Chapter 30: Anticipation Ended

Sara woke to the sound of water running from the bathroom. She rolled over and tried to go back to sleep, failing miserably. A squeak echoed from under the closed door as the water was turned off.

A few minutes later, Darren opened the door and leaned against the frame, wearing a pair of shorts and an undershirt. “Ah, you’re up. I was about to wake you and let you know the shower is yours.” Sara yawned and sat up, stretching. “Any hot water left?”

Darren grinned. “Depends on your definition of ‘hot.’ It’s more of a ‘pleasant warm’ than hot.” Sara groaned. “I can blame you for that, right?” Darren shook his head in mock-sadness. “Unfortunately not. No, you can blame it on everyone else showering at the same time. Something about the system, I guess. Or perhaps…”

Sara gazed at him while he kept talking. This had to have been the first time she’d seen him without a cloak of some sort or in a jumpsuit. He was usually fully clothed in multiple layers which, much to Sara’s disappointment, hid most of his physique. But traveling Shirn had been good for both of them, building muscle.

Darren noticed her semi-vacant stare, stopped speaking, and waited with a patient expression on his face. When Sara noticed Darren was done, she shook her head slightly and headed for the bathroom, gathering her robe around herself. “I’m gonna…go…get ready for class.”

Darren smiled in amusement and moved out of the way, waiting until he heard the lock click before changing completely into the orange jumpsuit used by all types of repair technicians. He turned on his laptop and sat cross-legged on the floor.

Looking around, he noticed just how bare the room looked. He’d have to get a table brought in soon. Darren logged in and checked his messages. There was only a short note from Venom to meet him at lunch in the fourth floor cafeteria and a general schedule for training.

He logged off and got to his feet, yawning slightly. After writing on a piece of paper, he left it on Sara’s bed, where she would be sure to find it. Once done, he left, whistling a piece of music that Sara couldn’t place.

The bathroom door opened a while after the whistle faded. His exit made changing a whole lot easier for her. Sara picked up the note and read “Sorry I couldn’t walk you to class. Easier for both this way, though. Meet you here one hour after day is done. Settling final preparations during lunch. See you tonight.”

She smiled and dressed quickly, hoping the day would go by fast.

It didn’t.

The fact that she was getting married that very night didn’t do much to make the normally slow days move along any quicker. Until then, she hadn’t really thought about what getting married would change in their relationship.

It didn’t fully hit her until she was inside the simulator, surrounded by other trainees and in the middle of a flying lesson. Flustered, she tried to gather her thoughts and focus on piloting, barely succeeding. The instructor motioned for her to shut down and addressed her quietly so the others couldn’t hear.

“Let your mind wander, Williams?” Sara nodded meekly. “Care to tell me where?” Sara turned beet red, answering with a quiet “I’d rather not.” Her teacher raised an eyebrow in a mixture of annoyance and amusement. “I see…Try to concentrate a bit harder in the future. Bookwork can only get you so far. Knowing your surroundings when piloting a ship is essential for survival.”

Sara nodded and waited for further instructions. The only female piloting instructor had been assigned to her; no doubt Darren had a hand in that to prevent any problems. It seemed a bit unnecessary, but Darren rarely did anything without a reason.

And yet his behavior was strange. He would agree that he was a bit overprotective, but was quick to point out the differences between being controlling and being possessive. His mindset was that everybody had to pick one and he had simply chosen the far lesser of the two evils: possessiveness in minimal quantities.

To Sara, it was only slightly less strange. He didn’t seem to mind when she talked about going places with her male friends, or when she mentioned somebody he’d never heard of. Instead, he showed a quiet interest in whatever she talked about. Sometimes he was so quiet it almost seemed as if he wasn’t listening or didn’t care, but he would remember everything she said and bring it up in casual conversation later, unknowingly showing that he was always paying attention to her.

He’d been protective of her ever since the people she’d thought were her parents died in the car accident. He’d never given her reason to believe he’d wanted to manipulate her or control her. He was such a great guy…

“Who is he?” Sara was yanked roughly out of her thoughts. Not again…I almost fell asleep there. “Who is who?” The instructor grinned. “There’s only one reason you’d be so lost in thought, and don’t think I don’t know what it is.”

By now, Sara was used to people asking questions like that. “Oh, Darren Kinsley.” Her teacher’s reaction was a bit different than the others, though. Instead of envy, shock, or her favorite, the jaw drop, the look she received…was it concern? “The Darren Kinsley? As in the one from Shirn?”

Sara nodded and her professor whistled in amazement. “Why’d he choose to come up here?” “He followed me,” was Sara’s reply. “He…followed you? Just like that?” Sara thought for a moment. I think it’s a bit more complicated than that, but basically… She nodded again and watched as the other woman sat down hard next to her. “Well…I don’t know what to say. You must be something else if he disregarded all of Shirn to stay with you.”

Sara felt heated chills run through her. “All of Shirn?” Her instructor nodded. “Check around on the Web of Destiny. He’s made quite a name for himself down there. And he left it all behind…” Sara nodded, a small bit of pride creeping into her voice. “I know. We’re getting married tonight.”

There was the jaw drop. “NO WAY!” Sara glanced around at the faces staring at them and dipped her head slightly. “Yes…although we’d like to keep it a little quieter than that.” Her smile slightly eased the other woman’s embarrassment. “Sorry. It’s just…wow. Wow. You know…it doesn’t look at all like you two are together. From what I’ve seen, it looks mostly like a friendship.”

Sara nodded. “So I’ve heard. The best way I can describe it is…we’re so close; we don’t need to express it physically.” Her teacher grinned. “Of course not. So you’ll be spending tonight staying up late and talking about how your day was, right?” Sara blushed a deep crimson as her teacher laughed. “Ah, I’m just kidding. Really, you’ll have fun. So? Am I invited to the wedding?” She winked at Sara.

Sara grinned. “Depends on the gift. Actually, it’s a rather private wedding. Just me, Darren and the minister. Sorry…” “Nah, it’s fine. Just be sure to tell me how everything went.” Sara’s instructor raised her voice and spoke loud enough for all to hear. “Well, concentrate harder next time. Alright, whose turn is it for the simulator?”
~
Darren sat down across from Venom, who was typing, and started nibbling at a piece of bread. “I’m not surprised you were able to get clearance here. What’s up?” Venom turned his laptop so that Darren could see. A time-lapse security video of the previous two days jumped from place to place, showing Darren conversing with various people, including Venom.

Darren nodded slowly. “They’ve been watching me the whole time. But you didn’t come here to tell me that, did you?” Venom stared hard at Darren. “No…I didn’t. They came to me, saying you’d turned me in for some minor offense, some kind of insubordination or something. Right away, I knew they were lying. They wanted me to help them against you.”

Venom turned the laptop back to himself. “But there’s always a grain of truth in lies. I want to know what that grain is.” Darren finished his bread and leaned back. “The commander and I had a…disagreement as to where the best place for Sara would be.” Venom shrugged. “Probably better off in solitary, where she won’t flirt with anything that moves.”

Darren narrowed his eyes, but said nothing as Venom continued. “I don’t care about your argument with the commander. I want to know why they came to me first. You took a deal? Traded me for her?”

Darren leaned forward. “If I had a problem with you, rest assured I wouldn’t turn you in. I’d kill you myself. As for taking deals, the commander was forced to swallow his pride for once in his life, and so he’s a bit pissed. I’d imagine you’ve felt it before quite a few times.” Venom smiled mockingly. “If you had this short of a fuse with the commander, it’s a wonder you didn’t get shot within five minutes of meeting him.”

Darren leaned even closer. “There are very few things in this world that will cause instant violence on my behalf. You insulted the woman I’m marrying tonight, spit on my ethics, and accused me of something I didn’t do without thinking through a logical explanation first: three in less than a minute.”

He sat back and folded his hands. “I suggest you do a little digging and find out when the cameras were accessed for review. And it shouldn’t be too hard for someone of your reputation to run some lesser-known lip-reading programs on the bridge cameras. I’ll say the same thing I said to Garcia: I want your neutrality. Leave me and Sara alone and I’ll do the same for you.”

Venom didn’t respond. Darren got up and started to walk away, but Venom’s voice stopped him. “What else did you say to Garcia?” Darren smiled and did a half-turn. “You’ll find out later. But I mostly demonstrated my level of control over his beloved space station. In a foreign environment, quickly dig in deep and get leverage over your enemies: borrowed straight from your bag of tricks. It’s nice to know you’re thought of as the best hacker in existence, isn’t it?”

Venom couldn’t contain a grin as Darren walked away. Praise from Caesar…

Darren headed for his next class, just like any other day. He knew the commander would expect him to pay another visit to the bridge, but why become predictable? After sitting down, he glanced around and closed his eyes, mentally reaching out. A few minutes later, assured by Sara that she’d let him know if anything strange happened, he focused on the lesson while continually watching the clock.
~
Sara sat in another classroom, keeping one eye on the same old pilot from yesterday drone on about the history of flying while scanning Destiny’s forums and sites from her laptop. She frowned and rested her head in one hand.

“Long sought-after gang of thieves found dead.” “Smuggling ring broken by unknown attacker.” On and on it went, pages and pages of “mysterious events,” all apparently Darren’s doing. That didn’t bother Sara; it was in Darren’s nature to root out those kinds of things.

What irritated her was how the acts were portrayed. Killing and murder dominated the length of each report made. Vicious slayings of the offenders were almost par for the course. The fame Darren had garnished wasn’t for the good he’d done, but the brutality with which he’d done it.

Of course, nobody on Shirn knew of any of this except by word-of-mouth, and so it was distorted. Somebody on Destiny had been gathering information about Darren, but it could be anybody, judging by the level of discussion about him in the forums. Everyone claimed to know him, to have talked with him, to have eaten with him, and occasionally somebody would claim to have slept with him.

Sara shook her head. The things people would do for their fifteen minutes of fame…the old pilot stopped talking and turned to her. “Miss Williams? You disagree with the Wright Brothers’ ideas and methods?” Sara shook her head again. I thought I was going to pay more attention. “No, sir, I was shaking my head that someone could even think of disagreeing with them.”

The professor tilted his head to one side, as if it would make his brain condense and work through her statement faster. “I…see. Very well. As I was saying…” Sara felt like slamming her head against the desk. She heard somebody snicker from somewhere near the back, but ignored it.

A few minutes later, a small paper wad hit her in the back of her neck. She resisted the urge to turn around and kept listening to the professor. I missed something. When did they turn into twelve-year-olds? Another hit her head. Screw it. I don’t have to take this crap.

She closed her eyes and waited for the next one. Sensing it flying towards her, she reached back and caught it, sticking it into a pocket. The next one that she caught went into the same pocket. A few more came, but not as big and spaced further apart. They went where the others went.

When the class ended, she glanced back as she got up, noticing a few unused paper wads on the desk of a rather diminutive trainee. When he saw her stare, he shook his head quickly and pointed to the desk next to his where Thomas sat, his head turned to talk to the person next to him. Sara smiled gently to assure the small boy that she understood and left.

Only one class remained before her day was officially over. Sara drummed her fingers against the desk impatiently, bolting out the door the moment class was done. She raced down the hallway to her room, flung open the door, tossed her gear onto the desk, and headed for the bathroom door, only to be blocked by Darren.

Sara stepped back and eyed him. “What are you doing?” Darren smiled. “This wedding is a ‘come-as-you-are’ event.” Sara reached out and grabbed the front of his uniform as a mock-threat. “I’m going to shower. I’m sure you’d appreciate it.” Darren made no move. “I figured there’d be plenty of time for our shower later.”

Sara caught his subtle innuendo, but purposefully ignored it and stared him down. Finally he playfully relented and stood off to one side, his tone light. “Be quick.” Sara responded with “Take my time? Why certainly…” and lifted her head high as if Darren was beneath her. Darren grinned and retrieved a towel from inside the door, snapping it just short of her leg. Sara yelped and slammed the door quickly.

Darren chuckled to himself as quiet muttering reached his ears. He sat on the floor and leaned against the bed, tilting his head back and letting his eyes close for just a second…just a second...

Sara opened the door to find him asleep. She finished toweling herself off and changed back into her blue uniform. Darren stirred, his mouth moving in silent words as his eyes snapped open. They focused on her and moved around the room, settling on the clock. “Not bad. Only half an hour.”

Sara nudged him over and sat down, leaning her head on his shoulder. “There was actually hot water, so it was a bit relaxing.” Darren looked over at her with a small measure of concern. “You’re very…tense. Nervous?” Sara nodded slightly, her voice quivering so slightly it was almost unnoticeable. “At least you’ve done this before. I haven’t.”

Darren raised an eyebrow in obvious surprise. “I have? First time I’ve heard of it. Where’d you hear that from?” “From forums here,” said Sara, slightly embarrassed at having paid attention to rumors. Darren lifted his head in understanding. “Ah, that makes more sense. No, I haven’t been married before. Rumors and attention-seekers, most likely.”

Sara nodded, somewhat comforted. Darren glanced at her again and smiled, trying to ease whatever fears she still held. “Don’t worry. Everything’s plain and straightforward. Since it’s just the three of us, there’s no need for a big show. All the ceremonials are simple and to the point.”

Sara nodded again, but only seemed to move to a different state of tension. Darren inwardly cursed his own inability to understand her thoughts and helped her up. “Ready?” Sara nodded, biting her lip. She knew Darren was concerned, but he wouldn’t understand what she was thinking. Or so she thought; Darren’s own mind was racing at the speed of light, except his emotions were perfectly contained after years of showing no fault.

They walked to the elevator in silence, every noise they heard amplified a dozen times over. When they reached the second floor, they headed for the chapel, trying and failing to pass by the ISP room unnoticed. Diana and Thomas waited outside, grinning like mad.

Diana hugged Sara hard. “We’d like to come, but we’ve been told it’s private. Regardless, congratulations, you two! I hope you guys are happy together. You know,” Diana glanced at Thomas. “Thomas and I have been thinking of getting married later in order to stay with you guys.” Sara blinked. “Well…that’s cool that you’d stay with us…but aren’t you two moving even faster with this than we are?”

Thomas shrugged. “If it doesn’t work out, we’ve agreed that it’s for the best that we still stay with you guys.” Sara blinked again. “So…that’s it? Wouldn’t love be a key element in a good marriage?” Diana smiled. “We’re just going with whatever seems to be happening next.”

Thomas stuck his head in the ISP room and pulled it out again. “They’re all ready.” He turned to Darren. “It’s a shame you had to miss tonight, really. Tonight’s the airbike race, easily one of the best programs the room has to offer. Oh well. Maybe next week sometime.” He shook their hands and went inside. Diana followed after doing the same, and the walk began again.

Sara’s forehead wrinkled in a frown. Darren reached down and squeezed her hand, and she turned towards him. “Sara, I know you care about them and you’re worried. But this is our night, and if you’re not careful, you’re going to let them ruin it.” Sara nodded and stared off into the distance, her face smoothing over until no emotion showed.

After walking a little longer, Darren sighed and turned to her. “Try me.” Sara glanced at him, startled. “What?” “Try me. Say what’s on your mind. See if I can’t help ease it.” Sara looked quickly at the floor. “No. I don’t want the night ruined.” Darren raised an eyebrow. “Well, then…would you like to move the wedding back a night?”

Sara jerked her head up. “No! And why would you ask?” Darren looked directly into her eyes. “Because I want to be able to say that I looked my wife in the face on our wedding day, and saw joy. All I see now is worry and stress.” Sara’s shoulders sank. “Alright. When I was checking around on the Web, the stories about you were all…scary. Most were false, of course.”

Sara stared at her feet. “But I feel like I’m being told only what I want to hear, and that doesn’t make me feel…trusted. Just like with…” she stopped short. Darren nodded and spoke softly. “Just like with the rocks. I understand now. Sara, let me explain something before we continue. Yes, I did do quite a few things on Shirn. Most of them involved helping out some poor person who was down on his luck.”

He closed his eyes. “But the methods I used against their enemies were…unkind, at best. When faced with how to repay the unjust, I thought of the problems they had caused and what they would do if they were allowed to live…and I would become very, very angry. Many died by my hands. I hated the evil, and although I had the best of intentions, I didn’t go about them in a very productive manner.” Darren looked at Sara. “Ask your questions.”

“You said if there was anything I could do for you involving the spinning rocks, you’d let me know. Be honest. Was there anything I could do?” Darren smiled. “Without knowing it, you’ve done more than you could have ever hoped to do on purpose. Anything else?” Sara shook her head and seemed to cheer up. “Nope.”

They reached the chapel. Darren opened and held the door for Sara, closing it quietly once they were through. He looked around and nodded in satisfaction. As promised, there was nobody in sight. Rows of rather comfortable pews faced a large wooden cross bolted to the back wall. The lights were dimmed, lightly scented candles filled the room with a pleasant fragrance, and the minister stood near the back with an open Bible in his hand.

Darren offered his arm to Sara, but dropped it upon hearing a voice from the shadows. “Isn’t that my responsibility?” Garcia stepped out of the darkness and stood with arms crossed. “How good to see you, commander. But I’m afraid there’s no reception, and this is, after all, a private wedding.” Darren’s voice was politely indignant.

Commander Garcia stood in front of Darren and Sara, blocking their path, but making no move to stop them. “I didn’t come to stop you. I merely thought Sara would like to be walked down the aisle.” Darren eyed him suspiciously. “What are you saying, sir?”

The suited man offered his arm to the young woman. “I’m not showing neutrality, I know. But for me, this isn’t about you, Darren. If my Sara is getting married, you can be sure I’ll be there.” Darren looked between the commander and Sara as the pieces began to fit together in his mind. “I see…so you’re her father…”

Sara still hesitated to put her arm in his. “My father? How do we know for sure?” Darren smiled with a hint of cynicism. “It would explain why he kept trying to separate us.” Garcia shrugged. “We’ve made huge leaps in DNA testing, not to mention the incredible likeness to your mother…” Sara’s eyes widened. “Is she alive?” “No…she…died back on Shirn years ago…” The commander’s face darkened.

Darren shook his head. “So how is it that you are alive, then? Many years must have gone by...” Garcia smiled, not unpleasantly. “For the same reason that you are alive. Immortality is not something I sought after, yet it found me. I didn’t, however, gain the power that you two have. Strange things happened, and so here I am.”

Sara’s heart skipped a beat and leaped into her throat, hoping against hope. “Does…does that mean…I’ll live forever too?” The commander shook his head sadly. “No, I’m afraid not. The child of a mortal and an immortal could be born either way. Your brother wouldn’t age past thirty-five. You, unfortunately, weren’t so lucky…”

Sara’s face fell. “I see…” Darren looked at the commander. “I don’t know if you’ve heard this already…but Adytlan is dead. He spent the last of his strength protecting the kingdom from a revolt.” Garcia nodded. “I know. We have ways of watching the royal palace. I have already grieved for my son.”

Sara looked around slowly, still disappointed. “But how does it all work? The years don’t seem to add up.” Darren rubbed his temples. “The only way to explain this is a time split between worlds. When you’re in one world, time would move differently in the other. Every day in Silver Lake could be a year in Shirn, or a year in Silver Lake could be a day in Shirn. It’s probably a lot less drastic than that, but still noticeable.”

Garcia shrugged. “That’s the explanation we here at Destiny have settled on.” Darren shot a glance over his shoulder at the minister. The commander noticed it and offered his arm to Sara once more. “Just this once, and then I’ll let you live your lives without me. I merely thought Sara would like to know she has family that lives.” Noticing her somewhat crestfallen look, he added “And I’m sorry if I gave you any false hopes of longevity. It wasn’t my intention.”

Sara nodded, gave him her arm, and the three walked down the aisle to the minister. The commander stayed the entire time, as a witness and as family. The whole ceremony seemed to fly by, each person only hearing bits and pieces as their thoughts held precedence over their ears.

Sara watched as Darren placed the ring on her finger, barely hearing what he was saying to her. Hers was a simple band of gold inset with small diamonds. She placed the other, similar in every way, onto his finger as she spoke her vows to him.

The minister stepped back and said to Darren “You may now kiss the bride.” The couple kissed, embraced, and was married. Darren and Sara walked up the aisle and out the door slowly, Darren nodding politely to Garcia as they passed him.

The moment the chapel door closed behind them, Sara turned to Darren. “My father? That uptight old guy with a God complex is my father?” Darren muttered something about the father-in-law from Hell and started walking back to their room, causing Sara to burst out laughing as she caught up with him. “And as our life seems to mold further into a soap opera…” Darren grinned and responded with “Soap operas aren’t this weird.” Sara nodded thoughtfully. “True.”

Darren’s grin faded slowly and he scratched his chin. Sara noticed that he only did that when he was thinking hard. “What’s up?” He started to shake his head, and then shrugged. “Eh, it’s not like it’ll keep me up at night, but…” He looked troubled. “If my parents both died of old age…why do I live forever with these powers?”

Sara shrugged. “Acerin seemed mortal. Did he ever mention where he got his magic from?” Darren shook his head. “Only that he had a direct link to ‘the source.’ I wonder if the source is accessible through other means…” He shook his head. “Anyways, it was just idle thinking. I’ll forget about it soon enough.”

They took the stairs instead of the elevator, their footsteps echoing in the silent stairwell. Darren took note of Sara’s tension rising as they reached the room, but said nothing. Sara unlocked the door and handed Darren the key, heading to the bathroom to grab the spare key for future uses.

Darren closed the door and looked around after locking it. All their possessions were placed well, the bed had been delivered, and the room was indeed quiet. A quick scan of the room revealed no monitoring or recording devices. He nodded, pleased that his instructions had been followed exactly. Everything is as it should be.

He lay back on the bed and waited. Wow, this is softer than I expected. His eyes began to close of their own volition, and it was only with supreme effort that he was able to keep himself from falling asleep. He shook his head and leaned up. {Sara…it’s just me. Not somebody you don’t know.}

She stepped out, still fully clothed, and sat next to him, letting her hair hide her face. “Darren…I just want to make you happy. But what if I can’t?” Darren reached over and pulled on her shoulder gently until her head lay on his chest. “Hear that?” Sara listened to his faster-than-normal heartbeat. “Yes…” “That’s how happy you make me. Just being near you is relaxing and exciting at the same time.”

Sara turned her head to look at his face. “Thank you.” His smile was reassuring, and she rolled over entirely and lay facing him. “You’re sweet, you know that?” Darren grinned. “Sometimes. You’ve had your chance to come up for air.” Sara blushed in remembrance, but crawled forward. “And you had your chance to escape.”

Darren leaned closer. “Maybe I didn’t want to avoid capture.” Sara was right above him now, their faces almost touching. “How helpful. A captive who enjoys his sentence.” Darren reached up and undid the clip at the top of her jumpsuit, pulling on the zipper. “Well, the jailor is rather nice…”

Sara gave up talking, pressing close and quieting him as well. She felt his silent chuckle shake his chest, and her with it. The passion that had lain dormant within them for so many years was awakened fully that night. For Sara, Paradise didn’t manifest itself in that world, but if it did…it would be found in his arms.
- posted by Nick @ 6/25/2004 07:02:00 PM

 

Chapter 29: Friends and Enemies

Darren hummed to himself as he walked down the hallway to Sara’s room. After waking up at ten o’ clock exactly, a quick shower, and breakfast, he’d gone to the chapel. The minister there was more than willing to perform the ceremony after being paid a small amount.

The minister had seemed trustworthy, more so than everyone else on Destiny, at least. And Darren had already taken care of his guards for that night. It’s amazing how a little liquor makes people ignore their duties.

Some plans had been made while still on Shirn, and although he didn’t have time to get an engagement ring, he had been able to procure a good pair of rings for the wedding.

He knocked on Sara’s door and waited. Diana answered it after a little while. “Darren? Sara’s not here.” “Do you know when she’ll be back?”

Diana rubbed her eyes. “No, and I doubt it’ll be anytime soon.” Darren felt a chill run down his spine. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Diana pointed at Sara’s part of the room. It was empty of all belongings. “Some guards came in the middle of the night and took her to a new room. They mumbled something to her about moving her training along quicker. She wasn’t allowed near her computer or even to speak.”

Darren’s heart pounded in a fiery rhythm. You blew it, Garcia. “I’m going up to the commander. No doubt he’s expecting me.” He moved towards the door quickly. “See you later.”
~
Commander Garcia stood on the bridge upper deck facing the elevator, periodically holding up a gold watch and checking the time. The doors slid open and Darren stepped out, moving purposefully. He stopped at the bottom of the small stairway and looked up. “Sir, I’m afraid there’s a problem.”

The commander looked at his watch again. A little earlier than I expected. “Other than your intrusion where you have no clearance, what might that be?” Darren kept his tone easy. “It seems that the person I came on board with has been moved to a higher security area. I respectfully request that we be allowed to stay together.”

Garcia shook his head sadly. “I’m sorry, Private Kinsley. Only married couples can petition to stay together. Were you planning on getting married soon?”

Darren swallowed back his biting words. You couldn’t have missed the huge projection technology drain. You knew before anyone else that I was planning to propose. Lying backstabbing piece of…“Actually sir, we were.”

The commander smiled reassuringly. “I extend my sympathies. However, there’s nothing I can do.” Darren gave a nod. “Commander, have you ever heard of the Mouse Dilemma?” Garcia eyed Darren suspiciously. “No.”

Darren stared at the ceiling. “There was a group of mice living in a house that was terrified by a large housecat. They searched amongst themselves for a powerful hero, and found him after a child in the house fed it more cheese than the others. They set him apart, preparing him for the epic battle.”

Darren glared at Garcia. “But the epic battle never came. Because that one mouse was set apart from the others, it was easy for the cat to gobble him up. And the mice were soon plunged into despair once more. If only the adult had stopped the child from setting that one mouse apart, the entire colony of mice could have been saved.”

The commander shrugged. “What relevance does this have?” Darren stared directly into Garcia’s eyes. “The child was only feeding that one mouse cheese to spite the adult, and no other reason. The adult couldn’t figure out why the child was intent on spiting him, either.”

Garcia shrugged again. “I’m sure the child had his reasons.” Darren closed his right hand around the hard red stone in his palm and took a deep breath. I put a great deal of trust in you, commander. See what happens when you betray the one who holds your life in his hands.

Garcia noticed Darren’s growing anger and narrowed his eyes. “Private Kinsley, I’ll remind you that it is most unwise to strike a superior officer.”

Darren spoke quietly, standing with his feet shoulder-length apart. “Strike a superior officer? I would never do that, sir.” One of the men in the chairs looked up from his console. “Commander? We just lost power to your quarters.”

Darren didn’t move. “I’ve been well within my boundaries since I came here, sir.” The lights flickered slightly and then went back to normal. Garcia called guards in and had them aim their guns at Darren. “Private Kinsley, return this space station to normal.”

Another worker looked up. “Sir? We’ve lost total surveillance.” Darren shook his head slowly. “I’ll return Destiny to normal when you stop screwing with my life and using my fiancé as a catalyst, sir.”

Garcia pointed at Darren. “You’re not in control here. Guards, subdue him.” Darren’s face remained emotionless. “I wouldn’t advise that, commander. I’ve already taken care of their guns, and you’ve no doubt heard of my combat abilities from your spies in the cafeteria.”

The commander sighed. “Darren, why won’t you accept it? You can’t be with her. She’s higher up and better than you are, and she has to have more training.” Darren’s tone turned to ice. “‘Can’t do this,’ ‘can’t do that’…you may dictate my work, my play, and my free time, but I will not let you choose who I can or can’t love.”

Steven Garcia stared down at Darren Kinsley. Steely blue eyes battled with cold brown, neither willing to give an inch. The soldiers stood uncomfortably at attention, waiting for orders.

Finally, the commander spoke. “Private Kinsley, you cannot break the rules. By doing so, you could disrupt life here for years to come, and maybe even destroy our chances of restoring technology to Shirn.”

Darren didn’t miss a beat. “Commander Garcia, I made the rules.”

A small high-pitched beeping alerted the bridge that the oxygen level was no longer under their control. Garcia glanced at a console nearby and looked back, still unwilling to give in.

Darren smiled mockingly. “A good leader goes down with his ship; is that it?” He shook his head and sighed. “Look, commander. I’m not asking for your blessing, your permission, or even for you to make my wedding more convenient somehow.”

He picked his words until they sounded forced. “I’m asking for you to stop making my life more difficult than it already is. I’m not asking for help; I’m asking for a lack of aggression. I want your neutrality.”

Garcia looked around and ordered the soldiers away. They complied, giving Darren suspicious looks as they left. The commander turned his back to Darren and faced a large clear panel showing the vast vacuum of space. “If I leave you alone, will you leave Destiny alone?”

Darren nodded. “For the most part, yes. I’ll still retain access to things you consider important to make sure you keep your end of the deal. When I feel I can trust you again, you’ll get complete control once more.”

Garcia considered briefly. “Very well. Private Williams is still required to go through pilot’s training, however.” Darren smiled. “If you access your records, you’ll find there’s a mechanical and technical repair job on her ship that needs to be filled, both skills that I happen to be trained in, sir. Her room is sufficient for two people to live in.”

The commander raised an eyebrow. “You weren’t expecting to lose.” It wasn’t a question, but Darren answered anyways. “No, sir, I wasn’t.” The oxygen alarm faded, power returned to the commander’s quarters, and surveillance was active again.

Garcia pointed behind Darren. “I assume you’ve taken the time on the way up to find out everything, including where she is and how to get there?” Darren smiled again and stepped back into the waiting elevator, returning the commander’s level gaze until the doors closed shut with a pleasant “ding!”

Garcia walked over to the clear panel and stared out again. He couldn’t have done it alone…there had to have been someone else he worked with. He turned to one of his workers. “Get the security tapes up on this screen over here.” He pointed to one in particular.

“Show me everything with Darren Kinsley’s face on it. I want to see what he did, who he talked with, and when.”
~
The fourth floor was quieter than the others. The hangars were to the right of the elevator, the private rooms to the left. The cafeteria for pilots and repair technicians was on the way to the sleeping quarters, and all the classrooms were on the way to the hangars.

Sara slumped down in her chair as the senior pilot up front kept talking. The move in the night had been swift and relatively silent. Sleep did not come easy anymore, as she dreaded another move.

And the cliff in her nightmares kept coming back. Maybe Darren has to be sleeping nearby to dispel them. Most likely it’s because neither one of us has used the power in a while.

The clock next to her bed had woken her at 9 promptly. The schedule near the clock laid out a grueling routine for each day. There had been no time for breakfast or a shower before rushing off to the first item on the list.

Hour after hour of training and lectures, yet not a single moment of peace to be found among the silence. She looked around, hiding her glances by pretending to stretch slightly.

The rows of blue pilot jumpsuits were intently focused on the leader. Why do they spend their entire lives working so hard? We have to help those down on Shirn, true, but some people go so much further than that. They don’t stop to live their own lives. Trying to find fulfillment through being busy or burying their noses in work…some people search for happiness in the oddest places…

“Pilot Williams!” Sara was forced out of her thoughts by the grating voice of the old man. “Pilot Williams, do you know the answer?” Sara sat up and nodded. “Forty-two, sir.”

“Very good.” The pilot-turned-teacher moved on to his next victim. Sara breathed a quiet sigh of relief. I have to stop doing that…there’s no time for philosophy when we’re learning about engine troubleshooting. I barely got that last question in time, too.

A rumbling floated up to her ears from her belly. Lunch was too quick to eat enough. No wonder everyone here seems tired all the time. Sara sighed and did her hardest to concentrate on what remained of the lesson.

The class finished up soon after. They were given dinner and a short break, then more classes. The day ended around eight o’clock as the students headed wearily back to their rooms for more studying.

Sara opted for a shower before going to bed. The hot water felt good on her aching back after sitting up for so long. She stepped out and slipped into a clean bathrobe, standing in front of a long mirror while beginning to dry her hair.

Her head drooped slightly. So…tired… She was nodding off while standing up when she felt the air in the room shift as the door started to open. Her reaction as she became wide awake was to reach over and turn off the lights in both her room and the attached bathroom she was in.

A crack of light from the constantly lit hallway seeped in. She turned towards it quickly, readying herself for defense. If it’s another move, I’ll go with them…but only after making them regret getting assigned to it.

The door closed, plunging the room back into darkness. A slight rustling came from the corner near the door. It quieted after a minute, and still Sara waited. Finally, she could take it no longer and turned the lights back on.

Darren rolled over and mock-glared at her from underneath his blanket. “Hey! I left the lights off so that you could sleep. I expect the same courtesy.” Sara leaned back against the wall and rubbed her forehead, slightly sarcastic. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t know I was going to be visited by the almighty Darren. I apologize deeply for my lack of readiness.”

Darren stood up with a serious face. “My visits are unknown to all but a few, and none dare stand in my way.” He held the face for about five seconds before chuckling. “All it took was some leverage upstairs. By the way,” he held out his hand, “I’m your mechanic.”

Sara crossed her arms and stared at him. “I’m sure that’s more innuendo.” Darren grinned and let his hand drop. “I suppose it could be. But not this time.” Sara turned and faced the wall. “And where were you while I was being spirited away against my will?”

“It was against my will too.” He moved closer and settled his head on her shoulder, encircling her waist with his arms. Sara shivered as his voice became deep. “The wedding’s tomorrow night, one hour after your last class. There’s no formal clothing on the ship, so it’ll have to be in jumpsuits.”

Sara’s tone was the equivalent of rolling her eyes. “How romantic.” Darren grinned again. “What, you didn’t expect to be on a space station when you got married? I thought you people planned out your weddings when you were all about twelve?” A slight jab in his ribs was Sara’s response.

Darren chuckled, and then sighed contentedly. Just being near her was intoxicating. He turned his head slightly and breathed in deeply, savoring the smell of her still-wet hair. If only this moment could last forever…

Sara turned around, pulling him out of his prolonged state of bliss. “And the room?” His look turned mischievous. “This room has been soundproofed for the weekend, our few belongings are being transported tomorrow, and a bigger bed will be delivered while we’re being married.”

Sara shook her head. “Sorry if it seems like I’m a little…detached. I’m still waiting for it to sink in. And it feels like waiting for the other shoe to drop, too.” Darren nodded. “I understand. Just remember, we hold the other shoe.”

Sara nodded with Darren as he stepped back. “Well, we’d better get some sleep. From what I hear, pilot training is no picnic. And the same sources say that mine is only slightly easier.”

Sara shrugged. “Can’t be that bad. Most of it is already on the network. It’s all reading and memorization so far. The good stuff like actual flying comes much later. But it’ll all go by quickly.”

Darren raised an eyebrow. “You’re not stressing about this?” She shook her head. Darren looked around, pretending to search the room. “You sure you’re Sara? I seem to remember a girl who wouldn’t go anywhere without knowing exactly what was going to happen.”

Sara smiled. “Must’ve been the company I was in. I seem to remember one person in particular that always did his best to explain the unexplainable, and did a pretty good job, while at the same time showing me that there wasn’t a need to be absolutely sure of everything.”

Darren smiled. “Well, you can’t really enjoy life unless you take risks to make it better. That said, I’m almost asleep on my feet.” He kissed her goodnight and went back to his blanket, mind racing. When did the change happen? It wasn’t at the cathedral or the monastery…maybe it just took time. And now she’s dependent on nothing.

Sara climbed into her bed, lips still tingling. Does he know the full effect he has on me? She drifted off to sleep slowly, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the next day.

- posted by Nick @ 6/08/2004 09:35:00 PM

 

Chapter 28: Fun and Games

Sara knocked on her door softly, waiting until she heard Diana’s “Come in!” She opened the door slightly and peeked in. “Diana…can Darren come in?” Darren winced as an ear-piercing shriek blasted out of the slightly open door. “I’m not ready to meet him yet! I haven’t mentally prepared myself! Keep him out!” Darren laughed and gently pushed the door open. “Coming in.”

Diana sat in one of four chairs at the small table in the center of the room, barely moving. Darren leaned over to Sara and whispered loudly, “If I take another step closer, she’ll explode. You’re going to have to interpret the language she uses.” Diana giggled nervously and breathed in deeply. “Sorry, it’s just been a long time since I’ve met a man genuinely interested in another person…and not just their body.”

Darren frowned. “That happens a lot around here?” Diana nodded. “Not a single guy here appreciates inner beauty.” Darren glanced at Sara. Diana caught the look and sighed. “We need more men like you here. I don’t suppose you can smuggle some aboard…” Darren grinned. “I know a couple people who would absolutely love the chance…but it looks like I’m stuck here and can’t get them.”

Sara grabbed her laptop from her desk and set it down on the table. Darren pulled his out and sat down as well, classical music playing in the background. Diana looked from person to person. “What is there, some kind of electronic conspiracy going on?” Sara smiled. “Nah, we thought we’d just explore the laptops and network.” Diana went and got hers. “I can’t just sit here and stare at you two all day…”

After about an hour, Darren glanced at the clock on the wall. “Oh yeah, I was going to go to dinner. Want to come, or do you still want to tinker around?” Sara stood up. “No…I’m not that hungry. For food, anyways…” Diana turned away and coughed loudly. Darren grinned and moved closer for a long, slow, passionate embrace that Sara wished would never end.

When Sara opened her eyes again, Darren was leaving and Diana was on Sara’s bed staring at the wall. Sara sat down at the table and scanned her laptop as Diana turned around. “Well, that goodbye took a while.” Sara blushed. “Yeah…he’s really sweet.”

Diana twirled a short strand of her brown hair absentmindedly as she sat cross-legged on Sara’s bed. “So…how is he?” Sara glanced up from her screen at her roommate. “What?” Diana grinned. “You know…how ‘is’ he?” Sara’s mouth dropped open. “We’re…not married.”

Diana shrugged. “Doesn’t seem to matter to people here. What’s stopping you two?” Sara felt her face grow hot. “Well…we both have morals…and he’s not going to push me farther than I want to go.” Diana sighed deeply and dropped her head back onto a pillow. “I’d give anything for a guy like that…you’re so lucky.” Sara smiled slightly. “Trust me, I know. Not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for him.”
~
Darren ambled aimlessly down the hallway. There was no hurry to go eat. From what he’d read on the “Web of Destiny,” the space station’s intra-network, the food was lacking, especially in the ‘taste’ category. It was served buffet-style in a large room, tables of various shapes around the room.

Darren glanced around, taking care notice the different groups of people. Fluorescent tubes lit the room, occasionally flickering. He spooned what he assumed to be soup into a bowl, grabbed a drink, walked down an aisle between two long tables, and sat across from a smaller kid eating by himself at one end.

The kid looked up from his laptop, looked back and kept typing and eating. “Leave.” Darren shrugged. “If it’s all the same, I’d rather sit here than over by anyone else.” The kid looked up again. “Just leave.” Darren raised an eyebrow. “Or?” “Or I’ll ruin your life here.” The kid was obviously not above making threats.

Understanding dawned on Darren. “So you’re Venom. The one they’ve never caught.” Venom looked around and leaned forward. “Yes. Now shut up and leave.” Darren shook his head. “Ease up. I’m only making casual conversation. Not like I’m asking you for trade secrets or anything.” Venom didn’t smile. “That’s good. Because you wouldn’t get them. I’m already watching your files.”

Darren smiled. The first thing he’d done was set up fake accounts and aliases. He’d never needed them before, but there was always a first time for everything. “You do that. In the meantime, watch your own.” Venom smiled for the first time. “You’re not the first to say that.” Darren matched the smile with a slight smirk. “But I’m the first to get onboard without clearance.”

Venom narrowed his eyes. “I don’t believe you.” Darren shrugged. “Check for yourself. I’m sure you have access to the commander’s files, as do I. And don’t bother trying to trace me. I’ve already routed my path through the network at random.” Venom nodded. “A good start. But given time, it’s inevitable that I’ll have access.”

Darren nodded with him. “Yes, that’s true. But it works the other way as well. I propose a truce. The second I detect your presence in my stuff, I ruin you. And you do the same.”

Venom bit off a piece of bread. “Sounds good. Keep in mind I don’t know you, we never met, and so forth.” Darren smiled. “Of course. Oh, pardon me.” He reached over and lifted Venom’s bowl along with his own, just as the table began to shake. The people at the other end liked to play tricks, so it seemed.

One of them stood up and walked casually over. Darren sized him up quickly. Slightly bigger than average, muscles noticeable, swagger to his walk, flat-topped haircut…some kid who can push others around because he’s been in the military and knows how to yell. He glanced back at Venom. “You sticking around? Might be a food fight…”

Venom shrugged and switched off his laptop. “I’ll watch on the security cams later.” Darren grinned. “Spoken like a true computer master. Oh, so far…” Darren hesitated. Should he, or shouldn't he? “…I haven’t been able to find your real name.”

The other boy smiled. Darren was tipping his hand and Venom knew it, but felt generous enough to do the same. “I have no real name. All I’ve ever been called is Venom.” He grabbed the laptop and sauntered away.

Darren looked up at the smirking person standing beside him. “Can I help you?” The boy sat down with his back against the table, arm propped up. “Actually, yeah, you can.” Darren recognized the foreshadowing instantly. “I’m listening.” “Well, I’ve been hearing talk about a really hot chick that came onboard yesterday…and the word is you know her.”

Darren smiled inwardly. This could be fun. “You’re right. I know her. You’re not the only guy who wants her, though. There’s quite a long line. But give me your name and I’ll mention you to her.” “Thomas.” Darren waited for a last name. He didn’t get one. “Just Thomas. I’m the only Thomas here.”

Darren nodded. “Thomas, right. And why should she choose you out of all the others going after her?” Thomas grinned. “Let her know that she can drop by my room and see for herself.” Darren fought the urge to deck him. “And what if she’s not interested in that sort of thing?”

Thomas laughed. “What? You can’t be serious.” Darren stood. “I’m totally serious. She’s not single either. She’s already chosen somebody. So your efforts would be better spent chasing after someone easier.” Thomas smiled politely. “And I suppose that somebody she’s chosen would be you, then?”

Darren nodded, smiling only a bit to show he was serious. At least he’s not stupid. “That’s right.” Thomas stepped forward. “Here on Destiny we have a tradition…if somebody wants a girl that belongs to somebody else…they have to fight.” Darren’s smile disappeared. The fun ended now. “Traditions were made to be broken…Thomas.”

Thomas grabbed Darren by the shoulders. “There’s no avoiding it. You’re going to have to fight me for her. Right now.” Darren briefly considered threatening Thomas further. But only briefly. He threw his hands up in between Thomas’ arms and spread his arms apart, knocking them away.

Power or style? Large crowd, kid with a bully complex…definitely style. He jumped straight up, avoiding the use of magic, spinning clockwise in the air and bringing his right leg hard in a mid-air roundhouse against Thomas’ right shoulder, knocking him over the table and to the floor on the other side.

Darren sat down and finished his drink. “Fight’s over, I win.” To his surprise, the other got up and rotated his arm. “That wasn’t a kick. That was a lame attempt at show business.” Thomas cracked his knuckles. “Ready for round two?” Darren shrugged and walked to the center of the room, where there were no tables. “Sure. You realize, of course, that even if you do beat me, you can never own her.”

Thomas grimaced. “You act like I care about her feelings.” Darren closed his eyes. If he keeps that up, he loses an organ. About that time, Sara walked in. She was in her white jumpsuit, which did less to hide her figure than her Shirnish traveling clothes. Darren opened his eyes and promptly closed them again, groaning. Perfect timing. But she can handle herself.

He motioned to Thomas. “Shall we begin?”

Thomas nodded, his eyes on Sara. “Yeah, yeah…one second…” Darren sighed and grabbed a roll from the ground. He tossed straight up and down a few times, and then hit Thomas in the head with it. “Hey! Thomas! Fighting! Now!” Thomas didn’t move. Darren shrugged and walked past him towards Sara.

Sara glanced around as she neared Darren, leaning in to whisper. “Darren…why do they keep staring at me, and why are you about to fight that guy?” Darren grinned. “It’ll all be explained.” He stopped talking aloud and spoke through the link. Sara stared at him in shock, and then grinned. {Sure, why not?}

They embraced, Sara watching over Darren’s shoulder. As expected, Thomas took the moment to aim a savage chop at Darren’s neck. Darren ducked and Sara caught the blow with a hand, staring at Thomas. “No concept of fairness? And here I was thinking chivalry existed outside of Darren.”

Thomas tilted his head to one side. “Darren? Ah, that’s him. Right. The wimp with the weak kicks.” Sara dropped his hand. “Big talk works on groupies, but not me. You’re full of it.” Thomas grinned. “Maybe. Maybe not.” He turned to Darren. “Small fry! You gonna let your woman fight for you?”

Darren sat down at a table and leaned back. “I think I’ll watch this one. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her hurt anybody badly. And it’s always good to take a break now and then.” He nodded at Sara. “Whenever you’re ready.”

Sara stared into Thomas’ eyes and stepped back. She bowed, saying “May you live.” Thomas stared at her, perplexed, and then looked at Darren. “I can’t fight her!” Darren glanced at the combatants. “But you just said you don’t care about her. So how does that work out?”

Thomas made a low rumbling noise in his throat and ignored Sara, running for Darren. Sara hopped onto a bench and jumped between the two, knocking Thomas off his feet with a sweeping kick. He regained his balance and landed softly. The punch he threw when he got up was aimed at Darren, but Darren didn’t move. Sara caught the punch and slammed her fist into his gut, sending him back a few steps.

Still he came on. Darren sighed and waved Sara aside. He stood up and waited for the punch, dodging it as he moved away from the table. Instead of fighting, he waited until Thomas threw a weak punch and absorbed it into his chest, pulling himself closer to the pugilist.

Thomas couldn’t move his hands; Darren’s grip on his arms was too strong. He couldn’t move his legs without opening himself up for a kick. He was at Darren’s mercy, and Darren had something to say to him. The change in his tone was unmistakable.

“Listen up, little man, because I’ll only say this once. Stay away from Sara and don’t bother her. We can end this one of two ways. I can leave you for the janitor to find the next morning, or you can walk away and end this silly little ‘tradition’ of yours, not to mention saving a little more face than with option one. Your choice.”

Thomas stared stone-faced at Darren, acting like he hadn’t heard either choice. Darren let go of his arms and walked out with Sara, glancing over his shoulder at the sea of stunned faces. Nothing quite like leaving an entire room in wonder and confusion…

They walked the hallway in silence, Darren lost in thought and Sara continually glancing at him. When they passed his room, Sara nudged him. “What’s your room like?” Darren smiled down at her. Thanks. “Exactly like yours, but smaller and without a roommate.”

Sara rolled her eyes. “You got lucky. You don’t have somebody asking you how often you sleep with your partner, or how good they are.” Darren chuckled. “Yes, I’ve noticed people here tend to be very…forward in their speech.”

They reached the door and Darren opened it. “I’m guessing from your constant attempts to block my path that you’re inviting me in.” Sara grinned. “Was it that obvious?” “Only a little.”

Sara walked in and made sure her roommate was decent before letting Darren in. Diana pointed to the table and resumed typing at her desk. “Someone came by earlier with a message for you, Sara. Said it was important.” Sara picked up the letter and scanned it. She sat down and read it again, then quietly handed it to Darren and rubbed her temples.

Darren picked it up and read parts aloud. “Dear Miss Sara, we are delighted blah blah blah you have garnered favor blah blah blah going to move you to another more private location, unknown to all but a few.” He stopped skipping parts and finished up, frowning. “I wonder where they’re going to send you.”

Sara looked up at him. “I won’t leave. I’m sick of leaving.” Darren sat down in a chair beside her. “No-one understands that more than me, Sara. But this isn’t as bad as it seems. You’ll still be in the same station, and I’ll still be able to visit you.” Sara walked over to her bed and sat down facing the wall.

“I’m sick of people telling us what we can and can’t do.” Darren stood and watched her. “I know. I feel the same way. The rules don’t apply to us, though. We can bend them, and if we need to we can break them. We are in control here, not them.”

He jumped and landed in front of her on the bed, cross-legged. She dipped her head to avoid seeing his face. Darren let his eyes unfocus as he stared off into the distance. “You want things to clear up. You want all the problems to sort themselves out, and leave you out of it.”

Sara didn’t move her head. Darren reached out and placed his hands over hers. “The only way it’ll sort out is if you let it go completely. You have to stop caring. Nobody else matters but us now.” Diana coughed. Darren glanced over with a small smile. “Diana, of course, might matter a tiny bit.” She nodded, satisfied, and went back to her work.

Darren stood up suddenly. “Sara, when was the last time you checked your messages?” Sara looked at him, confused. “Right before I went to dinner, or rather what I thought would be dinner. Why?” Darren shrugged noncommittally. “Maybe they left an important message about the move.”

Sara climbed off the bed and moved unenthusiastically to her laptop. She flipped up the top and turned it on, logging in and resting her head in one hand. Instantly the screen was covered with text. Through some kind of projection technology, in bold black letters on every wall it read “Sara Williams, will you marry me?” Diana glanced up and stared openmouthed at the wall. Sara turned and looked at Darren, who still sat cross-legged on the bed, watching her reaction.

He smiled. “Wish I had a camera.” Sara strode to the foot of the bed and crossed her arms. “Darren, are you serious about this?” Darren held her gaze steadily. “As serious as I can be.” She leaped on the bed and threw her arms around his neck, knocking him backwards as he laughed. “Of course I will!”

After a few moments, she pulled back and stared at him. "But doesn’t it seem a bit…soon?" Darren turned serious again. “We don’t know how much time we have or what’s happening next. And judging by your initial reaction, it’s something you’ve been giving thought to as well.”

Sara assumed a look of panic. “Well yes, but mostly on Shirn. How are we going to do the wedding now? Where? And who?” Diana turned in her chair. “There’s a chapel on level 2. I imagine you could persuade one of the ministers to do it.”

Darren nodded. “I’ll talk to him in the morning. In the meantime…there was no other way to make the projection than to do some more digging into their system. Most likely, the commander knows about the proposal.”

Sara kept staring. “Won’t that ruin it? Seeing as he seems to be dead set against you and everything…” Darren grinned. “As far as I know, the most he can do is make snide remarks and ask me why I look so tired or if I slept well.”

A knock stopped his next sentence. Darren glanced at Diana and Sara, but both of them weren’t expecting anybody. He put a finger to his lips and stood behind the door.

Sara walked over and opened it slowly, closing it almost all the way instantly, Thomas’ foot in the doorway. “No, wait! I’ve come to apologize.” Sara opened it all the way, still hiding Darren, and stepped back with her arms crossed. “Apologize for what?”

Thomas lifted a hand to his hair and looked at the ground, speaking quickly out of nervousness. “I was much too…forward. Not to mention violent. I guess it’s the way they train us to be. Us pilots, that is. You’re being transferred with some of us. I figured if I was working with you, I might as well make it less awkward. They’ve got a list sent out on our laptops.”

He glanced around the room at the walls. “Although, from what it looks like, you haven’t gotten that far.” He ventured a smile. Sara returned it with a little more warmth. “No, I haven’t.” Thomas looked around. “He left already? Shame…I was hoping to apologize to him too. Well, let him know I was looking to talk, not fight. And give him my congratulations. He’s a lucky man.”

Thomas turned and left, closing the door behind him. Darren leaned against the wall and spoke without looking at anything in particular. “I like him. He’s good, just misguided. And apologizing…that must’ve taken a lot of humility.” Thomas’ voice came through the door. “Don’t forget to add ‘observant’ and ‘not deaf!’”

Darren grinned and opened the door. “Apology accepted, congratulations appreciated.” Thomas nodded. “There was one more thing. A bunch of us guys and a couple of the more…competitive women get together on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights and take the ISP room for whatever we want. We link all the terminals and have miniature-scale wars, recreations of scenarios, anything we’re in the mood for.”

Noticing Sara’s concerned look, he quickly added “But the room doesn’t actually allow you to ‘hurt’ somebody.” He checked his watch. “You’ll see. Tonight’s a Wednesday night, so we’re heading out soon. You want to come?” Darren nodded. “Sure, I’ll come. Diana? Sara?”

“I’m game.” “Sounds like fun.” They waited for Diana to finish up the paragraph she was writing and walked to the elevator. Darren glanced at Thomas occasionally, still impressed with his apology. They made the trip to the ISP room in silence, each with their own ideas of what it would be like.

Thomas opened the door and let everybody else enter in front of him. They each nodded politely as they passed him. Darren walked in and looked around at the sea of white jumpsuits. Diana turned to Thomas in awe. “There’s gotta be over a hundred people here!” Thomas’ voice contained a note of pride. “Yep. Took me a long time to get them all organized like this, but I was here from the very beginning.”

He waved his hands and the room quieted. “Okay, terminals!” The people fanned out and each picked a station to stand at. Thomas led the three over to terminals directly across from the door. Two were slightly larger than all the others. Thomas took one and waved Darren forward. “These are the commander terminals. What say we get some friendly rivalry going?”

To his surprise, Darren shook his head. “I’d rather not. If it’s all the same, I’d like to be just another person.” Thomas smiled reassuringly. “It’s alright, Darren. I’m not trying to show you up in front of your girlfriend or anything.” Diana piped up. “She’s his fiancé now.” Thomas smiled apologetically. “Fiancé, sorry.” Darren still shook his head. “I have my reasons. Diana would probably do a good job, though.” Diana grinned evilly and stepped up.

Thomas shrugged. “If you can learn quickly, you might stand a chance.” Diana glared at him. “Skip the training. I’ve done this before.” Darren and Sara took the terminals nearest them. Darren chose to sit in the chair that came out from the floor, while Sara opted to stand.

They watched as Thomas placed both hands on a large well-let pad, following his example. Sara looked down and felt the air-cooled room melt away into a warm breeze. She opened her eyes, shaded them from the setting sun, and looked around.

They were standing on top of a grassy hill, facing another hill with a gently sloping valley in between. There seemed to be an equal amount of people on each side. Darren looked behind him and saw Thomas, apparently his commander of the miniature war. He looked around for Sara, but didn’t find her.

He squinted across the valley. Well…this should be interesting. Diana’s smile was visible even from the distance, and Sara was standing close to her. {You already know this, but powering ourselves up would probably not be a good idea, Sara.} {What would happen if magic met science?} Darren shuddered. {Nothing good, that’s for sure. But even without our power, we still have our skill with this type of combat.}

Thomas lifted his arm and waited for Diana to do the same. “Well Darren, tonight seems to be medieval war. Behind me is the armory. Sara appears to be on the other side…” Darren headed for the pile of weapons. “We’ve already discussed it. We’re not going to hold back, but we know it’s all a game.”

Thomas nodded. “Good. I’ve heard of many a relationship broken up by this room. Don’t let that happen. Did I explain the damage system? No? Well, obviously you can’t die in the real world. But the ISP room ‘remembers’ where, when, and how hard someone ‘hit’ your virtual body with a weapon.”

“It’s already calculated your stamina and such. There’s no ‘pain,’ per se, but your brain stores the information in your head. So you’ll know how much pain you would have felt, but you won’t actually feel it.”

Another soldier elbowed Darren in the side. “Sweet, eh?” Thomas nodded. “When the damage to your virtual body is calculated as too much, you ‘die’. At that point, you float above the field in a ghost-like form, able to watch but unable to do anything until everyone on one side is dead.”

Darren grinned. “Sounds like fun.” He hefted a large spear, twirling it several times. “When do we start?” Thomas squinted across at Diana’s silhouette. “Right…about…now. CHARGE!”

Both armies ran down into the valley as the commanders waved and shouted them onwards. Darren chanced a quick look over his shoulder at his leader. The change in Thomas from an obnoxious pilot to a heroic captain was strange, but not implausible.

Darren turned back to the opposing side as he reached the bottom of the valley, just in time to duck a hatchet thrown at his head. The two sides met in an explosion of metal and war cries. Darren hurled his spear through several people, noticing Sara’s wake of carnage out of the corner of his eye.

The white jumpsuits they all wore on the space station were still with them in the ISP simulation for some reason. The virtual bodies of the dead lay on the ground while the ghostly outlines of the slain could be seen when looking up.

Darren focused back on the battle. There was never much time for thought in war. He threw himself backwards to avoid a huge man with a double-bladed axe. With his spear, he was faster than most of the other warriors, and was able to dodge their blows easier.

Darren finished off a wild attacker with a flail and looked around. He, Sara, and both commanders were still alive, along with about a dozen others. Thomas and Diana started towards the valley, reaching the bottom as Darren and Sara finished off the last of the other team and turned to each other.

A moment of calm followed as the four looked around, noting the condition they were in. Darren leaned against his spear and watched as Sara and Diana moved closer together, making good use of their longswords.

Sara lunged forward and Thomas blocked her slash with the shaft of his mace. He pulled back as she slid her blade off his mace and downwards to block Darren’s thrust. Thomas aimed a blow towards Sara, but was stopped by Diana’s sword. Darren moved the point of his spear towards Diana’s throat, but couldn’t fully extend it because of Sara’s sword.

They stood that way for a while, each with a weapon aimed at them, unable to move because of imminent death. Sweat began to form on their faces as their arms began to tremble from the strain of holding heavy weapons.

Diana looked at Thomas. “Surrender?” Thomas smiled as best he could while gasping for breath. “Funny…I was just about…to ask you the same thing.” Sara glanced at each one. “There’s no way to call a truce?” Thomas didn’t move his gaze from the sword pointed at his throat. “I don’t know. I never imagined we’d have to call one.”

Darren lowered his spear and leaped backwards out of weapon range. “Better learn quick.” Thomas stared at him. “What’s the problem?” Darren shook his head. “Don’t ask; it’s too complicated.”

Thomas shrugged and backed away from Diana. “Alright.” He closed his eyes. After a minute of carefully watching the others for threatening movements, Sara felt the landscape change from the soft grass to the hard floor of the ISP room. Darren lifted his hands from the lit pad and walked through the crowd out of the room. Sara looked at Diana and shrugged, making her way after him.

Thomas reached over and shook Diana’s hand. “Excellent job out there. I haven’t seen a good commander opposite me for a long time. I hope you can do this again…” Diana smiled coyly. “I suppose I could. You said Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights, right?” Thomas nodded and yelled to the room as Diana turned and left. “Friday night we’re doing the bike race!” An enthusiastic roar came back from the crowd.
~
Sara caught up with Darren in front of the elevator. When it got there, he stepped inside and pushed the button to close the door quickly. He leaned against the back wall and stared straight ahead, avoiding her stare.

Darren walked Sara back to her room in silence. She opened the door and hesitated before going in, then turned to him. “Darren, I know you hold a lot inside. But you don’t have to.” He smiled gently. “Sara, I didn’t lie. I don’t want to burden you with my problems and faults. It’s far too complicated to explain.” He thought for a second and shrugged tiredly. “But I could try anyways.”

Sara led the way into her room and sat at the table across from Darren. “You mean the war in the ISP room was too complicated?” Darren nodded slightly. “They say the medieval war is a game and that it’s all in fun. I don’t believe that for a second.”

He held up his hand as Sara started to speak. “I didn’t say the ISP room, I said the medieval war. There’s a difference between running a footrace through a city and running your fiancé through with a spear. It’s designed to harden whoever fights in that war to everything and everyone else. Thomas and Diana don’t seem as affected as the rest, fortunately. Probably because they’ve got commander positions.”

Sara interrupted. “Darren, it doesn’t seem possible.” “I know. And now come the complications.” He paused to gain control of his voice. “It’s almost impossible to distinguish ISP from reality in there. How would we know if it was real or not? When will we stop distinguishing ISP from reality?”

He buried his face in his hands. “I couldn’t kill you or Diana. Even knowing full well it was fake, I couldn’t.” Sara leaned over and spoke quietly. “I don’t think any of us could.”

Darren jerked his head up suddenly. “But don’t you see? I’ve been here less than three full days and already I’ve shown weakness three times to three different people…and all having to do with you.”

A burning knot formed in Sara’s stomach. “What do you mean?” Darren shook his head and let his eyes unfocus as he stared off into the distance. “If I knew, I would tell you. But it’s so…strange. Every day I think about you. I can’t concentrate to the same extent as before I met you.”

Sara felt the knot cool and melt away. “That’s sweet. It’s not uncommon when you’re in love.” Darren shook his head again. “It’s weak.” Sara shrugged. “Do you think you were stronger by yourself before we met, or are we stronger now together?”

Darren grinned. “Well, I’d have to think about that one for a while.” Sara narrowed her eyes. “Would you rather keep all your organs or should I take the lesser used ones off your hands while you think?” He reached over and put a hand on her knee. “That won’t be necessary. We both know the answer to the first question.”

The door opened and Diana walked in. Sara jumped up and turned around. “Doesn’t anyone knock anymore?” Diana shrugged. “Why would I need to? It’s not like you’d be holding the honeymoon early in here.”

Darren stood. “Oh, I should probably look into a place for that too.” He leaned over and kissed Sara on the cheek. “I’ll be by tomorrow around noon for lunch.” The door closed behind him as he left for his room.

Diana started to change out of her jumpsuit and glanced at Sara. “You guys alright? He seemed pretty shaken by the room.” Sara shook her head. “He’s afraid of becoming a cold killer, and he thinks ISP is made for that sort of thing.” Diana stopped and looked at Sara again. “Do you believe him?”

Sara finished undressing and pulled a blanket over herself. “He’s not wrong about much. I don’t think he’s wrong now. My question is: what can we do about it?” Diana shrugged. “Not do medieval wars, I guess.” She got into her bed and turned off the lamp. “Goodnight.” “Night.”

- posted by Nick @ 6/02/2004 10:39:00 PM