Chapter 25

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

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

"Lessa."

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

"What is it."

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

"It's over, Lessa."

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

"What is?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sickbay was crowded.

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

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

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

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

"She kissed him! Look at her!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"But how did the ship get damaged?"

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

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

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

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

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

"Where's my clothes?!"

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

Shelly ignored the warning.

"What the hell is going on?"

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

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

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

"You!"

"Then pack!"

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

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

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

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

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

Shelly stepped closer, head shaking in sorrow.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Mari ... what did you promise?"

She sniffled.

"To ... to protect the baby."

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

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

"But..."

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

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

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

"Party?"

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

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

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

She blinked.

Was the Liberty ... moving?

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

"Look!"

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