by DC Bastien
"Really? Because I think I remember you s—"
Vadim stopped speaking because there was a sudden fluster of movement and lips pressed against his own. He closed his eyes, putting both hands on Ithon's stubble-rough jaw. It was pretty late in the day, now (when had they even last slept?) and he liked the scruff under his fingertips. Lips parted, he felt a tongue slide over and over the line of his mouth.
Ithon didn't deepen the kiss to begin with, but then all of a sudden he moved in a surge. Kip found himself on his back on the bed, both hands slammed over his head into the mattress. Sianar beds were large as a rule, and a little more firm than he'd generally prefer, but he'd slept on worse. Fornicated on much worse. He stared up at the other man, head to one side.
"Ith?"
"Tell me to stop."
"Do you want me to?"
"I—" Ithon's jaw worked, distress clear on his face. Whatever this Baudeline thing was, it was distressing enough to push the normally suave and smooth man to panic. His eyes flashed wide, and his mouth fell open on words he wasn't saying.
"I don't want you to."
"Don't you?"
Both hands held in one, now, and he saw the right one go to his boot with plenty of time to stop him. Plenty of time to interfere. Instead he offered his throat to the sudden flash of knife, eyes meeting again.
"I don't want you to. I don't want you to stop," he added, in case it wasn't clear what he meant. "Ithon... it's okay."
Kip was pretty sure it was the blunt edge of the knife kissing his throat, but he couldn't be certain. He wasn't about to wiggle too much in case it did knick over the skin there. Even though he was sure Ithon would take every care not to truly injure him, the throat (like the face) tended to bleed a little dramatically.
Plus he wasn't that much of a masochist.
Ithon's breathing went ragged and broken, his knife-hand shaking just slightly. His eyes begged for something – some anger, or forgiveness, or both, perhaps – but they didn't seem to get what they wanted. The knife went flat over his throat just as the taller man bent in to bite at his lip and worry it raw. Vadim tried to stay as relaxed as possible, giving Avery the moment. He hissed as one bite hit a nerve, and then the knife was clattering on the floor and he felt a head pushed into the pillow to the side of his head.
For a moment, he was confused. Then he realised that Ithon was... Ithon was crying. Silent, wracking sobs that shook them both, and Vadim wrestled his hands free. He wrapped them around him, stroking over his back and neck. "Ith... Ith it's okay."
"It's not."
He wasn't sure where this was coming from, or even what it was, and he just wanted to help. But he didn't really know how to. Ithon had never really broken down in front of him before. To his knowledge, the man had barely even sniffled in all the time they'd known one another. It was kind of terrifying being the 'stable' one, and he kissed at his jaw and whispered nonsense to him.
"It is. It's gonna be okay. It will. You got me, you got my crew. We're gonna take care of it. It'll be fine. And it's okay to feel... whatever this is. Just proves you ain't an AI."
That got him a weirdly broken little laugh and a sigh so heavy it probably originated on Draqqi.
"I'm not an AI."
"You could be."
"Kip, you've slept with me."
"You could be a really, really advanced sex-bot. I hear they make them now. I mean, on the grapevine. I've never looked into owning one."
"That's... good to know?"
"Don't need one. Got you."
Ithon groaned and slid off him to sprawl face-first into the mattress. One arm was bent up by his head, the other draped over Kip's waist. Their legs trailed over the side of the bed, and it wouldn't be comfortable forever, but it would do for now. Ithon turned his head to face him, blinking at the proximity.
"I'm not like you, Kip."
"No. You're not."
"I'm... I'm on sabbatical. Career break."
"Yep."
"It's not permanent. Or... it's not supposed to be."
"Why not?"
"Because an 'Enforcer' is who I am. It's... it's who I am."
"No, it's what you do."
Ithon's eyes closed, then, and stayed closed. "That's how we're different. I'm not sure I could be happy without my rank and title. I'm not sure what I'd be or do if I wasn't an Enforcer."
"You could always join my crew. Help lift boxes with Kre. Hell, you could cook. Or be my live in sex-bot."
"I thought you said I wasn't a robot?"
"Well, sex-slave then."
"You think I'd be satisfied doing nothing with my life but grant you sexual favours?"
"I think I'd be satisfied." He reached over, tugging Ithon until he spooned alongside him. One arm trapped under the other's neck, a position that wouldn't be comfortable long-term. It would work for now, though.
"Thanks."
"Hey, thank me by performing sexual favours," Kip said. "I'm a man. I like sexual favours."
A swat to his waist, and he rolled over to face him. They pressed foreheads together, cuddling in close. There was no way he'd take advantage of him when he was feeling so vulnerable like this. Instead, he'd kiss his closed eyelids, his temple, down over his jawline.
"Promise me something, Kip?"
"If I can, I will."
"Promise me... you'll... promise me you'll try not to change your mind about me."
That was a weird request. It was also a difficult one to agree to. How could he know what he'd think in the future? It was impossible. But then, he really doubted Ithon could ever do anything he'd disagree with. The man was far too stuck up his own ass for his own good at times. Knowing him, he'd probably be meaning he once filled out a form and back-dated it by an hour. Accidentally.
"I promise you that whatever you think is so wrong, it ain't. It really ain't. You're not the man you seem to think you are."
Ithon nodded, but then he wouldn't look him in the eye any more. He burrowed in close against his chest, and that was the end of the conversation.
***
Chapter Thirteen – Mission: Manipulation
"Right, so... temporary cease in our missions as a freight ship, no surprise to anyone," Vadim started. "We're on retainer by the Sianar and... also I think the Roq? Anyway, we've been given a budget to work as – uh – what do we even call ourselves?"
"Private investigators?" Saidhe suggested.
"Sounds better than 'vigilantes'," Ithon rumbled under his breath.
"Well, whatever we are, we've got a nice stipend to get to the bottom of who in the hell's decided to kick the hornet's nest," the Captain concluded. "Now, it ain't what any of you – with the exception maybe of Peters and Avery – signed on for. So's I won't be offended if anyone wants to take a back seat, or just tag along for the ride, or... I guess Eru or the Roq would put you up out of harm's way if you wanted..."
Biann actually cuffed him around the ear. "Look, would you stop with the little 'it's okay to leave' speeches? I mean, how much reassurance do you need? We're all in this – right? All of us? No matter what?"
"Hey, I was being polite!"
"She's got a point, son," the Judge said. "We all know what staying on your ship means. And we all do it anyway. You need to accept the fact that we're all in this for the long haul."
"Fine! See me ever give anyone a Get Out Of Jail Free card again!"
"Those don't actually exi—"
Kip put his hand flat over Ithon's mouth, not even moving it when he licked the palm. His stupid boyfriend really was gross and immature at times. "So now we're going to work out who this Baudeline idiot is, and why he wants to cause problems, and whether we can – no – how we can stop him. And Ithon here is gonna tell us some things when I let go of his face, isn't he?"
Icy eyes met his, glaring in utter defiance. Kip winked and then let go of his mouth.
"Around ten years ago I transferred back to the Human home system of Sol, to work as a local Enforcer there,"
Ithon said, as if he hadn't just been behaving like an utter child. "As you are probably aware, in addition to circuit-Judges such as Judge Peters, there are often groups of them based in major systems. These normally deal with the bigger cases, as they're around long enough to truly understand the local issues and the more involved, long-running investigations."
"They're still, like, the same as our Judge though, right?" Biann asked.
"We have different ranks, Biann, but there isn't a stigma or a distinction between circulatory Judges and those with a base. You can be any rank and perform either set of duties. It's a matter of preference, and we will also often change if we feel the need to for personal or career-related reasons," Peters answered her.
"So, as a system-focussed Enforcer, I got to know the local Judges very well," Avery continued. "It's not written in any rules or regs, but Enforcers tend to take their cases to the same few Judges if they're both static. It's just a matter of ease and familiarity. And there was one Judge – Baudeline DiGattio – who I... found very approachable. He was very keen and he had a high rate of success. He was also not afraid to take the high profile cases, or to put in hard work of his own. So we became very close... professionally."
"And did the Cap'n or you—" that to their own Judge, "...know him?" Loap asked.
"Sadly not," Peters replied for them both. "The Ur, as you know, is very expansive. I don't even think I came across his name before the impostor Cil mentioned it."
"I worked with him for... roughly three years," Ithon went on. "Eventually, my investigations led me to the conclusion that there was some... Puppetmaster, for want of a better term. It felt like much of the criminal activity I was bringing down only took out elements."
"Forgive my stupidity," Kre said, "...but is that not... always the case? I have never yet seen a society without criminal elements."
"Not a stupid question at all. I just – I got one of those gut feelings. Like maybe I was taking out the competition, making life easier for someone smarter than me. And I started to investigate that, but whenever I got somewhere... key witnesses would wind up dead. I kept it quiet for the longest time, not sure if I was reading things into the world that weren't there..."
"Baudeline," Kip offered.
"I took it to him, and... yes. He... resigned shortly after."
"Wait, why?" Biann's bow-strings jangled noisily. "If he was involved, why did he – why did he resign?"
"I didn't have evidence to prosecute him, but if he'd stayed then I might have found it," Ithon replied. "He cut his losses and left."
"So now we gotta take him down. I mean – properly." The Captain caught Peters' eye and then nodded. "Legally. If he's got all these means and motives, he needs stopping properly. Which means some good old-fashioned detective work."
"And why can't the Ur do this legitimately?" Saidhe squinted. "They don't know you suspected?"
"No. I... had nothing to use, and he was gone, so it was moot. I've kept tabs on his identity and connections ever since, but this is the first time he's resurfaced since he resigned. I could investigate this as an Enforcer, but if I go through the system or use the system... there is no telling how many corrupt contacts he has. How high the rot goes. We need to do this discreetly."
"But he's been gone for years?" Loap's claws tapped thoughtfully. "How will we find him? Or evidence to bring him to justice?"
"He wants to be found, on some level. Or... believes he's bulletproof. I'm not sure which." Avery ran the toe of one boot along the instep of the other. "We'll use that. Investigate payments. Contacts. Go over my historical evidence, too. See if we can find enough for the Judge to try him."
"Can he?"
"I can," Peters confirmed. "If he was still a Judge, then there'd need to be a panel of us. But as he resigned so long ago, it will hold with my judgement alone. I can get it ratified by someone I trust if I believe he will challenge my ruling."
"So... Sparkle... can you plot a course for Sol?"
"Oh, another core world!" Biann said. "Will we visit Earth?"
"That's where my base was, so very likely," Ithon replied. "After a trip to Pluto. Though... you might wish you hadn't signed up for this, Biann."
"Not on your life."
***
Kre was startled by the quiet request for entry to her room and she told Mes yes. She'd been packing away a few trinkets she'd picked up of her father's as mementos, and when she saw it was Eru in the doorway her whiskers froze.
"Were you not going to say goodbye?"
"I..." Her tail flicked apologetically. "I... didn't think to."
"You should think more," her sister said, voice suddenly soft. "There is no longer any risk of being chained to the throne. You need no longer hide... except when you wish to."
"It has just been my mentality for so long that changing it will be difficult," Kre answered. She put aside the worn leather belt, rising up to her full height. "I never wanted to disappoint him."
"I think he would also have been disappointed if you relented," Eru said, with a knowing flash of canines. "He loved you dearly."
"As he did you."
"I believe... I believe he did. I wished he would trust me to take over his mantle fully, but he was a stubborn old man. If one day you came home demanding the throne and I had decided I wished to... become a gladiator... he would likely have changed his mind once more."
Kre barked out a laugh. "Do you remember the time when we managed to convince him that he'd said we could form our own musical group in the antechamber, for the acoustics?"
"He was easy to sway if you knew how to apply pressure. At least until he heard our percussion section."
Kre remembered that week fondly. It had taken some careful plotting between the three young cubs, and had culminated in a performance they'd recorded. Cil had been sure that they were going to be a hit with their Kior-Dhalia art tutor. The recording had to be somewhere on the mainframe, still.
"And don't forget when he insisted for a full week that the first Hleen ambassador was Niccaun, and when we proved him wrong he first denied he'd said Niccaun, then came up with qualifiers to prove he was right, rather than admit we'd caught him out." She felt her eyes sting slightly, remembering that Ail. The Ail who could be so rational around his charges, but wanted so much to be the all-knowing father that the one time they caught him in an error it had caused sheer existential terror.
"He was a good father," Eru said, following the unspoken trail. "He really was. He was just..."
"Sianar," Kre finished for her. "Flawed, as all of us are. But he loved us both. He only wanted us all to excel. That is why he gave us every opportunity to learn others' viewpoints."
"Do you not think he succeeded? You are happy with your laws, theorems, proofs and investigations. You crew with the most... eclectic mix I have seen so closely bonded. And I..." Eru faltered. "I suppose I did rise to the challenge he threw before me."
"You did. You took control of that situation, when all I wished to do was hide. And you showed you are more moderate than many thought you would be."
"I have never wished less for the Roq. I simply... think it is dangerous to pretend that our past never happened. There are good things from our history, as well as bad. Although... I suppose I can see how it might be interpreted as an insular pride." The Za put her front paws on Kre's shoulders, pulling her in for a press of head to head.
"We learn every day, Eru. And you will need to learn much, fast."
"I will endeavour to make our family proud. Even Cil."
Kre reached her tail around to Eru's, and they wound them in a firm embrace. "He would be proud."
Eventually, they broke from the hug and Eru stepped backwards towards the door. "I should leave before your Captain forgets I am aboard and kidnaps me. But you must promise not to be such a stranger, sister."
"I will try. If nothing else, we can speak over vid-call?"
"If you do not call me, I will send the Ardeshir." Eru nodded, then left h
er sister to her things.
***
[Sianor: Okay, so.]
[Ashroe: What's up sweetie?]
[Sianor: Mom asked me to move back in for the week to help out.]
[Ashroe: Mhm, you said before.]
[Sianor: Which is fine. I mean, I love them. I do. And they've been there for me whenever I've needed help.]
[Ashroe: I sense but-face.]
[Sianor: Yeah.]
[Sianor: I feel like such a douche for saying it, but – but he's driving me crazy.]
[Ashroe: Uhoh.]
[Sianor: Like I don't know what's got into him. He's barely had a head cold before now, but... he's just...]
