as far as his upper body was concerned. He was able to sit on his own, and the fact that he could hug his wife completely was a blessing he was thrilled to experience again. They sat cuddled together quietly, having emerged from the regen chamber for a while. Though they all knew he would have to go back in, the doctor was glad to give him a break, knowing he needed a bit of quality time with his family.

"How do you feel, love?" Jill stroked her hands through his short-cropped hair.

"Like I got hit in the back with a mace," he quipped lightly. She looked at him seriously. "I've been better, sweetheart, but I've also been worse." He hugged her to him tightly. "We'll get through this."

She sighed and squeezed him back. "Yeah, we will. I just hope Gwen and Randi will."

He pushed her back away from him slightly, so he could look into her eyes. "Why? What happened?"

"Do you know.... Wait. Let me start from the beginning. I don't want to confuse the issue any more than it already is. You know Ben was the kidnapper, correct?" He nodded. "And I guess you know the story behind it."

"Um hmm. At least I think so."

She sighed. "Long story short... apparently he is tied in to someone who died when Randi did, and he blamed Randi for this person's death. He took Gwen in retaliation. What you don't know is that he somehow managed to make Gwen forget about her love for Randi. As far as she is concerned, they are simply best friends."

"Oh damn! Not again."

"Uh huh. Aphrodite told Randi to keep the faith, but she's struggling with it right now." A beat. "Gwen watched her gut Ben."

"Oh no."

"Oh yes. And she's gone back home, and left Gwen here. I don't know if it was self defense or a desire to give Gwen some space." She paused. "I think maybe it was a little bit of both. But we've got to do something, Geoff. Those two kids belong together."

"Let's play it by ear, hon. We'll do what we can. For now though," he motioned toward the door where their daughter stood hesitating, not wanting to intrude. "Let's see what's on her mind." He waved the bard in.

"I'll tell you what... I'm gonna give the two of you a little privacy to talk in. I need to go back to the hotel, shower and change. Besides, I'm betting she'll open up to you better if it's just the two of you alone."

He smiled at her, as the bard approached the bed. "I love you, Mrs. Goldman. Don't take too long."

"I love you, Mr. Goldman. I'll be back shortly." She kissed her husband soundly, squealing when he pinched her firmly on the behind. She turned to her daughter. "Thanks for keeping an eye on your old man for me, little girl. I never know what kind of trouble he will get into when my back is turned." She gave Gwen a peck, and walked out the door.

The weapons smith patted the bed, thankful again for the time away from the regen chamber. "What's up, Gwen?" going right for the heart of the matter. "You look disturbed."

She looked at him a long time before she looked away, realizing that he too must share the service bond that Randi, Reed and Tiny did. "Daddy, have you ever killed someone?"

Whatever he had been expecting, it hadn't been this. This came from out of nowhere and blindsided him. Of all the discussions in the world, this was one of the few he had never thought he'd ever have to have with her. While these thoughts were running through his head, he realized he was gonna have to share a lot of this with Jill as well. It was time she understood what he had been... what Randi was.

His answer was clearly written on his face before he spoke, and Gwen turned away a bit at the knowledge.

"Does it change the way you feel about me, Gwen?" he asked sadly. "I am still the same person I've always been."

"It doesn't change the way I *feel* about you, I don't think, but it does change my *view* of you. It's probably not very fair of me, but there it is. It's the truth."

He reached for her hand, pleased when she didn't pull away from him. "Let me tell you something, Gwen. This is something I've found to be true throughout the entire Sabre unit. No one... NO ONE would have chosen this duty as a way of life. But there always has to be someone who stands between the innocent, and those who would defile them. The Sabres are the first line of defense, and not one of us would hesitate to kill to protect our loved ones, and our way of life."

"Now Ben did some horrible things. I don't know the whole story of why he turned, but I do know he was a threat, and had caused hundreds, maybe even thousands, to die. Now Randi's reasons for gutting him were as much personal as they were military. But you can bet your last credit, that any member of this team would have done the same thing."

"Even you?"

"Especially me. He had to be eliminated. The fact that he took you, and threatened you simply gave Randi first shot. He had no hope of coming out of there alive, and he knew it."

"But why, Daddy? What do you all, does she, get out of killing?" Tears welled up in her eyes, and clung to her lashes. He smiled sadly in sympathy with the confusion he saw shining so brightly through the pain.

"Oh, baby girl. She has lived with guilt and grief and self-loathing since becoming a trained killer. She has learned to hide away parts of her for fear she can't be loved. The only thing she gets from killing is a heavier burden to bear. Do not judge her too harshly, daughter. She is hard enough on herself."

"I don't want to judge her, Daddy. I want to understand, but every time I close my eyes, and see her running that blade into him...."

He nodded. "Would you be willing to talk to the doctor here, Gwen? Dr. Litzer is a Sabre, has talked to most of us, and understands not only what we do, but also how we feel. Perhaps he could help you. He'll be glad to listen, and if you want, he can even try to explain."

She hesitated, and he continued. "I know it sounds awkward and uncomfortable, but it may help." He paused again. "It certainly can't hurt." She nodded slowly in agreement then, and he squeezed her hands. "Good girl. Let's get him in here."



When Jill returned from her outing, Jerry was sitting with Geoff, and Gwen was nowhere to be seen. She raised an eyebrow in question, and her husband simply lifted a hand, inviting her to join him on the bed. "Jerry was kind enough to come keep me company while Gwen talked to the doctor. Actually, he was bringing me up to speed on everything."

The Commandant rose from his place. "I don't want to intrude, so I'll leave you two alone. You get to work on walking, my friend. I expect to see you up and about soon."

"Is that an order, sir?" with a slight twinkle in his eyes.

"It can be, sailor... just remember that," said with a smile. "Now, I need to get back to work, but I'll be back to check on you."

"Thanks, Jerry." Jill sat quietly, marveling at the weapons smith's capacity for forgiveness.

"No, thank you, Geoff. This mission was so costly... so... needless...." He trailed off, unsure of what to say. "So, thank you, my friend." And he walked out slowly, mindful of his newly healed leg.

The Goldmans sat for a long moment, both staring at the empty doorway where Jerry had made good his exit. Then simultaneously, they turned and looked at one another.

"Well, that was... interesting," Jill commented.

The weapons smith looked thoughtful. "C'mere." Jill slid obligingly into his waiting embrace, sighing in contentment when his strong arms closed around her. He let the surrounding peace permeate his senses, until his soul became saturated with the warmth of it. "You haven't asked any questions about all this... about the things you have seen and heard here."

"No."

"Why? Don't you want to know?"

She sat up a little at this, pulling away from him to look him in the eyes. "Geoff, from the little bit I have learned in the two days I have been here, it is obvious this was, at some point, a part of your life. A part that I have never been privy to. If you want to share with me, I would be honored. And if you can't, well... I have learned there are some things I can live with without ever understanding. I have you back in my arms again, and that is more than enough for me right now."

He pulled her back into his embrace, kissing her hard and long. When they drew back, slightly breathless, he gazed into her eyes. "I love you, Jill. Let me tell you the story of the Black Sabres."



Randi didn't doze very long. The weight in her arms was wrong, and it brought her out of the light haze she had fallen into. She smiled a little crooked grin at the boy she cradled, picking up a fist that curled reflexively around her own. She listened, hearing Tommy nearby.

She let the child fall into a deeper sleep, then carefully stood and put him in his father's arms. "Go home, Tommy. I've got things to do."

He hesitated, but the look in her eyes was serious. He nodded, and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Just remember we all love you, okay? Take care of yourself." He walked off without a backwards glance, knowing what he would hear.

He hadn't crossed into the treed area between the two properties, before he heard the sound of the motorcycle engine. Always before, when she was disturbed, she'd taken the bike out and let the sound run full throttle. He'd suspected this time would be no different, and he grimaced in self-knowledge. He turned and watched as she sped off recklessly toward the bridge.

Tommy shook his head. He needed to find out what was really going on.



Gwen walked in to the doctor's office, looking around at the various hologrids he had hanging there. He had an entire wall full of old-fashioned, paper filled books, and these were what caught her attention and held her imagination. She didn't understand the titles to most of them, but there were a couple rows that seemed to be nothing but fictional tales, and biographies. The rest of the space was quite comfortable, tending more toward the technical functionality of the present.

She chose a chair, only then noting that the doctor sat comfortably at his desk, his eyes following her with twinkling amusement. "Oh!"

"They capture everyone's attention. It is one of the reasons I have them. Nobody can resist a look, even those of us who still use paper and maintain handwriting as a skill."

"Where did you get so many? Are they all real?"

"Oh, yes. They are quite real. I am quite a collector, though a lot of these were in the family, and survived the war."

"Do you read them? They look to be well read, but also well cared for."

"I have indeed read quite a few of them. It is more soothing when the words aren't moving for you, for some reason."

"I know. Randi has shared some of her books with me. I find it much slower going, of course, but it is more relaxing."

The bard grew quiet at the mention of her friend, and the doctor patiently waited. He hadn't been told what the problem was, or why the bard needed to talk, but for now, he was content to wait her out and listen. Then he would see what he could do for her.

"Dr. Litzer, are you really a Black Sabre? Have you really had to do what it seems all these others have done?"

"I really am a Black Sabre, yes, but I'm not sure I understand what you are asking, Ms. Goldman. What is it you would like to know?"

She swallowed, and closed her eyes, once again faced with the image of Randi's dagger sliding so easily into Ben's torso. "The killing, doctor. Have you had to kill as well?"

The sadness in his eyes was its own answer, and she closed her eyes again in acknowledgement. "Why? How do you all bear it so easily?"

"I never said it was easy, Gwen. It is the most difficult thing any of us live with. But it is also a necessary evil." He paused. "I want you to think about something, and I want you to be honest with yourself. You don't have to reach a decision today, but I will ask you about it again soon, all right?"

She looked at him warily, then decided he was being up front with her. Besides, it wasn't like she had to come back if she didn't like his question. She nodded her agreement.

"Close your eyes. I want you to picture in your mind someone who means a lot to you... parent, best friend, significant other... the most special person in your life." An image of Randi smiling at her made her smile unconsciously, and the doctor wondered who the lucky bastard was that brought that expression to her lovely visage. He cleared his throat and continued. "Do you have them firmly in your mind?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"All right then, Gwen. I want you to think, to seriously consider, and then to decide what you would be willing to endure for that person. Don't answer now. I want you to honestly and openly think about it. And when you find your answer, you come back, and we'll talk some more."

Slowly, the green eyes opened, and refocused. "Thank you, doctor. You've given me quite a lot to consider." She got up, and left, deciding to head back to the hotel. She hadn't done anything but think all day, and though it was just sunset, she was exhausted. Some dinner, and a good night's sleep seemed to be in order.

She stopped by her father's room on the way out, and kissed him goodnight. He was due back in the regen chamber shortly, and then Jill would be joining her at the hotel. She left the two of them wrapped up in the serenity they found in being together, and the bard cast a wishful thought heavenward to find that for herself one day. Then she was arriving at the hotel, and her only thought was of a warm bath and dinner.





Continued In Chapter VIII