“Sir no! I took the cover off Victoria’s plate myself. She’d asked what she was having so I showed her. She was so excited. There wasn’t a bowl of sauce on her plate.”
“And Cassandra’s plate?”
“Sir?” Hutu gives him a confused look.
“Was there one on Cassandra’s plate?” William repeats.
“Sir, I never removed her cover. It was on her plate? There would be no reason for it she was having Rhea. If I’d removed the cover I would have known something was wrong sir.” Hutu looks at the Admiral with earnest eyes. “I’m sorry sir.”
“I know you are Hutu. I also want you to know that I don’t believe you did this.”
“Thank you Admiral!” Hutu replies in a relieved voice.
“Neither does Cassandra.” Hutu closes his eyes.
“Thank you sir.”
“But still someone got to those plates. I need you to think. When were they left unattended?”
“I’ve thought of nothing else sir. I personally prepared the food. Plated and covered them. The tray was…” Hutu pauses.
“What!” The Admiral demands.
“The tray, it wasn’t where it normally is, I had to go back to the storage area to find it.” Hutu says remorsefully. “I’m sorry sir. I left the plates. When I came back I just put them on the tray. I didn’t recheck the food.”
“There was no reason for you too Hutu.”
“Sir, I brought it to her.” Hutu’s is distress easily seen by both men.
“Who else was in the kitchen? Someone not normally there.”
“Sir, no one stands out. I don’t remember anyone unusual.”
“Keep thinking about it Hutu. If you remember anything report to Colonel Quinn immediately.”
“Yes sir.”
“Dismissed.” Hutu leaves.
William gets up from his desk. “If you need me I’ll be in medical.” He tells Quinn.
Lucas heads to medical the look on his face moving everyone out of his path. Anyone seeing him had no doubt he was the Admiral’s son. Entering medical he doesn’t see Victoria then he sees the guards. Heading for the room a guard stops him.
“Let him through, Paas that’s Zafar.”
Entering the room he gets his first look at Victoria and his heart drops. She’s so small lying in the bed with machines hooked up to her. She’s pale with dark circles under her eyes and so eerily still. Cassandra’s sitting in a chair on the far side of the bed holding her hand to her cheek talking softly to her.
“Cassandra...” Lucas quietly approaches the bed. Still holding Victoria’s hand to her cheek she turns agonized eyes to Lucas.
“Tori, Lucas’ here, why don’t you open your eyes and see?” Cassandra tries to get a response from her niece.
“Take her hand Lucas. She needs to know you’re here.”
Lucas gently picks up Victoria’s other hand, so small in his and rubs his thumb across the top.
“Tori, I’m here, baby. Come on open your eyes.” He gets no more response then Cassandra has for the last two hours.
“We need to keep talking to her, keep her with us.”
Bliant enters to check Tori’s stats. He meets Cassandra’s look.
“No change.”
“Ok.”
“What’s that mean?” Lucas demands.
“She’s not getting any worse.” Dr Bliant informs him. He gives Cassandra one last look then leaves the room. Outside he sees the Admiral approaching.
“There’s been no change Admiral, no better, no worse. It’s a waiting game now.”
“Thank you Bliant.” Entering the room he sees his son on one side of the bed, Cassandra on the other. It doesn’t’ look like she’s moved since he’d left. Walking over he puts a hand on her shoulder. Tipping her head to the side she leans into his touch.
“You need to take a break, Cassandra.” He rubs his thumb against her cheek.
“No. I’m fine.” Her voice is firm as she lifts her head. Knowing she isn’t going to leave he pulls over a chair and sits beside her.
Cassandra doesn’t notice the passing hours. Victoria has her complete focus. She’s been talking to her almost none stop. William and Lucas have had to leave several times but always returned. She knows they both have other responsibilities but Victoria is her only one. Alone in the room she rises from the chair climbing into the bed to hold her niece in her arms.
“Come on baby.” She whispers in her ear her voice rough. “I’ve got you. You’re safe. Wake up baby.” Softly she begins to sing in her ear, an old song she knew Cyndy sang to her when she’d been sick or scared. She’s so focused on Victoria she doesn’t hear the door open.
“Come on sweetheart you know I need help here. You need to sing your part or I sound stupid. You know how I hate that.” Starting the song again she’s part way thru when Tori’s lips begin to move, Cassandra’s voice catches. As she continues to sing Tori is whispering her part when she finishes then opens her eyes.
“Hi baby.” Cassandra whispers blinking back tears.
Dr Bliant, who’s entered with Lucas and the Admiral, moves quickly to the bed.
“Hello there, young lady.” Tori looks at him with confused eyes.
“Aunt Cassie?”
“It’s okay baby, you got sick. Dr Bliant’s been making you better.” She slides off the bed still holding her hand.
Tori watches Bliant until she sees Lucas at the foot of the bed. She gives him a little smile.
“Lucas. You’re here too?”
“I had to come see my best girl didn’t I?” He tells her in strained voice, making the smile grow. Cassandra steps back holding Victoria’s hand out to Lucas. He walks up to take it, giving her a grateful look.
“Tori, I need to steal your Aunt away for just a few minutes okay?” William asks her.
“You’ll be back?” Fear enters her eyes.
“You bet. Lucas will stay until then okay.” Cassandra’s voice trembles.
“Okay.” Tori turns her eyes to Lucas.
Leading her into Bliant’s office William pulls her into his arms as the door closes. Wrappings hers arms around his waist Cassandra bursts into tears. Holding her close he knows she’s finally releasing her fear. He’s seen her instant reaction to a crisis, with the rescue of Tori from the fire. But what he’s witnessed here is the underlying strength, her total commitment, without reserve, to someone she loves. She’ll give until she breaks. William wonders what it would feel like to have her feel that way about him.
As he continues to rub her back she calms. Lifting her head she looks up at him.
“I soaked your jacket.” Her voice is hoarse.
“It’ll dry.” William takes a visual inventory of her, seeing the pale skin, red rimmed eyes, the dark circles underneath, tears still threatening to overflow, her exhausted body trembling slightly.
“You need sleep. You’ve been up over forty-eight hours.”
“I know, but Tori need’s me.” Stepping away she whips her remaining tears away. Putting a hand on his cheek she looks into concerned eyes. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Being here.”
“I’ll always be here for you.” Cradling her head he tips her head back. “I’m not letting go.” Gently he kisses her lips, with a sigh she sinks into him drawing on his strength.
“I need to get back to her.”
“I know.” Opening the door he lets her exit first. Victoria’s eyes are closed when they reenter the room. Cassandra’s eyes fly to Bliant.
“She’s just resting. All her signs are looking good she just needs some food and rest now.” Cassandra looks at her niece as she listens. Nodding at what Bliant is saying.
“Does she need to stay here?”
“I’d like to keep her over night to make sure she’s keeping her food down, but after that she can go home.” Tori opens her eyes looking at her Aunt.
“Aunt Cassie…you look terrible.” She says in a stronger voice. Cassan
dra raises an eyebrow at her niece. Lucas tries not to chuckle.
“Really…” She eyes Lucas.
“Hey, innocent here.” William sees his opportunity and takes it.
“Victoria would it be okay if Cassandra left for awhile to get some sleep? That might help her.” Cassandra looks at him, but before she can speak Victoria chimes in.
“You’ll make sure she sleeps?” Tori demands.
“Yes.”
“But you’ll come back later, Aunt Cassie?”
“Tori, I’m not leaving you here alone.”
“I’ll stay with her.” Lucas interrupts. With three pairs of eyes watching her Cassandra can do nothing but give in. Moving to her niece she leans down giving her a kiss.
“I’ll be back in a little while.” Tori nods as Cassandra and the Admiral walk out the door.
Cassandra’s nearly sleeping on her feet by the time they get to William’s quarters, her extreme exhaustion making her unaware of where he’s leading her until they get there.
“Why are we here?”
“You’ll sleep better.” He leads back to his private quarters.
“But…”
“Cassandra,” He’s been patient as long as he can, watching her exhaust herself, being unable to help, has ripped at him. There is something he could do now and he’ll be damn if she’ll stop him. “Shut up and get into bed.” Cassandra tries to be upset at his tone but finds she’s just too tired.
“We’ll fight about this later.” She mumbles as she all but collapses on his bed.
“Come on baby,” William keeps her upright. “Let’s get these clothes off. You’ll sleep better.” Sliding her pants over her narrow hips he realizes her boots are still on. Impatiently he pulls them off, than finishes with the pants.
“I’d sleep better if you were with me,” she mumbles. William looks up at her, seeing she’s already half asleep as he tucks her legs under the blankets.
“I will be later count on it.” He pulls off her shirt.
“Promise?” She asks in a sleep filled voice her unfocused eyes trying to stay open.
“Promise.” William gives her a hard kiss as he pulls the blankets over her. She’s asleep before the kiss ends. Watching her sleep for a moment he turns to his ready room. He has work to do.
Several hours later William puts down the final report he’s received from Quinn. There’s no new information on where the Xyphrine came from. No one remembers anyone out of the ordinary in the kitchen. Whoever did this had blended in. Rubbing his eyes William heads into his private quarters.
His life mate slept in his bed. Someone on his ship wanted to harm her. But why? William ponders it as he removed his clothes. Getting into bed he gently pulls her to him. In her sleep she wraps an arm around him. Closing his eyes he lets sleep come.
Waking she knows she’s alone. Seeing the closed adjourning door she realizes the Admiral is already in a meeting. It’s only 0730. Sliding out of the bed, she heads to the bathroom for a shower.
In his ready room the Admiral is reading the translation of the Regulian response to the earlier translation. “Light will be extinguished.” William looks at Quinn. “They’re getting testy with each other.”
“Yeah.” Quinn agrees.
Hearing the shower running, he picks up his headset calling Hutu. “Twenty minutes.” Is all he says.
“Were we able to get any closer to finding who received the transmission?” William asks turning back to Quinn.
“No.”
“Okay, tell communications to keep up the good work.”
Knowing he’s being dismissed Quinn stands. “How’s she doing Will?”
William looks up at his friend. “She slept like the dead. Getting some food into her should help.”
“She stands Will. I had my doubts. But she stands.” Turning he leaves the ready room. Getting up William secures the hatch then heads to Cassandra.
Finding her sitting in a chair pulling on her boots he walks over. Squatting down he rests his hands on her knees. He’s relieved at what he sees. Her thick, black hair is damp on her shoulders, the dark circles under her eyes have faded, there’s color in her cheeks.
“Tori?”
“Still sleeping, kept her supper down. You look better.” He says looking into sharp focused blue eyes.
“I feel better.” She covers his hands. “You were right, I needed the sleep.”
“You need to eat.” He pulls her to her feet. “Hutu is on his way.” Her stomach rumbles at the thought. She grins at him.
“Yeah I could eat.”
Hutu puts the tray down on the table, removing both covers, the smell making her mouth to water.
“Smells great Hutu, thank you.” Cassandra smiles at him.
“Mam, I just want to say how sorry I am that my negligence caused Victoria to be harmed.” He starts.
“Hutu,” Cassandra interrupts him. “I don’t think you were negligent. I know you’d never harm Tori. This isn’t your fault.”
“Thank you mam.” He is shocked at the generosity of this woman
“So what’s breakfast?”
“It’s loblolly with thimbleberries. It will fill you up.”
“Thank you Hutu.” The Admiral tells him. Leaving them in the Admiral’s private chambers Hutu secures the hatch. Cassandra sits down picking up a spoon to try a bite.
“Tastes like oatmeal.”
“It’s good for you.” William tells her as he starts in on his, enjoying watching her eat. She doesn’t speak until she’s finished the bowl.
“Your right again, I needed that.” Sitting back she watches him. William finishes his the leans back he can tell there is something on her mind.
“What?” Picking up the bowls she takes them to the tray gathering her thoughts.
“The other night, before Victoria got sick we were talking about her kidnapping.”
“Did she remember anything else?”
“No. But there might be away she can.” William waits. “Victoria is an extremely smart little girl. She can read, write and speak nine languages, well Earth languages.”
“How many do you?” He asks.
“What?” Cassandra asks distracted. “Oh, twenty two.” William raises his eyebrow.
“But the point I’m trying to make is she learns languages quickly, she could learn Regulian.” William gives her a serious look.
“It’s a difficult language.”
“Please she can handle that.” She waves her hand dismissing the difficulty. “The problem is how do you teach it? Is there someone on the Retribution, a learning device? What?”
“We have a program that teaches it. Why would she want to?”
“In her nightmares she can hear voices. She knows they’re talking about her. If she knows their language she will know what they’re saying. Knowing what they’re saying when they don’t think she can means she’s not helpless. That knowledge may shed some light onto why she was taken. She needs to know. We all need to know.” He stands up walking over to her.
“When do you want to start?”
“As soon as you can get the program, it will give her something to do while she’s recovering. Keep her mind busy.”
“So you’re going to learn it with her.” He stops in front of her.
“Yes.”
“I’ll order the program up, have it relayed to the comm center in your quarters.” She puts her arms around his waist giving him a grateful hug.
“Thank you.” William puts a finger under her chin tipping her head up.
“You haven’t kissed me yet today.” As he bends down Cassandra goes up on her toes to meeting him. The kiss starts out soft and grows demanding before William finally breaks it off leaving her breathless.
“I’ll go with you to make sure Tori’s settled.” He leads her to the hatch. Cassandra nods.
“I need to stop by our quarters to get her a change of clothes.
In Medical they find Victoria and Lucas finishing first me
al.
“You look better Aunt Cassie.” Tori tells her as they enter.
“So do you.” She replies approaching the bed, relieved to see color in the little girl’s cheeks, her eyes bright. Lucas on the other hand looks a little ragged.
“So you slept ok?” Cassandra inquires.
“Yes she did.” Bliant answers as he enters the room. “So how are you feeling this morning young lady?”
“Good, can I go home?” Bliant checks several machines, disconnecting them.
“Not feeling sick to your stomach?” He quizzes.
“No.”
“Then I don’t see why you can’t return to your quarters. Provided you take it easy for the next three or four days.” He looks at Cassandra. “If she has any nausea I want her back here right away.”
“Understood.”
“Three or four days!” Victoria exclaims. “That’s forever!” Cassandra and Bliant share a smile, she’s on the mend.
“Ok let’s get you dressed then we’re out of here.” Moving towards the bed the three men leave the room.
“So how was the night really?” William asks Lucas.
“She slept well, but that chair is hideous. I don’t know how Cassie stood it!”
“Go get some shut eye.”
“I need to get Tori settled first.” William gives him a hard look.
“Cassandra and I will handle that.” Lucas realizes the line is back.
“Tell her I’ll stop in later to see her.”
“Give them a few days, let things settle.” Sighing Lucas nods and heads for his quarters.
“So are you ready to go?” Cassandra asks looking at Tori.
“Yes.”
“Let’s go then.” She holds out her arms.
“Aunt Cassie I’m not a baby, I can walk.”
“I know you’re not, but you’ve been sick. It’s a long way to our quarters.”
“Is that where we’re going?”
“Where else?” She asks confused.
“The Admiral’s.”
“Tori….” Cassandra trails off.
Cassandra's Challenge Page 12
