Kristine Williams [Sha'erah] Keeper

Keeper

Kristine Williams

Alex was angry. He stared into his glass of whiskey and saw his own brooding face reflecting darkly back at him in the ice. When his mood was this black, few people dared approach him with anything less than extremely good news. He knew that because they told him, well after his mood had changed. But he'd never noticed that mood staring back at him from the ice slowly diluting very old scotch before now.

Never noticed his father's eyes in that angry reflection.

He lifted the glass in a toast to no one. "I hope you're in hell, old man." The scotch was downed in one swallow, but the reflection remained, clinking up against the sides of an empty glass. Alex caught the eye of a waitress and motioned for a refill. The burning in his throat felt perfectly appropriate, considering his mood, and he'd just decided a good hangover might do the trick. Drinking to excess never solved a problem, but the pain it caused the next morning justified a rotten mood. Right now he wanted to brood. He wanted to sit there and contemplate the fact that--sometime between last night and five hours ago--fate had, for no reason he could think of, kicked him in the ass. Or was it destiny? He could never quite figure out which one hated him so much. Perhaps they conspired?

"Here you are, sir. I'll charge it to your cabin." The waitress deposited the fresh drink and paused just long enough to touch the bottle on her tray questioningly.

Alex nodded, neatly avoiding eye contact. She left the bottle on his table and vanished rather quickly into the small crowd. He was working up a great reputation. A mere two hours into the trip and already on his second waitress. No matter. Casual conversation wasn't something he could tolerate right now. He looked at the ice again, wondering why the angry man looking back at him didn't just go drink in his room and leave these good people alone to enjoy their cruise.

"Alex?"

A female voice interrupted his attempt to swallow the dark ice-face. Alex looked up sharply, fully prepared to send whoever it was away so he could be alone with his misery.

"Alex Marcase? It is you! I was just telling my father the other day you were around this neck of the universe." The tall blonde with perfectly manicured fingernails slid gracefully and without invitation into the seat beside Alex and smiled her best debutante smile.

"Miranda?" Alex blinked, unsure if the slight aura around the woman's face was due to the dim lighting of the cruiser's bar or a testament to the quality of the scotch.

"You remembered." Miranda Carpenter reached out a delicate hand and lightly touched his arm. "It's been years."

"Twelve, I think." Reluctantly, the glass of whiskey was set aside. He forced a slight smile and tried to appear pleased to see her.

Miranda moved her head from side to side slowly. It was a gesture designed to impart a sense of sadness at the length of passed time since their last meeting without actually expressing any true regret. After a perfectly timed pause only a lifetime of high society could cultivate, her gaze drifted over his head. "You remember my father, don't you?"

So much for a nice, quiet, solitary evening of getting drunk. Alex looked up, then tried to stand before he was waved back down by the tall gentleman now easing himself down in the chair beside Miranda. "Mr. Carpenter, good to see you again, sir," he lied and shook the man's hand.

"Marcase. I'm surprised to find you on a cruise at a time like this. You should be getting ready to leave port on the Ascalon, shouldn't you? I'd heard Franklin was getting his ship ready."

This was definitely a twisted union between fate and destiny. And both were still laughing at him. He was sure he could hear them. "I wish I was, sir." Alex adjusted his expression now that there was a man sitting at the table. A man of wealth and position, but still a man who could understand the dark mood of another man, and not take feminine offense at his demeanor. "This isn't a cruise, just an unexpected trip." He straightened slightly and glanced at the glass of whiskey waiting patiently for his attention. "Believe me, I'd much rather be warming up the engines myself."

"Must be an important trip, to take you away at a time like this." Carpenter's eyebrows arched upwards, opening the offer for elaboration. "The Pendulum Nebula, isn't it?"

"Is that your latest goal, Alex?" Miranda purred, leaning back in her seat. "To beat Franklin to the Nebula?"

Alex grinned ruefully and rested the tips of his fingers on the glass in front of him. "Not to it, Miranda, through it." He glanced knowingly at her father. "I'm willing to stake my reputation on finding Turbidium out there."

Paulson Carpenter knew as well as anyone did what Alex Marcase's reputation was worth. No matter what opinion was held regarding his lineage, or what one speculated about his personality, his reputation was widely known and well respected.

"Actually I'm inclined to believe you." The elder man dipped his head in a slight bow. "The scans are vague enough to make its exploration intriguing. Who's your backer?"

Alex's face darkened. Sarcasm was threatening to ooze into his voice and he was loath to deny it the opportunity. "I'm still open, sir. You don't happen to have a few million credits in need of a use?" A small voice deep inside his mind insisted he share his scotch if he was going to hit the man up for funding. He killed it before it could argue.

"Is that what this trip is for? To drum up funding for your next exploration?" Miranda adjusted her delicate hands as they rested on thin knees. "I thought your mother was holding a dinner so you could rub elbows with the elite?"

The ice busily diluting old Earth scotch on the table in front of Alex shifted its position impatiently.

"Elbows are being rubbed as we speak." Alex tried a smile, but it didn't fit. "She's holding the dinner, and not too pleased that I'm not there." He looked at her father again, arching one eyebrow. "I can beat him. Franklin's ship might be fast, but he's predictable. He's always been predictable."

"I'm sure you can. He's the only pilot who could ever compete with you. And you beat him to Carmex 6 by three days, everyone heard about that."

"Three days that cost his investors seventeen billion credits. The Elias Corporation has a new system to mine and unlimited employment security for the next hundred years thanks to my beating Franklin there." Alex paused to listen to the little voice he thought he'd killed flop about in protest. He really hadn't come here to talk shop, or find a new financial backer to get his next voyage paid for. And he wasn't in any kind of mood to take advantage of the only situation he found himself in. He was beginning to wonder if jettisoning himself out the nearest airlock might not solve everything rather quickly. The only problem with that plan was the fact that it would then leave Jason Franklin with the most likely chance of discovering what lay beyond the Pendulum Nebula first. Alex couldn't live with that.

He couldn't die with it either.

"So what could possibly be so important as to drag you away from your ship at a time like this?"

Alex clamped his teeth down hard and let an index finger slide around the rim of the glass. The Carpenters were members of a very small group of people who knew exactly who his father was. He hated that they knew. He hated that anyone knew. But at least, this time, he didn't have to mentally search his stock of forged replies.

"My father. He died." He forced his gaze off the ice and made eye contact. "I got a call this morning. They said it was imperative that I take possession of the estate immediately. I think his old partners are circling the corpse or something." That was a mental picture he wanted to hang on to. It kept him from completely regretting his decision to accept the inheritance.

. Carpenter pursed his lips and nodded, knowingly. "He had no others, then?"

Alex shook his head and let his gaze return to the scotch. "None he registered, anyway."

"But he was wealthy, wasn't he?" Miranda's question belied her own knowledge of the man. "I mean, you're heading out there now, when you should be launching for that Nebula. So it must be worth it." She leaned forward and lowered her voice. "It is worth it, isn't it?"

"Miranda."

"Don't scold, father." Miranda sat back in her seat, looking petulant. "I was just thinking if his father's estate is worth what I'm betting it is, he could just fund that expedition himself."

"I really don't know what he was worth." Alex lied while meeting her gaze.

"Yes, of course." Miranda's father, at least, understood these things. "I tell you what. Miranda and I are going to visit her aunt, at Sirui. We'll be on this ship when it makes the round trip back. If you're onboard, and you haven't found funding for this exploration of yours, we'll talk. I could do with another tax break."

Alex looked up, eyebrows creeping up in hopeful surprise. "I might take you up on that, sir."

Carpenter stood, motioning to his daughter. "We'll talk more about the prospects later." He glanced pointedly at the bottle of scotch. "Come along, Miranda." When she failed to respond, he reached for her arm. "Can't you see this man would like to be alone?"

"I'll be along shortly, father." Miranda shot him a look, but leaned closer to Alex, smiling. "We haven't seen each other in years, there's a lot to catch up on."

Father and daughter shared a momentary stare that appeared to communicate on a level Alex could only imagine. He knew if you were close to someone, close enough to really know someone, you could practically communicate without words. But he'd never experienced that intimacy himself.

Of course, he had nothing to communicate either verbally or otherwise with Miranda Carpenter. Fate, destiny and every other force both real and imagined had placed Miranda right in the center of wealth and position. Her family had known privilege for generations, and showed no signs of regret. Alex's mother had seen to it he was raised as close to money as she could manage, being somewhat touched by wealth herself. But most people understood her grasp on the position was tenuous at best. She afforded Alex the opportunities he'd needed to gain scholarships and lucky breaks, and sustained a position high enough to bring her into the proper circles where important elbows could be rubbed.

But he'd never been particularly friendly with any of them himself. And if more had known exactly who his father was, aside from the Carpenters and one or two others, he knew what little position he'd had would have collapsed years ago.

Alex poured another glass of whiskey and watched the new chunks of ice settle into position.

"Do you always drink scotch?" Miranda was on the bed in his small cabin, still wrapped in the shimmering white sheet. Her idea of catching up had involved very little conversation.

"Only when I'm angry." Alex turned to face her and leaned back against the liquor cabinet.

"I hope you're not angry with me." She moved her legs until they were underneath her, then flicked some hair from one shoulder.

He laughed shortly but shook his head. The glass was so close to his body he could feel the coolness of the ice against his bare stomach. "No, of course not."

"Interesting hobby."

A sudden memory sent a smile creeping slowly over his face. "When I was a kid, I saw a static ad. It was this man sitting at a table staring into a glass of whiskey. He had this look on his face like he was angry about something. I remember thinking he looked like someone you wouldn't dare approach, you know?" He glanced up at Miranda and she nodded. It was obvious she had no idea what he was talking about, but he accepted her polite response and continued. "I thought this guy had found the perfect way to make people leave him alone. And, being a kid, I figured it was the scotch that did it." He shrugged. "So I made up my mind right then, when I could handle drinking, I'd use scotch for that look whenever I wanted to be alone."

Miranda eyed him as if judging his looks. Finally she nodded and slid off the bed, wrapped in the sheet. "Anger is a very good look on you. You get all dark looking, almost dangerous." She traced his chin with one delicate finger, letting the tip tickle the slight growth of beard Alex often allowed to take shape in the hollow between lip and chin. "I like this."

"I should get rid of it." Alex was far too tired to react to her touch, so he let her have her fun.

Her eyes twinkled like a school girl playing with fire. "I like it. It makes you look like a rogue."

"It makes me look like my father." Alex pulled his chin away from her fingers and moved aside, looking for his shirt. "I need to shave."

Miranda accepted defeat and went in search of her own clothes. "Are you planning to work the crowd, take advantage of your situation?"

"I didn't come here to schmooze the rich and famous."

"I'm sure you didn't come here to sleep with their daughters, either. But that shouldn't stop you. Until you know for sure what this estate is worth, you should keep your options open." She pulled the expensive dress over her head and smoothed down the rare fabric with both hands, all the while keeping both eyes on him. "Ooh, but not with that face."

Alex finished pulling on his shirt and looked at her, one eyebrow arching.

"That's your brooding face. You'll scare them all away with that one."

"Well it's the only face I brought with me, I'm afraid."

"A word of advice?" Miranda stood in front of him, fully dressed except for the jewelry still dangling in one hand.

Alex forced himself to relax his features and nod.

"There happen to be a lot of people on this cruise who might very well be interested in your little venture. Wealthy, boring people who like to invest in discoveries so they can feel they've taken a dangerous risk themselves. You would do well to let them know you're here." She smiled and fingered the jewels in her hand. "We may have lost touch over the years, but I do know your reputation as an explorer. My father has always been impressed. Besides, if word spreads that you're here, and my father is considering funding your ship, it could spark some jealousy and net you more credits than you need."

"Maybe you should join my crew, be our recruiter." Alex dragged a hand through his hair and exhaled strongly, considering her words and silently praying she'd understood the joke in his.

Miranda's light laughter proved him right. "Deep space explorer? Me? That's very funny." She finished attaching her jewelry and touched his shoulder. "If you feel like working off any more of that anger, you know where to find me."

Alex nodded at her back as she left in a swirl of bright fabric and fresh perfume. The scotch was staring at him from the counter, but his stomach growled at the thought.

"Get your act together, Alex." He walked to the bar and lifted the glass, then dumped it into the potable recycling tube. "Nobody's gonna do it for you." The whiskey bottle was still half full, so he stored it away and checked himself in the small mirror. Cruise ship dining areas were notoriously dark, and the hour was late enough to avoid the more fastidious early diners, so he decided a shower wasn't needed. This shirt had to go, it had Ascalon insignia all over it. Can't be too obvious on the first pass.

After a change of shirt and a quick check for messages, Alex stuffed his palm-sized pager into a thigh pocket of his pants and headed for the dining section of the massive ship.

The Terria Rose was a high-end cruise ship that catered to the most prestigious of travelers. No luxury was forgotten, and special requests were encouraged--at a slightly elevated price that was conveniently and quietly added to the traveler's bill prior to disembarking. She typically carried a full contingent of passengers. Families on holiday or businessmen desperately trying to impress a prospective client or sexual partner. Because she was one of the fastest ships in the galaxy, if a passenger wanted a long cruise they were forced to book several destinations and pay the added expense of stopping in more than one port.

Alex sat at a back table of the dark dining room and watched the wealthy people eat, laugh, and pretend not to be discussing business proposals. He hated the fact that he was sitting on the Terria Rose, watching such misuse of credits most people couldn't even dream of. Credits he could put to excellent use funding his exploration of the nebula. But he needed a fast ship, and his mother's cousin was a navigator on board who didn't mind using some influence to make the last empty cabin available at a very reduced cost. So he'd promised his mother he'd use the opportunity to rub elbows with the rich and pitch his offer.

This was one aspect of his life he hated, almost more than his lineage.

Wealth was as easy to spot as poverty, even in the dark. It rose like an aura and penetrated a room as sharply as a search light. Something about a man's carriage, a woman's attitude, spoke volumes and set them apart with a gaze down a slender nose or the rise of a sculpted eyebrow. Money attracted money, just as poverty perpetuated its lack. But as with everything else, there was a gray area. A side that hovered between the two, dancing so fast only the experienced eye could see what it really was. Courting rich widows, conning wealthy men, dating the well-to-do offspring, hoping for a payoff. Chameleons who could conform and adapt well enough to fool both the rich and the poor, taking full advantage of both.

People like that were the enemy. They soured potential investors against honest ventures. There were a few vampires working the room, but Alex could spot them and try to work around their maneuvers. He would just have to find the right targets, before the leeches made their first failures and searched for new ones.

Even in the darkness designed for intimacy, faces could be easily made out after a moment of intense gazing. To his left, three tables away, sat Theodore Welsford, of Dakable Mining and Exports. A fat, lazy man, Theodore Welsford had never physically worked a day of his life. Alex hated men like that. Inheritors of someone else's hard work and determination, who did nothing to improve or add to the legacy. Approaching him with an investment offer would be a waste of time. He looked at the next table and recognized a woman sitting with three men as the widow of Marcus Rogonian Cog, one of the most famous scientists of his time. The widow, Sadie Rogonian Cog, was left with a fortune of credits and plenty of youth left to spend them. Alex seriously considered speaking with her. Sadie had been incredibly devoted to her husband for over six years of marriage. If he could approach her just right, explain how her husband's legend could live on by having a discovery named after him as important as Turbidium, she might be swayed to invest in him, rather than the young suitors making fools of themselves at her table.

There were others in the room that Alex ranked by probability, and several faces he didn't recognize that might be worth a try. But not tonight. He finished his dinner without speaking to anyone, then returned to the cabin, kicking off his shoes as soon as he entered the room.

"Messages?"

The mechanical voice was preceded by a soft chime, declaring it was about to speak. "You have no messages at this time."

"No news is good news." Alex sighed and tossed his shirt over the back of the only chair in his small cabin. The washroom was generously sized for an economy room, and sported a full shower, but he was too weary to enjoy it. Within seconds after stuffing his feet under the thin, insulating blanket, he was asleep.

* * * *

"The time is now 0700 Standard. Breakfast is being served on--"

"Shut up." Alex opened one eye to make sure he saw the green light on the table unit acknowledge his response, then closed it again and pressed his face further into the pillow. He was on his stomach, one leg errantly drifting off the bed, and in no mood to get up. Slowly and with very little effort, he felt the fog of sleep return.

"The time is now 0800 Standard. Breakfast is--"

"Shut up!" This time the announcement had startled him straight out of oblivion and onto his elbows. Blearily he glared at the table unit until the green light appeared. Now both legs were on the bed, but the blanket had somehow abandoned him and gone to the floor. He left it there and rolled over, shoving one arm under the pillow. The room was dark and quiet, the hum of gigantic drive engines twelve decks below barely perceptible even to those who tried to listen to them. Alex found the sound soothing, as he did on his own ship, and used the deep hum to numb his mind back into sleep.

"The time is now 0900 Standard. You have messages."

Alex opened both eyes and stared at the ceiling, calculating the ship's Standard time with that of the planet he'd just left. "Replay messages." He sat up on the bed and ran both hands over his head, pushing thick brown hair back into place.

"First message as follows. . ." The computer's voice was immediately replaced by that of Alex's mother, Madame Duvia.

"Alex, the dinner was a partial success. Commodore Wilcox is interested, but he needs facts and you weren't here." Her disapproval couldn't have been more plain. "Call me the instant you get this business over with, so I'll know if I have to invite the Commodore for tea next week." The "I'd rather eat Denuvian Ledworm" inference came through just as clearly as the disapproval.

"Second message as follows . . ." This voice was equally female, but much softer.

"Alex, it's Sara. We have to talk. Call me as soon as you get this."

"End of messages. Do you wish to make a call?"

"No." Alex dragged himself off the bed and padded barefoot to the washroom. He stared at his reflection for a moment, but the answer he was looking for wasn't there. Hell, the question wasn't even there. Just this nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach that had nothing to do with last night's whiskey. He showered and shaved, then found a clean set of clothes before ordering breakfast from the automated room server. While he waited for delivery, he pulled the pager from the pocket of his other pants and dialed Sara's number.

It seemed too long before she answered, but the screen finally flicked to life.

"Alex, you got my message?"

"What's up?" He sat back in the room's single chair, resting the pager on one knee, and tried to figure out why his ship's doctor was talking to him outside a strange hangar bay.

"I hate to break this to you over the com, Alex, but you left before I could get away."

"Sara, don't tell me you're leaving." Alex knew what she was about to say before she could answer. She was leaving, just like the others. "Sara, I'm going to be back in two weeks."

"Then what? You may or may not have inherited enough for the expedition? You may or may not have found a backer on the trip? Alex, I've had an offer. I've waited as long as I can. I can't wait any longer." She sighed, shaking her head sadly. "I'm sorry. It's been fantastic being with you, but I need a paying job, just as much as you do."

"Sara . . ."

"I am sorry, Alex."

"Dammit, I can't take a ship out with that many crew without a physician onboard! The Council would shut me down before I left the system."

"I left several recommendations on file in your quarters. There are plenty of good doctors available, I'm sure." Her face morphed quickly from regret to resignation. "I'm sorry, Alex. I'll see you around. Good luck."

Before he could argue, she canceled the call. "Great!" Alex threw the pager toward the bed and watched it bounce off the mattress and hit the carpeted floor, undamaged. Sara Feller was the twenty-seventh crew member to bail on him, accepting a new job that could pay now. He'd lost his engineer to his main competition, Jason Franklin. The man had his funding, and could pull his ship out of port within the month. Alex couldn't, in all conscience, blame anyone for leaving the uncertain future of his ship for a good year's worth of paid work. But he reserved the right to be angry about it.

"Marcase, you better have died a rich man." Alex walked to the door and accepted his breakfast order from the service 'bot, glad he didn't have to be polite to any human deliverer just then.

Breakfast was coffee, toast, and a residual headache from the night before. And he hadn't even managed to get drunk. At least he had a half bottle of the whiskey to fall back on if the return trip saw him still without enough credits to fund a ship of 150 trained crew out past the edge of explored space and back. That is, if he still had a crew of 150.

Alex retrieved his pager and dialed his ship. He'd left one man in charge, the only man he ever trusted with anything of importance, his second-in-command. After three chimes, the screen lit up and an older man's face smiled back at him from his own office on board the Ascalon.

"Jeff, please tell me I haven't lost more crew."

"You heard from Sara, I take it?" Jeff's eyes looked dark from lack of sleep. "Since her, no, we haven't lost any more. Yet. Trouble is, Franklin's over there getting fitted, cash in hand, taking on new crew."

"I know, I know." Alex sighed heavily, his mind fleetingly contemplating the airlock again. He found himself desperately in need of someone he could confide in, someone he could go to for advice in situations like these. But he was alone. It had always been like that, and probably always would be. While Jeff could help in some ways, Alex never shared that much of himself with any one person. "I never should have left."

"You had to. Listen, if that guy left you a fortune, our troubles are over."

"And if he didn't?" Jeff wasn't one of the few who knew Alex's lineage, only that a wealthy man he knew from his past had died, and left him his estate. It was easy to assume that meant something, but it could just as easily be sentimental pocket lint.

"Plenty of rich passengers on that cruise, I imagine. Are you working the crowd?"

Alex tried to hide his disgust and nodded. "Plenty of vampires here, too. But I'm doing my best. Just keep what's left of the crew there, will ya? And get replacements lined up for the ones we've lost. I'll have the funding when I get back, whatever it takes. I want to set off before Franklin."

"You got it, Captain."

The rest of the trip was just as frustrating as that first day. Alex resigned himself to the dirty deed of weeding through the passengers for potential investors and tried hard not to think about the crew he was losing to paying jobs.

Sadie Rogonian Cog, widow of famed scientist Marcus Rogonian Cog, felt it would be more interesting to have a new line of jewels bearing her name than a new system carrying her late husband's. When Alex tried to explain the significance of the potential discovery, and offered any name she chose, her eyes did light up. Unfortunately the young suitor draped over her right arm was more successful once he spotted the head of Friesian Diamonds heading for the spa.

There were others, rich, famous and somewhere in between. Alan Regan, of Regan Spice took serious interest when he learned of Carpenter's possible involvement, and assured Alex he would take the matter to his Board of Investors. It wasn't a contract, but it was more than he had from anyone else by the time the Terria Rose drew close enough to his stop to connect with the smaller transport.

Alex hadn't packed more than a few changes of clothes, crammed with little care into a small shoulder-case that stuffed easily under the seat of the twelve passenger scout. There was a message buzzing from the pager in his thigh pocket when he settled in for the short hop from cruiser to planet. Alex secured the safety belt, then retrieved the pager and replayed the message.

"Marcase, I meant what I said about taking an interest in this expedition." Paulson Carpenter's face stared back at Alex from the video display. "I'll be on this ship heading back to Scotian in two weeks. If this inheritance doesn't take care of you, and you're on this ship, look me up."

The playback ended and Alex shoved the pager back into his pocket as the shuttle detached from the cruiser and turned toward Cryian II. It was a small planet, one that no cruiser worth its reputation would approach. Over the centuries, Cryian II had become a safe haven for every type of villain, criminal and scum the galaxy could produce. No one traveled here by accident, and few did so on purpose unless they were conducting a survey of the gangster population and wanted their results published posthumously.

Alex wasn't ignorant, or innocent, for that matter. He had a pulse gun in one pocket, a laser knife under his belt, and eight years of military training to fall back on. What weight his name might carry in this system was still a question he wasn't ready to find the answer to, but he knew it wouldn't be long before someone let him know. He'd been doing his level best not to think about why he was where he was, but as the planet fast approached he knew he had to start.

The lawyer had been adamant. "You've been named the only recipient, Mr. Marcase. I really must insist you make haste. Your father had . . . business partners . . . who are desperate for the opportunity you've been given. I fear I am unable to executor this will for very much longer. It truly is worth your while, I assure you."

It was impossible not to feel worth your while really meant worth Executor Lewis VanHolt's while to dump this whole mess, the quicker the better. Considering Alex's father was a celebrated smuggler and suspected murderer, he could well imagine the types of business partners chomping at the bit.

Alex had half a mind to let the estate be tossed to the crowd. There was nothing his father had that he wanted. Nothing he'd been willing to give, anyway. Part of him felt dirty even accepting this inheritance, while another part felt assured by the fact that--with him--the credits would be put to good use. What credits there might be. Rumors spread through the galaxy and reached Alex's ears almost every year, suggesting Spencer Marcase was worth billions. But those rumors were often tempered by others that hinted at complete financial failure. Alex was left with no clue what he was in for, only an urgent message that he arrive with great haste to claim it.

Well, he'd arrived.

Cryian II's space port was as dirty and uninviting as the planet itself, with darkened corridors and automated service 'bots performing tasks no human would risk his or her life for. Alex shouldered his pack and briefly touched the gun in his pocket before exiting the shuttle. He'd done his time in the military back on Scotian, long enough to gain a Captain's rank and the experience he needed to lease a deep space exploration ship as well as a few fighting talents. Those abilities might well come in handy now, as he navigated the nearly vacant space port, looking for an exit.

It was mid-day, and already the sky looked as dark and gloomy as the faces of the people milling about outside. Alex immediately spotted an empty ground car and made claim on its driver before the few other new arrivals could gain their bearings after departing the shuttle.

"Newark building." He shut the door, ignoring the protests of a fat man trying to flag the car.

The driver dragged his gaze over Alex, head to toe, then turned on his meter and kicked the vehicle into gear. "You new in town?"

He ignored the man and leaned back in the seat.

"Newark building . . . That's lawyers, ain't it?"

Alex lowered his eyelids and caught the driver's eye in the reflector, looking as bored and--he hoped--as dangerous as he could. Whatever his look managed to convey, it gained him a silent trip through city streets that looked more like public awareness ads. Huge buildings, both stationary and floating, stood side-by-side with dark, low-built hovels that bore short names and spewed out dangerous-looking characters armed to the teeth. Alex remained unreactive to anything he saw, trying not to give the driver a reason to suspect he'd be an easy mark.

It was hard to imagine his father living here, and yet the picture seemed to fit perfectly. What he knew of the man, anyway.

"Here you are, Newark building." The driver stopped beside a short, stationary building on a nearly vacant street. "Should I wait?"

"Don't bother." Alex grabbed his pack and left the car, flipping the required credits over the seat.

The irony of lawyers on a lawless planet obviously hadn't been lost on the inhabitants of Cryian II. As Alex entered the building, he could clearly see the cemetery that stretched out from the back courtyard far into the distance. There was no receptionist to greet visitors, just a reader board and automated attendant that was shut down for maintenance. Alex scanned the board for the name he needed. When he started down the proper corridor bordering the back courtyard, he couldn't help notice a man sitting outside, near a boldly marked grave.

He was a dark figure, wet from a recent rainfall, close to Alex's own age with short, black hair and completely black clothes of a fabric so void of color they seemed to absorb the light around them. Alex felt a chill shake his spine as he walked, still watching the younger man at the grave. He had the look of a mourner, but his face bore no sadness, only anger. A steaming rage heavily tempered by weariness. As the corridor began to curl around the courtyard, the darkly brooding man turned his head, making eye contact through the heavy glass. Eyes as black as space itself met Alex's green gaze, then a strange, tangled tattoo on the left side of the man's neck caught his attention.

Alex stopped, holding his gaze. Was this one of his father's "business partners", waiting to lay claim to an estate he felt he was due? Something about the man suggested that was far from the case, but before he could wonder further, a door opened behind him.

"May I help you?"

He turned, breaking eye contact with the dark young man, and found himself face to face with someone so opposite in looks he had to blink to adjust his vision.

"I'm looking for Lewis VanHolt." Alex eyed the pale-skinned man and tried not to stare overly long at his even paler blue-white eyes.

"Are you Alex Marcase?" A thin, shaking hand extended itself. "I'm Mr. VanHolt, Executor of Spencer Marcase's last will and testament."

Alex accepted the hand. It was cold, and so fragile he feared it would shatter if he held it long.

VanHolt shot a glance over Alex's shoulder, then motioned for him to enter the office. "Please, come inside. I have everything prepared, we can get this over with and you can be on your way."

"I'd like nothing better."

The office was plush but cold, with chilled air blowing gently through the room from fans set in the floor and walls. VanHolt's desk and two hard chairs were the only other occupants of the room.

"We'll just need to verify your ID, and the estate will be yours." The lawyer retrieved a heavy legal reader from the top drawer and approached Alex while he typed some information into the scanner.

"Can you tell me what exactly it is?" Alex felt more irritated by the chill in the room and the feel of death around the building than the lack of information, but VanHolt's attitude was beginning to set him on edge. The man was twitchy, and looked terrified, but he couldn't tell if this was normal behavior or something he should take note of.

"Now, if you'll just place your right hand in here, so we can take a DNA reading." Shaking hands held out the reader while pale eyes blinked several times.

Alex glanced at the reader. It was a standard scan, well used by the look of it, with just a palm reader and a slightly raised input pad. At the top edge of the scanner sat a chunk of silver, almost liquid in appearance, that looked as if it had been spilled by the last user. He paused for a moment, his hand hovering over the pad, then resigned himself. A red light passed under the palm of his right hand the instant he rested it on the machine, while a strange magnetic pulling sensation kept it in place for the highly accurate molecular reading.

VanHolt read the data being displayed on the input screen. "Alexander Marcase, son of Spencer Marcase, deceased, and Madame Clarice Duvia. Sole offspring and benefactor named herein."

Before Alex could pull his right hand away from the machine, the glob of silver flashed to life. It shot from the pad and instantly wrapped itself around his third finger, then solidified firmly in place.

"What the hell?!" Alex managed to pull his hand away. "What is this?" He grabbed at the silver with his other hand and tried to remove the ring.

"Your inheritance." VanHolt's voice changed suddenly. The quivering tone was immediately replaced by one of profound relief. "I've never been more happy to deliver one in my life. Would you care for a drink, Mr. Marcase?"

"I'd care for an explanation!" Alex continued to pull at the silver ring, but it wouldn't budge.

"Your father was a Keeper." VanHolt reached for a bottle and two glasses from the top shelf of a cabinet near the desk. "Have you heard of the Sha'erah?"

"Genetically altered slaves? That was outlawed centuries . . ." VanHolt wasn't kidding. And the ring wasn't coming off. Alex glared at the lawyer. "Are you telling me that is what my father left me?" Suddenly he remembered the dark-clad man at the grave outside. He swallowed hard and reached one hand down to lightly touch the gun in his pocket. "I suggest you start making sense."

"You'll need this." VanHolt handed Alex one of the two drinks he'd poured, then motioned for him to take a seat. "So you know what a Sha'erah is, then?"

"They're a myth." Alex numbly took the drink and the seat. "I thought they were a myth."

"Most people do. They were morally outlawed in nearly every sector of the galaxy, but they are still bought and sold now and again, if one knows how to find a dealer. If I'm not mistaken, the asking price these days is just under eight hundred and seventy-five million credits."

"Wait a minute. Hang on." He held up one hand, the new ring of silver flashing from a red, throbbing finger. "You're telling me . . . they're real?"

VanHolt nodded.

Alex swallowed most of his drink and stared blankly at the desk, struggling with confused thoughts that wouldn't form coherent sentences. "Genetically altered."

"Some say alien engineering is molecularly bonded with their DNA. But proof of aliens is still unfounded, and no one ever confesses to knowing where or how the Sha'erah are made."

"Made?" His muddled brain caught one word and ran with it.

VanHolt nodded and seemed to fall into an introspective curiosity. "Yes, they're altered while still unborn. I understand your father had this one made specifically. They can be custom ordered."

Alex slowly shook his head. He was in shock. He was sure of that. Nothing this man said made sense. He was talking about a childhood myth whispered around the schoolyards, joked about by children, contemplated by adults looking for a subject no one could prove or deny. Slavery was morally offensive to all cultured societies. Technically not illegal, but no one ever knew anyone who owned one. But Sha'erah, it was said, were altered genetically with unknown--and presumed alien--technology that first removed their ability to be anything but what they were created for, then made up for it by empowering them in strange ways. Alex once heard of one who had the ability to read minds, and another who could operate space-faring ships without ever being onboard. But those were stories.

They all had certain things in common--or so it was said--that would readily identify them to anyone. Alex searched his memories for the old stories. There was something about metal implanted in their bodies. And they had strange eyes, if he remembered correctly. And there were . . . tattoos.

"So they're not human?"

"Well yes, they are to begin with. Then they're . . . enhanced. In the womb, then more is done after birth. I'm not perfectly clear on the origins, but I understand no one really is." VanHolt sipped his drink, then cocked his head to the side. "Mr. Marcase, are you all right?"

"No." Alex set the empty glass down and shook his head again. He couldn't focus on anything in particular, so he continued to stare at the desk. "My father left me a person." His eyebrows knit together with force as he struggled to make words come out clearly and distinctly. "He owned a person worth eight hundred and seventy-five million credits, and he left it--him--to me." Slowly Alex managed to locate VanHolt's face. "No, I'm not all right." Their eyes locked. "What in hell am I supposed to do now? And why can't I get this damned ring off?"

"That ring identifies you as the Keeper." VanHolt let out a huge sigh. "I don't mind telling you, while it was in my possession I've never been more afraid in my life."

"Why didn't you just take it? If this thing--" Alex immediately realized he'd just referred to another human being as a thing. How human were Sha'erah? "If he's worth so much? Why didn't someone steal it from you?" Why hadn't someone possessed enough foresight to keep him from having to deal with this?

"Only the legal owner can wear that ring. It's something too alien for anyone to truly comprehend, even me." VanHolt waved a hand in dismissal. "All I know is, your father was the Keeper, and that was his ring. The Sha'erah can only follow the commands of the wearer of the ring. As such, when your father died, the ring was bound by his legally registered last will and testament, and could only transfer to the legal heir. You."

"Me."

"Now, what you do with this inheritance is your own concern. But the only way to pass that ring on to someone else is to officially sell the slave, or die. And I strongly encourage you to alter your own will immediately. If there's no one set to inherit, I think the Sha'erah dies. Though I can't be sure about that. The only good thing is the fact that no one can kill you and just take it. Whatever you do, it has to be legally documented. Somehow it . . . well, the ring knows."

"Wait, wait." Alex held up both hands, trying to ignore the ring. "This is a little too much. You're kidding me, right?" He knew VanHolt wasn't kidding. The man probably had no clue how to kid about anything. There was no humor in the pale eyes looking at him. And no airlock Alex could throw himself straight out of. "My father kept a slave?" It wasn't sinking in.

"They're Sha'erah, technically not slaves by the old term. These are custom made. But the basic idea is there. Sort of. I'm rather afraid of them myself, personally. I mean, God knows what they're capable of really. Spencer had many friends as well as enemies who are rather disappointed they didn't inherit this legacy. I'm sure--should you so choose--you wouldn't have any trouble finding a qualified buyer."

"This is a man we're talking about. Isn't it?" Alex stood and tried to pace around the small room. "That guy out there by the grave, right? The one who looked angry enough to rip those grave stones apart with his bare hands. That one?"

"Yes."

"What's he look so angry about?"

"Well, the man has just been passed on in a will. I can imagine he's not too pleased."

Alex felt his face flush slightly. "Has he been here since the burial?"

"I've had to keep him here while we waited for you to arrive to claim him. I didn't feel very safe anywhere else. Not that they could have stolen him, but one never knows what these people might try. I don't think he would have stopped them from killing me, anyway."

"What would have happened if I hadn't come?"

VanHolt shrugged. "He would have remained in my custody until we found you, but he doesn't obey me. I'm not a Keeper, just your father's legal advisor."

"But if I'd never come, what would have happened?"

"Frankly, I don't have a clue. I was assured by your father when he made out this will that you would."

"That's ridiculous. My father didn't even know me, how could he say that?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Marcase. There are things I simply don't know the answer to."

"Great!" Alex threw a hand in the air, then glared at the far wall. There were no answers there, only peeling white paint.

"He had an apartment, but it was rented I'm afraid. You'll be welcome to stay in it until the lease is up, if you need a place to stay while you're here." VanHolt motioned toward the door and began walking to it. "I'll just introduce you and you two can be on your way. His name is Evan."

"I can't believe this." Alex stared at the man, unable to accept this bizarre turn of events.

"I understand your reaction, Mr. Marcase. Believe me. This must be especially hard for someone who didn't realize Sha'erah were real. It isn't much easier for those of us who did." He stepped closer, looking down at Alex with a consolatory gaze. "My advice to you is to sell him to the first buyer. Eight hundred and seventy-five million credits is a lot more money than most men ever see. Sell him and get back to your life. These--things--aren't what you expect. Frankly they frighten me."

"Frighten you?" Alex's blood ran cold. The lease option on the Ascalon was only sixty-three million. He could pay his crew's salary for five years with the rest and still have room for system upgrades. There couldn't be any harm in selling something he didn't want, could there?

While sickening thoughts of credits, slavery and genetically altered humans muddled through his brain, Alex found himself walking back out to the windows lining the graveyard. He looked up and saw the man again, this time standing beside a carved headstone, staring back at him.

It was gray outside, with a heavy mist that made the air thick and moist. Evan stood next to the slate-black stone and practically blended in with its darkness. Their eyes met through the glass as they sized each other up.

Alex looked at the dark man. The slight build didn't fool anyone. If push came to shove, Alex knew this guy could break him in half. He'd have a fight on his hands, but eventually, Alex knew, he'd lose.

He couldn't help but imagine--were it not for the Caucasian skin--that the man would vanish completely in the dark. The tattoo on the left side of his neck was intricate and midnight black, mirrored by a matching but smaller mark on the back of his left hand. But his eyes were what drew Alex's attention. They were black from more than pigmentation. Something behind them was seething very close to the surface. No childhood stories or Sha'erah myths could explain the hatred burning in that darkness. Had Spencer custom-ordered a killer when he shelled out his eight hundred and seventy-five million credits? Black eyes darted quickly down, apparently taking in the site of the ring adorning its new owner's finger. His new owner. Alex fleetingly wondered if that ring signified safety from, or source of, that angry stare.

VanHolt opened a door to the courtyard and Alex followed him out into the rain. It wasn't until he stopped in front of the grave that he realized it was his father's.

"Alex Marcase, this is Evan." VanHolt gestured from one man to the other, then turned away. "Well, it's been a pleasure, gentlemen. I'll leave you to your business."

He turned to the lawyer. "Wait a minute!"

"Sorry, my part in this is finished." The man refused to even turn around as he hastened back out into the corridor. "Goodbye."

Alex stared after him. It was entirely possible he'd managed to get drunk after all, back on the Terria Rose, and this was all just a really bad hangover. A very long, very vivid one. If that was the case, he'd have to swear off whiskey from now on. But something told him it wasn't a hangover, or a dream. Just one very real, very strange nightmare.

He turned back and faced the man standing next to the headstone, staring again into black eyes that held his gaze without wavering. All the childhood stories and tales he'd shared and heard passed through his mind. And now, right here, those myths became real! He swallowed, staring at the man VanHolt had called his. He owned one! It was like opening a present and finding a dragon inside. A real dragon with wings and everything. Only he didn't want a dragon.

And this one looked as if it wanted to kill him.

Alex could feel a wall inside his head almost physically blocking his ability to think. His hands were beginning to shake, so he shoved one through his hair. "I don't suppose you come with an instruction manual."

"No. Do you?"

Anger, sarcasm. What was next, a knife to his back? "Great." Alex looked down at the ring on his finger again. It hung loose and not uncomfortable, but when he touched it to try and pull it over the knuckle, the metal closed tighter, preventing any attempts to remove it. He looked up at Evan again. The man wasn't too much younger than he was, maybe five years, tops. Slightly taller, thin but with the toughness of a fighter about him. Just what had his father used him for, anyway? He glanced at the gravestone. "What the hell do I do with this now, old man?"

"Oh that's perfect."

Alex's eyebrows knit tightly. He turned back to face Evan. "What?"

"This is what I'm left with?" Dark eyes flashed angrily.

This was ridiculous. "Listen, pal, I just walked in here. I get a call out of nowhere that my father died, that he left me everything, and I come here and find out everything means you! Give me a break here, all right? It's a lot to deal with!" How was he supposed to cope with this? Until fifteen minutes ago, Sha'erah were a myth. Hell, they probably still were. People who lived and died by the will of a Keeper? He couldn't even get this one to explain things. Suddenly a gesture gave Alex a glimpse of silver embedded in Evan's left palm. A feeling of alien fear ran down his spine. Not entirely human.

"Give you a break? I've just been passed on in a will! Do you have any idea what that's like? I've been with that bastard since I was a child, now I'm handed over to you with no say in the matter, and you want me to give you a break?"

Alex instinctively felt for the knife at his belt. This wasn't the reaction he'd expected from someone he supposedly owned. Then again, he'd never owned anyone before. Let alone a mythical--until ten minutes ago--Sha'erah. He definitely had a headache. "Handed to me? I thought you were born for this. Or created. Or whatever the hell they do. Me, I'm new to this crap. I didn't ask for this."

"Neither did I."

Alex broke eye contact and tried to focus on the grave to give himself time to think. It was expensively done. Sealed ground covering, real stone marker with etching lined in what looked to be gold. He stared at the name engraved there. The name of his father. The man who had abandoned him when he was a boy, leaving behind nothing but that name. Then went on to create a legacy that brought fear, loathing, and shame to anyone associated with it. Years of repressed thoughts and emotions threatened to well painfully back to the surface. Alex sighed deeply and set his jaw, denying those thoughts yet again.

Before he could say another word, the sky opened up with a loud crack of thunder and a flash of red lightning streaked the sky above them.

"Perfect." Alex hunched further into his jacket, already soaked through to the skin. Water was dripping off his nose, running in tickling rivulets down his neck and back. Evan just stood there, thoroughly wet and shivering, staring back at him. He nodded at the grave. "I've had my fill of this already. VanHolt said he had a place we could stay."

Evan jerked his head toward a side exit, leading back into the building. "This way." Without asking, he shouldered Alex's soaking wet pack and led the way out of the graveyard, through a short corridor of the office complex, then out a side exit to a dark alley.

The thought occurred to Alex that this was all a setup, and he was being led into an ambush where his father's frustrated business partners would actually kill him and take the real inheritance. If it weren't for the ring that wouldn't budge, he'd halfway believe that were true.

In the alley they found only more rain and two strange looking animals that scurried away into the shadows when they approached. Evan reached into a pocket and removed a small signaling device. Moments after he pressed a few buttons, a hired car drove up to the alley entrance and stopped.

"He'll take us there." Evan motioned for Alex to walk ahead, into the waiting car.

Alex didn't hesitate. He was cold, wet, and still reeling from news he didn't understand. If this was an ambush, he'd welcome it. He climbed into the vehicle and slid over, making room for Evan who quickly and quietly slid in and closed the door. Without a word, the driver pulled away from the curb and headed deeper into town.

The cab was warm and dry, and a far cry from the well-used ride that had brought Alex from the landing pad. After a few minutes, his chill was gone and his hair beginning to dry. They rode through streets dark with rain in a silence broken only by the frequent crack of thunder above.

Alex glanced at Evan sitting beside him. He was still shivering slightly, and soaked to the bone. And worth eight hundred and seventy-five million credits! It was little wonder why Sha'erah were so rare and hardly believed. At that price, even the widow Sadie Rogonian Cog could barely have afforded one. Not that it did him any good. He couldn't sell another human being.

But he couldn't own one, either. Probably.

Could he?

By the time the car stopped in front of a tall, dark building at the end of a cul-de-sac, Alex's head was pounding as loud as the rain outside. The driver nestled the vehicle right up to the building's main doors, which opened after he keyed a pad on the dash. He turned then and caught Alex's eye.

"My services are paid through the week, sir. If you need a vehicle during your stay, Evan will call me."

Alex nodded his thanks and followed Evan out of the car and into the building. There was an armed guard in the lobby who waved them to the lift with a smile and nod that Evan didn't bother to return. The elevator accepted his hand print and immediately carried them to the penthouse suite on the ninety-seventh floor.

The doors opened to an imitation courtyard complete with blue sky hologram, simulated trees and a real fountain surrounded by stone benches. Alex followed Evan through the elaborate foyer, taking it all in from a mental distance. There were real birds of wild colors perched here and there, and vivid fish swimming through a small stream leading up to, then past, the door. Inside, the apartment was equally elaborate, if somewhat more practically decorated.

Alex glanced around the main room and whistled quietly. "This is all rented?" He shot a glance over one shoulder at Evan, who replied with only one quick nod of his head. "Seems pretty stupid, doesn't it?" The rooms were completely furnished in high quality. Every shelf held a treasure, every cabinet laid claim to high-end equipment and art work Alex felt he should recognize. "Renting this place must have cost him a hundred times what it would have to buy." He picked up a carved statue and admired the craftsmanship. It could have been second-hand junk for all he knew of art, but it looked impressive.

"You have no idea what to do, do you?"

"What?" Alex set the statue down and stared at Evan, suddenly feeling the reality of the situation trying to settle in. This man was even more of a stranger to him than his father had been. He had no way of knowing whether or not the ring he now wore kept him safe or not. How was a band of silver going to keep an angry slave from killing his new owner? Alex let one hand drift down near the gun in his pocket.

"With a Sha'erah." Evan stood where he was, just a few feet inside the door, staring at Alex. "You don't know what to do."

Was this a test? See what the new guy knows, how far you can push him? The two men stared at each other for a full minute. Alex felt weary and irritated. As if he hadn't had enough to worry about before coming here. "Look, I had no idea what I was getting into coming out here." He pushed away from the counter and paced the room. "I shouldn't even be here."

"But you are here. And I'm stuck with you."

He stopped and turned around, wincing against the pain behind his eyes. Something somewhere was telling him this guy should be a little more sympathetic to his situation. Or at least more respectful. But he didn't know the rules of this game. "I'm not a slave type of guy."

"So what are you going to do?"

"This can't be real." Alex grabbed at the silver ring again, tugging at it. The silver tightened and refused to budge.

"It is real." Evan suddenly marched forward and Alex looked up, startled. "I'm real, this is real. It's all real! You're going to have to get used to that right now. And you'd better deal with it."

Alex's own temper flared in reaction to the angry man staring at him, but his survival instinct drove him back one step. "How? How in hell am I supposed to deal with this, huh?" He pulled his right hand out of his left and held up the ringed finger. "Where I come from, this just isn't done! You don't own people! Nobody leaves you a person in their will!"

"Don't get out much, do you?"

"Perfect!" Alex turned away and stormed a few feet past Evan, then stopped and dragged a hand through his hair.

"You're going to have to decide quickly."

"No shit."

Evan turned and faced him, his jaw set firmly. "You're the Keeper. There are people out there willing to buy that from you."

"You mean buy you."

"Your father had friends and enemies, all of them rich enough and dangerous enough to either pay you, or persuade you."

"Persuade me? I thought VanHolt said this--" He held up the ring-- "wouldn't let someone steal it."

Evan sighed as if being forced to explain the very obvious to someone who should know better. "There are plenty of ways to get what you want when you really want it."

"Are you telling me I should sell you?"

"I can't tell you what to do." Evan walked past Alex and retrieved the wet pack of clothes he'd set near the door.

"I bet you'd like to." Alex pressed his fingers to his forehead and closed his eyes, wishing he had a drink. When he looked up again, Evan was standing beside him.

"I can tell you anything you want to know. I can do anything you want me to do. I can keep you alive and I can keep you safe and I can go wherever you need to go." He hefted the wet bag over a shoulder. "But no one can tell a Marcase what to do. Even if they wanted to." With that, Evan turned and carried Alex's bag to another room.

"Look, pal, I am not my father." Alex followed Evan into the room. "I didn't ask for this, I don't need this, and I damn well don't want it either!"

Evan set the bag on top of a wide dressing table and turned around. "You don't want me? Then sell me. I'm just property, remember?" He waved a hand through the air, dismissing everything in sight, then pointed at the ring. "It's the only way you're going to get that off."

Alex ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. "I never should have come here in the first place."

"Why did you?"

He heard the blood rushing through his ears. "That doesn't concern you. I'll just catch the next ship out of here tomorrow and try to get back while there's still time."

"It's not that easy." Evan stood in the room, dark eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "You really have no idea what I am, what you are now, do you?"

Their eyes met as both men decided between anger and confusion.

"You have to do something. If you don't sell me, you're stuck with me."

"What, you people never heard of freedom?" Alex's eyes widened with inquiry. "I don't want you, I can't sell you. We'll just call this whole Keeper thing over. No harm, no foul." He wasn't sure what he expected. But he was pretty sure the blank stare Evan was offering wasn't exactly it.

"So that's a no?"

Evan sighed deeply and closed his eyes, then slowly shook his head and mumbled something Alex couldn't hear.

"You wanna clue me in here? 'Cause I'm really tired of all this." These Sha'erah were nothing like the stories. At least not this one.

"Do yourself a favor." Evan took a few steps closer and looked Alex in the eyes. "Sell me to the first man who offers and go back to your nice quiet life."

Alex sighed heavily and looked outside. "Maybe I should." The rain could be seen slamming into the windows, but soundproofing made it impossible to hear. He owned a Sha'erah! It wasn't sinking in. Something in his conscious was insisting it was wrong, but the little boy inside--the one dreaming of playground myths and campfire legends--couldn't believe his luck! Only, like most things you want so badly, it wasn't working out as he'd imagined. Evan was opinionated, angry at everything, less than helpful so far, and--he had to admit--more than a little frightening.

And he was still standing there staring at him.

"I need time to think. Just leave me alone, all right?" He sat on the bed, then laid back and closed his eyes.

The sound of the bedroom door was the only reply. Alex opened one eye and confirmed the fact that he was alone, then closed it again. Of course, relaxing was the last thing his mind had in mind. It kept slamming up against his skull, echoing back all the words VanHolt had and hadn't said, all the implications he did and didn't understand. And the image of this tall, angry-looking man who kept insisting Alex was in over his head. Well, he was right. This whole mess was way over his head. Even if he'd been taller, it would have been way over his head! There had to be someone who could sit down and explain it all, slowly and carefully, so he could understand the facts and make some kind of rational decision.

Rational decision! Was he was actually considering selling a human being? He couldn't exactly own one, though, could he? It went against everything he held as right and moral and just. Everything he thought society and civilization stood for. But what did he know of civilization, if Sha'erah were real and not the childhood myth he'd always thought they were? What if he was in the minority, and this type of thing was more common than he'd imagined . . . Would that make it right?

"You had to take that call." He should have refused the estate right then and there, and saved himself this hassle. There had to have been provisions in the will if he'd refused. Then this Evan guy would belong to someone else and he would have been free to explain his proposals for the Pendulum Nebula to Commodore Wilcox during that dinner he'd missed, gotten his funding, and been outfitting his ship right now! He wouldn't have had to worry about some guy he didn't know being a slave to someone his father had willed him to . . . "God, nothing's easy, is it?" Alex rolled over and sat up, leaning forward to rest his head in both hands.

He simply couldn't do it. Could he? Evan would probably be better off staying here, with someone he probably knew. Besides, owning a slave so far hadn't been much fun. There was no guarantee things would ever get easier. Or that this guy wouldn't kill him in the middle of the night and vanish.

Eight hundred and seventy-five million! He didn't want to allow himself the time to wonder what made these people worth such an outrageous sum. Or what special talent this one might have. If that rumor was even true. With that much money, he'd never have to find funding again. He could finally be an independent contractor, using the profits of each discovery to finance the next. Then this Evan guy could work for someone who knew what he was. Well, not work exactly. Work implied being paid. And having a choice.

But how far did his responsibility go? Just because he felt slavery was wrong . . . And he was in a position to do something about it . . . But Evan wasn't a slave, he was a Sha'erah. Okay, so that was splitting hairs. Or was it? He hadn't even known the guy long enough to be responsible for his happiness, anyway. What the hell did he care?

Alex looked up and saw an image on the dresser. He gazed at it, slowly recognizing his father there standing next to a statue. "What did I do to deserve this?"

The image smiled back at him from some sunny vacation spot.

"You couldn't just leave me some property or a business to sell." He paused, staring at the picture. "I suppose that's exactly what he was to you."

The image of Spencer Marcase had nothing to offer. Alex was--as usual--alone.

Until the pager in his pocket alarmed.

"Yes?" Alex saw the image of a man he didn't know come into focus on his screen.

"Mr. Marcase, I presume? I'm Signus Harvey, I was a friend of your father's."

"How did you get this number?" The man looked regular enough. Older, graying hair, probably his father's age or close to it. But he had just called Alex's private line.

"I tried to ring the apartment but the code is set for no disturbances. I do apologize if I'm catching you at a bad time."

"Mr. Harvey--"

"Just Harvey. Everyone calls me Harvey."

Alex eyed the man a moment. He didn't look anything like a man everyone could call Harvey and live to talk about it. "What can I do for you?"

"It's really more what I can do for you, I think." Harvey smiled, showing off a glint of gold artistically embedded in an upper tooth. "I'd like to make you an offer on your father's estate. I'm in a position to be quite generous."

"I'm not sure--"

"Mr. Marcase, may I call you Alex? Alex, I assure you, I know full well what your father's estate is. I've known Evan since your father first acquired him."

"Listen, Harvey, I'm afraid you've caught me a little off balance here."

"Naturally, Sha'erah aren't something deep space explorers are used to running into."

"How did you--"

"I'm prepared to offer nine hundred and fifty million."

Alex blinked. "I don't--"

"Tell you what, you give it some thought and call me back when you've had some time to relax. I've sent you my number. I'm sure you'll come to realize this would be the best all round. After all, I know Evan, and Evan knows me. And a man in your position could make good use of nine hundred and fifty million credits. You think it over."

Before Alex could even think, the connection was terminated.

"Shit!" Nine hundred and fifty million credits! He couldn't even imagine that kind of money, let alone what he could do with it. The Ascalon would be his, with a full crew well paid. He could claim the entire Nebula for himself. Hell, with that kind of money, he could buy Franklin's ship and never have equal competition again! All he had to do was . . . All he had to do was sell his inheritance. Evan. A Sha'erah. Just sell him and be done with it. Back to his life, back to his ship. It was probably what Evan wanted, anyway. To remain here, on Cryian II, with people he knew. People who knew what he was, how to use him.

Alex shoved the pager back into his pocket and looked at the framed image again. Before he could declare victory to his reflection in the glass, he caught sight of his father's eyes. His heart sank.

"Is that what you wanted? To turn me into a slave trader, like you?" He launched from the bed and paced the room. It was either slave trader, or slave owner. "Damned if I do and an ass if I don't." What if he kept Evan? At least for a little while. What would it be like to own someone? "Someone who looks like he could kill me any second." Surely he couldn't really murder him, could he? Unless he was sold. Was it possible for Evan to turn around and kill him immediately afterward? "Why in the hell isn't there a manual on these things?!"

Thoroughly depressed with his situation, Alex went looking for Evan. The Sha'erah wasn't anywhere in the apartment, so he tried the hallway. "What's going on here?"

The courtyard was in serious disarray, with potted plants on their sides, three men standing near the fountain, and blood all over the floor. Alex stared around him, trying to get a handle on the situation as quickly as he could. Evan was conversing with one of the strangers, handing him what looked like credit chips while the two other men pulled the source of the blood from the waters of the fountain.

"Nothing to worry about here, sir." The man with Evan pocketed the credits and nodded politely at Alex. "It's all been taken care of. Sorry to disturb you."

"What exactly has been taken care of?" Alex glared at the man he now realized was a law enforcement officer, then at Evan who was looking at him with a frustrated expression. He pointed at the dead body being carried to the elevator. "Who was that?"

"Devon Peck," Evan replied calmly. "He works for Ross Edwards."

"Oh, well, that just explains everything!" Alex threw his hands in the air. He looked at the officer and couldn't believe it when the man simply smiled again and followed his comrades into the elevator without another word.

"He's one of the people I warned you about." Evan pushed aside a plant and reached his hand through the fronds to the wall. "He was sent here to see if you could be persuaded to sell me. When I told him you weren't to be disturbed, he drew on me. I had no choice." Evan shrugged, glancing at the mess. "This isn't going to stop until you make a decision. Even then, they'll keep trying."

Alex blinked several times, trying to catch up. Evan pressed his hand against something on the wall, then moments later three small mechanical cleaners emerged from behind a bush and started cleaning up the mess.

Was it the planet? Was Cryian II tougher than he'd imagined, and this was commonplace or something? "Why didn't you come and get me?"

"You wanted to be left alone."

"I wanted--I told you to leave me alone, and you took it this literally?"

Evan just stood there, watching him. "I did what I was told to do."

Alex waved a hand in the air and glanced around at the robots cleaning the mess. "You did a little more than that!" It was incredible. One simple statement and the guy interprets it like this? That was it. If he could find a buyer this quickly, get this done, he could be back at the Scotian shipyards in a week. Back to his life. Evan was definitely more than he could handle! More than he wanted to handle. This wasn't someone he could take back to the Ascalon with him. Let alone back to civilized society. He was in over his head. "Do you know a guy named Harvey?"

Evan seemed to bristle for a moment, then he nodded curtly. "He made an offer?"

Inexplicably, Alex felt his face flush red. Thinking about Evan was a hell of a lot easier than talking to him. "I didn't agree."

"Yet."

"Look, I don't--" Alex glanced down at a blood stain one of the machines was scrubbing diligently at. "I don't know what you want from me. I got pulled out of my life and dropped into yours, and I'm having a hell of a time dealing with it right now."

"I know exactly what you mean."

Evan's words took the reply right out of Alex's mouth. He stood there, surrounded by blood and mechanical cleaners, facing a childhood myth that both fascinated and frightened him, and he had no idea what to say. For an instant, Evan seemed more human than Alex. The fact that there might just be two sides to this nightmare hadn't even occurred to him before now.

"I need a drink."

Chapter 2

Evan wished he was dead. He'd wished that before, and unless someone were to grant that wish soon, he was confident he'd wish it again. His Keeper was just sitting there on the couch, leaning back on the cushion, staring at the wall and saying nothing. Just like his father used to do.

Only Alex wasn't anything like him. He resembled him somewhat, in face and manners. But that's where it ended. He wasn't in charge. Hell, he was barely in control. What had Spencer been thinking? And damn him for leaving me with this! Damn him for leaving at all.

Evan was pacing, more to keep himself warm than anything. Three days spent at that grave, staying outside while VanHolt cowered in his office with the doors bolted, had done nothing to cool his anger. But he did feel a chill settling deep inside his chest.

"I'm not a mind reader." He stopped, facing Alex, and wondered if more of Spencer Marcase's traits would prove true in his son.

Alex returned the look, a slight glint of apprehension still shimmering in his eyes. "Well neither am I."

"I can only do what I know. What you tell me to do."

"Is that what you did for my father? Did you kill for him?"

Evan turned away so the flush of his face wouldn't show. "What does it matter what I did for him? You're the Keeper now, all that matters is what you do."

Suddenly the man burst from the couch, one hand raised, and Evan instinctively flinched. But instead of a hand across his face, he was slapped with a look of surprise.

"Look, it's been one hell of a long day." Alex stepped back, still looking confused by Evan's reaction, then pointed to the bedroom door. "I can't think anymore, I need some sleep." He took a few steps toward the room, then turned again. "Where do you sleep?"

Evan considered his reply for a split second. Alex didn't appear to notice the delay, so he nodded to the small door a few feet away from the main bedroom. "There."

Alex turned, then stopped himself again. "Just don't kill anyone without waking me first."

Finally, a direct command. How hard was that? Evan nodded once, then waited for Alex to shut the bedroom door before securing the apartment. After making sure the alarms were set and all locks keyed in, he walked to his room and changed into a long sleeved black shirt and long, loose-fitting pants for warmth against the chill still settled in his bones. Sleep wasn't going to come, so he wasn't going to waste time pretending.

He sat on the bed with the lights out and stared at Alex. Their rooms were connected via reflective hologram, seen only as a mirror from the master suite, and protected with a sound barrier. Evan didn't think mentioning this to his new Keeper would do anything to calm the guy down. He was obviously out of his league here, and clueless as to what to do next. Which meant Evan was going to have to stay doubly alert just to keep him out of trouble.

So he sat, legs tucked underneath him, hands resting on knees, looked through that hologram, and raged quietly.

Never before, in all his young life, had Evan felt like this. He was born into slavery, that was a given that he'd been bred to accept. And accept it he did. It was what he was, simply put and simply stated. He'd never understood people questioning what he was, he simply was. Sha'erah were not human, entirely. They had a purpose, a meaning and reason for being. Unlike everyone else, still searching the galaxies for a meaning to their lives, a reason for being alive. Evan didn't have that uncertainty. His life had a reason, a purpose, and a goal. He was created, he served, and some day he would die. That simplicity had been a comfort all his life.

Spencer Marcase purchased him before he'd even been born, dictating his very creation. After the five year training period, he was given to his Keeper and had been with him ever since. There were times, more so over the past few years, when he would notice his Keeper aging, and feel the twinge of uncertainty regarding his future. But until that day came, one week ago, he'd never allowed that twinge to grip his heart.

Now both heart and gut were gripped fully and terribly with the reality of his situation.

As a Sha'erah, Evan was a piece of property. He'd often been treated like property, always been reminded he was property, but never before--until today--had he ever felt like property. And unwanted property at that. The way Alex continually tried to remove the ring as if he wanted to toss it away like so much trash! Toss him away like so much trash! Spencer used to say Evan was valued, if not for who he was, at least for what he was. And this man--his son--wanted to throw that value away.

The chill in his bones reached the pit of Evan's stomach. His mind replayed that night, over and over again. The night he'd returned from an errand to find Spencer dead on the living room couch. Heart attack, the doctor said. Something no Sha'erah could protect his Keeper from, no matter how hard he tried. The separation hit him instantly, seeing that ring vanish from the finger that had claimed it for twenty-eight years. Instincts Evan had never known before took over, numbing his mind to what was to come. Until now.

Now it was trying to come around, to deal with the situation. He knew Spencer had a son, one he never spoke of to anyone else. He'd been the source of many errands and information research for several months, but Evan had never wondered why. It wasn't his place to wonder, but it all became clear at the grave. The son of Spencer Marcase had come at last, and claimed his inheritance. And he'd been trying to throw him away ever since.

Evan sighed and turned his head from side to side to relieve a kink. The movement caused him to cough, and the cough turned into a round of congested hacking that lasted nearly a minute. When he regained control, he looked through the hologram again. Alex was asleep, oblivious to the noise shielded by the false mirror.

What was his life now? Slave to a Keeper who had no clue who or what he was? A master who gave orders unknowingly, then freaked out when he found those orders obeyed? A man who still thought Sha'erah were a myth, and this was all a joke? Though perpetrated by whom and for what end was a complete mystery Evan failed to understand. This man was so inept with this new responsibility, he was likely to be killed by the first person to come along, and if Evan didn't die trying to protect him, he'd just be passed on again like yesterday's news reports.

No, it was clear this man couldn't keep him. He was an explorer, what did he need with a Sha'erah? He'd come here looking for money, expecting a financial estate, no doubt. And the only way for him to be satisfied would be to sell Evan to the first bidder. People like this thought only of themselves when money was in need. He'd have no concept how to use what his father had given him. How could Evan serve a man like that?

His head was spinning strangely. Feelings he had no experience with were swimming around in his gut, and he had no one to explain them. The loyalty and connection he'd had with Spencer since the day of his birth were gone. Snapped from him the instant the ring had banished itself to the will. It left an emptiness as dead and cold as the grave where he'd sat waiting, aching from a hole that had never before existed. For days, Evan knelt by that headstone, feeling only the pain of that emptiness and the fear of what was to come. His ordered, predictable life now shelved with the rest of Spencer's personal effects, waiting to be passed along.

He didn't know if that hole was ever going to be filled again. If his new Keeper would take up that space, or he was destined to feel the loss forever. It was his only regret at his former master's death. And he knew no other Sha'erah to ask. No other's advice he could seek out.

Evan sighed and felt some congestion inside his chest adding to the odd pains of uncertainty in his stomach. Spencer had been a hard man, and at times a violent man. But now he was alone, truly alone. And, for the first time in his life, afraid.

Slowly, he let himself slip into a guarded meditation, to rest his weary body if not his mind. Thoughts of Signus Harvey surfaced, and of Jerrak, the Sha'erah who'd died keeping that murderer safe. Harvey created Jerrak as the perfect assassin, a role he obviously needed Evan to fill now that he was available. It would be a waste of his own talents, and not anything he wanted to do, but it appeared as if his new Keeper was ready to sell to the first bidder. And that bidder had been Harvey.

Sunrise was an hour away, and Evan's heart was sinking deeper. Why couldn't Spencer's son been more like him? More in charge, more experienced? It was clear his Keeper would die of old age sooner than he would, but somehow Evan had always thought his future would be slightly more dignified. Better than before, even.

Before he could dwell longer on that remembered false hope, an alarm Evan was unfamiliar with blared with intensity, coming from Alex's room. In an instant, he flew off the bed and through the hologram, even as Alex was rolling out of bed, reaching for the source of the noise.

"What the hell?"

Evan grabbed the small device before Alex could touch it, and pressed his left palm over the input connection. He'd recognized it immediately as a personal pager, but knew that alarm hadn't been a simple incoming call.

Alex was half out of bed, staring in shocked surprise from Evan to the mirror and back again.

The information burst flooded Evan's mind, but he quickly sorted through it until he found the source of the alarm. "Someone was trying to invade your personal files from outside."

"I know!" Angrily, Alex grabbed the pager out of Evan's grasp. "What the hell was that?! The mirror is a hologram?"

How could that be important at a time like this? He was never going to understand this man. "It was Harvey, I recognized his code."

Alex got off the bed and stormed a few feet away, looking at the pager. "I had a special program installed, to prevent competitor piracy."

"Harvey isn't a competitor. He's dangerous."

"How do you know it was him?" Alex pointed to Evan's hand. What exactly did you do?"

Evan shrugged. "What I do." He held up his left hand so his Keeper could see the silver metal forming part of his palm. "It's an interface. He wasn't able to reach your files, but you should upgrade your alarm, he was close."

Alex stared at him, incredulous. "You got all that just by touching this thing?"

"Yes."

"That fast?"

"Yes." His talents were going to be wasted if he was sold to Harvey, but at least the man knew now what they were!

Alex swallowed and looked away for a moment, running one hand over his hair. Suddenly he looked up as if a thought had just struck. "You read the files?"

"Of course. Everything comes in a burst, then I look for what I needed."

"You look for what you needed? But the rest, you still saw everything in here?" His face was darkening with every word. "The word Privacy means nothing to you, is that it?"

It would never be worth his time teaching this man the obvious. "You're my Keeper." Evan paused, hoping that much would explain it all. Immediately he could see it hadn't. "For however long that is, I must know everything. I couldn't begin to protect you if I didn't know everything I had to. That's what I'm for." Alex's face was still dark, as angry as Spencer ever was. "You don't understand, do you?"

"No, I sure as hell don't."

Evan sighed and tried to pull some small measure of patience from deep inside. His well was nearly dry. "As long as you wear that ring, I'm more secure than that pager of yours."

"As long as I wear this ring?"

"My loyalties are with my Keeper." This was exhausting, having to explain such obvious facts. Before he could explain further, he was hit by another round of coughing. The congestion in his chest felt thicker.

"Are you all right?" Alex still looked angry, but his voice had softened somewhat.

All Evan could manage was a nod as he tried to get his coughing under control. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his Keeper toss the pager to the bed and begin to get dressed. When the coughing stopped, he looked up, trying to clear his throat.

"You need a doctor."

"Harvey was trying to find a weakness."

"That cough sounded serious."

"He's looking for something he can use against you, in case you don't accept his offer."

"Is there a doctor around here?"

"Yes, but I don't need one."

"Does he make house calls or do we have to go to his office?"

"Are you listening to me?"

Alex stopped fastening the buttons on his shirt and held a hand up. "Let's just deal with one thing at a time. You said Harvey didn't get into the files, correct?"

"That's right." It was clear Alex had no concept of the danger he was in, but he was beginning to give orders. Or at least trying to.

"Then we have time. I'm ready to deal with him." Alex walked out to the living room and Evan followed. "Where's the number for the doctor?"

"The complex has a doctor." Evan walked to the communications array and dialed up the apartment services, then sent a message to the physician's office downstairs. "He'll be here in a half an hour."

"Fine." Alex walked barefoot to the kitchen and looked around for a moment before finding the proper equipment for making coffee.

Evan leaned against the back of the couch, watching him. "How much did Harvey offer you?"

Alex looked up suddenly, obviously startled by the question. He looked away almost as quickly and fumbled with the cups he was pulling from a shelf. "More than I could have imagined."

"There are others, you know. At least three that I can think of who have been leaving you messages. They're not as aggressive as Harvey, but you could start a bidding war and get more, I'm sure."

"Can we just--please--not talk about this right now?" Alex set the cups down and pointed toward the bedroom. "I'm just going to take a shower."

Evan watched his Keeper walk back to the bedroom, then listened as the shower was turned on. When he was sure Alex was in the water, he returned to the bedroom and examined the pager again. Harvey wasn't one to give up after the first try.

It was a relatively simple device that had been modified, somewhat impressively, with privacy alarms and security programs. None of them detected his presence inside the files, but there wasn't a security program built yet that would notice when he was looking around. If Harvey had been his Keeper already, Evan would have had no trouble at all gaining access to everything Alex had.

But Harvey wasn't his Keeper. Not yet, anyway. Evan had hoped there might be someone else, someone who would use him for what he was made, but the prospects were slim here and he didn't expect Alex had the patience, or skill, to instigate an off-planet bidding war. From what he saw in the files, any price he could get would be more money than he needed to finish paying for the ship he leased and the crew to man it. His theories about the Nebula seemed a little risky, but Evan had to admit he knew little of such things.

He quickly adjusted the programs to add more security and returned the pager to the bed. With a little more time, he could have insured they were never infiltrated again, but he figured if Alex found him there, he'd overreact again. For an honest space explorer, he was certainly paranoid.

Evan returned to his room, walking through the hologram as he so often did. After a quick wash and another bout of coughing, he returned to the living room in time to answer the front door.

"Evan, good to see you." Doctor Slater was a kindly older man, with seriously graying hair and a constant, quiet smile. He was the only person Spencer had ever given unlimited access, so Evan let him in right away.

"This is--"

"Alex." Doctor Slater extended a hand as Alex walked up. "I was at the funeral and heard you would be arriving. I must say, the resemblance to your father is rather strong."

Alex looked puzzled, but shook the man's hand without hesitating. "Thank you for coming up, doctor." He pointed to Evan. "He's had a cough all morning, I thought he should be looked at."

"Yes, of course." Doctor Slater put a hand on Evan's arm and steered him to the couch. "I've been Evan's physician since he was a small boy, but even I couldn't get him to go inside and get out of the rain back at the graveyard. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if he caught pneumonia out there."

"I didn't want to frighten VanHolt any more than he already was."

"I don't think that would have been possible." Alex returned to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. "I need to make some calls. If you don't mind, I'll just be in the bedroom if you two need me."

"Oh we'll be just fine." Doctor Slater removed some scanners from his bag and nodded as Alex walked back into the bedroom and closed the door halfway. "Now, open your shirt, Evan."

Evan complied, still looking at the half-closed door.

"How are you two getting along?" The doctor pressed a scanner against Evan's chest and turned it on, staring intently at the display as he moved the unit around.

"He's not his father."

"Ah." The medical scanner moved slowly around his chest, then to his back. "And did you expect he would be?"

Evan shrugged. "I wasn't sure what to expect."

"So, what have you found?"

Doctor Slater was a gentle, quiet man who should have been completely out of place on Cryian II. But to the contrary, he enjoyed the planet more than anyone. Countless smugglers, gamblers, even killers, had confided in him over the years and none had regretted the risk. If this planet had a sacred ground, it was Doctor Slater. He was also the only man other than Spencer that Evan had been allowed to speak with openly.

"I'm not sure." He kept his voice low, just in case he was overheard. But Alex could be vaguely heard in the bedroom speaking over the pager to someone, not listening to them. "This planet will eat him up and spit him out if he stays here too long." Evan adjusted his posture in response to a hand gesture from the doctor, so the scanner could take a new reading. "He doesn't even know what I am."

Doctor Slater finished his scans and looked at the readout, nodding slowly. "Well, I believe you'll find away from this segment of the galaxy, there are more like him. Most people, even wealthy people, can't afford a Sha'erah let alone find a dealer and have one special-ordered." He flipped off the scanner. "This must be hard for you, being passed on like this."

Evan looked away. "It was inevitable." Given Spencer's age and line of work, he was somewhat surprised it hadn't happened sooner.

"I realize you're bred to expect this kind of thing, but that doesn't mean it's easy for you to adjust to. Perhaps staying with someone just as confused as you are could help, in some way?"

"I don't see how. We can't even communicate." Evan realized he was coming close to being disrespectful, but he also knew Doctor Slater could be trusted. The deep feelings of emptiness he'd been fighting were trying harder to well up and be noticed. "He keeps trying to take off the ring, like he thinks he can just throw it away! That's how much all of this means to him."

"Well, I'll tell you one thing about your new Keeper, he was right. You have pneumonia. And I can't say I'm surprised." From his bag came a prescription order unit. "Has anyone contacted Alex with an offer yet?"

"You know I can't discuss his private business." Evan began buttoning his shirt back up while he glanced again at the half-closed door.

"I'd heard a rumor about Harvey. They say he's already killed his nearest competition. Off-worlders haven't gotten in yet, so I expect he'll be wanting to secure a deal before they can arrive."

"That would be up to him."

Doctor Slater finished writing out several prescriptions, then keyed in the pharmacy delivery passwords and nodded as the confirmation was displayed. "I rather hoped Spencer's son would have kept you. You're too unique for Harvey." He put away the unit and looked Evan in the eyes. "You're not an assassin. I'd hate to see you become one."

Evan's face burned slightly, but he quickly gained control and shrugged. "That would be entirely up to my Keeper." His hands nearly started to shake with the last button, so he left it undone. Killing in defense of another was one thing, but cold blooded murder wasn't something he thought he could take to easily. There would be no choice, of course. Unless Alex decided to wait for more offers.

"Doctor, is he all right?" Alex stepped out of the bedroom, pocketing the pager and glancing from Evan to Doctor Slater.

"It's pneumonia. A slight case, not overly serious. I've sent for some medications."

Alex nodded.

"I was wondering if I might have a word with you? In private, if you don't mind."

"Of course. We can step out to the courtyard."

"No!" Evan jumped up. "It's not secure out there." He blocked Alex from the door. "Harvey has men who could get past the alarms. In here is the safest place."

For an instant, Alex looked as if he would argue.

"Your father has a study, second door to the left here." Doctor Slater pointed to the opposite side of the apartment. "How about we use that?"

Alex looked sharply at Evan, then nodded. "Fine."

He watched them walk into the office and close the door, then answered the bell announcing a delivery at the service chute. After a quick security scan, he accepted his prescriptions and examined them. Why was it, in this day and age, antibiotics still came in overly large pills? And what exactly was Doctor Slater discussing with Alex?

Evan poured a cup of the coffee already made and swallowed the required medications. He didn't violate anything with the doctor. It was Slater's own idea that Harvey had made some kind of offer. Alex had to realize that. Surely. Doctor Slater wouldn't let his Keeper think he'd spoken out of place. He couldn't be making his own offer. The man was wealthy, but as far as Evan knew, he was far from being that wealthy.

Still, it would be nice to consider being the property of someone other that Signus Harvey! Just to be with someone who knew who and what he was would be enough. He was almost sure of that.

But there wouldn't be enough time to find out. He saw how urgent it was for Alex to return to his ship and beat that other man to the Nebula. And be the first to find Turbidium there, whatever that was for. He was a little surprised to find Alex was the captain of the ship, and the commander of the expeditions. Surprised and a little perplexed, judging by what he'd seen of the man so far. Maybe--just maybe--he'd been too harsh judging the man during their first few hours together?

Suddenly the office door opened and Doctor Slater come through, followed by Alex.

"Well I certainly wish you all the luck, Alex. I've always hoped it could be done."

They shook hands, both men glancing for an instant at Evan.

"Thank you for the help, doctor."

Evan tensed slightly, wondering what the two men had discussed. Doctor Slater had never betrayed a confidence before, but he'd never had a new Keeper before. Obviously there were first times for everything.

"Evan, would you please see the doctor out?"

"Yes, Evan, why don't you see this old man to the elevator." Doctor Slater smiled and patted Evan's shoulder as they walked to the door.

What had they talked about for forty minutes alone together? He couldn't ask, no matter how badly he needed to know, so he simply nodded and walked the doctor out through the door, past the fountain and the trees, both real and hologram. The birds were singing calmly, always a good indication there was no danger lurking about. He hit the button for the car and turned to face the doctor.

"Now, you be sure and take that medication, all of it, exactly as it's written."

"Yes, sir." Evan swallowed, praying the man would volunteer an explanation of what he'd discussed with Alex.

Instead, he was treated to another pat on the shoulder.

"I know this isn't an easy time for you, no matter what your training prepared you for. I just hope you can try to be patient and let things work out for themselves."

Evan's eyebrows knit together. "How do you mean?"

Just then the elevator arrived, pausing long enough to show the security camera that its car was void of passengers.

"Take care, Evan. Just in case I don't see you again for a while." He stepped into the car. "Now that Spencer's not around to take out his frustrations on your hide, you shouldn't be needing a doctor quite so often."

Evan stood there numbly watching the doors close. What was all that about? Was he saying having Harvey as a Keeper might not be all that bad? Being a man's assassin wasn't going to be dangerous? What?

He walked back to the door in a confused daze. Inside, he found Alex leaning over the communications screen, speaking with someone. The conversation ended as he walked into the apartment. Alex turned and looked as if he was about to say something, but before he could, the unit buzzed behind him. Evan automatically walked to answer the call, but Alex held up a hand and keyed the switch.

"Yes?"

From behind the couch, Evan could make out the face on the screen. Every muscle in his body tensed.

"Mr. Marcase, can I call you Alex? Alex, I was wondering if you'd had time to think over my offer of last night?"

"Yes, Mr. Harvey, as a matter of fact I have."

"Just Harvey, please. Everyone calls me Harvey."

Everyone he had killed did. Evan shifted his weight from one foot to the other, trying to watch Harvey on the screen without being seen himself.

"Good! I trust you found it adequate?"

"It was very generous, Mr. Harvey."

Evan mentally took note of Alex's use of Mr.

"More money than I could have imagined, I'm sure."

"Well, Sha'erah are hard to come by. Your father's death was a tragedy, to be sure. But I must admit I couldn't allow this opportunity to pass me up."

"I'm sure you couldn't." Alex turned slightly and looked at Evan.

Their eyes met for an instant and Evan felt a slight wave of shock course up his spine. It was barely there, and impossible to interpret, but he knew he'd felt it. His Keeper's expression was unreadable. The instant seemed to drag on for hours, and Evan fought to understand the look, but the man's green eyes were too unlike his father's to predict.

The moment passed, and Alex turned back to the screen. "As I said, your offer was most generous. But I'm afraid he's not for sale."

What?

"Excuse me?"

"I said he's not for sale."

Evan's lungs gasped for air when he realized he'd forgotten to breathe. His mind had just been shocked into a sort of void spot where no thought was possible. Did he just say No to Harvey? My God, he doesn't know what he's doing! He tried to rush forward and explain Alex's grave error, but he couldn't move! He had to protect Alex, but he wasn't allowed to interrupt.

"I'm afraid I don't understand, Alex." Harvey's voice shook with an anger still being held in check. "Is the price not sufficient? I can go higher, but I assure you you'll not find another offer like mine anywhere else in the galaxy."

"I'm sure you're right, sir. But as I said, he's not for sale." Alex glanced at Evan again, but wouldn't hold his gaze.

The room was trying to spin, but Evan kept it relatively level with great effort. Not for sale? What did he mean, that he was going to start a bidding war after all? Couldn't he sense how dangerous that could be? His heart was pounding so hard in his chest he could hear blood roaring through his ears, muffling Alex's words. He couldn't possibly be thinking . . .

"Mr. Marcase, I think you can see how generous I've been up to this point." Harvey's anger was losing much of its control. "I'm sure you don't intend to keep Evan. You're a busy man with deadlines to return to."

Alex straightened up and for a moment Evan feared he might be going to get angry himself at the veiled reference to Harvey's already undoubtedly full understanding of his career and private life. Things were going to get ugly, he knew it.

"I do apologize if I've lead you to believe otherwise, Mr. Harvey. But Evan is not for sale. Good day." Alex finished his sentence with a decisive flip of the end-call button.

When they were alone again, Evan's instincts kicked into gear, freeing up his body, if not his numbed mind. "What are you doing?" He hurried over to his Keeper's side. "Do you know what you've done?"

"Not really, but I've done it." Alex looked him in the eye, unwavering.

Oh God! He didn't even understand the danger he was in! "Harvey doesn't take no for an answer!" Panic was starting to creep in. Alex was still his Keeper, he still had to keep this man safe and he'd just invited the most dangerous man on Cryian II to murder him--and he didn't seem to care!!

"I figured as much."

"It's not safe here, not anymore. Even with Jerrak dead, Harvey can get in here!"

"Jerrak?"

What was with him? Picking the most inopportune times to demand the simplest explanations! "Jerrak was Harvey's Sha'erah, an assassin. He was killed three years ago."

Alex's jaw muscles clenched suddenly, but he didn't seem to react with any more surprise. "I've already booked us a shuttle out of here. We leave in two hours."

Evan blinked. There wasn't time to think.

"Can you pack quickly?"

"We?'

"Is there anything here you want? Anything that wasn't rented that my father left you?"

"Harvey's offer was more than you'll find anywhere else."

"There's a cruiser heading back to Scotian, that's where I'm from, our shuttle can meet up with it. I've booked us a spot."

"You're keeping me?"

"You'll have to call that car, I don't know where he's listed."

Evan reached out, stopping short of touching Alex's arm. "Do you know what you're doing?"

Alex looked away, then back again. "No. I don't." He swallowed and fingered the silver ring. "I have no idea what I'm doing. But we'd better get the hell out of here and worry about it later."

He couldn't argue that logic. Actually, it was the only logic he could find in this entire situation. Alex returned to the bedroom and began packing, so Evan did the same. He couldn't think. There wasn't time to think, he had to act, leave the thinking for later when there was time.

His own possessions were few, clothing mostly, some equipment. It all fit easily into a bag that he slung over his shoulder. In the living room, he quickly called for the car, then hurried into Spencer's office and found the safe behind the hologram painting.

"What are you doing?" Alex poked his head into the office, his bag secured over a shoulder.

"Your father left something in here for you." The safe opened and Evan retrieved the only contents, a small bag heavy with credit chips. "He told me to give it to you after--" He faltered, suddenly not sure this was the proper time. But if Alex was leaving, it must be the proper time. Evan knew no matter what the future held, he'd never be back in this apartment again. Regardless of who Alex ended up selling him to.

"After what?"

"He said, after you'd made up your mind."

Alex didn't reach out to accept the bag. "When did he say this?"

Evan shrugged. "He didn't, not to me. It was in the will." He reached out, trying again to hand over the bag. Maybe Alex hadn't made up his mind after all? "If you're leaving, then he must have meant for you to have it now."

That seemed to be the answer Alex was looking for. He accepted the bag but didn't look inside. "Let's go."

Evan followed his Keeper until they reached the front door, then he blocked the way. "Let me go first. Harvey's already on his way here." He grabbed a hand-held unit from beside the door and turned it on, scanning the foyer. With his packed bag secured over one shoulder, and a scanner in one hand, Evan drew a small weapon with the other and was slightly surprised to find a similar gun in Alex's right hand. "Stay very close behind me."

Alex obeyed for the most part, but he couldn't stop looking around the entire elevator ride down as if he'd expected Harvey to burst through the walls. The sudden memory of startling his Keeper by bursting through what the man had thought was a mirror made Evan's face flush. He really hadn't meant to startle him so badly. Well, not really.

But now wasn't the time to think about that. This guy was in way over his head and now he had to get them both out of here in one piece. By the time they reached the ground floor, the car was waiting, passenger door pressed up against the lobby entrance. Evan motioned to the armed guard at the front desk and waited until he was given a quick nod before allowing Alex to leave the elevator car.

"Straight into the back seat. The car is enforced." He followed Alex, gun cocked and ready. When his Keeper reached the car's open door, he tossed his pack through and launched himself in after it. Evan turned quickly, guarding their backs, and let himself fall into the car, pulling the door shut the instant he was inside.

The driver pulled away before the door was even closed. "We'll have to take the main route. Can't afford to waste any time with Harvey on your case."

"How do you--"

"Everyone will know by now." Evan kept his gun in hand, nodding to the driver. "How close can you get us?"

"I could drive this baby right up that shuttle's ass, if it had one."

Alex shifted in the seat and fingered the small hand gun he was holding. "Will this guy follow us off-planet?"

Evan turned to look at him, shrugging slightly. "I'm not sure." His Keeper held his gaze, but those deep green eyes were impossible to read. He really had no idea what he'd done. "No one's ever said no to Harvey and lived to tell about it." Damn, he wished he knew what Doctor Slater had talked to Alex about! Was it something he'd said that caused this irrationally impulsive death wish?

The driver shot a glance over his shoulder as he sped down the main streets. "You got guts, Mr. Marcase. Just like your old man. No one ever bargained on you keeping Evan. Least of all Harvey."

Alex shot the driver a look, then turned away and stared out the window.

"It's a good thing you're doin', keeping him in the family and all."

Evan tried to catch the driver's eye and get him to shut up, but he wasn't looking at them in the mirror. All he could do was watch Alex for any kind of reaction. It felt as if they'd switched places overnight. Suddenly things were happening too fast and making no sense, and Alex seemed in control. Evan knew it was just the danger they were in. With Harvey on their tails, they were closer to death than many men ever got. That, plus the medication he'd taken, must be the reason for this illusion. He was just tired. Working from instinct, that's all. That was why it appeared as if Alex was in control of the situation.

Had to be.

"The space port is two blocks over." Evan checked his weapon and the scanner.

"Your ship is being prepared, gentlemen." The driver flipped a control on his dash and a green light appeared. "I told the Captain you're in a bit of a hurry. He's just loading some cargo now."

Suddenly Alex turned from the window and looked at Evan. "Can he be trusted? The pilot, I mean."

"I don't know." Fine time to start thinking ahead.

"Great."

"If I'd known what you were doing, maybe I could have planned this out better."

"Hell, I didn't know what I was doing!" Alex shot a glance at the driver, then lowered his voice slightly. "I just want to get out of here, get someplace where I can think."

"What's to think about? You could have sold me and been done with it by now."

"Is that what you wanted? To be sold to Harvey and turned into his new assassin?"

"You know, none of this makes sense."

"Good." Alex checked his weapon and looked through the front windshield at the approaching shuttle facility. "I'd hate for things to start making sense all of a sudden. It would ruin this new trend I've got going."

Evan let out a forced breath and scanned the area quickly. The driver was pulling right up to the entrance, but the loading bay seemed unusually crowded. Not a good sign.

The driver nestled the passenger door right up to the main entrance, then tipped his hat and smiled. "Good luck to you, gentlemen. It's been a pleasure."

Evan turned to Alex. "Stay right beside me. We can use the crowd, but don't get too close to anyone. Harvey's men are probably everywhere." He opened the door and stepped out, then motioned for his Keeper to follow.

Every nerve in his body was alert. At least with Spencer, after so many years together, Evan could predict his movements. The man lived with danger and knew how to react, and how to let Evan take point. This guy was a complete stranger in both thought and action.

With five shuttles in port taking on passengers, the crowd paid them little notice. Both men merged with a group walking purposefully toward docking bay A, eyes darting from face to face searching for signs of hostility or recognition. With his senses on overload, the pack over Evan's shoulder felt heavier than it should have. He considered leaving it behind. It was only clothing and a few odds and ends, but it could come in handy as a battering ram if need be.

They were only a few yards away from the gate when he spotted trouble weaving its way through the crowd, heading directly for them. Three of Harvey's men. Evan turned to Alex and nodded urgently to his left, then pointed to a doorway several feet over.

"Hurry!"

To his credit, Alex didn't argue. He moved for the door and opened it, then ducked inside without hesitation. Evan made it through immediately afterward and pulled the door closed just as two shots slammed into the metal.

"Now where?!"

The room they'd ducked into was pitch black, with a cold breeze hitting them in the face from the right side. Evan felt the wall for a light panel. It brought little success, with three of the five lights burned out, but they could make out a narrow corridor.

Two more shots hit the door. "Down there!"

Alex ran down the corridor with Evan right behind. "What are they shooting for? If they kill me, Harvey's no closer to what he wants!"

"Those were stun shots." Evan saw what he was looking for just ahead. "Stop here!"

They'd reached an adjoining corridor, branching off in two directions. An old, dirty sign pointed to baggage claim to their left, while another, more faded, indicated the packing bay. On the wall, next to another sign neither man could make out, was a well-used communication panel. Evan pressed his left palm into the panel. Instantly, his mind was hit with a flood of information. He concentrated, weeding out what he didn't need, and searched for the shuttle bay's layout. The unit was old, and didn't want to skip all the extraneous information it had been holding for so long, waiting for someone to come along and need it. Evan's heart was racing by the time he found what he needed and pulled his hand away.

"I found it." He turned to Alex and found his Keeper struggling with three men. "Shit!" He'd taken a chance! Evan took aim at the first man he could and fired, dropping him instantly. The other two were wasting no time. One man had Alex's right hand, trying to force it onto the panel of a legal recorder. They were too close for a clear shot.

Before Evan could reach the other men, two more came rushing up from behind. Instinctively, he swung the pack from his shoulder and caught one of them in the chest. When that man went down, he took the pack with him. The other one was armed with a tranq gun and already taking aim. Evan dropped to the ground and rolled into the man's legs, clutching his leg as he went down. With a quick tug, he insured a hard landing which was confirmed by the sound of a skull breaking against concrete.

Evan was on his feet instantly, searching for his gun while the first man scrambled out from under his pack and lunged. He was hit in the side and went down, falling on top of the dead man. His hands went up, blocking his attacker's punch, while he kneed the man in the groin. The man's reactions were quick, but not quick enough to prevent Evan from drawing the gun from his own belt and killing him with a solid, point-blank blast to the chest.

It took precious seconds to get out from under the dead man and run to where he saw Alex. With a gun in each hand, he charged the struggling men, straining in the darkness to identify Alex in the confusion of fists and bodies. One man fell to the side, clutching a smoking wound in his side. The man who had inflicted the injury lunged at the other attacker, missed with one swing, took a hit across the face, but recovered immediately and cut off the offending hand with another swipe of the laser blade. Evan stopped in his tracks and took aim.

"Freeze!"

The victor turned, knife poised to throw.

"It's me!"

Evan lowered his weapon immediately, surprised to find his Keeper still standing. Thank God! "This way, hurry!"

They recovered their packs and ran toward the packing bay underneath the main concourse.

"Do you have a plan?"

"I think so!"

They rounded a corner and found themselves at the outskirts of a gigantic warehouse, filled with crates, boxes and conveyor belts all traveling in different directions. Evan scanned the room, searching for the crate they needed while Alex stood beside him, trying to catch his breath.

"That's it." Evan spotted the one he was looking for. "Come on, quickly." He reached the conveyor belt as the huge metal crate rolled slowly along. They had to continue moving in order to keep up with the moving belt.

"What are we doing?"

"Hitching a ride." There was an access panel on the side of the crate marked with all manner of security warnings and pre-approved customs tags. Evan reached up and pressed his hand into the plate. Skimming through the security codes was child's play. Within seconds, the side door popped open. "Jump in!"

Alex tossed his pack into the crate, then scrambled up the side of the conveyor belt and dove headfirst into the large box. Evan waited until he was inside, then climbed up after his Keeper and shoved his pack, then himself, inside.

"You're sure this crate is heading the same way we are?"

Evan moved over several mounds of softly padded packages and found a relatively roomy spot next to Alex in the far corner of the crate. "It's being put onboard the shuttle, then transferred to the cruiser you booked. We can get out once we're there. Harvey won't follow us that far. He's wanted by too many systems to risk venturing very far off-planet."

The lighting in the crate was nominal, but he could see Alex nod his acknowledgment. He could also see the blood dripping from the back of his left hand.

"You're hurt." Evan pulled his pack open and felt around inside for the first aid kit he'd stuffed in there while packing.

"It's just a scratch." Alex examined the wound and shrugged. "Must be the adrenaline. I didn't even feel it."

He found the kit and the antiseptic spray inside. "Let me see it." Without waiting for a response, Evan took Alex's hand and pulled it closer to what little light was filtering in. He was right, it was just a scratch. But infection didn't require depth. "You can fight."

"Yes, I can." Alex watched as his hand was cleaned and lightly bandaged. "Does that surprise you?"

Evan felt his face flush, glad it couldn't possibly be seen in the dim light. This was one of those times he wished he was allowed to lie. "Yes, it does."

Alex laughed slightly, then examined his bandaged hand. "Well, I'm sure there's a lot of things about me you wouldn't have guessed."

Evan busied himself putting the aid kit away. "Might as well get comfortable."

"What will Harvey do when he doesn't find us on that shuttle?"

"While I was scanning the layout I put our names on five other ships leaving the system in the next twelve hours. That should keep him busy for a while."

Alex shifted his position and leaned against the wall of the crate. The silver ring on his finger caught a beam of light and glinted brightly for an instant. Evan watched as he touched the ring with the fingers of his other hand. It was the first time he'd noticed Alex not trying to pull the ring off.

Evan's mind wanted some explanations, but he didn't want to think just yet. He felt as if yesterday's twisted confusion had somehow switched places, putting him into a confused state of disorientation and Alex into a position of being the only one who knew what was happening. Twice now he'd misjudged the man's reactions, but those incidents could still be explained logically. His decision not to sell to Harvey could be a ploy to raise the price, or offer him to someone outside the system. Risky, to be sure, but not completely impossible.

And the fight. His Keeper had incapacitated two skilled fighting men. That could have been luck, as much as anything. It didn't mean Alex was considering keeping him, or that he actually had some skill and control.

"What is that . . . like? When you plug in to the comm. ports like that."

Evan shrugged. "Like breathing. It's natural for me."

Alex seemed to contemplate the answer for a long while. "Is that what you did for my father?"

Their eyes met in the dark crate as they glided and bumped their way into the waiting shuttle's holding bay. Spencer had been his Keeper since the day Evan was born. But he was dead now. And all loyalties died with him.

"Yes, it was." Evan looked away for a second. "Spencer was a thief. He stole secrets and sold them." He opened his palm and exposed the silver embedded there. "I was how he did it."

Alex's jaw muscles tightened momentarily, then he sighed. "What kind of secrets?"

Evan shrugged. "Military, government, but mostly business. Company secrets, stuff like that. A few blackmails."

"Must have been a lucrative business." This time it was Alex who looked away.

"That bothers you?" Evan couldn't help feeling surprised. "You didn't even know him."

Alex didn't reply. He merely propped an elbow on one knee and slowly ran his thumb over his bottom lip in a distracted manner.

Evan recognized the body language and sat silently against the opposite wall of the crate as it was secured in the holding bay. Surely the man didn't feel anything for a father he'd never known. He was probably just beginning to realize what they'd been through. These adrenaline rushes had a way of catching up with you.

It wasn't long after their crate was loaded that they heard the shuttle's engines power up, then felt the slight bump of takeoff. The hop to the outer edge of the system wasn't a long trip. They traveled in silence, Evan busied himself with any and every thought he could come up with that would keep his mind too occupied to think about the day's events, while Alex remained distant, staring through a crack in the crate's panels.

Both men were startled out of their own thoughts by the movement of the crate as it was transferred from the shuttle to the larger ship. They waited until all movement and sound ceased, then eased the door open and crawled out.

"Wait." Evan stopped Alex from reaching for the hatch to the access corridor. He found an information panel and touched the screen. The amount of information slamming into his mind was overwhelming at first, but he quickly pushed it all aside and concentrated on the transfers. Satisfied with what he found, he registered them as having made the connection, then pulled out of the ships main computer. "Okay, we're clear."

"What did you do?" Alex opened the door and shouldered his pack, glancing into the hallway.

"I made sure nothing else came from that shuttle to this ship other than our crate. No other passengers transferred." He hefted his own pack and followed Alex through the door. "Then I registered us onboard. You have room L-27-8."

"Good." Alex started down the corridor. "I need a drink."

"That doesn't mean we're safe here."

"What level are we on?"

Evan glanced at the wall as they made a turn. "F-9. Harvey's got connections."

"Here's a lift." Alex pressed the call button and set his pack on the floor tiredly.

"How long is this trip back to your home?"

The elevator arrived empty, so Evan moved aside and let Alex precede him inside.

"Depends on the ship. What did we get on?"

"It's called the Terria Rose II."

Alex blinked, surprised. "You're kidding? That's the sister ship to the one I came here on. In that case, we should be there in about three days."

Evan leaned against the wall of the car, staring at the lights as they flashed along, indicating the levels. It was next to impossible to have an intelligent conversation with this man.

"Why is it my father never had this kind of trouble?"

"What?" Evan looked at Alex, surprised.

The car reached its level and stopped, opening up to a wider, more luxuriously carpeted hallway. Alex exited and paused long enough to read the sign on the wall, then turned right. "He was never chased and attacked every time he left the apartment, was he?"

"No, of course not."

"And no one bothered him about selling you?"

Now he understood. "Spencer was a dangerous man, everyone knew he would never sell, so no one asked."

Alex found the door to their room and pressed his thumb into the key panel. "I wasn't going to sell either, but you said Harvey could have made me."

"Not the same thing." Evan held up a hand before Alex could enter the room. With his portable scanner, he confirmed the room was empty. "Spencer Marcase wasn't a man you crossed."

"Even to a man like Harvey?"

Evan nodded, then followed a slightly confused Alex into the room.

It was a modest suite, all one room with a single bed secured to the far wall and a wide couch against the opposite wall. Two chairs faced a small table, with a large washroom finishing out the room.

"I couldn't get two rooms, the ship is booked." Alex dropped his pack onto the floor and sat heavily on the bed.

"No." Evan set his pack next to the couch but didn't sit down. "I can't let you out of my sight until I'm sure you're no longer in danger."

Alex looked up and seemed about to reply, then shook his head and laid back on the bed, stretching out with a sigh. "Hope you don't mind the couch."

"Of course not." Evan walked around the cabin, reassuring himself there was nothing amiss. "With room service you can stay in here the whole trip. It would be safer that way."

"I'm too tired to argue right now."

Evan found the room's information panel, but didn't investigate further. There was time for that later. He located the locking mechanism and accessed it, changing the emergency codes so no ship's personnel could override the room lock. When he finished, he walked back to the couch and sat down.

Alex was asleep, lying on his back on top of the bed. They were quickly leaving Cryian II's influence, and with luck, Harvey's reach. Ship time was showing late afternoon, with the first round of dinner meals being served in the lower galley. Evan sighed, then leaned back into the couch, pulling both feet up onto the cushions. The couch was soft and deep, inviting him to close his eyes and rest. In the excitement, he'd been able to ignore the thick feeling in his chest, but now that the adrenaline had worn down, he felt the need to breathe more shallowly in order to avoid coughing fits. The pills Doctor Slater had given him were pressing into his side from a pocket, but he ignored them. It wasn't time for another dose.

Evan dragged a hand over his face and realized it was shaking. The instant he noticed his shaking hand, everything else started to come apart.

"Damn." He sat forward and pressed both hands into his forehead to stop them from shaking. The past few days were threatening to come crashing in on him, and he was running out of strength to fight them off. It wasn't every day you were inherited, let alone so nearly sold to a man like Signus Harvey. Not that his present situation was any improvement, but at least right now he wasn't being trained to kill on command. Well, yet, anyway. What Alex had in mind was completely beyond his understanding.

Did the man mean to keep him after all? He didn't even understand who or what he was! How was he going to serve someone who didn't understand how to command?

Evan pulled his head from his hands and looked at Alex. He was still asleep, and judging from the steady breathing, probably would be for hours. God, he was tired! He wanted to sleep as well, put these thoughts off until he'd had some rest. But he didn't know Alex well enough to predict when he'd wake up. There was no connection between them, and likely never would be. The strange presence Evan had felt with Spencer was gone. He'd never understood or even desired that connection, but he'd learned how it worked and used it often.

Even though that feeling had never been wanted, it now felt painfully absent. The emptiness was like a heavy weight in the center of his chest. With a sigh, Evan leaned back again and closed his eyes. If he could just meditate for awhile, he could at least get some rest.

He hadn't counted on actually falling asleep.

Chapter 3

Alex woke with a start. It took nearly a minute to focus, then another to realize what he'd focused on. It was the ceiling of a single cabin on a luxury liner speeding its way back to Scotian. He sighed and checked the time. Five hours since he and--damn, it hadn't been a dream--five hours since the two of them had basically stowed away onboard a cruiser he'd paid to board. Maybe if he closed his eyes again? This had to be a dream. First his father, then the inheritance. Who leaves someone a person in their will, for Christ's sake? Then Harvey. And that close call back at the shuttle bay.

The adrenaline had worn off in a rush. Alex didn't even remember lying down, but at least he'd kicked off his shoes. He hated wearing shoes, and had the habit of kicking them off the instant he was in his own quarters without even thinking about it. Now he considered undressing completely so he could get some real sleep, but the adrenaline fall-out was over. Tired as he was, his mind was beginning to work again, and didn't want to give him any more time off.

With a quiet groan, he rolled over and sat up, rubbing what was left of the sleep from his eyes. Evan was on the couch, asleep in a position that couldn't possibly be comfortable. Alex considered waking him, letting him finish out the night on the bed, but then thought better of the idea. The man had lightning-fast reflexes, and he'd already proven himself more than apt at killing in hand-to-hand confrontations. Sure, Doctor Slater had promised him Sha'erah were incapable of killing their owners, but startling the guy out of a sound sleep might invalidate that exception.

Besides, he needed time to think, not argue.

He checked the ship's time, then padded barefoot to the table nestled against the far wall. Embedded in the table was an automated menu connected directly to the ship's dining rooms, so passengers could place orders for delivery without even calling up the kitchen staff. Alex used it now to order coffee and a high protein soup. He paused before hitting the send button. Evan was still sleeping, and if it hadn't been for his restless mind, he would be too. But the guy would have to eat sooner or later. He changed the order quantity and sent it in, glad that at this hour, it would be delivered by service 'bot.

Now there was nothing to do but relax.

As if.

Alex leaned back in the chair, elbow resting on the edge of the table, and chewed at the tip of a finger. His heart began to race.

What in the HELL have I done?! The silver ring felt cold against his skin as he sat there, staring at Evan. A person. A Sha'erah! He hadn't even had time to absorb it, let alone allow himself to realize he'd made the choice to keep this . . . this . . . man. God, I could have had this over and done with by now! What had he been thinking? A man had offered nearly twice what Evan was worth, more money than Alex had ever dreamed of, and he'd not only turned him down, but then ended up running for his life because of it. Now what?

Alex ran a hand through his hair and felt it shake. Both hands were shaking with the realization of his actions. He'd had a solution right there, staring at him from the vid-screen. What did it matter to him what Harvey wanted Evan for? He didn't know these people, didn't know Evan. God knows he needed the money! It was the only reason he'd come here, accepting the estate of a man he'd spent a lifetime hating. He needed the money!

What he got was unreal.

"All right, just get a grip, Alex." He sighed quietly and walked to the washroom to splash cold water on his face. The mirror reflected back a tired, confused man whose chin was again sporting the hint of a beard that made him look so much like his father. "You really screwed me over this time." He glared at the reflection as water dripped from his face. "What in hell am I supposed to do with this guy? I can't own someone." It wasn't right. Moreover, it was morally repulsive. What were people going to think? What if he lost financial backing because of this? Alex slapped his face with another handful of cold water. What backing? Last time I looked, there wasn't any.

He stared at the water running down into the recycle tube, then looked up again. This time the face he saw was neither his, nor a shadow of his father's.

"Shit!" Alex lurched backwards, slamming into the towel warmer. "Don't DO that!"

"Do what?" Evan stood in the doorway, looking as dark and angry as ever.

Alex had to take a few deep breaths before he could speak again. "You scared me!"

"You should have woken me, it's dangerous to go anywhere until we know Harvey didn't get men on this ship." Evan was still glaring, but he'd backed up two steps.

"I didn't expect to find an ambush waiting for me in the bathroom." Alex shook off the last of the sudden adrenaline rush and stepped back up to the sink. "Besides, you looked like you were sound asleep."

The look Evan returned was anything but appreciative. "I shouldn't have been." He stormed away from the door and paced to the center of the room, then spun around. "I'm never to be asleep when you're awake, I just--didn't feel you wake up." He looked down suddenly, shaking his head.

"What do you mean, you didn't feel me wake up?" Something about that didn't sound good at all. Cautiously, Alex stepped out of the bathroom, keeping a wary eye on Evan.

"With Spencer I could--I could feel when he was awake, or about to wake up." Evan looked up again and shrugged slightly. The minute apologetic glance altered almost immediately back to his usual matter-of-fact stare. "It must have been due to how long I'd been with him."

"Must have been?" Alex walked back to the bed and sat down. "What are you saying? That this is some Sha'erah thing, but you don't know what or why?" This is never ending! What's gonna happen next, he can read minds but he forgot to tell me?

Evan sat in the chair at the table, but his reply was delayed by another round of coughing. When it subsided, he looked up again. "I've only ever known one other Sha'erah in my life. Jerrak, until he died."

Alex blinked. He wasn't completely sure he fully understood what Evan was saying. "You mean, not only is there no instruction manual, but even you don't know how you work?"

Evan's eyes flashed with dark anger. As he opened his mouth to answer, the door chimed, startling both men. "Stay there!"

"It's dinner," Alex chastised his roommate, but made no move to get off the bed. His heart was still in his throat, even though his head was trying hard to convince him there was no way Harvey would have followed them this far. Surely. It was only dinner.

Evan pressed the door monitor and scanned the hallway for a long moment, then slowly opened the door a crack, then further, just enough to allow the service 'bot to hand him the trays. When he'd secured the door again, he nodded to Alex.

"I can't imagine anyone following us this far." Alex walked to the table and took a seat. He was angry at Evan's presumptions, but too flustered to say anything.

"Then you can't imagine much." Evan took the opposite seat. "Harvey's not going to give up that easily, even if he doesn't want to venture far from Cryian himself."

That was close to his limit. "Look, I wasn't born yesterday." Alex pushed one of the two bowls of soup toward Evan, narrowly avoiding a mess . "I know what kind of person my father was." He shoved the second cup of coffee across the table, wondering if his lie could be heard screaming inside his skull. "And I saw what kind of person this Harvey guy is. But I think I can handle myself now that we're out of there and on the way back home." He didn't realize 'home' only related to him until the word was out.

"You've proven yourself handy in a fight, but how are you at an ambush?" Evan wrapped a hand around the coffee but didn't taste it or the soup as he watched Alex. "Harvey knows who you are, where you came from, and what you do. He also knows where you're going, I'm sure."

Alex shoved his spoon into the bowl angrily. He wasn't right. Okay, maybe he had a few good points, but he wasn't right! "He can't keep this up." The soup was easier to talk to than Evan, so he concentrated on watching the meat and vegetables swim around in the dark broth.

"He can until you've sold me."

That sounded like a query, but Alex wasn't ready to answer it. For himself or for Evan. "All I need is funding, and I can get the Ascalon on its way to the middle of nowhere. We'll be safe out there, that's for sure."

We?

"We?"

Alex looked up suddenly and tried to recover some time. "Listen, it's . . . I'm still trying to figure out what in the hell I've done. I can't think that far into the future. Not yet."

Evan merely nodded and sipped his coffee.

That was it? No opinion? No argument? No lecture? It couldn't be that easy. He wanted to drop the whole subject, but how could Evan? They'd been bashing heads about every word he said since the first minute they met, now he was just nodding and drinking his coffee?

"I can't own a person." Alex let his spoon hang forgotten in his hand. He couldn't understand why his mouth wasn't listening to his head when it told him the conversation was over.

"But you do."

"No," Alex shook his head and held up a hand. It just happened to be the one adorned with silver. He glanced at it. "What I own is a ring I can't get off. The rest isn't something I have a right to."

"It's not just a right, it's a responsibility." Evan's voice was so calm, so reasonable, he might as well have been talking about a small pet Alex had been given as a gift. Only Alex had never owned a pet in his life.

"Well, no one asked me if I wanted to accept it." Frustrated, he pushed his chair back and stood, then began pacing the small room. His heart was pounding again and he could feel his exhausted body trying to process another rush of adrenaline. He knew Evan wasn't the enemy. Deep down, he knew that. The guy was just the equation. The reason behind everything that had risen up to grab Alex's quiet, ordered life by the throat and squeeze. Hell, it would be easier if he WAS the enemy. Easier if they could just duke it out. Sure, Alex would lose any fair fight between them, he was sure of that after the incident in the tunnels. But at least they'd have a winner and they could go their separate ways. Alex could live with losing. Well, maybe not to Franklin.

"God, I'm right back where I started!" He slumped down on the couch and pressed his head back until he was staring at the ceiling again. No funding, no inheritance--at least that he could use--and Franklin preparing his ship even now. "I need to find out who's on this ship, see if there's anyone I can use."

"What do you mean?" Evan stayed in the chair at the table, but had turned it to face the couch.

"My ship needs funding." He glanced toward the table, then remembered the incident just the other morning. "But you know that." Hell, he'd scanned every file in the pager, he probably knew more than Alex by now.

Evan nodded once, unaffected by the accusing stare Alex was directing his way. "You get corporations to fund your expeditions, so they can profit from the findings?"

Alex didn't bother replying.

"What do you get out of that?"

He stared at the ceiling. "I get to explore. Find things no man has seen before." Alex closed his eyes and pictured the Nebula. Slowly, the hell of the past week began to ebb away, replaced by a familiar tingle. "Do you have any idea what that's like? To be the first one to see a new system? The first ship into a new region of space?" He glanced at Evan. "To be the first person to see a new star or planet?"

"No."

Suddenly Alex sat up. "Have you ever been away from Cryian?"

"Yes, but not often." Evan suppressed a yawn. "Your father didn't like to leave, so he sent me on errands for him."

He didn't want to know what kind of errands. "Errands?" Somehow his mouth hadn't gotten the memo.

Evan blinked heavily, obviously fighting sleep. "Yes. Business trips, he called them."

He wasn't exactly forthcoming. Fine, be that way. "Why don't you go back to sleep? I need to make some calls." Alex got off the couch and dug around in his pack until he found the pager.

"I can't."

"Why?" He sat down on the bed and flipped open the small panel.

"Because I can't trust you not to leave the room." Evan stood and walked to the couch, but didn't get comfortable. He had his coffee in one hand and was prying the lid off a prescription bottle with the other.

"Great." Alex shot him a nasty look but he could see it was ignored. He wanted to argue the point, but he knew it was useless. After all, the guy was right. He had every intention of heading out to see who was on the cruiser while he still had time. "Fine, we'll both stay here till morning." He glanced at Evan, but the man just stared back, swallowing several pills. "I promise." The pager beeped inquisitively at him, but Evan's look never wavered. He wasn't buying it. At least a pet would obey better.

Evan nodded at the pager waiting patiently in Alex's hand. "It's too early to call Scotian."

"What?" Alex checked the time. "Damn." Two in the morning. He just had to be right about something! "Fine. It can wait, then." Without another look toward the couch, Alex peeled off his shirt, then his pants, and shoved both feet under the light blanket. "Turn off the lights when you're ready." He didn't bother with pleasantries.

Less than a minute later, the lights in the room were reduced to sleeping luminance. There was a rustling off to the side as Evan got comfortable on the couch, then silence.

Silence so loud Alex's thoughts reverberated inside his skull.

When the speakers in the room announced the second call for breakfast, Alex rolled over and realized he'd fallen asleep at some point. Probably just an hour ago, judging by the way he felt. This time, Evan was awake and sitting at the table, black hair still damp from a shower.

"Is black the only color you wear?" Alex got up and walked groggily toward the bathroom.

"Yes." His reply was short and to the point, with no inflection.

Okay, not a morning person. Good, neither am I. "Figures." He shut the door this time so there wouldn't be a repeat of last night's startling. Alex cleaned his teeth and face, then stripped off his boxers and stepped into the shower. The Terria Rose II was just as luxurious as her sister ship and boasted full washrooms in every cabin. Her speed of travel and the fact that her routes were through the heart of the more populated sections of space allowed for fresh water showers in abundance. Alex could have spent all morning in there, letting the spray pound some sense into his head, but he was too keenly aware of the other man sharing the room. He didn't even know this guy, and he'd already spent the last three days completely in his company. Either that doctor on Cryian II was right, and he was perfectly safe in Evan's presence, or he was running on sheer luck.

The shower did much to revive Alex, as did being back onboard a cruiser returning to civilized society. He could almost believe his life was getting back on the main course.

Alex pulled on a fresh pair of pants then glanced at Evan while he fumbled around his pack for a clean shirt. He was at the table, staring at the embedded display with one hand pressed palm down on the panel. "What are you doing?"

"Searching the ship's passenger list." He looked up for a moment. "You wanted to find out who was onboard."

"You what?" He fumbled with a button on his way to the table. For some reason, he hadn't expected Evan to be doing anything for him. "How did you get into those files from here?"

Evan continued to scroll through the names that appeared on the table's display. "Easy. All I need is access to one of the computers. From there I just go where I want."

"Where you . . . Never mind." Alex finished with his buttons to buy some time. He hadn't allowed himself to really think about what this Sha'erah was capable of, or how his father had used that capability. He reluctantly allowed himself to look at the names scrolling by. If the file was there, he might as well use it. "Any sign of Harvey's people being here?"

"They wouldn't exactly register when they boarded. But the ship is fully booked, and there haven't been any reports of unusual activity or suspicious passengers." Evan continued scrolling. "I don't recognize anyone. Unless you want to give me a name to search for, you'll have to take a look at it yourself."

Alex cleared his throat and looked for more buttons to fuss with. This wasn't exactly kosher, accessing a ship's files without permission. "Carpenter." He swallowed the last of his reluctance and sat down, looking at the display upside-down. "Do you see a Carpenter listed?" This wasn't the ship he'd planned on taking back, it was too soon. But it was worth a shot, starting near the top of the alphabet, as it were.

Evan scanned some names, then pointed to the screen. "Miranda Carpenter, room 8B11. She boarded at Sirui station with a one-way ticket to Scotian." He looked up at Alex. "You know her?"

"She's early." Alex looked at the name, eyebrows creased. "They weren't due back for another week." He frowned at the screen, but the name was right there, in glowing black and white. "Her father was interested in the Nebula. But he's not here?"

Evan shook his head once. "She's the only Carpenter listed. Do you want me to contact her?"

"What? No." That's just what he needed, a tattooed, black-clad angry man asking Miranda if her father was going to invest in the Ascalon's expedition. Hell, he wasn't even sure if he could let Evan walk around the ship! If anyone figured out what he was . . . "I'll talk to her. I need to make some calls first." He pulled the pager from its usual pocket and checked the time.

"It's ten o'clock."

Alex looked up from the machine, feeling a return of the constant irritation that had plagued him since first meeting VanHolt. "Don't tell me, you have an innate sense of time?" He didn't even bother to hide the sarcasm.

"I checked before you woke up." Evan didn't try hiding his own, either. "I have a responsibility too."

"Whatever." He flipped open the case and starting checking for messages. The first screen held several passwords, but the next screen looked . . . different. His files were listed as usual, and indicators told him what messages were waiting for his attention. But something wasn't quite the same. Angrily, he looked up, meeting Evan's watching gaze. "What did you do?"

"Your security wasn't as tight as it should be. Harvey got in, and other people have come close." Evan shrugged nonchalantly. "I fixed it."

"You fixed it? It wasn't broken!" Alex refrained from chucking the pager at the man, but it took great effort. "You read everything in here, didn't you? Then you took it upon yourself to "fix" the security?" His face was burning. The only thing keeping him from launching more of an attack was the vision of two dead men in the space-port tunnels on Cryian II.

Evan's eyes flashed. He made no attempt to back up or even pretend to look apologetic. "Your security needed to be improved, so I improved it. Harvey was too close to your personal files, he could have accessed everything you had if he'd tried again with the measures you had in place."

"And that gives you the right to just fix it?"

"There can't be secrets, don't you understand? I need full access to everything if I'm going to be able to serve you properly. If you'd sold me to Harvey I'd be doing the very same for him right now."

"Serve me prop-- How does you getting full access to my life serve me properly?"

They stared each other down for a moment before Evan answered. "Other people have tried to break your codes before."

Alex blinked. "What?"

"Over the past two years, you've had eight close calls. One nearly accessed your flight plan three months ago."

"You-- How do-- What!?" Nothing was sinking in. Why couldn't they stay on one subject and fight it out? Why was Evan always adding to the equation, or changing the rules mid-argument? And why in HELL did every conversation with this man turn out this way? "Who did?" Numbly, he realized he was already losing this one.

"Someone from a computer onboard a ship called the Vision. They didn't get in, but they came close. Very close."

"Shit." Alex swallowed hard, the origins of the fight fading quickly. "That's Franklin's ship."

"He's the man trying to reach the Nebula first?"

Alex nodded, barely aware of the source of Evan's information and the reason for their current friction. "Did he get anything?"

Evan shook his head. "Nothing he was looking for."

"But he tried." That bastard!

"I don't understand." Evan leaned forward, resting an elbow on the table's display. "You both want to be the first one to that place, how secret is the flight plan? Isn't it just . . . there?"

Alex set his forgotten pager on the table and stood. He felt dizzy and angry and confused all at once, and needed to pace around the room. For some reason, he was sure that would help. "Not to it, through it." He reached one end of the small room and turned around, glancing momentarily at Evan, his anger at the man forgotten for a deeper frustration with Franklin. They'd resorted to some nasty tricks in the past, but they'd never broken into each other's files illegally. At least, he hadn't! "Nebulas are dangerous to navigate when you know what's inside or beyond it. This one is different, no one has been there before so we don't know what's in it or how to get through it. I've got a flight plan, he's got a flight plan. One of us will beat the other based on that flight plan."

"So if he knew yours, and compared it with his . . . "

"He'd stand a better chance of beating me in."

"What if you had his?"

Alex stopped pacing and stared at Evan. For a split-second, possibilities he'd never considered flashed through his mind. If he had Franklin's plans? If he had Franklin's plans? Evan could get those plans. That's what he did. That's what his father . . . "No." Alex shook his head sharply. "No, I don't work that way." He met Evan's gaze, expecting a snort of disappointment at his spineless methods. Instead, he saw something completely unexpected mirrored there. Something almost . . . relieved.

"Do you want me to order breakfast?"

"Um . . . " He had to organize his thoughts just to consider that simple subject. "Yeah. Order breakfast. I need to check in with my ship."

Evan set about closing the files and changing the display while Alex retrieved his pager and walked to the couch. He fell into the cushion and flipped open the unit again. No messages. Everyone must be waiting for him to call in with the good news.

Well, it was news.

"Duvia residence." The answering machine drawled in the best imitation of a hired servant its servos could manage.

"Alex Marcase calling for Madame Duvia." Alex glanced over the pager at Evan and found him busily placing a breakfast order, apparently not listening in though he knew the room was too small for any privacy.

"One moment please."

He counted on his mother always leaving him on hold, it gave him time to think of a way to start his explanation.

"Alex, there you are. I was going to call you today if you didn't check in." Madame Duvia's face beamed at him from the small screen. "Well, what's the good news?"

I should have started with Jeff. "It's complicated, mother. I don't have the funding."

The perfect smile vanished. It didn't fade away with the slow realization of disappointment, it simply vanished as if from hours of disaster preparation. "How much did he leave you? Did that bastard blow his entire estate and make you fly out there for nothing?"

Alex sighed and glanced again at Evan. "It's . . . complicated. I can explain it later, but there wasn't a cash estate. Have you spoken with Commodore Wilcox again?"

"What do you mean it wasn't a cash estate? What was it?"

Why couldn't he get one simple conversation out of anyone? Just one. "It was . . . " God, he was sitting right there! "He left . . . He kept a Sha'erah." Alex paused, waiting for her dramatic, incredulous reply.

"He left it to you?" There was surprise in her tone and on her face, but not the type Alex had been expecting. "You brought it with you? Why in heaven's name didn't you sell it there?"

Alex felt his face turn red with embarrassment and cold from shock. Evan was watching him now, no emotion or reaction showing on his own face. "Mother you--you know about them?"

"I know they're worth millions! Wasn't there anyone willing to buy it there?"

"Mother," Alex tried desperately to lower his voice and return a stern look of reprimand, but Madame Duvia never accepted one from anyone, least of all her son. "He's right here!"

"You can't be thinking of finding a buyer here! Alex, no one on Scotian could possibly pay what a Sha'erah must be worth these days."

"I can't believe you even know what they are. What he is." Alex corrected himself immediately. "Until three days ago I thought they were a myth!" Why did Evan have to sit there so calmly and listen to this? "He's a person, mother. Not an object. I can't-- I can't sell a person."

"They're not even human, Alex, of course you can sell it." She bit her bottom lip in thought. "I might be able to find a buyer, given a day or two."

"I can't believe you knew, all this time, that they were real."

"Don't be ridiculous. Everyone, or at least nearly everyone, knows they're real. But what's the use talking about something you could never hope to afford? Most of us simply ignore them, let our children assume they're myths." She waved a dismissive hand. "It's unimportant. Until now, anyway. You have to let me do some checking."

This was definitely a huge mistake. "Mother, listen to me . . . No, just . . . just forget it, all right? There's too much going on right now. I'll explain it all later, but don't do anything!"

"Now you're being stubborn!" Madame Duvia's face morphed into her best scolding frown. "You certainly can't keep it! I won't allow you to make such a mistake."

"Goodbye, mother. I'll call you when I get in." Alex ended the call before she could reply, or even begin to sputter. His face was still red, he could feel his cheeks burning with the embarrassment. Evan was still watching him, apparently unaffected by the woman's attitude, but Alex was filled with the need to apologize. "She's not usually that rude." He smiled awkwardly and raised his eyebrows in a display of perplexed surprise.

Evan cocked his head slightly to one side. "Are you angry because she knew about Sha'erah?"

"Wha-- Oh, mad?" He'd been so concerned with the way his mother had referred to Evan as an "it", he hadn't really absorbed everything else. "Yeah, a little. I had no idea she knew."

"She's right." Evan's reply was interrupted by the chime of the door as a delivery robot announced their breakfast was in the hallway. He retrieved the trays and continued. "You'll probably have trouble finding a buyer on Scotian who can afford to pay what Harvey offered."

Alex blinked, desperately trying to keep his mind on the various tracks it was constantly trying to switch to. He held up a hand. "Can we just--please--stick to one topic at a time? At least for a little while? I'm getting dizzy."

Evan stopped placing items on the table and looked up, puzzled.

"No, on second thought, let's not talk about anything for a little while." With that decision made, Alex sat down and began eating breakfast. Evan didn't say another word, but returned to his seat and ate quietly, coughing occasionally until he took another dose of the medication the doctor had sent with him.

The silence was a much-welcomed relief, and the simple task of eating helped Alex's mind try to sort things out. He found himself bouncing back and forth between feeling sorry for Evan's current situation--the guy certainly never asked for any of this either--and feeling as if the entire universe had conspired to ruin his life and his chances to beat Franklin to the Nebula. Hell, at this rate, his mother in a run-down shuttle with half a load of fuel could probably beat him to the Nebula!

He had to get what was left of his life back on track. Once he got back onboard the Ascalon, and out into space where he belonged, things would have to right themselves. That's where he belonged, out there, millions of miles away from everyone. It was so focused there. So simple. Life consisted of your ship, your crew, and your goal. Everything revolved around them and them alone, even emergencies were easily maneuvered as long as you knew your ship, your crew, and your goal. He longed for that simplicity again.

Ever since taking that call from VanHolt, Alex had felt as if the usual calm and control he'd always enjoyed in life had been snatched from him, and he was still trying to play catch-up.

Breakfast was over all too quickly. Evan gathered the dishes and sent the tray through the return chute under the table, then went to the couch to sit quietly, watching Alex.

"All right." As much as he wanted to crawl back into bed for the duration of the flight, he had to get back out into society and repeat the sales pitch. "We're relatively sure none of Harvey's men got onboard, right?"

"I can't be positive."

"Great. Well, I need to get out there and see some people." Alex retrieved his pager and slid it into a pocket. "At least talk to Miranda Carpenter."

Evan stood, looking as if he was about to argue.

"What are my chances of going out there alone?"

"If I knew for a fact it was safe, I could do whatever you wanted." Evan's narrowed sternly. "But it isn't."

Alex sighed. "Look, this isn't going to work. If Harvey couldn't take no for an answer on Cryian, that's his problem." He walked determinedly to the door, but Evan was quicker, placing a hand over the keypad and effectively blocking his way.

"He won't take no for an answer no matter where you go or how long it takes."

"This is stupid!" Frustration got the better of Alex. He stormed away from the door but stopped halfway to the other side of the room and spun back around, glaring at his barricade angrily. "If he could just steal a Sha'erah from someone regardless of them being for sale or not, then what prevents him from doing it? There has to be something my father did other than frighten people! If something's not for sale, it's simply not for sale!"

Evan's eyebrows knit together as he contemplated that statement. He shrugged. "There was just never any question. He'd made a decision."

"Fine." Alex felt his mouth about to charge ahead without waiting for his better judgment to catch up, but it seemed to be in command. "I'll make a decision then. I'm sick of this crap, I have a life to get on with." He raised his hand and actually spoke to the ring around his finger. "I'm keeping you! You got that? I'm keeping you and that's all there is to it!"

Before he could turn to Evan, triumphant in his ability to make an actual decision, something began happening to the ring.

"What the . . . "

The smooth silver was moving.

"What is this?"

"I don't know." Evan stared at the ring, apparently as surprised as Alex.

Before he could begin to worry, it stopped moving. Now, instead of a smooth ring of shimmering silver, the ring circling Alex's finger was engraved with a deep, intricate pattern. He touched it, and felt the typical gripping when he attempted to pull it over the knuckle. Aside from the new pattern displayed, it hadn't changed.

Alex swallowed. "Why did it do that?" He stared at Evan. The man looked dazed. His eyes were focused somewhere beyond their current galaxy. After a moment's hesitation, he began to shake his head very slowly from side to side, still staring off in internal space. "Evan." Alex swallowed again. Was this some kind of Sha'erah thing? The guy had gone pale. His head shaking was now accompanied by seriously knit eyebrows and a dark, confused look. Hesitatingly, Alex reached out and lightly touched Evan's arm. "Are you all right?"

Evan blinked once and focused on Alex, apparently unaware of the hand that had touched his arm. "I don't know why it did that. It looked . . . It looked different on him." He blinked again and seemed to focus more clearly. "Did you say you were keeping me?"

"How did it look different?"

"You're-- I-- You meant that?"

Alex pressed at his eyes with the heels of both hands. One or both of them wasn't communicating well. "Yes, I'm keeping you. We can talk about it later. I wanna know what this thing did, and why. What made it look different on my father?"

Evan took a deep breath, trying to gather himself back together. It was a bad idea, resulting in a round of coughing he had to control first. "It was different. Plainer, just one line around the middle. But it was always like that."

"Why did it change just now?"

He shrugged. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" This was doing nothing to alleviate Alex's apprehension. "I thought this was something your people created?"

"It is, but I don't know everything about it. I don't think anyone does."

"Great." Alex looked at it again. It hadn't changed any more, and was sitting there on his finger happily shining back at him. "Okay, fine." He'd made one decision and so far was alive to regret it. Maybe he could continue on in this vein and get his life back in some sort of order. "I guess until it leaps off and tries to kill me there's nothing more to do." He looked at Evan. "Can we go look for Miranda now? I have business to take care of."

Evan stared at him, blinking a few times. "How do you want me to address you in public?"

The question took Alex by surprise. "Look, just . . . Call me Alex. I'm not comfortable with this master/slave thing, okay?"

"Yes, sir."

"No, no "sir", just Alex." He looked at Evan, trying hard to appear sympathetic. The guy looked like hell, probably due to the pneumonia. He was beginning to feel a little self-centered. "Okay? I'd rather we tried to be friends, so just call me Alex."

Evan nodded once. "I'm a Sha'erah, you're my Keeper. That's all there is."

"Not anymore."

"I don't understand."

Alex sighed deeply, then shook his head once. "We can talk about this later." He opened the door and motioned for Evan to precede him into the hallway. "I don't quite understand it myself."

They made their way down mildly crowded corridors, past luxurious suites, spas and gaming rooms. Alex couldn't help noticing the looks they were awarded on occasion. Looks blending surprise and fear with admiration and--he had to wonder--jealousy. Just how many people knew about Sha'erahs, anyway? Couldn't be that many.

"You said black is all you wear?" Perhaps it was Evan's look. He was certainly foreboding with the space-black hair, frighteningly dark eyes and completely black clothing.

"Yes."

"Why is that?"

"Spencer liked the image. He said it kept people on their toes, to be nervous around me." Evan's tone suggested a measure of disapproval.

"So that's all you have? Black?" Alex caught Evan's nod out of the corner of his eye. "Well, maybe we'll do something about that when we get back to my ship." It was going to be tricky enough introducing Evan to his crew, let alone finding a place for him there. Alex had a sinking feeling that nothing in his life from that moment on was going to be easy ever again.

Except perhaps finding Miranda Carpenter.

"Alex! I can't believe it." The thin blonde figure bounced toward them through a crowd assembled in the upper deck viewing area. "I thought you'd be coming back next week. What brings you home so early?" She greeted Alex with a quick peck on both cheeks, then immediately turned her gaze to Evan.

"Miranda, this is Evan." Alex motioned to his right. "He's . . . "

"My God, he's fantastic!" Miranda took one step back and swept her eyes over Evan. "A Sha'erah! Don't tell me, Alex, this is your inheritance?"

"You know what he is?" Alex was beginning to wonder if he was the only person left alive who didn't know the myths were real. It was as if the entire universe had conspired to keep this one secret from him. Or had he existed in a bubble all this time?

"Don't be silly, Alex. Of course--" She stopped herself and turned back to Alex, biting a lip in a mock pout. "Oh, but I don't suppose you knew. My father had one when I was a child."

"What?" Alex knew his mouth was hanging open. Both Evan and Miranda were staring at him. "Your father?"

"Yes. He had to sell him when I was very young, to pay for the new business. I was devastated, and refused to eat for a week." She sighed. "Of course, no one noticed since I've been regulating my diet all my life. But still, I did miss the glamour." Her attention returned to Evan. "So, tell me, Alex, why didn't you sell him? I never would have pegged you for a Keeper. Not in a million years."

"It's complicated." Alex regained control of his gaping mouth. "I don't suppose your father . . . "

"Oh, I should have told you." Miranda sighed again and dragged her gaze away from Evan. "He's decided to go ahead and invest. My aunt talked him into it, even put up some money herself I think. Frankly I couldn't be bothered. The woman drives me crazy, which is why I only came along for the shopping, and found an early ride home." A hand was held out, displaying several multifaceted jewels. "However, I do believe when you get back, you'll find your ship is fully funded. Too bad, really. No offense, but I think if my father had been aware you'd inherited such a prize, I might have had him talked in to making a purchase of a different kind."

"He's not for sale." Alex swallowed, still reeling from that declaration. He glanced at Evan and caught the man's eye. "Look, Miranda, I'm grateful for your father's funding, and I'll call him the instant I get back to the Ascalon. But right now I think Evan and I are a bit too tired for socializing.

"Don't be ridiculous." Without permission, Miranda squeezed herself between both men, then snaked her arms around theirs. "You two can sit around all day tomorrow. Today you're going to escort this rich, bored girl around this beautiful ship."

He couldn't argue. He wanted to, very much. But her father had just agreed to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on his behalf, investing in a risky venture that could--though Alex staked his reputation that it wouldn't--fail miserably. So he played along. Evan said nothing, and only spoke when a question was directed at him. Even then he'd glance at Alex first before saying a word. They followed Miranda through all of the ship's main attractions, playing the part of the trophies she so obviously wanted to show off. Alex never felt more conspicuous in his life, but even that feeling quickly gave way to confused self-examination as it became more and more obvious that he--and he alone it would seem--had been unaware of the reality of the Sha'erah.

Everyone they met knew what Evan was, and most simply by a glance at his tattooed neck or hand. Though Miranda took great pleasure in telling them anyway. Alex quickly realized any hope they may have had of remaining unnoticed by any of Harvey's men who might be onboard was lost. Still, as Evan pointed out once when Miranda was occupied, the word was spreading that Alex was unequivocally Evan's Keeper, and no offer of sale would be entertained. Evan seemed to feel that would do the most good in dissuading Harvey, and anyone else with the idea of forcing Alex's hand.

By the time they were able to pull out of Miranda's constant company, it was well past the late dinner hour.

"I definitely need a drink." Alex found a table in the darkest corner of a lower level bar and ordered a scotch. "What about you?"

"No, I'm tired enough as it is. I can't risk blurring my senses now." Evan sat down and made a wary scan of the room.

"I thought you said we were safe?" Alex motioned to a waitress.

"We can never be too careful." Evan finished his visual inspection of the immediate area and seemed to relax a little. "Your safety is my primary concern."

"Is that right?" Alex ordered his drink and leaned forward. With both elbows on the small table, he could rub his forehead hard enough to try and push out half their wasted day.

"I thought you'd be happy."

Alex glanced at Evan without moving his head out of his hands. "About the funding? I am. I just-- I can't figure out how I could have gone all these years being the only one who didn't know about you. Sha'erah, I mean." The waitress dropped off the glass of scotch and threw Evan a glance, then scurried off. "I suppose she even knows what you are."

Evan merely shrugged.

"God I'm tired." Alex rubbed his eyes, then swallowed half the scotch. The past few days were struggling to catch up with him. He glanced at Evan. "How's the cough?"

"Better."

Evan's jaw clenched suddenly and Alex realized he must be stifling a yawn. He sat back in the chair and fingered the glass in front of him, watching the Sha'erah through the dim lighting of the bar. It hadn't really occurred to him that Evan was as much of an individual as he was. That he must have feelings, regardless of his background. Or that maybe--just maybe--he might not be all that bad a person. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all. If his plan worked, and Evan grew to accept him as a friend instead of a Keeper, they might find they actually had things in common. After all, Evan already knew more about Alex's father than he did. They had that in common, sort of.

Perhaps life was going to straighten out after all. He had his funding. All he had to do now was get back to Scotian, get his crew filled out, and get underway. He'd have to find something for Evan to do onboard, to keep him occupied if nothing else. Find some quarters for him to stay in. Alex fleetingly wondered how hard it would be to get Evan to accept living quarters away from his. His own cabin was two-bedroom, but he shared that with Jeff, his copilot, and Jeff's wife. There was probably something available next door, if he did some shuffling around.

He should call ahead, let Jeff know what's going on. I suppose he's heard of Sha'erah, too. Alex sighed and finished his drink. He'd never realized what a bubble he'd lived in all this time. Even as a child, he must have turned a blind eye to everything he didn't care to concern himself with. Could he really have been that focused in his ignorance as to be the only one left believing they were a myth? Probably.

Alex shoved the empty glass aside and looked at Evan again. "You look like hell."

"I'm all right."

"Like hell you are. Come on, I've had it myself." Alex stood and waited for Evan to join him. The man was so slow and deliberate, he wondered if he was going to end up carrying him back to the cabin. "You haven't slept in a while, have you?"

"I couldn't risk it while Harvey was out there."

"Well, I don't think we have much to worry about." Alex turned and led the way out of the bar and back toward their deck. "Besides, the way Miranda was parading us around the ship, if Harvey's men are onboard they'd be stupid to try anything."

"Don't underestimate their capacity."

Alex laughed shortly. "Right. Well, we'll be there the morning after tomorrow. Since I don't have to work the crowd any more, we can lock ourselves in the room for the rest of the trip. I think I could sleep that long myself." He stifled a yawn of his own and keyed open the door to their room. "Listen, do you want the bed tonight? I feel bad that--"

"No." Evan turned and locked the door, then pressed his palm against the keypad. Several lights flashed in sequence, then a loud clunk was heard inside the wall. "They don't utilize the security they have here. It's a waste."

"Or they're just not as paranoid as the people of Cryian are." Alex peeled off his shirt and tossed it over the back of one chair.

"It's ridiculous not to use something to its full potential." Evan's face showed great disgust that appeared to go beyond his disappointment in the door locks. "You're only cheating yourself by doing that." He gestured toward Alex. "I'm sure you use your ship to its full capacity, and your crew."

"Of course, but . . . " His reply was interrupted by a page. "Miranda."

"Alex, I just spoke with my father, told him you accepted his offer of funding."

"Thank you, I'll call him as soon as I get back."

"Don't worry about it." She purred. "Listen, I was wondering, if you didn't have anything planned, I'd love to borrow your Sha'erah for the evening."

Alex blinked several times as his face began warming with the realization of her intent. "Borrow him?" He glanced at Evan questioningly. "Can you hang on a second?" Before she could reply, he muted the input. Evan was standing next to the couch, watching him calmly. "Did you . . . ?"

"Did I what?"

"I mean, it's entirely up to you."

"No, it isn't."

Alex's face flushed again. "I'm not making this decision." God, what was he, a pimp? "If you want to spend time with her, feel free."

"Are you telling me to?"

"No." He glanced back down at the screen. "But if you want to . . ."

"I don't." Evan replied flatly. "But I will if you want."

Alex swallowed. "Miranda, I'm sorry but he's not . . . available."

Miranda made a great show of sighing her regret. "I can see you still have some things to learn about being a Keeper, Alex. Well, never mind. You'll get the hang of giving orders, just like you do with your crew. Meantime, I guess I'll go fishing in the lounge." She terminated the call with a quick flash of perfect teeth in a less than happy smile.

The silence that followed felt uncomfortable, but Evan didn't seem bothered at all. "Did you, ah, before . . . Did you have anyone?"

"You mean did I have a girlfriend? No, not really." Evan adjusted the cushions on the couch. "I had lovers, but no one steady. Spencer didn't want me forming any alliances, but he sent me out to entertain women now and again."

"He sent you to . . . And you didn't mind that?"

"What do you think?" Evan tossed one of the pillows to the floor to make room. "No, I didn't enjoy it, but I did it because he ordered me to. Luckily, that wasn't too often."

Alex's face burned red again. He obviously had a lot to learn, but some of it he wasn't sure he wanted to. There was no way in hell he was going to put that bit of information to work for him! "Well, this has been a day. I need a shower."

He made it a quick one, hoping to get out with enough time to put in a call to his ship before Jeff was asleep. And timing it just right so he placed the call while Evan was in the shower wasn't a bad idea either.

"Jeff, hope I didn't wake you."

"You did. But considering your news, I can forgive you." Jeff rubbed his eyes and kept his voice low so as not to wake his wife.

"So, you know?"

"Your mother called, then no more than an hour later I got notice from the bank about Mr. Carpenter's sponsorship. Way to go, Alex."

Jeff's expression wasn't in par with his congratulations. "Yeah, well, it was luck. But listen, that's not why I called."

"It's that Sha'erah, right?"

"Mother?"

"She told me."

"Damn her." Alex ran a hand through his wet hair. "It's complicated, Jeff. But I am keeping this guy. We'll find something for him to do, I'm sure."

"I dunno. What's he like?"

Alex shrugged. "We don't communicate well, that's for sure. I'm hoping that'll change when we get settled and on the trip. Maybe he just needs some stability after all this. He was with my father since he was born. I guess I can't blame him for being a little out of joint."

"You're keeping him?" Jeff sat farther up in the bed and shot a glance over his shoulder. "Alex, I'm not so sure that's a good idea. I know about these things."

"Doesn't everyone?" Alex didn't try to hide his sarcasm. Of course Jeff knew about Sha'erahs. Everyone did, after all. It was obviously the big secret God had kept from him since childhood. "It'll be all right, Jeff. He's not all that bad, really. I think."

"I'm not comfortable with this, Alex. But we can discuss it when you get here." He glanced over his shoulder again. "I'd better sign off before I wake Alice."

"Right. See you day after tomorrow." Alex put the pager away and fell back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Something wasn't right in Jeff's tone. Something Alex feared but wasn't ready to deal with.

When Evan came out of the shower he immediately dimmed the lights, then found his way to the couch and practically fell onto the cushions. Within minutes, to Alex's surprise, he heard the soft breathing of a sleeper.

Well, at least one of us is going to sleep tonight. He shoved one arm under the pillow and contemplated the pattern in the ceiling tiles. After a long while, he realized if he half closed one eye and tilted his head, he could imagine the Pendulum Nebula in the pattern above him. That's all that mattered now. He had funding. His ship would be ready to leave port by the end of the week. The only focus he needed now was beating Franklin out there. Everything else would fall into place, once he was out in space again. Things always worked themselves out when he was on the Ascalon, commanding a crew, hurling through uncharted space.

Out there it didn't matter who did and didn't know about Sha'erahs. It didn't matter whether Alex was a Keeper or who his father had been. That's what he loved most about deep space exploration, leaving everything but the goal behind.

They'd find a place for Evan, get launched, and beat Franklin to the Nebula. Maybe by then Evan would have adjusted out of this master/slave mode. Maybe by then Alex would know how to talk to the guy without running into an argument.

Hell, maybe by then, they'd even be friends.

Chapter 4

Evan rolled over and opened his eyes slightly, confirming the fact that it was still night. With one glance at the room's clock, he was assured he still had several hours left. Alex was still sleeping, so there was no need to . . . He sat up with a start. Alex was still asleep! He knew that, without even looking--which he did anyway--just like he used to know when Spencer was awake or asleep.

Well almost just like Spencer.

What sleep he still wanted had just been shocked out of his system, so he quietly got off the couch and tiptoed closer to the bed. Alex was indeed still sleeping. The certainty Evan felt deep within was as puzzling as it was familiar. Maybe all it had taken was enough time around his new Keeper to get used to him. He wished there was someone he could ask about these things! It would have been easier had he been sold once or twice, instead of being with one man all these years. At least then he might have had a better idea how it all worked. Learning to adjust to a new life might have been easier.

Or not.

Evan didn't think this was something he could ever get used to, no matter how often it might happen. He padded barefoot to the room's table and sat down, activating the computer with a press of his palm. Before it could announce how happy it was to serve him, he canceled all audio output, then glanced again at the sleeping figure in the bed. Cautiously, he tested his ability to inhale with a slow breath, deepening with each successful second. The pneumonia finally seemed to be under control. Good. Now he should be free to search the ship's private computer files without upsetting Alex.

After a quick review of the surveillance tape monitoring the corridor outside their room, Evan was satisfied no one had attempted a break in while they slept. He scanned the boarding records again, suppressing a yawn. The names looked the same as they did the first time he checked, but his lack of sleep at the time worried him. Harvey's men weren't all stupid. If he and Alex had managed to get onboard as easily as they did without using the front door, so could they. Evan rubbed sleep from his eyes, but that only served to blur his vision even more. God, he was tired! He should be using this time to get caught up, like Alex had intended. But he had to be sure they were truly safe.

There was really only one way to get this done without falling asleep at the console. Evan took another deep breath, glad it didn't start any rounds of coughing, and closed his eyes. With his palm spread over the input screen, he relaxed his mind and allowed the information to bypass his eyes, and run entirely through his consciousness. The flood of information took less than a minute, and no red flags. Had his decoys worked? Was it possible they really had slipped away from Cryian II to safety? All facts pointed that direction. It was obvious to anyone onboard--thanks to Miranda Carpenter--that Alex and Evan were there.

It was also obvious to anyone within that woman's range that Alex wasn't entertaining any offers of sale. Evan hadn't had time to really consider that bit of information. Things had happened so quickly, then they weren't alone and Evan hadn't had time to entertain a single thought of his own. Between keeping an eye out for trouble and trying to pick up on anything his new Keeper might have been trying to tell him while the Carpenter woman was bustling them around the ship, he'd been unable to keep up. Let alone catch up. Now that he had some time, he found himself completely unsure of what to make of it all.

Satisfied at least that Harvey hadn't gotten anyone on the ship, Evan shut down the computer and returned to the couch where he sat staring at the sleeping figure of his new Keeper. He'd been just as startled as Alex the moment the ring confirmed his decision, altering into the intricate pattern it now maintained. It wasn't until then that he'd remembered how the silver band had looked on Spencer. There had been a pattern, but nothing as intricate as now. Though what that might mean, he had no clue.

What he did know was that Alex had, in no uncertain terms, declared his decision to keep him. Now it was up to him to adjust to it. He sighed tiredly. This was a good thing, right? At least he wasn't with Harvey. Even though a few days ago that actually seemed preferable! Harvey knew what he was, and how to use him. Not that assassination was his field. Information was what he did. It was what Spencer had him created for. Now he had to hope there was a place for his ability in Alex's world.

Which was something he had to learn about, as quickly as he could. Deep-space exploration. Evan knew nothing of the field, or of Turbidium, but he could learn. He'd have to. He belonged to Alex now, so he'd have to find a way to make sure his Keeper never regretted that decision, as surprising as it was. With the debts and financial difficulties he'd already learned about, he couldn't understand why Alex hadn't sold him to Harvey. His ship, his crew, everything could have been paid for with enough left over to keep him wealthy for the rest of his life! And he'd passed that up.

Evan shifted his position on the couch and leaned back, still watching the bed. This self-centered, clueless jerk he met on Cryian who didn't even know Sha'erah were real, was now his Keeper. If he couldn't find something tolerable about him, his new life was going to be miserable.

He took another deep breath, enjoying the fact that he could breathe again unhindered, then brought his legs up on the couch and eased back down, staring up at the ceiling. To his credit, Alex had stood up to Harvey without faltering. Of course, he hadn't been aware how dangerous the man was at the time. But still, he'd kept Harvey from intimidating him and never backed down. In the tunnels, Alex had more than held his own, proving he was not completely useless in a fight. And he'd shown some integrity his father never possessed, by allowing him to pass on Miranda Carpenter's request for an evening together. It was possible that when they first met, the confusion and inability to make quick, rational decisions had been due to the simple shock value of his inheritance. Apparently Alex had no idea what was waiting for him when he arrived.

That shouldn't be surprising. Spencer was never one to explain himself. Evan had to admit Alex was holding his own pretty well for someone who, just a week ago, had been living a happy normal life with nothing more important on his mind than leaving port ahead of his competitor. And it was possible he hadn't been making things any easier, this being his first time switching ownership. If he'd known more of what to expect, perhaps he wouldn't have been as nervous himself, and he could have helped Alex understand what was happening.

Evan closed his eyes and moved deeper into the couch cushions, preparing his mind to drift back into sleep. Things might just work out after all, in some manner. He wasn't Harvey's new assassin, that was good for something. Alex might not be as old and in control as Spencer, but he could prove better in some other ways. Deep-space exploration. It was different. At least it wasn't criminally reprehensible as far as he knew. Maybe his life wasn't going to suck after all?

Later that morning, Evan managed to wake up again before Alex and silence the room's time sensors. After a quick trip to the bathroom, he quietly checked his Keeper's pager for incoming calls. There were three, but none listed as important or urgent in any way, so he returned the unit and went back to the couch for a few more hours' sleep.

That day consisted of very little else. Alex did wake up and shower later in the morning while Evan ordered a late breakfast for the two of them, but they were both still too tired to even talk as they ate. It wasn't long after Alex returned his messages that he was napping again, trying to catch up on so much lost sleep. Evan wanted to stay awake, and begin researching his new position, but the need for rest won out and soon they were both sleeping soundly through the next night.

Just before the morning chimes could ruin another morning of sleeping in, Evan rolled over and sat up, vaguely aware of a sense that his Keeper was starting to wake up. He silenced the alarm and hurried to use the bathroom before Alex was fully awake and in need of the facility. That inner sense was reassuring in many ways, and Evan found himself happy to have it back. Not only did it make his life easier, knowing when his Keeper was awake or asleep, but it also helped to know it hadn't been something restricted to Spencer. Of course, Alex was Spencer's son. But that wasn't something he could contemplate even if he wanted to. He just didn't know.

"Man, I can't believe how much I slept." Alex was sitting on the edge of the bed, roughly rubbing his eyes. "What time is it?"

"Just after eight." Evan walked to the couch and began to put the cushions back in order. "We dock at Scotian in an hour."

"Great." He slid off the bed and stumbled toward the bathroom, still rubbing his face. "Order some breakfast, will ya? I'm starving."

"What would you . . . ?" Evan's question was hitting a closed door, and any follow-up would have been drowned by the sound of the shower. Fine. Well, he'd been with Alex for several days now, he should be able to figure out what the man liked for breakfast. After all, he'd eaten whatever was ordered so far. He settled in at the table and pulled up the menu. Ships like the Terria Rose II had unlimited variety, and barely assumed to suggest what foods were proper for what time of day or night. Evan realized as he scrolled through the traditional sets of breakfast foods that he and Alex hadn't had more than a few actual meals together. He wasn't at all sure what his Keeper liked to eat.

Spencer had enjoyed a wide range of tastes, so finding something Alex's father liked wasn't necessarily going to help. After a few minutes of internal debate, Evan made a choice based on protein content and popularity. If Alex didn't like it, he'd have to let him know. There was a lot to learn about a new Keeper, from his food preferences to his body language. And with Alex, it was already apparent he didn't expect to be taken literally at all times. But even that assumption would have exceptions, and Evan had to learn them all. It was like learning to walk all over again.

"That did the trick." Alex came out of the bathroom still rubbing his hair dry. "Am I correct in assuming you're not expecting an ambush when we disembark?" He tossed the towel over the foot of the bed and started getting dressed.

"I've checked the ship's registry several times, and monitored the security records in the corridors and holding bays." Evan paused long enough to retrieve the breakfast order that arrived outside the door. "And I can't find any evidence of Harvey's men."

"Good." Alex pulled a shirt over his head then joined Evan at the table. "I wasn't looking forward to worrying about that jerk for the rest of my life."

"I don't understand why he gave up so easily." Evan took note of the fact that Alex had begun eating without commenting on the food choices.

"Easily? You call barely getting off that planet with our lives giving up easily?" He stabbed some meat with a fork. "Besides, I thought you said you set up some decoys?"

"I did." Evan shrugged, then shook his head. "I just never expected them to work."

Alex looked up, incredulous. "You never-- You're just telling me this now?"

"I didn't see a need to before." Evan sipped his coffee. "You had enough stress, and I had the situation here under control at the time."

"This is going to take some getting used to." Alex was looking at the ring again, apparently addressing some inner point. "When we get to my ship, everything should start to fall back into order. Right?"

The question was suddenly directed at Evan.

"I'll do everything I can to make sure it does." He lifted his coffee cup. "But you have to tell me what you want."

"What I want?" Alex shoved a forkful of eggs into his mouth, then waved the utensil in the air. "What I want is for my life to get back to . . . " He paused, creasing his eyebrows.

Evan set down his cup and watched Alex more closely, waiting for him to finish his sentence.

"What I want." He broke eye contact suddenly and stabbed the fork back into his eggs. "I don't know anymore."

It struck him then, stronger than it had before, that Alex Marcase was nothing like his father. They had a similar look, especially when he was angry or hadn't shaved that small section just under his lower lip completely. But aside from that, the two were as different as night and day. Evan finished his coffee and watched Alex eat the rest of his breakfast in silence. He'd clearly wanted to say he preferred his life before they met, something Spencer would never have hesitated to say.

His original opinion of his new Keeper was beginning to change already. He might be a little clueless about some things, but he wasn't without integrity. Or completely devoid of tact. Evan set about packing what little they both had, stuffing various items of clothing back into the shoulder bags they'd carried onboard. He was beginning to realize the complexity of his new situation, learning the habits and personality of a new Keeper who was the direct opposite of what he was so accustomed to. For the first time in his life, Evan began to wonder if it were possible--really possible--that not everyone alive today would give anything to own a Sha'erah.

"Your attention please." The ship's announcement echoed through the hallways and inside the cabin. "We are now docking at Scotian. All passengers wishing to disembark may do so through decks five and seven."

"None too soon." Alex shoved his pager into the customary mid-thigh pocket. "Let's go before the crowd builds."

Evan nodded, slinging his pack over one shoulder. He reached for the other one but was stopped by a hand on his arm.

"I can handle it."

Surprised, Evan let go of Alex's pack. He opened his mouth to argue, but it was too late.

"Lesson one in this friendship thing. I can carry my own stuff." Alex hefted his pack over his left shoulder and nodded toward the door. "But, thanks for offering."

"Look, I told you before, I don't understand this friendship idea you mentioned." Evan felt it necessary to remind him, since he obviously hadn't been paying attention. "I'm your--"

"Sha'erah, I know." Alex put a hand on Evan's back and gave him a gentle but firm shove toward the door. "I'm supposed to give you orders and you're supposed to follow them blindly and without question."

Evan led the way out of the room and turned left toward the exit. "Something like that."

"Well then, from now on I order you to let me carry my own stuff."

For his first actual command, it was pretty strange. "I understand." I think.

They were no more than three paces down the corridor when Alex held up a hand. "Wait a second. When I say "from now on", I don't exactly mean exclusively."

Evan glanced at him while they walked, eyebrows arching.

"I mean, you take things pretty literally, right?" Alex punched the key to an elevator and stood, staring at the floor while he thought out his words. "Back at the apartment . . . Well what I mean is, I can carry my own stuff unless I need a hand with something."

Evan's eyebrows creased further as he watched his Keeper work out his own logic. People were gathering nearby, waiting for the same elevator to take them to the proper level for disembarking, most gazing at the pair of them with strong but cautious curiosity.

"So, like, if I tell you I can handle my own stuff, but then there comes a day when I need help with something, I'd like to think you wouldn't just stand there obeying my original order."

If they hadn't been in public, Evan thought he would have burst out laughing.

"I just don't want you to ever feel obligated or anything." The doors opened and Alex stepped into the elevator. "You know, to help out."

There were people listening to them. Did Alex really want him to reply in public? Spencer never allowed Evan to speak to him in front of others, but Alex wasn't Spencer.

"Am I making any sense?" Alex seemed completely oblivious to the other occupants of the elevator, either willingly ignoring them or truly so focused that he didn't notice.

"Yes, of course." Evan replied quietly.

"Good." The elevator reached the proper level and disgorged its occupants. "Then you can explain it to me later."

Scotian's space dock was like nothing Evan had ever seen before. Clean, well lit and manned by human workers at every turn. There were armed guards near the loading dock, but nowhere else that he could see. Smiling humans waited patiently behind counters to direct visitors or assist those in need of them. Automated greetings announced the availability of public transport and informed the new arrivals of the weather conditions planet-side.

The planet itself was a jewel in the inky blackness, shimmering green and invitingly from below.

"This is your home?" Evan glanced at the planet from a window while they waited for a chance to cross the shuttle bay to the pedestrian strip.

"Not really." Alex glanced momentarily at the planet and shook his head. "I was born down there, yeah." The light changed and they crossed the path, stepping easily onto the moving platform that would take them to the opposite side of the port. "My mother calls Europa Minor home, even though she lives here. Her other children can't seem to decide where they want to settle."

"Other children?" Evan knew Spencer had just the one son, he'd never considered Alex might have more family.

"Don't misunderstand, they're not my siblings or anything," Alex corrected quickly. "Biologically there might be something in common, but I wasn't raised anywhere near them, thank God. They all lived with their fathers most of the time. I don't even know them other than by name, and the occasional accidental meeting. One of the perks of being in deep space ninety percent of your life."

"So you don't really have any family, then?" Evan had no concept of what siblings would have been like--let alone a parent--but he'd always thought they played an important role with most people.

Alex turned to look at him. "I guess we have something in common."

Evan contemplated that revelation as they were moved along the walkway. His original impression of his new Keeper definitely needed adjusting.

"That, that's home."

They'd rounded a wide corner and hopped off the moving sidewalk to a stationary platform facing a huge window. Evan found himself staring out at one of the largest ships he'd ever seen. The Ascalon floated in space, connected to the port by several ramps stretched out like umbilical cords feeding the massive ship with a constant flow of people and supplies. It was unlike anything he'd imagined, and at least ten times any size he could have pictured in his head.

"That's your ship?"

"That's her." Alex smiled as he looked at the ship. Franklin pulled out late last night." He pointed to a corridor to their left and started walking toward one of the connecting walkways that led to the Ascalon.

"Shouldn't we leave right away then?" This competition was something Evan needed to learn about as quickly as possible, since it appeared to be of high importance.

"We can launch tomorrow." Alex shifted his pack's weight to the other shoulder. "Franklin's a slave to habit. He'll take a good three days to completely leave this system, moving slow enough for the media's ships to dog him for awhile, doing interviews and such. I've given him a five day head start before and still passed him well inside known space."

Evan nodded, making several mental notes, including how much more relaxed Alex seemed now that they were here.

"The trick is navigating the Nebula itself. Heading to it we'll probably be within shouting distance of each other."

The ship was even larger from the view on the gangway, her massive engines taking up a full quarter of her size, glowing softly yellow in standby mode. Evan looked up, straining his neck to see to the top level.

"And the reason for going through the Nebula is Turbidium?"

"Right."

They reached the end of the gangway and paused a moment just outside an open hatch. "What exactly is Turbidium?"

Alex's eyes visibly sparkled. "This." He reached out and slapped the cold metal beside the hatchway. "The strongest mineral yet discovered. Withstands any temperature variation, hot or cold. It's the main substance in ships, space stations, mining orbitals. And it's getting hard to find." He motioned with his head and stepped into the ship, leading the way.

Evan hurried to follow while evaluating this new information. "And you believe you'll find Turbidium inside the Nebula?"

"I'm counting on it." Alex stopped at a lift and pressed a button. Almost immediately the door whooshed open, inviting them inside. "Let me introduce you to Jeff and show you around."

They traveled several levels up, then shifted direction and moved through the heart of the ship toward the bow. Evan mentally calculated their position at roughly two levels from the top and no more than one deck mid ship from the bow by the time they stopped and stepped out of the car.

The corridor was carpeted in lush deep blue, with a softer, almost gray color lining the walls. Breaking this soft wash of color every few yards was a door, clearly marked and color coded, each sporting a simple privacy lock and message board. Evan noticed most of the locks were set, with notes explaining the whereabouts of each occupant.

"Jeff and his wife share a room in my quarters." Alex pointed to a door at the end of the corridor. "We'll do some moving around and find you something close by."

"I can sleep on the couch."

"No, I mean something permanent. You'll need a room of your own."

"Only if it's attached to yours." Evan realized again there were many things Alex still didn't understand.

Alex stopped beside a door sporting his name and rank above it. "Harvey's history, remember? We're on my ship now, as safe as we could ever be."

Evan shook his head. "You're my Keeper. Your safety is my primary concern."

"Yes, I realize that. But I'm saying we're safe here."

"As long as I'm with you, you're safe." He wasn't getting it. "You remember the alarm when your pager was being broken into?"

"How could I forget?"

"That could just as easily have been a bomb. Or someone breaking into your room. Or any number of things."

"Including a simple pager message." Alex sighed and rubbed his eyes. "All right, one thing at a time." He typed a sequence into the door lock and the unit responded immediately.

The room was large, opening up to a wide seating area nestled snugly in a lowered section two carpeted steps down. The seating consisted of a huge couch forming a semi-circle around a massive, low table, all facing a window that occupied the majority of the far wall. To their right was a fully functional galley, sporting a seating bar as well as a more formal table and chairs. And to their left, a bank of computer terminals and double sided desk waited to be needed. The entire room was carpeted in a thick, deep blue, and brightly lit to represent late morning.

Evan scanned the room quickly, assessing each corner, nook and crevice and identified the room's only other doors--situated on opposite sides near the edge of the window--as Alex and Jeff's bedrooms. This was easily confirmed when a man, much older than Alex, stepped through the door on the right and stood staring at them both.

"Jeff, I'd like you to meet Evan." Alex tossed his pack to the floor, just missing the back of the couch. "Evan, this is--"

"Alex, I need a word with you."

Evan frowned at the man's rudeness but couldn't help noticing the look on Alex's face was one of disappointment. Surely he didn't allow his subordinates to talk this way on a regular basis?

"Can it wait? I'd like to be able to shove off tomorrow."

"No, it can't." Jeff shot Evan a stern look, then jerked his head toward the room he'd just stepped out of.

Evan understood this man wanted Alex alone, but he didn't like him already. He positioned himself deftly between his Keeper and the older man and returned the stare.

"He's part of the crew now, Jeff. What's the problem?" Alex walked to the back of the couch and leaned into it, facing his partner. He shot a look at Evan and nodded.

"I'd rather not, Alex." Jeff's gaze never wavered. "It can wait a few hours, but I need to speak with you in private by tonight."

"Fine, whatever." Alex shook his head tiredly. "Did you get the rest of the crew replaced?"

"We've got a full contingent. And an okay for departure at 0800 tomorrow. The roster's in your office, as well as the bank statements." His jaw muscles flexed. "It was lucky you ran into Carpenter on that trip. At least something good came out of it."

Evan half hoped Alex would ask him to kick this man out of his quarters. He didn't like the way he spoke to the commander of the ship, let alone to his Keeper.

Alex pushed away from the couch and retrieved his pack. "Evan, you can stow your gear in my room for now. I've got a million things to do and not much time to do them."

Evan hefted his own pack and waited until Alex had turned to lead the way before he allowed his gaze to leave Jeff.

"He's uncomfortable with me." Evan tossed his pack where Alex pointed, then glanced around the spacious bedroom.

"Jeff's okay. I think he's just got a lot on his mind right now."

"What's his position here?" Not that it mattered. Alex was in command.

"Second." Alex opened his pack and started emptying the contents into a laundry chute. "He monitors personnel, supervises the ship's functions, keeps this tub on course pretty much."

"Has he been with you long?"

"Years. Four missions in all, this'll be the fifth." Alex reached the bottom of his pack and stopped, eyebrows creasing. A moment later he pulled out the pouch Evan had given him from Spencer's safe. Without a word, he dumped the contents out on his bed, then whistled quietly at the amount of credits shining back at him.

Evan continued to examine the room while Alex counted the credits. There was a comfortable washroom equipped with the latest in water recycling technology, a large dresser against one wall, access to an inter-ship communications center embedded just above the night stand, and a small table with two chairs in the corner near a smaller version of the floor-to-ceiling window in the main room. The only entrance was the door they'd come through, leading to the main living area. While Alex continued to count the credits he'd obviously ignored until now, Evan quietly placed his palm against the comm. port, bracing his mind for the flood of information. There was plenty of time to research and sort through all the data later. All he wanted now were the security codes. As he expected, they weren't as tight as they could be. Before Alex could notice what he was doing, Evan altered the programming, then judiciously added a failsafe that would alert him any time Jeff entered the room. He finished without bothering his Keeper with the details.

"I suppose my father considered this no more than pocket change?"

Evan turned his attention back to the pile Alex was staring at. "He never carried cash."

"There's forty thousand here! If I'd known that I wouldn't have carried it around either."

He shrugged. "Do you want me to take it to your bank?"

Alex seemed to fall deep in thought. After a long moment, he gathered the metal up and shoveled it all back into the pouch. "I'll contact them and explain who you are."

"You won't have to." Evan reached out and took the pouch. "Just tell me which one it is, I'll take care of it."

Alex blinked. "Right, I suppose you did this all the time. Okay, it's First Scotia National. And listen." He walked to a drawer in the desk and removed a small card. "We don't have a lot of time in port. I have to go see my mother, if I don't say goodbye there's hell to pay when I get back. But that's one thing I can spare you from. I wouldn't wish meeting her on anyone."

Evan opened his mouth to protest but Alex raised a hand, stopping him before he could start.

"Trust me, Harvey's men have nothing on that woman. We're safe here, remember? Besides, she's got an apartment right here at the station, I'll only be gone an hour and no more than two levels down from this dock." He handed Evan the small card he'd retrieved from the desk. "I want you to do me a favor. Just so you don't frighten half the crew before they get to know you, why don't you go buy something in a color other than black? There are plenty of shops here in the port."

"What do you want me to buy?"

"Clothes, whatever you want. Just something other than black." Alex laughed shortly, glancing at Evan's pack.

"But I have clothes."

"I know, but they're all black. In case you haven't noticed, you dressed completely in black can be a little . . . intimidating."

Evan's eyebrows knit together as he tried to understand the problem.

"Look, when we leave port, we'll be out for about a year. So pick up anything you think you might need or want." Alex peeled off his shirt and pulled a clean one from dresser drawer. "I hope that's going to be okay with you, being out there so long. Some people can't handle being away from civilization that long."

"No problem." Evan shoved the credit pouch into a pocket along with the slim card.

Alex looked up while he adjusted the color of the clean shirt. "No problem being out there? Or no problem because you wouldn't say anything if there was?"

"Yes."

"Right, why do I bother?." Alex shook his head. "Okay, I'll be back in an hour, why don't you just meet me here when you're finished? Oh, wait, you don't know your way around this place."

"I'll be fine."

"Yeah, you probably will be." Alex looked around the room quickly as if making sure he wasn't forgetting something. "Okay, back here in an hour."

Evan hesitated a moment, but he couldn't think of any reason why Alex wouldn't be perfectly safe for that short a length of time. He agreed.

When they walked through the living quarters, Jeff was nowhere to be seen. They walked together back through the ship and Alex pointed out the various levels and abilities of the Ascalon and her crew. Evan allowed himself to be impressed, not only by the size of the ship, but the confidence in his Keeper as the commander of such a large crew. He made a mental note to research the professional history of Captain Marcase, as well as all personal information he could find. When they reached the apartment avenue he waited until Alex was stepping through the door of an elaborately decorated building before leaving to find the financial section of the space port.

The looks he received as he entered the bank and made Alex's deposit for him were no different than the looks he was used to getting. People who didn't think they'd ever see a Sha'erah in their lifetimes, pointing him out to their children. Passers-by who caught a glimpse of his tattoos and did a double-take, confirming what he was. There were even those who reacted with apprehension at the site of a darkly dressed man with black eyes striding up to them with unwavering purpose. The human teller at the bank was a rare sight. On Cryian, and many of the other planets Evan had occasion to visit, banks were completely automated for safety. After she recovered from her initial surprise, the teller gave him full access to Alex's account, checking the credits with slightly shaking hands.

Evan knew part of her nervousness was due to his attire, that was the way Spencer had always liked it. He'd made a point of the black clothes because they added that sense of danger and mystery he wanted his Sha'erah to exude on his behalf. He'd never really given it much thought before. But now he found himself in a clothing store, making a clerk very nervous, as he tried to decide what exactly Alex had had in mind. Something other than black. He didn't need any clothes. Spending his Keeper's money on something for himself wasn't anything he'd done before. But Alex was adamant that he have something other than black. After a bit of looking, he settled on a shirt of deep blue and one in a medium gray. Without further instructions, he had to assume they would fulfill with his Keeper's wishes, being clothing other than black.

With that done, he returned to the ship to wait for Alex.

The quarters were empty, and the door to Jeff's room shut. Evan checked the time and decided his Keeper had another twenty minutes before he'd retrace their steps and go looking for him. With nothing else in need of his attention, he settled in at the desk and activated the main computer with a touch of his palm. It took seconds to find what he wanted, namely the ship's log and crew listing, which he poured through easily in search of suspicious or recognizable names and faces among the new members. In a short time he'd decided there was no one he knew to be in league with Harvey on board. Of course, that didn't mean anything, but it was beginning to look like things were going to settle down. After all, Alex had made his decision, and the ring had reflected that. While he could still sell at any time, even a man like Harvey would have to realize it wouldn't be to his best advantage to press the issue with a man about to leave on an extended deep-space exploration beyond the known galaxy.

Speaking of which, Evan switched his examination from the crew to the ship and its mission. The amount of information was overwhelming at first, but he had time to learn all he could in the coming months. Still, just hitting the highlights easily ate up the next fifteen minutes. By the time he understood the complete deck layout and specs of the Ascalon, his self-allotted spare time was nearly up.

"What are you doing?"

Evan turned to find Jeff standing just inside the door, glaring at him. He would have preferred ignoring the man, but he was his Keeper's second in command. "Alex isn't here right now."

"I can see that." Jeff stormed into the room, but kept a wary distance. "So while he's away you helped yourself to the ship's files?"

The answer was so obvious he couldn't believe one was required, so he waited, watching the co-commander fidget nervously.

"I know about you Sha'erah, what you can do, what people use you for." He backed up one step and tried to straighten his shoulders. "And I know you're not entirely human."

"You are obviously well informed." Evan shut down the computer without taking his eyes from Jeff.

The man nearly sputtered. "Alex doesn't need the likes of you! And I sure as hell don't need some alien running around this ship violating the privacy of the crew! I know where you came from--that stinking planet of criminals--and I don't trust you for a second."

Evan sat quietly, watching the man with an intense gaze. He knew it was adding to Jeff's fear-based reaction to him, and was probably not the best message to be sending, but he didn't like this man.

"You've got your own agenda, don't you? Some alien purpose you won't confess to anyone, am I right?"

The questions obviously didn't require answers. At least not ones he would believe. Evan stood to leave and found himself several inches taller than Jeff, which suddenly added to the man's anger.

"Well I won't allow it!"

"You won't allow what, Jeff?"

Both men turned to see Alex enter the room, glancing from one to the other. Evan took immediate note of the tired, almost weary look his Keeper sported.

"What's the problem?"

Jeff stabbed an accusing finger at Evan. "This . . . is the problem. Alex, he's not even human! What were you thinking, bringing it here? You should have sold him back on that planet and been done with it all."

Alex inhaled deeply, chewing on the inside of his cheek. Evan instinctively kept a close eye on Jeff's movements, making sure he didn't move any closer. He kept his face a well-trained mask of unemotional purpose and prepared himself for anything.

"Not you, too, Jeff." Alex angrily paced halfway to the galley and spun around, shaking his head. "You know, I just spent an hour seeing a side of my mother I never imagined, considering." The two men eyed each other. "We've known each other a long time."

"Your mother told me you'd be selling him," an accusing finger pointed toward Evan. "Before we set off. I didn't think it would be an issue."

"What issue, Jeff? What exactly is the issue here? Are you angry that I brought another crew member with me? Angry because I wasn't here this week? What exactly?"

Evan kept his eyes trained on Jeff and noticed the nervous glances the man was shooting at him.

"She told me who . . . I know who that man was, who died." Jeff paused, expecting a reaction.

"That's what this is about?" Alex looked surprised. "He was my father. A criminal wanted in nearly every populated area. I never told you about him, and now you know . . . Is that what you're angry with?"

"He's an alien!" Again the finger pointed at Evan but wasn't able to remain in the air for long. "Something you can't predict, and instead of selling him for enough money to buy this ship twice over, you bring him here like he's just a new member of the crew?"

"Jeff--"

"Alice left this morning. She's afraid to be around him and I don't blame her."

Alex blinked. "Alice left?"

"I'm sorry, Alex. We've been friends for some time now, but to bring this on the day before a new expedition . . . It's just too much." Jeff straightened his shoulders. "If you're not selling him right away, then I can't stay either."

Evan watched from the corner of his eye as Alex stared silently at his partner for a long moment. Nearly a minute passed with no words said. The tension in the room set him on edge, waiting for action, but Alex was the only one to move. He stepped closer to Evan, his countenance hardening. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Jeff."

The man sputtered. "You'd let me leave? For that?! You've had this . . . Sha'erah . . . for less than a week, and you'd keep him knowing it means I'd quit? I've been with you for years!"

"And yet I never knew you."

Alex's comment was almost under his breath, but in his alert state, Evan heard it clearly.

"You know something, Jeff, I've learned a lot in these last few days. I freaked out when I found out my inheritance was him," Alex nodded at Evan, now only three feet away from where he stood. "And maybe I'm still a little freaked out, but I'm trying hard not to make any huge mistakes. I gotta tell you, seeing your reaction, my mother's, and obviously Alice's has made me suddenly aware of what a jackass I was that day." He turned and looked at Evan apologetically, then looked back at Jeff. "It doesn't surprise me that I acted the way I did, given the fact that I was pretty clueless at the time. But I thought you of all people would have been bigger than this."

Jeff's posture had wilted slightly, but apparently not his determination. "You don't know what you're setting yourself up for, Alex. But obviously you're determined to go through with this Keeper business." He shook his head. "I hope you know what you're getting into."

He started for the door and Evan tensed up, watching every move. The intense scrutiny clearly angered Jeff further and he picked up his pace.

"But I can't stay here to help you fix it." He reached the door and turned, shooting Evan one last look of pure disgust. "You've made your choice."

When the door closed behind Jeff, Evan turned to face Alex. He looked angry as he stared at the closed door, twisting the silver ring around his finger.

"I can't believe this."

"Do you want me to stop him?" Evan did notice he wasn't trying to pull the ring off, just spinning it around like a nervous habit that had suddenly present itself.

"No." He shook his head once, decisively. "He obviously made his mind up before we even got here. I just can't believe he could be so . . . I don't know." The ring was forgotten as he strode to the computer terminal. "But I'm not putting up with any more of these surprises."

Evan stood by, watching, as Alex called up the ship-wide intercom.

"This is Captain Marcase. I need all command staff in my office in twenty minutes." He flicked the unit off and turned to face Evan. "It's time I showed you the bridge."

"What if he contacts your competitor and gives him your flight plan?"

"He might, but Franklin's not likely to believe him." Alex led the way down the corridor to a lift labeled Bridge Only. "He'd think it was a trick or something."

"What if he didn't?" Evan automatically scanned the elevator for occupants as the doors began to open. "He could sell your flight path to that other ship."

"Jeff doesn't know the flight path." Alex smiled slightly, his eyes sparkling. "No one does. I don't document it, I just lay down a few random ideas in case someone tries to sneak a peek." He hit the button to take them to the upper deck. "But until you found evidence of near break-ins, I never believed anyone ever tried."

Evan nodded, absorbing this added information. His Keeper had some shrewdness hidden away after all. He certainly had no problem sticking to his convictions, even when that meant losing a long-time second in command. He found that somewhat surprising--considering how long the two of them had been together, compared to how short a time Alex had been his Keeper--and the price he could easily have been paid to be rid of him.

The car came to an easy stop and opened up to an expansive bridge, bustling with activity, much of which slowed minutely as the occupants took note--then a double take--of the new arrivals. Evan found himself on a balcony of sorts, encircling a command center three steps down. Alex paused for a moment and pointed out the various sections, then led the way around the balcony to a door on the opposite side that slid open immediately with a commanding swoosh. Inside the new room stood a desk, facing them as they approached, with one large comfortable chair and plenty of room between it and the wall.

Alex strode purposefully to the chair, so Evan took up residence in the ample room behind him, facing anyone who might enter. It was a position he'd enjoyed in Spencer's office, one that afforded him the perfect vantage point for defense, assistance, and without a doubt, intimidation. If his Keeper was conducting business, it was his duty to stand quietly at the ready and say nothing that might interrupt. Evan enjoyed the fact that it kept him from having to interact with anyone directly that he didn't want to be near in the first place, and--deep down--he had to admit he enjoyed the effect.

Almost immediately after they entered the office, there was a knock on the door.

"Enter."

Alex's voice was suddenly that of the commander of a large, fully staffed space-going vessel. Inwardly, Evan smiled at this sudden revelation, adding that to Alex's surprisingly growing list of attributes. The door opened quickly and admitted three men and two women, each blinking in slight surprise when they saw Evan standing behind their commander's desk.

As soon as they were all inside and apparently recovered from their surprise, Alex cleared his throat. "Thank you for coming, I know everyone's busy right now and I won't take much of your time."

The only reaction from the group was a sense of anticipation.

"Just a few minutes ago, Jeff and Alice left the ship."

The women blinked their surprise while two of the men raised eyebrows and looked concerned.

"Before I go any further, I need to know if there are any others of you who are going to have a problem working with Evan." He didn't glance over his shoulder, but kept looking at his staff. "If you do, and you don't think you can work with him, then feel free to leave but please do so now."

The men and women took turns looking at each other questioningly, then one man cleared his throat and shot a quick glance at Evan before addressing Alex.

"I believe I can speak for us all, Captain, when I say we have no problem working with a Sha'erah."

The others nodded agreeably.

Alex laughed shortly and shook his head. "So, you all knew about Sha'erah, I take it? Am I really the only idiot left alive who didn't think they were real?"

That drew slight laughter from the assembled crewmembers.

"Well, sir, I've seen one before." The man who had spoken up continued, smiling. "Not that I was ever associated with him, mind you. God knows I didn't grow up anywhere near that kind of money."

"We did hear about him from Jeff, Captain, so he wasn't that much of a shock." One of the women nodded. "I'm sorry to lose such a valuable second in command, but I don't believe you'll find that kind of prejudice as common among the rest of us."

"Good." Alex stood with a sigh. "In that case, I'd like you all to meet Evan." He turned slightly so they could see more clearly. "Evan, this is Don Patterson, Engineering Chief."

Evan nodded once toward the tall, dark haired man smiling benignly at him.

"Craig Waters, Navigation."

More nods were exchanged as Evan made a note of each face, matching them up with the files he'd been scanning when Jeff interrupted him.

"Lilly Knudson is our Chief of Science and her partner there is Carla Emmons, Mineral Evaluation." The women smiled warmly. "And I'm sorry, you and I haven't met yet."

The only unidentified member of the group was an older man, taller than Evan, with graying hair and soft brown eyes. He stepped forward, smiling. "Doctor Gorman. I joined your crew just yesterday, Captain."

"Doctor Gorman." Alex reached out and took the man's hand, then nodded to Evan. "In that case, Evan, this is Doctor Gorman, our new physician."

He remembered the name and face from the files of new crew members. Nothing remarkable had stood out about him or his history, so Evan nodded equably.

"All right. With that settled, we can all get back to work. We launch at 0800 tomorrow." Alex sat back down. "Oh, one more thing. Evan will be taking Jeff's place. Any concerns or problems with the ship or any of the other equipment, you go to him."

Evan knew his face showed no reaction, and to their credit neither did any of the others in the room, but he couldn't help wondering if that was the best decision Alex could have made. He knew little about the ship, and even less about deep-space exploration. Of course, any comments or concerns he might have had would have to wait until the last of the staff had finished their questions and impromptu reporting of their readiness to depart in the morning.

When they were finally alone again, Evan was free to express his concern.

"Do you have a clue what you're doing?"

Alex surprised him by laughing. "I was waiting for that."

"I don't know this ship, or its equipment."

"You can learn it, can't you?"

"Of course I can learn it, but that's not the point."

"What is?"

Evan blinked. "You're competing with another ship on a race to get through a Nebula, something I've never even been close to, and your second-in-command walked out on you not more than an hour ago." He stared at Alex, waiting for his Keeper to show a spark of that intelligence he'd been noticing earlier. "Two days ago you didn't like the idea of me touching your pager, now you want me in charge of your ship?"

Alex arched his eyebrows in a facial shrug. "Like I said, I'm learning. About all kinds of things." He gathered some data sheets from his desk and shuffled them into a neat pile he could carry. "I need someone I can trust to look after the mechanics of this ship, and now that Jeff's gone, you're the only one capable of fitting that description."

He'd turned to leave the room, so Evan moved to keep beside him, speaking in a lowered voice now that they were in public view again. "Which description?"

"Both." Alex's reply came with no hesitation as he hit the switch for the lift again.

The elevator was occupied, so Evan remained quiet, contemplating this new tidbit of information. His Keeper was turning out to be more complex than he'd first thought, but there appeared to be angles he wasn't ready to expose. And many surprises. One minute he was throwing a fit because Evan was doing his duty upgrading his private security, the next minute he was entrusting him with the entire ship. This was certainly going to be an interesting new life. But, he had to admit, it beat the hell out of killing for Harvey.

Back in Alex's quarters, they found Jeff's room completely emptied of personal items.

"They didn't waste any time." Alex shook his head and sighed deeply. "Well, this solves two problems. You can have his room. That puts you close enough to me to keep you quiet, doesn't it?"

"I'm always quiet." Evan glanced through the door and scanned the spacious room. It was fitted with the same furniture as Alex's, but in the opposite configuration.

"I meant-- No, never mind." He brandished the data files. "I've got some work to pore over, then we'll go planet-side for a traditional dinner."

"Traditional?"

"Yeah. The night before any expedition, everyone heads out on the town for a fancy dinner, usually down on the planet. Then they make their way back to the ship just in time for a nice, traditionally hung-over launch."

Evan shook his head, then went to retrieve his pack and toss it into his new room. And they think Cryian II is a strange place. There might be something to be said about deep-space exploration as a career, but so far, the people didn't seem all that different, considering.

Alex had settled in on the couch to study his data sheets, so Evan got comfortable at the desk again and began the involved task of studying every inch of the Ascalon. He concerned himself first and foremost with her layout, so he could quickly and easily get from any section to anywhere he needed in the shortest amount of time. It was conceivable, now that they were onboard his ship, that Alex would, on occasion, be in another part of the ship. He'd have to be able to reach his Keeper quickly at any given time should the need arise. It didn't take long to commit the ship's layout to memory. And not much longer after that to figure out all the secondary routes through service walkways and piping tunnels.

Next, he concentrated on the flight path, to make sure no one, including Jeff, had accessed it without Alex's permission. His understanding of flight paths and Nebulas was barely even basic compared to probably half the people on this ship, the cook included. But after an hour of study, research and perplexity, he was certain there was, to say the least, a discrepancy.

He looked up at Alex, wondering briefly if he should broach the subject or not. "There's something I don't understand."

"What's that?" Alex set his papers down and yawned, stretching.

Evan took a breath and waved his hand over the computer console embedded in the desktop. "This flight path. When it reaches the Nebula, it appears to run in circles." Evan knew it was possible he'd simply misread the path, all five times. Surely Alex knew what he was doing, after so many successful trips had been accredited to his leadership.

"I'm impressed." Alex smiled, looking slightly surprised. He stood and stretched, then walked to the desk. "It does go in circles, but it's designed so that even a pro wouldn't realize that for quite some time. You figured it out pretty quick."

"I don't understand." Evan glanced at the computer again, sure he'd been accessing it correctly. "This is the flight plan you have under tight security. There are no others in this system or your pager." He looked at Alex again. "Where do you keep the real one? Is it secure?"

"Very secure." Alex grinned, then tapped his forehead. "I keep it right up here. Sort of."

Evan blinked. "You have it memorized?"

Alex made a face. "Actually, no. I have an idea. And seven months to work it out." He walked to the galley and started fixing some coffee. "See, I usually log a flight path 'cause good luck getting any financial baking without one, right? So I log one, officially, but it's not a real one. It just has this elaborate pattern of turns, leading eventually right back where it starts. Only no one ever checks it out, since they're very protected. You just have to show the banks that you have one on your files. That's the one Franklin tried to break into my pager to see."

Evan blinked again, trying to decide if this was a brilliant strategy, or the dumbest thing he'd ever heard. "So you knew he would try?"

"No, I suspected someone might. But I honestly didn't think Franklin would stoop that low." He shoved a cup under the outfall to catch the coffee dripping out. "No one knows it's not the real flight path. Even Jeff. I never told him I did it this way."

"You do this all the time?"

Alex nodded, grinning. "Yeah. Working out flight paths is a passion of mine, I suppose. I'll work on them while we're en route, and probably change it a half dozen times before we get to where we need it." He shrugged. "It always works out. Jeff just thinks I'm making adjustments to the registered path, since we get new information updated from probes about every three weeks."

Evan mulled this information over a moment before commenting. "How long does it take you to figure out a flight path?"

"Based on the information we have right now, about eight weeks or so." He paused to sip the coffee. "Every time we send out a probe, if we get more and more detail of the Nebula, the path can be updated and changed as needed."

"If you get more detail?"

"Yeah, well, Nebulas are hard to see into."

"But you've done this before, right? Gone through a Nebula, I mean."

Alex nodded while swallowing his coffee. "Sure, once before."

"So, leaving here tomorrow, with no clear idea of how you're going to get where you need to go, this is normal for you?"

"Are you nervous?" Alex grinned, looking nothing at all like his father.

"For your success." Evan recovered his surprise to assure his Keeper of his unflinching loyalty. "I was only checking it to be sure Jeff hadn't tried to access the flight path and sell your route to your competitor."

Alex pursed his lips and shook his head once. "Well, yesterday I would have told you he could never do a thing like that. But after today . . . I apparently didn't know him very well."

Evan had no reply he could offer. He was accustomed to being held in higher regard than trusted employees merely due to his great expense. Spencer had fired many assistants when they objected to having a Sha'erah investigating their every move. But Alex seemed deeply affected by Jeff's refusal to stay simply due to his discomfort around Evan.

"Enough about that, let's go get some dinner." Alex finished the coffee in one swallow and set the cup down purposefully. "I'm gonna shower and change. You bought new clothes, right?"

"Yes."

It took the duration of the short flight from space station to planet for Alex to accept the fact that midnight blue was something other than black.

"I asked you to be more specific." Evan stepped out of the shuttle and instinctively glanced around for any sign of danger before moving out of the way so Alex could follow. "All you said was other than black."

"I know, I know." Alex shook his head, got his bearings, then nodded toward a large, attractively decorated building a block away. "My fault. I guess bright colors just aren't you anyway."

"I wouldn't know."

"Right." They entered the restaurant's lower level and were immediately assailed by various wonderful smells. Alex inhaled deeply. "I haven't been here in over a year."

Before he could comment, a human maitre d' approached, smiling at Alex until he caught a sudden glimpse of Evan. As he quickly took in the sight, his expression altered. Suddenly he was straightening up and bowing slightly toward Alex. He'd seen this before.

"Sir, welcome to our humble establishment. May I interest you in a table upstairs?"

Alex hesitated a moment, then shrugged. "That'll be fine."

Evan followed his Keeper up a wide, elaborately carpeted stairway to what was obviously the more expensive section of the restaurant, where the maitre d' ushered them with a flourish to a table sporting an excellent view of the landscape beyond the building.

"It's not every day we have someone of such importance with us, Captain Marcase." He made a grand gesture of handing Alex a gilded menu. "Please consider yourself our guest this evening. Order anything you like, anything at all, our compliments."

Alex's eyebrows shot up in puzzled surprise after the departing man. "Is he kidding?"

"It happens all the time." Evan shrugged, unimpressed. "Not on Cryian, they're used to it there."

"You mean people see you, and assume . . . What?"

"That you've got more wealth than they could possibly imagine, and therefore you're very important."

Alex rolled his eyes.

"In most cases, it's true. They like having people they think are that important be seen in their places, good for business."

"So they bribe you with free food? Just so you can be seen in their restaurant?"

Evan nodded.

"So that's how the rich stay that way, they never have to pay for anything."

When the waiter arrived, Alex encouraged Evan to order anything he wished, regardless of price, taking full advantage of the restaurant's misguided generosity. Within minutes, they'd been offered every type of wine the establishment had to offer. Alex chose a mid-range mild white wine and glanced around the fashionably darkened room.

"Doesn't it bother you to be leaving tomorrow without your second-in-command?"

Alex swallowed a mouthful of wine and gazed into the glass. "What bothers me is his attitude. I thought I knew him." He set the glass down and looked at Evan. "I realize I was seeing my own reaction in his, but I thought he'd be bigger than that."

"He's not the first. Spencer encountered that reaction now and again."

"Yeah? What did he do about it?"

Evan shrugged. "Same as you. He fired them."

"Technically, Jeff quit." Alex shook his head and glanced at the ring on his finger. "Did he have friends?"

"Who?"

"My father."

Evan considered the question before answering. He really wasn't sure what Alex considered a friend. "He had . . . business partners. In his line of work he couldn't afford to trust many people."

"No, I don't suppose he could."

They ate quietly for a time. Evan kept a watchful silence, mentally reviewing the ship's information he'd been studying. After the meal, Alex continued to stare at his glass of wine as if deep in thought. Finally, still looking at the glass, he broke the silence.

"There were times I wished I was there."

Evan sensed something bothering his Keeper but he didn't know what might be expected of him. "There?"

"With him. Spencer." Alex looked up. "My father. Even knowing what he was, what he did." He sighed, glancing around the room. "See that table over there? I know them. Senator Alvarez and his daughter."

Evan glanced at the table in question and saw a gray haired, distinguished looking man smiling broadly at the young, attractive woman speaking with him.

"Seeing people like that, that's when it bothers me."

"I don't understand."

He sighed. "No, I don't suppose you do."

"You would have rather lived with him, been a criminal like him, than become the respected explorer you are? No, that I don't understand."

Alex laughed shortly, shaking his head once. "I never said it was logical." He twisted the wine glass around, barely noticing it. "Sometimes, I could picture myself with him, knowing what he did. Just the idea of being around someone I could call my father, being his partner even if that meant partner in crime, was enough to overlook the legalities." He raised the glass. "But, reality won out. Happens every time."

Evan couldn't help feeling there was something in what Alex was saying that he should understand on a deeper level, some hidden emotion behind his actual words. He'd never considered the idea that Spencer's son might have had feelings about him, feelings other than hatred. Spencer hardly ever spoke of his only son, and only vaguely followed the young explorer's career. His lack of connection with Alex added to Evan's surprise when the will was read and his new Keeper named. Spencer couldn't have known what his son's reaction would have been, or if he would have even come to claim his inheritance. He was never a man who had time for family, or friends.

"Sorry, I tend to get nostalgic the night before leaving, I guess." Alex finished his wine and motioned to the waiter, who smilingly informed him there would be no bill and graciously encouraged them to return soon. "I didn't have the heart to tell the man we won't be back this way for a year."

Evan flagged down a taxi and held the side door open while Alex took a look around them at the festively lighted streets. "It doesn't bother you to be in space that long?"

"No." Alex inhaled deeply, then shook his head and climbed into the cab. "I don't really notice it much once I'm out there. Plenty going on around the ship to keep your mind occupied."

"Like plotting a real course?" Evan slid into the cab after his Keeper.

"Works every time."

"Obviously. You have a reputation. I found some articles about you when I was researching." Actually he'd found quite a few, but only had time to read one so far. "Your competitors do their best to imitate you."

Alex grinned like a school boy and gave a short laugh. "Imagine what they'd do if they found out how I operate."

"They won't. Not while I'm around." Evan glanced out the cab window and saw the shuttle bay two blocks north. "You're confident Jeff didn't know the filed flight path wasn't the real one?"

"As confident as I can be. Which isn't saying much anymore, I suppose."

He turned back and looked at Alex. "From now on you can be sure no one finds out anything. I can keep all of your data safe from anyone, and if need be, I can penetrate Franklin's database and find out exactly what he knows or doesn't know."

"Let's not get carried away, I don't work that way."

"Then we'll make sure it's not necessary." Evan was beginning to feel his old sense of purpose and security creeping back. Alex wasn't Spencer, and he had a feeling nothing was going to be quite the same as it had been, but for the first time in over a week, he was beginning to think that might be okay. "Whatever it takes, we'll get you through that Nebula first."

Alex leaned back, eyebrows creased, and gazed at Evan. "Is this just one of those "Your goals are my goals" things, or are you actually getting into this?"

He was never going to get used to these questions that made no sense. One was the other, how was that a question? "I'm Sha'erah, you're my Keeper."

"Doctor Slater was right." The cab stopped at the curb and they climbed out, just in time for the next shuttle departing to the orbiting port. "Changing that answer isn't going to be easy."

"I don't understand."

"You will, eventually. I hope."

Evan followed Alex to the shuttle, shaking his head slightly. Sha'erah were highly adaptable, and easily adjusted to new environments, climates and tasks. He was sure spending a year or more at a time in space wouldn't be a problem, and in fact looked forward to the more easily regulated area an enclosed ship would afford. He knew, as always, any new duties he encountered could be mastered with time and study. And he felt fully prepared to ensure Alex reached the Nebula before Franklin, and achieved his goal.

But he was fairly confident he would never--during the course of their time together--understand him.

Chapter 5

Alex rolled over for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last hour and shoved a fist into the pillow, trying to find the right balance between support and softness. It was, of course, no use. He never could sleep the night before launching, though he seemed to feel it necessary to pretend. It was silly, really. There wouldn't be anything exciting about the journey until they were nearer to the Nebula. Until then, it was all known space, open, empty and boring.

But it was starting! A new adventure, a new chance to be the first one to see beyond what was already known. He felt like a kid on Christmas morning, waiting for his mother's butler to tell him she was awake and ready to receive the day. The only difference was the fact that no one knew what he was going to find. Only probes had been as far as the Pendulum Nebula and they hadn't penetrated its murky depths. Exploration wasn't as high on society's list as Alex thought it should be, but no matter. He rather liked being one of the few interested in the adventure. And, he had to admit, he even enjoyed the competition.

Well, it was no use. He'd shoved his fist into the pillow so many times, it refused to try and adjust to his comfort any longer. With a final sigh of failure, Alex got out of bed before the room's sensors could suggest he take a sleep-aid. He padded barefoot to the bathroom and stared at the mirror for a moment before stepping into the shower. Now that they'd disconnected all supply umbilical lines, the showers were on full recycle setting, offering only a hard, thin spray that was greedily sucked back up through the drains in both floor and walls. It could be just as refreshing as a regular shower if you convinced yourself you didn't have time to waste soaking in a long spray of steam. In fact, Alex chose colder water to help clear out the last of his failed sleep.

"Time."

"The time is 3:19 a.m. Ship's time."

The ship and the planet it orbited shared the same time zone, but that would change quickly after they shoved off. Not that it mattered. Alex was more accustomed to thinking in terms of his ship's time than anything else after all these years. He left shaving for later, slipped into a pair of loose sweat pants and a sleeveless shirt and wandered barefoot out to the living area. Many excursions and sleepless launch days had established his routine, and the coffee machine in the galley would already be brewing up his pre-breakfast pot.

He walked through the bedroom door to the galley, then shoved a cup under the dispenser and yawned while it filled with hot coffee. Reflected in the polished surface of the cupboards was a figure bent over the desk opposite the galley. Alex turned his head and found Evan seated there.

"What are you doing up at this hour?"

"You couldn't sleep." Evan's eyelids were barely held open.

Even as tired as he was, Alex didn't think that answer made sense. "I can never sleep before a launch." He retrieved his cup and wandered to the desk, glancing at the data displayed there. Charts and diagrams of the Ascalon's engine and propulsion system specs were spread about in hard copy and 3D, with red highlights glowing to mark certain areas. "Have you been studying this stuff all night?"

Evan had to finish a yawn before he could reply. "When I realized you weren't coming out of the room, I decided to get some work done."

"That's what I got up for." Alex sipped his coffee as he walked to the table behind the couch. The surface was covered entirely with plastic sheets showing the latest probe data of the Pendulum Nebula. He gathered the sheets into one hand and walked around the back of the semi-circular couch, then plopped down heavily into the deep cushions. "I shouldn't even bother trying to fall asleep at all the night before."

Alex spread the data sheets out on the table in front of him and the couch cushions to his left, organizing them in a slightly haphazard manner. Behind him, he caught a glimpse of Evan stretching as he walked to the galley.

"Listen, you might as well change any of Jeff's presets. Go ahead and program in your own. He always liked his coffee exactly the opposite of mine." Alex shuffled some sheets. He used to think Jeff was as level-headed a person as there was, and his wife Alice almost more so. But then, he also used to think Sha'erah were a myth. It left him wondering what he was going to learn next.

"What's this?" Evan stepped around the couch and sat down to Alex's right, the only section free of the scattered data sheets.

"The latest probes of the Nebula. These are two years ago, then last year, then every month up to five weeks ago." Alex pointed at the sheets in turn.

Evan sipped his coffee and looked at the scans. "Doesn't show much."

"You just have to know where to look." He gathered the scans together, tapping them against the table top to straighten them out, and flipped a switch with his foot that illuminated the table from within. When he set the plastic sheets down, light streamed through them, making the markings clearly visible.

"Looks like static."

"It is, pretty much. The probe's computers don't bother adding color and highlights, so you get a pure image, mostly mathematically representative of what it's seeing." He pointed to the center of the top sheet. "This one on top is the first scan, two years ago." With a sweeping gesture, he indicated the entire sheet of gray, fuzzy static. "The gasses in the Nebula bounce most of the signals right back at you, that's what makes this fuzzy-looking gray."

Evan pointed to several darker spots. "Planets?"

Alex nodded. "But this is the real fun part." He put a finger on the upper left edge of the scan. "See how the gray static of the Nebula changes with each sheet? The gasses are always moving, pushed around by solar winds and asteroidal bodies passing here and there. But this section is more like the planets."

"It's still static." Evan had leaned forward to get a better look. "But it doesn't move."

"Exactly." Alex felt a surge of anticipation run through his body, shaking off the last of the failed sleep. "There's something in there, something other than a planet. Static and gasses are variable, different with every shot you take. Planets are predictable once you establish their orbits."

"So what's this?"

Alex sighed and leaned back, slouching against the cushions. "I don't know," he admitted. "It's something."

Evan yawned again and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Where do you find Turbidium?"

"Planets, asteroids, any massive rock formation can be laden with it. You can usually bet on finding at least one planet in a large system to have quantities worth mining."

"I don't understand." Evan leaned back as well, resting his coffee cup on his chest. "If this mineral is so vital, why are you and this Franklin guy the only two going out there to find more?"

"It's valuable, but not rare. Trouble is, the sources that are being mined now are owned by one or two corporations. They have a monopoly on the product everyone wants. So, if we can find more--in this case out there--" Alex nodded toward the data sheets on the table instead of out the massive window in front of him. "Paulson Carpenter can join the ranks of the elite and provide some competition. That drives prices down, usually."

"Why don't you want to lay claim to it?" Evan stifled another yawn. "If it's so valuable, and you're the one finding it."

Alex shook his head and sat up, smoothing the plastic sheets out so he could examine them all again. "I'm not a miner, I'm an explorer. I just need enough money to pay for taking this ship out to make me happy."

Evan set his cup on the table and leaned back on the couch again, propping his toes up on the only section of the rounded surface that wasn't now covered in plastic data sheets.

"Why don't you go back to sleep? We don't leave for another four hours." Alex picked up the latest scan and stared intently at it.

"I'm fine."

The scan he held showed the upper left edge clearest of them all, with much of the Nebula's static wafting farther to the right. Still, it was impossible to determine what the blotch was. It could be a small moon, or cluster of moons. Perhaps a group of asteroids traveling the Nebula together, even orbiting a denser member of their group. It didn't appear to be orbiting anything itself, but it was impossible to say with the scans they had. Whatever it was, it wasn't his predetermined goal. He had to navigate the Nebula, mapping as much of it as he could on the way through, and search for Turbidium in the system he was sure lurked inside. Once he'd accomplished that, and fulfilled his obligation, he could roam around a bit and find out what exactly this mystery was.

Nebulas were notoriously hard to penetrate with scans, so the information the probes sent back was only partially helpful, but Alex needed those scans to make a basic plan of attack that could be modified as they drew closer. Until then, he would follow a simple route straight there, probably right beside Franklin's ship, while each waited for the other to veer off toward his own private route.

Alex sifted through a few more sheets and noticed Evan had fallen asleep where he was, slouched down on the couch with his toes hooked over the edge of the low table, knees balanced precariously in the air. As he examined the new sheets, he noticed those knees begin to lean over. Before they could dislodge the toes, Evan woke with a start.

"Why don't you just go back to bed?" Alex swallowed the last of the coffee in his cup. "You can still get in a couple of hours."

"I'm fine." Evan repositioned his knees and closed his eyes again.

Alex shook his head and looked for the first of the scans. "Suit yourself."

He found it much easier to think about the launch and the Nebula rather than dwell on the fact that he had a Sha'erah sitting next to him on the couch. Or that he was the Keeper. So far he'd managed to put off all thinking and serious contemplation of that small problem successfully, perhaps he'd never really have to give it much thought? Maybe it didn't really need much thought? Jeff's sudden departure had unwittingly made things easier, giving Evan a job to do on the Ascalon and a place to stay. Alex felt rather confident, now that they were about to get underway, that things would start to fall into place. Evan would have something to occupy his time, he could get on with his usual task of commanding the ship and mapping their route, and everything would work itself out. No need to think of himself as anything other than the commander of a ship, with Evan as a crew member.

Yes, things would just work themselves out. They always did.

Alex reached for another sheet from the table and saw the knees leaning toward him again. He gave them a gentle push, making sure they balanced again instead of toppling over the other way.

He had to admit, though, there were a few aspects to this new situation he really wanted to think about. According to the stories he'd heard, and what he now knew was fact, Sha'erah were not completely human. Some kind of advanced biomechanical manipulation was involved in their creation, altering their basic desire for personal freedom and adding various attributes. In Evan's case--though Alex still hadn't actually asked him the full details--he was somehow enabled with the ability to personally interface with any computer with just the touch of that silver in his palm.

But just how human was he? Or rather, how alien? And if Evan didn't know, who would? Proof of alien sentient life was still pretty speculative at best, even taking into consideration the fabled Shavid'eye, gargoyle-like creatures found on a planet called Oblivion who communicated using an intricate system of sound and color. But they were still--albeit intelligent--animals. Not space faring aliens with technological advances. If there was a race of aliens intelligent enough to engineer human DNA, why would they? Surely money wasn't a factor?

No, it was easier to conceive of some mad scientist hidden away on a moon somewhere, experimenting on the unborn, with wealthy backers who greedily kept their secrets shrouded in mystery and alien horror stories. Much the same way the governments of old Earth allowed myths of UFOs to perpetuate, keeping the public occupied and paranoid while they built weapons of mass destruction under their noses.

Hell, Evan probably wasn't part alien at all.

Alex glanced at the man sleeping on the couch next to him and let his eyes take in the sight of the black tattoo lacing the side of his neck. Who am I kidding? Things weren't going to be the same ever again. This wasn't just a new crew member. This was a Sha'erah. Even the name sounded as alien as the Shavid'eye gargoyles of Oblivion.

Well, there was nothing to be done about it now. He glanced at the ring shining on his finger and recalled his conversation with the doctor on Cryian II. He'd known Evan as well as anyone. If he thought teaching the man to learn to think like a free man--like a friend instead of a slave--was possible, Alex had nothing to lose by trying. At best, he'd gain a friend, hopefully one he could trust. At worst, he'd be right where he was now: confused, a little disjointed, and trying to decide if this new puppy was going to wag its tail or bite his hand off.

With a sigh, he turned his attention back to his scans. Not long after, the room's chime gently informed him he had one hour before launch.

"I've scheduled breakfast to be ready in a few minutes." Evan sprang from the couch as if he'd been awake the whole time. "I've been winging it so far, since you haven't told me what you like and don't like to eat."

Alex cleared his throat and stood, stretching. "I don't really have preferences, I just eat whatever's available." He started for his room. "I'm gonna change." He left Evan to his own devices in the galley and re-washed his face, feeling the adrenaline of a launch kicking in again. His ship's uniform was casual, allowing the crew some leeway in their dress, with regulation insignia as the only standard. Alex chose black pants of a sturdy cotton, a green shirt and black jacket bearing his insignia. Mentally, he pictured the effect that standing on the bridge next to Evan was going to have on his crew. After a moment's hesitation, he changed from the black jacket to a milder gray, convincing himself it would make a world of difference.

"Here, you can wear this." Alex tossed Evan the black jacket. "I give up with the color scheme. We can have some of your other clothes set with the logos and insignia, that's the closest we come to uniforms here."

Evan examined the jacket, then put it on over his black, short-sleeved shirt. "Do you prefer Captain, or Commander?"

Alex waved a hand, dismissing the importance of such distinctions, and sat down to the breakfast set out at the galley's counter bar. "Technically it's Captain, but only when they want to impress me. On the bridge, it's Captain. Anywhere else it's Alex." He sipped the fresh coffee. "Sometimes other things, but not to my face."

"Not when I'm with you." Evan sat opposite him. "Spencer said money commanded respect, but so does rank."

"Listen, you . . ." Alex looked at the man, clad again in nothing but black, with an alien sense about his demeanor he couldn't quite describe. The black eyes didn't help, either. "Just don't kill anyone, okay?" He set the cup down. "At least not without asking first."

Evan returned a look that suggested Alex was an idiot. "After we get underway, I'd like to look at the engineering section, now that I've read up on the specs."

"Of course." Alex shoved the last of his breakfast into his mouth and checked the time. "You're going to be all right with handling that, aren't you? I always relied on Jeff to take care of the mechanical details so I'd be more free to concentrate on the science."

"You won't have anything to worry about." Evan nodded solemnly. "I thought it was pretty stupid to put me in charge of something like that the day before you start out, but I've studied the schematics. I'm confident I can learn them quickly and completely."

"Don't hold back, Evan, tell me what you really feel." Alex put his empty dishes into the chute that would send them to the ship's kitchens for cleaning, then accepted Evan's dishes and did the same with them.

"I suppose coming from a man who launches for a Nebula with no map whatsoever, this type of decision is normal."

"Hey, don't knock it till you've tried it." Alex nodded toward the door. "Come on, I like to be on the bridge when we pull away."

He led the way down the corridor to the bridge lift, fully aware he was grinning with anticipation. The excitement of what was to come had already overshadowed any strange feelings he still had about the sudden prejudice shown by his former partner. Of course, it hadn't even come close to the attitude his own mother had hit him with, but she couldn't just quit. He could, however, leave.

And that was what he was about to do. The bridge was brimming with activity as command crew called out readings and status reports to each other, monitoring the input from the station's flight controllers. Alex absorbed it all in a familiar flood of information, easily sorting through the comments and data displays. Evan was a silent shadow beside him, watching everything but asking nothing. They walked the rim of the bridge deck on the upper walkway so Alex could give orders and authorize actions as the ship slowly began to pull away from the orbiting station. As the engines began powering up to full, Alex nodded toward his office.

"Come on, I want to show you something." He led the way around the walkway to the forward section, then flipped a switch in the wall that lowered the bow shields, exposing a floor-to-ceiling viewing window that caught everyone's attention, momentarily distracting them from their launch duties. Alex sighed, looking out at the stars before them. "I like watching launches from here. After a while, the view is pretty much the same. There's only so much staring at space a person can do. But watching us pull out of the system always gives me a rush."

Evan scanned the infinite horizon, then looked at Alex. "I looked at the local media reports last night. The Vision is still in local space, doing interviews."

"Yeah, he likes to milk it for the publicity."

"He's waiting for you."

Alex glanced at Evan, eyebrows creasing. "What do you mean?"

"He's waiting to see what direction you take."

"There's only one direction, that's to the Nebula. The trick doesn't start till we get there."

Evan shook his head. "I studied his record, and the other explorers you've gone up against, and they all do that. They wait to see what direction you're taking, and plan their moves around you." He turned back to the view. "You're the expert in this field, and they know it."

"I'm just one of the players, that's all." Alex dismissed the notion, but had to look at the view himself to keep his face from flushing.

"Ascalon, you are cleared from Scotia Station. Safe trip and happy hunting."

The announcer's voice was followed immediately by a round of standard commands and much excited chatter. Alex left his crew to their duties, keeping an ear open to insure his usual instructions were followed. The stars began shifting slightly, too distant to truly appear to be moving, but below them Scotian quickly fell away, then her moons and outer system planets, one by one, rapidly grew smaller.

"I love this view." Alex watched another planet grow larger, then smaller as they approached and passed the massive body. "It's like being lord of the universe or something."

Beside him, he heard muffled laughter. Evan's face was turned slightly away.

"Are you laughing?"

"No."

Alex stared at the side of Evan's face, then looked forward again, watching a moon drift quickly by.

"I thought I heard laughing."

"I didn't laugh."

"Captain, the Vision is hailing us."

"I'll take it in my office." Alex answered, then looked outside again. "I thought you couldn't lie to me?"

"I wasn't laughing."

He looked at Evan again, then started for his office.

"I started to laugh." Evan fell into step beside him. "But I didn't laugh."

Alex failed to see the distinction, but he didn't have time to argue. Once inside his office, Evan moved immediately to the same spot behind his desk that he'd occupied yesterday. The view screen that was set in the wall directly in front of the desk was large enough to show more than one person for conference purposes, and also showed Alex and quite a bit of his office. He knew it was Franklin hailing him, as the race began. He also knew what his old foe was about to see for the first time.

He keyed up the console and watched it flash to life, revealing a smiling--then somewhat startled--face.

"Marcase, you old dog."

"Franklin, what are you still doing in the neighborhood?"

Thomas Franklin was older than Alex by ten years and sported a full, blazing red beard and moustache he often used to hide his expression. Right now, it was obvious the man had been surprised to see a Sha'erah dressed in black and standing directly behind Alex. Whether rumor had spread about his inheritance or not hadn't occurred to him, but if anyone knew what everyone was doing, it was Thomas Franklin.

"Oh you know me, gotta give the media their story. Human interest to them is just plain good PR to us. I've always wondered why you never indulge yourself."

"It doesn't get me where I want to be any faster." Alex half turned toward Evan. "This is Evan, by the way. He's replacing Jeff."

"I'd heard." Franklin's gaze fixed on Evan for a full minute. "Inheritance, eh?"

Figures. "He's my new partner. An expert in communications and computer systems." Alex knew if Franklin knew this much, he probably knew the rest, including Jeff's sudden departure on "moral grounds."

"Well, I won't keep you. Just calling to wish you luck." Franklin's smile broadened. "Not that you'll win, but it's the least I can do."

"Oh I don't know, I think you could manage less." Alex leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk. "I'll let you know what I find out there."

Captain Franklin's laughter echoed through the speakers seconds longer than it took the screen to fade again to black.

"You didn't confront him about trying to break in to your pager files."

Alex turned the chair halfway around and looked up at Evan. "No, I have no proof. It could have been anyone on his ship." He sighed. "Besides, he didn't get anywhere."

"But he'll try again."

"And you'll make sure he doesn't get in, right?"

"Of course."

Alex nodded, then thought of something. "You didn't disagree with my assessment this time."

"Because you were right. I am an expert in communications and computer systems."

Evan's attitude was so matter-of-fact, it nearly made Alex laugh.

"With your permission, I'd like to go down to Engineering and have a look around."

"Of course, sure. And you don't need my permission." Alex turned back to his desk.

"Yes, I do."

"No, you . . . Never mind. Go ahead." He wasn't willing to spoil a great launch day by delving into things with Evan. That could wait. After all, they were going to be together for . . . Well, apparently forever. Alex shook his head and tried hard not to start thinking about that.

Evan left the office and Alex called up the Ascalon's front sensors, displaying the inky black of space on his office screen. After enjoying the view for a few moments, he called up the probe data. The screen flickered once, then flashed to life with a full view of the Pendulum Nebula. He leaned back, gazing at the sight. The massive body of purple colored gasses was a beautiful sight by anyone's standards. Moving with the unpredictable winds of solar radiation bombarding the gasses from all sides, the giant appeared over time to be swaying back and forth, up and down, as if in some sort of galactic dance, where time and space were partnered in an ever changing rhythm. Once they were inside, the gasses would wreak havoc with the ship's sensors, bouncing back signals while allowing others to pass, effectively confusing any ship wandering through. The safest thing to do was enter at the clearest section, and follow a course already laid out, through the planets, moons, and, more importantly, asteroids and wandering chunks of space debris.

That was the safest thing. But it wasn't always the quickest.

Alex had every intention of having a safe route into the Nebula by the time they were approaching the leading edge. But unlike most excursions, simply traveling to the area in question wasn't the only goal this time. In order to explore the region and search for Turbidium, they needed to find out what the Nebula held, how many planets, or--depending on its actual size--how many systems were hidden within its purple haze. It was Alex's intention to have each planet mapped prior to entering the gas, but even with scans and data probes, there were no guarantees.

He zoomed the display closer to the leading edge of the Nebula. From this probe, the typical darkening of large bodies of mass could be seen faintly, smatterings of planets following odd orbits around a far-off sun. Most likely ice planets, no doubt devoid of any life they'd be familiar with, but good candidates for Turbidium if the ice wasn't too thick. Alex sincerely hoped it wouldn't be that easy. He wanted more time to explore as much of the unknown as possible before being forced back out to send the signal back to Scotian. He hoped to make enough on this venture to finance further exploration of the Nebula, but the more he could do on Carpenter's ticket, the better.

In a perfect world, he'd find several good sources of the mineral, see Franklin head back in defeat, and be left alone to find out just what was hidden in the upper left-hand side of those scans. It could be nothing, randomly scattered rocks trapped in some bizarre geosynchronous orbit or something, but something told him that wasn't the case. Whatever it was, he wanted to be the first to see it. Chances were Franklin had seen the same scans, and recognized the anomaly as well, but he wasn't as much of an explorer as Alex. He could be pretty businesslike at times like these, and pass up perfectly good opportunities to be curious if he didn't see a profit margin in it.

Which reminds me. Alex turned off the display, then called up the contract on his desk screen. He hadn't even so much as glanced at the terms of his deal with Carpenter. Jeff had always taken care of those details, making sure they were getting enough funds, plus a bonus upon successful completion of the project. Jeff would have signed the deal before leaving, so he was confident there wouldn't be any rude surprises waiting for him. Paulson Carpenter was an honorable man. As long as . . .

Alex whistled out loud, staring at the figures. "Holy shit."

The usual expenses were there, providing for various salaries, equipment rentals, the Ascalon's lease for another year, and various odds and ends Jeff always planned for in case of emergencies. The reserve for emergency rescue compensation was healthy enough to ensure their immediate rescue by anyone looking to make a hefty profit. But the bottom section typically reserved for bonuses and perks was what caught his eye.

If they laid claims on valid sources of Turbidium in sufficient quantities to support mining for several years, the lease on the Ascalon would be paid in full, awarding sole ownership to Captain Alex Marcase. If said source or sources were sufficient to sustain active mining for more than fifty years of projected use, that bonus would be accompanied by a cash award of 2.5 million credits.

"Maybe my luck is coming back after all." Alex flipped off the display and chewed on his bottom lip. He'd always hoped someday this ship would be his, free and clear, but he never really believed it would happen. Even when . . . No, selling Evan was never an option. He would have been no better than, well, his father. Or his mother, come to think of it. Hell, even the man he would have claimed as his closest friend, such as it went.

Just when he thought to check the time, his stomach growled its opinion. He left the office and checked the ship's status with the bridge crew, then started down the main corridor toward the galley five levels down. It occurred to him to check with Evan, make sure the man knew where the galley was, but surely he was self-sufficient enough to know when he needed to eat and where to take care of it. Alex himself rarely bothered to eat lunch, but the excitement of the launch, coupled with no sleep, had him hungry enough to head straight to the galley instead of ordering food sent up to his own quarters.

The Ascalon's galley was large enough to accommodate a hundred at a time, but with food service available in every cabin, it was hardly ever filled to capacity. Today was no exception, but the room was well occupied and the mood very high. Alex retrieved a tray of sandwiches and made his way to the quieter section.

A short, stocky man chewing violently on the remains of a huge sandwich nodded at Alex and scooted over to make room. "Captain, I was going to look for you."

"What can I do for you, Cliff?"

The engineer's reply was postponed during a massive swallow. "That new guy, Evan, he's down in Engineering. I'm taking the rest of these sandwiches down to him and Kitts in a sec."

Alex's eyebrows rose. "I was hoping you weren't going to down all of those yourself." So, Evan wasn't coming up to the galley, or back to their quarters. He had obviously found a way to get some lunch, though.

Cliff nodded, washing down his mouthful with a drink of pale liquid that smelled heavily of mangos. "I gotta tell you, Captain, at first I thought Kitts and I were gonna have some problems with this guy. I mean, brand new, and he comes down there ready to give orders."

Alex tensed, preparing for an argument only his rank was guaranteed to win.

"At first he was asking all sorts of questions, then he started checking out some things, and I gotta tell you, the way he just kinda presses his hand on the panels and gets into the computers, well that's pretty hard to swallow."

"But?"

"Well, after a bit he started explaining to Kitts and I how our engines weren't using the fuel optimally, and he showed us some specs and, well, the rest is history." Cliff smiled, then remembered to finish his explanation. "I mean, it will be history. They're down there now heavily involved in the plasma mixture, and I gotta tell you, I think this guy's right."

Alex blinked. "So, you're saying Evan and Kitts are getting along then?" His Chief Mechanical Officer wasn't known for liking change. And he wasn't one for taking orders from anyone he didn't already agree with.

"I gotta tell you, this guy--strange as he is being a Sha'erah and all--he knows what he's talking about." Cliff shoved the last of his sandwich into his mouth but didn't let that stop his conversation. "It's creepy the way he kinda gets inside the computer, like he's just wandering through the data himself or somethin', but by God he's found some things we never would have thought to look for." The man wiped his mouth, then suddenly looked apologetic. "I'm sorry Jeff isn't here any more, he was a good man, don't get me wrong. But I gotta tell you, this new fella's really something. I'd better get lunch down to them. They're so into this plasma mixture they didn't want to break for eats." Before Alex could comment further, Cliff had gathered the sandwiches and scurried off.

The surprising revelation made him forget his uncommon hunger for a moment longer. Not that he should be surprised. Evan must be adaptable to new situations, and have the capacity to take charge regardless. As much as Alex had expected more trouble from his crew concerning this new addition, he was also relieved not to find much. At least, not yet. Of course, much of his crew were new even to him, having been hired by Jeff while he was gone to replace those who couldn't wait. Changes in the plasma mixture? He should be glad that Evan had found something to occupy his time, and wasn't hovering behind the desk all day. Jacob Kitts wasn't an easy man to impress. Those changes must have made logical sense.

Alex ate his lunch and contemplated this news. He trusted Evan's abilities. After all, the guy could analyze data like no one's business. His father had trusted the man with finances and company secrets. He was a Sha'erah, after all. There wasn't anything he'd do to Alex's ship that would cause it harm, or slow it down. And Kitts wouldn't let anything disrupt his engines.

He shook his head free of those thoughts and finished eating. Evan would tell him what he'd done tonight anyway, in between scolding him for having no map through the Nebula. With that thought, he walked back to his office to start working on the route.

Three hours into it, he was paged from the bridge.

"We're about to pass the Vision, sir."

"My favorite part." Alex grinned and flipped on the view screen. To their relative left appeared the massive form of the Vision, a deep-space exploration vessel five years younger than the Ascalon, and in considerably better cosmetic shape. Where Franklin had time and credits to repair the nicks and scrapes to his ship's skin, Alex preferred to concentrate any and all improvements on the inside, on engines, probes, scanners and as up to date command equipment as he could manage. The evidence of long space journeys he left as proof--a badge of courage so to speak--displaying an adventurous spirit.

"Comm, hail the Vision." Alex sat back, gazing at the screen as it changed views. "You're still here?"

"Had to slow down to pick up a passenger. One of your rejects, I believe."

Alex lowered his eyelids.

Franklin smiled widely, then gave his helmsman an order to allow the small transport to dock. "Your former second accepted my offer. I can always use good men."

Alex's face burned. "Jeff?"

"He needed a job. Hope you don't mind, Alex. But it's not like I'm stealing him away, after all."

Alex didn't trust his ability to reply, so he terminated the connection. "Damn him!" Damn me for letting him go! Jeff wouldn't stoop so low as to . . . He hit the intercom with some force. "Engineering, this is Captain Marcase. Is Evan down there?"

"Captain, this is Baker, he's just down the tube here. Go ahead, he can hear you now."

"We've got a problem, I need you up in the office right away."

He heard movement over the speaker, then Chief Mechanical Officer's voice broke in.

"Well, judging by the way he just lit outta here, I'd say he'll be there in a sec."

"Thanks, Chief."

"Hey, Captain, this guy is a regular godsend. If these calculations of his are right, we'll be able to streamline the mixture and increase our fuel efficiency by fifteen percent."

Alex chewed on the corner of his bottom lip for a second as he contemplated that information. "Are we talking mileage or speed, Kitts?"

"We're talking speed, Captain. If this works, we could cut nearly a month off our travel time."

"Perfect. Make it work."

"You got it."

Alex shut off the intercom and started pacing his office. Jeff working for Franklin. So much for life settling down into something normal again. Jeff knew every code and password into every system onboard the Ascalon. If someone on the Vision had come close to breaking into his pager files earlier, they'd have no trouble now with Jeff helping them out. And working for Franklin meant he'd do anything in his power to beat Alex to the Nebula, and the Turbidium. It was his job now.

"What's wrong?" Evan burst through the door, eyes narrowed as he searched for the source of Alex's trouble.

"Jeff just boarded the Vision. He's working for Franklin now."

Without a word, Evan strode straight for the main computer terminal on Alex's desk and placed his silver-embedded palm over the input pad. "I take it he had full access?"

"Everything from accounting to the kitchens." Alex walked to the front of his desk and leaned on the hard surface to stop his pacing. "I know the maps aren't important, since they really don't lead anywhere. And he already knows the details of my contract with Carpenter, since he filed it himself."

Evan's eyes were glued to the screen, but unfocused, as information sped by at an unreadable rate. "But he doesn't know the maps are useless. And if he can get in, he can make changes."

Alex stared in amazement at the speed of the data flashing by the screen. Evan didn't seem to be watching the screen. In fact, it looked as if the information was simply in his head, and he was reviewing it from memory. "Kitts tells me you came up with some changes that could speed us up?"

"If they work." Evan nodded absently. "That's something we don't want him finding out about either."

It didn't take long, but it felt like hours before Evan finally stopped and focused again on Alex. "Is that it? You can keep him out of everything?"

"Everything from accounting to the kitchens. Do you want to stop there, or go farther?"

Alex wrinkled his eyebrows, still trying to absorb the facts. "Go farther? What do you mean, exactly."

Evan shrugged. "Anything you want. The Vision is still close, isn't it? I can get in from here, and find out anything you want to know. Or do anything you want done."

The temptation was incredible. Alex blinked, then sat on the edge of the couch beside his desk. "You mean, you could infiltrate the Vision's computers from here?"

"I just need to send a data burst to one of their automated receivers, like a refueling port or hull temperature sensor. As soon as it answers, I can get in."

"Franklin would never know you were there?"

"No one would know I was there."

Alex stared at the floor for a long while, twisting the silver ring around on his finger as he thought. He could get Franklin's maps. Or even put a few alterations in his programming, just enough to slow the Vision down for a few months. "He didn't need Jeff, his crew was full, always has been." He stood and paced the office slowly. "There's only one reason for him to be over there."

"To let Captain Franklin in on your habits," Evan supplied. "Any information he could get on his only competition would be an asset and increase his chances."

Jeff knew all of Alex's moves and habits, with the one exception being the fact that he only mapped his route while already en route. That wouldn't help Franklin, except maybe to give him a false sense of superiority.

"I can promise you, if I got in, they'd never know I'd been there."

Alex stopped pacing. "I don't want his files. I've never needed to work that way to win. I'm not . . ." He was going to say he wasn't his father, but lately he couldn't help feeling more and more like the man he'd never known. Suddenly a thought struck him. "I want them to know we could have."

Evan looked up, eyebrows creased with confusion.

"He knows you're here, and who you are. So does Jeff. They might not realize what you could do, but I want to put the fear of God into them."

"How, exactly?"

"The Vision is a lot like the Ascalon, with a main galley and kitchens in each of the officer's living quarters. But Franklin also has a officers' mess, and always eats in there. Can you get to those programs?"

"No problem. Then what?" Evan turned to the console again and rested his hand on the machine.

Alex shrugged. "Switch the hot and cold? Change his inventory so they can't access the coffee? Just . . . piss them off. But leave a trail, so eventually they know we were there. Then maybe Franklin and Jeff will realize what we could have done, but chose not to." He looked at Evan hopefully. "Can you do that?"

"I can do that." Evan's eyes unfocused again as the screen flicked to life. "His aft water supply input just let me in."

There was some deviousness in what Alex was asking Evan to do, but really nothing above simple vandalism. More like petty hooliganism. Certainly nothing as vile as the attempt that had been made to break into his pager and find his private files.

"I'm reconfiguring the kitchen in the officer's mess."

"Good."

It really was fascinating how Evan could do what he did. What must that be like? To basically have a computer in your mind. To be able to execute commands with your thoughts, or scan entire documents straight into your memory. The implications were mind boggling. It was a wonder the military didn't employ this technique. Maybe they would, if they knew about it.

"Before you're done, can you fix the shower in Franklin's quarters?"

Evan nodded. With his eyes seemingly unfocused, he appeared almost absentminded. "I can make it stop working, or tell it he's four foot three."

Alex grinned wickedly. Thomas Franklin was six foot ten. "Do it."

"Consider it done."

He walked around behind Evan and looked at the screen, but couldn't understand the binary codes flashing by. "I don't want you to have the wrong impression or anything."

"I don't."

"I normally wouldn't do something like this."

"You have a right to feel angry."

"Jeff's over there to spite me."

"You fired him."

"I never fired him." Alex paced back to the front of his desk, shaking his head. "He quit. He just turned into this bigoted, self-centered jerk over night." Just like me.

Evan stood. "I'm finished."

Alex looked up, blinking his surprise. The computer screen was back to its usual display of the Pendulum Nebula and a distance counter, slowly ticking off the time since the launch. "You're done?"

"Unless you want me to do more. The Vision will be out of range soon, but I can get in again if you establish audio contact with him. Those receivers are much more powerful, and I can get through without being detected, but it's trickier."

"No," Alex shook his head. "No, I think we've done enough. For now, at least." He glanced around the office, trying to get his thoughts together. They seemed to be scattered all over the place. Something that was happening a lot lately. "Day shift is over. There's nothing more I feel like doing today. What about you?"

"I found some problems with the fuel mixture in Engineering. According to what I found, the plasma distributors have been set to factory specifications, but that setting doesn't utilize their full capacity."

Alex felt a headache coming on, but this sounded promising. Anything that could now give him a speed edge over the Vision had to be worth hearing. "Once again I've got equipment I'm not using to it's full potential?"

"No, the installers weren't using it to its full potential," Evan corrected. "You and your engineering staff were doing exactly what you were told by the installers. And doing a good job, judging by the condition I found. If I'm understanding it correctly, the engines are in excellent shape."

The compliment made Alex blink, then smile. "Yeah? Well, I try to surround myself with good people." He nodded toward the exit and started to leave the room, Evan beside him. "So, what did you find?"

They returned to their cabin while Evan explained his findings. A purer mixture of fuel would greatly increase their speed and efficiency. He'd learned all of this from scanning the specs and documented data after Alex had surprised him with his new responsibilities upon Jeff's departure. The idea still needed to be tested, but after running several computer simulations with CMO Kitts, they were both confident the procedure would work. Kitts would test the new mix first thing in the morning, and if all went well, the Ascalon would experience enough of a burst in speed to leave the Vision far behind.

"That'll be a nice surprise for Franklin, right after his morning shower." Alex grinned over his cup of coffee while Evan cleared their plates from the counter.

"Assuming he uses the same settings he already has, we should reach the outer edge of the Nebula a full three weeks ahead of the Vision."

"He will." Alex set the cup down and stared at the vast expanse of space he could see through the large window. "Franklin's one of the most predictable men I know. In fact, I could have predicted he'd try to hire Jeff the minute he heard he was available. I just never expected Jeff to accept."

Evan poured another cup of coffee for himself and leaned against the counter a few feet away from Alex. "Why not? In your competitive world, it makes perfect sense. He obviously knows more about you than anyone, so with his help Franklin stands a much better chance than without him. And if Franklin wins, so does Jeff as a member of his crew."

"Don't remind me." Can't even blame anyone but my own stupid self.

"I think that's one reason your father bought me. People in power, especially wealthy people who can make or break the wealth and power of others, rarely have friends or anyone they can trust implicitly. Spencer needed what I could do, but I think he also needed to know there was someone he didn't have to be so careful around all the time. Someone he knew would never speak a word of what he said or did. Someone he could trust."

Alex turned his head and gazed at Evan. "And you're lumping me into this category?"

He shrugged. "You're in a position to make Mr. Carpenter a disgustingly wealthy man. You have, by virtue of me, a power most people both fear and covet. And you've already begun to trust me with your ship."

"Well, unlike my father, I don't think I need to worry about business partners stabbing me in the back." Alex finished his coffee and took the cup to the sanitizer.

"And you think Jeff did that? Figuratively."

Didn't he? Alex had to wonder just how ignorant he'd been all this time, thinking Jeff was a different person. That he was a better person. Not like . . . well, not like Alex had reacted the first day he arrived on Cryian II. He sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. Had he really been that much of a jerk? "What about you? Was my father someone you could trust?"

"That was never an issue. I was there to help him, he was my Keeper."

"That's not much of an answer."

Evan's eyes narrowed and he shook his head once. "Spencer wasn't someone people trusted."

Alex leaned back against the counter. "Including you?"

"Including me." Evan moved away from the galley and walked to the window, looking out at the stars. "It wasn't important for me to trust him, only for him to trust me. And he did."

"Well, I'm obviously no judge of who to trust." Alex shoved himself away from the counter and headed for his room. "I need some sleep. We can try changing that plasma mixture in the morning?"

"First thing, providing it works the way I think it should."

"Good." He opened the door to the bedroom. "I want to get as far away from the Vision as we can, the sooner the better."

"Consider it done."

He wanted to. More than anything. And from the confidence in Evan's voice, Alex actually believed he could. Just that morning, he was sure things were settling down into their usual routine. Even with this new addition to his life, everything had gone smoothly. Launch was flawless as usual. Franklin was right where he'd expected to find him, still courting the press before leaving Scotian space. The Ascalon was in perfect working condition. And as a bonus, one that he'd almost forgotten about, he stood to finally achieve his ultimate goal of full ownership of his beloved vessel. Providing he was successful.

Never in a million years, would he have believed Jeff could switch sides. But then again, he'd never expected his former second in command to ever quit. Alex sighed heavily as he crawled into his bed. He stared at the ceiling instead of through the window into the beautiful inky black of space. The room was lit softly by the glow of a million stars, causing the intricate mural of a fictional green Nebula painted above his head to come alive. It suddenly occurred to him that he and Evan hadn't argued about a thing that day.

Great. When everything else is upside down, he and I get along? Did that mean when things around them straightened out, they'd be butting heads again? Well, no matter. Alex had a feeling nothing was going to settle down again. That this new version of his life--the one where everything he thought he knew suddenly stood up and slapped him in the face--was soon going to seem quite commonplace. Hell, he might even reach a point where he looked back at that day in VanHolt's office as the good old days! Wouldn't that just figure?

Actually, he had to admit, it felt almost--refreshing--to spar verbally with Evan. At least the guy didn't hold back what he thought, or let Alex continue with a false impression of the facts. Something that surprised him, after hearing that Sha'erah were the ultimate in Yes men. He might have to obey a command, but he certainly made no bones about how he felt! I wonder how Spencer liked that? That is, if Evan talked to Spencer like that. He probably didn't. Judging from what little he'd asked tonight, it didn't seem like Evan cared to discuss Alex's father much. And Alex didn't feel he had the right to push it. There were other things he wanted to know, but hadn't found the right way to ask. Like what it felt like to basically bring an entire computer system into his own mind and manipulate data like it was nothing. What could that possibly be like? And how did someone ask? Let alone explain? Must be like breathing to him, just no big deal at all.

Alex forced his eyes closed. It was nearly midnight already, and he had a full day ahead. If he didn't fall asleep in the next fifteen minutes, he might have to consider a sleep aid. Too much was going on, too many things had happened in way too short a time. He wanted to get more speed out of their ship, leave Franklin shocked and behind, struggling with a dysfunctional shower.

That sudden reminder nearly made him laugh. He felt like an errant school boy! Pulling pranks for no reason other than to irritate. This time he had a reason, and some help. He hoped Evan didn't think less of him for that indulgence in petty revenge. Stealing the man's maps through the Nebula would have been more painful a blow, but not something he wanted to resort to. Let Franklin do what he must, but Alex had his morals. It didn't matter what anyone else did, in the long run. He could only be judged by his own actions. And unless he was mistaken--which was certainly something he was doing a lot lately--Evan seemed to have enjoyed the little vandalism as well.

God, go to sleep! If he fell asleep in the next ten minutes, he could get a good six hours before the alarm went off. Evan's talents were about to pay off in a big way, he needed to be awake for it. Idly he had to wonder what else his Sha'erah was going to prove capable of. Not that he could ask for more than he was about to get. Shaving off three--even one or two--weeks from their journey could mean the difference between success and failure. He had to win! He had to get the Ascalon and be free of his constant search for funding.

He had to get to sleep!

"The time is now 0530 a.m. ship's standard time. You have one message."

Chapter 6

Evan rubbed his palm and stared at the screen, blinking to bring his eyes back into focus. The time was displayed softly in the corner of the monitor at his request, and showed he had only a half hour left before the alarm would wake Alex. That was just enough time to get cleaned up and have breakfast ready. Well, it was do or die. With Spencer, that would be literal, but Evan didn't think Alex would be so harsh if his ideas about the plasma drive mixture were incorrect. He stood and stretched, then headed for his room to get cleaned up. The last three hours at the computer simulation proved time and again the theory was sound, but this was his first time investigating engine designs and ship specs. Hell, it was practically the first time he'd been assigned a task that didn't directly involve the theft of someone else's hard work and experimentation. But he was sure it would work. It had to, now that he'd already assured Alex it would.

It will work. There was no reason why it wouldn't. His inexperience shouldn't come into play here, since he'd simply evaluated the data and discovered equipment not being used to its full potential. Yes, it would work, and Alex would be pleased to find the Ascalon had increased her speed and his chances of finding what he needed to find before his competition. Evan was pleased to find he would have some value here. He finished his shower and got dressed in time to realize his Keeper was just waking up.

Alex was proving to be an interesting man, complex and simple at the same time. Spencer would have stolen Franklin's plans and had Evan disable the ship entirely. And on a certain level, he felt Alex would have been right to do the same. But he hadn't. As angry and betrayed as he'd felt, he only allowed Evan to let them know what he was capable of. And the fact that he hadn't done what they themselves most surely would have. Of course, that hadn't kept Evan from looking around while he was in there. His first impressions of his new Keeper were being altered nearly every day. The man might still be naive about a lot of things, but concerning his ship and his own morals, he was nothing if not in command. A little blinded by his own drive and purpose, maybe, but definitely in command.

"Good morning." Alex came out of his room still buttoning his shirt. "Oh, man, you read my mind. I usually forget breakfast."

Evan set the last steaming plate on the table. "I know. I read the history log of your galley orders, and usually there were only two requests for breakfast, with Jeff's preferences and those of his wife."

"Yeah, well, I tend to get busy and forget things like that."

"Like eating?"

Alex shrugged. "Eating, sleeping. When I get into something I get a little focused. Just wait till we get closer to that Nebula." He grinned and shoved a filled fork into his mouth.

"We'll be there sooner when the mixture is changed." Evan sat down and picked up his cup of coffee. He'd made his own cup with extra caffeine to help shake off such an early start to the day. Alex was unaware of his long hours at the computer while he slept, and Evan felt it best not to worry him. It will work.

"Good." Alex continued to eat, then started chuckling lightly. "Right about now, Franklin's getting his knees showered."

"I'm sure Jeff will tell him that was me before he can research it himself." He remembered the look of shock and suspicion on the man's face that afternoon, when he'd realized what Evan was doing and how. "He'll probably scan his ship's files thoroughly, assuming we've been through them."

"Let him. A little paranoia might be a good thing after all. I just wish I could see his face when the Ascalon accelerates and leaves him behind. Thank God Jeff wasn't here when you figured that out."

It had to work. "All the simulations worked well. I've run as many variants as I could think of, and your Chief agreed with my assessment." Evan had been quite surprised to find the crew as willing as he had. Most people resented having a Sha'erah suddenly running their show, giving orders that were always backed up by the Keeper who'd sent him. Sometimes that kind of unswerving faith was frightening, but so far he'd never failed. At least never with Spencer. Alex hadn't really given many orders yet. So far he was more into suggesting, leaving Evan to try and figure out what he expected of him and how best to help.

"Well then, it has to be right." Alex picked up his plate and shoved it through the disposal, then finished his coffee with one swallow. "Kitt only respects knowledge and experience, and doesn't trust those engines to anyone without as much of one or the other as he has."

Evan wasn't sure if that was a compliment, or meant to remind him that Alex might very well take his Engineer's side over anything he'd try to do, should the two of them ever have a difference of opinion. He had to keep reminding himself his new Keeper was still clueless about Sha'erah.

"I got a message from Kitt when I got up this morning. He's ready when we are."

"I'm ready." Evan jumped to his feet, anxious to find out if his findings would work in a real application.

Alex led the way down the corridor to the lift. "He was probably up all night long working on more simulations." The hallway was quickly filling with day-shift crew making their way to their stations to relieve the night staff. Everyone greeted them with a quick nod or smile. "I'm betting you were up half the night doing the same thing."

Evan shrugged as they stepped into a crowded elevator and descended several levels before switching to a vertical car they had to themselves.

"I can set up a desk for you in the office, if you want." Alex stood at the head of the transport car, leaning on the safety rail. "Jeff usually used my desk since I'm up and down a lot."

"No, I don't need a desk. Just a terminal." Evan watched the positional indicator click the sections by. His anxiousness was a surprise, but impossible to deny. "There's one at the end of that couch. That's all I need."

"You know, they don't bite."

"What?" Evan glanced around, wondering if there had somehow been an animal or rodent in the car with them he hadn't noticed before.

"The crew. People in general." Alex waved a hand. "You never speak to me when other people are around."

Oh for crying out loud. "It's not proper."

"What do you mean?"

"For a Sha'erah to speak openly to his Keeper in--"

"Okay, wait a sec." Alex shook his head and raised both hands. "It's time we did something about this Keeper stuff." Before he could continue, the car eased to a stop. "All right, maybe after this thing in Engineering." He stepped out and led the way into the main Engineering room.

Evan nodded to appease the man. If this was going to be another one of his ramblings about feeling strange thinking of himself as an owner, it could certainly wait.

"Captain, we're all set to go." Kitts greeted the two of them enthusiastically. "Evan, I've run every simulated test I can think of, and it still wants to work."

"I ran several other variations this morning."

"I knew it." Alex laughed shortly. "Okay, boys, let's get this show on the road."

Chief Kitts gathered his staff together and explained what they were about to do and how he needed to accomplish it. Evan stood quietly beside Alex, watching the faces of the crew alternate between skepticism and surprised understanding. Several times glances were directed his way, but they would quickly dart back to Kitts when they realized he was watching them. It was always best to have a small measure of mystery and intimidation working in your favor.

"Let's get to work, people!" Kitts clapped his hands and his staff scurried to their stations. "Shouldn't be more than a few minutes Captain."

"Perfect." Alex nodded toward the center of the room. "I want to watch the Vision fade out behind us."

While the crew set about changing the mixture of fuel and preparing the Ascalon's engines for full speed, Evan found himself looking at Franklin's ship on the large monitor in the center of the room. Alex was watching at the ship quietly, probably still steaming over Jeff's having left and what it meant to have his former second in command now on board his only rival's ship. If only they knew what Evan had learned about his new Keeper's mapping secrets. Jeff had no way of knowing Alex didn't have a plan for navigating the Nebula, and no doubt had been trying since yesterday to access those files. Of course, if Alex knew what Evan had found while he was inside the Vision's files, he might think differently about the situation.

It was clear Franklin held Alex's reputation in high regard. His own mapped route was one of extreme caution, and if followed strictly, would keep him in the Nebula's gasses for years trying to make his way through the giant. His plan was to skirt the outside, and make cross-point reconnaissance back and forth, finding the safest route inside while relying heavily on probe data to search further in and locate Turbidium. In fact, the Vision's stores showed ten times as many probes as the Ascalon carried. But, from what Evan had been able to learn so far, any discovery would have to be physically claimed. Even if Franklin found a source first, he'd have to get a transport vessel there to tag the planet in order to claim it.

As tempting as it was to let Alex know what he'd learned, Evan had to refrain. He'd been told not to steal Franklin's files--technically he hadn't--but he refused to let such an opportunity go to waste, even if Alex didn't want to know what he saw or the fact that he'd seen it. He could sense there would be a lot of things Alex wouldn't want to know, as opposed to Spencer who always wanted to know everything. The two men were very different, sometimes. He wondered if that would have been true had Spencer raised Alex.

"We're all set, Captain."

Evan felt a rush of anxiety surge through his body as Kitts waited for the order.

"Let's do it." Alex watched the screen, with speed and distance indicators relative to the Vision's position displayed at the bottom edge.

"Bridge, prepare for full speed."

"Full speed, aye."

Kitts flipped the last switch, altering the mixture of the fuel, and looked at Evan expectantly. Within seconds, there was an audible change in pitch of the four huge engines beneath their feet. He glanced at the indicators. "Full speed achieved at .08.9.1124B. Increasing."

Evan knew his face wasn't reflecting the anxiety he was feeling. Showing any emotion in public, especially doubt when he'd assured his Keeper the changes would work, wouldn't be acceptable. But propriety never stopped him from feeling.

"Captain, this is Com. The Vision is hailing us."

"Ignore him." Alex continued to stare at the screen, watching as the other ship rapidly fell behind.

"Full speed plus .75." Kitts called out. "Plus 2."

Evan swallowed.

"Full speed plus 3.4"

The engines purred, vibrating the floor ever so slightly as they tasted their new-found power.

"I can't believe it! It worked!" Kitts beamed with pride. "Captain, I'm pleased to say we've just increased our normal cruising speed by 3.5 marks."

The relief was incredible, but Evan held on to some of his original fear, just in case something changed.

"Look at that." Alex pointed to the screen, then looked at Evan. "He doesn't know what hit him."

"He could figure it out and do the same."

"Maybe. But we did it first. Anything he does now would be playing catch up." He grinned, then slapped Evan on the shoulder. "That ought to rattle him good."

"Who? Jeff, or Franklin?"

Alex shrugged, then turned to Kitts. "We'll be on the bridge. Keep up the good work."

"It was all his doing, Captain, there's no denying that." Kitts nodded to Evan. "He's welcome to poke his head around my engine systems anytime."

Evan thought that should have gone without saying, but he nodded once in acknowledgment before following Alex back up through the ship to his bridge office. Once there, Alex settled in behind the desk and returned to his study of the data from the early probes while Evan sat on the couch and pulled the attached computer terminal around to face him. The engine improvements had gone well, but there was still an entire ship he had to study up on if he was to meet his own full potential in this new life. Especially if Alex was going to leave so much of that up to him!

Several hours into his study of shielding and space particle avoidance, the reminder alarm he'd set went off.

"What's that?" Alex didn't even look up from his intense study of the probe data.

"Lunch. You've been so focused I knew you'd forget to eat." Evan put his program on hold and pushed the monitor aside, standing up to stretch. "Do you want me to bring something up here, or would you rather take lunch with the others?"

Alex nodded absently, still staring at his data sheets. "Yeah, that's fine, whatever."

Evan opened his mouth to insist Alex clarify his answer, but he changed his mind. The man was literally so focused on his work, he doubted he'd get a better answer even if he asked. "I'll bring it up." Without waiting for another absent nod, he left, heading down to the main galley. Lunch could have been ordered from their quarters, and delivered quickly through their private galley, but Evan needed to stretch his legs and wanted another look around the ship. He'd been paying such close attention to specific details, he hadn't really seen the ship itself.

Only the living section was carpeted and decorated in soothing colors, with the rest of the ship adorned in the more common ship-gray. It held a surprising amount of windows for a deep space vessel, comparable to many luxury liners, affording everyone on board the opportunity to gaze out at the stars. Evan wondered if every private room held as large a window as Alex's. The energy required to properly protect such a variation in the skin of a spacecraft was considerable, but from what he'd seen so far, these deep-space explorers valued the chance to see where they were going first hand, instead of relying solely on the view screen displays. A nice luxury if you could afford it, but not at all practical for navigation or investigation.

Evan avoided the transport lifts and used the emergency stairways and access ladders to make his way down to the main galley level. He wanted to learn every inch of this ship, and find enough alternate routes to get him anywhere he needed to be in a hurry. As he passed the main lift doors, several occupants glanced at him, then turned to each other and began whispering. It was normal behavior, as far as he was concerned, so he continued on to the end of the corridor and through the door marked DOWN LADDER.

When Evan reached his desired level, he found himself in a rarely used access corridor running parallel to the main hallway. Every ten yards or so were two doors, one leading to the main hallway, and another on the opposite wall. Each of those was marked as storage, with access panels describing the level of security needed to access the items stored inside. Evan knew from what data he'd studied that most of these rooms held very expensive probes and delicate instruments necessary to evaluate the Nebula once the Ascalon drew close enough to begin a serious investigation.

As he passed one door of medium security, he heard a noise behind the door. Muffled voices, from the sound of it. Evan touched the keypad and quickly found the correct access codes. The door opened willingly and immediately the rooms lights flicked on. No sounds greeted his entry, and no voices called out to see who had just entered. Cautiously, Evan stepped through the doorway and examined the tightly-packed room. Rows and rows of monitoring equipment, geological survey samplers, and other technical items Evan couldn't readily identify were the only occupants. There were no other exits from the room, but it was larger than he'd expected, with crates stacked five-high, each sealed with individual locks.

Must be hearing things. There was clearly no one in the room. Evan sighed and went back out into the corridor, locking the door behind him. The main hallway was close enough, and he'd just passed a door leading to it. The sounds must have been from there. He took the next exit and re-entered the main walkway. Yes, that had to be it. The corridor was crowded with crewmen and women either walking to or from the galley, with several groups of them congregating outside to converse and clog the corridors.

Most of them hushed as Evan walked by. Nothing unusual about that. He glanced around, taking in as many faces as he could without making too much of a point of it. No need to make them any more nervous than most of them already were. Not one face jumped out as being out of place, or even recognizable, so he continued on to the galley and retrieved lunch.

He hadn't thought about Harvey since boarding the Ascalon. The idea that he'd managed to smuggle himself or any of his men onboard didn't make sense. Alex had made his choice, the ring reflected that in no uncertain terms, even if Alex himself still seemed quite uncertain about the whole thing. Evan found himself more amused than annoyed now. It was clear Alex Marcase was no fool-- contrary to Evan's first impressions of the man--but it was just as clear his new Keeper spent much of his life somewhat . . . distracted. Those original fears that Spencer Marcase's son would be no different than he was were finally faded away like a week-old nightmare.

The only thing that gave Evan chills still was how close he'd come to being Signus Harvey's newest assassin. And he'd've had no one to blame but himself. Having Alex as a Keeper might be frustrating at times, and it had the potential to be boring on occasion, but Evan felt he was ready for boring, and could probably handle the frustration. It would make a nice change from stealing, blackmailing, extortion and the constant danger of being a body guard to a man who made his fortune doing them.

"What's this?"

"Lunch." Evan sat on the couch with his and nodded at the plate he'd just placed in front of Alex.

"Oh, I didn't realize what time it was."

"You don't remember me asking if you were hungry?"

Alex nodded, barely taking his eyes from the scans on his desk. "No."

"Just so I know, am I going to have to remind you when to eat all the time?"

"What?" Alex looked up, almost startled. "Oh, right. No." He leaned back, rubbing his eyes, then reached for his plate. "Yeah, probably."

"I thought as much."

"Look at this." The large screen in the corner of the room flicked to life as Alex sat forward again.

Evan glanced at the display and recognized a blown-up version of the data sheet he'd seen the other day, with the upper left corner magnified to show the strange, dark glob of static.

"This thing is driving me nuts. The feedback is so constant, not like a natural formation at all. I wish we were close enough for a better scan, but we won't be for another week."

"That's in the upper quadrant, thousands of miles from the nearest insertion point."

Alex nodded. "I know. And we're steering clear of it for now. I don't know if Franklin's seen it or not, or if he's even curious, but I don't want him thinking we are."

Evan considered that for a moment. "You don't want him to see it?"

"I don't want him to see it first."

The screen glowed purple with the image of the Pendulum Nebula. Evan stared at the gaseous giant, wondering how much Alex might want to know of what he'd found while trespassing in Franklin's ship. "What's your insertion point?"

The display altered, backing up several magnifications, then a blinking yellow light appeared at the lower edge. "Here. Or very close to it."

Evan stood and walked to the screen, pointing at the blinking light. "If you enter here, then make your first navigational correction in this direction, the Vision will follow."

Alex looked at him, puzzled. "How do you know he'll do that? If he got there first, I'd make a point of going in the opposite direction."

"Franklin's a follower. He knows you have a better instinct for this, and he's counting on riding your path through, and sending probes ahead of you."

"How do you know that?" Alex's eyelids lowered. "You stole his data, didn't you? While you were in his ship's computers, you stole his maps!"

Evan shook his head. "I didn't steal anything."

"You looked at his route."

"I looked at everything I could while I was there. But unless I tell you what I saw, and you act on it, I didn't steal anything."

Alex stood and pushed his chair away, then paced three steps behind the desk. "You read his files and saw what route he had. I'd call that stealing."

"Information isn't property until it's acted upon. As long as you don't know his route, and benefit from knowing, nothing was stolen."

"You're arguing semantics!"

"I'm serving your best interests."

"By stealing?"

Evan inhaled slowly, then let it out. The frustration aspect of being Alex Marcase's Sha'erah was obviously going to be a daily issue. "You told me not to copy his files, or alter them in any way. I did neither."

"Perfect." Alex paced away again, then stopped, facing the wall. After a moment, he turned back around and looked at Evan. "If I meet the requirements of this contract with Carpenter, I'll get the deed to this ship."

Evan decided now was not the time to mention he'd seen that contract already. "You know, you're nothing like your father."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"He would have had me take the data from the Vision, then erase the files and leave the ship floating dead in space. Anything to win."

"As much as I want that, I have to know I got it honestly." Alex looked at him with an expression bordering on desperate. "I need to find Turbidium not because I know where the Vision is going, but because I'm better than he is."

"You are better than he is, and he knows it." Evan walked back to the couch but didn't sit down. "They all do. Every publication I found, every article written on the subject, they all list you as the ranking expert."

Alex sighed, then laughed shortly. "Well, I must be doing something right." He sat down again and looked at his lunch. "Just don't tell me what you saw in those files."

Evan sat and returned to his own meal.

"As long as I don't know, it's not stealing."

"We're already ahead, with the Ascalon now traveling faster than the Vision."

"Right." Alex nodded. "We'll beat him there anyway, then he'll lose us in the Nebula."

They both returned to their lunches, then back to their research. Alex quickly fell back into his intense study, but Evan couldn't help feeling his Keeper's inner struggle with the knowledge of what he'd seen in the Vision's private files. Still, he had to give the man credit. The best weapon against an opponent was prior knowledge of his actions, and Alex was holding true to his desire not to win that way, even with such high stakes. He had principles Spencer couldn't have even conceived of.

As he suspected, Evan had to remind Alex when the day shift was ending. He had to wonder, if his Keeper could be this focused on the job ahead when they were this far away, how deeply ensconced was he likely to be when they were only days away?

"I guess I should give this up for today, I'm going cross-eyed." Alex stood and stretched, then stepped out from behind the desk, leaving the data sheets where they were. "I need a drink."

Evan followed him out to the bridge, then around the walkway to the corridor. "You say that a lot, but you never do."

"This time I mean it."

They returned to their quarters and Evan ordered dinner while Alex showered. The meal was delivered to their own galley in minutes, along with another package that had been sent up from ship's stores. He put the package on the table beside Alex's plate and sat down.

"What's this?" Alex began opening the package before Evan could reply.

"It came in the delivery chute."

"Oh, great." He pulled out several cloth patches that on closer inspection revealed the Ascalon's insignia - a ship surrounded by stars, with the Omega symbol of the Exploration Corps boldly covering everything. These varied from the ones Alex wore by color only. Where his were ringed in dark green, these were colored deep blue, almost black. "These are for you, I had them made to match your penchant for black."

Evan accepted the patches. "I told you black was Spencer's idea."

"Yeah, but I gave you a choice and you didn't exactly come up with spring colors."

"I guess I'm just used to it." He didn't want to admit that he often enjoyed the image he presented, dressed entirely in black, with his black eyes and hair. The reaction sometimes irritated him, but it also--more often than not, actually--gave him a sense of having the upper hand. If you could intimidate your opponent before you even opened your mouth, you were already one step ahead of the game. "Besides, your orders weren't clear."

"They weren't exactly orders, they were suggestions."

"Suggestions leave too much to chance." Evan shook his head. "I don't know why you seem so reluctant to exercise your rights."

"My rights being to give you orders? I'm not comfortable with that." Alex got up and walked to the galley. "I told you, I'm not much for this master/slave business." He dialed up a drink, then looked questioningly at Evan.

"Then think of it as Keeper/Sha'erah." Evan shook his head at the offer of alcohol.

"What's the difference?"

"Semantics."

Alex laughed shortly and returned to the table. "Look, about that," he sighed. "I know what my father wanted. Obviously someone who could do his bidding without question with a talent he couldn't find anywhere else. And I understand--in theory--that through no fault of yours or mine, you and I are stuck with each other."

"You are always free to sell me."

Alex held up a hand. "No, I'm not. I don't work that way. If that's the only way then forget it, I'm not a slave trader. I'd rather see you leave here of your own free will. Or stay here as a member of the crew."

"I don't understand." If this was his friendship argument again, then Alex still didn't understand how things worked. "I'm either with you or I'm with the person you sell me to."

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why is that? I mean, what would happen if you just wanted to leave?"

This was foolish. "I can't just leave. It isn't done."

"Why not? Who makes these rules and what happens if you violate them?"

Evan began to wonder if this would make more sense if he had accepted the offer of a drink. "I'm Sha'erah. To be or do otherwise isn't possible."

"Fine." Alex sighed, then downed his drink in one swallow and returned for another one. "It's hard to argue when there's no logic to argue."

It made perfect sense.

"Okay, try this." Alex turned and leaned against the galley counter. "What if we tried being friends?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like Jeff and I were. You know, people who work together because of a common interest. Not because they have to."

"Jeff was your friend?"

Alex half shrugged and downed his second drink. "I thought we were."

"What does a friend do, that I can't as a Sha'erah?"

"It's not that you can't, it's more . . . " Alex poured a third drink then walked out to the semicircular couch and sat on the back of it, facing Evan. "Okay, look. A friend is someone you can trust with everything, you know? Someone you can count on when things get rough."

"But you can already trust me with anything, and you can count on me to be at your side at all times." Evan shook his head. "I don't understand the problem."

"It's not a problem, it's . . . " Alex glanced around the room as if he was looking for the explanation. "Okay, look. Let's take Jeff for an example. If I told him to do something he didn't think was right, or he just plain didn't want to do, he wouldn't do it just because I told him to."

"I wouldn't do something you ordered me to do if it was in any way going to cause you more harm than good."

"Yeah, but you do that because you think you have to. Jeff would do it out of friendship. Or refuse to do it because he didn't want to."

"But to refuse to do something based solely on personal grounds doesn't accomplish anything." Evan stood and leaned against the table so he was more eye to eye with Alex. "If you asked a friend to do something, and they refused for no reason, how does that make it good?"

"Well it's not good, but that's what people do sometimes."

"That's ridiculous. If someone is there to be a friend, they shouldn't refuse to help."

"But it's all about free will. The rights of each individual to have his or her own life."

Evan considered that for a moment. Alex's argument was circular, and he wasn't seeing it. "I have my own life. I'm a Sha'erah. I was with Spencer, now I'm with you here. That is my life."

"No, that's a life you've been given. It's not the same."

"My life is my own, no one else can be who I am."

"Yes, but you're here because you have to be, not because you want to be."

Evan shook his head slowly. "No. I could have been with Harvey if I'd told you to sell me. I prefer being here." He crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked at Alex. "You say Jeff was a friend, that he was here because you shared interests and you got along together. But the very day you brought me here, he quit without giving you a chance. Now he's working for your competitor."

"Yes. Yes, he is." Alex finished his drink and returned to the galley for another.

"That's not something I could ever do. Even if you had sold me to Franklin, honor would have kept me from telling him what I knew about you. If you asked me details about Spencer's work, I wouldn't tell you."

"You sure you don't want a drink? I think this all makes more sense when you're less sober."

"What are you drinking?"

"Tequila." Alex held up the glass. "I drink wine to be social, scotch when I'm angry, and tequila when I just want to get faced."

"Do you do this often?"

"Honestly?" Alex looked at the glass, then set it down. "No." He returned to the couch, leaving the glass behind. "I haven't been drunk in years." He sat down heavily and stared out at the stars beyond the ship. "I just came to realize I have no friends."

"That's not true. You have an entire ship full of them." Evan walked to the side of the couch and sat on the arm, looking at Alex.

"No, those are crew. Friends in a way, but not what I was talking about." He shrugged. "A friend is someone you can share things with. Someone you can confide your problems to."

The circular problem again. "Did Jeff know who your father was?"

"No. Not many people did."

"Does Miranda Carpenter know?"

"Yes, she knows."

"So she's a friend?"

Alex shook his head, still looking through the window. "No, just an acquaintance."

"So your definition isn't making sense. You say Jeff was your friend, only he left you and never knew who your father was. Miranda Carpenter isn't a friend, but she knows more about your private life than Jeff?"

Alex turned and looked at Evan, his head pressed into the back cushion of the plush couch. "I'm beginning to see your point."

Finally. "I know about your father, and everything else about you. I'll never sell you out, or allow anything or anyone to harm you, and I always have your best interests in mind." He paused, waiting for his Keeper to see the benefits of a Sha'erah over a friend.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I didn't win this one, did I?"

"What exactly did you hope to win?"

Alex shook his head very slowly and looked back out at space.

For a long while, neither man said a word. Beyond the window, space stretched out to infinity, looking coldly back at them. The stars shimmering in the distance were too far away to judge movement by. They simply sat there in the void, fixed and settled as if they and they alone knew the futility of man's inner struggles. No human was immune to the calming effects of gazing into a star-filled sky, yet they never seemed to understand the peace they found there. What better life than to have a place in the universe, and be secure in it? Evan knew his life, knew his place, and was grateful to have that security. He was a Sha'erah. He would always be a Sha'erah. As surprised as he was to find himself pleased to be with Alex instead of Signus Harvey--or even Spencer Marcase--he was happiest knowing his life was set and secure. Details changed, the Keeper and the work might not be constant, but those things worked themselves out. The basics of his life were never changing. What could be more secure than that?

Evan glanced to his left and found Alex deep in thought, still sitting back deep in the couch cushions. Quietly, he stood and walked back to the galley to clean up their dinner. The last glass of tequila was still sitting on the counter, forgotten, so he dumped that as well. At least he hadn't gotten drunk. Spencer had a reputation for excessive drinking, and could get violent if things weren't going his way. Alex hadn't given him any reason to think he would react the same way, but Evan didn't really want to find out.

After cleaning the galley, he took the new insignia patches to his room and affixed them to his shirts. He still had Alex's black jacket with a dark green patch, but he'd said he didn't want it back, so Evan added it to his wardrobe. With that little chore done, he returned to the living area and found his Keeper still sitting quietly on the couch.

There was nothing else needing his attention, and Alex didn't seem to feel like talking, so he sat at the desk and pulled up more of the Ascalon's files to study. The storage room inventories were vast, but well cataloged. Even in the room Evan had thought he'd heard voices, there were no listed contents that should cause concern or suspicion. Of course, he knew full well that what was on the manifest and what was inside each crate could be as different as night and day. But Jeff had prepared the list, personally checked the cargo, and approved each member of the crew handling the equipment. As much as Evan hated the man for leaving Alex, he'd done this prior to their meeting. Nothing in his history or manner suggested he couldn't be trusted at that time. Now was another matter.

After an hour of memorizing the storage room contents, Evan did a security sweep of the entire system. As he suspected, someone from the Vision had tried to access the files--unsuccessfully--several times. Just before they'd altered the fuel mixture and left the Vision far behind.

"Did he try?"

Evan turned to find Alex standing beside the desk, leaning against the hard surface.

"We should be out of range now, shouldn't we?"

"Yes, we are." He glanced at the screen, blinking to bring his eyes back into focus. When he scanned data, he never needed to use the monitor. "And yes, someone tried. They didn't get in."

Alex nodded slowly. "There's no other reason for him to be there. Franklin has a second. He had a full crew when he left."

Somehow he could sense his Keeper wasn't really making conversation. He felt betrayed, but unlike Spencer he obviously wasn't used to that happening and was having some trouble dealing with it. For some reason, Evan's anger with Jeff was building.

"I can't believe I was so stupid about him." Alex pushed away from the desk and walked very slowly toward the large window.

"Maybe if you'd sold me to Harvey, things would be normal between you two." Of course there was really no point in bringing up something that couldn't be altered, but he couldn't think of anything to say that would make his Keeper feel better.

Alex turned slightly, still facing the window. "Trade a man I'd just met for someone I obviously didn't know?" He shook his head and turned back to gaze at the stars. "It's bad enough admitting that I thought about that. What kind of jerk does that make me?"

Evan watched the window, seeing Alex's reflection against the backdrop of space. "The kind who can face his problems until they've been worked out."

In the glass reflection, Alex looked slightly puzzled for a moment. He didn't turn around, but Evan could see his gaze drop as he considered that notion.

"Your father never backed away from a challenge. You're a lot like him, in some respects."

At that, Alex turned around.

"Does it bother you?"

"No." Alex leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "It should. The man was a criminal. He left me when I was a kid and never so much as called. I should hate him. I think I do sometimes." With one shake of his head, Alex walked back to the couch and sat down. "I bet he never misjudged his business partners."

Evan stood and walked back to his spot at the other end of the couch, facing his Keeper. "No, he didn't. Spencer considered every man a potential danger. It saved time and kept him from being killed."

"That's not a bad philosophy. Consider everyone an enemy."

The depth of tone in Alex's voice was something Evan hadn't heard from him in their short time together. He could see the man was depressed, angry about Jeff and the many attempts of his competitors to illegally break into his ship's files. It was a look and tone he heard all the time back on Cryian, from Spencer and just about everyone else. It was something he took to be a part of the underworld he lived in, something you would only encounter when associating with the types of people he spent his time around. For some reason, when he realized he would be leaving that life for this one, he'd assumed that negative side of life would stay back on Cryian.

With that realization came another, surprising one.

"It doesn't fit you."

"What?" Alex turned his head, pressed again into the deep cushions of the couch.

"You're not him. His life made everyone his enemy, it was expected. But you, you're not a criminal. You're an honest, hard working man concerned with doing a job right, not cutting corners."

"I don't know what the hell I am anymore." Alex blinked heavily, either from the tequila or depression, then sighed. "I blame VanHolt."

Now it was Evan's turn to look surprised. "VanHolt?"

Alex nodded, moving his head against the cushions. "My life was perfectly fine right up to the minute he called. That little albino weasel. And it hasn't been the same since."

The same good, or the same bad? He must be more drunk than Evan thought. "Before VanHolt called you, did you have funding for this expedition?"

"Are you going to get all logical on me here?" Alex sat up slightly. "'Cause if you are, I feel I should warn you, I'm in no mood to be cheered up."

"What are you in the mood for?"

Alex laughed shortly. "I want to sulk." He sat up further and rubbed his eyes. "I'm angry, ever so slightly drunk, and feeling sorry for myself. I just need to sit here and be depressed."

Evan nodded once and stood, walking back to the desk so he could leave his Keeper to himself.

"What, that's it?"

He stopped, turning to face the couch. "You wanted to sit there and be depressed."

"You're supposed to tell me to get over it and cheer me up."

Evan stared at Alex. "That's not what you said." He'd tried that, hadn't he? Just then, on the couch. And his Keeper didn't want him to continue. Just how drunk could he be after only a few shots of tequila? "If you want me to do something, tell me what it is."

With a huge sigh, Alex fell back in the couch. "I'm an idiot, aren't I?"

"No, of course not."

"That was rhetorical, but thank you."

Evan considered asking for a printed translation to everything Alex was going to mean when he said other things, but he thought now wasn't the time to argue that. He walked back to the couch.

"I just . . . I never realized how sheltered I've been all this time." Alex sat facing Evan, looking very sober. "All my life I've been so focused on things I let everything else go by without noticing. That's how I dealt with him leaving like he did. And the fact that I had to keep it a secret from everyone. Who my father was. I got into this habit of being so focused on projects and plans, I forgot there might be other things going on around me."

"That's what makes you so good at what you do." He could be so like his father sometimes. Evan was grateful that so far he'd only exhibited Spencer's better traits. "You can focus completely on the most important task and leave the details to someone else. That's what I'm here for."

"That's what Jeff used to do. And Alice. Hell, that's what my entire crew does for me. Sometimes I think one of these days I could look up from my scans and data sheets and find myself completely alone on this ship, with no clue what happened."

"I'm not Jeff."

Alex blinked, startled.

"He left you. I won't."

"You mean you can't."

"It's the same thing."

"No, not really." Alex looked at him intently. "If you had a choice--" he held up a hand to prevent any interruptions. "I know, you don't, but if you did . . . You wouldn't be here, would you?"

Keepers were supposed to understand. Spencer did, since he'd placed the order to have Evan specialized. But not everyone knew or comprehended the way Sha'erah thought, or the manner in which they were taught. It was clear Alex didn't understand, from the moment they met. Explaining the obvious was going to be harder than he thought.

"I did have a choice, back on Cryian. If I had told you I wanted to be with Harvey, you would have sold me, wouldn't you?"

Alex's sudden expression was all the answer he needed.

"I could have made a choice to stay, and you could have returned here with enough cash to buy this ship and everything that goes with it." Evan realized as he was speaking that the logic wasn't exactly in his favor. "But I didn't. I chose to leave the decision up to you."

"So, you can make choices?"

"I think you've been over-complicating things."

"Or you've been over-simplifying them?" Alex smiled tiredly. "Either way, I don't think either of us is going to get anywhere tonight. I'm too tired." He stood, suppressing a yawn. "But seriously, I want to thank you for what you did with the engines. All these years, no one ever thought about that. As long as the engines were running within normal specs, they were happy. And so was I."

"The fault lies with the manufacturer."

"Well, anyway, thank you."

"I'll continue to examine any other ways to improve the performance."

Alex looked down at him, shaking his head. "Now is when you'd say 'You're welcome'."

"As your Sha'erah, it's my duty to--"

"Just . . . 'You're welcome.'"

Evan looked up, puzzled, but his Keeper offered no further explanation. "You're . . . welcome." That must have been all he wanted, because Alex immediately smiled, nodded, then said his good nights. "And he wished I came with an instruction manual."

Chapter 7

Alex rolled over with a groan. His head was throbbing uncomfortably, making the alarm sound twice as loud as it should. How could he be so hung over after only three shots of tequila? It had only been three, hadn't it?

"I must be going soft." He rolled off the bed and stumbled toward the washroom, ordering the lights to be slightly dimmed inside. What had brought this on, anyway? The face in the mirror was so like the picture on the night stand in his fathers bedroom back on Cryian II, Alex nearly started in surprise. Of course. Must have been talking about him. Spencer Marcase was good enough reason to get drunk. Then there was something about Jeff, wasn't there?

Alex started to shave away any resemblance to his father while he tried to figure out what it was that had driven him to drink something he hadn't touched in years. Something about Sha'erah, was it? Oh perfect! What did he know about friendship? Certainly not enough to try and explain the concept to an alien. Evan must think he was more of an idiot than he figured.

"You were right about one thing." Alex wiped the soap residue from his face with a cool towel. "A Sha'erah beats a friend any day." Hell, they argued as much as any friend he'd had. Evan wasn't shy about speaking his mind. What did he need with friends, anyway? Like Evan said, even Jeff hadn't known who his father was. What kind of friendship had it been if he hadn't even confided that? "Grow up, Alex." He tossed the towel into the cleaning chute and stormed back into the room to get dressed, ignoring the pounding in his head. "You go through life alone, everyone does. Get used to it."

Evan had breakfast ready when he came out of the room, something Alex realized he'd just taken for granted. "I can't remember the last time I had breakfast this regularly."

"I'm surprised you remember to eat any meal."

Alex shrugged. "I get a little preoccupied."

"I know." Evan sat opposite him at the table. "The medical staff left you a message. Apparently you and I are the only two here who didn't undergo a pre-flight physical."

"Oh, damn, you're right." Alex set down the coffee cup. "I forgot. It's for the insurance, no big deal." This section of the trip could be pretty uneventful, still too far out to send a new probe, and thankfully too far distant from the Vision to make conversation with Franklin. "I guess we should do that."

"They're expecting us in thirty minutes."

Alex glanced at Evan, looking at sparkling black eyes. "Good. Okay." Had he always been this complacent? Jeff would have done the same, probably. And he would have gone along with it, too busy to care about unimportant details.

They both returned to their breakfast silently. A strange feeling was creeping into Alex's mind, still hiding in a back corner, afraid to be noticed, but there nevertheless. Was that why life seemed so easy all this time? He'd just let other people make these little decisions, going along with them to save himself the trouble of taking time to think them through?

"Is something wrong?"

He looked up, surprised out of his thought. "What?"

"You aren't eating."

"Oh." Alex shook his head and set the coffee back down. "Still a little hung over, I guess." He cleared his throat and looked at Evan again. "Listen, last night, if I said anything . . . I mean, I don't usually do that."

Evan's eyebrows creased together slightly, making his eyes seem even darker. "Do what--get drunk, or sit on the couch sulking?"

"Both, actually." He stood and took his unwanted food back to the galley for recycling. "I think it just kinda hit me yesterday, what Jeff did. Now that we're off and running, things will start falling back into place." He cleared off the dishes, hoping Evan didn't hear the desperation in his voice.

"I'll see that they do."

Alex suppressed an ironic laugh and led the way out of their quarters and down the corridor that would take them two levels down to the medical bay. God, it was tempting. Just sit back and let this guy make everything get back to normal. Give him all the responsibility, so the rest of the journey could be devoted, single-mindedly, to the task at hand. But then, that's what he was doing anyway, wasn't it? That's what Sha'erah were for, right? So it wasn't all bad, to let him do what it was he did. If that made him happy. Who was he to say what was right or wrong for these people, after all?

"Wait a second, I forgot this guy's name." Alex stopped Evan with a hand on his arm seconds before he was able to palm open the door to Medical.

"Dr. Gorman," Evan replied calmly. "He joined the crew while you were on Cryian."

"Right." Alex cleared his throat and nodded. "Gorman."

Evan opened the door and they both stepped inside.

"Sounds a little funny for a doctor."

"Captain Marcase, good to see you." Doctor Gorman caught sight of the two of them from the next room and came out smiling. "Evan, you're in room two." With a gesture and nod, he indicated the room next to the one he'd just exited. "Captain, if you'll follow me."

"Alex." He followed the man, taking quick note of Evan's slight hesitation before he entered his own assigned exam room. "Just Alex is fine."

"All right, Alex. Why don't you just hop up there and unbutton your shirt." Doctor Gorman waved to an assistant who had entered from a back door. "Leslie here will hook you up to the scanners. This is all quite routine." He glanced at one of two chart disks in his hand. "If you don't mind, I'd like to examine Evan personally."

Alex looked up from the multitude of leads being deftly attached to his chest.

"I admit, I've never seen a Sha'erah before. I'd appreciate the opportunity to examine him myself."

Alex shrugged. "Be my guest, doc." These exams were so routine, he often wondered why the doctors and nurses felt the need to be present at all anymore.

"Leslie will take care of you. I'll be back to perform the final physical." Doctor Gorman was grinning, his older, brown eyes sparkling with child-like anticipation.

"Knock yourself out," Alex muttered. He was fairly sure Evan wouldn't kill the man. "I'm all yours, Leslie."

The nurse blushed, but quickly regained her composure and completed the attachments and ordered Alex to lie down and relax while the computers did the rest.

After an hour that according to the wall chronometer had lasted only ten minutes, Doctor Gorman came back into the room, all smiles and reassurances.

"Well now, let me have a look at your results."

"Evan had pneumonia before we left Cryian." Alex helped pull off the last of the scanner leads and handed them to Leslie.

"Yes, he mentioned that. I'm happy to report he's perfectly recovered." Doctor Gorman's eyes never left the chart in his hands. "And I see you're in fine shape. I'll just have a look or two myself." From his white lab coat came a hand-held instrument Alex knew was required to be ice cold. He flicked a few switches and the unit purred to life. "I'm a bit old fashioned sometimes. Still like looking at the patient myself now and again."

Alex held still while his eyes, ears and throat were scrutinized.

"Evan is a fascinating person, I must say." Doctor Gorman returned the unit to the little freezer pocket Alex knew was in his lab coat--no doubt for a re-cooling--while he poked and probed Alex's neck. "That silver metal in his hand is as natural to him as skin. I'd heard of that, but never have I even come close to seeing it before."

"He's interesting, all right." Alex found himself suddenly desperate to have someone he could open up to, but he'd only just met this man. A fleeting review of his current crew and command staff revealed absolutely no one he felt he could spill his guts to comfortably. No wonder he'd wanted to get drunk. With Jeff gone, the only person on board the Ascalon--or anywhere else for that matter--that Alex felt he could trust with anything important or personal regarding Evan, was Evan.

"Well, I'm sure I don't have to tell you about him." The doctor finished his probing and pulled the chart back out of his pocket.

Actually, doc, I wish you would. I'd like to know why his eyes are black. How does he do what he does with the computers and just that silver in his hand? Why is he frightening one minute and completely obedient the next? Why am I so afraid of him and so sorry for him all at the same time? What the hell am I supposed to do with him?

"Did I pass?"

"Yes, indeed, you're as healthy as expected." Doctor Gorman smiled and motioned for Alex to get off the exam table. "Just routine, you know, for the insurance. You'll be happy to know your entire crew checked out with flying colors."

Oddly, Alex's mind grabbed that sentence and tried to wrestle with the notion of colors flying, and who ever thought that meant something good. Before he could dwell on the notion any longer, Evan stepped out of the exam room and walked to him.

"Thanks, doc." Alex shook Doctor Gorman's extended hand.

"My pleasure, Captain."

"I checked his background, he's well respected." Evan opened up after they left the medical offices. "He's worked on two colony planets, immediately after medical training, then signed on for a deep space mission with the military before settling down to a private practice on Scotian."

"Wonder what brought him here." Alex scratched at his chest where the leads had been, trying to rid his skin of the ghost feeling that they were still there.

"He stated boredom on his application. A desire to return to the adventures he knew before." Evan shook his head. "His background seems too simple, but I couldn't find anything to suggest otherwise."

"What, you're still suspicious?" They were near a lift, so Alex stopped and called the next car to save them a longer walk back to the bridge. "You don't think Harvey's got people on this ship, do you?"

"No," Evan shook his head. "I just wanted to know. There were several crew members added while you were gone."

Alex sighed. "People Jeff cleared, you mean."

"Yes."

"Up until the day he walked out, he couldn't have had anything evil in mind." Alex still felt sure about that. The car they were in made the trip two levels up quickly and quietly, depositing them on the walkway just above the bridge. He started walking to the office, twisting the silver ring around his finger as he thought. "You think he might have?"

"His wife had already moved out when we came onboard." Evan spoke quietly so no one below would over hear. "Would she have left him before he knew he was leaving himself?"

Alex opened the door to his office, feeling less and less sure of anything anymore. "Good point. That means he was prepared to leave even before he asked about you staying."

"Or he knew he would, regardless of your answer."

"Which means . . ." Alex leaned on the edge of his desk and looked at Evan. His black eyes and constantly serious expression were next to impossible to read.

"I'm not sure yet."

That confession surprised him. Alex stood and slowly walked around to his chair. "I'm not very good at this conspiracy stuff." He sat down and looked at Evan sitting on the couch next to the desk. "If he wanted to quit, even if he wanted to work for Franklin, he would have done it sooner, don't you think? He certainly wouldn't have secured such a good agreement with Carpenter."

Evan shrugged. "Unless he did so to give you every reason to believe he was trustworthy up to that point."

Do I have Screw Me Over written on my face? "So what was his plan? All he ended up with was a new job. He didn't get the maps, since they don't exist. And he wasn't here when you enhanced our speed, so he missed out on that. In fact, he's going to lose." That was one thing Alex was sure of. Nothing was going to stop him from winning this, gaining both his goal and his ship!

Evan said nothing, but seemed to be considering many alterations as he sat on the couch, quietly gazing at the wall behind Alex. After a moment of contemplation, he reached over and pulled out the terminal attached to the end of the couch, positioning the keypad in front of him.

"What are you doing?"

He rested his left palm on the input pad. "I'm going to scan the Ascalon's systems."

Alex watched in fascination as Evan's black eyes seemed to lose focus. The monitor, left at the side of the couch, flicked to life, then moved so quickly through files, he couldn't begin to read them. "What are you looking for?"

"Anything unusual."

Curious, Alex came around to the front of his desk and leaned against it, watching. "You think Jeff did something?"

"It's possible." Evan continued his scan, slowing down only occasionally to check additional areas and submenus. "I might not recognize anything out of the ordinary, but if I can get a good feel for the ship as it stands now, I'll be able to spot any changes immediately."

It was too much to ignore any more. "What's that like?"

Evan paused, focusing with a blink of his eyes on Alex. "What?"

"Doing that." Alex pointed at the computer terminal. He didn't even have the words to describe what he wanted to know, having never heard of this behavior before. "They way you get inside the computer and read the files like that, so quickly. It's like you're in there, or something."

Evan shrugged. "It's like breathing. No different than the way you read files, I just get them in a burst of information, then sort them out later."

"That's different than the way I read them, trust me." Alex shook his head, trying to imagine having a manual suddenly appear inside his mind.

"No, not really. You absorb information when you read, then you sort it out later in your head." He pointed to the screen. "The human brain isn't that different than these, able to absorb and process information just as rapidly. It's the eye and consciousness that slows it down."

"Some of us must be slower than others."

"No," Evan hurried to reassure. "It's just the method. I can bypass my eyes and consciousness, and put the information straight inside, then process it more slowly." He glanced at the terminal. "What it looks like is just a blur of words and diagrams. But like you can do when you're scanning a document, I can look for anything unusual without having to scrutinize it all every time."

Was it modesty or did he honestly think it was that unremarkable? "Well, I'm glad one of us understands it." Alex returned to his seat and sat with a heavy sigh. "I'll leave you to it, then." That explanation probably made sense. Whatever it was, it worked. He'd been able to find a way to increase their speed just by studying the specs. If Jeff had done something, worked any kind of sabotage, Evan would certainly stand a better chance of finding it than anyone. He wouldn't have done that. It was just too hard to conceive of, after all this time together. Even if Jeff hated Alex for letting him quit without so much as an argument, he couldn't see a man such as that doing anything to harm the Ascalon. He had more respect than that for a good ship.

Evan seemed completely absorbed by his scans, so Alex pulled up the Nebula data on the large screen and returned to his assessment of their as yet unplanned route. They broke for lunch and Alex decided a change of scenery would be good, so he insisted they take the meal in main galley where conversations about Evan's enhancements and the Ascalon's new-found speed permeated the atmosphere. Alex couldn't help noticing the compliments seemed to bother Evan, who kept looking at him as if expecting him to accept them for himself.

Alex rescued him from the scrutiny after lunch.

"I don't understand why anyone feels thanks are necessary every time someone does what was their duty to do in the first place."

Evan looked positively confused when they returned to the office.

"It's just what people do. After all, you were new here, and you have nothing at stake whether we win or lose this thing."

"Of course I do." He shook his head, beginning to appear frustrated. "Your success is all that concerns me. It should be all that concerns your crew."

"It is, believe me. They all stand to win here."

"Then why would thanks be in order? If you thanked someone for doing their job every time, nothing would get done."

Alex shook his head. "You mean, Spencer never appreciated what you did for him?"

"He appreciated my abilities, if that's what you mean. Anything less than complete success would not have been tolerated." He sat down but didn't return to his computer right away. "He knew what I was capable of, and he knew I would always do whatever was needed."

"It shouldn't be that way."

"Why not?"

"This is what I was talking about last night." At least he thought it was, that tequila had gone straight to his head. "People doing things and being appreciated for it. You might think it was your duty to increase the speed of this ship, and whatever else you might have done or will do in the future. But I honestly appreciate what you've done." Well, most of what he'd done so far.

"It's my duty to do what you expect."

"Yes, but I never expected that." Alex leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "I was perfectly happy with the engine performance the way it was. So what you did was--to me--above and beyond what I would have expected."

Evan seemed suddenly confused, and for once didn't have an offhanded dismissal to offer up.

Feeling like he'd finally won one of these arguments, Alex sat back. "So you see, you didn't just do your duty, you went beyond that. You went out of your way and found something that benefited me and my crew, and expected nothing in return." He grinned at the lack of response. "Maybe you're getting the idea after all."

With a confused shake of his head, Evan reached for the terminal and pulled it back in front of him, returning to his work without another word.

I'm right. Finally.

The next few days passed in comfortable routine. Alex spent his working hours studying the Nebula while Evan made a habit of curling up on the couch with the computer terminal, scanning the entire ship's systems daily. After adjusting their schedule to the Ascalon's new speed, the scientific community onboard determined they were close enough for a new probe four days ahead of schedule.

Alex and Evan watched the launch from the bridge as the small unit shot through space ahead of the ship, screaming in vacuumed silence toward the Nebula barely visible in the distance. Within minutes, the high powered missile began sending back new data and images that had Alex's heart beating faster.

"Look at that." The images displayed brightly on the main view screen, showing more detail of the Pendulum Nebula than anyone had seen before. "It's incredible."

"I'm sorry I couldn't improve the speed of your probes." Evan hadn't accepted that defeat well yet.

"What? Oh, don't worry about it. Those things are fast enough as it is. Besides," Alex clapped a hand over Evan's shoulder, trying again to make him understand it wasn't failure in his or anyone else's eyes. "You've got us going so much faster, we're here sooner than we planned. And well ahead of Franklin." The screen's display changed, bringing them an ever closer view of the gas giant they were approaching. "Look at that. It's incredible. And we're the first ones to see it."

The images were incredible. Gigantic arms of purple and pink gas stretched in many directions, each one large enough to hide entire star systems. The Pendulum Nebula was large enough to take three lifetimes to fully explore, and Alex felt he could be perfectly happy doing just that. Probes could locate Turbidium, and direct them straight to the claim. But what other mysteries lay inside the gas were anyone's guess. Even if there were no more than a few habitable planets and some interesting lifeless hulks, he'd be happy staying out here discovering them. Alien life had never been a goal, and aside from the little-understood Shavid-eye of Oblivion, none had ever been found. Even the Sha'erah's possible alien attributes were never proven. Alex didn't care if he made the ultimate discovery of intelligent sentient life or not. But whatever was out there, he wanted to be the first one to see it.

"Copy that data directly to my office."

"Aye, aye, sir."

It was an order that could easily have gone unsaid, but the command staff seemed to expect it out of protocol, even amidst their own growing excitement over the new views.

Before the probe finished transmitting the new information, Alex was at his desk, printed sheets in hand, poring over the data. This was the first of many probes, but also the one that would help determine the start of their route inside. As updates continued to filter in, Alex quickly forgot everything else, even the lunch he idly picked at that Evan shoved under his nose two hours later.

It wasn't until his stomach's growling and Evan's insistence grew too loud to ignore that he finally put down the scans and agreed to dinner.

"There's still some data filtering in." His protests were futile against his stomach and common sense, considering the fact that the same information would be waiting for him in his quarters anyway.

"It's late." Evan gathered up the hard copies, taking two right out of Alex's hand. "The day shift ended two hours ago. And the probe is set to send one last burst in ten minutes. You'll have three weeks to study that information. Sometimes I think you'd sleep in here if you could."

Alex suppressed a laugh at Evan's scolding tone. "All right, you're right." He took the neatly stacked sheets from Evan's hand and followed him out of the office and around the bridge. "Oh, hang on a second." He handed over the sheets again and stepped down to the bridge level. "Mitchell, do we have a position on the Vision, or is she too far behind?"

He could have sworn he saw Lt. Mitchell's mouth move, but the only sound that reached Alex's ears resembled an explosion more than an answer. Before he had time to wonder what was going on, his headache returned full force.

Had he been drinking in the office? No, it didn't feel like a hangover this time. Alex knew he was lying down, or at least he was pretty sure of it, but he wasn't sure if he was in his quarters in bed, or if maybe he'd just dozed on the couch again. God, his head hurt! What did he . . . He'd asked a question of someone. Who was it? Had they answered?

"I assure you, he'll be fine."

Whose voice was that? It sounded vaguely familiar.

"You really should get some rest."

Were they talking to him? It was too hard to rest with this hangover. And yet he couldn't seem to open his eyes. Oh well, whatever he'd asked, it couldn't be that important. If he was asleep on the couch, Evan would wake him later.

"There, you see, he's waking up."

Alex blinked, trying to force his eyes open against their will. This hangover was lasting a long time.

"Just lie still, Captain. You're going to be fine."

Well of course he . . . didn't just have a hangover. "What's going on?" Evan was standing over him, staring into his eyes with such intensity he wanted to back away, but he couldn't. It wasn't the couch he was lying on after all, but a bed in the medical office.

"You've had a concussion, Captain. Not too major, luckily nothing more than that."

He could barely make out Doctor Gorman standing on the other side of the bed. The room lights were so dim it was nearly too dark to see anything.

"What happened?" All he remembered was the probe data, and this headache!

"There was an explosion."

"It was the probe." Evan backed his face a way a few inches, but still looked angry enough to tear the ship apart with his bare hands.

"The probe exploded?" Even with his head pounding the way it was, that didn't make sense.

"No, it sent a command to the engines."

"Evan here seems to think there's been a bit of sabotage, or something." Doctor Gorman glanced at Evan and shook his head. "That's not for me to decide, I've got patients. Captain, you'll be off your feet for a day or two, but there's no lasting damage."

"Was anyone else hurt?" Alex wanted to raise his head, but he didn't dare.

"A few broken bones, some concussions. Nothing serious."

A sudden thought occurred to him. "He didn't kill anyone, did he?"

Doctor Gorman shot Evan a quick look of surprise. "No, of course not. We'll talk later, you'd best get some rest."

Before he could make light of the question, Evan's scowl had changed to a look of irritated disgust.

"If I thought the person responsible was onboard, I might have."

Alex looked up at him, staring into his black eyes as a point to focus on while the worst of the sharp pounding subsided to a slightly more tolerable level. "Okay, let me catch up." Evan was still standing over the bed, hovering like a security monitor. "What exactly happened?"

"It's my fault. I scanned the probes for signs of tampering, or bombs built in. But I didn't examine the programming."

"Of course not, there was no need to."

"Obviously there was." Evan's anger returned, but it was directed inward. "The probe was programmed to send one last burst to the ship's computers, causing a malfunction in the drive. With our new fuel mixture, the malfunction resulted in an explosion. Everyone standing at the time hit the deck, or the walls. Or in your case, a terminal."

Through the intense throbbing, Alex felt a central point, along with the tickling of a bandage, just over his right eyebrow. "How do you know that's what happened?"

"I traced the command received in Engineering. Then I scanned all the other probes, and found similar commands in each one."

"What?"

"Someone programmed the probes to sabotage the Ascalon."

Alex stared at Evan for a long while, trying hard to absorb the information. Just moments ago--or so it seemed--he'd been busily absorbing the probe data. Now his ship had been sabotaged, crew members hurt, and God knew how much damage was done. And he couldn't even sit up and start getting angry about it.

"Sit down."

Evan complied, sitting on a chair next to the bed. They were in a far corner of the main trauma section, where large walls of medical equipment and monitors afforded each patient a good amount of privacy. Alex had a feeling if anyone other than Doctor Gorman so much as waved, they'd be pulling back a bloody stump.

"You think Jeff did this?"

"It's possible. He's the only one I can imagine would, at this point."

"What kind of damage are we talking about?" He was too afraid to ask the more important question, but more afraid not to. "Are we stopped?"

"Not completely, no." Evan shook his head once, sharply. "We're down to the normal cruising speed, before we altered the fuel mix." The look of anger flared dramatically. "If we'd been running at that mix when the probe's command reached the engines, we would have lost one of them completely."

Alex blinked, staring at Evan. This was all too much, especially with such a headache. "Okay, one thing at a time. How soon can we get back to speed?"

"They're working on it now. I'd guess another twenty-four hours."

"They're working on it? You haven't been down there?"

"I've been with you." Evan's answer was matter-of-fact and too forceful to argue with.

"Okay, fine. You've been here." Probably intimidating the hell out of everyone. "Can you fix the other probes?"

"I already have."

Of course. "So everything is fixed now, right?" Alex closed his eyes, hoping that would help with the throbbing. It didn't.

"For the time being."

"Okay good. I need time to think." Actually, thinking hurt too much. What he really needed was a new head, but he'd settle for some time out of this one.

Which was exactly what he got. By the time he thought to open his eyes again, the room was more brightly lit, and the chronometer on the wall facing him made him think of breakfast. Of course that thought didn't pass inspection with the pain between his eyes.

"The doctor says I can take you back to your quarters as soon as you're ready."

Alex swallowed a few times and tested his headache with a slight nod. The pain was at least tolerable now. "Any updates on our engine status?" He slowly pushed the blanket aside and thought about how best to get up without his head hurting any more than it already was.

"They're estimating another eight hours."

Before Alex could begin to roll to one side, Evan reached out and snaked one arm under his shoulders, helping him up very slowly. "Thanks." He paused, sitting on the edge of the bed. "This is like the worst hangover I've ever had." When he looked up, it occurred to him that was the first time Evan had actually reached out and touched him. Aside from pushing him out of the way and keeping him from leaving the room back on the Terria Rose II. It was a strange realization it itself, and not one Alex expected to come up with, but it was notable nevertheless. "You must have been bored to death sitting here watching me sleep."

Evan didn't reply, he simply wrapped an arm completely around Alex and helped him to his feet. "Doctor Gorman said you should move slowly for a while, but aside from a headache there's nothing to worry about now."

"I think the headache is enough, thank you." Alex intended to do most of the walking himself, but he found it much easier to navigate the corridors while leaning against Evan. By the time they made it to their quarters, he'd regained much of his balance. The couch was inviting, but the table in front was devoid of his charts and probe data sheets. "You're not going to let me work, I take it?"

"The doctor said rest today, work tomorrow." Evan didn't let go until Alex was seated, then glared at him from beside the couch. "Are you hungry?"

Alex winced at the thought. "Just coffee, please."

He paused, then nodded once and walked to the galley.

"How many were injured?" He couldn't remember if he'd asked Gorman or not, but he did recall there were no serious injuries.

"Twenty five in all. Mostly scrapes, nothing serious." Evan spoke from the galley, watching Alex's reflection in the glass of the large window. "I've evaluated the damage, and the other probes." The coffee finished pouring into two cups, so he picked them up and carried both to the couch. "If we had been running the engines in the normal fashion, we would have lost one entire engine."

"Yeah, you said that." He accepted one of the cups while Evan sat down, facing him.

"But that's all."

The look on his face suggested Alex should be one or two steps farther ahead than he was. When it was obvious more information was needed, he continued.

"It was designed not to destroy this ship, just slow it down. Significantly."

Alex considered this new information. "That would certainly do it. With one engine completely gone, we could have made it to the Nebula in another year, or made it back to populated space safely."

Evan nodded. "So whoever did this didn't want to kill you, or destroy the Ascalon completely, just slow it down."

He leaned back into the couch with a sigh. The caffeine seemed to be easing the headache, reducing it to a simple annoyance that only threatened to flare if he moved his head. "So, this really is sabotage. I've never had to deal with this before." And why now? All these years in competition--sometimes heated--not one of his competitors had ever directly attacked him, or anyone. Why now? Did Franklin know something he didn't? Alex looked at Evan, considering his options. It wasn't what he would have preferred, but things had changed. "When you . . . In the Vision's files, when you were fishing around, did you see anything?"

"I saw everything, for the most part. What exactly are you asking?"

Alex turned his head and gazed at the window in front of them. Was it stealing? Or trespassing? Or could he justify this now as self defense? "Is there anything Franklin knows about this Nebula that we don't?"

Evan considered the question, staring at the couch with unfocused eyes. "No, nothing that I saw. If I could get in there again, I could look more carefully."

"If we don't get those engines back in gear, he'll catch up soon enough." Alex drank his coffee and looked out at the stars. There was no way in hell he'd come this far to lose. Not after everything that had happened in these past few weeks. His life had been picked up, shaken, and dropped roughly on uneven ground. Enough was enough! "How long would you estimate it would take the Vision to catch up to us?"

"If we remain at this speed, another thirty-six hours, I think." Evan glanced at the computer terminal on the desk, but didn't get up. "We might be in communication range before then." He looked at Alex again. "That's all I'd need."

"We don't have any proof it was Jeff, or Franklin." Years of upright behavior were harder than he thought to put aside.

"I could find proof."

"But only if it's there to find." The last thing he needed was a war.

"Of course." Evan looked slightly offended by the implied warning. "What good would it serve to blame someone who wasn't guilty, allowing the guilty to go free?"

"Exactly." At least they were seeing eye to eye, more or less. "If Jeff did this, I'll deal with it. But if he didn't, or we can't prove it . . . I'm not ready to give up this expedition. Not for this." He finished the coffee and let his cup rest on one thigh so he didn't have to get up or lean forward to reach the table. The throbbing in his head had reached a comfortable stability.

"You won't have to." Evan got up and reached for Alex's empty cup. "I'll recalculate and find out exactly when the Vision will be in range. And when the engines will be fully repaired."

It was hard to pinpoint when, exactly, his life had gotten so screwed up. Sure, when VanHolt called things had begun to spiral out of control. But was that really it? He couldn't remember another time when things hadn't gone his way for the most part, but that could very well have been a simple matter of time. If he'd truly been this ignorant about Jeff's attitude and Franklin's integrity, there was no telling what else he'd been skating through without a clue as to how bad things really were.

And he had to admit, oddly enough, he actually liked Evan. Once the shock and annoyance factor had dimmed, the guy was beginning to turn into a decent person. Talented, for sure. And so far this Keeper business wasn't all that bad, as long as he didn't devote too much time to the notion. He certainly hadn't eaten this regularly before! If this kept up, Alex knew he was going to have to devote more time to the gym on deck ten. But, all in all, they were falling into a rather comfortable routine. Or they had been, anyway, until this little mishap. Without Evan's abilities, there was no telling how long--or even if--they would have discovered the source of the accident.

What was out there? Did Franklin know about that spot Alex had his eye on? Did he know what it was?

The view from the couch provided no answers, no matter how intensely Alex stared at it. He couldn't give this up. He had to win, and win the title to the Ascalon. It was the only way he was going to be able to silence all those hidden voices, not to mention his mother's very loud and clear one, that kept reminding him how much Evan was worth. He wasn't property! I'm just tired. That had to be it. He'd just had a concussion, after all. His ship was damaged, most likely by a saboteur who wasn't even onboard to confront, and he was losing valuable time.

"You'd better have a look at this."

Alex still couldn't quite manage standing without his head wanting to explode, so he sat at his desk, affecting as much calm as he could muster, while Evan stood to the side of the large monitor, left hand ready on the communications terminal. When the screen flicked to life, he knew the only view the caller would have was of him.

"Marcase, you sly boy!" Jason Franklin smiled at him, eyes darting quickly around in a search for more of an audience. "It took my engineers nearly two days of studying your backwash to figure out what you'd done."

"Really? I sent you a memo on the changes, you must not have gotten it." Alex's hands were nearly shaking with anger, but he forced as much calm into his voice and manner as he could muster. They had no proof. No sense in making accusations. Yet. "I see you're playing catch-up, as usual."

Franklin's gaze continued to search the room, apparently unwilling to believe Alex was alone. "You didn't have to slow down for me, I would have caught up eventually."

Alex shrugged, feeling a rage build inside. "I felt guilty. You know me." Behind Franklin, he could see Jeff and two other men. All three were manning computer terminals, shooting quick glances at each other. He tried hard not to look at Evan. "How's your shower working these days?" Surely Evan was good enough to get around undetected. He had to be.

"You little bastard!" Franklin's smile faded ever so slightly, then seemed to be forced back into shape. "I thought that might have been your handiwork. Cute trick." This time he made no secret of looking around Alex's office, what he could see of it. "Your pet do that?"

"You know I don't allow pets onboard." God, was his face burning red? This little conversation was wearing thin. How long would Evan need?

"But seriously, Marcase, why did you slow down?"

Before Alex could reply, his own screen flashed at him, showing what appeared to be a private file and remnants of a command protocol. He looked at Evan. "Can you show him this?"

"Show me what?" Franklin's smile faded again.

Evan's barely perceptible nod was his only answer.

"Our probe was sabotaged, Franklin. The last data burst it sent was a command to our engineering computers that caused an explosion." Alex let some of his anger show. He saw Franklin look down, presumably at his computer, while Jeff and the two other men gathered closer. "I didn't want to believe it, Jason. But it looks like one of your crew didn't erase all of the evidence."

Jeff whispered in his captain's ear, but his voice didn't carry to the speakers. Franklin continued to stare at the data, then barked an order to one of the other two. Immediately, the crewman hurried out of view.

"Alex, this was not done by my order, I assure you." Franklin's face was nearly as red as his hair.

"Someone on your crew sabotaged my ship!" Alex instantly regretted having raised his voice. His head began to throb painfully and he felt the eyelid under the laceration lower in reaction. "The other probes have the same programming, Jason. The Ascalon could have been destroyed!"

"I swear, it wasn't done with my knowledge or consent. My God, Alex, you know me better than that." To his credit, Franklin's face had actually gone pale. "I've got people looking into this right now."

"That's if this information is real." Jeff stepped forward, raising his voice for all to hear. "That thing of yours could just as easily have planted this!"

Alex wanted nothing more than to leap to his feet, reach through the screen, and strangle his former second. The only thing he could do was pointedly ignore the man. "Jason, we've known each other some time now."

"I promise you, I'll get to the bottom of this." Franklin too, ignored Jeff's accusation. "How badly were you damaged?"

"Our engines will be up and running soon enough. Luckily injuries were minor." Alex glanced at Evan and noticed his eyes were still unfocused and his hand still rested on the terminal. "I'm going to leave this in your hands, Jason."

"I appreciate that." Franklin sighed. "I'll keep you informed, Alex. I'm investigating this myself. Meanwhile, is there anything I can do to help you out?"

Alex started to reply, then saw the new message on his computer. He smiled, glancing at Evan. "Thanks, but no thanks. We're heading out now."

The monitor went blank after a final nod from Franklin.

"Engineering reports the engines are ready." Evan set the terminal down and rubbed his left palm.

"Engineering, this is the Captain." Alex gingerly fingered the small bandage above his left eye. "Kitts, get us moving."

"Aye, aye Captain."

Alex stood, slowly and deliberately. "I need a drink."

"The doctor said no alcohol for several days." Evan scolded, still rubbing his palm.

"Are you okay?"

He nodded and Alex realized he was squinting.

"Seriously, you don't look good."

Evan shrugged. "Just . . . information overload. I'll be fine."

"You're sure?" Alex watched him for any sign of an untruth, but even as he did he knew he'd never be able to tell if Evan was lying or not. "We're quite a pair today." With a wave of one hand, he led the way out of the office. "I think we both deserve the rest of today off."

"I'll need time to process all of what I saw." Evan followed, still rubbing the palm of his left hand with the fingers of his right. Now and again he stopped and shook the hand, then started rubbing again. "I was able to transfer the data to the terminal in your quarters."

"You mean our quarters?" That was the first time it occurred to him Evan was still referring to their rooms that way.

"What?"

"Never mind. We're back in the game, and still ahead. We just need to stay that way."

"We will."

They returned to their quarters, each nursing headaches. The change in engine pitch was barely perceptible, but it felt like the best reassurance Alex could have had. Evan was still rubbing his palm, almost unconsciously, and squinting as if the lighting was too bright.

"Why don't you get some sleep? Neither one of us is in great shape right now." Alex badly wanted a cup of strong coffee, but he wanted sleep more.

"I'm fine. I uploaded the data here so I could go over it in more detail." Evan moved for the desk, but Alex stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"It can wait."

Evan turned to look at him, eyebrows creased with more than perplexity. "There's a lot of information there to process."

"And plenty of time to do it." Alex didn't release his grip. "I'm serious, we both need sleep. You just as much as me." It occurred to him he could probably just order the man to go lie down, but he didn't want to put it that way. But the guy looked as bad as he felt. "Look, you've checked the ship over a million times since last night. The engines are back up, Franklin's dealing with the problem. We can take one night off."

Evan looked as if he wanted to argue, but reluctantly he nodded. "I'll get to it first thing in the morning, then."

"First thing's fine, but morning doesn't have to start early." Alex finally let go of Evan's arm and gestured toward his bedroom. "I'm sleeping in."

"Do you believe him?"

"Who?" Alex started for his room, but Evan was still standing near the desk.

"Franklin. Do you believe him when he said he had nothing to do with it?"

Alex stopped beside the door, turning to look back. "Yes, I do. Or at least I want to." He watched Evan's gaze drop as he nodded slowly. "You don't?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't find anything connected to him, just that crewman. And his name meant nothing to me."

Alex reached for his door, but Evan wasn't making any move toward his own. "What's wrong?"

Sharply, Evan's head snapped up, meeting Alex eye to eye. His black eyes were sparkling with something close to anger. "I should have scanned the probe before it launched. It was a stupid mistake that could have cost you your life, or your ship."

"But you had no reason to. I certainly had no reason to." The look in Evan's face was so intense it sent a chill down Alex's spine. He swallowed, taking a step forward. "Listen, I've never had to worry about anything like this before. It never occurred to me to scan the probes, I wouldn't even have known what to look for."

Evan's black look didn't fade. "You shouldn't have to think of these things, that's what I'm for. I failed, you were hurt and the ship sustained significant damage."

"Whoa, wait a second." Alex walked back to where Evan was standing. Obviously his anger was directed inward, and it wasn't justified. "Hang on. First of all, you're not for anything." He held up a hand to stop the protest before it could start. "And don't give me that Sha'erah/Keeper business, all right?" Evan remained silent, but his eyes were still sparkling black. "You've already done more for me and this mission than anyone. Through no fault of your own, you ended up in a position you'd never been in before, and managed to adapt immediately."

Evan shook his head once. "There's no excuse for it."

Alex sighed. "There's no excuse for someone sabotaging it in the first place." He wanted to put a reassuring hand on the man's arm, but the look of anger on his face and in his body language--even if it wasn't directed at him--was intimidating. "I don't blame you for anything."

"I'd like to stay up and work on the data from the Vision." Evan refused to be pacified.

"No." Alex shook his head, slowly so he wouldn't regret the movement. "I'm serious, get some sleep. You look exhausted." If Evan felt the misguided need to be punished for something, he figured forcing a good night's rest should do it.

Evan didn't protest. He lowered his eyes and nodded once, then went to his room.

Let that be a lesson to you. What did he think, he was supposed to anticipate the actions of people he'd never met or heard of before? Alex eased himself into bed, staring up at the painted ceiling while his tired mind reeled through the recent events. Sabotage. Was he right to trust Franklin when he said he didn't order it? Not that it mattered now. They had evidence. If Jason didn't prosecute his crewman, they could take it to court when they got back, and hold Franklin responsible for the actions of his people. That would lose him the Vision, so it was a sure bet it wouldn't go that far.

What about Jeff? He'd been onboard up to the day before launch, and had full access to every inch of the ship. Could he be capable of . . . Hell, at this point, he could believe anything.

The only thing he was sure of, surprisingly, was his safety with Evan onboard. If he felt this bad about missing something no one would have thought was there, Alex knew he'd never leave anything up to chance now.

And he didn't.

For the next several months, life onboard the Ascalon fell into a comfortable and familiar routine. Well, mostly familiar. Evan spent much of his time either poring over the data he'd downloaded from the Vision, or crawling--physically and technically--over every inch of the Ascalon. Alex had promised himself, once he'd regained some composure, not to ask about anything Evan found in Franklin's private files as long as there wasn't anything there posing a physical threat to his crew or his ship. He still had to win this legitimately.

Within a day the entire crew had heard of the sabotage, and speculation spread as to what part Jeff may have played. The general consensus was the same as Alex's, that his former partner couldn't have stooped so low. Evan wasn't completely convinced, but Alex could tell the man's instincts were to distrust everyone, so he didn't argue.

By the time they were set to launch the second probe, it had been scoured so clean from programming to wiring, it was doubtful even a microbe could have hitched a ride. But the images sent back made all the scrutiny worthwhile.

"Look at this!" Alex held up a data sheet nearly wrinkled with use so Evan could glance at it for the hundredth time in the past hour. "God, I want to get a closer look!"

It was nearly two o'clock in the morning, and they'd been on the couch surrounded by the new probe data for over nine hours. While the crew was pleased to see evidence of at least twelve planets, Alex's focus was again on the curious speck still no clearer than before. He'd spent hours poring over the scans in the office, to the point of completely ignoring Evan's demands that he eat.

Now barely awake and lounging on the couch with both feet propped on the large round table, Evan found himself being used as a surface, with data sheets spread over his chest and stomach. The table had already reached capacity, as had the rest of the couch, with colorful sheets spread about in a pattern somewhat resembling the nebula itself.

Evan opened one eye just to confirm it was nothing new, then closed it again. "What do you think it is?"

Alex shook his head. "I don't know." He set the sheet down and picked up another one that was on Evan's shoulder. "That's what I wanna find out." He made some marks on the sheet with a stylus, then set it back on Evan and looked for another one. "There aren't any signs of energy readings, so whatever it is, it might be dead. But it's hard to tell." The sheet he was looking for was on Evan's chest. "That's the hard thing about a nebula, it's made up of electrically excited gasses. Really screws up your ship's sensors when you're inside. Hell to navigate." He left the sheet where it was and used Evan as a desk, marking what he wanted to outline for later study. "This thing could just be a group of rocks stuck in some bizarre orbit that keeps them in place. Or nothing more than a grouping of different gasses."

"That's what Franklin thinks it is."

Alex stopped writing and looked at Evan. "What? That it's nothing?"

Without opening either eye, Evan nodded.

So Franklin wasn't interested in it. As long as I don't draw his attention to it, maybe he'll ignore it altogether. "So if I don't blow this, he'll steer clear of it entirely."

Evan nodded again.

That just might make life easier. Alex sat back, re-evaluating his plan. If Franklin truly wasn't going to have a closer look, then it wouldn't be hard to keep him from wandering over there and seeing something before he could. Of course, it could very well be nothing. But then again, it could be something.

Alex returned to his marking. "You should get some sleep, I'm too wired."

"I am sleeping."

"Uh-huh." When he finished with that sheet, he moved on to the next one. Never before had he seen so many potentially habitable planets inside a nebula. Granted, they'd require more exploration and evaluation before he could say if they really were livable, but this exploration could very well spell the expansion of mankind, yet again. If they--no, when they found Turbidium, Carpenter's company would have to build a settlement out here anyway. If there were enough planets to use for mining, processing and development, the possibilities were endless.

But it all hinged on Turbidium. If he didn't find that, no amount of habitable planets would pay the bills. And since figuring out what they'd done to increase ship speed, the Vision remained only five days behind the Ascalon. At least he's the only other one out here. And the outer reaches of the Pendulum Nebula were two weeks away. Just two more weeks before things would get tricky and they'd have to slow dramatically. Then Franklin would catch up, but be as blind as they were.

That's when the fun begins. Alex suppressed a yawn and found a space on Evan's knee where he could set another sheet of data. In the morning, he'd have the scans merged into a three-dimensional model he could call up over the desk, with his notes and marks displayed. But until then, the couch and Evan served well enough. The man really was asleep. As was Alex's foot.

And not much afterwards, so was Alex.

Chapter 8

Evan stretched and rolled onto his back, gazing at the ceiling while he collected his fuzzy thoughts. There was a slight kink in his shoulder from sleeping on the couch, but at least he and his Keeper had managed to sleep the last few hours of the night in their own bedrooms. Now they were enjoying a slow morning to make up for the all-night session with the new probe data. Evan could feel Alex waking up, but if his habits held true, it would be another hour before he emerged from his room. That left Evan plenty of time to get cleaned up and get breakfast ordered, one of his easier routines of the day.

Since that first probe, and the sabotage that accompanied it, Evan had meticulously gone over every inch of the Ascalon on a regular basis. He'd quickly established a routine of scanning ship files, walking through cargo bays, examining each and every probe, and -- unbeknownst to Alex -- randomly checking personal computer files for any references that looked suspicious. Once he'd established a routine, he'd change it, avoiding any predictability someone might be looking for. Alex seemed to think it was overkill, but Evan refused to ease up. Alex simply didn't understand how determined someone could be if sabotage was their goal. Anyone planning to reprogram a probe or control could still do so, and if they'd kept their plans on a personal unit like his Keeper's pager, there would be no way Evan could detect that remotely until it was done. So constant vigilance was necessary.

Franklin may have caught, and according to his last transmission, arrested the first perpetrator, but that didn't mean there weren't more.

Evan sighed and resigned himself to the fact that it was indeed morning, and he had to get out of bed. Alex's routines afforded quite a bit of spare time to devote to his mapping and data reading, the bulk of the journey so far being a simple run through space, so Evan found himself spending most of his days either at the computer terminal here in their quarters, or comfortably ensconced on the couch in Alex's office. His physical walk-throughs were varied, and one wasn't needed for another couple of days, so he knew with the new scans being loaded into the three dimensional viewer, they'd be spending the entire day, if not the next several, right here. Evan found it convenient enough to scan the crew's personal files at times like these, when most of the crew not involved in the daily running of the Ascalon were doing much the same as Alex, poring over the new scientific data and forming their own opinions and speculations on the findings.

After a shower and shave, Evan dressed in his usual black, now sporting Ascalon insignia in midnight blue, and padded barefoot out of the room. Alex wasn't out yet, so he put in an order for breakfast and started some coffee. There was a time when ordering food for his Keeper without knowing exactly what he wanted bothered Evan immensely, but he'd quickly come to realize the man hardly ever took notice of what was on his plate. Eating was more of a bothersome necessity, and something he only did grudgingly, interrupting his work to get it done. A little research into the galley's history files soon proved his theory right, so he'd relaxed where meals were concerned, and took it upon himself to decide what his Keeper needed to eat, and when. Alex seemed perfectly happy to have that chore taken out of his hands, and slowly developed a habit of remembering breakfast and dinner, if not lunch.

Well, one bad habit at a time.

When Evan carried his coffee to the table, he noticed the blinking message light.

"Captain, this is MIS, your probe data is loaded and ready for display." A voice happily declared from the recording. "Let us know if you need any adjustments."

Evan flipped off the message and walked to the table, carrying his coffee. From there he heard the shower turn on in Alex's room and knew he had another fifteen minutes at least. Plenty of time to make sure the display was working. He cleared the table of the plastic sheets, stacking them on the couch, then pressed his palm into the controls and called the table display to life.

For an instant, Evan didn't know where he was. Blackness surrounded him where living quarters had been and for several seconds, he thought his eyes must surely be closed. Then he saw a sparkle of light, then another and another, as small points of white light broke through the darkness. Within seconds, the lights had been joined by swirling colors of green and purple, occasionally darkened by the massive body of a planet or moon. He was inside the nebula! Out of habit, he'd not only called up the display, but allowed his mind to see the data from inside. Normally this showed him diagrams and mechanical specs, making it easier to find flaws or virtual back doors. There had never been a reason to look at probe data, or any other computerized file of space, before now. But that's where he was, seeing the probe's images from a perspective like no other.

And it was amazing! Like being in space, independent of any ship, floating among the planets freely, using only his thoughts to move from one section to another. What a rush! The clouds of gas swirled and mixed as their electrons changed polarity, flickering colors that moved with the solar winds of a million suns. Why had he never thought to try this before? It was like walking into the three-dimensional display, so real and vivid he thought he could almost touch the planets.

"Now that's something you don't see every day."

"What?" Evan blinked, then pulled his hand away from the controls. Almost immediately the nebula around him faded back into the living room, with a smaller, less exciting display hovering over the table. He looked up and found Alex staring at him, a strange, almost rueful grin on his face.

"You, smiling." He nodded toward the display floating above the table. "What were you doing?"

"Nothing, I just brought up the display." Evan waved a hand at the table. "I was looking at it from the inside, it was fantastic. I've never done that before with anything other than specs or diagrams."

"What do you mean?" Alex sat on the arm of the couch, looking at him.

"I was inside the display." Evan glanced at the nebula floating in three dimensions in front of them, remembering the incredible sight. "It was like being there, in space, floating around freely." He shook his head, vaguely aware of the fact that he did indeed have a smile on his face. "It felt so . . . free, you know?"

Apparently he didn't. Instead of a knowing nod or smile, Alex's face was a dark shadow of confusion, then disbelief, then something completely unidentifiable. With an incredulous shake of his head, he stood and walked toward the galley.

"What's wrong?" Evan watched his back, wondering what he could have done wrong so early in the day.

Alex shook his head again, reaching for the coffee cups. "You were inside the display?"

"Not literally."

"But you can do that, see the nebula from inside the display. What, like the shipbuilders do when they're planning models?" He shoved the cup under the dispenser, not looking at Evan but apparently waiting for a reply.

"Yes, like they do."

When his cup was filled, he turned to face Evan but remained in the galley. "They can't get three-dimensional units that large to show systems clearly. From what I understand, that kind of walk-through display only works well with linear output."

Evan hadn't heard that, so he waited silently for Alex to continue. Something was obviously upsetting him, but he didn't seem to want to say what exactly it was.

Alex sipped his coffee, then gazed out at space through the large window. "Ever since I was a kid, I've wanted to explore space. To see the unknown, be the first one out there, wherever there was." He laughed shortly. "I even used to think I could be the first one to find a new life form, something we could communicate with. Not like the animals people have found, but something with technology." He shrugged, dismissing the idea. "Not that I believe in aliens, really. It was just the idea of being the first one to do something."

"You have, and you are." Evan didn't understand where this train of thought was going. "You've been the first one to many planets, and you'll be the first one inside this nebula."

"My ship will, if I have anything to say about it." Alex walked back out to the couch and sat down, looking at the display hovering over the table. "I'd give anything to go out there myself. To literally be the first one there, the first one seeing what there is to see." He looked at Evan, eyebrows creased. "Do you know what I mean?"

It made no sense. Did he want to take a small shuttle out into the nebula alone? Surely he knew how impossible that would be. Any small ship would get lost instantly in those charged gasses. And there was no way in hell he'd ever let Alex . . . Suddenly it dawned on him what his Keeper wasn't saying.

"You know I wasn't really there, don't you?" Evan leaned forward, nodding toward the display. "It's just data, interpreted by computers. I wasn't seeing the real planets. I wasn't seeing anything you can't see."

"Maybe not, but you were seeing it in a way I can only imagine." Alex set his cup down on the floor so as not to disturb the display, then got up and walked to the window, staring out at space. "Windows like this are so impractical. It takes a lot of energy to shield them well enough. But I couldn't resist this ship when I saw it, so many windows." He shook his head, still looking out. "There's something about looking out there with your own eyes, instead of seeing what the computers show you, that can't be beat."

Evan sat back on the couch and watched Alex. He couldn't understand why his Keeper felt jealous of his ability to view data from another angle. That's all it was, after all. He wasn't really floating in space, viewing the planets themselves, or drifting through the actual nebula gasses. Even if it had felt that way. And it had.

Perhaps it was the look he'd had on his face at the time, expressing the exhilaration he was feeling, that had given away how truly fantastic the experience was. If that were the case, then better schooling of his expression was in order. Obviously what he was doing had upset Alex deeply on a level he couldn't understand. Now how was he going to fix this?

Alex found a position he wanted to view and sat back, looking at it. "Do you know how many people are looking at this very display right now? I've got twenty-seven geophysicists onboard, each of them going over this same probe data. Not to mention twelve planetologists, five zoologists, somewhere around thirty industrial miners. And anyone else who has an inkling to have a peek."

"But they're looking for something else." Evan heard the chime telling him the breakfast order was waiting in the dispenser, but he ignored it for a moment. "They're looking for Turbidium, life forms, rocks and minerals. Each of them has his or her own agenda, so that's what they're seeing in this data." He motioned toward the display. "They're seeing the details, but not the wonder of it all."

"So I'm a dreamer, is that it?"

"No, you're an explorer." Evan paused, but Alex didn't seem to see the difference that was as plain as day. "They're discoverers. They're more interested in what they can find out here. You're interested in what you can see."

Alex laughed. "I'm not so sure I understand your distinction." He stood and retrieved his cup, then walked toward the galley. Halfway there, he stopped and turned around. "But I do appreciate the sentiment." He turned around again and continued to the dispensers. "I'm getting good at this self-involvement crap, aren't I?"

Evan got up and met Alex at the table, taking one of the plates from his hands.

"Oh good, you're not disagreeing."

"The question sounded rhetorical."

"Yeah, well . . ." Alex let his sentence trail away as he involved himself with breakfast.

Evan took the hint and ate in silence. His Keeper could be downright goofy at times, fretting over the strangest things. But, he had to admit, he was a far cry from Spencer in that respect. Alex's father expressed his frustration in a very physical manner, flying into a rage without much prompting. He'd always assumed it was the man's dangerous occupation that made him so volatile and unpredictable, but when he read Spencer's will, and learned he'd be the property of his son, Evan's first impression was a younger version of his lifelong Keeper. Any man that violent would surely have spawned the same. Thankfully, Alex had proven much the opposite in many respects. He wasn't any easier to understand, or predict, and his understanding of Sha'erah was still woefully lacking. He couldn't even seem to manage his own daily existence without constant reminders and his ever present pager at his side. It was a wonder he'd gotten where he was today, being this absent minded.

If ever a man needed a Sha'erah, Alex Marcase was that man. Now, if he could just come to understand that himself, life would be so much easier!

"Are we working from here today?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, I just want to work on this display today." Alex nodded absently. "I'll meet with the others this afternoon, see what they came up with."

Good. That meant he'd be so involved with his display he wouldn't notice what Evan was doing at the computer. It was time to do another random sweep of the crew's personal files. At least the ones he could get into. It still bothered him that so many people used the personal pagers and stand-alone units they could more easily carry around on their persons. Until one was plugged in to the Ascalon's mainframe, or until Evan could get his hand on the units, he wasn't able to scan any files held in them. Which meant someone could easily have a sabotage program ready and waiting for download at any time. Alex didn't want to believe anyone onboard the Ascalon could be involved in sabotage, since the first incident originated from the Vision. But his dealings with subterfuge were too limited to imagine half of what Evan had seen. Spencer's enemies were powerful people, willing and able to send assassins and suicide hit men on occasion, depending on what exactly he'd had Evan steal. Vigilance was the only path toward protection.

Of course Alex might call what he was doing an intrusion. He had funny ways of looking at things sometimes.

Evan took a break after four hours of scanning personal files and electronic messages sent between crew members, and retrieved more coffee. The order he'd placed for lunch earlier that morning was about to be delivered, so he filled two cups and carried one to his Keeper on the couch. The three-dimensional display of the Pendulum Nebula hovered tirelessly over the large round table, looking like a permanent decoration.

"I've ordered lunch." He handed one cup to Alex and sat on the couch, gazing at the view.

"Oh, thanks." Alex took the cup, never taking his eyes from the top section of gasses gently swirling in electronic representation in front of him. "Look at that." He pointed to the uppermost corner where purple gasses were so thick they obscured further view. "I can't get a clearer shot without sending a probe straight to it."

Evan examined the area in question, sipping his coffee. "If you do, Franklin will want to see what you found."

"Exactly." Alex leaned back on the couch, slouching down in the cushions, but never looked away from the section that held his interest so intently. "I don't want him going near that area."

"It could be nothing." Evan recalled what that area looked like when he was seeing the display from inside the machine.

"Or it could be something."

He nodded. Even from the inside, it was impossible to tell if anything was hidden within the mass of charged gas or not. It was frustrating his Keeper to be able to see an area but unable to see into it without drawing undue attention from his competitor. Alex had admitted it was doubtful there would be Turbidium there, so exploring the curiosity had to take a back seat to their mission. But his desire to see what was there, and be the first one to do it, was plain to see.

"Damn." Alex rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?"

Evan stood. "It's just after one o'clock. Lunch is here." He waited for an acknowledging nod from Alex before returning to the galley to retrieve the food.

"I told Pascal I'd meet his team in the office at two." Alex stretched, then reluctantly pulled himself off the couch and slowly made his way to the counter. "At least they'll have had their minds on the job."

"We have two more months before reaching the outer edges."

"And three more probes before the interference makes them useless." Alex picked at the fruit on his plate, playing with a grape by rolling it gently between two fingers. "Franklin hasn't even launched one yet, and you said his will go further?"

Evan nodded. He'd been tempted to reprogram those probes while he was in the Vision's data banks, but there hadn't been time. "That doesn't mean he'll find anything before you do."

Alex shrugged pensively, still playing with the grape. Finally he popped it into his mouth. "Even if he does, he still has to get there first."

His next question was probably still too controversial, but Evan decided it was worth a shot. "When he launches a probe, I might be able to see the data it sends back."

The reaction his question received was slow in developing. Alex blinked a few times, staring at Evan while the possibilities of what he was proposing took turns marching through his mind. He started to speak twice, but stopped himself each time, choosing instead to stare with crinkled eyebrows at the rest of the grapes.

"It's only information." Evan offered. "It's not stealing unless you act on it."

Alex ran a thumb over his bottom lip and stared at the beverage dispenser.

It occurred to Evan just then that he wasn't sure which answer he was hoping for. The one that would put him in a position to better help secure his Keeper's success, or the one that would be more in keeping with Alex Marcase and the man he was. Realizing that, he wished he hadn't even offered.

Finally, Alex shook his head once. "No. I appreciate why you're offering but . . . I can't become him."

"Franklin?"

"Spencer." Alex tossed a grape back to his plate and stood suddenly, pacing several feet away. He turned and walked into the galley to refill his coffee. "I can't become him. Even now with . . . Just because I can, doesn't make it right."

It took a second or two for Evan to realize what was going on. The subject seemed to have changed dramatically, yet they were still talking about the same idea. Finally he thought he was catching up. "Because I'm with you now, you think you're becoming more like him?"

"Yes." Alex shook his head strongly. "No. No, that's not what I meant. I . . ." He walked back to the counter but didn't sit down. "Look, this isn't your fault. I actually -- like -- having you around. Granted, it took me a while to get used to it." He laughed shortly, raising his eyebrows.

"But I was your father's, now I'm yours, and you're afraid you might be more like him than you thought?"

Alex sighed heavily, then slid back onto the stool, pushing his plate out of the way so he could rest both elbows on the counter. "I know what he was. A thief, and worse. I've spent my life hating him and wishing I was with him. But mostly I've tried very hard not to be him."

The sudden drop in his Keeper's tone suggested this was something he felt very deeply, and painfully. It wasn't something Evan could really identify with, but he sensed he was being told something no one else had ever been told. It was a milestone in their understanding of each other, and he was sure it was a milestone Alex was oblivious to.

"It wasn't all that hard before, I never had a talent for stealing." Alex glanced up at Evan. "But now I have the means, and the opportunity." He looked back down at the counter. "God knows I have the motive."

"You don't have the desire."

Alex shook his head slowly back and forth, still looking down. "But I do have the temptation."

"You're not your father." Evan surprised himself with his own urgent need to reassure his Keeper that his fears were unfounded. "Trust me, you're not Spencer. You're an entirely different person, motivated by a fairness Spencer wouldn't even have been able to understand. It's not in you to be any different than you are, no matter how many opportunities are handed to you." Alex was at least looking at him now. It was impossible to fully convey the heartlessness that was Spencer Marcase, but the son was nothing like the father. Sha'erah weren't allowed to care, but he did. "I don't believe anything can change the true nature of a man, good or bad."

Alex laughed shortly and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know if that's good or bad."

"It just is." Evan saw the red message light blink on the wall and noticed Alex glancing at it. "They're probably waiting for you in the office."

"Yeah." Alex sighed, then walked to the wall unit and acknowledged the message asking for his presence in the bridge office. "Maybe they've got some good news." He searched the room for his shoes. "If they can pinpoint a promising direction, I can concentrate on mapping a route. Are you coming?"

Evan slid off the stool and pointed to the spot under the desk where he'd put Alex's shoes. An idea had hit him out of the blue when Alex was answering the call, and he wanted to act on it quickly, but quietly. "Actually, if you don't need me, I need to make another sweep of the storage bays."

Alex nodded while putting on his shoes. "Sure, whatever you want. I'll catch up with you later."

He still walked his Keeper to the lift, then took the service ladders to the lower levels to see if his idea was going to work. Alex seemed in lighter spirits when he left, and Evan fervently hoped the geophysicists had found this Turbidium somewhere already so Alex could get there and make his claim before Franklin even got close enough.

But in the meantime, he was sure he'd seen the components he needed on the manifest for storage bay number twelve.

Evan walked through the service walkway until he found the first door to the large storage room he was looking for. He checked the lock out of habit, and found it had only been accessed by authorized personnel three times since the Ascalon launched several months ago. Each entry was properly documented, listing the crew members as well as the equipment they'd removed. Satisfied, he entered the room and called up the lights, then started looking for the row and crate he wanted. It took nearly an hour to locate the proper one, then use the hoist to remove the crates above it. Once he had the crate cleared, he checked the attached manifest against the one logged in to the main computer files. It was identical, and contained exactly what he needed. Eight inter-dimensional display units. He retrieved them and made the necessary changes to the manifest, then had to repack the crate and return the others to the stack.

By the time he returned to their quarters it was three hours later. Alex was nowhere to be found. He did a quick check and found his Keeper still in the office, deep in his meeting as the scientists evaluated the probe data they'd been studying. Good, that would give him time to begin working on his idea, without having to explain it just yet. If his theory didn't pan out, he didn't want Alex to be disappointed.

Long ago, high-end ship builders used a large scale version of the newly developed three dimensional displays to create virtual skeletons of their designs, displays large enough for them to walk through and visually inspect their designs for flaws or weak points. The displays were never delicate enough to properly display much more than straight lines and mathematical curves, and soon became too outdated for ship building as more intelligent computer designs were developed that could spot inconsistencies in design logic more quickly. While some builders still preferred the old-fashioned method of inspecting their designs first hand, no further progress could be made in perfecting the larger display units. Most everyone now used the highly sophisticated models like the one in the round table Alex utilized, foregoing size for detail and accuracy.

Where others saw futility, Evan saw opportunity. The eight units he'd found in storage just might do the trick, if he could find what years of scientific study had missed. If not, then no harm done as long as he didn't get his Keeper's hopes up.

Evan started by analyzing the output of the display unit embedded in the table, then ran a comparison of the individual replacement units he'd retrieved from storage. Several hours later, he felt he knew enough about the science behind it to build a base control unit, and had to return to the storage bay for more parts. On his way back he stopped at a com unit and verified Alex was still in the office. No meals had been delivered, and it was apparent his Keeper was going to be there most of the evening, so Evan had dinner sent and returned to their quarters to continue his work.

Building the base control unit was harder than he expected, and took another full hour of concentrated work, but once finished it would provide the key to the rest of the display. With that done, he was ready to set the eight units around the room. Their positioning was almost as important as the programming, and took quite some time and careful consideration. Evan marked the section of the room where walls met ceiling, then recalculated his estimates three separate times before he felt satisfied enough to begin installation. He'd gotten all but two into position when the door swung open.

"Man, I can't believe we were at it so long." Alex entered the room, immediately kicking off his shoes as he stumbled tiredly for the couch.

"It must have been productive, at least." Evan set the display unit he'd been holding on the couch and causally wondered if Alex would notice the other six units above his head.

"Yeah, it was." Alex practically fell onto the couch and propped his bare feet on the table, yawning. "Cummins found good potential in C-3 and the others agreed, so we're heading in that direction." He waved a hand, indicating a general area left of where they were now. "We'll set another probe off in five days in that direction. Meanwhile I can at least start plotting a course through that muck."

Evan sat down beside his Keeper, realizing just then how late it was and how tired he'd gotten. There was no sense in mentioning his project yet, not until he'd been able to test it out.

"The Vision's still trailing us." Alex sat up and reached for one of the display units on the table. He rolled it around in both hands idly, hardly noticing what it was. "He hasn't even sent out a probe yet."

Evan watched Alex turn the unit around in his hands while he spoke. He was so involved in his thoughts, the display unit could have been a wild animal, and he wouldn't have noticed. "He's following you."

Alex laughed shortly and leaned back, slouching further into the couch with the unit still in one hand. "Probably wants to save his own probes and just follow us."

"That makes sense. His probes have a longer range, but even he has to realize they require more control." Evan glanced out the window at the nebula growing larger as they approached. "The interference in there could render his expensive probes worthless if he waits too long to start using them."

"I know." Alex sat up again and set the unit back on the table, then stood, stretching. "My only fear is he's waiting to see what direction we take with our second probe. He can still get one launched from behind us and find out what C-3 has to offer before we do."

Evan refrained from a second offer of probe-eavesdropping. "He still has to reach the planet first in order to make a legal claim, right?"

"Right."

He stood. "Then even if he sees it before we do, we'll just beat him to it."

Alex laughed tiredly, then nodded. "That's right." He turned and headed for his room. "Oh, listen." He stopped and turned around. "That stuff earlier today, about my father and everything. You meant that, didn't you? I'm really not like him?"

"Of course I meant it." Evan casually picked up the unit Alex had been holding and shut it off. "Spencer never forgot to eat."

"Great." Alex laughed shortly. "That's reassuring." He turned and went into his room. "Good night."

Evan turned off the other units, locked the door and did a quick security sweep before retiring to his own room for the evening. He wanted to work on the control module some more, but it was already midnight and without a decent night's sleep, he couldn't guarantee waking before Alex in the morning. There was still plenty of time to work on his project, at least five days before another probe was sent. If it worked out right, he could surprise his Keeper with the new display using fresh data. The Vision would have to send a probe out sooner or later, and if it happened to drift in the proper direction . . . It wasn't stealing unless someone acted on it.

The next week flew by in easy predictability. Alex spent hours each day poring over the display and working up a course through the maelstrom of charged gases that lay ahead, plotting the best direction toward planet C-3. Evan spent much of that time right beside his Keeper, working from the same couch on his own project while Alex took little notice of it. He stopped at periodic intervals to conduct his usual security sweeps and take the occasional walk-through of the ship while Alex was taking breaks in the ship's gym to clear his head and give him what he called a much-needed purging of frustrated energy.

It was a ritual Evan began to understand more fully when he ran into a virtual brick wall of programming he couldn't find a way past. It was on the treadmill, an hour into a long jog, that they both found the answers they were looking for. Alex was able to investigate his theory immediately upon returning to their quarters, but Evan still didn't want his Keeper finding out what he was up to until he knew for certain it would work, so he settled for running tests on the computer, exhausting all possible chances of failure. By midnight he was confident he'd solved the one problem no one else had been able to fix. Around one o'clock he realized how arrogant he'd been and set about checking each and every setting, looking for the one obvious flaw he was certain he'd missed. At two-thirty, he found himself staring at the same connection for ten minutes without blinking.

Evan forced himself to shut the computer down. He had to blink several times and rub madly at his eyes to bring his focus back to the reality of the room. Alex had gone to bed at some point, he vaguely remembered that, and some mention of their next probe launch coming up in the morning. This thing had to work. He didn't want to think about having spent this much time on something only to fail. Out of habit, Evan checked the security before going to bed, then double checked the morning's schedule, not trusting his own tired mind. He couldn't remember the last time he'd worked so diligently on a project without Spencer demanding constant updates.

The fact that he was working this hard on something his Keeper didn't even request was a puzzle he didn't want to think about. He was far too tired! Alex would benefit greatly from this if it worked, so it was his best interests Evan was looking out for. That's all it was. Besides Alex was someone who deserved his efforts more than Spencer. Sure, maybe he still didn't quite understand how to put a Sha'erah to good use, and God knew he had some problems of his own, but Evan couldn't help wishing he'd known this man sooner. He was definitely not his father.

"And he's going to be awake in four hours whether I get any sleep or not." Evan pressed his head into the pillow and started the meditation routine that would insure sleep. All it really insured was that morning came far too quickly.

"It's cleared." Evan looked up from his scan of the new probe, satisfied only after three intensive searches of the programming.

Alex nodded at the young man hovering expectantly near the launching controls. "Launch when ready."

They watched from the bridge's main view screen as the probe was launched, following the bright blue trail of exhaust until it penetrated the swirling colors of the nebula that lay before them. The Ascalon had slowed to half speed, waiting to analyze this latest probe's data before venturing into the gas where their scans and sensors would be more violently affected and less reliable. At this speed, the Vision would reach their position in another four days, where her longer-ranging probes could reach farther and faster. So far, Franklin hadn't bothered to probe the depths, presumably relying on following Alex as far as he could. That bothered Evan. It reminded him too much of Spencer, and he didn't like it one bit. At the first chance he got, he intended to do some checking up, discreetly.

"Here it comes." Alex slapped Evan on the shoulder, then hurried to the office to await the first of the probe's information. "Hanson, be sure to copy this to Cummins immediately."

"Yes, sir."

Evan was right behind him when he entered the office. Alex stood in front of the large screen expectantly while Evan went straight for the computer beside the couch. He activated it with a touch and found the probe data as it streamed into the system. Instantly he ordered the feedback split and copied to Alex's displays both here in the office and back in their quarters, barely glancing at the information as it appeared on the screen. The constant stream of information lasted the short life of the probe, just under one hour, and when completed was even more impressive than the first.

"Look at that." Alex was pointing to a spot on the large screen, staring intently at the bland looking planet. "C-3 isn't a planet, it's a moon."

Evan had to blink himself out of the computer and back into the room. The temptation to run down to their rooms and find out if his project was going to work was almost too great, but he forced it out of his mind and looked at the screen. "Orbiting what?"

Alex scanned the screen, then pointed triumphantly. "That."

Beyond C-3, further into the mist, was a huge planet hanging amidst thick purple gases. Their new view revealed four other moons, the same size as C-3, silently circling the behemoth.

"I bet that's the source of Cummins' intermittent readings."

Evan examined the planet more closely. "It isn't very far into the nebula. Can it be this easy?"

"Too good to be true?" Alex grinned, looking at Evan for a moment. "Maybe. If it is true, and the Vision gets here any time soon, Franklin could still beat us to it."

"What's to keep him from finding more in here?" Evan waved a hand over the screen, and the multitude of planets indicated in the sections of gas they could see through. "If you find Turbidium on C-3, or that planet, then you found it first, but he could still go further in and find it somewhere else."

"If C-3 or its primary is it, then we lay claim to the entire system." Alex stepped back, leaning against the front of the desk as he explained. "It's a legal issue for those concerned, really. Carpenter has plenty of lawyers who can work that all out, so it'll be up to Franklin's backer to send him further in or not."

"Doesn't anyone care what's in there regardless?" Evan stared at the massive nebula, so close now it filled the screens entirely, hiding any number of wonders inside its purple and green gasses.

"I do."

Evan was about to add his own confession of curiosity when he stopped himself. Did he care? Was he really curious, or just caught up in his Keeper's desires, now that they'd been together for several months?

"Let's head down, I want to get this on the table display." Alex flicked off the screen and motioned to Evan as he left the office, acknowledging the enthusiasm on the bridge in receipt of the latest data.

Funny how he'd never really been too excited about Spencer's work. Sure, he'd gotten into it completely, giving one hundred percent, but he'd never cared before. He wasn't supposed to. Why was this different? Because it wasn't illegal?

Those thoughts completely eradicated any notion Evan had of testing his new display until he found himself standing underneath it, waiting for the computers to finish compiling the information for the table to display it. It wasn't until Alex handed him a bottle of the beer he preferred that he remembered all his hard work.

"I have something to show you."

"What?" Alex sat on the edge of the couch, impatiently waiting for the three dimensional display to kick in.

Evan set the bottle down and retrieved the control unit from the desk. "I didn't want to mention this until I was sure it would work." He flipped a switch and checked the eight units in the ceiling for their power indicators. "I haven't been able to test it out in the room yet, just the simulator. But I think I have it now."

"Yeah?" Alex was barely paying attention, but he managed to drag his eyes from the dormant table and notice -- for the first time -- the many black boxes affixed above his head. "What's this?"

Evan activated the control unit when it registered the probe data's completion, holding his breath. There was a flicker of light from each black box, then a flash of blue that enveloped the room. The next instant, he was in the Pendulum Nebula.

"Oh my God."

"It worked." Evan breathed a sigh of relief as he looked around the room. C-3 appeared to be floating over the couch, obscuring his view of Alex, while nebula gases filled the room, sparkling with color and light. The monster C-3 orbited was nearly as clear, but smaller still in the distance. More planets could be seen near the window and around their feet, smaller in size and still too far distant for much clarity.

"What is this?" Alex was standing between the couch and his forgotten table display, turning around and shaking his head in disbelief. "How did you do this?"

"I took the ship building concept and expanded on it." Evan almost couldn't believe it himself. After all those hours of work, he was still sure it couldn't be this easy. Unless working himself into exhaustion was the key all those other technicians had missed. "It was just a matter of using enough components and getting the positioning down. With a little fine tuning."

"I can't believe this." Alex walked around the planet floating over the couch, staring at it with wide eyes as if it was physically there. "This is what you've been working so hard on?"

"I didn't want to mention it, in case it didn't work out."

Alex shook his head, still staring around the room. "I just assumed whatever that was wasn't any of my business."

Evan opened his mouth to deny any assumption of his own privacy, but Alex continued.

"I just can't believe this. It's fantastic!" He walked around the room, trying to take it all in. "Is this what it was like for you?"

"When I was looking at the data from inside, yes." Evan watched his Keeper walk around the room. "This is what it looked like to me. I knew how badly you wanted to see that, and this was the only way I could think of to show you."

Alex was still shaking his head slowly, staring in wide-eyed wonder at the illusion. "The detail is incredible!" He glanced around, trying to locate Evan. "I could map a route anywhere through here." He turned suddenly and searched the ceiling. "What about . . ."

Evan touched the control pad and the space around them shifted. The effect was dizzying but it brought the upper left edge of the probe's reach into view just outside Alex's bedroom door.

"Damn." Alex walked closer to the dense purple cloud and stared into it. "The probe didn't get close enough."

"C-3 is in the opposite direction."

"I know, I know. But if that planet works out, I won't have to waste any more probes searching for that stuff." Alex stopped in front of the section that held his fascination and sighed. A moment later, he leaned closer. "Still, with this view I can see a little more clearly."

They spent hours studying and debating the possibility of something being hidden within those gases, forgoing lunch for the sheer novelty of it all. Evan found himself completely caught up in the desire to explore, curious now to find out which of them was correct, and see if there was a structure hidden in that segment of space, or just dense packing of debris caught in erratic orbit. He couldn't help noticing how Alex fed off his questioning, even though it often contradicted his own hopes and assumptions of the mystery. Spencer would have beaten him senseless for disagreeing with him in this manner, but Alex obviously enjoyed it as much as he enjoyed their other arguments. Undoubtedly, this man was nothing like his father. And yet, with a phrase or mannerism, Evan was instantly reminded of his former Keeper. The man was his father, after all.

Neither man could ignore the need for dinner by late evening, but they continued the examination over their meal, staring in awe at the planet now positioned directly over their table as they ate.

"Not much to look at." Alex commented. "But I'm not the one who has to work there, if this is the one."

"I can't picture you calling any planet home."

Alex looked at Evan and laughed shortly. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "You seem at home here, not just the ship, but out here, in space."

"Yeah, well," Alex nodded at the planet hovering above them. "I never really felt like I fit anywhere else, I guess. This ship is the only thing I've ever really had." He stabbed his fork back into the contents of his plate, then lifted it and gazed at the impaled meat there. "I just don't own it. Not yet." He slid the fork into his mouth and pulled the meat off as if it were the source of his frustrations.

"We're closer now than we were before." Evan glanced at the large planet C-3 was circling, willing the scientists onboard to find that damn mineral there and find it quickly. "The Vision is still two days away."

"And I have to plot our course, in case this is the one." He stood, finished with dinner, and walked through the nebula to find the control unit. Evan had demonstrated how to use the control box to move the display, a visually disturbing sight momentarily.

Alex spent the rest of the night sitting on the couch, his face inches away from the planned insertion point, stylus in hand as he marked, erased, then replotted the best route to take his ship and crew into the dangerous, sensorless world of a nebula. Evan watched, interested in seeing how his Keeper planned to manage such delicate navigation. He wasn't sure how long he watched, or what time it was when he first dozed off, but the feeling of sleeping among the stars prevailed through his dreams, until he found himself staring up at a planet hovering inches above his face.

Startled, Evan sat up straight into the illusion. He had to move out of it in order to see the rest of the room, and Alex sleeping on the couch beside him.

"Display off." The control box responded immediately, dropping the room back out of space and into reality. The sudden change was a little nauseating, and somewhat of a letdown. Evan eased himself off the couch without waking Alex and padded quietly to the desk to check the time. There were messages, two flashing urgent, and it was already past eight o'clock.

"Captain, it's Cummins!" The recorded voice was bursting with excitement. "It's the planet. I've got readings off the scale here. The planet!"

The message ended, then the second urgent recording kicked in.

"Captain, Cummins again, C-3 and the other moons show substantial levels, but the planet is undeniably the motherlode!"

Reluctantly, he returned to the couch and put a hand on his Keeper's arm. "Alex, it's late." There was no response. Evan knew full well he was sound asleep, and probably had been for only a few hours. He shouldn't be doing this, but he felt Alex would want him to. "Alex, wake up."

"What?" Alex's eyes opened, then closed again immediately. "Ah, man. Morning?"

"Yes, and you have an urgent message from Cummins."

Alex sat up, forcing his eyes open wide.

"I think he found it."

"Damn!" Alex grabbed a handful of Evan's shirt and hauled himself off the couch. "Where's the Vision?"

Evan took hold of Alex's arm to steady him coming around the couch. "Should be within com range by tonight."

"Okay, I need a shower." Alex pushed himself toward the bedroom door, stumbling slightly as his body hurried to catch up. "Tell Cummins we're on our way, have him meet us in the office."

"Already done." Evan crossed to the desk and sent messages calling for Cummins and breakfast to meet them in the bridge office in twenty minutes, then went in to his own room for a quick clean up and change of clothes. He wasn't convinced of his Keeper's alertness on the way to the bridge, especially after he confessed to only one hour of sleep, but when they walked into the office, there was enough excitement in the air to clear out any cobwebs.

"Captain, it was the moon blocking that primary that threw me." Professor Cummins launched into his explanation with no more than a quick nod to them both as they entered the office. "We thought C-3 held potential due to the readings, and attributed the sporadic nature of the feedback to the nebula. But now I'm confident it's the primary that contains the significant amount of Turbidium, with C-3 and the other moons simply reflecting minor amounts of their parent's contents."

Professor Cummins wasn't an old man, but even his middle age seemed to melt away with his enthusiasm. It was just the thing Alex seemed to need to wake him up completely.

Evan called up the planet in question and displayed it on the large screen, somewhat disappointed in the singular dimension after having spent so much time walking through the same space. Cummins handed him a chip that he inserted in the display, calling up the professor's own notations.

"You see here, at C-3 the readings are varied, but significant enough to warrant a closer inspection. But here, and here, the readings are nearly off the scale."

Alex approached the screen, squinting at the large primary still quite distant. "You're sure?"

"I'm positive." Cummins tapped the screen with one finger. "That planet might as well be Turbidium itself. And these other moons most likely contain significant amounts as well."

Evan felt his heart rate increase despite himself. Could it really be this easy?

Alex continued to stare at the information in front of him, silently contemplating it for what seemed like a long time. Finally, he turned to Cummins. "Let's do it."

Without another word, Cummins gathered his sheets and hurried, excitedly, out of the office. Alex marched back to his desk and hit the intercom.

"Navigation."

"Who's this, Jessie?"

"Yes, sir. What can I do for you?"

Evan heard a quiet knock on the door and accepted the breakfast delivery.

"I'm going to download a course, I need a full evaluation and estimates as soon as possible."

"Aye-aye, Captain."

"A physical claim would beat anything Franklin can do from a distance, isn't that right?" Evan set a cup in front of Alex. He knew breakfast would be ignored in the light of this news, so he hadn't bothered with anything that could distract from it. A cup of coffee and some tasteless additives would serve for now.

"Yes, possession is still nine tenths of the law. But we're assuming the Vision will slow down when it gets here and send a probe. What if they're planning to head straight in, without even slowing down?"

Evan considered that for a moment. "That's too dangerous. If he has no more probe data than he did when we all left Scotia, then he's flying blind." He wanted to add the fact that the last time he looked, Franklin's maps showed no clear images, but he refrained.

"I agree, but I've got too much at stake here to leave anything to chance." Alex sipped his coffee and stared at the screen. "I've waited too long to get this ship."

Evan found himself too saturated with the image, so he sat down facing the desk, with his back against the far arm of the couch and his feet pressed into the opposite arm. "That's what you see out there, isn't it? Not Turbidium or beating Franklin, but your own freedom."

Alex looked at him, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "What?"

"That's why you never care about the notoriety you've gained, or the reputation you have. None of that matters to you."

"Stuff like that is trivial compared to the vastness we're exploring."

"No, it's more than that." Evan felt as if he'd just stumbled upon the answer to some question he hadn't even asked. "If exploration was your only goal, we'd be heading toward that anomaly, not away from it."

"That anomaly won't pay the bills."

"Exactly." Evan set his cup down and continued. "I know what the contract states. If you win this for Carpenter, the Ascalon will be yours, free and clear."

"Among other things." Alex sat back, holding the steaming cup with both hands. "I'm using up a lot of Carpenter's money out here, this is the only way he wins that back."

"But even if you failed, that's his money. His gamble. If you win this, you'll finally be free of them all. The Ascalon will be yours, as well as a hefty financial reward, and you can claim anything you find from then on out."

"Set for life." Alex lifted his cup in salute to the notion. "But first we have to win."

Evan shook his head. "But then I still don't understand."

"What's that?" Alex finished his coffee and sat forward again.

"You could have had all of this already. The ship, the money, and you could have gone straight to that section of the nebula without bothering with any of this."

Alex inhaled deeply and let the breath out slowly, twisting the silver ring around his finger while he looked at the band. "If I'd sold you, you mean?"

"Of course you still can, at any time." Evan knew, now more than any other time, that nothing was absolute. Just because he'd been with Spencer for over twenty-seven years, didn't mean Alex would want him forever.

"Can you tell me why you built that display?"

"What?"

Alex pushed his chair back but didn't get up. "I didn't ask you to do it. Hell, I didn't even know you could do it."

"I did it because I thought you'd like it. I thought it could help." Evan swung his feet off the couch and faced Alex.

"Exactly." He smiled, nodding once as if his point had just been made.

"What are you saying?" It was plain they were talking about two, or perhaps three, different things.

"You did that for no other reason than because you thought I'd like it." Alex stood and slowly walked around the desk. "And you were right, I do. And I've been so absorbed with it I haven't thanked you yet."

"I was doing what -- "

"A friend would do."

This was absurd! No Sha'erah would pass up an opportunity like that, to do something to please . . . Evan stopped himself from saying that out loud. That wasn't exactly true, was it? But then again . . . "You can't possibly tell me you kept me out of friendship? You didn't even know me then." In fact, they'd hated each other.

Alex shook his head. "I'm not my father, remember? I couldn't be him. Not even then."

"So you kept me because you were afraid of becoming your father?"

His Keeper seemed suddenly uncomfortable with the turn of the conversation. He began walking toward the door as if to end it by leaving.

"Among other things. I suppose. Yes."

Evan stood. "Your father never sold me. I was with him from the day I was given over to the day he died."

Both men looked at each other, each wondering how they'd managed to lose their arguments. Evan wasn't even sure what point Alex had been trying to get to, but he felt confident he'd missed it by a wide margin.

"Okay, wait a second." Alex held up a hand. His expression had turned pensive, as if he was still asking himself a question. "I admit, I have no idea why I didn't sell you." He glanced up at Evan, eyebrows knit together. "I like to think it was morally offensive -- which it was -- but I can't honestly say that was the only reason."

"So you don't know, exactly." It wasn't something Spencer would ever admit, but Evan found himself hoping Alex would prove different yet again.

"No." Alex's eyebrows raised as if expecting a reaction he was ready to agree with. "As much as it kills me to admit it, about anything. I don't know, exactly."

Evan's own internal reaction surprised him. It felt almost like . . . like pride. "Then you understand."

Alex laughed shortly and opened the door. "Not one damn thing."

"Captain, the Vision is hailing us."

Evan instinctively looked out the window, even knowing he wouldn't see Franklin's ship there.

"What?" Alex walked to the edge of the short rail and looked down anxiously at the man standing in front of the main com board. "It's too soon." He glanced at Evan. "Could he be boosting his signal?"

Evan shrugged, then hurried around the walkway and down to the bridge level where he could access the communications terminal.

"Captain Franklin is hailing, sir. Audio only."

"Put him through." Alex looked at Evan as he waited.

From the com terminal, Evan could access the signal and follow it back, establishing his own link with the Vision. He refrained from intruding when he caught a warning look on his Keeper's face, and concentrated on their position only.

"Marcase? Thought I'd find you here." Franklin's jovial voice echoed through the bridge.

Evan was surprised, and dismayed, to learn the Vision was much closer than they'd thought. In fact, in another thirty minutes it would be close enough to view with the naked eye, several thousand miles 'above' them. He'd obviously underestimated the man's willingness to push his ship past safe limits.

"I knew you wouldn't want to venture in there without someone to hold your hand." Alex quipped, his voice several degrees lighter than his countenance.

Evan maintained his contact with the Vision's mainframe and noticed two launch tubes opening. Alex had been pacing the walkway, but was now close enough to speak to quietly. "He's launching two probes."

Alex looked at Evan questioningly, but spoke to Franklin. "You weren't planning on going in there blind, were you?"

"Of course not." There was a pause during which they could hear, faintly, the captain giving an order. "Give me an hour or so, and maybe we can go in together."

"Damn him."

Alex's whisper didn't carry very far, but Evan was sure no one on the bridge could miss the dark look on his face. He watched his Keeper when they heard the navigator announce two probes passing them.

"On the screen." Alex turned and looked at the large screen covering the window.

Two trails of white-hot exhaust snaked by their ship, screaming toward the nebula. Before they plunged into the gas, the probes split up. One headed straight toward the section C-3 and her primary occupied, while the other veered off and aimed directly at the anomaly Alex had been eyeing.

"Dammit!" Alex clutched the railing with both hands, watching the probes speed on their different courses.

"He's going to get data back in less than twenty minutes." Someone on the bridge warned.

Evan was sure no one else cared about the anomaly, Alex hadn't spoken of it to anyone else all these months. But everyone on board knew where C-3 was, and what they stood to lose if the Vision beat the Ascalon there. He looked up, trying to catch Alex's eye and get him to relent and accept what he could do for him. Almost as if he knew what Evan was thinking, Alex turned and looked him sternly in the eyes, a look bordering on desperation blazing on his face.

"No!"

He turned away again before Evan could argue. Obviously his desperate need to avoid any image of wrong doing was stronger than his need to succeed. Foolish as that was. It wasn't stealing unless they acted on it. Evan switched his focus, pulling his connection to the Vision away and locating the probe that had deviated toward the anomaly. Alex's attention was still on the screen, even though the probes had long since vanished into the nebula, and the general atmosphere of the bridge was one of tense anticipation, so he knew no one would bother wondering what he was doing.

It was the longest twenty minutes he could remember. When the data stream finally returned, Evan was careful not to interfere with it as he diverted a copy of the burst and sent it to a file he could access later. The whole affair took seconds, so he tried to establish contact with the other probe while it was still transmitting.

"Something's wrong."

Alex turned away from the screen, looking down at Evan. "What?"

Out of habit, Evan copied the data stream he'd located even while he was trying to figure out just what exactly it was that had him on edge. In a flash, he scanned ahead, pushing past the data burst to locate it's source. What he found didn't make sense. "His probe just self destructed."

Alex stepped forward, glaring down at Evan. "I told you not to -- "

"Oh my God." There was a strangely familiar feel to the end of the transmission. "It sent a coded message to the Vision!" Evan pulled his thoughts away from the probe data and looked up at Alex. "It will send the engines to critical!"

"What?" Alex stared at him in disbelief. "Are you sure?"

"Just like our probe, only this is set to destroy them!" Evan could have pulled up the command on their screen as proof, but there wasn't time. Alex blinked once, then acted, running to the communications terminal himself.

"Franklin, you're in danger!" Alex shouted into the com. Someone had the foresight to change their view on the screen, and the Vision slowly came into view.

"Nice try, Marcase." Franklin's face suddenly filled the screen, smiling at him from the bridge of the Vision. He laughed lightly and glanced around him at the smiling faces of his own bridge crew.

"I'm serious, dammit! That probe you launched is sending back a command just like the one that sabotaged mine!"

"He doesn't believe you." Evan came up beside Alex. "There's no time."

"Get out of there! Get to your life pods!"

"Don't be -- "

Someone beside Franklin swore suddenly, then everyone heard an explosion.

"Get out of there!" Alex's shout went unheard. On the screen, panic ensued as Captain Franklin called out orders over the din of further explosions. He turned back to the screen, staring at Alex. As his mouth opened to speak, the screen went black. Over the speakers, they heard a burst of static, then nothing. "My God." Alex turned suddenly, shouting at his crew. "Turn us around, now! There have to be survivors, I want every sensor trained on their location looking for life pods!"

The bridge of the Ascalon became a flurry of activity as Alex's orders were acknowledged and acted upon. Evan knew the only thing he could do was stand beside his Keeper and wait to be needed, but he felt helpless! Right now, Alex was the Captain of a ship in a desperate attempt to rescue survivors. He had his command experience to lean into and use as a shield, and he was doing an admirable job of it. But sooner or later, survivors or not, the need for action would end. All Evan could do was wait.

Someone, amid the ordered chaos on the bridge, thought to bring up the view on the bridge screen. Movement stopped for a moment as they all looked up, staring in morbid fascination at the bright spec of light and debris still flowering out into space.

"My God." Alex's voice was barely a whisper, heard only by Evan as the two of them stood side by side, looking at the scene. "No."

Chapter 9

"We have contact. Bearing 0-9-2."

"Looks like their sickbay."

"What about the pods?" Alex hadn't taken his eyes from the screen in what felt like days. Instinct and training had taken control the moment the Vision exploded, allowing him to give orders and maintain calm while they worked to rescue survivors. His mind and feelings had long since retreated, taking a back seat while the rest of him played Captain, listening to his crew call out reports and findings.

Beside him, almost forgotten in the chaos, stood Evan, watching the screen. "That piece of wreckage is their sickbay?"

Alex nodded. "Sickbays are double-shielded and positioned so they can jettison automatically." He never took his eyes from the large chunk of debris the scanners were focused on. "It serves as a base for all escape pods to congregate to. Medical staff and anyone else in sickbay would have been launched the instant the ship began to break up."

"So there are some survivors."

Alex turned and glared at Evan, feeling the first twinge of anger beginning to break through the false bubble of control he'd been hiding behind. "There has to be more!" He looked back at the screen. "Get a transport out there to bring it in. And keep looking!"

"Aye-aye."

The activity and quick response of the crew behind him began to slow down as less and less urgency filled the bridge. Two hours worth of scanning sweeps had picked up nothing but chunks of metal and floating detritus, all that was left of an exploration ship and crew of ninety-four. Alex could feel the cold touch of reality hovering behind him, waiting for him to deal with what happened. His control and training were winding down. The almost comforting wall of instinct and disassociation were wearing thin, and he didn't want to come out from behind them. Not yet.

On the screen they could see a small transport vehicle making contact with the sickbay as it locked on and began to drag the survivors to the Ascalon.

"We have contact."

Alex turned away from the screen and faced his bridge crew.

"They're listing the ship's physician, two medical crew . . . There were five patients in sickbay at the time."

"Names?" Alex couldn't meet anyone's gaze. It felt as if his eyes were glazed over, as if everything that was happening was simply in a report someone set on his desk.

The comm. officer began relaying the names as he was given the information. "Doctor Zane, two assistants, Marie Dumont and Katherine Marks. Data Technician Keith Andrews. Chief Mining Officer Edwards, Charles Edwards. Two navigation officers, Lauren Merk and Ted Raines." The officer looked up, trying to catch his captain's eye. "And their Bridge Officer, Jeff."

Alex blinked, focusing finally on the officer below him. "Jeff?"

"Yes, sir. Apparently he was in sickbay at the time."

"No one else?" He glanced around, noticing then that Evan was down below, standing with his left hand pressed against one of the scanner consoles.

"It must have happened too fast." Evan shook his head. "There isn't anyone else out there."

The cold shock that had been holding Alex together began to melt away with the heat of a rage that surprised him. "I want full reports from all survivors immediately after they've been checked in sickbay."

"Aye, sir."

"And keep scanning that debris field. We don't give up until every inch of that wreckage has been checked five times!" He turned and started walking around the upper level toward the main door. "I'll be in my quarters, preparing the transmission."

"Aye, sir!"

Anger and adrenaline made taking the lift impossible. He wanted to run, to sprint as far away from that sight as he possibly could. As it was, Alex had to rely on three flights of access ladders and two long hallways to help cool the burning in mind and body. His heart was racing when he reached his door, but he knew it wasn't from the trip. Vaguely, he noticed Evan only a few feet behind him, silently following him back to their quarters.

Once inside, the rage took over, pushing what little was left of his calm control completely out of his reach. He turned to focus on the only person he could ask.

"What the hell happened out there?!" Alex turned to face Evan as he was shutting the door behind them.

"The probe sent a command much like the one that sabotaged our engines."

Evan's answer was a little too plainly obvious for him to take. "This wasn't sabotage, this was murder!" Alex paced further into the room. His head was spinning, and his face alternating between burning red with rage and the white chill of shock. "The man who sabotaged our engines was onboard the Vision."

"It could have been programmed before it was even loaded onboard the ship."

Alex reached the window and turned around quickly, pacing toward the couch. The shock of what had actually happened was sinking in, dragging at his gut like a lead weight. "Eighty-six people died out there!" He waved one hand toward the window behind him, unwilling to look for fear some of the wreckage would be visible. His face was burning red again as he looked at Evan, standing just inside the door, a black contrast to his white-hot emotions. "Or it could have been someone over here!"

"It isn't your fault."

"Dammit!" Alex picked something up from the small table beside the couch. "Eighty-six people are dead!"

"But it isn't your fault."

"It has to be someone's fault!" Before he knew what he was doing, he'd launched the little glass sculpture across the room. The thick glass smacked into the wall several feet away from Evan, then bounced with a very unsatisfying thud on the carpet. There was no musical shattering of glass to match the uncontrollable shaking deep inside.

"Yes, it has to be someone's fault." Evan walked purposefully toward Alex and clutched his arms with both hands, preventing him from turning away to pace the room again. "But it isn't yours!"

"How do you know?" Alex pulled out of Evan's grip with one violent motion, stepping back a half step. "We put everything on being the first one there, the first one to win." He stared into the Sha’erah’s black eyes, almost afraid he was going to see wreckage of the Vision reflected there. "It was never worth this! Nothing could be worth this!"

"We may learn more after you've spoken to the survivors." Evan was obviously trying to be a logical, calming voice of reason.

It wasn't working.

"You made contact with that probe, didn't you?" Alex felt a chill on his face as the burning rage again gave way to cold shock.

"I saw it self-destruct." Evan shrugged. "Something struck me as wrong about the data it was sending back. I should have seen it happening sooner."

A second chill coursed down Alex's spine. His heart felt as if it was skipping beats. The ring around his finger felt cold and loose, almost as if it would slip off, but when he turned away and began twisting it as he paced, it was as snug a fit as ever.

"You're in shock, you're not thinking clearly right now."

"Damn right I'm in shock." Alex continued to walk slowly away, toward the galley. "Eighty-six people are dead. Someone murdered them, and that someone is probably on board my ship."

"We don't know that."

"Don't we?" Alex turned around, his heart pounding in his throat. He didn't really know anything any more: his ship, the safety of his crew, even this man standing here looking at him with an almost alien sense of reason. He still felt like throwing things, or hitting someone, as illogical and stupid as it may be. Evan hadn't even flinched when he'd hurled the glass. Was this what his father used to do when he was angry? "I need to make a report, send a transmission back to Scotian about what happened."

Evan took a few steps forward. "You should go to sickbay, you don't look -- "

"I'm fine!" Alex held up a hand that stopped Evan in his tracks. "Just leave me alone so I can do this!"

Without a single word of protest, Evan walked straight for the door and left. Alex heard the locking sequence key in from outside then saw the indicator above the door reflect the DO NOT DISTURB notice glowing for all passers-by to see.

He'd never felt so alone. Figuratively and literally.

Alex felt drained as he instructed the computer to take down his report. Since he was already in the galley, he retrieved a glass of scotch and paced slowly back to the center of the room, trying to gather what few thoughts he had left.

"Time and date of incident on record." Alex spoke to the computer, but his gaze was fixed somewhere near the carpeted floor. "Cause of explosion still unknown, but source seems to be one of two long-range probes launched approximately thirty minutes prior." It had really happened. Somehow saying it out loud solidified the facts, cutting off all possibility that this was just a bad dream he could still wake from. A swallow of the whiskey caused a flush to rise again to Alex's face as he added the names of the survivors to the recording. "Captain Franklin had no time to react, and apparently had no indication of any tampering prior to launch." Eighty-six people! There weren't even bodies to return. Accidents in space rarely afforded proper funerals, everyone knew the risks. "God, what have I done?" And why did this feel like his fault? "Strike last sentence." Alex took another swallow. "As soon as possible the sickbay recorder will be retrieved and evaluated for clues." He hated doing these reports. During his short stint in Scotian military service, he'd made a few of these incident reports, but never anywhere near this level. He was used to equipment being lost to negligence that had to be documented and reported by every officer onboard. The occasional fighter pilot who didn't make it back.

Not this.

He finished the scotch in one more swallow, then hurried through the facts in as mundane a manner as possible, ending the recording quickly so it could be transmitted as soon as each survivor added his or her information.

After pouring another glass of scotch, Alex walked to the window. Logic finally assured him no debris would be visible by the naked eye from this side of the Ascalon, so he leaned into the heavily shielded glass, pressing his forehead against the hard surface.

"Wake up, Alex." Couldn't he still be asleep on the couch, dreaming all of this? He knew he wasn't. He knew it long before he started the dictation. He just couldn't accept it! Nothing was right. In fact, nothing had been right since the morning he took that call. "Damn you, VanHolt." And damn me for being so blind. There were so many ifs, so many variables to each choice he could have or should have made, his head began to spin thinking of them.

Alex wasn't sure how long he stood there, head pressed against the glass with a forgotten glass of whiskey in one hand, but the muffled voices outside the door finally registered. He straightened up and set the glass down on his way to the door, only then remembering Evan and his own order to be left alone. "Oh, God."

The door whisked open with a brush of air. Alex let out the breath he'd been holding when he saw Evan standing in he hallway, facing Jeff.

"Alex, I was trying to get him to buzz you." Jeff looked from Alex to Evan, then back again.

"Come in." Alex stepped aside and motioned for his former second-in-command to step inside. "We need to talk." He glanced at Evan, trying to think of something to say that would send him off somewhere for a while.

Evan seemed to nod ever so slightly, then glanced quickly at Jeff's back as the man walked into the room. "I'll be on the bridge."

"Fine." Alex closed the door and felt his heart stop racing. "You wouldn't believe what happened the last time I told him I wanted to be left alone."

"I can imagine." Jeff walked slowly into the room, glancing around at the subtle changes that had taken place since he left.

"Alice wasn't on board, was she?"

"No, thank God. She got a job back on Scotian so she stayed there."

"Help yourself to a drink." Alex left his own glass where it was. "Jeff, didn't anyone else make it out?"

"No." Jeff poured himself a drink, diluting it with several ice cubes, then turned to face Alex, shaking his head. "It was too fast. Sick bay was jettisoned before we even knew what was happening." He sipped his drink and leaned back against the counter, rubbing his forehead. "God, Alex, I can't believe it. Who would do this? Your doctor said he heard a command from our probe made our engines go critical or something?"

"We think so." Alex felt his consciousness wanting to glaze over in mental retreat. He had to force himself to stay put. "None of this makes any sense." He paced the room again, slowly twisting the ring around his finger. "First our engines are damaged by someone in your crew, now this."

"This couldn't have been someone in our crew, Alex. It would have meant suicide."

"I know." Alex couldn't help but be grateful for Jeff's survival, and his calm presence at a time when he, more than anyone, had the right to want to throw things around the room in anger. "I can't believe any of it." He gave up pacing and sat down heavily on the couch, staring at the silver ring he was still playing with.

Behind him, soft footsteps could be heard approaching the couch slowly. "Place looks a little different."

"He lives here, Jeff."

"I know."

When Jeff sat down, Alex noticed the glass figure he was holding. He returned it to the table. There wasn't even a crack to validate his anger.

"You're still going in, aren't you?"

Alex laughed shortly, completely without humor. "That's what this is all about, isn't it?"

"What?"

He looked up, gazing out the window. The Pendulum Nebula glowed bright and close. "Franklin died because of that thing. It's the only reason any of us came out here."

Jeff nodded, looking at the gas giant. "Going back won't fix anything."

Alex looked at the ring again, turning it slowly back and forth. "I keep trying to go back in my mind, trying to find the moment it all went south." He shook his head. "But I can't. Every decision I made, everything that happened, just takes me in a circle." With a heavy sigh, he leaned back and stared blankly at the ceiling. "Not taking that call from the lawyer would have left me without funding, but Carpenter came through anyway, so I'd still be out here. Selling him would have -- " Alex swallowed the part of his sentence that would bring up his father. "I'd've had funding and been out here anyway."

"Stop it, Alex." Jeff leaned back beside him and stared up at the ceiling as well. "That kind of thinking doesn't do anyone any good." He sighed. "I don't know, maybe I'm still in shock. It hasn't really kicked in yet, I don't think. One minute I'm in sickbay with a mild case of food poisoning, the next minute I'm being rescued from what should have been a routine mission."

"You should have been here." Alex remembered that day as if it had just happened. "I was an idiot to let you quit like that. Hell, I didn't even argue."

"Forget it."

"No." Alex sat up, shaking his head. All those feelings of anger and backstabbing were suddenly focusing inward. Maybe that's where they should have been all along? "It was my fault. It was -- I was still reeling from the stupidity of it all." He gave his old friend an apologetic glance. "It's not every day someone leaves you a human being in their will. I wasn't handling any of it well. I was looking for a fight I could win, and you were it." He stood again and walked toward the window. For some reason, the ship that had felt like home for so many years suddenly felt claustrophobic.

"Alex . . . " Jeff sat up and set his drink on the table. "I've had a lot of time to think about this, about how both of us over-reacted. I was too quick to throw away so many good years together. Alice and I both, we . . . Well we felt like we had a family going here."

A twinge of regret stabbed Alex in the gut, mixing with the guilt. Jeff was sitting here being reasonable, his old self, just like nothing had gone wrong. It did feel right. Didn't it?

"In fact, we thought you and Sara were about to enter a bonding contract together."

Alex laughed shortly and shook his head. "Yeah, well, that didn't quite work out." The fact that she'd left for a paying job a week before he got funding hadn't helped. "She didn't waste any time moving out."

"Well, neither did Alice. And I was quick to follow her."

"It really hurt seeing you on a rival ship, I gotta tell you. We'd been an unbeatable team for too long."

"I know, but at the time it was the right thing for me to do." Jeff stood, slowly walking to the window. "I admit I was pretty freaked by this Sha'erah thing, not as freaked as you were maybe, but there wasn't time to sit down and talk about it. You were going ahead, bringing this guy on that no one knew anything about. Alice let some rumors get the better of her, and I admit the whole concept really struck me as wrong."

"I know. It was a lot. Too much. The timing sucked, that's for sure. But I had to make a choice myself, and stick with it. I can't explain it, but it was right."

"And now this."

Alex looked at his old friend. "He had nothing to do with it."

"You don't sound convinced."

"No," Alex shook his head sharply. "I can trust him, Jeff." The fears bubbling under the surface of his consciousness frightened him suddenly as they gave voice to their identity. Doubts he'd been able to attribute to other things until now. "He's been the only one I can trust lately."

"So you can control him?"

Alex laughed. "Control? I wouldn't call it that." He pushed away from the window and started pacing again, trying to turn his shaking into a more positive motion. "He does things he thinks are for my best interest, whether I like them or not."

"But don't you see? That's exactly what I was afraid of from the start." Jeff moved to the edge of the round table and sat so he could see Alex as he paced around the room. "Alex, this guy is part alien."

"We don't know that."

"No, we don't. No one seems to know much about them." He inhaled deeply and leaned forward as if about to explain something complex to a student. "Try to put yourself in my shoes for just a minute. My captain comes back from one of the worst sections of the galaxy, with a Sha'erah in tow. Something he didn't even believe existed until that week. I see this dark, dangerous looking guy with God knows what kind of tricks up his sleeve, and I'm supposed to trust him with everything, no questions asked."

He hated it when people insisted on making logical sense when he was this upset. At least from Jeff it was easier to take. The man was his senior by several years, he was supposed to be more mature about these things.

"You were being too stubborn at the time to listen to reason. And I admit, I wasn't exactly feeling politically correct about him. It was so unlike you to do something like that, and such bad timing, we both let our emotions get in the way."

Alex knew if he told Jeff everything that happened back on Cryian, he'd only be justifying those emotions. No sense looking back when the past just sat there staring at you. At least he had this chance to make amends. And he had his family back, such as it was.

He stopped pacing. "Now what?"

Jeff stood and smiled a sort of side-ways grin he had at times. "Well, my old room is Evan's now. I won't argue that. I'm just a rescued survivor, willing to serve in whatever capacity you need for now."

"There are spare quarters somewhere, there always are."

"I know." Jeff stopped when he was beside Alex and slapped him on the back. "I'll make do, don't worry. Just . . . keep an eye out, okay? I know, you're sure Evan had nothing to do with this. But until we know for sure, for my sake, be careful?"

"I'm positive. I trust him. I can't explain it, and I know I can't offer up any proof to you, but I do trust him. He's a good man, Jeff. You'll just have to trust me on that." Alex walked to the door, but at his old friend's insistence, stayed in his quarters to sort things out. There was still a chance the data recorder in sickbay had information, something that might explain what happened, if not why. Alex sat on the couch for hours, twisting the ring around his finger, before realizing he hadn't had a clear thought since he sat down. Or a single interruption. It was after midnight, clearly no other survivors had been found. It was over.

The bridge was eerily quiet, manned only by the night shift who merely nodded their acknowledgments when Alex walked through the door. The mood of the entire ship would probably be drastically subdued for a while, as each one dealt with the tragedy in their own way.

Alex walked to the office, trying to gather his thoughts along the way, such as they were. His mind kept going back to that glass statue, the sound of it smacking the wall, and the look on Evan's face. All that crap about not wanting to become his father, and what had he done? Even when the object left his hand, he remembered hearing a tiny voice of reason explaining why that was a ridiculous thing to do. But at the time, all he wanted to hear was the sound of something breaking, very loudly and as a direct result of his anger.

Now he hoped he hadn't broken anything.

He found Evan sitting on the edge of the couch at the computer terminal. His left hand rested on the input pad while his eyes looked distant and unfocused. "It's late."

Evan blinked, then focused on Alex and took his hand away from the computer. "We didn't find any more survivors."

"I know."

"I'm sorry. I know on a certain level, Captain Franklin was your friend."

"He was a colleague." Alex walked to the edge of the desk and leaned against it. "Things like this aren't supposed to happen."

"I promise you, I had nothing to do with -- "

"No," Alex held up one hand, stopping his sentence. "It's all right, I believe you." He sighed, rubbing his forehead. "If I let you monitor that probe from the minute it launched, you might have seen this coming sooner."

"We don't know that." Evan pushed the computer away and looked at Alex. "I've been angry with myself for not having done that anyway. I did, sort of, but obviously not soon enough."

"Well, I guess we've both done the requisite beating ourselves up." Alex straightened up and rubbed his eyes again, then nodded toward the door. "Let's call it a night. What's done is done. All we can do now is try to figure out the who and why." If that was even possible.

Evan followed him out of the office and they returned to their quarters in exhausted silence. Each struggling with the tragic events and consequences and the feelings of guilt that did neither man any good.

"I thought Jeff . . . " Evan let his sentence trail off as he glanced around their living quarters.

"Thought Jeff what?" Alex looked up, puzzled, then realized what Evan wasn't saying. "Oh, no, these aren't his quarters anymore." Does he really think I'm that shallow? Not that he had much reason not to. "He and the other survivors can have temporary quarters, then stay with the mining team and catch a ride back when our claim is settled."

Evan only nodded in reply, but Alex couldn't help noticing a look of relief in those black eyes.

"What do we do now?"

Alex sat on the couch, staring out into space. "Tomorrow we'll have to go over the recordings from the sickbay emergency procedures, see if they show anything significant. After that, there's nothing else we can do, so we'll keep going in." Why did that feel so wrong? He started twisting the ring around his finger.

"It's after midnight, you should get some sleep." Evan walked past the couch and stood at the window, looking out. "You didn't sleep much last night."

"Neither of us did." It was hard to believe how one fantastic night could turn into such a horrific day. Alex leaned back in the couch and his gaze fell to the glass figurine. "Listen, I'm sorry about that little display earlier." From the corner of his eye, he could see Evan turning to face him, but his gaze didn't want to leave the glass. "I don't usually thrown things when I'm angry." At least not at people. When he finally did look up, he met a slightly puzzled gaze.

"You had every right to be angry."

"Maybe." Alex stood up. He was weary, but knew there was no chance of sleeping anytime soon. Too much had happened in too short a time. But, he was at least determined to make the attempt in bed this time. "But no right to take it out on you, or anyone else."

"I'll start examining the sickbay recordings, see if I can come up with anything by morning."

"No." Alex stopped at his door, turning to find that Evan, reluctantly obedient, had stopped just short of the desk. "Leave it. We're both exhausted. Just go get some sleep, we'll deal with it in the morning."

"But I could -- "

"Get some sleep." Alex stopped just short of telling him it was an order, but he allowed his tone to convey the message in no uncertain terms.

Grudgingly, Evan nodded and went to his room.

That night brought little sleep, and the next day brought fewer answers. Evan and several other technicians scoured the Vision's emergency beacon built into the sick bay for hours and found no clues, and precious few facts. The probe's last signal had been a direct, coded command to unshield the ship's massive engines, causing an immediate meltdown of all controls. Within seconds, the fuel had gone critical. It had happened too fast for anyone to reach a life pod, or even realize what was happening. Only those already in sick bay were saved when the unit automatically sealed and jettisoned away from the exploding ship.

Alex let Jeff accompany him while interviewing each of the survivors, but they had all been just as shocked as everyone when they found themselves sealed up and jettisoned. The non-medical personnel had, like Jeff, been in sickbay for simple cases of food poisoning, and otherwise would have been killed with the rest of the crew.

"I can assure you all, standard rules apply." Alex stood in the middle of the large room in sickbay, addressing all eight. "As soon as we've staked our claim, and chances are that will be soon, we'll set up the mining teams and send word back. You can stay with them and catch the first ride back to Scotian, or sign on with the Ascalon. I won't need decisions from any of you until then, so please, make yourselves at home here while you think about it." There were nods and slight smiles all around. "I'm sure Jeff here can help you with any messages you might want to transmit back home." Alex glanced at his old friend. "And if you need me or have any other problems, you can contact my second. I know you haven't met Evan yet, but you can usually find him on the bridge."

The look Jeff directed at him was quick, and almost instantly replaced, but the impression of surprise and icy anger was unmistakable.

"That's very charitable of you, Captain." Dr. Zane approached, smiling widely. "I wonder if I might have a word, in private?"

"Certainly." Alex gave Jeff one last glance, then stepped out into the hallway where the Vision's chief physician waited. "Doctor Zane, right?"

"Or Philip, if you prefer." The doctor stood a good foot taller than Alex, but his friendly smile and nearly white hair softened any intimidation factor. "I understand you have a Sha'erah on board?"

Alex tensed, readying himself for an argument. "Evan, he's my second-in-command."

Dr. Zane smiled, nodding happily. "I'd love to meet him, Captain. You see, I did my doctoral thesis on Sha'erah and their possible origins. Fascinating people, I must say."

Alex blinked in surprise.

"I admit, I'm not exactly in favor of how they're used, no offense to you, Captain. Slavery in this day and age is just . . . well, wrong."

"None taken, doctor. And it's Alex." He couldn't quite believe what he was hearing, but he wasn't about to miss any opportunity. "I agree completely, believe me. Until the day I inherited Evan I had no idea Sha'erah were even real. I certainly never expected to find a doctor who knew all about them."

"Inherited? Well then, that changes some things."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, just that . . . " Dr. Zane glanced around, making sure they were still the only two in the corridor. "Well, I'd heard other things, and while it's not for me to judge, I hadn't realized you didn't purchase this man yourself."

He didn't have to think too hard to come up with the source of those rumors. Alex chose to ignore it. "You're a godsend, Doctor. I've got a million questions for you."

"Alex, we should see if those technicians have anything yet." Jeff interrupted with no apologies and reached out as if to steer Alex away.

"We've plenty of time, Captain, I assure you. I've spoken with your Doctor Gorman and he has graciously agreed to put my nurses and myself to work here, to pass the time."

"Later, then." Alex smiled at the doctor as they shook hands, then he turned and allowed Jeff to hurry him out of the medical bay. "What's your rush, Jeff? They haven't found anything yet."

"How do you know?" Jeff didn't slow down until they reached the nearest lift.

"If they had, Evan would have called me." Alex twisted his head around until his neck popped. The stress and fatigue were creeping up his back, stiffening his joints and threatening a nasty sleep-deprivation headache.

"You're sure of that, are you?"

Alex glanced at Jeff, feeling irritated at the tone of his voice. "Yes, I am."

"Unless he had something to do with it." The lift doors opened up and Jeff boarded the car.

Alex followed him inside. "I told you, Evan had nothing to do with it. You don't have to like him, Jeff. But until you have hard evidence against him, you're going to have to respect him like anyone else around here."

Jeff made no reply, so they rode the lift to the bridge level in silence. He knew this couldn't have been as simple as he thought. Having Jeff back might feel right and normal in some respects, but then again, he'd been gone for months. Alex had finally been given time to get used to Evan as a member of the crew, if not as a Sha'erah, and aside from a few arguments they'd been getting along just fine. In fact, he found he rather liked those arguments, most of the time. Evan seemed to enjoy the sparring as well. It was too much to ask for Jeff to ease into that rapport. He wasn't even sure if he could ask Evan.

"How's it going?" Alex took the lead when he stepped onto the bridge and approached Evan and the other technicians huddled around several terminals. He almost had to elbow Jeff just to keep his place, which only served to increase the throbbing of the headache developing.

Evan looked up, ignoring Jeff completely as he met Alex's gaze. His reply was one simple shake of his head.

"Okay, I think it's safe to say there's nothing there to find." He motioned with his head for Evan to follow them to the office, then started around the walkway with Jeff following. "It's time to get back on course and get this job done."

Alex paused near the office door and gave his bridge crew the order to return to the course that would take them into the nebula within a few short weeks. They had a planet with strong potential to sample and claim.

Inside the office, Evan took his usual seat at the end of the couch, pulling the computer around to face him so he could call up the last probe's data. Alex sat behind the desk, and after a moment's hesitation, Jeff took a seat at a small table beside the large screen used for conferences.

"Do you have readings to go after, yet?"

Alex looked up from his smaller screen. "Yes, we do. C-3 and her parent are definite sources."

Jeff shook his head slowly. "To think, it all lay right there, just inside the gas, and Franklin didn't even make it that far."

Alex glanced at Evan, then back to Jeff. "He died doing what he loved. They all did."

"How strong are the readings?"

"Good enough." Alex looked back at his screen and scanned the information blinking at him in bright red. Something was making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, but he wasn't sure what it was. Probably a residual reaction to everything that had been happening. But then again . . .

"Why don't you go ahead and transmit your claim now, then?"

Alex looked up again, puzzled. "We can't stake a claim without hard evidence. You know that." He looked at Evan and found the man eyeing Jeff as well.

"I know, but it seems like a moot point now. There's no competition. No harm in staking a claim that might not pan out in the end if no one's going to argue the point."

Alex blinked, his eyebrows knitting together. "We'll be there in a few weeks, as long as the nebula doesn't give us any trouble. What's the hurry?"

Jeff shrugged, but before he could reply, a beeping sound began emanating from his jacket. He reached in and retrieved a small pager, glanced at the display, then returned the unit to his pocket.

"When did you start carrying a pager, Jeff?"

"I finally took your advice." Jeff smiled, standing up. "They do come in handy after all. If you'll excuse me, a couple of my people have need of me."

Alex watched him leave, then returned to his study of the geologist's findings, trying not to puzzle over Jeff's behavior. He had, after all, just been narrowly rescued from a tragic accident that had claimed the lives of his captain and crew. And his continued dislike of Evan wasn't exactly out of place, considering how little he knew him.

"You look tired." Evan's voice was quiet.

"I am tired." Alex looked up. "Once we get inside that gas, our sensors are going to be unreliable. We'll have to have a distinct route mapped out, inch by inch, before we get blinded." He stretched, popping his back. "Then I can get some sleep." Maybe. Last night's few minutes of actual rest had been filled with images of the Vision breaking into a million bright pieces, floating dead in space. "All we have to do is get into orbit around C-3's primary, drop the miners down there for some sampling, and we've got it made."

"What happens then?"

"We transmit our claim, with proof, set up the miners on the planet and anyone else wanting to stay, and we're home free."

"You mean, the Vision's survivors?"

"If they want to. It's their best bet for a quick ride home." Alex sat back in the chair and flipped a switch, setting the screen alive with images of the Pendulum Nebula. "I'm not going back right away. Not before I get out there and see what that anomaly is."

Evan looked at the screen, nodding. "I'd like to see it, too."

Alex laughed shortly. "I thought you didn't believe anything was there?"

"I'm not sure I do." Evan shrugged. "But I'd like to find out if I'm right or not."

"Yeah, well, so would I." He sat forward again, rubbing tired eyes. "But meantime, there's work to be done."

The next several weeks passed by in slightly uncomfortable routine. Alex and Evan used the large three-dimensional room display often to map out exact coordinates through the nebula's gasses to the large planet C-3 orbited, often spending entire nights surrounded by the stars and swirling gasses hovering in the room. As impressed as he was with Evan's invention, Alex found himself reluctant to show it to Jeff, and rarely invited him into the quarters they used to share. It felt good to have his old friend back, but it felt strange, too. He couldn't help the sense that something fundamental about Jeff had changed, something lurking under the surface that Alex couldn't put his finger on no matter how hard he tried. Evan would fall completely silent whenever Jeff was around, and Jeff never once addressed him directly. Alex found that irritating at first, then found it easier to simply make sure the two of them were never in the room together. All hopes of his old friend finding a way to appreciate his new one were gone.

Evan spent the time Alex and Jeff were together doing his security sweeps, walking through the ship daily, inspecting loading bays and storage rooms.

"I'm not sure this is anything to worry about." Evan set a palm box on the table then sat down for dinner. "Everything checks out all right, but I can't find a reason behind it."

"What's that?" Alex picked up the box and looked at the information displayed there while reaching for his coffee.

"Crates are being moved around, contents shifted. Nothing's missing or out of place, and everything is documented. I just don't understand why it's being done." He stabbed some meat with a fork, reading the information upside down while Alex flipped through the pages.

"Maybe someone's looking for something. But that doesn't make sense, everything in these crates is documented."

"I'd like your permission to investigate this. Something just doesn't feel right."

Alex nodded around a mouthful of dinner, then set the box down. "You don't need my permission. If you think something's going on, do whatever you feel you need to." He looked at Evan and noticed hesitation in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I think . . . I'm unclear on one point." He paused, then seemed to steel himself and continued. "With Jeff back, what exactly is my role on this ship?"

Alex nearly choked on his coffee. "I should have seen this coming." He set the cup down and dried his lip. Odd, he'd forgotten to shave again. It was a wonder he hadn't recognized his father in the mirror this morning. "Nothing has changed, Evan. You're my second-in-command, and if you're running into any problems with anyone, just let me know who they are. Jeff isn't back, he's just one of the survivors we picked up." Alex was feeling that way with growing certainty. "I admit, for a little while, I thought maybe things would be different. Not that I would have changed your title here. Jeff made sure of that by leaving the first time." He sighed and shook his head. "I understand why he felt the need to do that, now."

"If you want him back -- "

"No, I don't." Alex looked up sharply, then had to wonder at his own sudden emotional reaction. "He left. He had his reasons and I had mine. No, he's just a hitchhiker now. And if he's trying to muscle back into his old position with the rest of the crew, I'll stop that right now."

Evan held up a hand. "I think I'd rather you didn't."

"What?"

"I'm sure there's nothing I can't handle. I just wanted to know where I stood, that's all."

Alex pondered that a moment, then nodded. "Okay." He turned his attention back to dinner. "You should have said something sooner, if Jeff is bothering you. Or me having him around the bridge too much is getting in your way."

"It's not my place to tell you what to do on your ship."

Alex laughed. "Yeah, right. Since when has that ever stopped you?"

Evan's look only drew more laughter, so the Sha'erah stood and cleared the table. "I'll let you know if I find out what's going on in the storage bays. Did you know the other crew from the Vision all carry the same pager that Jeff does? All but the medical personnel."

"Maybe they're standard issue or something." Alex remembered Doctor Zane's comments about Sha'erah, and the fact that he hadn't yet had a chance to speak with the man in private. There always seemed to be something interrupting him every time he tried.

"You know I can't scan them without making physical contact."

"You think that's a problem?"

Evan shrugged, poured himself another cup of coffee, and walked out to the couch. "They pose a certain concern. It's at least one unknown factor. Those pagers can hold a huge amount of data that I can't access. Even their signals back and forth are out of my reach, unless I have my hands on a unit."

"You know, I still don't understand this." Alex leaned back into the cushions of the couch and stared out at the purple gasses now filling the view. "First our engines are damaged, so we lose our lead. That was someone on the Vision." Beside him, Evan nodded quietly. "But then the Vision is completely destroyed, presumably by someone over here."

"We don't know that yet."

"But anything else would mean suicide."

Evan looked at him. "There were survivors."

"They were in sickbay." Alex knew that didn't mean a thing, but he felt it required saying. "Doctor Zane has records showing mild food poisoning."

"Records can be faked," Evan offered. "But so can symptoms."

Alex closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "Jeff's one of those survivors. You think he might have something to do with it?" When there was no reply, he opened his eyes again and looked at Evan. "You do, don't you?"

"I don't think we can rule him out, no."

"Well," Alex sighed again, heavily. "I don't either."

Evan blinked at him, then seemed to think something over and nodded very slightly.

"I'm not saying I think he did. But I've been stewing over some things lately that I can't ignore. Not considering what happened to Franklin."

"Like?"

Alex shrugged. "I can't put my finger on anything specific. But he's different. Or maybe I'm different, and Jeff's fine. I dunno. But it still doesn't make much sense. Either someone wanted the Vision to beat us there, which is why we were sabotaged. Or they want us to win, and they destroyed Franklin's ship to make sure of it." He shrugged, looking at Evan. "But which is it?"

"My question is, what's next? And when? If knocking out any competition was the goal, then aside from finding out who did this, we should be clear. But what if that wasn't the motive?"

"You mean, what if someone out here just wants to kill for the sake of killing? That's pretty extreme, considering whoever it was would be dead if he succeeded."

Evan shrugged. "I don't have answers. Not yet. I'm just trying to understand what's happening and why, and when it might happen again."

Alex sat up and turned on the room display. "All I know is, we've got a route inside and a destination." The nebula filled the room again in a soft, pastel fog Alex had come to find quite relaxing. "Just do me a favor," he looked at Evan again, finding his face almost obliterated by the image of C-3. "Don't let anything stop you from finding the truth. Not even me."

Evan's eyebrows creased momentarily. He shook his head once. "I wouldn't."

Alex suppressed a laugh. "I didn't think you would."

Two days later, the Ascalon entered the Pendulum Nebula.

Alex watched from the bridge's view port as the ship nosed into the thickness of charged gas. Evan stood beside him, staring at the magnificent display of color and exited electrons smashing into the hull and swirling around the ship as it penetrated the depths. The bridge was filled with excitement and nervousness as their scanners and sensors began to fail, bombarded by too much interference. From this point on, they'd be practically flying blind, with only the occasional glimpse of their surroundings. Even the probes would be a risky proposition, their information dependent on the nebula's many moods.

Their route had been programmed in great detail, so the Ascalon could steer blindly toward their goal with complete assurance.

"I'm amazed at your map this time, Alex." Jeff stood below them with the bridge crew, gazing up at the upper walkway. "How did you get this kind of detail?"

"A navigator never reveals his secrets." Alex answered easily.

Jeff chuckled, walking closer to the railing. "But seriously, how did you get such detail from your probes? Those gasses keep changing. Anything could be lurking inside this thing."

Alex found Jeff's questions irritating, but he didn't have reason to. Maybe he was simply picking up on the tension caused by having him and Evan there together? Yes, that was probably it. "Trust me, Jeff."

"Oh I do." Jeff turned and looked at the static-filled screen again. "I do."

The look Evan sent in Jeff's direction was deadly, but Alex was sure only he noticed it. The Sha'erah had just returned from another sweep of the storage areas and hadn't had a chance to show Alex his findings, but just before they stopped to watch the ship enter the nebula he'd clearly been anxious about something. "Why don't you meet me in the office? We can go over your latest sweep of the storage bays."

Evan nodded once, then left Alex standing on the walkway.

"He doesn't like me much," Jeff nodded toward the office's closed door as he joined Alex above the bridge.

"Do you blame him?" Alex let his irritation show through in his voice. The man he'd once thought of as an older, wiser mentor had been acting like a jerk since they'd plucked him out of space a month ago.

"I suppose not. But it makes it hard for me to try to develop a better opinion of him."

"Is that what you were trying to do?"

"Look, Alex, I can see you like the guy. The crew likes the guy. Hell, he's probably a nice guy and I had no cause to distrust him from the start. But I've already explained my reactions then and even you had to agree I had reason to worry, the way you presented him to us and all." Jeff's voice had lowered into the reasoning tone he always used to quiet any concerns Alex had about any given topic. "He seems like a perfectly capable person, if not a little quiet."

"He's not much of a talker around strangers."

"That's an understatement." Jeff shook his head, then glanced around the bridge to make sure no one was listening. "Alex, I've been thinking about some things."

"Like?"

"Like, if I wanted to sign on here again. Is there a place for me on the Ascalon again?"

The question wasn't a surprise, but the fact that Jeff finally asked it did surprise Alex. He couldn't answer right away, couldn't get his voice to work right. Surely he realized Evan was here to stay? There was no way in hell Alex was selling the man, and after they staked their claim and sent the confirming transmission, the Ascalon was his as part of the contract. Could Jeff and Evan actually learn to work together in some form of harmony?

"Six months ago, I could have answered you." Alex sighed, letting the breath out slowly as he gaze unseeing at the screen.

"But?"

Before he could reply, Jeff's pager beeped again, grabbing his attention. And something tugged at Alex's doubts, demanding some respect of its own.

"Excuse me, I forgot about this."

"About what?" Alex decided it was strange enough for Jeff to have appointments considering his current status.

"Nothing, really." Jeff smiled, shoving the pager back into his pocket. "The other crew from the Vision, I forgot we'd planned a meeting to discuss whether or not they wanted to be dropped off with your miners. That's all. I'll let you know what they decide." He walked purposefully away without stopping to listen to any objections or comments Alex might have had.

Alex shrugged and made his way to the office. Evan handed over the palm display as he entered.

"The moving stopped, but I found these yesterday. Two empty crates, and no record of them having been loaded."

"Empty?" Alex looked at the display of two large crates in the back of one large storage bay.

"I've done heat scans, and taken samples." Evan pointed to a button on the unit and waited until Alex pressed it to see the test results. "It looks like someone, or something, was living in them for an undetermined amount of time."

Alex blinked. "You mean, we have a stowaway?"

"Or several." Evan shook his head with a frustrated sigh and paced around the office. "I should have known. Those storage bays are so huge, there could have been any number of crates with people inside. I didn't even start a physical exam of anything down there until just a few months ago."

"It's not your fault."

"I was going by the documents, and the unbroken seals. Everything was in order, but I should have looked past that."

"Until we had trouble, there was no reason to."

"This ship is so big, they could be anywhere. Anyone." Evan paced back and forth in the small office, gesturing angrily.

"But we found the first saboteur on the Vision, there was no reason at the time to think we had someone onboard."

"They could be using pagers to communicate. Be walking freely around this ship in the crowds. They could have found a way to send a command to the Vision's probe, even. If it was a signal from a personal transmitter, I couldn't have found it."

"Evan . . . "

"I want to open every crate on board, examine it and compare the contents to the manifest. Every one of them. I should have done this sooner."

"Evan." Alex had to stand in the man's way to get him to stop pacing and take notice. "It's not your fault. If we have a stowaway, we'll find him. Or them. Meanwhile," he sighed and set the palm unit on the table, then started twisting his ring around his finger as he walked around the desk. "If I got you Jeff's pager, could you download everything he has?"

Evan stared at Alex, obviously trying to catch up. "Yes, I can. But how . . . ?"

"Even anything he might have tight security on?"

"Of course." The tone of his voice suggested the foolishness in that question. "Anything he has."

Alex nodded, staring at the silver ring as it sparkled with each turn. "Good."

Evan stayed where he was for several minutes, watching Alex. Finally he sat down. "If our saboteur is going to make another move, it would make sense to wait until we're in orbit."

"I agree." Alex continued to twist the ring, taking some comfort in the habitual motion. "Can you tell, from these pagers, who they've made contact with?"

"Depends." Evan considered the question. "They all have history files, and even if they're purged they leave a trail, but they don't go back forever."

"About how far do they go?"

"I can promise you I can retrieve a year, but after that I don't know."

Alex nodded. "A year should be more than enough." He looked at the ring again, spinning it around and around with two fingers. In the back of his mind, things were starting to fall into place. He couldn't really identify them, or even the place they seemed to be falling into, but the feeling was undeniable. "More than enough."

Chapter 10

Evan took another reading of the crate in front of him. He knew it wouldn't show anything different from the other eight readings he'd already taken, but he didn't want to believe there really wasn't anything to find. Someone had smuggled themselves onboard in this crate, then employed a cleaning agent that removed or scrambled any and all evidence of their existence. Even the trace DNA he found was unreadable.

"Well, I think we can say for certain we won't find anything here." Doctor Gorman straightened up and glanced at his scanner, then at Evan. "My technicians have been at this almost as long as you have, and there's nothing here."

Evan nodded but said nothing. The doctor was right, but that didn't solve the problem staring them in the face.

"The DNA is inconclusive, and I'd love to know what cleaning agent they used here to scramble it. But I can still put this on file, if you find some suspects." He turned off the hand held unit and motioned for his lab technicians to pack it in. "I can't make a complete match, but there's enough here to narrow the field somewhat."

"That will have to do then."

Evan stayed where he was while the others left the storage bay. It made no sense. But then, neither did any of the rest of it, either. The sabotage that damaged the Ascalon's engines, the complete destruction of the Vision, even the moving of stored equipment for no reason. Now this. The crate had obviously been used by someone stowing aboard illegally, and left for anyone who finally did a physical inventory of the rarely-used lower bay storage compartments to discover. No attempt had been made to hide the fact that someone or several some ones had lived inside the crate for some time, and yet all evidence of exactly who they were had been meticulously destroyed. Now that they were out, in a ship this large, finding one or two or even three unidentified passengers would be impossible.

By late tomorrow the Ascalon would achieve orbit around the planet Alex had aimed for before entering the nebula. If anything was going to happen, it stood to reason that would be the time for it. But what? Mutiny? Destruction? What could be gained by either? Evan knew the laws well enough to know any claim made by an exploration ship that had any hint of mutiny onboard would be disputed and denied to any and all parties involved. Destroying the ship would be suicide, or at the very least, strand any survivors forever in the gas giant.

With Spencer, it was easier. He was a thief of physical and intellectual property, so anyone plotting against him simply wanted him dead. But this -- this was different. Evan couldn't fathom what anyone wanted here, other than the claim of Turbidium and the wealth that would come with it. But unless it was legally carried out, the claim would be denied. That wouldn't stop Spencer. Evan leaned against the open crate, absently rubbing his palm. If he wanted to steal this claim, how would he go about it? When Alex transmitted the proof, providing this planet truly was a good source of the mineral, the owner would be Paulson Carpenter and his corporation back on Scotian. Anyone wanting to steal it would have to start there, not here.

No, it made no sense. Nothing did.

Evan gave up wondering and left the cargo bay after one final glance around. Even at this late hour the corridors were filled with crewmen and women rushing around completing last minute projects, hurrying to various windows providing particularly interesting views of the nebula or simply trying to work off the excitement of being so near their goal at such an early date. He had to admit he was a bit surprised that they'd found what they were looking for so soon. But now Alex could be free to explore on his own, and whether he was curious about the rest of the Pendulum Nebula, or just the section they'd both pondered over for months didn't really matter. Evan's journeys with his new Keeper were anything but over. After he logged this claim, ownership of the Ascalon would be settled, and Alex would have no real financial need to sell him any time soon. Surprisingly, Evan found himself feeling quite settled and comfortable with the son of Spencer Marcase. Granted, he was still too reluctant to use his Sha'erah to his full potential and balked at giving him direct orders, but he had his qualities. Evan could even admit -- now -- that he liked the guy. He didn't know if any other Sha'erah could say that about their Keeper.

Alex wasn't back yet, presumably still with Jeff since he'd decided to take dinner with his old partner, so Evan got comfortable on the couch with the scanner and went over that day's data yet again. He found it easier to sit well back, deep in the cushions, with his left palm resting on the machine, eyes closed, and let the information float through his mind. Images of the storage bays, crates and shipping labels hovered in front of his mind's eye as he tried not to see any one thing in particular. There had to be a pattern somewhere. It was time to stop trying so hard, and see if he'd been missing something obvious.

"Hey, how's it going?"

Evan blinked himself back to reality and sat up as Alex sauntered to the couch. "Nothing new, if that's what you mean." He tossed the scanner to the table and rubbed tired eyes. "I'm beginning to think it's all a ruse."

"A what?"

He looked at Alex, squinting in the dim room light. "Are you drunk?"

"Yep." Alex nodded and flopped down on the couch. "What ruse?"

"I'm starting to think all this moving around, maybe even the crate of stowaways, has all been put in place to keep us occupied."

"Oh, that ruse." Alex leaned back and stared at the ceiling. "So do you think we have stowaways at all?"

Evan shrugged. "I can't tell." He looked at his Keeper and noticed the slight smell of alcohol. From what he knew, it didn't take all that much to get Alex drunk. "Do you want to bring Jeff in on this, see what he thinks?"

"No." Alex straightened up. Instantly he seemed much more sober than he appeared. "I want you to have a look at this first." He reached into a pocket and pulled out what looked like his own paging device, but when he handed it over, Evan could see it wasn't his.

"Jeff's?"

Alex nodded. He began twisting the ring around his finger, a habit he'd taken to during times of stress.

"How'd you get it?"

"I used to be able to drink him under the table." Alex reached into another pocket and pulled out a small vial of clear liquid, nearly empty. "After a few shots I knew I was in trouble, so I slipped him this. He'll be out another hour or so." He set the bottle on the table and nodded at the pager in Evan's hand. "Can you just download everything and examine it later?"

Evan picked up the scanner he'd been using and set it to a sharing frequency, then set the borrowed pager to the same one. The information passed in a blur, easily transferring a copy he could study more closely at his leisure. When he finished with the readily available data, he started in with the passwords and encryptions. Getting past them would take time, but moving copies of what they were hiding took just a few minutes.

"Done." He handed the pager back to Alex. "It'll take me a few hours to get into what he had protected, but I have it."

"Good." Alex shoved the machine back into his pocket and pushed himself off the couch, wavering slightly when he got to his feet. "I'd better get this back before he wakes up. He won't know you looked, right?"

"Right." Evan stood, eyeing his Keeper. "Let me take it back, you're not too steady."

Alex shook his head. "I'm fine." He turned to leave and hit his knee on the corner of the couch, swearing as he hopped around the edge of the furniture. "Okay, come with me."

"If you had the sedative with you, why did you try out drinking him?" Evan put a hand on Alex's elbow to steer him down the corridor.

"That's a good question."

"Yes, it is." He reached out and punched the call button for a lift to take them down the required three levels. The door opened almost immediately and they were awarded with an empty car.

Once inside, Alex leaned heavily against the wall. "I wanted to believe I wouldn't have to." He looked at Evan and shrugged. "I know he's a part of this, somehow. I hope he isn't, but I think he is."

The pain in his expression was obvious. Evan knew just by what Alex himself had said that he and Jeff had once been very close friends as well as business partners. And he knew Alex was feeling pain for that loss on a deep level. And there was nothing he could do or say that would fix this. He wasn't used to being helpless, and he hated it. "We don't even know what this is yet. We could be imagining his involvement all together." God knew, he was beginning to imagine a lot of things based on the mess of evidence pointing nowhere.

Alex looked at him for a long while without speaking while the car sped downward, then traveled the length of the ship to deposit them closer to their destination. "Thanks." When the car stopped, he pushed himself away from the wall. "Who knows, maybe Jeff's the same as he was. Maybe I've changed, and that's why he seems different."

"No," Evan had to take Alex by the elbow again when he started down the wrong corridor. "You haven't changed, I've just gotten used to you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"We're here." Evan glanced down the corridor, confirming it was empty. He turned and looked back the way they had come, but there was no one to be seen. "Let me do this."

Alex leaned against the wall and handed Evan the pager without argument. "It was on his chair, under a set of diagrams."

Evan glanced down the hall again, then palmed open the door to Jeff's quarters. "Just stay here, I'll be right back."

Jeff's room was dark, eerily lit by the purple gasses swirling around outside the small window. The crew's quarters weren't significantly smaller, but they were singles, affording more privacy as a trade off for the few large windows on the upper levels. Evan found Jeff snoring loudly on the couch, turned to face the room instead of the view. The large desk was situated in a corner beside a door leading into a large bathroom which in turn opened up to the spacious bedroom. Jeff was the only occupant, so Evan quickly replaced the pager under the diagrams he found on the chair, then backed out of the room, keeping an eye on the sleeping figure on the couch until he reached the door. It occurred to him to ask which direction the pager had been facing, and in what exact position, just in case its owner was more paranoid than they gave him credit for, but he didn't think he could trust his Keeper to know in his state of mind.

Back out in the hall, Alex was leaning forward, his head in his hands.

"Done."

"Let's get out of here." Alex straightened up instantly and ran his hands through his hair. "Was he still asleep?"

"Yes." They made it back to the lift and into their own quarters without passing anyone else. Alex maneuvered well enough as long as he stayed away from corners and furniture. "You should get some sleep." Evan let go of his elbow long enough to turn and lock their door. "You're going to be hung over in the morning."

"I'll be hung over in the morning no matter what time I go to sleep." Alex's momentum took him halfway into the room, but there he stopped. He was facing the large window, staring out at the nebula. "Do you think we'll make it?"

Evan finished dialing up an order for enough coffee to get him through the night and looked at Alex. He was still staring out into space, but Evan didn't think he was talking about the planet growing larger outside. In fact, he wasn't at all sure what Alex was talking about, but this seemed to go deeper than a bit too much tequila. He walked quietly around the counter to stand closer, offering a silent support. "To the planet?"

"No, beyond it." Alex waved a hand toward the window. "Do you know how tempting it is to pass that thing up altogether, and just keep going?" He glanced at Evan for a moment, then looked back out at space. "If we didn't go there, we wouldn't have to deal with this. Whoever destroyed the Vision wants what we're going after, don't they?"

Evan knew the question was rhetorical, so he waited quietly for Alex to continue.

"I'd give anything to keep going. Not even have to deal with it."

"It wouldn't go away." Evan kept his voice low in deference to his Keeper's condition. "Whoever's doing this will strike again, whether we stop at this planet or the next one."

Alex nodded slowly. "I know. And the sooner we get this over with, the sooner this ship will be mine." He turned and looked at Evan again, almost pleadingly. "I just want to get there."

This was when he was supposed to assure his Keeper that nothing would get in the way of his success. When he should be able to promise no one would keep him from his goal. But he couldn't. As badly as he wanted to, he knew he couldn't. This entire situation was beyond his ability to control. Working for Spencer was a walk in the park next to this. Six months ago he never would have believed it.

"You should go to bed. We'll be in orbit by tomorrow evening."

Alex shook his head. "Nah, I think I'll go to bed."

After making sure his Keeper managed that, Evan gathered up the scanner and a large mug of strong coffee and got comfortable on the couch, ready to examine the secrets from Jeff's pager.

The first level of data was as basic as it got. Simple notes to himself, reminders and schedules regarding the Vision's routine and personnel. Evan skimmed over everything until he was satisfied there was nothing of interest there. The next level was password-protected and relatively easy to maneuver through. Sitting back on the couch with both eyes closed, the data appeared before him much like a complex puzzle. He simply had to find attributes that matched, no matter how well disguised, and piece it all together until he gained access. Here he found personal information, credit lines and birth records, the usual data most people tried to protect from prying eyes.

Below that was where it got interesting. The passwords became harder the deeper Evan probed, and when he managed to get through, the data was encrypted for added security.

Someone's paranoid about something.

He knew from past experience the only reason for such measures of privacy were to hide illegal activities. Those activities could be anything, but the chances that they had nothing to do with what was happening to the Ascalon and the Vision were slim at this point. Evan almost wished Jeff could be found completely innocent, if only for Alex's sake, but judging by the amount and depth of the encryptions he was finding, that wasn't very likely.

It took hours to locate all of the coded messages and single them out from the unimportant information. Once that was done, Evan checked the destinations of each outbound transmission and found every one of them earmarked for other personal devices identified only by code in the address book. There was no way to tell where the receiver was at the time of the message, but nearly every one was followed by a reply from the same pager.

"So you're not working alone. I figured as much."

No matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find a way to trace the source of the incoming messages, or identify the receiver of outgoing mail except by the coded name in the address. The challenge only served to deepen Evan's resolve to find the answers, but by the time he realized Alex was waking up, he'd only gotten as far as decoding three outbound messages. And they made no sense.

"Dammit." Evan set the machine down and flexed the fingers of his stiff left hand. That motion made him realize how stiff the rest of his body was, having stayed in one position on the couch the entire night. "Spencer should have trained me as a spy, not a thief." He forced himself to his feet with much effort, stretching back, arms and legs until it felt as if every joint in his body had popped and groaned. He wasn't getting anywhere, and the time for another likely strike was coming closer. If indeed whoever was sabotaging this mission had their goal in mind.

After making his way to the galley, Evan sent in a request to the medical lab for a hangover remedy for Alex and a stimulant for himself. There was a delay in the response time, probably due to excessive requests on the eve of their arrival, but finally Dr. Zane sent his approval, as well as a request for a noon meeting with Alex. Evan accepted the two steaming cups the dispenser put out, each labeled accordingly, and approved the meeting for the bridge office later that day.

"Please tell me this was worth it?" Alex was walking slowly, rubbing one eyebrow as he headed toward the galley. He was dressed but still barefoot, with his shirt only halfway buttoned.

"Drink this." Evan handed him the cup after making sure he had the right one, then leaned against the counter facing him. "I still don't understand why you tried out drinking him in the first place."

"I dunno." Alex sipped at the hot liquid, then took another swallow and walked back out to the couch. "Pride, maybe."

"Or punishment?" Evan followed him but continued on to the window, not wanting to sit down again so soon. "At least you're a better drunk than your father."

"That's something, I suppose." Alex sat down gingerly as if afraid to jostle his head, then carefully settled himself in the cushions and looked at Evan through squinted eyes. "Were you up all night?"

Evan nodded over his cup then swallowed the mouthful preventing him from replying. The hot liquid was rapidly waking him up, and he hoped Alex's cure was working as well. His Keeper looked as exhausted as he felt. "I found more than I expected, but not much that makes sense. Not yet." He motioned to the scanner on the table and waited until Alex picked it up. "He's made several calls to other pagers, untraceable. Messages that were not only encrypted, but then he seems to have used a code on top of it. I got through the encryption on three so far, but not the code."

Alex looked at the small display while he finished his drink. "Nine seven point twelve, noon, station one." He shook his head. "What the hell does that mean? That was encrypted?"

"Has to be code. I don't know why someone would bother to encrypt something that vague, if they're using code anyway."

"Paranoia?"

"There's certainly enough of that to go around." Evan set his cup down and walked around the table so he could see the display Alex was holding. "His addresses are normal until you get to this third layer, hidden behind his frequent contacts," he pointed to the small screen. "Then there's a list of codes, just numbers, that correspond to each of the coded messages he's sent to unknown pagers."

"No way to tell where they are when they receive?"

Evan shook his head. "They'd have to be either on this ship, or the Vision. Pagers don't have the power to transmit as far back as the nearest planet or ship without some boosting along the way. But, now that I have his signal frequency, we'll be paged the next time he sends to any of these contacts."

Alex handed the scanner to Evan, who pocketed the unit. "So there's probably no point in deciphering the other messages."

"I'm going to try anyway. Even codes have to have logic in them. If we can figure it out."

"I think if we can figure any of this mess out, we deserve something." Alex sighed deeply, then got up with considerably more grace than minutes before. "Some peace of mind, maybe."

I'd settle for some peace and quiet. "Dr. Zane is meeting with you at noon, in your office."

"Dr. Zane? Oh, right." Alex finished buttoning his shirt while he walked around looking for his shoes. "Oh, damn, I forgot about him. He wanted to talk earlier, when they first came onboard, but I couldn't get to it."

"Will Jeff be staying behind?"

Alex found one shoe and stopped to put it on. "What? Oh, you mean here, on the planet?" The second shoe was under the chair he was using as a footrest. "I was going to give them all a choice, but I'm starting to rethink that one."

"I want to find out how deep this goes." Evan followed his Keeper out of their quarters on the way to the bridge. "If you find what you're looking for here, and we can leave anyone behind . . . "

"We should leave everyone involved behind." Alex nodded. "I agree. But can we be sure we get them all?"

"Yes." Evan didn't really feel as sure as he sounded, but he knew before this was over, he would be.

Alex looked at him for a long moment, then nodded, smiling in quiet gratitude. "Good. And thanks, by the way." They came out onto the bridge into a mass of organized bustling as the crew prepared for the impending orbit.

"For what?"

"Whatever that was that cured my headache this morning."

"That wasn't me, that was Doctor . . . "

"Evan." Alex stopped, looking at him expectantly.

It took a minute to figure out what he could possibly want. "You're . . . welcome."

Alex grinned, then slapped Evan on the shoulder and continued on to his office.

I should be used to this by now. He walked down to the bridge level and received the morning's report, then checked readings, confirming the Ascalon's easy course to the large planet now much more visible to the naked eye even through the purple fog of the nebula. No one had bothered naming the planet past the simple designation C-4. Her moons had been labeled C-1 thru C-6 as they were discovered, and the geologists still insisted each one could in its own right be a workable source of Turbidium. Evan just hoped they were right, so Alex could stake his claim, win his ship, and leave the tragedy of this trip behind him. The sooner the better. But first and foremost on his mind was his Keeper's safety, and that was dependent on finding out what Jeff was hiding.

Evan took the bridge report to Alex, then settled in on the couch in the office to continue his work. He quickly lost track of everything but the encryptions and strange codes swirling around in his mind. There had to be some pattern, some way of cracking whatever code this was. Why couldn't he find it? It looked so simple, just numbers, obviously they stood for words, or letters, in some way. Unless they pointed to certain pre-written files in the receiver's computer. Just how deep could this possibly go?

"Hey, come on."

The hands on his shoulders startled Evan. Even then, he realized they'd been massaging his shoulders for several seconds before he felt it. Blinking, he pulled himself back to reality and tried to focus on the office. "What?"

"You've been in there like a zombie for hours. Dr. Zane will be here in a few minutes. I ordered lunch for all of us." Alex continued rubbing Evan's shoulders for a minute, then looked him in the eyes, apparently checking for something. "Are you with me?"

"Yeah." Evan swallowed, trying to moisten a dry throat. He still couldn't seem to focus properly, an after-effect of such intense study from inside the small computer. It always felt more like he'd crawled inside the machines, instead of having pulled the information into his mind. "I'm fine."

"You were pretty intense." Alex seemed satisfied by what he saw, but he remained where he was, standing in front of the couch. "Find anything?"

"Yes and no." His vision finally cleared, as did his vague need to be sick. "More of the same code. I'm trying to crack it but it doesn't seem to have any real order."

"Well, take a break." Alex answered the polite chime at the door and accepted the lunch delivery. Before he could close the door, doctor Zane's smiling face appeared. "Perfect timing, doctor, come in."

"I do hope I'm not bothering the two of you. I realize this is a hectic time and all."

"Not at all. Please." Alex set lunch on the small conference table and motioned for their visitor to join him as Evan pulled out an extra chair. "I've been wanting to talk to you, but there hasn't been much time with everything that's been going on."

"Yes, yes I can imagine. I've been occupied myself, filling out death certificates and such. Nasty bit of business."

Doctor Zane seemed kindly and harmless enough. He'd certainly been no problem since his rescue, and seemed to pose no threat now. Evan started around Alex to leave the two of them alone, but his Keeper stopped him, grabbing his arm and pointing to the table.

"Eat."

"Oh yes, please do stay." Doctor Zane smiled at Evan, then Alex. "Actually, I'll get right to the point, Captain. I understand this planet we're approaching could be the one everyone's been after all along?"

"We're hoping it has enough Turbidium to do the trick, yes."

"So, providing that is the case, as I understand it my fellow survivors have decided to stay here and wait for a ride home."

"Really? I hadn't heard officially yet." Alex glanced at Evan. "There's plenty of supplies to easily take care of them while they wait."

"Oh, I'm sure they'll be fine. But what I was wondering, and this is entirely up to your discretion of course, but I was hoping to stay on with this ship, if I may."

Alex and Evan exchanged glances again.

"To be frank, and I don't wish to insult either of you, but as I mentioned before, I've done quite a study on Sha'erah, albeit many years ago, and I would consider it an honor to be allowed to remain here." He looked from Alex to Evan and back again, smiling hopefully. "With the pair of you." His smile widened slightly. "I admit to somewhat selfish reasons. Curiosity, mainly. I realize I'm bordering on rudeness here, but I hope you can see I mean this in only the most sincere way."

With his case fully spoken, the doctor sat looking at both men, expectant and only slightly humbled by his plea.

Evan looked at Alex, waiting for him to say something.

"Oh, I'm not trying to replace your own ship's physician." Doctor Zane quickly added. "Frankly I don't even need the money. I've never been in this profession for money, it's the science that fascinates me."

Alex chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "I'll have to get back to you on this, doctor. It's a little crazy around here right now."

"Certainly, yes."

He glanced at Evan. "I don't think we're likely to hear an opinion from him."

"Not while I'm here, I wager." Doctor Zane smiled knowingly at Alex.

Evan just looked at them both, completely unsure if his Keeper was expecting him to say something and to come up with it himself, or not. He decided not to even try, and sat quietly watching them. There was nothing about the doctor that set any of his mental alarms off. Though he'd certainly never heard of anyone having done a study on his people before. But then again, he'd never even met many of his own people before, so what did he know? If it were true, though, it might do Alex some good to hear, from someone other than himself, how he was supposed to use a Sha'erah.

They were afforded thirty minutes for lunch and casual conversation before Alex's presence was needed on the bridge. He promised to strongly consider Doctor Zane's request.

"You didn't seem too upset about him." Alex glanced at Evan as they walked to the front of the bridge on the upper deck.

"I haven't found any evidence suggesting anyone in the medical team is connected to what's going on." Evan didn't think he had to add the yet. "But I'll let you know immediately if I do."

"Captain, we're hitting a clear section surrounding the planet. The magnetic fields at either pole seem to be attracting the nebula's charges."

Alex nodded at his bridge chief. "Status."

"Orbit in six hours."

"Good." He turned to face the large window, exposed now that the view screen had been retracted. "Look at that."

Evan glanced at the large planet and nodded. "I'd like to get back to those codes."

"Don't you want to see this?"

He looked at the planet again. It wasn't remarkable to the naked eye, no large bodies of water or massive forested sections shining up from its surface. The majority of the planet was a dull orange, marked here and there by thick rivers of green and chunks of brown capped mountains. "We're getting too close to that and no closer to solving our mystery."

"I know." Alex's tone darkened, contrasting the sparkle in his green eyes. "I feel it."

Evan looked around the bridge but found no prying eyes or suspicious gazes. "We could question him directly." He was beginning to think that would be the only way to get any answers, and hoped Alex would see it soon.

"Tomorrow." Alex turned to look at Evan. "Before we transmit the claim, if it's valid. Until then, see if you can get anywhere with the code."

Evan nodded once and returned to the office. Five more hours gave him nothing more than another headache and a deep desire to look inside Jeff's brain for the answers. Literally. The most he'd been able to determine was the fact that two of the coded transmissions coincided with both the Ascalon's probe attack and the one that destroyed the Vision, within an hour of each incident. It was closer, but it wasn't enough. Years he'd spent cracking encryptions and passwords to find the most sensitive of information and tightly guarded secrets, but he'd never had occasion to wade through someone's private language before. He wasn't a spy, he was a thief. And whoever was behind this charade had to be one too. Why else would anyone be doing this? Revenge? He didn't have time to delve into the late Captain Franklin's background, but that wouldn't explain the continued subterfuge or the original attack on the Ascalon. And it wouldn't explain the apparent stowaways, or elaborate ruse designed to give them that impression.

He took one break to stand on the bridge with Alex while orbit was secured and the first of several pods launched to retrieve samples prior to any landing crew. They both settled for high protein supplements for the evening meal while the results came in, then Alex set about assigning landing crews and destinations for sampling.

"You're not going down there, are you?" Evan hadn't even considered that kind of interruption, and was fully prepared to prevent such risk.

"No, I usually don't." Alex shook his head, still staring at the planet filling the bridge's window as he had been for the past hour. "Planets don't thrill me so much. Just finding them. I leave the detail work to the people who love that sort of thing."

Evan sighed quietly in relief.

"Listen, I'm going to be up here all night. Why don't you go get some sleep?"

"This isn't a good time, if something's going to happen, it'll be soon." He looked at Alex and saw the argument forming in his eyes. He stopped him before either of them could get into it in front of the bridge crew. "I'll get some rest in the office. How's that?"

"This isn't one of those times I could give you an order?"

"No."

"Fine." Alex shook his head in resignation. "You win this one."

Evan left before he could be tempted to comment, and returned to the codes that were now burned into his mind. Before he sat down to them again, he ordered up some strong coffee and pulled the main terminal around closer to him so he could monitor the bridge activity more easily without having to get up. Now that he had the coded messages so completely memorized, he no longer needed to enter the scanner and could avoid falling into such a deep state of concentration.

Or at least, he thought so. When the alarm pierced the air from the small unit now on the floor, it startled Evan out of a deep thought. He grabbed the scanner and stared at it, trying to remember what the alarm was for. It didn't take long.

"He's sending again." Evan showed Alex the source of his sudden charge from the office. "The receiver is somewhere on the seventh level, maintenance bay it looks like."

"Can you identify it?"

"When it answers, I'll get the signature. Then it's a matter of elimination." He watched the screen, waiting for the other pager to pick up the message. "The only trouble with that is time. I'll have to search the entire ship, level by level, sending out a signal and hoping to get a reverb." Moments later, the small screen blinked and a binary code scrolled by. "There!"

"You got it?"

"I have the signature, now I have to locate the owner." Evan looked up, blinking. "This could take some time."

"I'll send a team with you."

Alex turned to give an order, but Evan stopped him.

"No, that might send our suspect running." He didn't want to mention the fact that he didn't feel he could trust anyone at this point, even the bridge crew. This wasn't the only pager receiving calls from Jeff during his stay, it was just the first one they'd identified. "Let me do it alone, level by level." He looked around, suddenly aware of the day shift crew mixing with the night shift. "What time is it?"

"Almost six." Alex laughed shortly. "Time flies, eh? And it's almost all out." He nodded to a team at the other end of the bridge, excitedly talking amongst themselves. "I'm getting ready to make it official. They say the Turbidium levels in the planet down there exceed anything we've seen before." He turned back to Evan. "This is it."

The lifts weren't fast enough. Evan ran down the service corridors, avoiding the crowded main hallways so he could keep his mind on the scanner in his left hand. The signal it was emitting covered several square yards at a time, but the Ascalon was huge and he hadn't wanted anyone else to help, in case they inadvertently recruited one of the suspects. Alex had ordered a complete review of all findings, not unusual in these circumstances, before sending the transmission that would claim C-4 for Paulson Carpenter and complete the contract. Since he still didn't know just how many were involved, he'd armed himself with two small laser pistols. The feel of the guns in thigh pockets, pressing against his legs as he ran, was strangely comforting.

At the seventh level, Evan was exhausted. He leaned against a service door to catch his breath and stared at the scanner in his hand, still sending out the sequence that would bring an automatic and undetected response from the pager he was searching for. He was just pushing himself away from the door to start down another level when he heard the ping.

"Gotcha."

With the scanner in his left hand and a moment to adjust his equilibrium, Evan managed a delicate mix of input that gave him the illusion of a virtual display hovering before his eyes. With the signal blinking in red seemingly three feet in front of him, he was able to continue down the corridor as if following the dot itself. It was a dizzying maneuver, and not one he used often. It required all of his concentration to keep focused on both the red dot and the physical world directly in his path, but it was the best way to follow a signal through a crowd. And crowded it was. Evan had abandoned the service corridors for the main walkways, and found himself occasionally pushing through excited crewmen and women buzzing about the latest findings.

It didn't take long for the other occupants of each new hallway to quickly part when they saw him coming, chasing something only he could see. The blip began moving vertically, so Evan took the nearest lift, making it stop at each level until he could confirm where his prey got off. He was getting closer, but they were moving, heading up in a stair-step pattern. Whoever he was chasing almost seemed to be leading him somewhere. Up one level, down three corridors, up another level, left three corridors then up one more level again.

"Dammit!" He was being led. Just like he'd been occupied with a crate seemingly void of hard evidence, and stored equipment moved around for no logical reason. He was being led around by someone who knew exactly what they were doing, and why! It was time to stop chasing his tail.

He ended the visual display and blinked through the wave of nausea until it passed, then stopped the next lift and boarded, immediately finding what he was looking for. "Alex wants to talk to you."

Jeff looked up, startled by Evan's sudden appearance in the elevator. "Oh? I was just on my way to the bridge."

"I'll take you to him." Evan closed the door before anyone else could get in the car with them, then hit the bridge level indicator. He stayed where he was, physically blocking the closed door during their short ride to the bridge and staring unblinking at the only other occupant.

Jeff was just beginning to look uncomfortable when they arrived.

"Alex, heard the good news." Jeff spotted Alex on the bridge the instant the doors opened and pushed his way hurriedly out of the lift.

Alex looked up, seeing first Jeff then Evan right behind him. He turned back to the technician he'd been talking to and said something, finishing his conversation before he acknowledged the new arrivals. "My office."

If Jeff was put off by Alex's short command, Evan took it as a promising sign. He followed close enough to keep the man aware of his presence, then once inside the office took up position behind Alex. From there, he could focus his attention on his quarry and best protect his Keeper should anything go wrong. The intimidation factor was an added benefit he used to full advantage.

"What's up, Alex? This is happy news." Jeff made a point not to glance at Evan as he spoke. "I understand C-4 is everything we hoped for and more."

"It is." Alex was behind his desk, but standing. His posture was tense, and his fingers fidgeted with the ring as he looked at Jeff. "As a matter of fact, the moons look like strong sources, too."

Jeff shrugged. "Stands to reason. Congratulations, by the way. This is quite a find. Should keep Carpenter's people busy for generations to come." He was smiling now, looking as conciliatory as he could. "And this ship is yours, too."

"I meant to thank you for that," Alex replied calmly. "That clause in the contract you brokered takes effect after I transmit the claim."

"Yes, it does." Jeff glanced toward the door and motioned with one hand, questioningly. "Shouldn't you be sending it? The sooner you claim this system, the sooner you can deploy the mining company and be on your way."

Alex paused, turning slightly to look at Evan for a moment. "I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop."

Jeff laughed shortly. "What does that mean?" He looked at Evan for the first time but quickly changed focus back to Alex. "What's going on here, Alex?"

"You tell me." Alex stopped twisting his ring and leaned forward, pressing his knuckles into the desk top. "Someone's been sabotaging this trip from the start. First our engines, then the Vision, which you just happened to survive by some strange coincidence."

Evan tensed slightly, readying himself for anything Jeff might try. Both weapons were still in his thigh pockets, but easily reached. He knew Alex kept a charged gun in the top drawer of his desk, but he wasn't sure how willing Alex would be to kill his old friend and partner.

"And you think I had something to do with it? Is that it?" Jeff's eyebrows knit tightly, but his posture remained calm. "Is this his idea?"

The two of them exchanged heated glares, but where Evan was willing to continue the stare-down, Jeff almost instantly quit.

"Answer me, Jeff. Did you have anything to do with either attack?" Alex kept his voice calm but the tension was building.

"Alex, listen to yourself for just a minute. Remember what we talked about when I got back onboard? All those years together, as partners and friends, nearly ruined because of a rash of bad judgment and timing?"

Evan couldn't see Alex's face from where he stood, but his posture didn't suggest he was going to back down. If need be, he could finish this himself, without his Keeper having to upset himself or risk being tricked.

"Bad judgment and timing?" Alex shook his head slowly. "What about the timing that put you in sick bay at the right time to be saved? What about the judgment that put you on the Vision in the first place? And the first attack on our engines that came from your ship?" With each statement Alex made, Jeff swallowed compulsively. "What about the odd happenings in our storage bays? The conveniently found evidence of stowaways? Just in time to keep us from looking where we should."

"Alex, do you hear yourself? You sound paranoid," Jeff tried to laugh. "We found the man who attacked your engines with that probe, and arrested him. Who it was who destroyed the Vision is still a mystery, but the food poisoning that put me in the right place at thankfully the right time is a matter of medical record."

Evan was beginning to wish Alex would leave the room, for just a few minutes.

"As for the rest of what's going on, I couldn't tell you." Jeff shrugged, but then turned and took a few steps farther back.

"Who did you page on my ship an hour ago?"

That question stopped Jeff in his tracks.

Evan moved then, stepping out from behind Alex to stand beside him.

"You're bugging my messages now?"

"Who was it? Do you have partners?"

"Alex, do you hear yourself? Can't you see how he's poisoned you with his ideas?" Jeff pointed at Evan but made no move to approach. "This is ridiculous! Just transmit that claim and get it over with. You have the mined evidence, you have all the proof you need for a valid claim. Just send the transmission, get your ship transferred to your name and this will all be over!"

"Not until you answer my question!" Alex's calm vanished. "Who did you call?"

"Stop this!" Jeff tried to march out the door, but Evan was there in a flash, physically blocking the exit with one hand hovering close to a thigh pocket. Jeff stopped, swallowing hard, then turned to glare at Alex. "Just get out there, transmit your claim, and have done with it. Until you do, Franklin and everyone else onboard the Vision died for nothing! Is that what you want?"

"What do you want? Huh?"

Alex had moved as well, and now Jeff was positioned between Evan and his Keeper. There was no way to get between them without letting Jeff get out the door anytime he wanted to, but it wasn't that big a ship.

Evan made his move without a sound, slipping out from behind Jeff before he could notice. Alex noticed, and took a half-step sideways to allow Evan to stand next to him in the cramped area. As one they looked at Jeff, waiting for an answer.

"What do I want?" Jeff nearly laughed, but there was nothing of humor in his expression. "You know, that's one of the things I always loved about you, Alex. Not only are you trusting and ethical, but you're always looking out for your friends."

There was danger in the man's voice now. A madness Evan was beginning to recognize. He was ready to physically drag the information out of him, and prayed his Keeper would give him permission.

"I want you to win, dammit! I want to see you finally free of these companies and groups who pay your way so you can do their bidding! I want to see this ship finally yours, free and clear, so we can get out there," he waved widely with one arm in the general direction of the bridge, "and explore this universe the way we should!"

Evan blinked.

"What are you talking about, Jeff?" Alex's voice was a strangely calm contrast to the angry frustration facing him. "What have you done?"

"You wouldn't understand." Jeff's expression altered to one of utter exasperation.

"Try me!"

Something beeped quietly, muffled by fabric. The sound nearly startled Evan into a grab for Jeff's throat, but he quickly identified the source. "He's getting a call."

Jeff pulled the pager from his pocket and glanced at it. "It's him."

Enough games! "Who?"

Alex didn't seem to care that his Sha'erah had just spoken up without permission, but Evan didn't imagine he'd mind in these circumstances. If he was wrong . . . well, he could be reprimanded later.

"I took . . . I took a job." Jeff looked at Alex, pointedly trying to avoid seeing Evan right beside him. "It wasn't the first time, either."

"What are you talking about?"

"I was tired of seeing you come this close to paying for this ship and not making it! I was tired of working for whoever could fund our trips."

Evan started to move forward, he was going to beat the truth out of the man, but Alex grabbed his arm, pulling him back.

"It's complicated."

"Try me."

Jeff looked away. "I wasn't alone. It wasn't my idea to destroy the Vision." He looked at Alex again, pleadingly. "That's why I was there, to make sure that wouldn't be necessary."

Beside him, Evan could see Alex beginning to shake ever so slightly. There was no quiver in his tone, though, only tragic resignation.

"Who are you working for?"

"You have to understand, I did this ultimately to help you. We were going to be paid, and free to explore, like we always talked about."

Alex shook his head slowly. "Not like this. Not by murdering eighty three people."

Jeff ran both hands through his hair. "He put me on the Vision to keep an eye on things. I had no idea there were others there, and here, with plans of their own. I didn't know he had other plans. Just find Turbidium and make the claim before Franklin could, that was all. He had information about the nebula, data I'd never seen before. He knew what a huge find this would be, how valuable it was."

"He who? And how? We didn't even know until a few weeks ago, not for sure."

"I know. He had other sources. I don't know what, he never explained much more than I needed to hear. All I know is, this was too important for him to leave to chance. His plans are so elaborate, so far reaching, it's . . . Believe me, Alex, it's better not to know. Just file that claim and let us be done with it! He'll stay here, him and all his people. He'll stay here and we'll have what we want!"

Evan watched from the corner of his eye as Alex turned to pace the short distance to the front of his desk. He was shaking, presumably with anger, and twisting the ring around with fervor. Finally he stopped, facing the wall but speaking to Jeff.

"Who is he?"

Jeff shot a look at Evan before answering. "Does it matter?"

"Who, Jeff?" Alex repeated.

"He has connections, Alex. More than you realize."

Alex turned suddenly, facing them. Before he could shout his question again, Evan launched at the man. He had Jeff pinned against the wall in seconds, his face inches away. One of the guns was in his hand, but he didn't consciously remember drawing it from his pocket.

"Answer him!"

Jeff looked terrified, but not of the dangerous, dark man pressing a gun into his neck. "Spencer!" The word came out in a rush, cutting through the air in the small office like a laser-edged knife. "Spencer Marcase!"

Chapter 11

"My father's dead." Alex stared at Jeff, mentally -- desperately -- willing him to admit his mistake.

"No." Jeff's tone was one of complete helplessness. "He faked his death, even his doctors believed it. He's here."

A strange swirling sensation was beginning to fill Alex's head and gut, as if the room was trying to spin but just didn't quite have enough angle yet. He had to drag his gaze from Jeff to look at Evan, who was still holding the man by the collar. The black eyes and dark countenance had gone so completely pale that the delicate tattoo on the side of Evan's neck stood out in starkly contrasting detail.

"I don't know why, Alex, he never told me more than he wanted me to know." Jeff shrugged slightly under Evan's loosening grip. "It was the only way he could leave Cryian without risking arrest. And . . . He wanted to be here when the claim was made."

Alex tried to shake his head in denial of Jeff's words, but he couldn't move. Black spots were starting to appear in the edges of his field of vision. The implications were too far-reaching to comprehend. Was it always this cold in here?

"Paulson Carpenter . . . "

"Works for Marcase," Jeff supplied. "Ultimately, Alex, Spencer Marcase funded this expedition. This claim will be his. He owns Carpenter's companies."

Alex felt his hands shaking and attributed it to the chill covering his entire body. "Paulson works for him?"

"Always has. I told you this is more complex than you could imagine."

"And you?" Alex stared at Jeff, seeing him for the first time. "You've known who he was for how long?"

"Alex, don't do this. Just send the transmission and it'll be over," Jeff pleaded. "He'll stay here, his people will stay here, and you'll have the Ascalon. This is more money than even he ever had before. It's that important to him."

Suddenly bits and pieces of reality began jabbing through the fog. Alex stepped back, glaring at Evan. "You too?" He held up the hand still in possession of the silver ring. "You knew he was alive? That he was here?"

Evan couldn't seem to speak. He finally let go of Jeff's shirt and stood facing Alex. His face was still pale and there was a look of shock in his black eyes. "Spencer is dead!" He shook his head sharply, pointing to the ring. "He's dead! The ring -- He has to be!"

Alex wanted nothing more than to believe Evan. If he came out of this with only one other person, only one he could believe and trust, he wanted it to be Evan. But right now it was all too much. The room was too small to pace adequately, but he had to move. "Just -- God! Just tell me . . . " He turned suddenly, facing Jeff. "Where is he?"

"Outside." Jeff swallowed hard, nodding at the door he was leaning against. "That was him, paging. He's out there."

Alex blinked, staring at the closed door as if it had suddenly grown teeth and claws. This was too much! "I can't . . . " He couldn't deal with this. It was as simple as that. He could not deal with this!

"He's dead." Evan's voice was so desperate, so completely out of character, it shook Alex back to life.

He looked at the Sha'erah, ignoring Jeff. "Swear to me you didn't know."

"I didn't! I swear." Evan pointed again to Alex's ringed finger. "It can't lie. He died!"

Jeff straightened up. "Ask him yourself, Alex, if you need all the answers." He turned and opened the door, walking out when neither man stopped him.

The man Alex had both feared and revered most of his life -- the powerful, dangerous man who had abandoned him as a child -- was on his bridge. And had been on the Ascalon all this time, controlling everything that had happened. Paulson Carpenter knew! How many others? How far did this go, and without him even having a clue? Was everyone in on it?

With each question, Alex grew more cold, more distant. He opened the desk drawer and pulled out the charged pistol he kept there, sliding it easily into his jacket. With a quiet resolve he looked at Evan. "I want answers."

Evan looked so pale, such a contrast to his usual self, Alex didn't know if he would follow him to the bridge or not. The ring around his finger felt tight, as if it was holding on, but the rest of his body felt so cold it was a wonder the metal didn't slide right off.

The bridge crew had gone silent, most of them staring at three new arrivals who now stood in the center of the lower-level room, watching the Captain step up to the railing several feet above them.

"They tell me you haven't sent the transmission yet."

Alex looked down at the imposing man in the center of the bridge. He was the man from the photo on the night stand back in the rented apartment on Cryian II. A tall man with broad shoulders and strong features, his gray hair reflected in the slight beard.

"How did you get onboard my ship?"

Spencer Marcase laughed with a deep, resounding voice. "Haven't you figured it out yet, son? This is my ship. It always has been." He waved around the bridge with one arm. "I've funded every trip you've made, through various other companies of course, waiting for you to find something worth this much."

Alex's hands were shaking as he clutched the railing.

"You're an explorer, Alex. I don't expect you to understand the complexities of my business." His smile altered instantly into a sharp, dangerous expression. "But you're a Marcase. I'm sure you can appreciate the bottom line."

Appreciate?! "You destroyed the Vision."

Spencer shrugged dismissively. "It was a contest, the best man won."

Alex felt a rage like nothing he'd ever experienced welling up inside. "Eighty-three people died out there!"

"As did Signus Harvey." Spencer strolled casually forward. "I had a bet, he had rules. I won. It's that simple." He stopped, pointing at Alex. "And you won, too. This ship is yours! I made that contract and I have every intention of keeping it. This system and all it holds is enough for any man. Even a greedy one!" He laughed, and the two strangers behind him laughed as well.

Alex felt sick. He stared at the railing to keep himself focused, fighting the black spots. "Harvey was on the Vision?"

"He was." Spencer smiled proudly.

"This was nothing more than a contest between the two of you?"

"Oh, it was more than a contest. It was the prize of a lifetime!" He waved toward the window. "That planet holds more wealth than anyone could spend. And since it's my system, it's my law. I can live out here without any worries, and rule my empire accordingly."

Alex shook his head, slowly so as not to encourage his knotting stomach from untying. His head pounded with the insanity of it all. "Why?"

Spencer's face lost all humor as he looked up at his son.

"Why fake your death? Why hide behind Carpenter? Why did you kill innocent people needlessly?" Alex glared at Spencer, taking hold of the rage and using it to push out the nausea. "Why!?"

Spencer turned to one of the two strangers with him. "I suppose he's earned some tolerance, eh?" He looked back at Alex, sparing one glance at Evan first. "I made the bet, Harvey made the rules. Since he had no Sha'erah at the time, he wanted me on equal ground." He shrugged. "By faking my death, making it legal, the ring transferred to my will. That way I could give up Evan, and still have him here when I arrived."

Alex's heart was pounding in his chest. He turned to look at Evan, standing beside him. The Sha'erah was staring at Spencer, his eyes almost as unfocused as they were when he was deep inside a computer file, oblivious to the outside world.

"You never would have accepted him otherwise, and unless I had him here, I wouldn't have gotten him back."

Evan didn't even blink. It was as if he was in shock.

"Harvey got wise and tried to force his hand, get Evan for himself before we left Cryian. But you outsmarted him very well." Spencer nodded once. "Made me proud."

Alex looked down at his hand. The silver ring was still there, catching the light from an overhead that made it sparkle brightly.

"I had to make it legal, or at least appear legal, in order to get the ring off. That part wasn't too hard, thanks to the latest in sleep-chamber drugs." Spencer pointed now to the hand still clutching the rail for support. "But now I'd like it back."

"No." Evan spoke for the first time, but so quietly Alex didn't think anyone else heard his whisper.

"Since I'm obviously alive and well, all legal claims to my will are null and void." Spencer stood facing Alex. He held out one hand, expectantly. "The ring is mine, and the Sha'erah that goes with it."

Numbly, Alex looked at his hand, but the silver was still there.

"Give me the ring, Alex." Spencer's voice was as cold as his stare. "Legally, it's still mine. It knows that."

"Is that true?" Alex spoke only to Evan, who slowly turned his head to look at him. Alex reached for the ring but made no move to pull it off. He wanted to hear it from the Sha'erah.

Evan looked into Alex's eyes, desperation paling the blackness. "He's dead."

"Evan . . . "

"Give me the ring!" Spencer's shout echoed through the silent bridge.

Alex looked at the silver band. He'd hated that thing the moment it wrapped itself around his finger and refused to budge. He'd hated what it represented and what it brought along. But as hard as it had been to get used to, he had. He had gotten used to it. The ring, the implications, and Evan. It felt as natural to him now as any favorite piece of clothing. Twisting it around his finger had gone from a nervous habit to a comforting ritual in times of stress. It was always there, like the Sha'erah that came with it, and he knew no matter what he did, it would always stay.

"Over my dead body!" Evan drew his gun and aimed it straight at Spencer. "You're dead!"

Instinct made Alex draw his own weapon and spin around to face the two guns pointing up at them. The bridge crew scattered, instantly running out of either line of fire. Only Spencer remained calm and unarmed, confident in his men's abilities.

"This isn't going to get anyone anywhere, trust me." Spencer's voice held a note of amusement. "Evan can't kill me, I'm his legal Keeper. But my men can kill you, unless he kills my men first. Either way, Alex, you won't win."

"Evan, put it down!" Alex kept his eyes on the two armed men. "He's right."

"No. The ring knows the law, that's why he had to fake his death. If he was right, it would be on his finger now."

Alex saw his father blink. "Evan's right, isn't he?"

"Give me the ring."

It was a standoff.

"Alex, you're a reasonable man. I have every legal right to be here and take possession of my claim. I'm even signed in as your crew, under a different name and with some alterations to my identity."

The guns remained aimed at their targets while Spencer continued calmly.

"Nothing else that happened out here can be proven. I'm not stupid. I know what my Sha'erah is capable of, which is precisely why nothing incriminating was ever entered into your ship's computers. He didn't even know I was a controlling partner of other companies." He patted a pocket on his shirt. "Personal pagers are a great asset."

Alex tried not to blink as he considered all possibilities and implications.

"All you have to do is send your transmission, launch the mining facilities, and be on your way. I and my people will stay here and wait for our partners to arrive. Paulson's name might be on the contract, but I own him. Believe me, Alex, I've taken great pains to plan this very carefully. Every detail has been taken into consideration. I'm sorry your friends on the other ship died, but Harvey was a dangerous man. I had to make a move sooner than expected to prevent him from doing the same. He'd already tried to slow you down. God knows what he would have done next. So you have nothing to worry about." He stepped closer. "Do what I say, and this ship is yours, legally and finally."

It was true. He was the only person in the entire universe not in on the truth. All his life had been someone else's plan. Everything he'd done, everything he'd wanted, won or earned, was just a small part in some large puzzle someone else had built and was slowly putting together over time. From the myth or reality of Sha'erah to the very crew onboard his ship. Enough!

Alex shoved the gun back into his jacket and grabbed the ring.

"No!"

Evan's plea didn't even slow him down. He'd had it with the lot of them! Only the ring hadn't had it with him yet.

It wouldn't budge.

"Give me the ring!"

Alex tugged again, but the metal clamped down hard on his finger just as it had that day in VanHolt's office, refusing to move. "I can't." He held up his hand as proof, feeling the first twinges of small triumph.

Spencer glared at Evan. "You are mine! That ring must obey the law!"

"It does obey the law." Evan allowed his gun to lower slightly. "You were legally declared dead."

"I'm alive! Doctors make mistakes."

Alex felt so light he wanted to laugh. "You made a mistake." He glanced at the ring, then Spencer. "In all your careful planning, you made a mistake."

"One that can easily be reversed." Spencer motioned to one of his men who raised his weapon slightly higher.

Alex wasn't intimidated. Not any more. "You blew it. Take your claim and call it even." He pointedly turned away to face Evan. "It's no good, Evan. We kill them or they kill us, it won't work." He reached out and gently took the gun from his friend's hand, then handed it to him and waited until he put it safely back in his pocket before turning to look at his father again. "With this money, you can buy a hundred Sha'erah."

Spencer motioned for his men to both lower their weapons.

"I'll send the transmission. Then you and everyone you put on my ship leaves." He glanced around the bridge, wondering how many crewmen he'd have when this was all over. "You can have your Turbidium, and everything that comes with it."

Spencer smiled, his eyes narrowing. "I suppose I'll have to concede this one point." He nodded once. "Agreed. I get this system, you get this ship. And Evan."

"He already has me."

Alex glanced at Evan and smiled slightly. The ring on his finger shimmered back, as settled as ever on his finger.

"Send the transmission." Spencer's voice had grown cold again. "And start launching the mining crew."

"I have to finish the claim." He pointed to the two men standing behind his father. "Round up your people. All of them!" Without waiting for an answer, he stormed back into his office. His knees nearly buckled in relief when Evan closed the door behind them. "I can't believe this." His heart was pounding again but it didn't seem to be moving much blood to his face.

"Get rid of him, quickly. I don't trust him or his men." Evan hurried to the computer and called up the mining claim.

"Hang on." Alex moved around the desk and started typing. "This could be tricky."

Before he could begin to explain his plan, Jeff opened the door. One of Spencer's unnamed men was with him.

"He wants to see it first."

Alex looked at his old friend and former partner with as much disgust as he could display. "It's done." He compressed the data, transferred it to a crystal, and handed it to Jeff. "Send it yourself."

They followed both men back out to the bridge and down to the main communications terminals. Alex tried to catch Evan's eye, but there was no way to tell him what he wanted him to do. Either way, they'd soon be rid of Spencer. And Jeff.

"Use this." Spencer handed Jeff a pager.

"No, it'll have to be sent from the ship's computers. Anything else will be questioned."

Alex breathed a sigh of relief at Jeff's admission. It was true, but he didn't think any of these people cared much for the truth. And it was the only way it would work.

"Fine." Spencer waved a hand dismissively and watched as Jeff inserted the crystal and began typing out the sequence that would send the transmission.

Alex noticed with great relief Evan had a hand on one of the computers beside him. He'll figure it out. Whether or not he'd do it was anyone's guess.

"Now I want you off my ship." Alex pulled the crystal from the terminal and handed it to Spencer. "And I want all of your people gone."

"Good doing business with you, son."

"Carter!" Alex glanced around until he found his security chief.

"Sir!"

"Do you work for this man?" He glared at Spencer, not his chief.

"No, sir!"

"Then escort Mr. Marcase and his associates to the launching bay. Make sure they accompany the mining team, and that they're not alone."

"Yes, sir!"

"Wait." Evan put a hand on Alex's arm. "We can't be sure he'll take them all."

Spencer reached into a pocket and pulled out his own small pager. "Here. Help yourself. I've no more use for secrets. I'm a legitimate businessman now."

Evan accepted the machine.

"That will have all the names?" Alex was doubtful anything could be this easy any more.

"Yes." Evan replied for his former Keeper. "I know him well enough."

"Yes, you do." Spencer smiled and shook his head slowly. "We were a great team, Evan. It'll be hard to replace you."

"We were never a team. You were my Keeper, nothing more."

"Pity." Spencer shrugged, then looked at Alex. "Like father, like son?"

"Carter, get this man off my bridge."

"Yes, sir!"

Alex felt his face burn as he watched his father, Jeff, and the two other men leave the bridge. He was aware of the many eyes staring at him from the rest of the crew in the room and wondered which of them Evan might find in the pager. "Let's finish this."

"My God." Alex stared at the list of names Evan had compiled. "That's a quarter of my crew." He was too emotionally exhausted to even feel anger any more.

"At least we know that's all of them." Evan was rubbing his palm while watching the names scroll by, matched up with the names now listed on the mining facility in orbit around C-4.

"But Doctor Gorman? I never would've thought."

"He was new, you hardly knew him." Evan turned off the display. "Jeff brought him on while you were gone, so it stands to reason he knew."

"I can't seem to absorb this." Alex leaned back in his chair and looked at the ring as he twisted it around his finger. "It's too much."

"You're in shock."

There was a quiet knock on the door that Evan stood to answer.

"We both are."

The door opened to reveal a friendly face.

"Doctor Zane." Alex stood and walked around the desk to shake the hand of his new ship's physician. "I want to thank you again for staying."

"No, please, thank you." The doctor smiled widely, shaking Alex's hand. "And now, as your doctor, I'm ordering you both to get some sleep. I'd wager it's been a while since either of you have rested. And in light of all that's happened, I believe a good rest is in order."

"Soon, doctor, I promise." Alex motioned toward the door, then led the way back out to the bridge. "Just as soon as we pull away from this planet."

The bridge crew had been reduced by only three, and those left behind were still dealing with the news themselves. They straightened up when Alex approached and offered up reports with their best professional demeanor.

"The mining station is hailing us, Captain."

Alex sighed, then nodded to the comm. operator. "Put them on." Within seconds, the large screen was filled with a head-shot of Spencer Marcase.

"Just wanted to say goodbye. Been one hell of a ride!"

"I'd watch your back if I were you." Alex found it hard to look at his father, especially so largely magnified on the bridge screen of his own ship. He noticed Evan beside him, looking down at a display rather than at his former Keeper. "You never know who you can trust these days."

"Yes, indeed. As a matter of fact, I was -- "

"Dammit!" Evan grabbed Alex's arm, spinning him around even as he drew a gun with his other hand. "The transmission -- He's right here!"

"Get down!" Alex's shout was meant for everyone on the bridge, and in light of the recent happenings it was obeyed instantly.

"You didn't really think I was leaving without my rightful property, did you?" The voice came from the screen behind them, but was immediately followed by the sound of the lift doors opening.

The next few seconds were like a dream, and over too fast. He saw his father step out of the lift, alone, with a weapon already firing, and Alex lunged toward Evan, trying to push him out of the way. The two men slammed together, each intent on protecting the other. Alex tried to move enough of his shoulder to get Evan to fall behind him, but he wasn't fast enough to avoid the energy bolt screaming toward them both. He took the blast in the right shoulder, but even through the sudden pain he knew he hadn't taken it full force. Part of the blast had caught Evan's left arm, sending them both to the deck.

The rest was instinct. As one, Alex and Evan rolled away, each drawing his own gun as he moved. Spencer was caught momentarily having to decide which direction to aim, and that moment was all they needed. Two shots slammed into his chest from slightly different angles, driving his body back into the lift where it lay, motionless, smoking from the blasts.

"My God." Doctor Zane rushed to where Alex was kneeling.

"I'm okay." Alex knew he'd feel the pain any second now, but for the moment he was numb. "Evan -- "

"I'm fine, I'm right here." Evan came around from behind the doctor. There was blood on his arm, beginning to soak his shirt sleeve, but he was on his feet.

"He's dead."

Alex looked up and saw a crewman standing in the doorway to the lift. He got to his feet, Evan rushing to his left side to help him up.

The man at the lift stepped inside and knelt by the body, then stood again and looked at Alex. "Mr. Marcase is dead."

The pain in his shoulder was beginning to make itself known. Alex looked around the bridge, then at Evan and the blood staining his sleeve. Quite a team. But nothing like his father. "Spencer Marcase died six months ago on Cryian II."

Surgery to repair his shoulder was minor, so the fact that he'd slept through it surprised Alex when he opened his eyes and realized it was over. He was in a bed in the medical bay, looking up at Doctor Zane's ever-smiling face.

"There you go, Evan. I told you he'd wake up any minute."

"How do you feel?" Evan's face quickly joined the doctor's in Alex's field of vision.

He sighed, noticing how little his shoulder ached when he did. "I'm fine. Did I fall asleep?"

"I wasn't surprised." Doctor Zane nodded and looked at Evan. "Both of you have gone without sleep for far too long. Which is precisely why I'm ordering you both to stay here until you've caught up."

Alex knew there was no point in arguing. He turned to look at Evan and saw the bandages covering his left arm. "Are you okay?"

"You'll both be fine, actually." Doctor Zane answered for him. "Neither one of you took a full blast, which would have been fatal, by the way." He shoved both hands into the pockets of his white medical coat and leaned against an empty bed. "I've never seen anything like what you two did. It was as if you'd been fighting together for years. I saw some of that during the war, not that I approve of violence, you understand. I've just never seen it between a Sha'erah and his Keeper."

Alex found the bed's controls and managed to sit up so he could more easily see the doctor on one side of his bed and Evan, who was sitting sideways on his own bed, on the other. "How many Sha'erah have you known?"

"Oh, not all that many, to be sure. During my career, I've had the pleasure of meeting five. Evan makes six." He looked at Evan. "I imagine your life on Cryian kept you relatively isolated?"

"My father was wanted by the law in every other system, so they didn't get out much." Alex looked at Evan, realizing he'd grown used to answering for him in the company of others. That had to change.

"I don't understand, what did he come back for?" Doctor Zane looked back at Alex. "He had what he wanted, didn't he? And he was -- I thought -- in orbit with the rest of the mining company."

Alex looked at the ring on his finger. "He wanted this. He thought he'd done it all so well, planned it down to the last detail. But in the end, it wouldn't come off my finger."

The doctor looked puzzled.

"He faked his death, fooling everyone, so his will would be legally enacted." Evan spoke up, offering an explanation for the first time. "Then when he came back, the ring should have transferred." He shook his head slowly as if he still didn't understand why it hadn't. "If he was alive, then he was right, the will should have been null and void."

Alex looked at him, then again at the ring. "Maybe this thing has a built-in morals clause or something? Spencer was trying to cheat the law."

Doctor Zane tilted his head to one side and looked at Evan. "You don't know, do you?"

"Know what?"

Alex looked at the doctor expectantly, as did Evan.

"Ah, I see." Doctor Zane slowly nodded his head. "You were taught from the day you were born that this ring -- the symbol of your Keeper -- is bound to the law. And it acts in a manner no one can yet explain, obeying the law of ownership and transferal."

Alex glanced at Evan. "And it did." He looked back at the doctor. "As soon as my identity was confirmed, this thing latched on and hasn't let go."

"Yes, exactly as you would expect," the doctor replied, looking at Evan. "Because that's the law, and that is the rule you've been taught until it became part of you."

"So, what are you saying? That it's not true?" Alex looked at the ring again as if it might do something suddenly.

Doctor Zane sighed and sat back, settling in as if to tell a long, complicated story. "When I first began studying Sha'erah, that was the one thing I found to be true above all else. From birth, these people are taught the laws and rules of how they are allowed to think, how they're allowed to behave, and how they're allowed to be treated."

Alex wasn't sure if his brain could handle much more complexity so soon after having his life -- again -- turned upside down.

"When I got close to the truth, which I'd suspected all along, my funding was pulled and I wasn't allowed anywhere near another Sha'erah. None of my findings were published and I was never to start up again. Which is why, you see, I found it so incredible to come upon the pair of you, and so willing to allow me to stay."

"Well, we don't exactly follow the rules ourselves."

"I have never broken any . . . "

Alex held up a hand to silence Evan's sudden shocked denial. "Okay, I don't follow the rules. Go on, doctor." He didn't miss the look shot at him from the next bed. "What exactly is this truth you found?"

"That ring, Evan. The symbol that binds you to the one person who wears it, is not controlled by the law. It's controlled by you."

Alex blinked in surprised and turned to look at Evan, who was staring at the doctor, dark brows creased in complete disbelief.

"It's true."

"It's ridiculous." Evan laughed shortly and pointed at the ring. "I didn't put that ring on Spencer, or Alex."

"Yes, you did. Subliminally of course, but you did." Doctor Zane leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You see, you've had those rules and laws so deeply ingrained in your consciousness, your mind controlled the placement of the ring without question or thought. You assumed its actions, and without knowing it, performed them."

Evan nearly laughed as he looked at Alex. "That can't be true."

"Why not?" Alex asked softly. He held up his hand. "Try it."

"Yes, Evan. You have to believe it, and concentrate, but you do control that ring."

Alex wasn't sure if he fully understood it himself, but if it were true, he owed it to Evan to make him try. Regardless of the implications. In fact, to spite them. He was so sick and tired of implications and complications and everything in between. If he wasn't going to get anything more out of this trip, he'd take this.

Evan was shaking his head, looking in utter disbelief at each man, but neither said a word. Finally he stopped and simply stared at the ring of silver on Alex's right hand. His stare soon took on the incredible intensity reserved for deeply complex concentration.

The feeling was fluid, like thick water melting. Alex watched in fascination as the ring that had held so solidly to his finger for so many months seemed to melt, then vanish.

"You see." Doctor Zane pointed to Evan's open palm.

The ring rested there, in solid form.

Alex's finger felt strangely cold and almost painfully light. "It's true, then." He had to wait several seconds before Evan took his eyes from the ring in his hand to meet his gaze. "I told you I'd make a lousy Keeper."

"Oh, but you're wrong, Captain." Doctor Zane shook his head. "The fact that your father had planned this so well, and Evan had no idea he controlled the ring, means that he wanted -- on a very deep level -- to keep you. Otherwise, as Spencer thought, he would have agreed it legally belonged back with his original owner and would have transferred it there without conscious thought."

"I can't believe this." Evan looked at the ring, then Alex, then Doctor Zane. "I can't believe this."

"Believe it." The doctor slid off the bed and waved at Evan. "Now get some rest, both of you! Doctor's orders."

"I don't think I can." Evan hadn't moved an inch from where he sat, legs curled up under him as he faced Alex's bed.

"You will if I have anything to say about it." Doctor Zane pulled a hypo gun from his pocket, checked the dose, then pressed it against Alex's neck. "Both of you." He walked around the bed to Evan and did the same, receiving no argument.

"Thanks, Doc." Alex rubbed absently at his bare finger and lay back in the bed. His head was spinning already, independent of the sedative. "For everything."

"Good night."

Before the lights were even dimmed, Alex felt himself slip into a deep, and he prayed dreamless, sleep.

"We'll need a course soon."

"I'll tell him."

Alex sighed, then opened his eyes slowly, reluctantly admitting he was awake. Evan was standing next to the bed, buttoning his shirt and nodding to someone who had just walked out the door. "What's up?"

"Navigation needs a course." Evan finished with the last button. "Since we left C-4 we've just been in a wide orbit well outside range of the mining station."

"Right." He tested his arm and found no real discomfort preventing him from getting out of bed. As he did so, something glinted from his hand. "What's this?" The ring had felt so familiar, he hadn't noticed its return. Alex looked at Evan. "This is yours now, remember?"

Evan nodded. "Yes, I remember."

"Look, I know all those years, everything this meant -- Things are different for you now."

"I want you to wear it." Evan cut in. "I know what it meant then. And I know what it means now." He shrugged. "And I want you to wear it."

Alex looked down at the ring and spun it around slowly with his thumb. The weight felt comfortable, familiar. Solid. "I think we've both been screwed over pretty well for far too long." He looked back up again, meeting Evan's dark eyes. "Spencer Marcase kept us both."

"But at least I knew I had a Keeper. I knew better than to trust anyone, especially around him."

"And I was stupid enough to trust everyone." Alex sighed. "Well, not any more." He slid off the bed and stood in front of Evan, his right hand held out. "Partners?"

They both winced slightly as they shook hands.

Evan seemed to hesitate for a moment, then nodded his head. "Partners."

"Now that makes it all worthwhile!" Doctor Zane came in smiling like a proud father. "All those years, all of my hard work forced out of publication." He shook his head from side to side, still smiling widely.

"Excuse me?" Alex started pulling off the paper-thin medical gown so he could get dressed.

"This. You. The pair of you. I've always insisted Sha'erah and Keeper would make more sense if the two knew the truth about each other." He sighed with contentment. "Don't you agree? A partnership based on truth and a mutual understanding surely surpasses ownership and duplicity."

"You're preaching to the choir, Doctor." Alex found his pants and pulled them on. "You are definitely preaching to the choir."

He finished dressing, then invited the doctor to accompany them both to the bridge, to take one final look at C-4 and her moons before moving on. It was time he brought everyone in on that anomaly, now that he had every intention of navigating straight to it.

Evan brought up the scans so they were displaying on every screen in every room on the Ascalon while Alex explained to the crew what they were going after. His plan was received with enthusiasm and anticipation, and an eager request from nearly every section to turn the Ascalon toward the mysterious mass as quickly as possible. He and Evan weren't the only ones deeply affected by the duplicity of so many crew members, all of whom they held accountable for the deaths of Franklin and the crew of the Vision.

"At least now this ship is yours, free and clear." Doctor Zane patted Alex on the back as he turned to leave the bridge.

Evan cleared his throat and looked at Alex.

"Well, that's not exactly true." Alex grinned at the twisted irony that had become of his plan.

"What do you mean?" The doctor stopped at the door, looking back.

"Well, I reworked that claim transmission, and had Evan send the new one, not the one Jeff and Spencer were looking at."

"Reworked it?" Doctor Zane looked from one to the other. "So, who owns the claim?"

Alex laughed shortly. "It was a good idea at the time." He glanced at Evan with raised eyebrows. "I didn't want him to win, so I changed the claim and put it through in Franklin's name, claiming the discovery on behalf of the Vision and her crew."

"But how can you do that?"

"The law." Evan supplied, looking at the doctor. "Alex was able to show there were members of his crew responsible for the Vision's destruction."

"I certified that all parties involved were being contained, and held on the mining station for arrest, then requested that ownership of the findings of C-4 and her moons be awarded to Captain Franklin's survivors."

"You don't mean that man your father was in competition with, do you?"

"No," Alex quickly reassured him. "Since a ship was destroyed and lives were lost, the families of the Captain and crew become the beneficiaries."

"Harvey didn't own the Vision, he'd just funded this trip." Evan shook his head and stood to stretch.

"Yeah, but we kinda screwed ourselves." Alex sighed. "With Spencer dead, I could have won myself and kept him from winning."

Doctor Zane nodded slowly, then stepped back into the room to look at both men. "You did the right thing. You corralled everyone involved with the deaths, saw to it the families of those victimized will be compensated, and now you're free to go and find out what this thing is you've had your eye on for so long, and claim it for yourselves."

Alex laughed a little, nodding his appreciation of such a kind interpretation of his hurried actions. "Well, when you put it that way, Doc, I guess it isn't so bad."

"There you go." Doctor Zane smiled widely and patted both of them on their uninjured arms, then turned and left the office.

"There you go."

"And there we go." Evan pointed to the screen. "You have to map a route through this mess to that thing, or we'll never get there."

"Hey, making these things up as I go along is what I do best."

"And looking out for your best interests is what I do best." Evan sat down and pulled the terminal around to face him, placing his palm on the input pad. "And it's in your best interests to get us a clear route." He called up some data Alex hadn't seen before. "I think Captain Franklin, in light of everything that's happened, would have wanted you to use this."

Alex stared in disbelief at the screen. "That's from his probe."

"That's why I didn't notice what the other probe was preparing to do." Evan looked down, avoiding Alex's gaze. "I was copying this probe's data." He looked up again. "I wanted you to be the one to see what was out there first. If I'd watched the other probe more closely, they might have had a chance."

"No, we've been over that already." Alex shook his head and started absently rubbing his shoulder. "There was nothing either of us could have done." He sighed and leaned back against his desk. All this time, everything Evan had done -- whether he'd wanted him to or not -- had been for his benefit. Now that they knew the truth, he had to wonder if that would start to change.

"It will take a few hours to process this into the larger room display, but you'll be able to plan a route more safely if we use his data, rather than trying to send our own probe through that mess. Unless you still feel -- "

"No. With Franklin gone. . . If the situation was reversed, I'd want him to use our data." Alex's shoulder was starting to ache. "You don't suppose he had any idea, do you?"

"About what?"

"Harvey. And Spencer. Everything." Alex waved his left hand.

"I don't know." Evan let his left hand slide away from the computer terminal as he spoke, thoughtfully contemplating the carpeted floor for a moment. "You knew him, what do you think?"

Alex nearly laughed at the irony. "I thought I knew a lot of people. Obviously, I was wrong." He turned around and walked to the chair, then sat and turned on the monitor in his desk. "It's ironic, isn't it? Everyone I knew so well, or thought I knew so well, turned out to be working for my father all this time." And the one person I didn't know at all turned out to be the only one I could trust.

"I should have . . . I wish I'd known." Evan shook his head and turned on the couch so he was facing Alex's desk. "Spencer kept files on his pager that I could never access, I knew that, but I had no idea how involved he was in so many other things."

"Well, we've both been played for fools." Alex stopped rubbing his shoulder and shook the last vestiges of self-pity from his head. "Enough wallowing. We've got a mystery to solve. And if this turns out to be anything we can use, we might just get this ship paid for after all." If nothing else came of this entire escapade, at least it had removed even the slightest twinges of temptation where Evan was concerned. Even his mother would have no choice but to give up any insistence that the Sha'erah be sold to the highest bidder. No, Alex had made his living without holding the papers on the Ascalon this long, he could continue. Spencer may have funded each of his trips in the past, if that was even true. But it wouldn't stop him from finding other legitimate sources in the future. He'd successfully found the richest source of Turbidium known to man thus far. Regardless of ownership, it would be his name listed as discoverer, putting him in even more of a valued position as exploration captain and ship for hire.

"The ship is paid for."

Alex looked up from his monitor, blinking. "What?"

"The lease on the Ascalon. It was paid for as soon as that claim was received and processed. Assuming it has been by now."

"What do you mean?" Alex tried to recall his last conversation with Doctor Zane, during which Evan had admitted sending the altered claim. Your best interests! "You're not telling me you sent the first claim after all? And lied about -- "

"No, I've never lied to you." Evan's face was as serious as ever, and as dark. "I did what I assumed you wanted, and sent the claim on behalf of the Vision's survivors."

Alex felt his face flush slightly when he realized the rudeness of his hasty accusation. He swallowed, trying to regain some composure. "So, what are you talking about?"

"Spencer Marcase was wanted in every system I know of. Each one had its own reward for his capture or death. At the time I made that transmission, you had successfully captured one of the galaxy's most wanted criminals." Evan paused, assuming Alex was going to catch up to his line of thinking. When he didn't seem to be, he continued. "I sent along audio, video and the DNA sample from when he touched the crystal. That's all the proof required for preliminary payment."

"Payment?" Alex wasn't catching on. He wanted to say it out loud, confirm what Evan was getting at, but he feared by doing so it would vanish into thin air.

"Several rewards," Evan supplied. "Spencer thought having his own system would keep him free, but as a member of this crew -- he said so himself -- he was bound by the laws of all recognized systems."

Alex blinked again. "My God, your mind never stops working every angle, does it?"

This time it was Evan's turn to look confused and unsure of what to say.

"But what about, I mean, what did we do with his body?" If there really was a chance to come out of this somehow ahead . . .

"I believe Doctor Zane took care of it." Evan turned back to the computer and seemed to concentrate for a moment. "Yes, it's in the morgue."

Alex leaned back in his chair and nodded, still not too sure he believed his good fortune. "Okay. So when we get back to Scotian, we just have to confirm our story. We have proof he was killed in self defense."

"All rewards together are well over the lease balance. Assuming you want to apply it there."

"Of course I do." Alex started to smile. "It's all I've ever wanted. And you gotta love the irony." He looked at Evan, suddenly serious. "Listen, you don't happen to have any more tidbits of vital information you haven't happened to mention yet, do you?"

"Excuse me?" The Sha'erah looked very confused now. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"What I'm talking about is this little habit of yours of not bothering to mention things like this."

"I did mention it."

"Sure, now."

"There was no time or need to mention it earlier." Evan shrugged, completely unconcerned with the timing of his information. "As long as I'm here to look after your best interests, you're free to concentrate on other things." He turned back to the computer terminal in front of him as if the topic was concluded and no longer of importance.

Alex laughed. "I'm gonna have to start keeping score."

Chapter 12

"Yes! Would you look at that." Alex beamed with satisfaction and pointed to the large object floating in three-dimensional virtual reality above the couch. "I told you something was there."

Evan flexed his sore arm and nodded. "I never said there wasn't." He had to walk around the table to get a better view. "Looks like a ship."

"I knew it!"

He decided against reminding his Keeper that he had not, in fact, known it, but had only been hoping fervently. The man had been through enough already. Meeting -- and then killing -- his own father after finding he'd been responsible for the deaths of eighty-three innocent people from the Vision. And to top it off, a full one-quarter of his own crew had been in on the plot from the beginning. Add to that an injured shoulder that was reducing his range of motion and had to hurt more than he was letting on. Evan figured after all that, Alex deserved some small leeway.

"It looks odd."

Alex nodded, still staring at the object. "Looks alien. There's never been a human ship out here this deep before us."

"Spencer had information about the nebula and we still don't know how he got that." Evan stepped under the ship and sat on the couch facing Alex, who refused to take his eyes from the image. The man could obsess on something like no one he'd ever known.

"I know." Alex reached up to rub his chin with his right hand, then winced slightly and rubbed his injured shoulder. "You didn't find anything at all about that in his pager?"

"No." Evan shook his head once, sharply. He'd found a lot in that pager, information that led to each and every Ascalon crew member Spencer had on his payroll, as well as details of the corporations he owned a controlling majority of, but no mention of previous knowledge regarding the Pendulum Nebula. What he had found had been upsetting enough. All those years as Spencer's Sha'erah, and he hadn't had a clue about the other companies and schemes he'd been running. Everything he'd kept secret from Evan was in that pager, one he never knew Spencer owned. A personal pager was the only place Evan couldn't gain access to easily. He should have known Spencer had dangerous secrets, things he didn't want even Evan knowing about. But at the time, that was unthinkable. It was his duty to know everything, and Spencer had always used him to his full abilities.

Evan sighed quietly to himself as he muddled over those thoughts again. The only conclusion he could come up with made as little sense as anything. Had Spencer planned this from the start? Some of the information he'd found in those files suggested his former Keeper had been orchestrating his estranged son's career since he first began captaining an exploration ship. That seemed like an awful lot of trouble to go through, just to blow it all with one stupid mistake.

"Well, he could have been lying. Hell, I'm sure he was lying." Alex adjusted the image being displayed throughout the room so the ship he was so enthralled with could be looked at while seated, then he joined Evan on the couch, looking at the top portion of the alien vessel as it hovered before them. "He did a lot of that."

It must have been pride. Spencer was the most prideful man Evan had known, as well as the most devious. And Harvey knew that. He must have known that if he offered up a challenge, Spencer wouldn't be able to refuse. A contest between two men who didn't understand the meaning of the word fair. One of them was destined to die, they had to have known that. But how could either of them have known there was something to win in the nebula?

"I wonder how long it's been out here?"

And Spencer would have won, but his pride wouldn't allow him to accept defeat where Evan was concerned. It was his idea, faking his death. Granted, it should have worked, though. He was sure the law should have . . . Or the ring, it should have transferred when . . . But no, it was him. He controlled the ring. That idea still didn't sit well in Evan's mind. If it were really true, then he should be with Spencer. He did believe the law would have set the will aside once it was confirmed the death of Spencer Marcase was incorrectly recorded. So if he believed it, and he controlled the ring, it should have . . .

Evan shook his head, trying to end another round of the unanswerable. It was too much to puzzle, and meant nothing now that Spencer was really dead. He was with Alex and that was where he'd stay. Nothing had changed. He liked his life the way it was, settled and predictable. He was a Sha'erah, after all. He was Alex's Sha'erah.

"Damn, I wish we could get a close-up with the sensors."

"The gasses are too heavily charged here, none of the outside sensors are functioning."

"I know, I know." Alex cocked his head to one side, looking at the underside of the image. "It's just killing me, this waiting."

Evan laughed shortly as he scrunched down into the cushions of the couch and closed his eyes. "We'll be there in three days, following your course. You've been waiting more than six months already, can't you wait another three days?"

"No." Alex sat back with a snort of disgust. "I can't. Now that I know it's a ship, I just want to get there and examine it all the sooner."

"It's not going anywhere." Evan felt the pull of fatigue drawing at his tired mind, and the reflected feeling he sensed from Alex. It was going to be another night on the couch, by the looks of things.

"But how did it get here?" Alex sat forward again, staring intently at the image. "How long has it been here? Where did it come from? What happened to the crew?"

Evan didn't even try to answer, since he had nothing to offer up, and he knew Alex wasn't exactly asking so much as pondering. That much he'd gotten used to these past six months. More or less.

"I mean, look at this thing."

Evan opened one eye.

"You can tell it's a ship, and maybe assume the engines are at his end," Alex pointed to the end nearest him. "But it could just as easily be the other way around. There are no obvious ports anywhere. I just wish we had a more detailed image I could study while we're traveling."

"We'll be close enough to see it from the window in three days."

Alex's only reply was a sort of snort and a return to his intense study of the large object.

He had to give the man credit. After what they'd just been through in these past few days, he seemed to have been able to shake it off relatively quickly and return to his usual obsessive absorption in the unknown. Evan was still reeling from it all. Spencer, the ring, the vast conspiracy that he hadn't even had a clue about all those years. It was too much to comprehend, or even contemplate. Maybe he should take his cues from his Keeper? Turn his confusion and anger into insatiable curiosity.

"We could try another probe. If I could find a way to clear out the interference from the nebula."

Alex nodded absent mindedly as he made a notation on the display. "Do you think that's possible?"

"I'll work on it first thing in the morning." Evan didn't bother opening his eyes to see if Alex had any reaction. He was too tired to keep looking at the hologram, and his Keeper was too absorbed by it to consider anything else. Just as well. He could sleep here without being noticed and still be ready should he be needed for anything. Not that he would be. Alex would stare at the alien ship to the exclusion of all else until he either fell asleep in spite of himself, or Evan forced him to stop to eat breakfast.

Which is precisely what he had to do seven hours later. Evan turned off the display, forcing Alex to come back to reality, then ordered him to shower and get cleaned up before breakfast.

"What exactly are we going to do when we get there?" Evan set both plates on the table and sat down, suppressing a yawn as he rubbed his arm.

"Explore, of course." Alex opened his eyes wide then blinked, obviously trying hard to wake himself up. "This ship has to be alien, proof of the existence of sentient life outside our realm of understanding."

"I thought you didn't care about finding aliens?"

Alex shrugged. "I don't. Not really. But we'll be the first ones to see this ship, wherever it's from. The first ones to investigate something that mostly likely is alien. If nothing else, then we're discovering a lost ship from God knows where or when that no one knew was here before." His enthusiasm was doing much to clear out the last of his sluggishness from lack of sleep. "Even if that ship is of human origins, what's it doing out here? Where did it come from and what has it seen? Think about it. It's been there since the first scans I saw of the nebula, just sitting there in that section of gas, going nowhere. That's at least a year, probably more. What's it doing there? How'd it get there?"

Evan contemplated the questions. He personally didn't much care one way or the other, and didn't quite understand the significance. But Alex's obvious excitement made it worth consideration. "How can you tell it's not occupied?"

"Well," Alex picked up his coffee and grinned over the top of the cup. "I can't. Not yet, anyway. We can't get readings clear enough to know if there's power or life signs. But it hasn't moved at all."

"But, if it's alien, how can our readings tell what's there? If we only have our own standards to use as reference."

"Ah, but that's where the fun begins. We can't tell, not without going there ourselves and looking around. Alien life could be based on anything, carbon, silicon, or even something we haven't discovered yet. We could be staring right at them and have no idea they're there."

Evan set his own empty cup down and stared at Alex intently. "This could be dangerous. For all you know, that ship is occupied and they're just waiting for us to get closer."

"That's why we'll have to be careful." Alex stood and carried their plates to the galley. "Believe me, I'm not going to risk my ship or my crew for this."

"We need a better scan before we're much closer." There was no way he was going to let Alex risk anything on something this vague. "I might be able to reprogram one of the probes to filter out the interference." He stood without waiting for a comment. "I'll be down in launch bay if you need me today."

"You really think you can get one to give us a clear shot? They've never been able to filter out the interference this deep before."

"If not the probe, then maybe our sensors." Evan paused at the door. "I'll let you know which one."

He left Alex in their quarters, knowing he'd most likely be spending his day either there or on the bridge. Now that they'd cleared out everyone Spencer had on his payroll, Evan felt much more secure in leaving his Keeper alone on the ship. The remaining crew, loyal to Alex and the Ascalon, seemed to have grown even closer, displaying extreme solidarity in the wake of the wide-spread betrayal.

At least they'd all apparently gotten past it and moved on. Everyone he passed in the corridors was buzzing about the ship and its possible origins. Evan didn't personally believe in aliens. His own background was an unknown, but he had trouble imagining aliens having a hand in his development without more humans being aware of their existence. The idea that they dealt only with the seedier side of humanity, and remained unknown to everyone else, was too far-fetched even for him. What would they stand to gain by it? Humans were devious and dangerous enough, they didn't need an alien race to strike fear into anyone's minds.

The launch bay had been drastically cleared out with the launch of the mining equipment and orbiting sections left behind at C-7. A vast, well-lit room with high ceilings, it now felt oddly empty and cavernous, holding only a handful of crates and equipment compared to its previous clutter. At the far left sat three of the last five probes, boxed and stored carefully to protect their delicate instruments. Evan didn't have a clue whether or not he could get a probe to work through the nebula's charged gas, but he knew from so many inspections looking for sabotage that the units worked logically, like any computer. And the sensors that picked up and translated the data worked along the same manner. With that being true, there had to be a way to work out the problem of interference.

Evan loved the simplicity of computers. Logic in its purest form was so uncomplicated, any problem could be worked out, given enough time. Computers were certainly easier to figure out than people! All those years, his life had been dedicated to Spencer Marcase to the exclusion of everything else. He'd been loyal to a fault, as any Sha'erah would have been. Even when he disapproved of his Keeper's actions, he held his tongue and did his duty. And yet all those years, all those secrets he'd kept, he had no idea Spencer was keeping anything from him.

And what if he hadn't? What if he'd been in on this plan from the beginning? Evan knew if he'd been ordered to, he would have gone along with his Keeper's wishes, no matter what the cost to a man he'd never met. Spencer had no regard for his son, so neither would Evan, if things had been different.

Evan shook his head and tried to concentrate on the here and now, they way Alex seemed so perfectly able to do. He had a task, after all. Spencer was dead and gone. He had work to do, and he found it carefully secured at the end of a long row of maintenance equipment. The probe responded to him instantly when he powered up the onboard computer, and willingly gave him full access to its programming. Evan got comfortable on the floor, rested his left palm on the computer's logic board, and started his study.

The Pendulum Nebula was a conglomerate of charged gas, thick particles of dust, countless planets, moons, as well as chunks of rock and ice blown around by the solar winds of a thousand suns hidden within its mass. In order for any probe or sensor to 'see' through it, it had to navigate the confusion of widely polarized particles slamming constantly into it from all angles. Just to get a probe to a section was risky, but to then manage to receive and properly interpret any data sent back was another headache of interference and confusion.

After hours of programming and fidgeting, Evan realized there was no easy way to filter out that much electrically charged noise. There had to be another way.

He stood, trying to work out the kinks that seemed to have permanently folded both legs. It was past lunch, and a sure bet Alex hadn't stopped to realize it. With no good news to bring to the table, Evan settled for calling up the galley from where he stood, shaking the sleep out of one foot. He ordered lunch to be delivered to the bridge office, then programmed the remote dispenser in the corridor to brew up a pot of coffee and nutrients to keep him going through the rest of the day.

With that done, he returned to the probe and stood, staring down at it. If he couldn't get the probe to filter out enough interference, it probably wouldn't work to filter out their receivers, either. There had to be a way! He didn't know why there had to be, but he refused to accept defeat. He'd found a way to increase the Ascalon's speed, then managed to build a room-sized three dimensional display with crystal clarity. How hard could this be?

Frustration led to pacing. Evan walked the length of the launch bay, working out the stiffness of so many hours on the floor. When he reached the far end, where used equipment and spent engine parts were housed, he felt a slight chill coming from one long box. Curious, he reached out and touched the crate. It was cold, refrigerated for some reason. Evan glanced around. This was the section for used and spent items no longer needed. Why would something be kept here refrigerated?

There was no pad affixed to the box, declaring its contents, so Evan popped open the lid and peered at the smaller box inside.

Spencer's frozen corpse stared up at him.

When his heart started beating again, Evan realized it was his coffin, refrigerated for long storage. They hadn't wanted to jettison his body since they'd need it for proof in order to make the claim on his reward official. As distasteful as it was to be looking at the body of a man who represented so much hate, he couldn't drag his gaze from the corpse for fear the eyes would suddenly open. Marcase was dead. He really was dead this time. Both he and Alex had scored direct hits, blowing most of Spencer's chest away.

Still, it was hard to resist the temptation of lifting the second lid to the coffin itself and decapitating the man, just to be on the safe side.

Disgust finally won over and allowed Evan to close the lid. "You never should have come back." The fool. He'd made it, won his bet, claimed his prize. He had everything he'd ever wanted and more. But that wasn't enough. He had to come back.

Evan certainly never would have gone back. He couldn't fathom life back with Spencer Marcase, even when that life had been so settled and normal for him. Once a Sha'erah was given to another Keeper, he never looked back.

Suddenly a thought struck Evan so hard the coffin was completely forgotten. "That's it!"

Evan spotted Alex on the bridge, going over something with two of the crew. It was all he could do to wait until his Keeper was free and could step aside to hear his news.

"I've figured it out."

"What? The probe?" Alex's face brightened considerably. "How?"

"Make it a round trip." Evan realized several of the bridge crew were listening intently. There wasn't a need for secrecy, but he still felt uncomfortable sharing news with anyone other than Alex before his Keeper had the benefit of thinking it over first. He forced himself to continue. "Instead of trying to get it to send back to us through the nebula, we could send it straight out following the path we're on now, have it scan the ship, then return here and download the data directly, without interference."

"That's never been done before." Alex rubbed his eyebrow with two fingers. "You'd have to modify the probe to carry more fuel, or a double engine. Then alter the standard programming so it would store the information instead of sending it."

"Can that be done?"

Evan glanced at the communications officer, Reilly, then looked at Alex and waited for him to absorb the idea.

"It is possible, isn't it?" Alex started smiling slowly. "If we cannibalize one of the other probes for its engine and fuel disk. Then reprogram the main computer, plug in the course we're on now and repeat that coming back." He met Evan's gaze. "You've already done that, haven't you?"

"It's ready to launch whenever you are."

Alex laughed. "Damn, I should have known." He slapped Evan on the back then turned to the crew. "Reilly, give Evan the controls so he can launch this thing, it's his baby."

Evan would have preferred less enthusiasm until they knew for a fact this hunch would work. There were still risks involved, since probes were never designed to physically return in the first place. He'd spent several hours rebuilding the unit, adding the second engine and reprogramming the computer. But there were no guarantees.

Reilly stepped aside willingly, then hovered nearby to watch Evan's every move with an anticipation obviously shared by the entire bridge crew. Now it had to work.

Evan established contact with the probe prior to launch, mentally walking himself through the programming one last time. When it launched, he let himself stay in contact, blocking out everything around him as he concentrated on following the probe through the wild colors of the nebula. At every course correction, turn and bank he felt as if he was physically traveling through space with the small projectile. The time it took the probe to reach its destination was less than an hour, but to Evan it felt like five minutes. He double checked, then checked again to make certain it truly was there, and not just a few miles outside the launch tube. Everything the onboard computer reported confirmed it was where it should be, and downloading a plethora of information as it slowly reconned in a wide circle. There was too much riding on this probe's success for Evan to risk looking at the data while it was downloading to the probe's memory. He forced himself to concentrate solely on the proper execution of data retrieval, then the safe return of the first ever round trip probe.

"Well?"

Evan looked up, startled out of his intense concentration. "It worked." He blinked several times and stiffly moved his hand from the control consol. "It's in the bay." His hand was tingling, almost numb.

"Reilly, go fetch it." Alex put a hand on Evan's shoulder. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." In fact, he was a little dizzy. "It should have worked, downloading the data, but I couldn't review it first."

"Don't worry about it." Alex kept his hand on Evan's shoulder and nodded toward the office. "It'll take Reilly time to unload the programming and get it processed, let's get something to eat."

He didn't want to let anyone else touch the probe before he could find out if it had worked, but before he could protest he found himself in Alex's office sitting at the small table waiting for the dinner he'd ordered to arrive.

"You look like hell." Alex poured two cups of strong smelling coffee from the dispenser next to his desk and handed one to Evan. "How long did it take you to reprogram and retrofit that thing?"

Evan shrugged. "I didn't really keep track. A few hours, once I thought of the right way to get it done." His palm was still tingling so he rubbed it absently, enjoying the aroma of the coffee as it found its way to his nose from the cup on the table in front of him.

"It never occurred to me to think of a probe as a round trip unit." Alex sighed and sat down opposite Evan. "Technically it's impractical. They've never been used that way before, so it never dawned on me they could be. What made you think of it?"

"He did." Evan stopped rubbing his palm and picked up the coffee cup. The warmth helped bring the feeling back to his hand.

"He who?"

Suddenly he realized he'd just said that out loud. Now he had to decide, quickly, whether or not to bring up the subject or change it very fast. "Spencer. His body's down there."

Alex stared at him.

"I wasn't getting anywhere with the programming, so I started walking around to clear my head." Evan could see he'd made the wrong choice, but now he had no option. "That's when I found his casket." He sipped the coffee, hoping the subject could end there, for Alex's sake.

"And . . . " Alex seemed determined to see this through.

"I was thinking how stupid he'd been for having come back, then it hit me we could make the probe come back," he shrugged. "So I worked on it with that idea in mind."

Alex sat back in the chair, shaking his head slowly from side to side. For a long time he said nothing, then he sighed heavily and started to rub his injured shoulder. "I forgot he's technically still onboard."

"We'll need his body, for proof. DNA samples and recorded evidence can be faked."

"Yeah, I know. I just didn't want to think about it." He shook his head again. "It seems we're both still being influenced by him."

Evan didn't know how to reply. Seeing Spencer's body again had brought many feelings back to mind, feelings he wasn't even allowed to express. It hadn't occurred to him that Alex might still be affected this deeply. He'd seemed so easily distracted by his new scans and images of the alien ship, Evan had assumed all thoughts of Alex's father had been easily forgotten. Obviously he was wrong.

"I still can't fathom how he did it. Or how he managed to have so many of my crew on his payroll without me knowing about it."

"It wasn't your fault, you know." Evan looked his Keeper in the eyes, wishing he could have somehow prevented what had happened, but knowing he couldn't have. "He had secrets all those years that I never knew about."

Alex sighed, gazing at the far wall with a far-away look. After a long moment of silence, he shook his head slowly. "I wonder if some things are better left unknown?"

Evan considered the question. "How do you know which is which?"

"Good question." Alex stood. "I'm gonna go down to the launch bay, see how Reilly's coming with the probe download."

Evan set down his coffee and started to get up.

"No, you stay here." Alex held up one hand, stopping him. "You look tired. I'll be back in a bit, just eat dinner and relax."

Reluctantly, Evan relented. His Keeper had a quietness about him that suggested he'd prefer to be alone for a while. Besides, there wasn't anything to worry about now that Spencer was truly gone. Still, he seemed to be reaching out from the grave, influencing those he'd tried so hard to control. Had Franklin known Harvey was controlling his fate?

A quiet knock on the door over an hour later startled Evan out of his thoughts.

"Excuse me, I thought the Captain was in here." Reilly started to back out of the doorway with an apologetic expression.

"He was with you." Evan stood, instantly on edge. His expression startled the man into momentary stammering.

"I -- He -- Yes, he was. But I left him down in the bay about an hour ago. I just wanted to tell him the downloads are complete and translated. I've copied the data to everyone's terminals." Reilly smiled cautiously, then when Evan made no comment, he backed out of the office.

It took less than fifteen minutes, bypassing the lifts for the sake of speed, for Evan to reach the launch bay. He didn't sense any danger, but he couldn't ignore the strong feeling of uneasiness urging him forward.

That feeling continued until he found himself once again standing in front of the chilled crate.

"I didn't come down here to see him."

Evan turned and found Alex sitting on a box in the shadows, looking at the crate holding Spencer Marcase's body. He was twisting the ring around his finger thoughtfully. "Are you sure?" He moved away from the coffin and stopped beside the stack of boxes his Keeper was sitting on. "Reilly told me the downloads are complete. He was looking for you."

Alex nodded, not taking his eyes from the refrigerated crate. "I stared at him for so long, I think I was afraid his eyes would open if I looked away." Slowly, his gaze moved from the box to Evan. He smiled ruefully. "I even thought about hacking him up a bit."

Evan sighed and rubbed his eyes. "What would that prove?"

Alex merely shrugged.

"He is dead." This time. Evan leaned on a box, keeping his back to the coffin. "Those blasts took out most of his chest, no one could survive that. And he's not being kept at cryogenic levels. If he wasn't dead when they packed him in there, he is now."

Alex continued to twist the silver ring around his finger as he gazed at the refrigerated crate.

"Say the word, and I'll decapitate him."

At that, Alex laughed, looking at Evan. "That does sound pretty paranoid, doesn't it?" He shook his head and finally let go of the ring so he could rub his injured shoulder. "No, I don't think I need to be that crazy." He looked again at the crate thoughtfully. "I do look like him a bit, don't I?"

Evan's brow furrowed in surprise as he recalled the image of the man in the coffin. "You're just tired."

Alex looked confused for a moment, then somewhat disgusted. "Funny."

"I just don't understand why he would make such a mistake in coming back." Evan turned so he could see the crate. "He had it all. I've never known him to plan something out so carefully and perfectly, then go against it all and risk everything at the last minute."

"I do." Alex slid off the boxes and walked slowly toward the crate, then moved to walk away without coming any closer. "He obviously thought you were worth it."

Evan hurried to follow, offering the coffin one last glance. "He had enough wealth to buy other Sha'erah."

"But not you." Alex led the way across the open expanse of landing bay toward the main corridor, slowing so Evan could catch up and walk beside him. "Hell, if you did half the things you've done already for me while you worked for him, I can't imagine why he risked losing you in the first place."

They stopped in the main corridor to wait for a lift. Evan found himself trying to process Alex's thoughts. "I only ever did what I was expected to do."

"Well I certainly never expected you to increase my ship's speed, invent a three-dimensional display no one's ever been able to figure out before, or give me a probe that can navigate a nebula on a round trip and bring back clear images when nothing else can see through it." The lift car arrived and Alex stepped inside, waiting for Evan to break from his apparent stupor and join him. "If you think that is what's expected of you, then I can see why Spencer risked everything to get you back. I sure as hell would have done the same."

The doors closed with a quiet hum, then the car began a gentle lift to the upper levels. Evan's face felt strangely warm, and he could think of nothing to say.

"I'm just glad this thing didn't come off when I tried it."

Evan looked up and noticed Alex twisting the ring around his finger again.

"It represented everything in my life I couldn't control. I don't know what I would have done if it had come off."

Evan looked at the silver metal. "You wanted it to, at least at the time."

Alex sighed and seemed to gaze off into space. "For a few seconds, yeah, I thought I did. But it wasn't you I wanted to remove.." He focused on Evan. "It was just . . . This ring, for that instant, seemed to represent everything that was out of control. My life, my ship, my mission. Even Franklin and all those innocent lives lost on the Vision just because two very powerful men wanted to play out a wager." He shook his head sharply. "For a few seconds, it was all too much. And this," he held up his hand, "was the only focus I had to blame it on. I like to think it didn't come off because I didn't really want it to."

"But I'm the one thing in your life you can control."

"I don't want to control you, Evan. I want you to stay here as part of my crew, as my friend. Not as something I can control, like an object."

Evan stared at his Keeper for a long moment, trying to understand his often confused way of thinking. "I don't understand you sometimes. Everything you can't control, you want to. And the one thing you can control, you won't."

Alex's laugh had a tired edge to it. "Yeah, well, go figure. I just hope when we get back to civilization, you don't find a better job somewhere else."

Now, he had no trouble thinking of words to say. "That's impossible. Unless you sell me I'll always be where you are."

Now it was Alex's turn to look confused. He held up his right hand. "But, this doesn't bind you anywhere, remember? Now that you know the truth, you're certainly free to go where you want. If you want."

"Don't be ridiculous." Six months, and the man hadn't learned a single thing. "That ring is nothing more than a representation. Just because I can make it come off your finger doesn't change who or what I am. I certainly couldn't put it on anyone else's unless you sold me."

"Wait a minute. The other day, Doctor Zane proved that all of what you were taught -- "

"Hasn't changed." Evan shook his head once, sharply. "The reasons might be different, but the meaning is still there. I'm still Sha'erah, and nothing can change that." He obviously didn't understand much about these things. "You're wearing an insignia that says you're the captain of this ship. But if you take it off, you're still the captain. Even if someone else puts it on, you are still the captain of this ship. It's no different."

"You're reaching."

"I'm Sha'erah."

"You're stubborn." The lift stopped near their quarters and both men disembarked and began walking down the corridor.

"And you're stuck with me until you decide otherwise."

Alex paused as they were walking. "I'd rather not think of it as being stuck with you, or you with me."

"Use whatever term you'd like." Evan reached out and palmed open the door to their quarters. "I'm not leaving until you sell me." He walked inside and Alex followed.

"I'm not selling you. And if that's the way you feel about this simple piece of silver, then you'd better get used to my strange ways of thinking, 'cause you're gonna have to pry it off my dead body before I'll ever sell you."

Then that was the end of argument, as far as he was concerned. Evan walked to the table and turned on the display. "It's still processing."

Alex kicked off his shoes, then sat down tiredly on the couch, sinking into the soft cushions for a moment before he pulled off both socks. "Let me know when it's done."

Before he could answer, Alex leaned back into the couch and closed his eyes, falling almost immediately to sleep. He waited until he was convinced his Keeper was soundly sleeping before turning on the display. His own eyes were barely staying open, but the clear image of a strange, obviously alien ship hovering now before him in the center of their living quarters was enough to perk him back up considerably. It wasn't the ship that had Evan excited, it was the proof of his success in redesigning the probe. The nebula's chaos could be seen around a clear bubble the ship seemed to occupy. Every spec of dust and spinning rock was represented with a clarity never before experienced. At least by him.

Evan checked the views of the strange ship to make sure it had come in completely clear in all directions before shutting the display off. Alex needed sleep right now more than something to obsess on for the next two and a half days, there was plenty of time to examine the image before they arrived now. Of course, everyone else onboard had a copy of the same data, and while their displays were only table-sized, it was probably a sure bet several of them would spend the better part of the night poring over it. The question Evan was left with was wondering if giving Alex some much-needed sleep would outweigh the possible irritation if and when he found out he was behind on all the speculating.

Before he could make up his mind, he realized he was waking up on the couch beside his still-sleeping Keeper.

"Oh, damn." Evan scrambled to his feet, wincing slightly at the stiffness in his injured arm. He hobbled as quickly as newly-awakened feet would allow and checked for messages. Thankfully there were none. A speedy check of the time confirmed they'd only been asleep for seven hours, and while the rest of the crew were probably enjoying lively conversations about the strange ship they were speeding toward, they weren't trying to talk to their Captain about it. With luck, and his first glimpse of the clear image, Alex wouldn't notice being the last one on board to see the display.

"Alex, it's done." He gently touched his Keeper on his uninjured shoulder.

"What?" Alex opened both eyes just enough to let in some light, then blinked and started to sit up. "How long was I asleep?"

"Just a few hours, you needed it." Evan pointed to Alex's bedroom door. "Why don't you take a shower and wake up? I'll fix breakfast."

Alex nodded and slowly pushed himself from the couch. "Did it work?"

"Yes." Evan started for the galley. "Once you get a look at it you'll be obsessed again, so you'd better wash up and eat first."

"The ship? You can see the ship clearly?" Alex had stopped on his way toward the door, hovering between forward and backward motions.

"Shower first, then eat." Evan put on his best look of dark disapproval and pointed commandingly at the bedroom door. "You know full well once you sit down in front of that thing you won't move for days."

Alex nodded impatiently, waving one hand in the air. Reluctantly, he made his directional decision and continued in to the bedroom.

Evan placed an order for breakfast then took a shower himself. The large couch in the main living area was comfortable enough, but sleeping on it too often was anything but satisfying. In two more days, they'd be pulling up alongside the alien vessel, presumably preparing to board it for a full investigation. With the new probe data to stare at and plans to make, he didn't imagine either of them getting another full night's sleep in their respective beds any time soon. Alex would be so completely absorbed by it all, it would be up to Evan to keep him from making any mistakes due to a lack of sleep, which meant he had to stay alert and on top of things. Which meant more nights on the couch.

Breakfast was ready when he came back out to the galley, as was Alex, who ate as quickly as a sore shoulder and his stomach would allow. Evan wondered if it ever even occurred to his Keeper that he could just as easily have done whatever he wanted to as obey a simple demand to shower and eat given to him by someone who had no right to order him. Probably not.

"What are we going to do if we get there and find this thing occupied?" Evan handed Alex a second cup of coffee to take with him back to the couch.

"I dunno. Say hello, I guess. Or turn around and get the hell out of there." Alex's shrug was somewhat lopsided. "I haven't really thought about it. You don't think it's occupied, do you?"

Evan didn't even bother trying to reply. Alex had turned on the full room display while he was asking, and now stood staring wide-eyed at the crystal-clear image before him.

"My God." He slowly moved around the image of the ship hovering in the middle of the room at chest level. "You did it."

Evan resigned himself to the view and wandered over to where his Keeper stood.

"It really worked." Alex leaned forward. "It's incredible. Look at this detail."

"Everything looks clear from this section." Evan pointed to a group of rocks floating to their left. "The ship seems to be in a sort of bubble or something."

Alex nodded. "I wonder if that's by accident, or if they somehow managed to repel the charged gas themselves?"

Evan didn't bother responding. He sat down at one end of the couch with a cup of coffee and watched as Alex wandered back and forth around the image, thinking out loud as he examined every visible inch of the ship. Lunch was eaten without any conscious awareness, and dinner turned into a meeting in the level four conference room with as many as could fit into the large room. Evan skipped that meeting of minds in order to run a full systems check on the Ascalon while there was still some traveling time to kill. He gave his Keeper and the others a full three hours, then insisted their captain required rest and threatened a visit to the infirmary to confirm that fact.

Luckily, Doctor Zane had a few things to say about Alex's current schedule, and informed Evan that night to expect a prescription delivered within the hour.

"You had surgery just two days ago, that's why." Evan shoved the pills under his Keeper's nose for the second time and refused to move them away until they were accepted and swallowed.

"So did you," Alex accused. He swallowed the pills then leaned against the back of the couch, ignoring the display controls on the table he'd just been ordered not to turn on again until morning.

"And I plan to sleep tonight, too." Evan set the bottle down and checked the room's security out of habit. "We'll be there soon enough. Everyone's satisfied with the probe data, and so am I. I doubt there's anyone onboard that thing."

"I'm glad there isn't. Alien contact wasn't on my list of things to do, I just want to get on that ship."

"You must have been impossible as a child." Evan couldn't quite believe he'd had the audacity to say such a thing, but obviously he had.

Alex's response was rousing laughter and a nod of his head. "Yes, I was." He pushed away from the couch and walked to the bedroom door. "You know, I think when we get back to Scotian, you should meet my mother."

"I thought you said that wasn't something you ever wished on anyone?"

"I don't." Alex laughed lightly again as he entered his room. "But that was before I really knew you."

He opened his mouth to ask what that was supposed to mean, but the door closed before he could speak. Surely he hadn't done something Alex was angry with? No, he would have said. He was probably just being Alex again. Evan sighed and went back to his room to get some of his own much-needed sleep.

Evan had to admit, once the Ascalon had sidled as close as possible to the strange, silent hulk and managed to force-fit several umbilical connections to its cold exterior, he was growing somewhat curious about what was inside. Not as curious as Alex, or most likely the majority of the crew, but curious nevertheless.

Everyone stood near the windows, staring in silent awe at the alien ship as if speaking would disrupt the incredible sight stretching on longer and taller than their own ship. They'd placed the Ascalon nose to what they assumed was stern, tuning all sensors in to catch the slightest indication of energy, movement or sound. But there were none. The alien ship seemed void of any view ports or windows, and had no outward appearance of equipment or sensors of its own. Its composition was sleek and silvery, with a simple design more representative of art than technology. There was no denying the facts.

"It's . . . beautiful." Evan didn't hesitate being the first to break the silence, but he did so in a quiet tone, for only Alex's ears.

"Yes, it is." Alex touched the window as if he could feel the alien ship. "Can we get a reading on the metal?"

"Negative."

Evan glanced down at Reilly below them as the man worked with his sensor readings, shaking his head constantly.

"I mean, we can, but I can't figure out what this stuff is. It's nothing we've ever seen before, and our data banks can't find a match."

"I thought that's what alien meant?" Evan looked back at Alex. "If this is alien, we shouldn't expect to find anything we understand or can relate to."

Alex nodded, still staring in wide-eyed wonder at the ship. "You're right." He seemed to drag his gaze from the view reluctantly and turned to the bridge crew. "Okay, let's go by the numbers here. Any signs of activity or energy?"

"No sir. But our sensors might not be able to penetrate the hull." Reilly shook his head apologetically, then nodded toward Evan. "I'd feel better about the readings if he had a look."

"Maybe you can find something." Alex looked questioningly at Evan.

Without hesitation, Evan walked around the upper level and took his place below, pressing his palm against one of the sensor terminals. He doubted any success, but it was certainly worth a try. In seconds, his mind connected with the Ascalon's mainframe. After that it was a simple matter to find the sensor energy blasts, deploy a fresh burst, and follow it through space until it connected with the alien ships outer hull. The readings he saw were the same as those Reilly and the others had, and no amount of maneuvering seemed to get him inside the ship.

"It's no use, we can't penetrate the hull with our sensors." Evan pulled his hand away from the terminal and looked up at Alex. "I can't get inside unless something inside answers us."

"Then it's the front door approach." Alex walked around the bridge and came down to stand beside Evan. "Have they established a seal over that doorway?"

"Yes, if that is in fact a doorway." Evan brought up the image five levels down from the bridge deck, showing a space-side view of the walkway tube snaking out from the Ascalon to the alien ship. It appeared to have a snug fit against the only seam they'd been able to find that could pass for what they'd expected to find as an airlock.

"Well, there's only one way to find out." Alex tapped in a code and changed their view to the inside of the tube. "Send the drone over and knock on the door."

Evan again placed his hand on the terminal and found the controls for the small drone waiting patiently just inside the Ascalon's airlock.

"If you want to concentrate on that little bugger, we'll work on the data as it comes in," Reilly offered.

Evan didn't bother acknowledging the bridge officer. He turned on the drone and closed his eyes so he could better concentrate, seeing through the unmanned robot's visual sensors. The drone rolled easily to the alien ship on wheels designed for any terrain, then raised up on all three legs in order to fully "see" the entire seam. It was round in shape, five feet wide and seven feet tall, with no obvious controls.

"Now what?" Evan remained 'inside' the drone, knowing Alex was still standing beside him on the bridge.

"I don't see anything to press or turn. Do you?"

The sensory confusion of having Alex's voice enter his ears while he saw through the drones eyes several levels below was a little dizzying, but Evan quickly adjusted. He looked around the seam again, then began a closer inspection of the metal skin around it.

"Nothing." He drew the robot back a few feet to get a wider view of the entire opening. "Maybe this isn't a door after all?"

"Try knocking."

"What?" Evan had to resist the urge to come out of the machine to stare incredulously at Alex.

"Couldn't hurt."

Just to prove how foolish a notion it was, he moved the drone back to the ship, reached out one clawed appendage, and struck the metal three times in succession.

"Now what?" Evan backed the drone away again and let it sit.

"Now, we go in."

He looked back up at the ship. A fine mist was beginning to seep out around the seam, then slowly he could see what Alex must have seen as the round disc moved inward, then slowly rotated up. Evan knew his face was probably burning red with surprise, but thankfully he wasn't able to see the smug look of success he knew must be on Alex's. Without a word, he moved the drone forward, rolling easily through the threshold.

"Lights, please, Evan. The rest of us don't have your eyes."

Five lights positioned around the drone's mechanical body illuminated an alien hallway. Evan scanned the area thoroughly before choosing a direction, confirming the lack of inhabitants. As he moved forward, gliding along a smooth, black floor, exterior sensors began sending data back to the bridge. Evan tuned out Reilly's declarations as the information was processed, since he was also interpreting the same facts an instant before. The only voice he kept in focus was Alex's as his Keeper responded with awe and fascination at every turn.

The atmosphere, or what was left of it, was comprised mostly of nitrogen, with some trace oxygen and helium. Deadly to humans, and possibly poison even to a native crew due to years of stagnation. There was no sign of life, or mechanical power, yet the ship had gravity only slightly heavier than standard. How or why gravity was being maintained without any other detectable means of power was a mystery.

It took nearly an hour and several dead ends to find what they assumed was the bridge, only to decide that fact was disputable. The ship had enough room for a hundred levels, but no lift or ladders could be found in any corridor or room. After another two hours navigating the maze, Evan found one hallway that curved on a downward spiral, and gained access to the second level.

"Maybe they didn't have legs."

Alex's voice should have echoed. Evan blinked physically and remembered where he was, and that his Keeper wasn't standing beside "him" in the huge vaulted room he was seeing.

"Okay, time for phase two."

The hands on his shoulders startled him back to the bridge. Evan swallowed hard against the sudden change of perspective and wave of nausea caused by coming out of the drone. "What?"

"I said that's enough." Alex gripped Evan by the shoulders, careful not to touch the injury further down his arm. "Can you hear me?"

Evan nodded, still blinking to clear blurred vision. His throat was dry, and a pounding was definitely building up behind his eyes. "I'm fine."

"Maybe after a few hours of sleep." Alex looked away. "Reilly, have someone bring the drone back and get that data analyzed and copied to everyone."

"Yes, sir."

"Come on, it's late." Alex physically turned Evan around and started walking him off the bridge.

"We were only in for a couple of hours." Evan protested but followed along, too dizzy still to put up much resistance.

"You were in there for ten hours. Neither of us stopped to eat, and you look white." Alex wasn't yielding. He'd already marched them into a lift heading down to the living quarters.

"It couldn't have been that long." Evan thought back through a thickening fog of exhaustion. "It took an hour to find the bridge . . . "

"Three hours. I thought you had a better sense of time than that." Alex's admonishment was light-hearted and tempered with a grin. "Come on, you're worse than I am when you're doing that."

Now that, he knew, was impossible. "We can send the data to the room display and give you a virtual walk-through of what the drone saw."

"Already working on that." Alex still had one hand on Evan's arm and propelled him into their quarters with a gentle push. "It'll take a bit, so get some sleep while you can."

"Just let me check this, make sure it's working." Evan managed to steer himself to the couch without incident, which surprised him, considering how incredibly tired he felt.

But it was nothing compared to his surprise at waking up six hours later.

Evan woke to find the living room filled with a hologram of the alien ship's interior. It took him a few seconds to realize it was indeed the room's hologram, and not a return to his view from the drone's perspective. "How long was I asleep?" He slowly dragged himself to a sitting position and looked at Alex sitting beside him.

"Probably not long enough, but I fell asleep for a bit too, so I'm not sure." Alex pointed to a spot somewhere in the center of the room. "I still can't figure out how that ship maintains gravity."

Evan yawned then stood. He'd seen enough of the hallways and corridors the first time. Right now he needed coffee. "I'm just glad it has gravity on what we consider the floor."

"Good point."

"What do we do now?" He found an order of strong coffee already prepared, as well as two plates filled with high-protein foods fit for a hearty breakfast.

"Now," Alex flipped off the room display and stood to join Evan at the table. "Now the fun begins." He sat down, grinning widely. "Now, we go inside."

Chapter 13

"I've got Edwards looking in to how we can alter the atmosphere." Alex pointed to the section of the small screen in his hand indicating the various gasses and levels comprising the alien ship's current atmosphere. "We have to make sure putting a new mix in there won't damage anything in the ship."

"There doesn't seem to be anything in the ship." Evan shook his head. "Could a change affect the metals?"

Alex shrugged, then glanced up to see if it was time for them yet. He and Evan were waiting to take the pre-excursion physicals required before any voluntary entrance into a hostile environment. "We still don't know what these metals are." The evaluations had so far proved futile, either due to the scanner's inability to penetrate the alien skin, or the computer's lack of information regarding its composition. "With five teams of two doing the recon, we should be able to visualize nearly forty percent of the ship in the four hours' worth of suit time we'll have. I hope."

"And what do we do if we find something?"

"Deal with it."

Evan looked at him. "This is one of your figure-it-out-as-we-go things, isn't it? You really have no idea what we'll do if we find something alive in there?"

"Do you really think we will?" Alex flipped off the screen and folded the small unit up. "The air onboard is stale, even for that strange mix. The ship hasn't moved an inch in at least a year, and not one thing has responded to our presence."

"The ship has gravity, and we don't know why. It has somehow established a bubble protecting its instruments from the nebula's charges, and something has to be keeping it in this position all this time."

"You're just bound and determined to find something to worry about here, aren't you?"

Evan snorted his disgust. "Someone has to keep his head on straight."

Before Alex could even laugh, the door in front of them opened, revealing Doctor Zane's ever-smiling face.

"Who's next?"

"Take Evan next, Doc." Alex threw the Sha'erah a mockingly sour look. "And try to talk some sense of adventure into him while you're at it."

"Evan, come on in, please." Dr. Zane waved toward the exam area behind him, then followed the younger man back into the room.

Alex laughed slightly then returned to his exam of the information they had so far. What little there was.

He'd already put the engineers on to the task of finding the fastest, easiest way to flush out the poisonous atmosphere on the alien ship and replace it with a breathable mix. Exploring a new environment would be quicker and easier if they didn't have to bother with ship suits and time limits, as long as the new gasses wouldn't damage anything on the strange interior. What they'd seen so far did leave the impression of a dead, empty ship. But Evan's concerns were valid. The ship had gravity, only slightly heavier than the human norm. And there was no denying the strange bubble, now engulfing the Ascalon, that kept the nebula's swirling gasses at bay. Any other ship -- any other dead ship -- would have joined the rest of the flotsam and debris that formed the Pendulum Nebula, and been moved around by the whims of solar winds. This ship had maintained the same position in space ever since Alex first began suspecting something was here. There was no planetary body to orbit, nothing keeping it in position that they could detect, and yet it hadn't moved.

"What secrets are you hiding?"

It was hard, but enticing, to try and imagine what manner of creature created and manned the alien ship. They hadn't found a single access ladder or elevated lift, just gently sloping ramps here and there ending on an upper or lower level. The floors were smooth, there were no obvious controls anywhere that could indicate the occupants' appendages or lack thereof. Alex had momentarily entertained the notion that the ship itself was alive, but there was nothing he could find that supported that idea. They couldn't even find the source of energy that allowed the ship to maintain gravity. He'd spent the better part of last night poring over the data while Evan slept beside him on the couch, completely exhausted by the efforts that had attained the information.

"Captain, I'm ready for you."

Alex looked up. "Everyone passed?"

Evan nodded. "They're all down in the ready room suiting up."

He put the small computer away again and stood, addressing Evan. "You'll need to be fitted for a suit. Why don't you meet me down there?"

"You don't know you'll pass the physical yet." Evan glanced at Dr. Zane, then nodded at Alex. "I'll wait here." He returned to the seat he'd vacated thirty minutes earlier.

"Captain?"

"Evan is all right, Doc?" He followed the physician into the exam room. "He checked out okay?"

"The arm is healing." Doctor Zane pointed to the exam bed and waited until Alex sat on it and dutifully removed his shirt. "Have you been getting enough sleep?"

"I feel fine."

"Uh-huh." He pulled a medical scanner from his lab coat pocket and started with Alex's injured shoulder.

"You sound just like Evan. I don't think he ever believes me either."

"He's a smart man." Doctor Zane frowned at the scanner's display as he swept it slowly back and forth. "I must admit, I'm a little surprised you haven't taken me up on that offer of a good long talk. Granted, there's a lot I don't know about Sha'erah, and probably never will."

"Yeah, well, I've been busy." Alex winced slightly as the doctor probed his shoulder, testing his range of motion.

"You like that, don't you?"

"Excuse me?" Who in God's name liked that kind of pain?

"Being busy." Doctor Zane stopped poking the injured shoulder and returned to his scanner, running it over Alex's chest. "Keeps you from having to deal with other things, doesn't it?"

"Been talking to Evan, have you?"

Doctor Zane laughed and put the scanner down. "He's intuitive, I'll give you that. But no, I'm simply making an educated observation. I've known a lot of people like you, and I won't say it's a bad thing."

"I wouldn't say it was smart, though." Alex pulled his shirt back on and tried not to think about how his shoulder hurt more now than it had five minutes ago. "It's a little like going through life with blinders on. I like to think I'm just really focused."

Doctor Zane smiled in a fashion peculiar to physicians, giving him the air of a wise brotherly confidant. "I trust you two are getting along all right?"

"I like to think so. He could do a hell of a lot better than be stuck with the likes of me, though." Alex slid off the exam table and finished tucking in his shirt.

"You must have realized by now, Sha'erah are incredibly intuitive and adaptable. They can sense what's needed and respond accordingly." Doctor Zane folded his arms across his chest. "Why do you think he put that ring back on your finger while you were sleeping instead of asking you first? And have you wondered why he's able to give you orders to sleep and eat when you need it, knowing you won't argue?"

Alex knew why. He knew perfectly well how good he was at avoiding ninety percent of life's complexities. Ever since he was a young boy he'd found ways of pretending nothing around him mattered, diving into work as if it was the only thing there was. He liked to blame the call from VanHolt for everything that had been going wrong this year, but the fault was his. You could only ignore life so long. Pretty soon, it was gonna come around and bite you in the ass.

"There's just one thing I'd like to know." Alex fidgeted with the last section of his shirt.

"What's that?"

"How do I know he's happy?" He looked at the doctor. "I mean, that he wants to be here. He keeps telling me I can still sell him, and I keep telling him I can't."

"Well technically, you can. The fact that he can move that ring from your finger doesn't change who or what he is, in his mind. Granted, you and I don't see it that way, but Evan is Sha'erah, and that will never change, I'm afraid."

"But there's no way in hell I would. I keep telling him that. I can't sell a human being, or own one. And I like to think we've become friends after all we've been through. He's incredibly intelligent, and keeps me thinking. I just don't want to make him stay here if it's not what he wants." Alex shook his head and paced around the exam room. "If he won't tell me what he wants, then I have to guess. If I guess wrong, he won't tell me. So if I keep him with me, how do I know that's what he wants?"

Doctor Zane hadn't stopped smiling as he watched Alex pace the room. After a moment, he shook his head slowly from side to side. "I've had the pleasure of knowing several Sha'erah in my time, and I can tell you with complete certainty that he is quite happy here. Whether or not he'd ever come right out and express that view, I can't say."

Alex nodded, absorbing the surprising turn of conversation from the simple physical exam he'd been prepared for. "I'll take your word on that, then." It was easier than delving any deeper. If Evan was so willing to accept his odd ways without explanation, Alex was just as willing not to offer up any. "I trust I've passed?"

"Marginally." Doctor Zane's expression changed to one of mild scolding. "Your shoulder is healing, but you need to take it easy for a bit. Those ship suits require quite a lot of effort to move around in, and the gravity on that ship will tire you out quicker than you're used to. I've given the rest of them the same warning. It might not seem like much at first, but after a few hours trudging around in those bulky suits, the walk back will feel twice as long."

"We're working on putting breathable air inside."

"Only after -- I trust -- you've allowed my staff to confirm there are no dangers lurking onboard? We don't want to be introduced to a new alien bacteria or virus and wind up just as dead as that ship is."

Alex laughed shortly. "Of course. Safety first." He opened the door and found Evan waiting right where he'd left him in the hallway. "We're set, let's go."

Evan stood, glancing at the doctor first before falling instep beside Alex. "I spoke to Reilly on the bridge while you were in there. He's found something using the remote drone."

"Found something?" Alex's heart skipped a beat. "Like what?"

"A locked door." Evan pressed the lift button and the doors opened immediately. "I told him not to try and open it until you had a look."

Alex knew Evan was more sensitive to his ridiculous desire to be the first to see things than the rest of his crew ever were. "Where?"

"Two ramps down from what we thought was the bridge."

The lift arrived at its destination, delivering them directly opposite the ready room where the rest of the crew was already suiting up. Nestled against the air lock, the room had to be double sealed to prevent any of the alien ship's gasses from entering the Ascalon. Ever since they'd knocked on the door, they'd been unable to close it again.

Alex kept his excitement in check long enough to help Evan into a ship suit for the first time in his life. Finding one that fit wasn't hard, and the Sha'erah was quick to learn how to operate the filters and communication gear built into the helmet. By the time they were ready to go, the excitement in the room was palpable.

"Okay, we're in groups of two. Evan's with me, and we're heading down to the door Reilly found. Rodgers, you and Packard take a level above. Luther and Cross, go aft as far as you can on this level, then work your way forward and check out any rooms you find. Fox and Stern, head down, work your way up to this level. Cain and McCauley, find the bow and see what's there." Alex waited for confirming nods from each group as he gave out the instructions, then had everyone double check their scanning and collecting equipment. The bridge crew confirmed the activation of everyone's helmet cameras and gave the final go-ahead.

Alex's heart felt as if it was racing when he stepped through the doorway into the alien ship, but all internal sensors showed only a slightly elevated adrenaline level. He paused just inside the corridor and flipped on his handheld light, then waited with Evan against a wall while the other teams found their directions and headed off to explore. When they had gone, Alex nodded to Evan and started walking.

"Does it look different?"

"You mean different than seeing through the drone's eyes?" Evan moved his light over the wall to his left, exploring the smooth surface with the beam. "Yes, it does. The drone has more peripheral vision, but it has a shorter perspective."

Alex sent his own light beaming down the dark corridor ahead of them. The fact that, technically, Evan had been the first to explore the ship already was completely lost on the man. "This gravity isn't too bad."

They reached the end of the hallway a little sooner than Evan had the day before, knowing where it was, and began the slow, gentle decent to the next level. Sounds filled their ears as the helmet's speakers picked up the conversations of every member of the exploration team as well as background static and the reverberation of their heavy boots on the smooth floor. The noise felt like a stark contrast to the complete peace and darkness they were walking through, almost as if they were drones, remotely plowing through the tranquility so many years of solitude had created. Alex had expected to feel as if they were disturbing someone's grave, but there was no real sense of death here.

"Must be the lack of bodies." He found an area along the corridor that opened up into an alcove of sorts and sent the beam of light to investigate.

"What?" Evan paused beside him and directed his light into the area. "What about bodies?"

"There aren't any." The alcove was as empty as the rest of the ship so far, even void of anything that looked like a control or computer panel. They continued down the corridor. "If the ship was abandoned, where did they go? If they died here, where are the bodies?"

"What if they didn't die at once? Someone would have been able to jettison the dead into space." Evan's light found the next ramp that would take them to the level where the drone was waiting. "One or two bodies on a ship this size could be impossible to find."

"And in this atmosphere, assuming it's what they breathed -- "

"Assuming they breathed."

"Okay, assuming they breathed, and assuming they decayed after death, we might not find much of anything."

"So you've answered your question."

Alex glanced at the suited figure walking beside him. "But we're assuming everything."

"We have nothing to compare them with. If in fact this is an alien ship, and I think we can assume that much, then we can't expect anything here to be as we expect."

"Right. Which is why finding a body would at least give us a start." They followed the ramp down, then found the drone waiting patiently several yards ahead. "Until then, all we have is a ship of unknown origin, with apparently nothing onboard. Not even a damn switch." Alex punched a button on the cuff of his suit. "Okay, Reilly, back this thing out of the way." The drone complied immediately, moving away then shutting down. Alex studied the door in front of them, visible only by the seams. Just like the airlock, there were no outward signs of controls or switches one expected to find on a door. "Did they try knocking?"

"I told him not to try anything until you got here." Evan searched the seams with the beam of his light. "I think it would help if we could illuminate the whole area. We might be missing something with just these small lights."

"Good point." Alex stepped back and twisted the front of his light, increasing the width of the beam. He aimed it at the ceiling and looked around. "Have you seen any sign of lighting anywhere? Or do you suppose these creatures didn't need it?"

"What if this entire ship is a robot, like the done?" Evan searched the floor with his expanded light, then reached out to touch the wall with one hand.

"Anything's possible." Alex turned his attention back to the door and touched the seam, then let his hand move over to the wall beside it. It was smooth, completely without rivets or welds, as if the entire hallway had been cut out of one piece of metal. "We could be staring right at the answers and just not be seeing them." He moved his hand down, then up, following the seam as far as he could reach, then moved to the other side and repeated the action. There were no indentations in the metal, no hidden switches or plates to press or flip.

"The airlock opened when I used the drone's appendage." Evan backed up slightly, centering himself in front of the doorway. "Try touching it right about here, this high."

Alex put his hand where Evan was pointing, palm down, and started moving it around slowly. "I don't feel -- "

Without having touched anything other than more smooth metal, the seam suddenly popped, and the door slid first backwards, then up, silently inviting them inside.

"I didn't feel anything." Alex stayed where he was, sending the beam of his light into the new room first. "What made you think that would work?"

Evan shrugged, a motion barely noticed underneath the bulky suit he was wearing. "Like you said, we might be staring right at it."

The room they were facing was too dark for their lights to penetrate more than a few feet inside, so Alex took the lead and stepped through the door, with Evan close behind. "Reilly, are you getting this back there?"

"Yes sir, video's coming in crystal clear."

"Okay, we go left, circle the room if we can, and bring the drone for some extra light." Alex continued in, moving to his left, and found a wall as smooth and bare as every wall he'd found thus far. He paused a few feet inside and waited for Reilly to navigate the drone through the doorway to add its light to theirs.

The room was large, and a near perfect circle, completely lacking in anything that resembled a control, switch, computer or even hand rail.

"I don't get it." Alex wandered slowly around the room, searching the walls with his light. "What aren't we seeing?"

"This."

He stopped and turned to see what Evan was looking at, following the trail of his beam of light to a spot on the floor where it danced over a small pile of silver dust. A quick search of the floor with both lights revealed five more piles, approximately three feet in diameter.

Alex checked the intercom switch on his cuff as he knelt beside the nearest pile. "Doctor Zane, are you there?"

"Yes, Captain, I'm on the bridge watching with the rest."

"I believe we've found something for you to examine." Alex retrieved a small vial from one of the pockets of his suit, then carefully scooped up a small sampling of the silvery dust. "Reilly, have everyone watch where they're walking."

"Aye sir."

He stood and held the vial out in front of him, where Evan's light reflected from the surface. "We may have just found our aliens."

Evan glanced around the room, then checked an indicator on the front of Alex's suit. "We have a little more than an hour left."

Alex slipped the vial into his pocket and nodded. "How long did it take us to get down here? This gravity is starting to feel heavy."

"Almost three hours, and it's because it's wearing us down." Evan walked to the other side of the room, careful now of where he stepped. "I wish we could find the source of whatever energy is generating it. There are no indications of radiation of any kind, not even heat or magnetism. Nothing to explain why this ship has gravity."

Alex followed Evan to the other side of the room and reached out to touch the smooth wall. "I'd be happy just to find a light switch." He started walking slowly back toward the doorway, keeping his right hand on the wall as he walked. His shoulder was aching from the heavy suit and heavier gravity, but he was reluctant to end this excursion too soon. He stopped a few feet from the entrance, still touching the strangely smooth wall. "All teams, report."

"Rodgers here, Captain. Nothing up here but more of the same."

"This is Cross. We're halfway back to our starting position with nothing but blank walls and empty rooms."

"Same from our view, sir. Stern found a few piles of that silver dust stuff just a second ago, she's taking a sample."

"Cain here, Captain. We've found several of those doors we can't seem to open, but that's about it."

"Try touching the doors in the center, about four feet from the floor. Just move your hand around a bit, see if they'll open like this one did." Alex continued to run his hand over the wall beside him as he spoke, but looked around the room following Evan's beam of light as he continued to wander around the center of the empty space.

"There has to be something we're not seeing."

Alex was about to agree, and he had every intention of suggesting they begin the long trek back to the air lock, but in an instant that and every other thought was completely forgotten.

Without a sound, without any warning or indicator of any kind, the alien ship had gone from complete and utter darkness, to full illumination in a slightly bluish hue.

"What the hell?" Alex stared at Evan, then turned his head to look at his own hand still resting on the wall approximately five feet up.

"Captain, we have lights here!"

"What was that?"

"Lights! We have light down here, too!"

"Who did that?"

The voices blended through Alex's helmet speakers so excitedly, he couldn't make out who was who.

"Captain, this is Reilly." One voice boomed over the others with enough authority to silence the rest. "Sir, the airlock is closing!"

Evan crossed the room so fast it nearly startled Alex. He held up a hand, stopping the Sha'erah's concerned advance, then pointed to the walls.

"Relax, everyone. There's no need to panic. I think I just turned on the lights." Alex let his hand fall from the wall and looked at the pattern now visible there. "Look at the walls, people." He backed up one step and looked around the room in complete awe. "We've been looking at it all this time."

With the ship's lighting now turned on, the walls no longer appeared smooth or plain. Markings in various colors dotted nearly every wall, mostly gathered at waist level, with the occasional geometric pattern reaching farther up or down any given area. At first glance, the colored marks seemed random, like some glowing cosmic graffiti. But a closer examination proved several patterns and an almost logical array of color.

"Their controls." Evan stood in front of a particularly thick assortment of patterns. "These are their controls." His hand hovered over the markings, careful not to touch them. "You must have accidentally touched the right one on the door, then again on that wall."

Alex swallowed hard as he thought of the implications of his random action. "I hope they didn't put the auto-destruct switch any place an idiot could touch it."

Evan shook his head. "A race this intelligent probably doesn't have one."

"How do you figure?"

"I don't, I'm just guessing." Evan pointed to the wall where Alex had accidentally hit the proper switch. "Did you see what pattern or color you touched to turn the lights on?"

"Yeah, it was a blue star." He walked back to the wall, stepping carefully over the small piles of silver dust. "Here, a light blue star with . . . eight points." He looked around the room. "I don't see another one. What about the door?"

"Captain, this is McCauley. Cain's in front of a closed door now. We can see a mark in the center, about where you said to touch. It's a circle, solid, in a sort of greenish color."

Alex turned to Evan. "Do you see any solid green circles in here?" They both did a quick exam of the room, finding none. "Go ahead and touch it, that should open the door."

"Aye, sir, it did."

"Okay, so we open doors with green circles, and we turn on lights with blue stars." Alex was beginning to feel somewhat overwhelmed. He looked at Evan again. "Think it's time to fall back and re-group?"

"We only have twenty minutes left in these suits."

Alex nodded, then gave the order for all teams to return to the Ascalon, and avoid touching any of the now visible controls lining the walls and corridors. He did notice on the trek back that the hallways were mostly devoid of any colored geometric shapes, but he couldn't help wondering what he, or any of them, could have accidentally done. They were dealing with something so completely alien, they couldn't even rely on basic assumptions. Now that the ship was illuminated in its natural light, it looked so completely different it was startling. What had been a empty ship with bare walls now appeared alive and working, ready to receive orders and carry out commands without question. Where Alex had been expecting to find controls and terminals, colored geometric patterns now glowed. In the alcoves and rooms once assumed empty, rows and columns blinked their patient attention.

Most of the colored markings they examined on their way back through the main corridor were solid in color, but occasionally they noticed a small blue triangle or light yellow hexagon blinking slowly, altering its color with every third illumination.

The teams all met at the airlock, now closed, and buzzed with their own speculations. Alex checked the timer on the front of his suit.

"We're running out of time, people. Anyone find a green circle yet?"

"No sir, just this black one."

Evan pointed to the mark on the center of the door. "This is an airlock, so we could assume it's different than an interior door."

"Black for space?" Alex scanned the door but saw no other marks.

"Black for danger?" Evan looked at him, shrugging. "The airlock is still in place."

"You're right. Do it." He nodded at Evan, then motioned for the others to stand behind him, just in case. "Remember it swung in."

Evan touched the black mark, then took a half-step backwards. Without hesitation, the door popped backwards a few inches, then slid silently and willingly up and out of their way, revealing the Ascalon's airway still in place.

"Let's go."

The difference in gravity from the alien ship to the Ascalon was unmistakable and an incredible relief to weary muscles. Once back inside their ship, the teams hooked up to fresh oxygen supplies while their suits were scanned remotely for any contamination missed by the drone's original sampling the day before. After the all-clear was given, Alex shed his suit quickly and gratefully, then helped Evan off with his.

"How's your arm?"

Evan stepped out of the boots and wiped sweat from his forehead. "Sore, just like your shoulder. Doctor Zane said we'd feel the gravity after about an hour."

Alex gingerly flexed his right arm now that he no longer had the added weight and bulk of a suit in the way. His shoulder ached angrily and protested the motion like a rusted hinge. "Nothing a hot shower won't cure." He turned to address the group. "Everyone get your samples to the lab, then get something to eat and some rest."

"When do we go back in, Captain?"

"Considering what we've just found, Stern, not for a while. Any one of us could have accidentally opened a reactor or evacuated the atmosphere to space, without even knowing we'd touched something." Alex shuddered slightly and shook his head. "It was luck that had me hit the light switch instead of . . . God knows what." He looked up at Evan. "Now that we can see in there, and see what's in there, we need to proceed more slowly." He motioned to the exit and the many faces pressed up against the glass, waiting for them to come out and tell everyone what it was like. "I'm sure with some study, and a bit of trial and error, we can decipher the markings and what they do. Until then, we'd better wait for engineering to get some breathable air over there."

Alex waited until everyone had left the small ready room, then followed with Evan beside him. "We'll take these samples to Doctor Zane, then I need a shower."

"I can take them." Evan reached out to take the vial from Alex's hand.

"It's not that far." Alex resisted the temptation to let him. The Sha'erah had to be at least as tired as he was. He held up the vial and looked at it as they walked. "What do you think they looked like?"

Evan shrugged. "We have no way of knowing, unless we find one that's more intact."

"I know, but what do you think?" He glanced at Evan. "You have to have at least thought about it."

They stepped into a lift car and both men sat down for the short ride. Evan gazed upward thoughtfully for a moment.

"They must be short. Or at least have their appendages and visual sensors only three to four feet from the floor, since that's the level of the majority of those markings. And if physics plays a part, they'd probably be stocky, or at least heavier or stronger than we are with that gravity."

"I think the only constants we can count on are the laws of physics." The lift came to a stop and opened its doors. Alex forced his tired body off the seat and out into the corridor. "So with the gravity in mind, I think tall and feathery are out as far as body shapes go. And short make sense." He looked at the vial of silvery powder again. "I wonder what we look like when reduced to powder?"

"The only thing that can reduce a human to powder is heat." Evan pressed the key pad to the medical laboratory's main door and entered the room when it opened. "Or maybe some kind of radiation."

"I dunno, what about extreme dehydration?"

Doctor Zane approached, smiling as always. "Reducing a human to powder?" He accepted the two vials, then handed them to one of the lab assistance after giving them a quick study. "It's theoretically possible, but there would have to be more to it than that. Reducing bone to powder takes heat, or pressure, once every last molecule of water has been extracted from its components."

"But we wouldn't look like that, I take it?"

"Oh we would, to a certain degree. Just a small pile of carbon and salts." He smiled as if the idea amused him. "But of course, you're making the biggest assumption of all, thinking these aliens -- if that is indeed what we have sampled here -- have been dehydrated. Ever since mankind first started looking around for life outside Earth, they've made the mistake of assuming water, and more importantly liquid water, were necessary for life." He shook his head. "That only covers life as we already know it. Imagine what they might have missed."

"I can't." Alex laughed wearily. "I'm too tired."

"You both need food and rest." Doctor Zane reached out and took both men by their good arms, turning them around, then gave them a gentle shove toward the door. "You'll be notified if and when we have anything to tell you."

Alex wanted to go to the bridge, to get Reilly and the others started on their assessments of the newly discovered marks and patterns and see if they could make any logical sense out of the various arrays, but he was too tired to even voice the notion. Reilly would be doing just that anyway, as would every other member of the crew who had access to the images recorded during their excursion, he didn't need to be told. Besides, Evan wouldn't let him. He knew that without even asking. It was nice to know he could count on someone so completely where his own personal welfare was concerned. God knew, he couldn't be trusted with it himself.

"At least that gravity gives a good workout." Alex sighed as he entered their quarters, kicking off both shoes as soon as he was inside. He had to lean against the couch in order to peel off both socks.

"It might be a little easier if we can skip the suits." Evan stretched from side to side, then rubbed his eyes tiredly. "They're hard to get around in."

"You handled the suit like a pro." Alex tossed his socks aside, then started for his room. "By the way, you were right to be cautious." He glanced at Evan, then continued before the man could agree with his assessment. "We make a good team, your caution and my curiosity." The smart remark he expected didn't follow him into the bedroom, at least. Doctor Zane was right, Alex did prefer to skate through the majority of his life and ignore the less pleasant aspects. But he was just as aware of the fact that it was only possible with someone like Evan watching his back. He'd only managed to get as far as he had because he let Jeff do all the worrying. That, as it turned out, had been a huge mistake on his part. And one he wouldn't make again, as long as he could keep Evan around.

Visions of the alien ship filled Alex's mind as he showered. Images of the colored patterns, visible only in the bluish light the ship generated. What could the owners have looked like? And what caused their deaths, if in fact those were the powdered remains on the floor? What region of space had the ship come from, and where was it going? And why, after all this time, hadn't another one come looking for it? Or had they? Was it possible this race was extinct now, that this ship had been here that long? Or was this the first and only space exploration conducted by their kind, then abandoned when it never returned? With the bubble protecting the ship from the confusion of the nebula, could they have possibly gotten lost once inside?

The questions were endless, and most of them probably couldn't be answered no matter how much time they spent asking. So far, even splitting up into teams, they'd only managed to see a quarter of the entire ship. Who knew what was waiting for them around the next corner?

Alex left the warmth of the shower reluctantly. The heat and steam had done much to ease the ache in his injured shoulder, but the smell of fresh coffee did even more for a tired mind. He slipped into some clean sweat pants and found a warm shirt that would hold in the comfort of the heated shower, then met Evan in the galley and helped him with several trays of food.

"There's enough here to feed the bridge crew."

"The doctor ordered it, I think he got carried away." Evan rolled his eyes at the sight of such a large meal. "And I suspect there's a pack of vitamins in the coffee."

Alex looked at his cup and made a face. "I wonder if their captain was treated this way by his crew?"

"If he tended to ignore his own health, probably." Evan sipped his own coffee, avoiding the look Alex directed his way. "Did you see anything that could pass for furniture? Or even a view screen?"

"No, I didn't. Even when the lights came on." Alex thought back to the room where he'd found the light 'switch'. "Maybe we haven't found the right rooms yet."

"Or maybe they don't need furniture. The might not even have had appendages, if all of their controls are like that, they might not have had to touch them to make them activate." Evan stared at his plate for a moment. "But that was the only way we were able to open the doors or turn on the lights."

"Could be heat sensitive."

"That would account for your suited hand, but not the drone's claw at the airlock."

Alex nodded. "It's hard to imagine a race without appendages being able to build and then operate a space-faring ship. Then again, it's hard to imagine a ship with no detectable power source maintaining position and gravity."

"Or controls that are invisible until the ship's lights come on. There was nothing we could see with our hand lights, or the drone's lights."

"Those patterns, they were all geometric shapes, weren't they?"

"Yes, just some more complex than others," Evan agreed.

"So they have a sense of mathematics, right? It would be logical, even though it's still an assumption, to believe they would have the same symbols for similar functions. So with some time, it's possible we could figure them all out."

"Theoretically." Evan stood and cleared the table of the mostly untouched food. "But that could still take months, if not years. Depending on how complex their systems are."

"Well, first things first." Alex got up and helped clear the table. "I want to try and get breathable air over there and make sure the med lab hasn't detected anything dangerous. If we could at least get down to biosuits, it'd make exploring the rest of the ship a hell of a lot easier."

"Biosuits?"

Alex dropped the last plate into the recycle chute. "Yeah. They're basically a full body suit and filtered breather, designed to protect against bacteria or contaminates."

Evan nodded, glancing at his hand. "Gloved?"

"Yes, gloved. Airtight seal, for the most part."

"That wouldn't work."

Alex looked up from the hunt for his shoes. "What wouldn't work?" He found the second shoe halfway under the couch and sat down to pull on clean socks.

"There has to be some kind of computerized system at work in that ship. But I'd have to physically touch it to see if I could communicate."

Alarmed, Alex straightened up, one shoe still in his hands. "Wait a minute, not so fast. Like you said, we can't really make any assumptions about anything over there. Even if they do have a computer of some kind, it's alien."

"But it would have to be logical. Even those geometric shapes have a logical order to them."

Alex shook his head slowly while he tried to fully understand the ramifications of what Evan was proposing. "Still, I'm not comfortable with you taking that kind of risk. What if you got inside and couldn't get out? It might even have some kind of defense mechanism." He shook his head more emphatically, feeling the deep twinges of real concern.

"If they do have a database, we could learn their language and find all the answers more quickly."

"No." Alex shoved the shoe on his foot. "No way, too risky. You wouldn't let me do something like that, would you?"

"I -- "

"Exactly." With the last shoe secured, Alex straightened up again and nodded once, ending the discussion. "Come on, I wanna see if the labs have anything on those powder samples."

Evan followed without further argument, but persisted in his idea of the alien ship having some type of computerized system controlling it.

"I agree it make sense based on our own logic," Alex stepped inside the lift and leaned against the front wall. "But what if our logic doesn't apply? What if there's some sort of, I dunno, biological network built in? I mean, imagine if these aliens managed to create a computer that's really more of a brain, using actual nerves instead of circuit boards?"

"You mean something that can think independently?"

"I dunno, maybe. Or maybe not independently, but still biologically?"

Evan considered the question. "Anything biological requires nutrients. If it's alive and it's been out here all this time, what has it been eating? Certainly not the nebula, since it keeps that away with this bubble effect."

He hadn't even considered the possibility of something feeding off the nebula itself. "Maybe not. But that's one hell of a theory. It has energy of some kind, even if we can't detect it, keeping that gravity on. A ship that size has doesn't have enough mass to generate its own without power."

"Assuming the laws of physics still apply." Evan turned and exited the car when it came to a stop, then waited for Alex to catch up. They continued the few yards down the corridor to the main laboratory.

"They have to." That was the one thing he was certain of. The lab's doors opened with a silent brush of air as they approached. "Don't they?"

"Ah, hello Captain, Evan, I was just getting ready to call you." Doctor Zane waved the two men over to the counter he was bending over. "I've got some preliminary findings."

"Anything good, doc?" Alex glanced down at the screen embedded in the counter's top. In the center of the screen, a small glass square sat holding some of the silvery powder, safely covered by another coating of glass that allowed a blue light to make several passes in different directions.

"Eighty percent silicon, with trace elements of salts, zinc, mercury, and a very minute amount of at least two minerals I cannot identify." The doctor shook his head while making a clicking sound with his tongue. "Puzzling, to say the least. But not unexpected. He glanced at Evan, then Alex. "I'd venture to say, if this is what's left of our alien ship mates, they were a silicon based life form."

"That makes sense. Silicon and Carbon are similar enough, and share the same stability. If life can be based on one, there's every reason to believe it could be based on another."

Alex nodded, still looking at the glass square. "Any way of guessing what they might have looked like?"

"None that I'm aware of." Doctor Zane typed a command into a keyboard next to the screen, then removed the glass square so they could see the new data being displayed. "Everything we've tested so far has come up clean for any detectable bacteria or viral agents. But you have to realize there could be something we can't identify."

"Like everything else over there." Alex looked up, glancing at Evan. "I suppose the safest thing to do is use the biosuits." He turned to the doctor. "They'd sure make moving around over there easier."

Doctor Zane considered the request. "The air filters are small enough to stop viruses?"

"Yes, they're the same kind the military used when they explored the caves of Coral IV."

He nodded slowly. "Well, in that case, since my people haven't found anything else to worry about, I'd say air masks should suffice. Followed by a complete UV disinfection in the ready room."

Alex smiled at the thought of exploring the alien ship without the encumbrance of the large suits. "Deal." He gave the doctor's arm a pat and started for the doors. "If you find anything else, Doc, we'll be on the bridge."

The noise and activity of the bridge made a stark contrast to the calm order of the laboratory. Every work station was crowded with officers and crew alike, talking excitedly among themselves as they shared theories and speculations regarding the images displayed on nearly every screen and monitor. Alex and Evan paused on their way to the office, listening to some of the logical, and sometimes incredible ideas being tossed out and passed around.

"Captain, Engineering says they can have a breathable atmosphere in the ship by late tomorrow."

Alex located Reilly in the crowd and nodded. "Good." He motioned toward his office and looked at Evan. "Shall we try this where it's quieter?"

Evan nodded, then followed Alex without saying a word. Once inside the office, he closed the door and headed straight for his usual spot on the couch. "There's some pretty strange theories being talked about out there."

"I think they've been at it since we first got the lights on over there." Alex sat behind his desk, then called up images of that room on their main screen. "There must be as many theories as their are people thinking about them."

"But there's only one truth." Evan turned to face the large screen and pulled both legs up to tuck under him, getting comfortable but affording himself a good view. "And they're not going to find it that way."

Alex looked at his partner, grinning. "Do I detect a note of competition here?"

He glanced over his shoulder, eyebrows knotting together. "The key to learning anything about them is deciphering their language. There has to be some logic to these controls, and I'm convinced this room is the control room. When you turned on the lights, you turned them on for the entire ship."

"True."

"So this room should hold the key to the rest of the ship." Evan waved a hand toward the door. "They're looking at all the areas the teams managed to take images of, plus the images from the corridors the drone retrieved, not going about it in a logical manner." He turned back to the screen as if that had explained it all quite well.

"You want to be the first one to figure it out, don't you?" Alex's grin widened.

"Want to or not, I believe I will be the first one to get anywhere with this."

Alex started to laugh lightly. "You're just as curious as I am, aren't you? You're gonna get obsessed." Could this mean he was actually interested in something for his own sake? Alex didn't dare try asking, he knew what the Sha'erah's automatic reply would be.

Evan turned around again, shooting Alex a disgusted look. "Don't be ridiculous. You want to learn more about this ship, and I believe I know how to help you."

"You are obsessing."

"I thought you called it being focused."

Alex shrugged. "Semantics."

Chapter 14

Evan took a deep breath and realized how stiff he'd become. How long he'd been sitting there on the couch, staring at the screen in front of him, he wasn't sure. But he did know he and Alex had stopped to eat dinner, as evidenced by the empty plates still littering the small table in the corner.

"Hey, any luck?" Alex came through the door, two steaming cups in hand.

"Some." Evan accepted one of the cups and sniffed it. "What is this?" Coffee would help clear his head, but he wasn't sure he wanted to stay awake. This wasn't coffee.

"Just coffee, with a dash of whiskey." Alex glanced at the screen. "Is that the control room?"

"It's the room you found the switch in." Evan sniffed the cup's contents again. "Why whiskey?"

Alex sat on the arm of the couch and brought both feet onto the cushion, still gazing at the screen. "Relaxes you. Don't you think that's the control room?"

"It's coffee." Evan sipped the mixture cautiously anyway, surprised by the way it both burned and soothed on the way down. "The whiskey might be relaxing but the caffeine will counteract it." He took another swallow. It didn't make a lot of sense.

"Trust me, it works. Why don't you think this is the control room?"

The drink was already starting to ease his stiff neck. Or was that his imagination? "From this room, you turned on the lights to the entire ship."

"Right." Alex gestured at the screen with the hand that held his own cup. "At least as far as we can tell. That makes me think it's a control room."

Evan nodded and leaned back slightly so his Keeper could see the small screen he had pulled out in front of him. "Me too, except there isn't another switch like it in any of the other rooms, or hallways." He glanced over his shoulder at Alex. "Does it make sense that only one switch turns on all the lights for everywhere, every room, all or nothing? I can't find anything that suggests the lights can be turned off in one room, or one section."

Alex looked thoughtful for a moment, sipping his whiskey-laced coffee. "Maybe they all slept at exactly the same time?"

"The controls weren't even visible until the lights came on."

"Yeah, but visible to us. They might not need lights to see." He paused, then shook his head. "Then why lights at all?"

"Right. If they didn't need that blue light to see the controls, or see anything, then why would the ship have lights? And why would they be controlled only in one room?"

"Okay, if that's not a control room, then what is it?"

Evan looked back at the screen, wondering if his thoughts were as clear as they should be. He'd been studying the markings all around the room for so long, he really did believe they were beginning to make sense. He just couldn't put a finger on why. "What if it's an exit room?"

Alex looked at him, arching one eyebrow.

"You know, some kind of shut down area, where they could power the entire ship down prior to leaving it. Or power it up again?"

"Shut the whole ship down?" Alex looked puzzled as he eased himself off the couch arm. He started a slow pacing of the small office, occasionally sipping his coffee. "You think that's really what they did? That maybe they didn't die onboard, or vanish at all, but just shut down the ship? Then what? Where did they go?"

Evan shrugged. "I'm just guessing. There might be a different control in each room or level that can alter the lighting, that isn't the same symbol we found. I just don't understand why this room would have one control that could turn on or off the entire ship's illumination." He pointed to the close-up of the particular marking Alex had touched. "What if that isn't really intended to be an 'on' switch, but an 'off'?"

Alex was nodding slowly, obviously thinking.

"Anyway, that's about as far as I've gotten. I have some ideas about the other symbols, but they're just theories right now." He finished the coffee, wondering if the caffeine would win over the effects of the whiskey. "What's the purpose of putting alcohol in coffee?"

"Lets you get drunk and stay awake long enough to enjoy it." Alex grinned and set his cup on the desk. "Kidding. Doctor Zane ordered us both to get an actual night's sleep tonight, or he won't authorize either of us for exploration tomorrow." Alex nodded toward the door and motioned with his hand for Evan to get up and follow. "It was decaf, and just enough whiskey to keep me from ignoring his order."

"He should have told me." Evan shut down the computer and followed Alex out to the bridge.

"Why? You think you can make me go to sleep with threats?" He punched the wall panel to call a lift up to their deck. "You know, I am the captain here. Not to mention an adult, perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

Evan shook his head. "You're also my Keeper, and your health is my concern. Obviously it doesn't concern you." The lift doors opened and he stepped inside, followed by Alex who was rolling his eyes dramatically. "It's true." He dared the man to deny it. "Sometimes I wonder how you've managed to live this long." Of course he knew how. In the past, Alex had Jeff to look out for him, making sure he ate, slept, remembered the small details that life was made of outside the obsession of work. "You get so focused on a goal, you forget everything else. Even your own health." It was lucky for both of them that Evan hadn't had much trouble training Alex. He wasn't exactly sure why, or how, but he wasn't going to tempt fate by questioning it. One of them had to care about him.

Alex had been trying to look stern, or bored, but his grin and slight laugh signified his failure. When the lift stopped moving, he put an arm around Evan's shoulders and led the way to their door. "Yeah, well, with you around to do all the worrying, I've got it made." The door to their quarters opened to a room darkened to reflect the relative time of late evening. "Now, if I could just put my body to sleep and keep my mind working on that ship, I'd really be happy."

Evan could sense Alex's impending rebellion and geared himself to counter it quickly. "But you can't, so you might as well go to sleep." He reached the remote switch for the table display before his Keeper could find it.

"I've waited more than a year to get here." Alex had walked to the window when he failed to retrieve the control box and stood there, staring at the alien ship that the Ascalon was docked to. "To waste time on sleeping when it's right here is . . . it's criminal."

"It's logical." Evan locked the door, then programmed the dispenser to produce breakfast at a designated time in the morning. "We have all the time you want now that we're here. The ship isn't going anywhere, and there's no competition involved." None but the contest inside your own mind. Evan didn't know the rules to that, so he had no choice but to take it as it came. "It's foolish to risk your health and your ability to explore it just because you weren't willing to sleep now and again." He stood beside the couch, watching Alex.

"Is it?" Alex never took his eyes from the ship floating silently beside them. "You don't feel it?"

Evan stepped closer, glancing at the ship. "Feel what?" He felt tired, he felt the whiskey tugging at his brain, telling him how close the bed was. He'd been sleeping on the couch for far too long.

Alex shrugged. "I can't help but feel this sense of urgency, like there's something I need to get done."

"No, I don't feel it." Evan instinctively looked away as he spoke. Lying to a Keeper wasn't supposed to be possible, so this couldn't have been a lie. It couldn't have been. "We have all the time we need."

"I know, technically." Alex shook his head, still looking outside. "I only feel it when we're looking at it, and when we were there. It's like . . . like I can't take my eyes off the thing."

Evan moved quickly to the side of the large window and found the control that tinted the glass, changing it instantly from transparent to opaque. The image of the alien ship was gone. "Then stop looking at it, and get some sleep."

Alex blinked, then seemed to shake himself alert again and looked at Evan, slightly surprised. "Yeah. We can go back aboard tomorrow." He nodded and turned to walk to his bedroom. "We have all the time we need now."

Evan shot a glance at the now invisible ship, then hurried ahead to Alex's bedroom, altering the glass in there as well. "Good night."

"Yeah," Alex gave Evan's shoulder a pat as he turned to leave. "Night."

In his own room, Evan changed the window's opacity immediately, avoiding any glimpse of the ship outside. He quickly shed his clothes and climbed gratefully into a bed that hadn't been used in too long, turning on his side so his back was to the darkened glass. The mattress felt strangely soft and comfortable compared to the large couch, as comfortable as knowing he could roll over with impunity and not end up on the floor. Sleep should have come quickly and easily, but it didn't.

Every time Evan closed his eyes, his mind filled with the images he'd been studying so hard. Geometrically shaped colors, grouped and alone, lining walls and panels. There was a logic to them somewhere, he knew that. Not just because he believed there had to be. While the rest of the crew were busy speculating on the aliens' appearance, Evan had found a pattern in the walls. It was subtle, and probably easy to miss, but definitely there. It shocked him how much time had passed while he'd worked on only one wall panel, time that he'd had no conscious awareness of. That, more than anything, upset him the most. It had been Alex reminding him to eat this time, and dragging him away from the screen for the short time he allowed for it. That kind of concentration had always, in the past, been reserved for his computer-enhanced investigations. It was understandable, and expected. Instinct had always brought him out of that deep focus if his Keeper was in danger at any time. This . . . This had been completely unexpected. They were only marks on a wall, and yet they'd held his attention so deeply they blocked out his natural attention to his Keeper.

But it wasn't just the marks.

Evan rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling to try and will himself to relax. It wasn't just the marks, but something Alex had said. He did feel it, the sense that there was something he had to get done. And only when he was looking at the images from the ship, or the ship itself. He'd assumed it was simply his desire to figure out the controls for Alex that had him so determined. But it was more than that. And, more importantly, it was gone now. He wasn't being kept awake by the same feeling that had kept him glued to the computer display in the office, but by the realization of it.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, focusing inwardly in a practiced attempt at relaxation through internal inventory. Alex was sleeping soundly, he could feel that very clearly. So keeping him from seeing the ship had helped. And now that he wasn't able to see the shapes except through recall, he was beginning to relax himself. After a few more deep, controlled breaths, sleep again began to tug at the corners of Evan's mind. We've just traded one set of mysteries for another. With any luck, this new set wouldn't try to kill them both.

He rolled over completely, pressed his face into the soft pillow, and allowed the stillness of sleep to take over.

Morning came all too quickly. Evan opened both eyes and forced his legs out from under the blanket in one swift movement that barred any change in plans. He had to thank his instincts for making sure he was awake before his Keeper, since life with Alex had meant the elimination of anything close to a regular schedule. Luckily, his internal senses were strong enough, and kept sharpened by their strange hours, so he always managed to be up and dressed before Alex came out of his room.

When he did, Evan noticed he avoided turning the glass back to its original transparency.

"We're going back over there today?" Evan set the breakfast plates down and returned to the galley for coffee.

Alex's reply had to wait until he could finish yawning. "Just you and I, and every remote on wheels."

Evan set the cups down and looked at Alex, puzzled. "Just you and I?"

"Until you're able to determine what those controls can do, or at least verify the fact that no one can do something stupid by accident, I don't want too many people wandering around over there."

"There were several of us there the first time."

"And look what happened." Alex shook his head sharply. "We're just lucky it was the light switch I hit, not something else. No, I don't want to risk it this early on. You and I, I can trust. The rest of the crew will man the remotes, programmed to stay two feet away from any wall, and record what they find without risking anything being touched or activated." He waved a fork in the air. "We've got abut fifty of those things. That should get the whole ship recorded, if nothing else. Soon as those controls can be figured out, I'll feel better about letting people wander around over there."

Evan wasn't sure if Alex's sense of safety was motivated by an honest desire to be cautious, or something else. But he wasn't going to argue. There were times he could push, and times he knew not to try. It did seem a bit extreme, especially for Alex, considering the fact that he had been the one to accidentally hit a control. Although, he was right. Anything could have happened while they were walking around in the dark, touching walls and doors assuming there was nothing there. Then again, his crew were all professionals. Surely they could walk around an alien environment without touching something by accident.

He glanced at Alex over the rim of his coffee cup while the possibilities ran through his mind. His Keeper seemed a bit irritable for some reason, but Evan decided not to mention it. Since their meeting so many months ago, he'd been able to adjust his attitude and duties to fit his new position and owner. Sometimes even to the point of being the one to give the orders, when Alex's health or best interests were involved, and his Keeper hadn't balked at such liberties. But Evan wasn't a fool, he knew how lucky he was, and how that luck could run out at any time. It didn't matter what Doctor Zane, or Alex, said about the ring. Evan was Sha'erah, and he belonged to Alex. He could still be sold.

"How's your shoulder this morning?" Evan picked up his empty plate and pushed the chair back.

"I'm fine!" Alex stood so suddenly, his chair fell to the floor. "I wish everyone would stop worrying about me!"

Evan took the plate straight to the galley to give himself enough time to consider the right action to take. The shock of Alex's sudden outburst sent his mind reeling backwards. Surely he couldn't have reached the borders of Alex's tolerance with that simple question, considering what they'd been through. With one breath, he turned to confront his Keeper, putting as much concern as he could into his expression as he decided to tread dangerous ground.

Before he could open his mouth, Alex held up a hand to silence him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout."

"What's wrong?"

Alex bent down and picked up his chair, shaking his head. "I dunno. I slept really well, and in a bed for once." He shrugged, smiling apologetically. "I just feel a little off, irritable or something."

"I can see that." Evan accepted the plate Alex handed him and put it in the galley, glad he'd been spared a full-on display his Keeper had every right to express. "Doctor Zane has to check us out at the airlock." This time it wouldn't be a full physical, but a good thorough scan should alert the physician to any illness.

Alex shook his head as he walked back to the large window. "Nah, it's nothing. I'm sorry I shouted, though." He hit the switch that changed the window back to normal, allowing the large alien ship to once again fill their view. "You know, you can yell right back at me if you want. Any time I'm being a jerk."

I'd lose my voice. "Don't be -- "

"Ridiculous?" Alex laughed, shaking his head. "Whatever."

Evan sighed. Sometimes there was just no getting through to him, let alone understanding him.

The trip down to the airlock changing room was complicated by several calls to Alex's pager by the crew as they worked out orders and plans for their remote operations. Evan still didn't know exactly what was motivating Alex's extreme restriction of the exploration, but he didn't question it. Alex was, after all, the Captain. And this was his area of expertise, basically. And deep down, he had to admit to himself it was nice to be able to have the alien ship to themselves for the most part. Every man and woman on the Ascalon would be either manipulating a remote or watching them on screen. But only he and Alex would be onboard, seeing it all first hand.

If there was anything new to see. So far, they'd found a light switch, some markings on walls, and silicon dust piles that may, or may not, be their alien hosts.

"Ready?" Alex stopped at the hatch, looking back at Evan. "Those brats are rolling around over there already."

Those brats being the fifty or so remotely controlled robots wheeling about on a desperate mission to be the first to discover . . . anything. Evan nodded, testing the last glove as he slipped it on. The environmental suits Doctor Zane had approved were a far cry from the full EVA protection they'd worn the first time. Now instead of a fully-encased suit and helmet, both men wore jumpsuits fastened completely up to the neck, a breathing filter that fit lightly over mouth and nose, and a headset that allowed them easy communication with each other and the Ascalon. Evan had been particularly impressed with the color.

"You look downright scary, you know that?" Alex waited inside the alien vessel while Evan stepped through the round doorway.

"I didn't choose the color." Evan reached around and touched the symbol they'd learned the other day would close the door.

"Yeah, but in this lighting, your eyes almost glow black-silver." Alex appeared to shudder dramatically. "I'm just glad you're on my side. Come on, let's go see what we can find."

Evan refrained from commenting and accompanied Alex down the corridor. In the soft blue light, every control they passed was visible, glowing quietly four feet from the floor. They were headed farther down, several levels below the room they'd been in the day before, hoping to find more than empty rooms and bare alcoves. Now and again they either passed, or were passed by, a remotely controlled robot wheeling down the hallways or in and out of rooms, recording all it surveyed.

"Wonder if they had feet."

"What?" Evan had to jump to one side to avoid tripping over a robot that stopped and squeaked an apology before speeding off again.

"Why they have these sloping ramps instead of stairs, or lifts. Or even a ladder." Alex pointed to the floor as they rounded the gentle corner that took them to a lower level.

"Gravity suggests they didn't float. Doesn't it?" Evan adjusted his breather so he could wipe some sweat off the bridge of his nose. "Though I don't suppose we can say that for sure."

"Not really. Scotian has gravity, but there's a native plant that floats about ten feet up. Technically they say it more or less swims, but it looks like floating to me. Damn nuisance, too."

Evan felt the temptation to reach out and touch the smooth walls as they walked but resisted. Maybe it was a good idea keeping the rest of the crew on the Ascalon after all. "What if the controls weren't even there before we turned on the lights?"

"Huh?"

"What if, when you turned on the lights, you also caused these symbols to . . . come out. Be exposed."

"But the light switch wasn't hidden." Alex glanced into an alcove they were walking by and found nothing. "You think maybe that one, and the door controls, were the only ones available?"

Evan shrugged, enjoying the lightness of the environmental suit. "I'm just thinking out loud."

"Yeah? Well, keep it up. You're making as much sense as anything."

They continued walking, taking every ramp they could find that might take them further into the belly of the ship. Evan found himself thinking quite a lot of things, only some of which he vocalized. Mostly, he couldn't help but think about how strange it felt to be this interested in such a thing. There was no denying the fact that he was, in fact, interested. But he still maintained, in the privacy of his own thoughts, that it was simply a matter of being curious for Alex's sake. He was simply a Sha'erah, trained for . . . Well, trained for this. He wasn't a thief for Spencer Marcase, he was now an explorer for Alex. Taking interest in his work to further benefit his Keeper. He was curious, naturally. But not to the extent Alex was.

"I don't get it." Evan stopped at the fifth ramp and looked back down the long corridor they'd just walked. "We're finding alcoves with these controls on the walls, and so far down this hallway, just one empty room." He wiped more sweat from the bridge of his nose and noticed Alex was doing the same. The heavier gravity provided quite a workout.

"I know." Alex adjusted his headset. "What's on the other side of these walls? If there aren't any rooms, then what's the space being used for?"

"Storage?" Evan resisted the urge to lean against the wall until after he'd double checked to make sure he wouldn't be accidentally hitting a switch. "Engines? Maybe this whole ship is just the engine, or it was a tug, pushing or pulling another ship?"

Alex shrugged. "Maybe. That could explain the all-or-nothing light situation. And the lack of 'things'." He glanced back the way they'd come, shaking his head slightly. "I have to keep telling myself these are aliens, and not to expect anything normal. But I can't help wondering why we haven't found anything like a crew's quarters, or personal items. Even a mirror."

"Or bathroom."

"Do you need one?"

Evan shook his head and straightened up, nodding toward the ramp. "Is it possible for an organism not to produce waste?"

"I don't see why not. At least not a waste that we would consider inconvenient. Look at plants. Hell, maybe that silicon dust was their waste, not them."

"In the middle of the floor?" Evan preferred thinking of these aliens as being superior in knowledge, it only seemed right that manners would follow suit. "Wait a minute." He pointed to the end of the corridor they'd just descended to, barely visible in the soft blue light.

"Bingo." Alex touched his headpiece. "Reilly, bring a few of those robots down our way, we just found a nice big door."

"Aye, Captain. We have three just a level above you, be there in a jiffy."

Evan searched the door for the control to open it while Alex separated two of the wheeled robots who'd gotten stuck together in their excited rush to meet the men at the door. It was huge, at least twenty feet high and eighteen across, suggesting a loading or storage bay.

"We're well inside the ship, so this shouldn't open out into space."

Evan didn't bother mentioning the fact that he was going to be damn sure of that before attempting to open it. "The exterior hatch controls were black, interior doors are green." He finally located the proper symbol, higher off the floor than the others. It was green.

"Reilly, can you confirm our position?" Alex set the two warring robots on either side of him in the hallway. "Make sure we're not about to vacuum ourselves."

"You're just about dead center, Captain. Must be a hold or something."

Alex nodded to Evan. "Or something."

"Here goes." He touched the symbol and held his breath the few seconds it took for the door to begin sliding up and back. There was a rush of air as the alien atmosphere that hadn't been vented yet mixed with the breathable atmosphere the Ascalon's engineers had supplied. It smelled stale even through the protection of the breathers. Evan squinted against the smell of disuse that quickly faded away as his mask's filters exchanged the gas for fresher air. At least it wasn't the vacuum of space. The slight twinge of fear that he'd missed something began to wash away with the stale smell. They were, in fact, in the center of the ship. Chances that they could accidentally open a door to space had to be pretty slim.

"Now this is a room." Alex took a few steps inside, then had to stop and allow the robots to wheel by. "Keep 'em close together, guys."

"Aye, Captain."

"It's huge." Evan looked up, trying to find the ceiling. The light in this room seemed to emanate from everywhere and nowhere at once. The only wall close to them was the one they'd just walked through, but even it stretched on in either direction until the dim light swallowed them. The ceiling was nowhere to be found, presumably several levels above them, but the opposite wall could be seen about a hundred yards away.

"Okay, it's a hold. But what's it holding?" Alex walked slowly out into the open area, looking all around.

"Is that a walkway?" Evan pointed up, then squinted to see if it was simply a trick of the odd lighting. Lining the far wall, at least fifteen feet from the floor, was a walkway, then in the shadows farther above, another one. "Where's the access?"

"Where's the end of the room?" Alex glanced both directions, shaking his head. He touched the headpiece again, addressing the bridge. "Reilly, send one of these down the left, and one down the right. See if you can find the end of the room, and a way up to that walkway."

"Roger that."

Evan watched a robot whiz past him, then crossed the slight distance to stand beside Alex. "It looks like another walkway above that."

"Yeah, and maybe more above that one." Alex squinted, craning his neck to see above his head. "There must be a ramp at one end."

"Do you see the wall above it?" Evan pointed, blinking when he realized squinting was doing no good. "It looks like the walkway might look out over something." There was a shadow, or a trick of the light, where wall should be.

"Reilly?"

"Almost there."

Evan looked at the robot still near their feet, wondering who was at the controls.

"The left side ends at the wall, Captain. No access at this end."

He looked up again, thinking about the ramps they'd used to access each level of the ship.

"And the right is coming up . . . I don't get it. There's nothing here either. Captain, we can't find any access to that walkway anywhere."

"Okay, we'll do this the hard way, then." Alex walked around the third robot and stood beside Evan. "Gimme a boost."

"What?"

"Your hands. Give me a boost up there. I can grab the edge."

Evan shook his head. "No, we don't know what's up there."

"We will in a minute."

He wanted to believe there was nothing to worry about, it was just a walkway. What could be dangerous up there? "You give me a boost, then I'll pull you up." Evan looked up, judging the distance. "My arm doesn't hurt anymore, but with your shoulder you couldn't pull me up after you."

"Fine, just hurry up. I'm dying to find something in this place." Alex bent over slightly and cupped his hands, bracing his back with bent legs.

Evan took a breath, then placed one foot in Alex's cupped hands. He made a point of pushing off the floor with his other leg hard enough to help take as much strain as possible off his Keeper's arms during the boost.

The ledge was solid, with no rim or ridge to grab, and pulling himself up was a chore, but Evan made it without falling. He stopped for a minute to catch his breath from the effort, then reached an arm down for Alex to jump up and grab.

"Did you gain weight?" Evan caught Alex's hand and began to pull as he kicked out from the wall once to gain enough leverage for his other hand to firmly attach to the offered forearm.

"It's the gravity, genius." He climbed the wall as best he could to help with the effort.

"That's right." Evan rolled over, pulling Alex the final few feet onto the walkway. "I'd gotten used to it."

"Uh-huh." Alex stayed where he was, lying next to Evan on the wide walkway while the pair of them caught their breath. After a moment or two, he eased himself up and looked over the edge. "Going down's gonna be a bitch."

Evan sat up, wiping sweat from his nose and forehead. "How about sending that drone down here, the taller one, with some lines? It's got a good ten foot reach if you put the extenders on the arm."

"Reilly."

"Captain."

"What he said." Alex rubbed his forehead dry with the back of one gloved hand.

"Aye, Captain. Arm extension and some climbing lines."

"We could have come up that way, you know." Evan eased himself back to his feet. The ship's stronger gravity was trying to take its toll after their exertion.

"Take too long." Alex accepted Evan's hand and pulled himself up. "I wanted to see . . . "

Evan turned to see what had grabbed Alex's sudden and complete attention.

"Captain? What do you see up there?" Reilly's voice crackled over their headsets.

"I can't even describe it." Alex shook his head slowly from side to side. "It's like . . . Almost like . . . "

"Display cases." Evan remembered to breathe again. He'd found himself almost face to face with the ugliest thing he'd ever seen, obviously alien, and even more obviously suspended in some sort of inert, solid substance, protected by a clear panel set into the angled wall. Next to that was another "case", with something else equally alien, and equally dead. At the top of each case, well out of reach, was another set of geometric designs in sets of three. Labels?

"Yeah, that's what it looks like." Alex glanced down the row. "Display cases."

"Have you ever seen an animal like this?" Evan couldn't take his eyes off the thing incased in front of him. It had several feather covered arms, but the thick body and huge, stump-like legs suggested flight wasn't possible. Still, he had to admit, he hadn't been to as many other planets as most people his age.

"Yeah, right over there." Alex pointed to the third 'case' down on his right. "Except that one has fewer arms and no legs."

Evan moved to his left, glancing at each new specimen. "There must be hundreds here. Some look like plants."

"This is incredible." Alex was following, pausing to gaze at each new case they passed. "These aliens must have been explorers. Gathering specimens from every planet they visited."

"You mean they killed things just to put them in glass boxes and take them home for dissection?" Evan's hope that their alien ship owners had possessed superior intelligence and extreme passivity were waning quickly with each new alien sampling he found.

"I know, I don't exactly approve either." They'd reached one end, having counted sixty separate display cases, each containing a specimen different than the one before. Turning to traverse the opposite direction, Alex shook his head. "We're assuming again, you know. These things might not be dead, and they might have even volunteered. Or maybe they're from this ship's home planet."

"You believe that?"

"No."

"Captain, this is Reilly. You're killing' us here! What did you find?"

Alex stopped, glancing at Evan before addressing the bridge chief. "Okay, you win. Send a team, full environmental suits. Bring something we can secure to these walls for climbing. And Reilly,"

"Sir?"

"It was all I could do not to touch those controls on the walls walking by. I don't want anyone touching anything. This room seems to have nothing on the walls, no controls except for the door and some kind of label above each of these things. At least they're out of reach."

"Aye, sir."

Evan looked above them at the second walkway, now visible another twenty feet up. The ceiling, even from this new vantage point, was still lost in the dim light. "This explains why there are so few rooms in the ship's upper levels."

"Yeah, most of this ship seems to be this storage bay." Alex looked around, then down to the floor. "I wonder if this is the only one?"

Evan looked at the floor, judging the distance. With the added gravity, any distance would feel doubled on impact. His legs were beginning to feel like dead weights, and he'd been wiping sweat from the bridge of his nose almost constantly since they'd climbed up. The black jumpsuit had thermal controls automatically adjusting his body temperature, but they weren't able to keep up with the sweat running down his back and chest. Alex looked similarly worn out.

"How did they get up here?" Alex eased himself down to the walkway floor, dangling both legs over the edge while they waited for the taller drone to arrive with the climbing ropes. "If they don't climb anything, and presumably didn't stand much more than five feet from the floor, how did they get up here?"

Evan just shook his head and sat down. There were too many questions, and no way to be sure of the answers. After a few minutes of rest, the large robot wheeled in through the open doorway, sporting a large extension to its main appendage, as well as several strong lines and suction units.

"Ah, our ride." Alex swung his legs back up and leaned down, catching the line handed to him by the extended machine.

By the time they'd secured the line with suction devices and made their way back down to the deck, the room had practically filled with the smaller remotely controlled robots piloted by crew members not already suiting up to see the alien display for themselves. Evan had to pick his way through the room, followed by Alex, until they reached the slightly less encumbered hallway. By then, his heart was pounding in his chest from the effort. This much exploring would have been impossible in the full helmeted suits they'd used the first time.

"We should get back to the Ascalon, before we're too exhausted to make the trip."

Alex nodded, breathing hard. "This place makes me feel out of shape." He waved both arms at the robots still in the hallway and waited for them to part far enough to make room to walk. All but one. "Reilly, you've got a stray here."

"Captain, Reilly's gone down to suit up. This is Conroy. Sorry, sir, number seventeen is stuck. I think the wheels are jammed, this one rolled pretty close to several of those piles of silver dust a few levels up."

Evan put a hand out, stopping Alex from leaning down to retrieve the small unit. "I've got it." He knelt down, conscious of the gravity trying to pull him all the way down, and picked up the small robot. Turning it over to rest on his bent knees, they could both see the wad of silvery dust clogging one wheel well. He held the two ungummed wheels in place, then ordered Conroy to rev the motor to try and loosen the dust. As the small machine's engine built up power, it sent a vibration through both of Evan's legs, through his booted feet to the smooth floor beneath.

Before he knew what happened, he was on his back.

"You okay?" Alex had managed to catch the robot before it fell on top of him, righting it so it could wheel happily away. He extended a hand and helped Evan back to his feet.

"Must have slipped." Evan grunted with the effort getting back up, then wiped his chest off where the fine powder had dusted him. "It felt like I was all of a sudden standing on ice or something."

Alex stared at him, blinking. Suddenly he turned around and found another robot close by. Picking it up, he called out to Conroy to run the engine with all three wheels locked. Almost instantly, he began to fall backwards.

Evan reached out quickly, catching his Keeper before he could fall.

"Yes! That's it!"

"What?" Evan didn't let go of Alex's arm until he set the robot back down.

"That's how they got around." Alex was smiling widely, waiting for Evan to pick up on his train of thought. "I mean, it could be."

Evan looked at the floor, remembering what it had felt like when the vibrating engine reverberated through his legs and feet. "They . . . slid?"

"What if they produced some kind of vibration, or sound, that reacted with this floor, allowing them to just sort of glide along? That way they wouldn't need, or even be able to use stairs. Maybe they didn't have legs at all, just a part of their body that touched the floor."

Evan resisted the mental image of an alien scooting along the floor on its ass. "Controls that can't be seen until the blue lights come on. Walkways too high off the floor to reach, with no access ladders and aliens that apparently scooted along the floor without legs. Sound vibrations that make the floor slippery," he shook his head. "How can you expect to figure any of this out? We don't even know for a fact this is the floor." Evan pointed toward his feet. Maybe we're completely upside down. What if these aliens were thirty feet tall, and they moved by scooting their heads along the ceiling with heavy gravity holding them up?" He knew how ridiculous it all sounded even as he was speaking, but he'd never felt so tired and completely worn out. And frustrated!

Alex laughed, then draped a heavy arm around Evan's shoulders and started walking back the way they'd come. "Point well taken."

It took them an extra two hours to make their way back to the Ascalon, fighting fatigue and gravity. Alex stopped to brief each team anxiously dragging equipment and scanners to the new find, emphasizing his original warning not to touch any of the controls along the way, and to inform him immediately if anything new happened. When they reached the airlock, the difference in gravity was a welcomed relief.

"I need a shower." Alex pulled the mask off his face the instant the disinfectant scans completed.

"And rest, then something to eat." Evan ordered, shaking out of the sweat-soaked jumpsuit. "We should have waited for a ladder before going up on that walkway. It's too easy to forget how tired you're getting over there." He made a mental note to limit their time onboard if any more climbing was called for. "I want to spend more time studying the controls, see if I can get anything working."

"Rest and food first, remember?" Alex smiled tiredly and led the way through the second ready room and out into the corridor where they were met by Conroy. She quickly gave them both a review of Reilly's successful deployment of ladders to the first and second walkway, with more being secured as they spoke. "We'll be in the office in two hours, let me know if anything happens before then."

"Aye, Captain." Conroy smiled excitedly at them both, then hurried back toward the lifts.

"Right now, I'd give almost anything to be able to scoot back to the rooms on my ass." Alex shook his head, watching the young officer's agility.

Evan chose not to comment.

The shower was an unexpected treat, cooling his skin and misting the sweat away. Evan made it quick but thorough, aware of the fatigue still draining mind and body. He was torn between the need to sleep and a desire to eat, and decided to see which one was going to win Alex over first. Dressed only in clean pants, he walked out to the galley to place an order, pausing over the desired delivery time. A sudden, loud complaint from his empty stomach greeted Alex as he padded barefoot from his room, hair still damp from the shower.

"I know, me too." Alex finished pulling a sleeveless shirt down over his chest and nodded toward the machine. "I was going to grab a nap first, but I'm starving."

Evan placed the order for immediate arrival and waited to carry the steaming plates out to the table. "Do you realize we were over there almost eight hours?"

Alex poured two cups of coffee and walked to the table with them. "No, I wasn't really paying attention. I'm surprised I could stand the gravity that long. It really wears on you after a while."

"I suppose we'd get used to it eventually." The plates of food arrived and caused another round of stomach growling. There was something besides his hunger gnawing at him. After a few quick bites to assuage the urgency, Evan contemplated the feeling.

"The scientists are going to forget themselves over there, looking at those specimens." Alex rubbed his eyes. "That's certainly not what I expected to find."

"What did you expect to find?" The question trying to form in the back of Evan's mind was becoming more clear.

"I don't know." Alex looked perplexed, as if he should have been able to answer the question but couldn't.

"Did you . . . " Evan shifted in his chair. "When we were over there, I had this feeling in the back of my mind, sort of like I was looking for something in particular. But I don't know what. And I don't think I found it."

Alex was nodding, poking a piece of fruit with his fork as he stared at it. "Me too. I get that way, though, every time. Like I'm expecting to find something. Only I never know if I did or not."

Evan considered his statement, trying it on to see if it answered the strange feeling. "So, that's normal?"

"I guess." Alex stabbed the fruit and brought it up for a closer look. "That's what it means to be an explorer. You're looking for things no one has seen yet."

No, that wasn't it. Not exactly. "I suppose." It made sense, but only because Alex was used to it. No, this felt different. Evan was sure while he'd been on that ship, he'd been looking for something. It hadn't been a conscious feeling, just a nagging irritation in the back of his mind that hadn't gone away. He shrugged, trying to shake the sensation, and finished the meal.

After a quick hour's rest that was surprisingly refreshing, they went back to the bridge to check the progress of the teams recording their strange findings. Nine levels in total had been reached, all as long as the first, revealing countless varieties of alien plant and animal life, all suspended in the hard, glass-like substance, presumably dead. The teams had carefully recorded each case's label as well as a good recorded image to match, and the crew of the Ascalon found themselves happily occupied with research and speculation. Two more large doors had been found several levels down, and were marked for exploration teams as soon as more personnel and portable ladders could arrive.

As badly as Alex wanted to return, he was forced to agree with Evan's assessment of their current strength, or lack thereof. With a promise that he wouldn't leave the bridge, Evan left his Keeper watching video relays and went to the office, strangely anxious to return to his study of the geometric controls.

When he first turned the computer back on, calling up the file of a room filled with the strange markings, Evan gave in to the wild idea and inverted the image. A quick study of the images revealed even less logic and fewer possible patterns. "Okay, so the floor's probably the floor after all." Well, no harm in trying.

He was an hour into it before he recognized a group of symbols. "I know you." Evan brought the section of wall in for a closer inspection, zeroing in on the small group to confirm his suspicions. When he moved the view to one side, he found another set of three markings that looked familiar. After a quick double check of his findings, he went in search of Alex.

"We don't know what activating them will do, though." Evan sat on the couch, looking at the larger screen now displaying his discovery to his Keeper, who stood several feet from it, twisting the silver ring around and around his finger. "It might release the case, free the alien inside, eject it, melt it, whatever."

"I know, I know. We can't risk freeing something up in there. They might have encased them for a damn good reason." Alex stared at the group of three symbols that corresponded with a particularly large, hairy animal held in a case on the first level they'd discovered. "Even something we think is a plant might not be."

"Doctor Zane would never condone it, even a plant." Evan typed in a few commands and the view on their large screen widened, showing the entire room. Another command brought up each set of markings found on the alien display cases. One by one, the symbols matched up with their corresponding groups of three found around the room. "This could be the room where the cases are sealed up, or released. There's no way to be sure."

Alex was nodding, still twisting the ring as he watched. "What about picking one, sealing the door back up and evacuating the ship, leaving the robots as our eyes?" He glanced over his shoulder at Evan. "If something did get out, at least no one would be exposed to it."

"If they're alive, or can be let out, the atmosphere we pumped in there could kill them."

"Yeah, and if we let something out and can't catch it or communicate with it, we might end up cutting off further access to the ship." There seemed to be no easy answer.

"I know." Alex paced away from the screen, rubbing his chin as he considered the angles. He stopped at the end of the couch. "Okay, let's keep recording these specimens, until we're sure we've found them all. We might even find something we recognize."

Evan blinked. "You think . . . You think this ship entered known space? They might have sampled from one of our planets?" That thought was one he hadn't even considered. "But, if someone had ever seen something like this, you'd have heard about it." Surely no one had actually made alien contact like this and kept it secret.

Alex looked at the ring around his finger. "Who knows? There's a chance someone out there knows more than they're willing to share about aliens."

Evan shook his head slowly, understanding his Keeper's implications. "I don't buy it." He never had, really. He'd barely ever given it that much thought. "It makes no sense."

"To tell you the truth," Alex stopped fingering the ring and met Evan's gaze. "I don't either." He shook his head. "And you know what? I don't even wanna know anymore. Why mess with a good thing?"

Now what was he talking about? The ship, or his Sha'erah origins?

"I'm going to order the first team back, and set up shifts so no one gets so tired they start making mistakes." Alex walked to the door, pausing for Evan to get off the couch and catch up. "And no, we won't go back till morning. I'm barely staying awake as it is."

Evan hurried to join him, tired muscles grateful for the promise of rest. Adding to his pleasure was the repeated treat of sleeping in his own bed. He noticed again Alex's tendency to go straight to the window and stare out at the ship, so he again altered the glass and suggested a good night's sleep that his Keeper willingly agreed to.

That night was filled with circular thoughts of alien specimens, geometric marks and vibrating floors, in between which Evan somehow managed to get some sleep. Morning still came too soon, and brought a new awareness of muscle aches and stiff joints that had to be steamed out in the heat of the shower.

"Ah, man," Alex hurried out to the galley, one sock still in his hand, the other on a foot. "I can't believe I slept this long."

"You needed it."

"I was only going to rest for a few hours." He grabbed a cup and filled it with coffee, then sat on the edge of the couch so he could pull on the other sock.

"You told them to call if anything unusual was found," Evan admonished.

"Everything over there is unusual." Alex sipped at the hot coffee hurriedly. "If they're done recorded everything, we can try one of those sequences on the wall."

Evan watched his Keeper hunt for the shoes he'd discarded last night. "With the ship fully evacuated?" He pointed under the desk against the far wall where the left shoe had landed. "Right? Just in case we let something loose."

"Yes, evacuated. We'll pick one and get some of the drones positioned around it, then spread the rest of them around the vicinity." Alex found the other shoe and sat down to put them on. "I promise, no risk taking here."

"Good." Evan finished his own coffee, too tired to eat more than the simple additives he'd already put in the morning's brew. If they could spend today on the Ascalon, manipulating things remotely, they could get another full day's rest from the alien ship's gravity. His Keeper had looked so horribly tired last night, he'd been contemplating asking Doctor Zane's help in keeping him from going aboard today. But if they were ready to attempt some experiments from the safety of their own bridge, that wouldn't be necessary.

"You ready?"

A reply wasn't needed. Evan merely nodded and followed Alex as he headed for the door. As usual, he hadn't even inquired about breakfast, or confirmed the fact that he had just been fed the proper nutrients for a morning meal. Alex had a tendency to either eat whatever was put in front of him, or forget about it altogether. It was a far cry from life with Spencer, but Evan could no longer deny preferring it. If anyone ever needed the attention to personal detail and safety a Sha'erah could provide, it was Alex Marcase.

The catalog of specimens all three shifts had recorded was staggering. Each of the other rooms found had been investigated, the last row having just been finished an hour ago, totaling just over two thousand separate species of plant, animal, mineral, and a few they hadn't decided on yet. Alex ordered the evacuation of all teams, and worked out the best placement of robotic sentinels with Evan and Reilly. Picking the specimen whose label they wanted to try out on the control panel was easy.

"You're sure there's no radiation or energy signal?"

"None we can detect, Captain."

Evan eyed the alien specimen skeptically. Of all the cases and samples they'd found, this one was by far the most interesting. And animated. "Is it alive?"

Alex shrugged. "Can't tell. We aren't getting any readings, apparently."

The object that had their attention had been found in the third large room, four walkways up, the last occupied case in the room. It was perfectly round, approximately three feet in diameter, suspended in the clear solid substance that held all of the specimens in place. Its surface was covered with colored lights, flashing gently in a slow, barely discernable pattern.

"It's blinking." Evan couldn't seem to take his eyes from the strange sight. He wanted to talk Alex into choosing a more benign looking subject, but something inside was begging to try this one. It was almost as if . . . Almost as if they'd just found what they were looking for. But how could that be? "Doesn't that signify something?" Why wasn't he being more insistent? This couldn't be a good idea.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Whatever it is, it looks like it was the last thing they collected." Alex shrugged beside him, unable to look away from the screen himself. "We're safe over here." He directed his command at Reilly without moving his attention from the image. "Are they all out yet?"

"Almost, Captain."

Evan shook his head. This wasn't a good idea. They should pick one that was more obviously dead, or a plant even. A plant would at least be slow moving, surely. This thing was . . . it was blinking. Was there really a pattern there, or just his imagination after so many hours staring at the patterns on the walls? He forced himself to blink, but still didn't want to look away. This was it, wasn't it? The something he'd felt he was supposed to be looking for. Whatever the hell that was.

It took effort, but Evan forced himself to look away. Almost instantly, the strange feeling of familiarity faded. "If it comes free from that case, we don't go near it. Right?"

Alex nodded.

"Okay, Captain. The alien ship is evacuated." Reilly called up from the deck a few feet below them. "Eyes are in place. We're ready to give this a try."

Evan walked down to the bridge deck and powered up the larger drone he'd used to explore the alien ship for the first time. It was already in place in the room they still referred to as the main control area, and armed with a more delicate armature for touching the symbols one at a time. He took a good look at the label on the case above the colored sphere, then maneuvered the drone around the room until he located the matching symbols on the far wall. This time, he refrained from entering the machine's main computer, settling only for the same view on-screen that everyone else could view. If something strange did happen, he didn't want the encumbrance of having to come "out" of the machine.

After a last moment's hesitation, he directed the drone's arm out and forward, then gently touched each of the three symbols in order.

It felt as if the entire ship's contingent was holding its breath.

"Did you touch all three?" Alex finally managed to pull his gaze away from the screen to look down at Evan.

"Yes." He looked up at the image. "It didn't do anything."

"Reilly, any change in the room at all?"

"Nothing, Captain."

Evan instantly switched his own view screen from the drone in the control room to one of several smaller robots stationed in a hallway. He paused long enough to be sure nothing had changed, then moved on to another, further down the corridor. "Here." Evan swallowed, changing views again to a robot one level down. There was definitely a change, just not in the room they expected. "Alex, you'd better have a look at this."

Chapter 15

"This is incredible." Alex could hardly believe his relief when Evan's experiment failed to release the specimen. He wanted to examine it, though he wasn't entirely sure why. But he hadn't wanted to risk losing further contact with the ship itself. "Reilly, what about the other levels?"

"Just getting the remotes sent around now, Captain."

"It looks like it's in every alcove." Evan adjusted the monitor in front of him and pointed to the screen, directing Alex's attention farther down the corridor they were looking at. "That must be what they're for."

"Are we sure these are holographic projections?"

While Alex watched, standing on the bridge beside Evan, the larger robot was brought out into the hallway and rolled gently toward the nearest alcove. Centered in the depression hovered a clear image of the round, blinking object they'd chosen to experiment with. By manipulating the controls manually instead of from inside, Evan brought the arm of the robot up and swept it through the image.

"It's not physically there, at least. Whether we can call these things holograms or not, I don't know. There aren't any projectors or even sources of light inside the walls."

"Like you said, we can't really assume anything, can we?" Alex leaned forward to get a better view. It was incredible! The instant Evan had touched the symbols corresponding with the apparent label they'd found associated with this object's display case, each alcove on the entire ship suddenly displayed a fully three dimensional representation of the specimen. "This might be how they studied their samples without having to touch them or be exposed." He pointed to the screen where more symbols could be seen on the wall just outside the alcove. "Since we're secured right now, let's have a go."

Evan brought the delicate arm of the robot around without hesitation, then seemed to examine the few controls there. "Which ones?"

"You're the expert," Alex shrugged. "Pick one." He sensed a retort on fast approach, but Evan seemed to change his mind before he could voice it. "You brought us this far, I trust you."

"We should monitor the other alcoves, to see if anything I do here changes them as well."

Alex looked up, found Reilly and nodded the order he knew the chief had heard.

"I'm guessing these controls should affect only this one." Evan brought the robot's arm down and moved it forward to the first symbol on the wall. It was a spiral in a dark brownish color that ended in black. Without hesitating, he pressed the tip of the robotic hand to the spiral, then spun the visual sensors up and around so they could see the hologram.

"Anything?" Alex squinted, trying to determine if something was different. "It's sharper, isn't it?"

"I think so." Evan moved the robot again and pressed the second symbol, a triangle tilted at an angle, in orange. This time, just prior to pressing the symbol, he turned the sensors to watch the image the instant the hand moved. "It's rotating."

"Yes!" Alex's enthusiasm was almost overwhelming. He gave Evan's back a quick slap in triumph. "Finally, we're making something we could call progress."

"The other images haven't changed, Captain." Reilly called from his terminal as he looked from one image to another. "Looks as if the alcove controls are individual."

"Okay," Alex took a few steps away from the small screen he and Evan had been standing in front of, then paced back, twisting the silver ring around his finger out of habit. "So here's what we think we know: the control room affects the entire ship, lights and all. And those alcoves display what we can assume are holographic images of each display case, depending on which sequence you type out in the control room." He turned to pace away again, speaking mainly to Evan though the entire bridge crew was on duty, watching and listening. "The alcoves all display the same image, but individually they can be adjusted for clarity and angle, and who knows what else." He stopped pacing, now looking back at Evan.

"It's like a school."

The simplicity almost made him laugh. "Of course, a school." Alex glanced around the bridge, then looked at Evan again. "The instructor can bring up the subject, the students can alter their view to do a study. When class is over, the whole thing can be shut down from one room. So our display cases could be just storage for class material." The theory could be completely wrong, he knew that. But right now it made as much sense as anything, and it felt good to have some kind of reference. No matter how wrong it might be.

"A school, in space? On a ship?" Evan leaned back against the control panel behind him, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Or a research station." Alex shrugged, more than willing to play against Evan's challenges. He'd come to really enjoy the way they could spar with each other and find the answers they needed. "Maybe it was part of a larger convoy, or a station. Or like you said earlier, it might have been a barge, and the ship used to push or pull it was where the aliens actually lived. Maybe they lost it, or the ship they were in was destroyed." He looked up at the larger window above them. "The wreckage could easily be out there, part of the nebula, and we'd never find it."

Evan nodded slowly, considering Alex's words. "There's one more possibility we shouldn't ignore."

Alex looked at the Sha'erah again, eyebrows creasing as he sensed some bad -- or perhaps sensible -- advice forthcoming.

"What if they parked it here?" He met Alex's gaze straight on. "What if they're coming back?"

In all the centuries mankind had spent exploring, colonizing, and conquering space, there had only been one discovery of an alien life form possessing a truly measurably high intelligence. Almost every planet man had stretched out to inhabit and control had animal life, plants and minerals peculiar to that planet or system. With the single exception being the strange and elusive Shavid-eye of Oblivion, still restricted to this day. Some even argued their qualifications as alien sentient life since they seemed to have no interest in expanding their own habitat. While others claimed their disinterest in life beyond their own planet could be interpreted as a purer form of higher intelligence.

Either way, Alex had never been overly interested in aliens. He loved to explore, to see things no man had seen before, then move on and find something else. Exploring the alien ship was one of the most fantastic adventures he'd been privileged to take part in. Seeing the ship and its contents for the first time, exploring and documenting things no one had ever imagined. Speculating on the shape, physiology and intelligence of the beings who owned the massive machine was amusing, and lent itself to countless possibilities. And, Alex had to admit, he'd give almost anything to find out for sure which theory, if any, was right.

The last thing he wanted to do was actually meet one.

He rolled over for the hundredth time that night and stared at the ceiling again. They weren't equipped to deal with an actual encounter with aliens of this level of intelligence. Sure, there were some members of his crew qualified, and probably hoping, to communicate with an alien race. But he wasn't. He had no interest in learning a new language, or representing the entire human race to something that probably had no clue they existed. And he was certainly not equipped to do battle with anything larger than a shuttle. The Ascalon was an exploration vessel, not a war ship.

Dammit. It was just a possibility. One of many. Hell, one of hundreds! Why was he letting it bother him this much?

Another turn in bed brought him to his right side, staring at the far wall. They'd spent hours trying out each alcove, testing the controls to learn how to adjust the view, sharpen the image, twist and turn the hologram. No one had thought to call up a new specimen, but that didn't surprise him. For some reason, the round, softly blinking object they'd tried the first time was enough to hold his and everyone else's fascination completely. He was dying to figure out what it was, he just wasn't sure why he cared.

"Come on, Alex, go to sleep." He rolled over again, pressing his face into the pillow. In the morning, he wanted to go back onboard and see if they could somehow download the holographic image to the Ascalon's own computers for further study.

He did not want to meet the owners.

Another turn brought him to his left side, staring at the darkened window. With the glass this dark, his image reflected back at him, looking just as frustrated and tired as he did. "What are you afraid of, huh?" Did the reflection know? Did it have a clue about what he was hiding from himself? "You were afraid it would be them, weren't you?"

There, it was out in the open. So to speak. He'd been afraid, yes. Afraid that this alien ship really did have some connection to Evan's possibly alien background. Afraid they'd find some connection that would have both answered Evan's questions and changed Alex's life. Maybe several months ago he would have welcomed that kind of change, but that was then.

No. Alex rolled over again and slammed a fist into his pillow to soften it up. There was never proof the Sha'erah had alien involvement. Even they didn't know for sure. Or at least, Evan didn't know. And Doctor Zane hadn't mentioned knowing it for a fact. No, this was just an alien vessel, completely unrelated. There hadn't been anything onboard that Evan recognized, or even seemed to relate to.

There. He knew his reflection had been worrying over nothing.

Before he realized he'd finally fallen asleep, Alex woke to the room chime. He washed and dressed, feeling less than rested as he stumbled barefoot out to the living area. Evan was standing near the dispenser, leaning forward so his head could rest against the wall unit, both eyes closed.

"You look awful." Alex glanced around for the socks he'd forgotten to bring with him.

"What was bothering you last night?" Evan turned his head and opened both eyes, but continued to lean into the wall unit.

"Oh, sorry." Alex turned to go back for clean socks. "I'm never going to get used to that." It was one thing to be responsible for someone else, but to have sleep patterns disrupted just because one of them couldn't sleep was ridiculous. But that wasn't exactly accurate. Alex had never been kept awake because Evan couldn't sleep. At least, he didn't think so. "I just had too much on my mind." He found the socks and returned to the galley where breakfast -- and Evan -- were now at the table. "Are you sure that's all it is? You don't look good at all."

Evan gave him a look, then sipped his coffee. "Yes, it is."

Alex finished pulling on his socks. "Would you tell me if you didn't feel well?"

"I feel fine, just tired."

"That isn't an answer."

"If I thought my health was going to interfere with your plans, I would let you know."

"That's not an answer, either." Alex sighed, propping both arms on the table. "This is just like back on Cryian, isn't it? You had pneumonia, and no intention of seeing a doctor."

"I don't have pneumonia now." Evan looked at him over the rim of his cup, looking as dark and dangerous as ever.

Eight months ago, Alex would have flinched away from that stare. Now, it only served to strengthen his persistence. "You complain about me never paying attention to my own health, but you're the one who'll go weeks with an illness and never mention it." He stabbed his fork in the air to add emphasis.

"I don't complain about anything, I simply have to do it for you." Evan put his cup down and started moving some food around his plate. "I would never allow my own health to jeopardize yours."

"Fine. Then I'll have to worry about you for you. If Doctor Zane says you're not healthy enough to go back onboard that ship, you stay here." Alex knew what was coming, so he stopped it before it could. "We'll both work on those holograms from here, let Reilly and his team work up a sweat over there."

Evan gave him a look of moderate disbelief, but didn't say another word until they were being scanned in the airlock ready room. "I'm fine now." He protested the idea of being checked out first, but Doctor Zane persisted.

"Evan, I'm sure you are. Just let me confirm that and he'll stop bothering you." The physician turned on his handheld scanner and scrutinized it as the unit passed over Evan's chest. "Only you can decide if you're too tired to deal with that gravity. As for your health," he passed the unit around his patient's back, then stared at the display. "I can honestly say there's nothing amiss here, Captain." He cleared the small unit while Evan re-buttoned his shirt, then moved to examine Alex. "Seems like no one's sleeping much these days, what with all the goings on now over there."

"I don't understand why my being awake all night should keep him from sleeping." Alex waited until the doctor finished the scan of his back before he put his own shirt back in order.

"Yes, that must be hard for you to remember."

"It's normal." Evan chastised. "How else am I going to know if something happens to you while you're sleeping?"

"What's going to happen to my on my own ship?" Alex reached into a locker and pulled out a fresh environmental suit.

"You have to ask?" Evan zipped the jumpsuit up and slid one hand into a glove.

Alex's face flushed slightly as he fumbled with the zipper. "Fine, but that was a one in a million occurrence." His face was still burning so he busied himself with the breather. Evan couldn't possibly know he'd been tempted to check the hold again just to confirm his father was still as dead as he had been a week ago. He really wasn't sure he wanted to collect any reward for the death of his own father, so chucking him out the airlock was still in the back of his mind.

"One in a million, and it happened." Evan stood ready near the door.

"Well, gentlemen, I'll leave you two to your excursion." Doctor Zane gathered his equipment, smiling at the pair of them. "I suggest you limit your time onboard to three hours today. I've already been seeing cases of stiff muscles. You people forget yourselves in all the excitement."

"Thanks, doc." Alex waited until Doctor Zane had cleared the ready room before opening the door to the main airlock. "You ready?"

Evan nodded, adjusting his headset. "Ready."

The eerie blue lighting was starting to feel familiar, a welcomed change from the normally bright white lights of the Ascalon. It lent itself to a general feeling of wonder and stillness as they walked down the smooth hallways, still careful not to touch any control they hadn't already confirmed the function of. There were other teams onboard, physically and remotely exploring any corner they felt had been missed, but the majority of the crew were busy wondering what their blinking round hologram represented. Alex had found it hard to tear himself away from the sight the night before, even though he was no closer to understanding it after five hours of study. If it was a living being, it was just as hard to figure out as their anonymous alien ship owners. Each of the other specimens seemed more obviously dead, or at least suspended, with absolutely no sign of movement or life. But this sphere, while held inert in its case, seemed to be expending energy. And possibly trying to communicate.

They traversed the length of the first level corridor until they reached the first alcove, still displaying the sphere's hologram. Evan reached out with one gloved hand, reconfirming its projected nature by passing his hand through the image.

"It's as clear as the display you built. But I can't see where it's projecting from." Alex looked around the alcove walls and found nothing that indicated a light source.

"There's still one thing we haven't tried."

Alex looked at him, noting again how strange his black eyes looked in the soft blue lights. "What?"

Evan held up his hand, palm forward. "These controls are obviously part of a computer of some kind."

"No!" Alex pushed Evan's hand back down. "Absolutely not. I told you, no matter what kind of machine this is, it's alien! There's no way in hell I'll allow you to risk yourself like that, you got me?" The mere idea sent his mind reeling in anger. Even if he could do that, it wouldn't be worth the risk. "You wouldn't let me do something like that."

"You don't have the ability."

"That's not the point." If this was his stupid assumption of being expendable again, Alex was gonna explode. He held up an accusing finger, completely oblivious to danger he could have faced had Evan not been his friend. "That's an order! No one here is that expendable."

"It could be harmless." Evan seemed to want to argue the point, but his tone and facial expression suggested he was going to relent and follow orders.

Alex took a quick, deep breath and lowered his hand. "Look, I wish we could find all the answers that easily and quickly too. But if we never find out what these aliens looked like, or where they came from, I've still done what I came to do. We found it! We were the first ones here, the first humans to find something no one else has seen." He shrugged both shoulders. "That's it. The rest -- what we're doing now -- this is all just gravy."

Evan nodded once.

"If I knew, for a fact, that you could communicate with this ship with absolutely no risk, then yeah, I'd say go for it. But I don't, and neither do you." Alex felt himself calming down, only then realizing just how upset Evan's suggestion had made him. It wasn't exactly true, what he'd said. If he could, he might well be tempted. But that was irrelevant. He glanced at the holographic image again, the looked back at Evan. "So you won't. Right?" He'd used the word order, hadn't he?

"No, if that's what you want."

Somehow he doubted it could be that easy. "Good." Alex reached into a thigh pocket and retrieved the recording units he'd brought along. "Let's see if we can get a clear shot of this thing from all angles."

Evan accepted three of the small units and walked through the image, placing the recorders along the floor, wall and as near the ceiling as he could reach while Alex did the same from where he stood. When they finished, they set about taking individual shots of the glowing sphere from every angle they could manage, using the symbols on the wall just outside the alcove to turn, twist, rotate and sharpen the hologram. With Reilly and several others doing the same in other hallways and alcoves, the computers onboard the Ascalon should have plenty of information to form a clear replication.

Taking the pictures, Alex hadn't had the chance to simply look at the alien object and appreciate its strange beauty. After pocketing the last recording unit, he stepped back and admired it.

"I can't figure out if it's a plant, animal, or something else." The colors were soft to the eye, and changed in a gentle, fading manner Alex found really rather soothing. "Could it be trying to communicate?"

"If it's alive, why aren't the other samples alive?" Evan was standing beside the captain, looking at the sphere. "We could try to bring up another image from that hold."

"No, we should study this one first." Alex didn't even want to consider making this hologram change. Yes, technically he knew there were hundreds of other alien specimens they could be studying. But something inside made him desperate to learn more about this one, as if it held a key of some kind. The others weren't exactly going anywhere. "We've got all the time we need, remember?"

Evan looked away, rubbing sweat from his forehead. "What the hell?"

"Huh?" Alex continued to look at the colors, slowly blending and changing. Suddenly there was a hand on his arm, pulling him around.

"We've been standing here for nearly four hours." The Sha'erah looked surprised and angry.

"What?" Alex wanted to shake Evan's hand away, but he resisted, confusion winning over his need to look at the sphere again. "We just got here."

Evan shook his head. "Look." He held up the chronometer strapped to the sleeve of his jumpsuit. "Four hours. And I haven't heard anything from the other teams, or the bridge." Without waiting for Alex to react, he reached for the controls on his headset. "Reilly, report."

Alex swallowed, blinking. "Bridge, this is the Captain."

"Conroy here, sir. Sorry, Captain, I guess we were all a little preoccupied. The computer images from the other teams are incredibly clear, sir."

"Where are the others?"

"Reilly's crew are still onboard, below you. This sphere is remarkable, Captain."

Alex took a deep breath, forcing himself not to glance back at the hologram. "Recall them, Conroy. We've got enough to work with for now. Teams are to be timed, no more than three hours in this gravity at a time." He waited for the officer's confirmation, then looked back up at Evan. The man looked even more tired than he had that morning. "Are you okay?"

"We should get back. We've been standing here quite a while."

Evan turned to leave and Alex followed, stiff muscles protesting every step. "Wish there was a way to lessen this pull." They reached the airlock and he paused, wiping sweat from his forehead. Evan hadn't said a word since they left the alcove, but they were both breathing pretty heavily from the walk. Alex felt a pang of guilt for having kept the man awake all night with his own lack of tiredness. It was ridiculous for him to be so paranoid that he'd stay awake like that. It made about as much sense as volunteering to try and mentally merge with an alien computer.

When they entered the changing room, Alex felt strangely elated and charged with the prospect of further study, possibly even learning who, or what, that strange glowing orb could be. After peeling ff the sweat-soaked jumpsuit, Evan looked even worse.

"You need some sleep." Alex tossed his suit into the cleaning chute and opened the door to the main corridor.

"I'm fine," Evan rubbed his forehead, squinting against the brighter lights. "I can set up the room display with the new scans if you want." He started down the hall toward the lifts before Alex even shut the door.

"You look like hell." Alex couldn't help but feel this had gone beyond simply being tired. He also knew this Sha'erah would probably never admit it. They entered a lift and Evan leaned against the front wall, dark eyes closed. "It can wait. I need a shower and some food." If he wouldn't admit it for himself, he'd just have to be manipulated. Alex stretched tired muscles until his back felt slightly less stiff. "And maybe a nap."

It occurred to Alex on the walk to their quarters, as it had many times since their journey together began, that he was typically the one following -- not giving -- the orders. At least where his health was concerned. It was too easy to sit back and allow someone else to worry about details, and he'd been doing that nearly all his life. Surely he could take the time to be concerned about someone else for a change.

Once inside their quarters, Alex tossed the data crystal holding the recorded information onto the table and began peeling off his shirt while kicking his shoes aside. "A shower, a few hours of sleep then something to eat. Sound good?"

Evan nodded, walking straight to the galley where he could program their meal. "Three hours?"

"Just leave it." Alex moved the discarded shoes so he wouldn't trip over them later. "We'll wake up when we wake up."

"You're sure?" Evan was looking at him, eyes still squinting slightly as if the lights were too bright. "What happened to not wanting to sleep while there were mysteries to solve?"

There was nothing he hated more than someone using his own words against him. Especially when they were accurately applied. "Like you said, we have all the time we need." He turned and walked into his room before the man could say another word. The rest of his clothes were shed on the way to the washroom, where the heat from the steam worked out much of the stiffness in his back and legs.

Alex had to fight the urge to return to the bridge where he could study the holographic image some more. Bringing it up on the room's table display would be more comfortable, and he'd stand less chance of interruption, but that would mean keeping Evan awake again. Just as he was by standing beside the bed trying to make up his mind.

All the time we need. Reluctantly, Alex chose sleep, and forced himself to focus only on that thought, and not the tiny voice inside that suggested he return to the display as soon as possible. It wasn't going anywhere, they weren't going anywhere, and as far as he believed, the owners of this ship weren't about to show up and reclaim their own.

By the time he woke up, Alex felt well rested and anxious to get back to his study. "Did you sleep?" He came out of his room, barefoot, in a clean set of sweat pants and found Evan standing in the galley, pulling two plates of dinner from the dispenser.

"Some." Evan set the plates down and went back for some utensils.

He looked better than he had a few hours ago, but Alex still couldn't shake the feeling he wasn't completely fine. "I think we've seen just about everything there is to see over there." He stabbed a piece of meat with his fork and glanced at the window, realizing only then it was still set to complete opacity.

"There's still over a thousand alien specimens we haven't even really looked at." Evan's protest wasn't as passionately delivered as his words suggested. "You've only taken good scans of that one round thing."

Alex nodded as he chewed. "I know. Reilly and his teams can do the others if they want. This sphere really fascinates me. It's the only thing that moves in any way. At least, the colors."

Evan shook his head, eyes still somewhat narrowed. "I thought you weren't that interested in details."

"I'm an explorer, of course I'm interested in details." Just when he thought Evan was beginning to understand what it was all about, he seemed to lose interest. "Don't you want to know what that thing is? Where it came from? What it might be trying to communicate?" Where was his sense of adventure, anyway?

"But you've seen it." Evan stared at him. "You were the first to find it, and record it. I thought that's all that was important?"

Alex blinked, momentarily confused. What were they talking about again? He looked down at the food on his plate, then turned to see their reflection in the darkened window. Just as he was about to ask why the glass was still dark, his eye caught the table in front of the couch. "How soon can you get the scans into the display?" He had to study that sphere, find out what it was trying to say, what it was all about.

Evan didn't reply right away, but when he did, he sounded irritated. "I already have."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Alex quickly finished what was already on his fork and pushed away from the table. "There's no telling what we could learn from this thing." He found the controls on the couch and turned on the table, adjusting the settings so the sphere wouldn't engulf the entire room. When it activated, the same image, in crystal clarity, formed above the table, filling most of the living area in front of the couch. "Look at this." It was fascinating! A seemingly inert object, presumably dead, still glowing and changing without emitting any discernable energy patterns. Could the patterns be some kind of communication? And if so, what was it saying?

"I should work on the rest of the symbols, the ones not associated with the specimens." Evan hadn't joined Alex on the couch, and instead sat at the desk well out of the way, turning on the computer.

"Yeah, good idea." Was there a pattern? It was hard to tell, but Alex couldn't help trying to find one. It felt logical, right somehow, as if the answer was teasingly close. When it finally occurred to him to ask Evan's opinion, he was shocked to find how stiff he'd become. "Damn, sit still for a few minutes and wham." Alex bent his head down and rubbed the back of his neck, truly surprised at how stiff it was. When he looked up, he noticed Evan sitting at the other end of the couch, leaning forward with his head in both hands.

"You've been sitting here all night." Evan spoke without looking up. "I was about to shut it off and make you stop."

"What?" Alex laughed and sat back in the cushions. "I just sat down no more than ten minutes ago."

Evan looked up. His eyes were red-rimmed and squinting against the room lights. Before he replied, he reached forward and shut down the display. "Seven and a half hours."

Alex swallowed, staring at the Sha'erah beside him. He looked as ill as he had the first day they met, when he'd contracted pneumonia from sitting in the rain beside his father's grave. He blinked, feeling his own eyes burn with the redness of exhaustion. "What the hell?" Flushed with confusion, Alex struggled off the couch, fighting stiff muscles. "Why didn't you say something? We have to get you to medical, something's wrong."

"I tried. You kept telling me to leave it alone and let you work." Evan stood, but he looked as if he could fall over at any time.

"Dammit." Alex searched the room quickly for his shoes. He didn't remember anything, and didn't think he wanted to believe it was true. How could he have been sitting there so long? Talking to Evan without knowing it, refusing to stop working. It didn't make sense. God help me if he's contracted something from that ship. "Come on, we're taking you to Zane."

Alex didn't wait for any refusal or comment, and for once, Evan didn't offer any. They made their way easily through vacant corridors and lifts to the medical lab where he found Doctor Zane. After one look at Evan, the doctor didn't have to ask why they'd come.

"It's stupid." Alex continued to pace the exam room while the doctor finished his evaluation. "For him to stay awake just because I can't sleep." He was twisting the silver ring around his finger, fighting both the frustration of Evan's health and the strange reality of his time spent at the display, with no memory of it passing. "He's slept on the couch before while I was working."

"I'm sure," Doctor Zane glanced at the readings displayed on his scanner for a moment, "that he's not truly sleeping, if you're awake. Just napping."

Evan sat quietly, rubbing his forehead whenever the scanner wasn't in the way, saying nothing.

"It's simply the nature of the beast, as they say. No offense." The doctor contemplated the new set of readings, then walked to a cabinet behind the exam bed. "Those alien specimens must be incredible for everyone to be so completely absorbed." He found a bottle he was looking for and searched for another. "I've noticed everyone onboard is working on that round thing you took pictures of." A second bottle was retrieved and the doctor rejoined Alex near the front of the bed Evan was seated on. "Personally, I don't see the attraction. But then, I'm not an explorer as such. My only research passion is the Sha'erah and their Keepers."

Alex shook his head, twisting the ring rapidly. "Is he okay?"

"It appears to be a simple headache, compounded by a lack of sleep and slight dehydration, most likely from the exertion of walking in that gravity." Doctor Zane put both bottles into a hypodermic gun and held it up for Evan to examine. "Vitamins, and something for the headache."

Evan nodded, allowing the gun to shoot its contents into his arm. "I'm fine. He just needs some sleep. That thing makes him forget the time."

"I agree." Doctor Zane caught Alex's eye and nodded toward the door. "Sit still for a few minutes, Evan. Let those injections start spreading. We'll be right back."

Alex turned for the door and stepped into the hallway. "Can't you give him something to put him out? He needs to sleep."

"But he won't as long as you're up and working." Doctor Zane held up a hand to stop Alex's immediate reply. "Relax. I did. Granted, it was deceptive on my part, and I'll have to apologize to Evan later. But for now, you're absolutely correct, he needs sleep." The doctor glanced at the closed door. "Take him back, get some sleep, and after he's down he'll stay sleeping for quite some time. He needs to catch up."

"He'll sleep after I wake up?"

"That's the idea, but I can't promise it will work. A Sha'erah's instincts are strong."

Alex sighed, pushing one hand through his hair. "Tell me about it. Okay, thanks, Doc. You're sure that's all it is? He didn't catch anything from that ship?"

"Nothing I can find. He has a headache that's been worsened by lack of sleep." Doctor Zane patted Alex on the arm, smiling. "Take him back and get some rest."

"Thanks, Doc." Alex sighed, trying to relax. "I'll deal with the apologizing later, for both of us."

Evan joined them in the hall, obviously curious as to what they were discussing, but unwilling to come out and ask.

"Okay, you win." Alex turned and led the way out of the medical offices. "Doc says you're fine."

"I told you I was."

"Let's get some sleep, then." He felt tired himself suddenly, as if he'd been given an injection when he wasn't looking. The corridors were still bare, making the trip back to their quarters quick and simple. Something Alex was grateful for, since he didn't know how long he'd have before the sedative was going to take effect. If Evan sensed he'd been drugged, he'd probably manage to fight it off.

"You're not going to work on that again?" Evan paused near the couch when he saw Alex walking for his room.

"Not tonight, I'm beat," he lied. Just a few hours should do it, get Evan to sleep, let the drugs take over. A few hours should do it. "Get some sleep. I promise, I'll go straight to bed."

Evan nodded reluctantly, then walked to his own door. "Good night."

It was tempting to alter the window in the bedroom so he could gaze at the alien ship again, but Alex knew that would keep him awake. His only chance at getting Evan to sleep soundly was to fall asleep himself, at least for a few hours. Once the sedatives took hold, and the Sha'erah was deeply asleep, he should stay that way. If it worked. Alex knew he'd have some explaining to do, for himself and Doctor Zane. Drugging someone without their knowledge wasn't exactly standard procedure, he just agreed there was probably no other way. It was absurd to have his own sleep patterns mimicked like that to the point of being unhealthy. Some people just needed more sleep than others.

Alex got comfortable and closed his eyes, forcing all images of the sphere and ship from his mind. He'd just get a few hours of sleep himself, then get up and return to that display while Evan slept. He needed it. When he woke up, he'd be angry of course, but he'd get over it. This way, he should have at least five or six hours to devote to that alien specimen. This time he wouldn't lose himself in the time. If he only brought it up on the smaller table display, there'd be room for him to take notes and pay closer attention, maybe even make some progress.

Yes, that's all he needed. Evan could get some much needed sleep, and he could figure that sphere out. With luck, he could beat the rest of the crew and solve the mystery. Whatever the mystery was, he felt certain he needed to be the first.

He was an explorer. It was what he did, after all. He had to be the first.

Chapter 16

Evan felt the deep softening pull of sleep tugging at his senses the instant his head hit the pillow. He barely managed to fight it off long enough to confirm Alex had succumbed to sleep before the soft clouds filling his head were able to take complete control. It was a welcomed journey into the darkness, finally free of the pounding behind his forehead and the sharp, stabbing pains shooting through his eyes clear to the back of his brain.

At least, that what it had felt like. Every time he looked at the blinking orb Alex was so bent on studying, the combination of lights and movement sent Evan's head into extreme chaos. Maybe he'd been coming down with something anyway, and the lack of sleep was bringing it out, making it seem as if the round alien object was the source? Or, it was the artifact itself.

Either way, it was gone now. He was free to sink comfortably into the void until his Keeper woke again. It was an odd feeling, sinking this deeply and quickly, but before Evan could question it, he was fast asleep.

"Evan, you belong to me." Spencer Marcase seemed to be floating on a cloud of white mist covering the ground, hiding his feet. "You know it's true, Evan."

"I can't sell you, I can't own you, either."

Evan turned to see Alex floating in the same white mist. Both men were facing him, wavering slightly in the haziness of the dream.

"Your life with me was predictable. Settled." Spencer held out a hand, one finger bearing a silver ring. "Remember how much you liked that, Evan? Remember how easy it was? I know what you are, and I know how to let you achieve your potential."

Evan shook his head and wondered at how heavy the motion felt, how hard it was to move. His mouth opened, but he could form no words or even draw the breath to speak.

"Life with me is chaos, I know." Alex held out a hand, also sporting a silver ring that gleamed from a white light emanating from the floor somewhere deep inside the mist. "But I need you."

They looked alike, the two of them. Like father and son. But no two men who shared so many traits could possibly be more different under the skin. Evan focused on the ring Alex wore, but he couldn't see it clearly. He looked at Spencer, and noticed the ring there didn't shine in the light or gleam in any way.

"I've known you all your life." Spencer seemed to be growing agitated. "I purchased you before you were even born! Who could possibly need you more?"

As Evan watched silently, Spencer's image grew larger in a flash of white light. Suddenly there was blood staining his chest where a gaping hole had appeared. Shocked, he turned to see the same redness covering Alex's shoulder as the man extended his ringed hand, palm out.

"Partners?"

"You are my property!" Spencer shouted. "Evan!"

"Enough!" Evan's lungs finally found enough air to shout. He looked from the Keeper he'd known all his life to the one he barely understood. One of them had been his source of security and identity since the day he was born. The other, a constant source of confusion and frustration. One man knew how to use his talents and give him direction. While the other hadn't even believed he was real.

"Choose, Evan." Spencer's voice grew louder, angrier. "Choose now!"

"Leave him alone." Alex spoke to his father. "You have no power over him."

One man had lied to him for years. The other needed him.

"I already chose," Evan said.

Both images vanished in a flash of light and puff of white mist that swirled up to Evan's face. He felt dizzy, but in a sleepy, pleasant way. Off in the distance he heard a voice, someone calling for him to wake up, but he didn't feel like leaving the mist. He hadn't felt this rested and happy in too long, ever since they entered the nebula.

"Trust your instincts, Evan."

The voice echoed up from the mists, but had no source. Evan glanced around. The sky was black as space, sparkling with the lights of a million stars while the only thing holding him up was the layer of mist, thinner now, covering his feet.

"Who are you?"

He was on the Ascalon now, standing in the medical offices. Strange blue lights had replaced the normal white bulbs, illuminating the room softly. Doctor Zane stood beside a round, glowing object, facing the orb but speaking to Evan.

"Your training will bring an end to us all." Zane shook his head slowly, still gazing at the alien object. He reached out slowly with one hand and began to stroke it almost lovingly. "Trust your instincts."

Evan tried to step closer, but his feet wouldn't move. "I don't understand."

"That's because you're dreaming."

"What?" Evan sat up with a start. Even that simple motion made him waver. "Dammit." Drugged! Doctor Zane had lied, given him a sedative to make him sleep too long! He threw the blanket away from his legs and lurched out of bed, stumbling toward the door. Alex was awake, God knew for how long, and already at work in the main living area.

Evan slammed into the door, then managed to force himself back far enough to open it and stumble out, blinking madly to clear the last of the drug that still pulled at him.

"Don't start with me." Alex glanced over his shoulder, then turned back to face the hologram in front of him. "I told Zane to give you something."

"He drugged me." Evan had wanted his voice to be louder, but it wasn't awake just yet. "He knows better than that."

"You needed sleep." Alex didn't turn around. "I'm going to work on this all day, so you might as well relax, get some more rest if you want." With his back still to Evan, he pointed at the hologram with a stylus in his right hand. "There's enough here to keep me busy for a while."

Evan blinked, still trying to get his mental faculties to catch up with him. He avoided any glimpse of the alien artifact, moving instead toward the galley where he found empty plates. "You've eaten?"

"Don't bother with me today, Evan. I'm fine, and I've got plenty to do."

The dishes suggested either Alex had been very hungry, or Evan had been sleeping quite some time. He checked the chronometer in the galley. Eleven hours? How long after his Keeper woke had he remained sleeping? He wanted to ask, and make Alex understand why drugging him like that had been so wrong, but the man was deeply into his study, his back to the rest of the room, and didn't want to be bothered.

Frustrated, Evan returned to his room and took a shower, forcing out the last of the mist from his tired mind. He didn't normally dream, and couldn't seem to shake the images of Spencer and Alex, standing so close together. They looked very much like father and son, especially when Alex needed to shave. And right now, the way Alex was behaving with that alien artifact, they could often act alike.

Evan finished washing up then returned to the galley for some coffee, settling for additives instead of a more substantial breakfast. His Keeper was busily making marks on a diagram while staring at the holographic image over the table. An image that threatened to bring Evan's headache back in a rush if he looked at it for more than a few seconds. There must be something about the way it blinked that was upsetting his eyes. Strange that it wasn't bothering anyone else, though.

He debated what to do while Alex was busy. There were still more symbols from the alien ship that hadn't been identified, all cataloged and waiting for him in the computer files. Yelling at Doctor Zane for having drugged him without his knowledge wasn't an option, since he'd apparently had Alex's permission. That kind of foolishness really irritated him, but he was powerless to argue it. His Keeper obviously assumed nothing could possibly go wrong in the span of eleven hours that he couldn't handle, but Evan already knew how lax Alex's assumptions could be when his own safety was concerned. He still didn't have the paranoid edge of his father that had kept the man alive so many years.

By his second cup of coffee, Evan had decided a thorough study of the remaining symbols was in order. He could do that from the computer here in their quarters, keeping an eye on Alex while also staying out of his way. If he was that bent on staring at the alien orb, he'd forget dinner for sure. Evan walked to the desk, making sure not to glance at the hologram, and turned on the computer.

More symbols had been recorded on walls in the lower levels, marking a long section as if a book had been written in the corridor, reading from one end to the other, then back again. Assuming they read from left to right. Evan knew not every human culture did, so making those assumptions of aliens was a stretch. But so far, matching up the symbols of the display case to the symbols in the "control room" had been accomplished left to right.

These new symbols were quite similar to the others, but at closer look, Evan noticed they lacked a certain symmetry. He pulled up the original scans, then compared the new symbols. It wasn't obvious, but after some study, it was clear to him the images from the lower level looked more hurried, less perfect. If these symbols were written by hand, and not stamped out by computer and blazoned into the controls as they were on the Ascalon, then the newly found markings could conceivably have been done by a hand less steady or confident than normal.

So if these are words, not just representations of controls, what is it they were trying so frantically to convey? And to whom? He'd have to figure out the language before he could understand the message, and after three hours of intense study, he was no closer than when he started. There was a pattern, much like the pattern matching the display cases, but Evan knew his own understanding of languages other than Standard was slim enough. Let alone the intricacies of a language never before seen by humans. He could be reading them upside down, or backwards, for all he knew. Except for the fact that the display cases had been properly displayed when tapped out left to right.

But what if he hadn't typed it out left to right? What if he'd done it right to left? Or if he'd touched the symbols simultaneously? Would that have produced a result other than the holographic display of the cases contents?

Evan turned to glance at Alex, judging his possible reception of this new theory. His Keeper hadn't moved more than a few inches now and again as he apparently wrote notes and continued his study. He hadn't said more than a few words, mostly mumbling to himself, since Evan had sat down.

With a sigh, he stood and walked to the couch, careful not to look at the image. The slightest glimpse of the blinking colors made him nauseous.

"I may have found something you might want to try."

Alex never took his eyes from the hologram. "Not now."

"We might be able to free the cases."

He shook his head. "Not now." Pointing to the hologram, Alex smiled. "Look at this thing!"

"I'd rather not." Evan turned his head even further away, so the image escaped his peripheral vision.

"It's incredible, really. I think this is a language, repeated over and over about every hour and a half. I'm starting to get the pattern."

He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. "I'd like to use a remote and look around for more writing."

"Yeah, whatever." Alex waved a hand dismissively. "Just don't bother me."

Evan's face flushed inexplicably. He nodded once, then walked to his room to find shoes. In order to access the remotes left on the alien vessel, he had to be on the bridge. With Alex apparently too involved to care, he dialed up a dinner order for his Keeper, then left.

The corridors were strangely empty, considering the alien ship and encased artifacts the Ascalon was secured to. Everyone must be as interested in the orb as Alex, perhaps trying to be the first to figure it out and beat their Captain. Evan didn't see the attraction. Not to this extent. It was alien, they found it, recorded it, and as far as he was concerned, that was it. They'd been unable to communicate, and so far hadn't found anything alive onboard. Alex's change of interest was as puzzling as the symbols.

Evan reached the bridge and found a crew all busy at various stations, unconcerned with his arrival as they all examined the alien orb displayed on their individual screens. He walked straight to the office and powered up the computer. After finding the controls for all the small remotes left on the alien ship, it wasn't hard to find one not in use. None of the twenty three units were being used. He located a remote as close to the levels he wanted to study and brought the small unit to life, then maneuvered it to the lower level where the writing had been recorded. There was a small pile of silver dust at the end of the corridor, just below the final line of symbols, almost as if the individual doing the writing had simply died at the end of his sentence.

"Making assumptions again." It was hard not to, having only the one frame of reference. Life as they knew it. But this wasn't life as they knew it, was it? It couldn't possibly be.

Evan rolled the little robot to the ramp at the end of the hallway and down to the next level. From his records, it didn't appear as if anyone had investigated this final level at all. He doubled checked that fact, then moved the robot more slowly, taking great care to search the floor for any piles of dust that could muck up the wheels. What he found would have caused even more trouble for the small rolling unit than any dust pile could have.

Littering the floor were crystals, clear and sparkling in the small white light emanating from the remote. They varied in size and shape, but all appeared to be of the exact same crystal substance. Evan checked the records again, trying to understand why this information hadn't been mentioned. The level above, where his writings had been found, was listed as the lowest level found, but the ramp at the end of the hall was as clear as all the others.

Someone was slacking. He checked the time stamp. The writings were found just prior to the experiment that triggered the holograms in every alcove. "What is it about that orb, anyway?" Or was it the obsessiveness of a crew of explorers that he didn't understand? How they could drop everything and concentrate so single-mindedly on one subject this long was beyond him.

Evan recorded what he found, then searched the data banks for the location of the larger robot with sampling capabilities. Alex might not want to be bothered right now, but he'd certainly want samples of these crystals for later study. So would Zane.

It took several hours to locate and maneuver the larger robot to the lower level, then sample as many crystals as he could. He brought the unit to the airlock changing room and shut it down, then stretched tired muscles, stiff from prolonged concentration. A quick check proved his suspicions that Alex was still in their quarters, so he decided to retrieve the samples and take them to the lab for study before attempting to share this new find with his Keeper. He wouldn't want to be bothered until Evan had facts and data.

The trip to the airlock gave Evan the creeps. There wasn't a single crewman or woman in the corridors or the lifts, and he'd found no record of anyone on the alien ship. The only thing keeping him from feeling overly alarmed was the secure feeling of Alex's safety. In fact, if his instincts hadn't been too badly muddled by the sedative last night, he was sure his Keeper was in perfect health, and feeling quite pleased. No doubt having a good time working on the orb. Fleetingly he wondered just how long they'd be stuck here, studying something they had little chance of understanding.

Well, at least he had something more interesting to do. The crystals were snugly sealed in their containers, held patiently by the larger robot now secured in the airlock changing room. Evan examined the samples. The crystals were clear in color, nearly transparent in several areas. They appeared hard, but old, with lines and fissures running the length of each. He decided to take them to the lab and perform his own exam, not sure whether or not the lab techs were all occupied with the orb. He could at least access the equipment and get some analysis done, maybe find Doctor Zane and get his opinion.

As it turned out, only the lab in the medical offices wasn't in use and surrounded by people fascinated by the round alien object that held Alex's complete attention.

"Evan, I'm glad you came by. I meant to apologize for that little trick last night." Doctor Zane came into the small laboratory when he caught sight of Evan entering the room. "I normally abhor such subterfuge, but in this case I felt it was truly necessary."

Evan shook his head once. "Alex told me he ordered it." His face flushed slightly with remembered anger for a moment, then he shook it off. "I found these on the lowest level of the alien ship and took samples." He produced the sample containers, placing one of them into the analyzer. "No one searched the last level, they marked the one above it as the final section."

Doctor Zane picked up one of the samples and held it up to the light. "Interesting. They appear to be quartz crystals. They weren't in one of the display cases, then?"

"No, just piled on the floor." Evan turned the analyzer on and watched the scans begin. Results could take as little as a minute or as long as an hour, depending on the material being examined. He turned around to look at the crystal Zane was holding. "I was looking at some markings on a wall they had labeled as the lowest level, trying to figure out what they could be, then I saw there was a ramp at the end of the corridor. When I sent a remote down there, I found this pile of crystals. No order or neatness, just a pile."

"Alex didn't come with you to test them?"

Evan shook his head sharply. "I can't get him away from that orb."

"Ah, yes. It seems the entire crew is obsessed with that thing." Zane set the crystal down and shook his head slowly from side to side. "I don't see it myself, but we all have our projects. They all seem determined to figure it out, and be first to do so. At least, that's what it would appear. I've lost my entire medical crew to the task, and walking around this ship right now is downright creepy." He sighed, shrugging. "Still, how long can it last? There are so many other alien specimens to have a look at."

"I don't know." Evan turned back to the analyzer, fighting back the strange feeling creeping up his spine. He didn't like this orb, or the hold it had on Alex and the crew. The screen above his head flashed to life, offering up analytical data on the crystal and taking his mind off the orb. "Look at that."

"Incredible." Doctor Zane stepped closer. "Eighty percent silicon, trace salts, zinc, mercury, and look at there," he pointed to the screen. "Both of the elements we couldn't identify from the powder samples, in exactly the same proportions."

Things were slowly beginning to make sense, as much as anything this alien could. Evan knew he was making assumptions based on his own limited knowledge, but those assumptions were looking more and more accurate.

"They look like quartz, but they're exactly the same as the silver powder." Doctor Zane held up a crystal again, looking at it more closely. "My God, could these fissures actually be veins? Or some type of circulatory system?"

Evan moved to the main computer and begin typing in a sequence of figures. "I have a theory."

"What are you doing?"

"Running a simulation." He brought up the data on the monitor so the doctor could follow along. "Putting one of these crystals in the atmosphere we found onboard, then running a time sequence in standard year increments, starting with the present and working forward." He finished his calculations and let the program run, showing the progress on-screen for the sake of the doctor.

They watched a simulated crystal, surrounded by soft blue lights and the deadly atmosphere natural to the alien vessel as a time line ticked away below. At first, there was no change. Evan glanced at the time-line, registering a passage of three years. Four years passed, and the crystal simulation began to crack, breaking small pieces off the main structure. Seven years and the one crystal had become many smaller shards. Ten years, and the shards themselves had split multiple times. At the passage of twelve years, the crystal simulated in the computer had been reduced to a pile of silvery dust.

"I was right." Evan ran the simulation again, at double speed. "These are our aliens."

"Crystallized life forms." Doctor Zane's voice wasn't much more than an astounded whisper. "Silicon life in crystal form, decomposing to fine powder." He looked back down at the crystal in his hand. "But if the others have been decomposed to powder, why hasn't this one?"

Evan sighed deeply. Answers were starting to sink in, but he didn't like them. "I think this one must have been the last to die." The symbols from the wall he'd been studying that morning came back to mind. "I found these on the wall," he brought up the file so the doctor could see the apparently handwritten symbols. "They're not as perfectly formed as the others, like they were written by hand, or hastily put down." He pointed toward the end of the row of lettering. "And I found one of the piles of dust at the end." Evan adjusted the view to bring the lettering in more clearly. Alex should be here.

"Interesting. Is there a pattern?"

Evan squinted at the image. Something seemed to be there that he hadn't noticed before. He pulled the image back, scanning the entire wall again and again. Yes, it was there. "Look, it repeats." He pointed to the screen. "It's long, about every second line, but there's a repeating pattern." An edginess tugged at the back of his mind. Alex had said something about the orb, that it was repeating the pattern of colors every hour. "I think this is a written representation of what the orb is doing. Or at least, what this alien interpreted the orb was doing."

"How's that?"

"Alex said the orb was repeating a pattern every hour, like a message. That's what he's so intent on figuring out, the message. I think this alien was writing down what he saw."

"How do you know he was looking at the orb?" Doctor Zane turned away from the screen and leaned against the panel, facing Evan. "We don't know what they were doing that caused them all to die, let alone what kept this one alive longest. Look how many specimens they have to examine."

Evan was shaking his head as the pieces tried to fit together more forcefully. He had a theory he'd rather be sharing with Alex, but orders were orders. This information could wait until such time as his Keeper was willing to hear it, but he preferred to work it out first, make sure it made some sense, before bothering Alex with his ideas.

"I have a theory. I'm just not sure how much sense it makes." Evan shut down the images. He was never one to pace, but his nerves were too edgy to hold still. "Lately, certain things have started to want to fall into place, but it's too easy to make assumptions. These are aliens, after all."

"Yes, they are. But still, we can only work from our own basic understandings. That's how we form theories and work things out." Doctor Zane was watching Evan pace, a patient smile coloring his expression. "Please, I'd love to hear what you've come up with. Sometimes working things out loud can help."

Evan glanced at the doctor, then walked to the other side of the small room. "Those display cases are all neatly filled out in rows, starting from the room we found. But they end with that orb, with several hundred cases left empty after it. Either it was the last item they managed to find, or they stopped there for some reason. They ended with that specimen and never collected more."

Zane nodded, "Go on."

"Almost all of the dust piles we found were near an alcove, and those that weren't were gathered together, like they were sharing a computer display, or information, or something." He reached the end of the room and turned, staring blankly toward the floor as he walked to fuel his mental imaging. "What if . . . What if they collected that orb from somewhere, and pulled it up into those alcove holograms to study, and became so obsessed by the thing they, well, they just studied it until they died?" He stopped pacing and looked at Doctor Zane, waiting for the man to laugh. "What if that orb has the power to hold the attention of whoever is looking at it? Not to communicate, but for something else."

"Interesting." Instead of laughter, the doctor returned a slow nod. "Judging by the total occupation of every member of this ship, that seems like a valid theory."

Evan shook his head, already finding flaws in his own idea. "But then why didn't it interest you? And why does looking at it give me such a violent headache?"

Doctor Zane shrugged. "Well, speaking for myself, I simply have no interest in the thing. I haven't even looked at it. But for you . . . Evan, if this is true, if that orb has some kind of hypnotic power, then you would have a natural aversion to it. All Sha'erah have a natural distaste for anything addictive."

Evan blinked. "I didn't know that."

"So, do you think this alien," Zane held up the crystal he'd been carrying, "was immune to the orb, or not interested in it, and was unable to save his shipmates from their addiction?"

The answers weren't bringing any comfort. "After they died, he turned off the holograms, maybe even tried to call home or destroy the thing, but he wasn't able to? This writing on the walls could be a warning of some kind." Evan looked at the crystal shard. "The holograms were off when we arrived, and the ship seemed to have been powered down, like he had time to shut it all down and turn out the lights. And he died alone, after everyone else onboard had succumbed."

"And you're saying Alex is more interested in the orb than this find?" Doctor Zane mirrored Evan's concerns.

"He ordered me not to bother him." Evan felt his jaw muscles tighten. "Not while he's working on the orb."

"Hmm. That doesn't seem like him."

"He has every right to do just that."

"Yes, but it doesn't seem like him."

"Do you think it's possible, that what happened over there could be happening here?" Evan glanced at the wall in the general direction of the alien ship. "Alex, and everyone else, is addicted to this thing? Would it have the same effect on humans as it did these aliens?" If indeed this wild notion has any validity.

"I'd suggest you see if you can get him away from it long enough to hear your theories. I take it you're not sensing anything amiss?"

"No," Evan shook his head. "In fact, all I get from him is a sense of excitement and happiness." Which would follow his theory, if his theory was true. "That would go along with an addiction, wouldn't it?"

Doctor Zane nodded. "Listen, Evan. I think you need to go to Alex, try to talk to him."

"He'll order me -- "

"No, don't let him." Zane held up a warning hand. "You and I both know he's not the type to treat you that way. I'd be willing to bet he's never ordered you once. I don't care what you think he has the right to do, that's not him. If you can't get him away from that thing, give him this and call me." He walked back to the counter and set down the crystal, then produced a hypo-gun from one pocket, checking the contents before handing it over. "If this is a ship-wide addiction, we have to find a way to break the hold. And I'm guessing I can find one."

Evan didn't wait long enough to tell the doctor what would happen if he couldn't save Alex from this thing. He was too busy mentally berating himself for letting it get this far. The only saving grace was the ease with which he was able to run through the empty corridors.

Back in their quarters, he found Alex still on the couch, staring at the hologram hovering above the table in front of him. Even that small glimpse caused a sharp pain to shoot through Evan's eyes. He glanced toward the galley and saw that his order for Alex's dinner had gone untouched. That was nearly nine hours ago.

"Alex, I've found something on the ship." Evan had to try hard to look only at the floor as he walked around to the front of the couch.

"I'm busy."

At the sound of his Keeper's voice he looked up, heedless of the glowing orb. Alex looked as if he hadn't moved since the last time Evan was in the room. His voice cracked with exhaustion and dehydration, his wildly gleaming eyes were red-rimmed, and he needed a shave. His gaze never left the hologram.

"It's important. You have to turn this off." Evan reached for the controls.

"No!" Alex slapped his hand away. "I'm too close to figuring this out!"

"There is nothing to figure out," Evan persisted. "This thing . . . it's addictive. It's not trying to communicate, it's trying to mesmerize you. You and everyone else here."

"Evan, I gave you an order." Alex glared at him, bloodshot eyes flashing in the light of the hologram. "Get out."

Everything he'd ever known, every instinct in his mind told him to obey. "I can't leave you here with this. Just turn it off for a few minutes, and come with me to see Doctor Zane." Evan reached out and managed to hit the switch before Alex could react, closing down the hologram.

"Dammit!" Alex sprang off the couch. "I told you not to touch that!"

"This thing is killing you! You and everyone else onboard."

Before he saw it coming, a fist slammed into his face next to his right eye. The force of the blow knocked Evan to one knee where the shock of Alex's unexpected violence kept him momentarily.

"I gave you an order!"

Evan stayed where he was, fighting instinct and the need to stop his Keeper from hurting himself. Alex had every right to do what he'd done. Every right to order him away for as long as he liked. He was Sha'erah, trained from birth to do exactly as he was told without argument, and endure whatever rage was directed his way. He'd spent a lifetime taking this kind of abuse from Spencer, but there had never been a reason back then. Now, Alex's life was at stake. His health took precedence, he had to know that.

With the hypo-gun held neatly in one hand, Evan got up slowly, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor while Alex returned to the couch. Before the hologram could be turned on again, he moved swiftly.

"I can't let you do this." Evan pressed the hypo against Alex's neck.

"What the hell?" Alex started to get up, but never made it. He collapsed back onto the couch, steered there by Evan's hands.

Chapter 17

Phillip Zane, Personal log, 29:04.12: They say the most significant, life-altering times come when you least expect them, and now they've made a believer out of me. What started out as a simple head-physician job with an exploratory vessel has lead me right straight back to where I left off with my Sha'erah studies. The vessel that rescued us is captained by a Keeper, having just recently acquired his Sha'erah. Out of a tragedy that claimed eighty-three innocent lives, I've found myself in an unprecedented position, with my life's work handed back to me! Captain Marcase has graciously allowed me to remain onboard, replacing their own physician. How could I pass this up? Experience has taught me to be more cautious and selective with my research findings, but I cannot pass up such an opportunity to return to my work.

Addendum: It was incredible! Due to circumstances I never could have brought about myself, I was handed the opportunity to test the very theory that had my research stopped to begin with! After Alex and Evan survived a highly dangerous incident during which both Keeper and Sha'erah attempted to save the other (never before seen in any Keeper I've witnessed), my control test came about.

While he was recovering in the medical ward, I was able to explain to Evan his conditioned, subconscious response and control of the ring. In doing so, with Alex's assistance, we were able to coax a reluctant Sha'erah to test this theory with conviction.

It worked! I was right, all these years! The Sha'erah do control their Keeper's ring, and in turn, their own fate. The threats, the loss of grant funding, everything I've gone through in having my researched ripped from me became worth it during that one moment of triumph.

Interesting note: The next morning, Evan had replaced the ring on Alex finger, and appears to believe nothing has changed. I can't tell yet whether this is true, or due to his acceptance of his current position and typical Sha'erah need for stability and security. Personal interviews have been difficult due to the nature of this vessel's assignment and the current discovery of a possible alien ship. Observations will have to suffice for now.

Phillip Zane, Personal log, 29:06.01: My first assessment of this situation has proven correct. Alex Marcase is a unique man -- having been previously unaware of the Sha'erah and their abilities, he seems to be struggling to adapt to his status as a Keeper and rebelling against the morality of owning another human being. This attitude shows great promise, even though it is the source of apparent frustration to his Sha'erah. Evan possesses the typical interface alterations common to his race, but he has a complete and uncomplicated adaptation to those abilities the likes of which I've never before witnessed. Interviewing him is tricky, as it is with all Sha'erah, but it's apparent to me his value on the open market -- with his complete and uncomplicated adaptations -- would be astronomical. His Keeper is totally unaware of this and shows no desire to contemplate the notion of sale.

This teaming shows more promise than I could have imagined. Could they be the pair I've searched for? I hope to interview Alex further after they've investigated their alien ship. Evan's talents have proven invaluable in the inspection and securing of the vessel, preventing exposure of the crew until their safety could be secured.

I wonder if their closeness in age could account for their seemingly unconscious synchronicity? This bears further contemplation.

Phillip Zane, Personal log 29:6.24: The unexpected has again reared its ugly head. During the course of the alien ship's investigation, the crew seems to have encountered an addictive alien artifact. Their study of this object has rendered all but Evan and myself completely absorbed to the point of being dangerously addicted. The exclusion of myself is simply due to my lack of interest, having never gazed upon the object long enough. Evan's natural aversion to anything addictive seems to have saved him, and in fact had the opposite effect. His headaches, wrongly diagnosed by me as being due to a lack of sleep, I know now are an after effect of this alien orb.

These headaches had grown so completely debilitating, I unfortunately sedated Evan to give him a good night's sleep. This action further complicated matters by increasing the crew's exposure another full day. I must not allow my fascination with this pair to override my duties as chief physician onboard this ship!

Doctor Zane closed his personal log and shoved it into a pocket. He checked the time, then pulled an anti-grav gurney from storage and hurried down the corridors. Evan must have had trouble getting Alex away from the orb, or else he would have been back by now. What was I thinking, letting it go this far? He knew he should have noticed something sooner, just as distinctly as he knew he'd been ignoring his duty, delving solely into his study of Evan and Alex as Sha'erah and Keeper. His own folly could well have destroyed them all!

He reached the Captain's quarters and paused long enough to knock, breathing heavily from the rush through empty corridors. Almost immediately, Evan opened the door. The Sha'erah looked anxious and angry at the same time, and sported a nasty red mark above one eye that was already beginning to turn purple.

"I couldn't get him away." Evan stepped aside and waved an arm, indicating the couch. He grabbed one end of the floating gurney and pulled it and Zane into the room.

"You sedated him all right?" Zane hurried to the couch and found Alex unconscious.

"I had no choice."

"Heart rate's fine. He's breathing." He looked up, feeling as much concern for Evan as for the sedated captain. "You did the right thing."

Evan was shaking his head. "What if this isn't what we think?"

The man was obviously upset, and probably still feeling the effects of the orb and the massive headache it caused. "Help me get him to sickbay and we'll find out."

Zane couldn't help but marvel at the situation as he and Evan transported Alex to the medical lab. Never before had he been in a position to interact so closely with a Sha'erah and his Keeper. Certainly not to the point at which he was directly influencing their well being. He was keenly aware, as never before, what could happen to him if he made a mistake.

"We'll get a brainwave scan and find out right away if we've got a problem." He let Evan help him transfer Alex from the gurney to an examination bed, having lost his entire medical staff to the strangely addictive artifact.

Evan hovered over everything he did. "I could barely look at the thing long enough to turn off the hologram."

"You did the right thing, Evan."

"He's never been violent before. He's had every right to be, but he never has before now."

"I don't think Alex is that kind of person, do you?" Hell of a way to test your limits with a Sha'erah! "This is my fault, Evan. I should have caught this sooner." Zane kept his eyes on the scanners, avoiding the dark gaze of the man beside him. "There we are, exactly what I suspected." He pointed to the screen. "Typical of a severe addiction. Only I've never seen such a thing related to visual stimulation. This kind of dependence you usually only see with ingested hallucinogenics. It's fascinating, to think the brain itself could reach such levels, without physical influence." He showed Evan the full readout. "Most of this is due to altered endorphin levels, but there seems to be something affecting natural brain waves, altering their levels."

"You mean that hologram physically influenced him? How could that be? I made sure no one was exposed to the actual alien orb." Evan shook his head sharply. "The only thing they've seen or touched was a hologram. It's not possible."

Zane bit his lip, staring at the displays. "I agree. But it's all right here. There couldn't have been something in the atmosphere, or else you would have experienced the headaches at all times. The filters on your breathing units are equipped with viral shields. There aren't many things smaller than that, alien or not." It was hard to argue facts, but harder still to explain them.

"You can help him, can't you?"

The question was obviously more of a direct command. Zane swallowed impulsively when he caught sight of Evan's dark countenance. Black eyes gleamed back at him with a promise of serious regret should he not come through.

"Yes, I'm sure I can. We'll just treat this as we would any other chemical dependency and see how it goes." He turned away from Evan and began fishing through the cabinet for an IV arm band and several doses of sedative. "I'll keep him sedated through withdrawal and monitor his chemical patterns for a return to normal levels." He attached the wide arm band that would administer fluids and medications directly into Alex's bloodstream. "We'll have to do this to every member of the crew." Evan didn't seem convinced in the least. "Trust me, Evan, he'll be all right as long as we can return his brain wave function to normal levels. You caught this in time."

"We'll see."

The Sha'erah wheeled an exam chair closer to the bed and sat, staring at Alex's sleeping form with a conviction that wasn't open to suggestions.

"I don't suppose I could enlist your help getting some of my staff sedated? I could use their help getting the rest of the crew cleaned up."

Evan made no move to get up or even look at the doctor.

"Right." Zane sighed, running a hand through his gray hair. God, how could I have let this happen? So fully absorbed in my own research, I let something this wide-spread go unnoticed? "You're slipping, Zane. Slipping."

The task at hand was rather daunting. Even now, the crew were still participating in the very addiction that had them staring fixedly at the alien orb to the exclusion of all else. Never before had he been faced with such a huge task. An entire ship full of addicts! Where to start? If he could get them into groups, he could pump a sedative gas through the ventilation ducts and treat everyone where they fell. But that was going to be more than one man could handle. Getting his medical staff back on their feet first was probably the best bet, but how long would that take? And how much longer could the crew withstand this orb's influence?

He glanced back at Evan. The red mark above his eye was a nasty, dark purple now, blending eerily with his dark hair and black eyes. It was obvious he wasn't going to move from Alex's side.

You're on your own with this one. Deservedly so. "Evan, I'm going to have to bring my staff out in order to get the rest of the crew sedated safely." He loaded a hypo gun with several doses, then pulled the anti-grav gurney around, preparing to leave. "If you need me, just use the intercom. I'm sure I'm the only one who'll bother to hear it."

Evan nodded once without taking his eyes from Alex.

"I'll be back as quickly as I can."

Finding his medical staff wasn't hard, but sedating them proved somewhat tricky. They weren't as incoherent as he'd expected, and put up loud, often physical arguments when he suggested they leave the hologram. Zane took great care not to stare directly at any of the images he encountered, and concentrated on sedating each nurse and technician as quickly and painlessly as he could. One by one he managed to get them to the medical labs and hooked up to IV fluids and deep sedation. Each time he returned with another, he stopped to check up on Alex and found him sleeping soundly, watched very closely by Evan.

"How long will this take?"

Zane double checked the current readouts, exhausted from the exertion that finally saw the last of his medical crew admitted and sedated. "Could be a day, could be several. We'll just have to monitor these levels and wait." He looked more closely at the evil bruise that had Evan's eye swollen half shut. "You need to let me have a look at that."

"I'm fine."

"I'm sure you are." He pulled out a scanner, ignoring Evan's protests. "Just let me have a look and you can say I told you so." He scanned the bruise thoroughly, then examined the eye itself. "After missing an entire ship full of addicts, I don't think I can be too careful."

"This wasn't your fault. I should have seen what this was doing sooner." Evan shook his head, then apologized for having messed up the scan and held still. "I felt something when we first started searching that ship, something urgent that I had to find. I've never felt that before, it should have been my first clue."

Satisfied with the results, Doctor Zane put the scanner away and looked at Evan. "You felt something? What was it like?"

Evan shrugged. "Like I had to find something, I just didn't know what it was. I thought it was just remnants of what Alex was feeling, his excitement at being here and exploring. But there was . . . When Alex started acting strange, it was as if simply looking at that ship was addictive. He even said once that he felt as if he couldn't look away from it."

Zane felt his brow furrow as he contemplated this new information. "Interesting. Did you feel that as well?"

"I stopped looking at it. If I shut off the glass in the room, so he couldn't see it, he seemed to snap out of it and went back to normal." Evan shook his head once and looked angry. "I should have realized something was wrong."

"Evan, do you think you felt this as well? Or do you think you were feeling what Alex was experiencing?"

The question seemed to stump the Sha'erah for a moment. He shrugged. "I'm not sure."

"All right." Zane had to keep himself from instinctively reaching out to pat his patient on one knee. "I don't know what we could do with that information even if we had it, this is all too alien for me. I've got a sick bay full of sleeping addicts and more that I have to deal with soon." He glanced at Alex. "He'll be asleep for quite some time, why don't you get a more comfortable chair if you're going to sit there?"

Evan nodded absently but made no move to change his seating arrangement.

"Right." Doctor Zane made the rounds, checking his sedated patients, then found a more comfortable chair and moved it beside Evan before returning to his desk to document the new cases and make a report of his own foolishness.

Phillip Zane, Personal log 29:7.05: See Medical Log 05-997-29:6, referencing strange alien addictive artifact.

Unbeknownst to me, while studying a simple holographic image of an alien orb, the entire crew -- with the exception of myself and Evan -- had become violently and desperately addicted. Addicted to what, exactly, and via what method is still unclear. This type of alien infection is beyond my capabilities, but I am treating the victims and am very hopeful of complete recoveries via standard methods.

It was interesting to note my own reaction to Evan's protective instincts. Circumstances have placed me in a unique position, between Keeper and Sha'erah, and it has served to remind me how dangerous a position that can be! I don't believe Evan would ever wish me harm, but I must never forget he is Sha'erah, and his protectiveness toward his Keeper will always come first and foremost. I truly believe, should something unforeseen occur and Alex actually die, that I would be in grave danger.

On a more upbeat note, Evan's trust in my ability to the point of him actually sedating Alex against obvious orders is encouraging. While his Keeper's health must come first and foremost, many a Sha'erah has been severely dealt with on that point. Judging from what I've seen during physical exams, and what I've learned of Spencer Marcase, I can believe Evan has been reprimanded several times in a most severe manner. His concern, however, appears to be solely for his Keeper's health.

This pair are like no other team I've witnessed. Looking back, I would have to say Evan has shown a remarkable adaptability to his current situation. He seems to have been able to sense what kind of Sha'erah Alex needed, and altered his usual patterns of behavior to suit his new Keeper. There are times when it is nearly impossible to tell who gives the orders, and yet they've both accepted and adapted to their surroundings.

Interesting to note is Alex's adamant refusal to admit things he obviously feels, and his tendency to say and do the exact opposite. If I didn't know better, I would have guessed Evan had been designed and specifically trained to be with Alex from the beginning.

Doctor Zane stretched and rubbed tired eyes. He'd spent the entire night at his desk, occasionally taking a turn through the ward to check up on his sleeping patients. Evan had finally switched from the uncomfortable exam stool to the more padded chair, but he hadn't moved from Alex's bedside for so much as a minute. The bruise over his eye had settled in to a purple nearly matching the nebula itself, but the swelling had reduced dramatically.

"Will you at least eat if I bring something over?" Zane glanced at Evan as he checked Alex's readouts. "You're going to get dehydrated just sitting there."

"How is he?" Evan ignored the subject.

Zane sighed. "He's doing well. The levels are coming down. As far as his body's concerned, he's in full withdrawal." There were a few adjustments to be made on the IV to ensure Alex never actually felt the effects of coming down. "I'll get you some breakfast then check the rest of my sleeping beauties."

He deemed it best not to mention how lucky they were. Addiction to an unknown object, via a completely unfathomable source . . . To have the patients respond to normal treatment was a stroke of such complete, unadulterated luck it was almost unthinkable. But if the others were responding as well as Alex, he had to consider sedating the entire ship at one time, through the ventilation ducts if need be, to avoid prolonging their exposure. It looked as if this very orb's influence had caused the death of every alien onboard the ship they were tethered to. There was no telling how long it had taken for them to succumb.

Zane ordered a restorative drink from the automated dispenser, filled with nutrients and high in caffeine, for his own breakfast, then duplicated the order and carried it back to Evan who accepted it rather unwillingly.

"You know, I'm considering sedating the entire crew simultaneously." He sat on the edge of the next bed, facing Alex so he could speak to Evan. "I could pump a gas through the ventilation ducts, heavy enough to knock everyone out and keep them down for several hours. Of course, there's a danger inherent to such action. I could accidentally overdose several crewmen, or they could injure themselves when succumbing." He glanced at Evan and received the barest nod in response. "Of course, after I got them down I'd have to locate everyone and get them hooked up to monitors. Not everyone responds the same to this kind of treatment."

Evan sipped his breakfast, watching Alex sleep.

"But, there's the question of how much longer I can allow the crew to continue this exposure without treatment. My staff should be coming around about the same time as Alex, it might be best for me to wait until I have their help."

"I'm not leaving until he's recovered."

"Of course not." Zane nodded, then sighed deeply. It was hard to look at so many sleeping people and not feel tempted to grab a few quick hours of rest himself. He knew full well he was in no position to order Evan to do anything, let alone leave Alex's side. Their relationship was at times as unconventional as he'd seen, at times as predictable as any Sha'erah and Keeper. If he couldn't instill some concern for the rest of the crew in Evan, then nothing short of an order directly from his Keeper was going to get anywhere.

That left him with too few options. A mass sedation raised too many individual dangers, and at this time was enough to override the lingering effects of further exposure. He simply had to wait until he had more staff to assist. Perhaps his medical team, having had the shortest exposure of anyone, would recover the quickest.

Another round of exams later that afternoon proved him right. Every one of his medical team had returned to normal brain wave patterns. By late evening, he had his staff back, somewhat grumpily going about the daunting task of bringing the rest of the crew under supervised sedation. By commandeering the galley and two meeting halls, they managed to get the entire crew of the Ascalon sedated and monitored by morning. Zane ordered all holographic images of the alien orb to be turned off, prior to being erased completely from the ship's databanks.

By the time he returned to check on Alex, the Captain's brain waves had finally returned to normal.

"We can let him wake up now."

"Why did it take him so much longer to recover?"

Zane turned off the sedatives and removed the scanner leads. "Probably because he'd been exposed to the orb longer than my staff." He glanced at Evan. The man looked totally exhausted. "I'm sure there are other factors, many of which will come to play now that we're bringing the rest of the crew out. How long they were exposed, their own susceptibility to addictions, their personalities. These things all play a part." He checked Alex's readings and debated over asking Evan to go to sleep. It probably wouldn't get him anywhere. "Anyway, he's past the worst of the withdrawal. Judging by the recovery of my staff, I'd say we can expect our Captain here to have quite a headache for a while, much like you experienced. And we'll have to make sure he never lays eyes on that orb again."

"I'll make sure no one does."

"Speaking of which, I'd better check on the others, make sure no one's slipping."

Phillip Zane, Personal log 29:8.10: See Medical log update re: alien artifact visual addiction. As expected, Evan has brought himself to the point of exhaustion waiting for Alex's recovery. Which I am happy to note has been full and uncomplicated. He regained consciousness nearly a half hour ago and so far is experiencing nothing more than a severe headache and moderate irritation.

Curious to note Evan's obvious relief. It definitely goes beyond a Sha'erah's natural concern for his Keeper's health, and dare I say, borders on exactly the kind of friendship bond I've always hoped to see. I still fervently believe the paring of a Sha'erah and a Keeper would be much better served in this fashion, rather than the traditional version of ownership and property. Evan has exhibited all the signs I believe his people are capable of if given the chance, though the actual concept is still alien to him on a conscious level.

Alex, too, has gone out of his way to try and bring that quality out in Evan. His sincerity is only intensified, in my opinion, by his inability to realize his success.

If only the training methods used to create the Sha'erah could be witnessed and exposed. Training that creates a human being incapable of disobeying goes beyond contemptible! Not even in religious cults have I witnessed a brainwashing so complete as to render the follower totally unable to conceptualize life any other way. So complete is their schooling, they're completely unaware of the fact that they can control their Keeper's rings, and their own fate.

Seeing Evan and Alex together, working as a team and experiencing -- if not expressing -- the bonds of a most unusual friendship, has renewed my vow to find the source of the Sha'erah and bring an end to this inhumanity!

"How in the hell could we become addicted to looking at something?" Alex was sitting up in bed, leaning forward with his head in both hands.

Zane ran the scanner over the back of his neck, completing his check. "I wish I knew. Furthermore, you all became addicted to a hologram of the orb, not even the orb itself." He examined the readings, pleased with the results. "How do you feel?"

Alex looked up, glancing momentarily at Evan who remained beside his bed. "Stupid. And a little dizzy. How's my crew?" He nodded toward the Sha'erah. "And why does he look so bad? God, I did that to your eye, didn't I?"

Zane glanced at Evan who said nothing. "He's refused to sleep since we brought you in here. As for the crew, I managed to get my medical staff cleaned up, then put them to work sedating the rest of the crew in large groups. They're recovering nicely. I'd say we've got about half the crew back on their feet."

"All this just from looking at a hologram?" Alex returned his head to the support of both hands, propped up by both knees.

"This is one for the experts." Zane put away his scanner and leaned against the counter beside Alex's bed. "I admit, I have no idea how this could happen. Somehow the pulsing of that orb influenced and altered the normal brain wave patterns in both humans, and our aliens."

"What?" Suddenly alert, Alex looked up, glancing from Zane to Evan and back again. "What do you mean?"

"Ah yes, that's right." Zane smiled knowingly at Evan. "But I think that bit of news could wait until you've managed to rest up and eat something. Don't you, Alex?"

"What can wait?" Alex turned to Evan but didn't wait for a reply. "Why haven't you slept? I thought I was just sedated and waiting this thing out?"

"You weren't out of danger," Evan protested.

"So you sat here all that time?"

"You can't really blame him, can you?" Zane straightened up, catching Alex's attention. "He was beside himself with worry even before we suspected the cause."

"Well I'm fine now. Go get a shower and a nap or something."

Evan hesitated for a moment, then nodded once and left.

"I tried to get him to rest and eat, but I have no authority." Zane moved around to the vacated chair and sat down. "You're the only one who does."

"I don't get it, doc. Why wasn't he affected by this thing?"

"Oh he was, negatively. You see, Sha'erah have a natural aversion to addictions. That hologram was the source of his headaches. He didn't realize what was happening for some time, and I'm afraid my having sedated him that night was a mistake. If I hadn't done that, he might have put this all together sooner."

"He put this all together?" Alex looked up, eyes partially squinted from the headache he was experiencing. "But he didn't help you get the rest of the crew taken care of?"

"Of course not. You know his only concern is you."

"I know it, I just don't always like it."

"Alex, pardon me for being so bold here, but . . . You have got to be the most contradictory person I know." Zane laughed lightly at the expression he was treated to. "I'm serious. Anyone can see how you willingly and gladly depend on Evan for so many things. Things Evan is more than happy to handle for you. Yet you say you'd rather he worried about himself and stopped being your Sha'erah."

"Is that too much to hope for?" Alex expertly avoided the point. "I've told him time and again, I don't own him. I'd rather he was my friend, if anything."

"But he is Sha'erah. Asking him not to be is like asking you not to be curious." Zane shook his head slowly. These young ones never knew what they had when they had it. "What you're doing is far more important."

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" Alex sat back with a sigh, looking at Zane through barely opened eyes.

"You've found a way to reach the person inside the Sha'erah."

"Did I mention I have a headache?"

"You'll have to trust me on this one. I've been witness to many Sha'erah and their Keepers, and never have I seen the type of concern or camaraderie as you two exhibit." He leaned closer, fueled by the excitement this subject always instilled in him. "In all my studies, even after I was forced away from this line of research, I've been convinced that the relationship between a Sha'erah and his Keeper could be so much more if they only met on more equal ground."

"We've been there, doc. I couldn't agree more."

"But you see, despite your reluctance to admit it, you've come closer than anyone to achieving that already."

Alex shook his head slowly. "But he still acts like I've got some authority over every aspect of his life."

"Because you do. And due to the way the Sha'erah are raised and conditioned, you always will. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do to alter that. But, that only means you -- as the Keeper -- have to be aware of Evan's conditioned responses and work with them. Accept them. Learn to use them for the benefit of both of you."

"I'm just an explorer." Alex sighed. "I'm no psychologist, or magician."

"Don't worry. Just keep doing what you're doing. You've been quite successful so far, despite yourself!" Zane laughed, then patted Alex's knee. "I've got some sleeping patients to check up on. Get some rest."

Doctor Phillip Zane, Medical log 29:11.08: The crew of the Ascalon are experiencing a full and complete recovery from the alien artifact addiction. The source of this addiction is still a mystery, but I can verify the fact that it was transmitted visually. There has never been any physical or even auditory exposure to the orb itself, and measures have been taken to ensure all holographic copies of said artifact have been erased from the Ascalon's databanks. I am on record as advising this object only be viewed under extreme laboratory conditions in the future.

Alex Marcase's prolonged recovery and lingering headache mirror ten percent of the crew's reactions. I believe this to be due to their lengthy exposure, and in the Captain's case, his typically obsessive personality when it comes to this type of discovery -- natural in his line of work -- predisposed him to a stronger dependence.

Evan has had no recurrence of the headaches experienced earlier, and has managed to avoid all contact with the orb while deleting the information from the ship's computers.

I have hereby restricted all access to the alien ship in order to avoid any temptation, now that the crew know how to activate the holograms using the symbols. Their recoveries have all been complete, but as with any addiction, a return to the experience could be fatal.

I am still contending this was the cause of death of the original owners of this ship, to the best of my understanding of what few facts we have obtained.

Captain Marcase has yet to be informed of this recent theory. See Captain's log for more details.

"Evan, you're looking much better." Zane stepped up to Alex's bed as he was pulling on his shirt. "You're the last to be discharged, Alex. Everyone else is back to work, fit and healthy, if somewhat subdued."

"Yeah, well, I can relate." The captain was buttoning his shirt, avoiding any direct eye contact. "I can't believe this happened. You know, I never even took drugs in school?"

"This wasn't your fault." Evan glanced at Doctor Zane. "Everyone fell into it."

"Evan's correct, Alex. If anyone needs to be reprimanded over this, the blame is mine. I was too busy with my own research to notice what was happening all around me. My own staff wandered off once they got a look at that thing, and I considered myself lucky to have so much free time." Zane shook his head and sighed. He was still angry with himself over that. He should have known meeting up with another Sha'erah and Keeper would return him to the same single-minded focus he'd enjoyed so many years before. "I think you and I have a dangerous tendency to focus all too tightly on our goals, Captain. It's a trait that both serves us well, and could stand to ruin us both." He smiled widely then, tempted to slap Evan on the back. "In fact, while we were both too occupied to notice, Evan here made an incredible discovery. Has he told you?"

Alex looked up, eyebrows raised. "Told me what? What discovery?"

Evan reached into the left pocket of his black jacket and pulled out a small crystal, handing it to Alex. "It's only a theory."

"One that makes perfect sense, if you ask me." Zane smiled, leaning against the bed. He folded both arms across his chest and nodded at the crystal Alex was examining. "He found a pile of these crystals on the lowest level of the ship."

Alex continued to turn the small sample over and over with his fingers.

"I found it by accident," Evan explained. "No one had cataloged the final level of the ship. I think they stopped looking when the holograms were turned on." He pointed to the crystal. "I found a pile of these and brought back samples."

"Evan believes -- and I agree with his assessment -- that these crystals are our actual aliens. Or rather, more recent remains of at least one."

"What?" Alex looked at both men, startled.

"Interesting, isn't it?" Zane felt himself falling into research mode, allowing all the questions and mind-bending possibilities to enter once again into his mind. "A crystallized life form, silicon based instead of carbon. They appear at first glance to be quartz, but analysis showed the crystals are made up of exactly the same mixture as the powder."

"We think the piles of silver powder are the decomposed remains of the aliens, and this one was the last to die. That's why it's not completely powdered yet." Evan shrugged. "But it's only a theory."

Alex was shaking his head slowly back and forth, staring at the crystal in his hand. He'd stopped turning it around, and now looked at it with awe and confused wonder. "And you think that alien orb killed them all? That's why there are so many piles of powder around?"

"It's possible." Evan glanced at Doctor Zane and received a nod of agreement. "If the orb had the same effect on them as it did over here, they could very well have succumbed to it. All but this one. If he was unable to stop it like Doctor Zane and I were."

"So, they stood around staring at the orb, until they died?" Alex's shirt buttons had been forgotten halfway up. "And this one . . . God, that could have been you." He looked at Evan. "Maybe he wasn't affected, or couldn't stand the orb like you."

"I never would have allowed it to get any further than it did. I should have stopped it sooner, but I couldn't put it all together until Doctor Zane and I were going over these samples."

"Gentlemen, I think we've each had a turn blaming ourselves. Let's just be glad we're safe now and know better." Zane pointed to the crystal. "And we've just discovered alien sentient life."

"Yeah, too bad it's dead." Alex held the crystal up to the light. "Was there a body shape or anything?"

Evan shook his head. "No, just a pile."

"So, I could be holding a finger here. Or a foot." Alex swallowed. "Or some entrails?"

"If they had internal organs, they were either comprised of the same material, or decomposed without a trace." Zane laughed lightly at the look of disgust on Alex's face as he handed Evan back the crystal shard.

"What do we do now?" Evan slipped the crystal back into his pocket.

"Now that we're all sober, and rid of that hologram, we need to decide what to do about the ship." Alex finished with his buttons.

Phillip Zane, Personal log 30:01.6: I found the opportunity to approach Alex with my theories, in a nutshell, and as hoped I found him receptive - if a bit confused. I truly believe he's stumbled, through his own unique personality and morals, into the heart of my theories and stands to prove me right to the entire scientific community. But more importantly, he stands on the verge of changing more lives than he could possibly imagine.

I am absolutely convinced, even by what few detailed observations I've been privileged to witness thus far, that Evan and Alex have that very bond my research has predicted. They are the living proof of all my hard work and have made my former exile worthwhile. Fate and destiny have finally conspired in my favor !

Humanity may never be the same.

Chapter 18

"So, what are we going to do with the ship?" Evan leaned against the catering unit in the galley, facing Alex on the opposite side of the counter.

"I don't know." Alex rubbed his eyelids with the fingers of one hand and shook his head slowly from side to side. "We have an obligation to science to bring it back in tow. Or at least tell everyone what we found and where it is. With as much alien sampling as this thing has, people will want to study it." Normally he enjoyed this aspect of discovery. Letting other people in on what he'd found, getting credit for the discovery so he could add that to his resume and get new funding for another round of exploration. But somehow this was different. He didn't feel as much like a discoverer as he did trespasser.

"So, what is it you don't know?"

"Whether or not we have the right to." He looked up, wincing inwardly at the sight of Evan's bruised eye. "Look what this thing did to my crew. What it made me do." He nodded with his chin to indicate Evan's face.

"Doctor Zane said we could all be forgiven for what happened. It wasn't anyone's fault and couldn't have been predicted, given what little we understood."

"Yeah, well, I can't forgive myself." Alex scooped up the glass of whiskey he'd been nursing all evening and carried it out to the couch, where he sat heavily down and stared at the darkened window.

"For what?" Evan followed, sitting at the other end of the couch where he could look at Alex instead of the window.

"I hit you." He knew Evan wasn't ignoring the obvious, he just wasn't seeing it. "You were trying to save me, and my crew, and I hit you. I got angry and hit you for no other reason."

Evan shrugged. "You were under the influence of that orb and didn't want me to turn the hologram off. I disobeyed you."

"That doesn't excuse what I did, Evan." Alex leaned back into the cushions of the couch, frowning. "I did exactly what he would have done, didn't I?"

"If you mean Spencer, he was a very physical man. It didn't matter what influence he was or wasn't under."

"That's exactly who I mean. I hit you and I shouldn't have, I'm sorry." He shook his head, staring at the whiskey in the glass balanced on one knee. "I'd feel better if you hit me back."

The look of shocked surprise and denial on Evan's face was enough to brighten Alex's mood almost immediately.

He held up a hand to stop the words trying to sputter forth. "I know, I'm being ridiculous. But I don't think so." What was it Doctor Zane had said? He was going to have to get used to Evan's ways of thinking, and try to accept them? "Just believe me when I say that had I not been out of my head at the time, I never would have done that."

"I know you wouldn't, you're not that type of person." Evan's response was matter-of-fact. "But if you hadn't been in danger from that hologram, I never would have disobeyed your order not to bother you, and you wouldn't have had a reason to hit me."

Alex almost laughed. He nodded instead, grinning at the ice melting in his glass. "And in the middle of all this, you discovered the answer to our alien mystery." He looked up, meeting Evan's gaze. "I'm really impressed."

"Everything is still just theory. The only thing we know for sure is the influence of that orb was potentially deadly. We still don't even know how or why."

"I know. All I remember about it was this uncontrollable need to find a pattern in those colors and lights." Alex shook slightly with the remembered sensation. It had felt as if he was falling into it, and as frightening as that was, at the time it felt so incredibly necessary. "It could have been a simple defensive mechanism of the object itself. Or it might not even be alive, it might be a weapon of some kind, launched to keep anyone snooping too close occupied and away from whatever someone -- or something -- was trying to hide."

"I hadn't thought of that." Evan sat back, unfocused as he considered the notion. "Too bad we have no way of knowing where these aliens found the orb. If it was a weapon of some kind, it must have been protecting something incredible."

"Man, I don't even wanna know." Alex leaned forward and set his glass of scotch on the table. "After this, I'm perfectly happy hunting out new planets and mapping obscure regions of space. I'll leave the alien hunting to the experts. What are you smiling about?"

"What?"

"That's as close to a grin on your face as I've ever seen."

Evan's eyebrows creased, changing his expression entirely. "I was just thinking how that sounds so much more like you than you did before."

"Yeah? Was I babbling earlier?"

He shrugged. "You kept saying you wanted to know more about the alien object, learn its language, study it. Before, you said all you wanted to do was discover things, leave the analysis to other people."

Alex sighed. "Right. I remember getting a little obsessed there for a while, right when I caught sight of that thing. It's frightening how fast it started to influence everyone. You even got your first headache right then, didn't you? And we all kept forgetting time, staring at that damn thing for hours when we thought only a few minutes had gone by."

"It's over now." Evan stood and picked up Alex's half empty glass. He carried it to the galley and dumped the unwanted liquid into the reclamator. "I've deleted the hologram and everything relating to it from the Ascalon's databanks, including every personal pager onboard. I turned off the holograms on the alien ship and used the larger robot to cover the display case the orb itself is in so no one could accidentally catch sight of it again."

"Let's just keep that part about you removing information from personal pagers to ourselves." Alex stretched his legs out and propped both bare feet on the edge of the large round table. "I'm glad you did, but what other people don't know won't hurt them."

"You still haven't said what we're going to do about the alien ship." Evan returned to the couch and nodded toward the blackened window. "Do we tell everyone what we found, or not?"

Alex stared at his reflection in the opaque glass that took up the entire far wall of the main living area. Ever since he was a child, he'd heard of the Sha'erah only as a myth. Stories people told around the dinner table, or during sleep-overs in school. He'd been told, flat out, they didn't exist. Life had passed happily by without his knowing he'd been mislead. Just as it had gone smoothly along assuming Paulson Carpenter owned his own company, or Jeff had been his friend. His life had been perfectly normal before he learned those secrets. Maybe some things should stay secret. There were some things people were better off not knowing about.

But then again, not all of those changes had been for the worse.

"I keep thinking about what would have happened if you hadn't figured it all out." He could see Evan's reflection in the dark glass, standing in the galley watching him. "If you're right, they all died alone out here, trapped in mental limbo by that orb."

"It's still just theory."

"But a good one," he sighed. "And one that could have happened here." He tried to picture the ship floating in space next to the Ascalon. "How long were they here? How long did that last one live alone on a dead ship?"

"I created a scenario in the computer and ran it, with the information we had, and it took about twenty years for the crystallized forms to completely decompose to powder. This one was about halfway there."

Alex shuddered inside. "So, he lived maybe ten years on a dead ship?" He wondered why none of the bodies of his shipmates had been buried, or moved. Could they have religious reasons for not interring the bodies of their dead? Did they have religion? He was looking directly at Evan's reflection, their eyes meeting in the dark opacity. "Why didn't he move the bodies?"

"Maybe he couldn't for some reason."

"What would you have done?"

Evan's normally dark expression hardened into angry ice. "That would never have happened."

Alex realized then that he'd basically just insulted the Sha'erah. "I'm not saying it would. I just wanted to know, out of curiosity, what you would have done if you were in that situation."

"I would never be in that situation, neither would you. So it's pointless to consider my actions." Evan broke eye contact in the reflective glass.

"You're right, I'm sorry." He really had insulted the man. "Look, you're right. I know as long as you're around, that couldn't happen. I just . . . I was just trying to understand why the last one alive would have left those bodies where they died." Alex turned around on the couch to face Evan. "I couldn't have done that. If I was the only one alive, as hard as it might be, I couldn't just leave the bodies all over the place."

"What if you were hurt? Or too sick to move them?"

"For ten years?" Alex shook his head. "God, to be alone that long, I'd have to be in a sleep chamber."

"Could be that's what it did." Evan met Alex's gaze again, a thoughtful expression on his face to replace the temporary anger. "Maybe that's why it wasn't killed by the orb. If it was in a sleep chamber or some kind of stasis or hibernation, then came out after they'd all died, it might not have even known what killed them."

It was all too much speculation still, too few pieces to put the puzzle together. "So the question remains, what do we do with it?" Alex turned back to his reflection in the window. "If it were my ship, found by them, would I want it taken to their corner of reality and examined by their scientists?"

Evan walked slowly to the couch and leaned on the arm. "That ship is filled with other aliens, too. Specimens they collected from who knows how many other planets or systems. Did they have a right to take each one? Kill them just to take them for study?"

"I know. I'm not into dissection, myself. Just because they've already been gathered doesn't give humanity the right to finish what some other race started." Even as he struggled with the question, Alex already knew the answer. It was the only thing that felt right in his mind, and his heart. For the alien ship and those presumably innocent specimens. He stood, feeling resolute in his decision. The bridge crew would be just now changing shifts, finally back to a working schedule.

"I believe Reilly's still on duty."

Alex glanced back at Evan and smiled his thanks, then punched the intercom. "Reilly?"

"Right here, Captain."

"I want everyone to get their data collected and together. We're taking back images and reports only."

"Not towing the thing back with us, sir?"

"Not towing the thing back, Reilly. She died here, she should stay here."

"Aye, Captain."

"Tell everyone we're pulling out in three days."

"Aye, aye Captain."

"We're leaving it here, then?" Evan seemed almost relieved, pleased with the decision.

Alex nodded. He felt so painfully weary all of a sudden. As if the hours of sedation in the medical lab had been spent not sleeping, but running from some danger he couldn't see. "We found it here, we'll leave it here." The crystal shard Evan and Doctor Zane had shown him the other day was sitting on the table, gleaming dully in the room light. He picked it up, turning it around to see the lights reflect off the surface. From his finger, the silver ring glinted brightly. "No one came for them. No one seems to have missed them or their ship in all this time."

"We don't know that, not for sure." Evan watched him from the side of the couch. "Could be they didn't know where to look."

He let the crystal fall from his finger tips into the palm of his hand. It felt warm. "He died alone." Alex had never been overly concerned with the inevitability of death, or by what vehicle his would someday come. But suddenly the thought of dying alone, completely alone, frightened him. "I'm exhausted." He set the crystal back on the table and smiled tiredly at Evan. "Let's call it a night, shall we?"

"I'll make sure everything we've seen is documented and all the visual scans are recorded."

Alex held up a hand on his way to the bedroom door. "Tomorrow, okay? I promise I won't keep you from sleeping tonight." Evan nodded, obviously waiting to see if that was going to be true. "Good night."

Surprisingly, it was. He'd halfway expected to lay awake for hours, thinking about the dead ship, its crew, the painful loneliness the last one must have experienced for God knew how long. Instead, Alex found himself waking to the gentle sound of the morning chime and the smell of coffee wafting in from the galley.

He showered and tried hard not to think about the orb and its pulsing colors. The pattern was fading from memory, but Alex could still feel the faint pull of desire begging him to go look at it again. Was it a weapon? It just about had to be, considering how it affected not only his crew, but the aliens next door. When and where did they find it? It looked like the last specimen they'd collected, but that could mean it was found here in the nebula, or prior to their entering the gas. It depended on how long they held onto a specimen before studying it. But in the case of the orb, it seemed more a case of how long it allowed you to go without studying it.

If they'd found it inside the Pendulum Nebula, and it was a weapon, then it stood to reason there was much more to this section of space than a simple Turbidium find.

Question is, how much more am I willing to risk? Weapons were used to keep people from finding things, or reaching places. It doesn't act like a weapon of war, more like a weapon of distraction. Something put in place to keep any prying eyes away from finding something they weren't supposed to find.

But what? And more importantly -- Should I care?

"The data's being cataloged and sorted. All the visual records and statistical data we have on the ship as well as the specimens." Evan set the last plate of breakfast on the small table and sat down.

"All but the orb, I trust?"

"Of course. I deleted everything concerning that thing, except for a simple description of what it was and what affect it had on the crew."

"Good." Alex didn't feel much like eating so he picked up the coffee and rested both elbows on the table, letting the steam reach his nose and begin the slow process of waking the rest of his brain up. "I've been thinking about that thing as a weapon. It seems relatively passive, don't you think?"

"Passive?" Evan's eyebrows raised a notch. "It killed the crew of that ship, and very nearly killed everyone here."

"I know. But realistically, that was more our fault than anything."

Evan shook his head. "How do you figure that?"

"We picked it up, so to speak." Alex set the cup down. "I mean, what if that thing was just out there somewhere, minding its own business. Along comes some alien ship, they scoop it up . . . It just defended itself."

"If it were alive, it would have just defended itself." Evan looked skeptically at Alex. "But if it was a weapon, then it was placed somewhere specifically to attack anyone who attempted to remove it, or in our case just look at it."

"I guess you're right." He sighed and lifted the cup again. "Either way, we can't bring something that dangerous back to be examined. Science is one thing, weapons are another."

"You think the government would try to use it?"

"I'd bet on it. If they could figure it out, they certainly would. Trouble is, just trying to figure it out gets you hooked." Alex took a drink and relished the promise of caffeine as the hot liquid slid down his throat.

"If I could figure out their language, I might be able to find out where they discovered the orb. Some of those markings could be dates or coordinates."

"That'll give you something to do on the trip back." Alex pushed some of his breakfast around on the plate, trying to determine how willing his stomach was to accept anything. "But before you ask again, the answer is no. I don't want you trying to get into their computer."

"I wasn't going to ask." Evan sounded slightly indignant. "Though it would answer a lot of questions."

"And it could kill you." Alex looked up from his plate, meeting Evan's dark eyes. "It's not worth it. And if that's not enough reason, just think what would have happened if you'd tried that and died. No one would have been immune to that orb and my entire crew and I would be dying zombies as we speak." That seemed to get more of a reaction from the man. It certainly gave Alex a shiver. "We're through here. We came to this nebula to find Turbidium and see what this anomaly was, and we did that. I didn't bargain for what happened to the Vision, or Franklin. And I sure as hell didn't plan on losing a quarter of my crew. I think it's time we headed home and found something else to go discover."

Evan seemed to contemplate that while Alex picked at his breakfast. "Do you still not feel well?"

Alex let his fork fall back to the plate. "I'm just not hungry, that's all. Can't stop thinking about how close we came to becoming that." He nodded his head toward the blackened window. "You expect to die in space when you spend this much time in it, but I never thought much about how before."

"And you shouldn't." Evan picked up the plates and took them to the reclamator. "If you're focused on death, you're not living."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Alex pushed away from the table resolutely and began searching for his shoes. "I'd better head up to the bridge and see how things are going."

They walked through corridors heavy with assumed guilt and embarrassment, and found much the same on the bridge. The crew had all recovered with no side effects or lingering illness, save the nagging self-recriminations for having succumbed to such an alien seduction. Alex decided a pep-talk was out of the question, considering how stupid he still felt. All those years spent thinking people who fell into addictions were weak-minded fools. And how long had it taken him to fall victim to a simple, glowing orb?

In an attempt to shake the nagging feelings of guilt, Alex delved fully into his duties as captain of the Ascalon, checking systems and updating himself on crew status reports. He made out his own log, citing Evan and Doctor Zane for saving the entire ship from certain death, to which the Sha'erah gave a lengthy denial. He still insisted the situation should never have reached the critical point it had.

"I've never known someone so hard to compliment."

Evan looked at him with dark eyes. "A compliment would have been due if that orb had never attained such control in the first place. I was a fool to miss the obvious danger it possessed for so long."

"So, you think this is an insult?" Alex shook his head slowly from side to side. He should have known better. Whatever you're thinking, he'll take the complete opposite approach. "Listen, I don't consider anything you walk away from a failure. The end justifies the means, and all that. We lived, Evan. We're alive, we're safe, and we're all a little smarter for it. I hope." He pointed a finger at the Sha'erah, stabbing the air to make his point. "I don't care what you think, in my book this is a compliment."

"We both know your book is limited to your experiences."

Alex nearly laughed. "As well it should be."

"But you don't apply it to yourself."

He sensed one of their confusing conversations coming on and jumped in, willing to try and win one. "How so?"

Evan turned slightly so he was facing Alex from his vantage point on the couch. "When the Vision blew up, you wanted to blame yourself. And you still do, even though you had nothing at all to do with it, and couldn't have prevented it in any way."

Alex's mind flashed momentarily with the remembered scene. The Vision, the explosion, Franklin's face on the screen for those last seconds. "That's different."

"How? Because it was your father? He was no more your responsibility than Harvey was Franklin's."

"He was out here because of me, that's how." Alex felt suddenly uncomfortable, but shifting in his chair didn't change it.

"But you didn't know that. You had no control over it. We both thought he was dead, there was no way you could have been expected to anticipate what he did, let alone prevent it."

Alex leaned forward, elbows resting on the chair's arms. "So, you see my point, then."

Evan blinked.

"If you're right, and what my father did was something I couldn't have anticipated or stopped, and I can't be blamed for anything that happened because of it . . . Then you have to admit that what you did was save my crew, and me. There was no way you could have anticipated what that orb was doing." He smiled triumphantly and waited for Evan to admit he'd been right all along.

"That's different."

Stubborn as always.

"I'm trained to anticipate things, it's what I'm for."

Alex shook his head, refusing to be deterred. "First of all, no one could have anticipated that orb thing doing what it did. If anyone should have, it's me. I'm the explorer, I'm supposed to be used to the unknown. And second, you're not for anything. No one's for anything."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Evan would not be dissuaded. "What you see as negative, I see as security."

Alex rubbed his eyes. He was losing again, wasn't he? Sometimes trying to argue with Evan was like playing battle chess with yourself. "Okay, your security is knowing you can stay with me forever. And you came close to losing that when that damn thing was trying to kill us all." He looked up, meeting Evan's gaze. "So you were scared."

This time Evan didn't even blink.

Was he finally understanding this guy? "And you're turning that into blame. Perfectly natural. So we do understand each other."

Evan continued to stare at him, eyebrows slowly creasing. Finally he shook his head one time. "If you say so."

Alex chuckled, accepting that answer. Before he could comment further, the intercom interrupted his thoughts.

"Captain, we've pretty much cleared out all the gear from the alien ship. Just a few more mobile units over there with jammed up wheels we'll have to go fetch."

"Okay, call everyone back for the night, Reilly. Evan and I will go over there in the morning and fetch the mobiles."

"Aye-aye, Captain."

He stood and stretched, glad to have had at least a few hours' worth of distraction to keep him from thinking about that glowing pattern again.

"Do you think that's wise? Going back over there?" Evan stood, pushing the computer back to its position beside the couch.

"Sure, why not?" Alex started for the door. "The orb is put away, so to speak. It's covered up, and we won't even go down to that bay. Besides, I'll have you with me." He grinned at Evan's damn-right-you-will look. "Hey, do you play chess?"

Evan did in fact play chess. So well that, for several hours, Alex was able to forget about the alien ship, the orb, and how close his entire crew had come to dying alone in the nebula. They ate dinner in front of the playing field, displayed in three dimensions on the round table in front of the couch, and nearly took turns winning rounds. In the end, Alex conceded a round, giving Evan the final victory.

"You must be tired." Evan turned off the display after recording their strategies for later use. "That queen didn't have to be sacrificed."

Alex turned his head from side to side, easing a stiff neck. "Well, I'm glad to know you weren't letting me win."

"You wouldn't want me to."

"No, I wouldn't. There's no challenge in that. How did you learn to play?"

Evan stood, returning their empty glasses to the galley. "Spencer taught me. He preferred to win, and he played with several colleagues, so I had to be better than they were in order to make sure he could win."

"He had you play in his place?"

"No," Evan turned around and leaned against the counter. "He cheated."

"Ah," Alex rolled his eyes. "I should have known." He got off the couch to stretch his legs. Was there anything he didn't cheat on?"

"Don't mistake cheating for cutting corners. Spencer never settled for anything that wasn't perfect."

"And in order to insure perfection, he bought, cheated, and stole."

Evan shrugged as if that were common knowledge. "You take pride in a job well done, so did he. He just saw the definition of well done differently."

Alex shook his head and started for his room. "That's one way to put it. Thanks for the game. I haven't had a good opponent in a long time."

"We're going to the ship tomorrow?"

"Yeah, just for one last look around." Alex couldn't help feeling he owed them that much. A ship full of explorers, probably not much different than they were, really. To die alone, and apparently forgotten, had to be the worst fate he could imagine. "I want a re-match as soon as we have time. Maybe you won't get so lucky next time."

"It's a game of skill, not luck."

This time Alex didn't hold back his laughter, and he could have sworn he saw evidence of a smile in Evan's dark eyes as he said good night.

Sleep came easily and quickly, but was filled with visions of the alien ship. Blue-hued corridors with colored geometric patterns painted on the walls stretched on for miles, filtered through the white dream mist of a tired mind. The shapes spoke to him of crystal aliens, explorers, dying of the painful loneliness of being forgotten. Frozen in time on a solitary ship, floating through the purple gasses of a nebula that neither cared or noticed. Piles of silver dust the only evidence of their existence, now viewed by aliens who wheeled their machines through the remains without thought.

Alex woke rested but uneasy. He saw no signs of his odd dreams mirrored in Evan that morning, so he decided not to discuss them. It never occurred to him to wonder if sharing a sleeping pattern included dreams.

They ate breakfast listening to reports from the bridge, insuring all data collected from their alien adventure was being properly cataloged and stored. Alex gave the order to secure the Ascalon in preparation for departure and had their return route logged in and set. He wanted to head back they way they'd come by that evening, and be well on their way out of the nebula as soon as possible. As much as he'd anticipated getting here, he was just as happy to leave.

"Ready?" Alex finished lacing up his shoe and looked up at Evan, who nodded.

"Doctor Zane's meeting us in the ready room."

"Good." Alex stood and followed Evan to the door, then in a flash remembered something. "Hang on." He hurried back to the desk where the crystal shard had ended up during their chess match. Lifting it up for one last look, Alex felt a pang of regret.

"What are you doing?"

"Putting this back where we found it." He glanced at Evan. "I feel like we've robbed a grave. It isn't right."

Evan agreed quietly. "I can pick up the other samples from Zane's lab on the way down."

"Good." He slipped the crystal into a thigh pocket. "Let's go."

They stopped in the medical lab and retrieved all the shards Evan had collected, then met Doctor Zane in the ready room for a quick physical exam before suiting up.

"Have you felt any lingering urge to look at the orb again?" Dr. Zane scrutinized his scanner readout as he passed the unit over Alex's chest.

"I did at first," Alex admitted. "As long as I can keep my mind on other things, I don't notice it much."

"Good. Several of the crew have experienced a strong desire to return to the holograms, but they've been able to get around it with activity and support. It's common, Captain. We can get the body through the withdrawal and addiction, but the mind is another matter. Still, it's nothing to be embarrassed by."

"Doc, this whole incident is enough to be embarrassed by." Alex pulled his shirt back on when the scan was finished. "But don't worry, with Evan around, I don't have to worry about backsliding."

"Oh I'm not worried." Zane finished scanning Evan and nodded, smiling. "You couldn't be in better hands."

Alex glanced at the doctor. From his tone of voice, and how close he and Evan were standing in the small room, he really wasn't sure who he was referring to. "You ready?"

"Yes." Evan slipped the breather on and held the door open.

"See you in a bit, Doc." Alex stepped through the door into the airlock, then passed through that secured door into the umbilical line holding the two ships together. The large door to the alien vessel was closed, but opened easily and willingly when he placed a hand over the symbol.

They stepped into the soft blue lights and felt gravity tug hungrily at their bodies instantly.

"I won't miss this." Evan shifted the breather over his nose, preparing for the constant sweating that would begin any minute.

"But I will miss finding out how this ship keeps that bubble around it." Alex started walking down the corridor that would lead them, eventually, to the final level where the crystals were found. "Can you imagine, if that bubble moves with the ship, how easy it would be to navigate through a nebula? If you could deflect the debris and interference around your ship, you could just plow right straight through."

"But if the bubble only exists around the ship, scanners and probes would still be affected by the charges."

Alex nodded, happy to be able to concentrate on something while they walked. Anything that kept his mind off the holographic alcoves they passed in every corridor, and the orb waiting quietly in the display case below. "Sure, but if you could harness technology that created the bubble for your ship, maybe you could build that on a smaller scale, and apply it to the probes as well?"

Evan contemplated that idea as they walked. "Theoretically, if you could build a probe that could shield itself like that, you could make it a round trip unit so none of the data was lost during transfer."

"And you've already perfected that."

"I got it to work one time. I wouldn't call that perfecting anything."

Alex chuckled. "Yeah, well, I would. When we get back to Scotian, I'm changing my probe standards to include double engines."

"Do they make them that way?" Evan looked at Alex, eyebrows raised. "I thought you said they were always one-way?"

"They are. Until now." Alex reached up to wipe sweat from his forehead. His legs felt like lead tree trunks already, dragging his body through the heavier gravity. "You've invented a new design, and I bet by the time we get back, you'll have perfected the whole idea. We'll custom order the new probes and get everyone talking. Hell, if we patent the thing, we could very well fund the next trip with the proceeds!"

Evan looked doubtful. "I can't believe they'd be that innovative. The data-spurt works fine for most applications," he shook his head. "A two-way probe is only practical in a nebula or similar circumstance."

"Yeah, and you can bet when we get back with this news, there'll be ships tripping over each other heading out here. Probes like that will be just what they need." They made another trip down a ramp, fighting the natural feeling of falling forward as they changed levels.

"You could still bring this ship back, if you wanted."

"I know." Alex felt the crystal shards bumping against his leg from the pocket of his pants. "But I haven't changed my mind."

They continued down the corridors, stepping over silvery piles of dust they now believed were the remains of a race of crystal aliens who'd died a long, lonely death. Victims of one of their own discoveries. Whether the orb was a weapon, or simply a creature defending itself in vain against alien captors, didn't matter in the end. Dead was dead, and Alex was painfully aware of how close his own ship and crew had come to joining them.

There were mysteries here he would have loved to unravel. How the ship maintained gravity, and lights, with no outwardly detectable energy source. Where the engines were, and how they worked. By what principle the ship created and continued to produce the bubble shielding it from the nebula's gasses. He would have loved to find a computer log, something to tell him where the ship had been, what it had seen. But he'd be damned if he was going to let Evan risk himself to do it. Especially now.

The corridors were quiet, with the exception of their footsteps in the heavy gravity. No sound of engines or equipment throbbing in the distance. The pristine walls glowed softly, their geometric patterns illuminated by the blue light, apparently unconcerned by the fact that there was no one left alive who could read them. Alex kept seeing the Ascalon in these walls, and his own crew dead and decomposing in the hallways and rooms. Forgotten by the world they'd left, unknown by the ones they visited. Floating dead and alone for eternity in an unseeing, uncaring gas giant. Maybe in fifty or sixty years, some other alien would wonder what the anomaly in the nebula was and find them. What would they think, wandering around the corridors of an alien ship?

"Are you feeling all right?"

Alex glanced up, feeling the sweat on his back and chest grab hungrily at his shirt. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking how lonely this place is, floating dead out here for so long."

"They could have been the last of their race." Evan pushed his breather down his nose so he could wipe the sweat off. "Or maybe they're so far away from home, it's been taking this long for anyone to come."

"I wish we'd found the engines, or at least figured out how this ship moved." Alex tried hard not to think about how tired his legs were as they rounded the final corner to the lowest level. The gravity tugged at his skeleton, desperately coaxing it to the floor. "We might have been able to guess how far from 'home' it was, or how long it navigated the nebula."

Evan pointed to the large pile of crystal shards at the end of the corridor. "He's not going to tell us, that's for sure."

Alex dug the sampled crystals out of his pocket and looked at them again. He knelt down, fighting gravity to keep himself from going all the way down, and gently set the shards on the pile. "Wonder if he had family."

Evan leaned against the far wall and slid his back down the side until he was sitting on his heels. "Family?"

"Yeah." Alex couldn't fight the weariness in his legs any longer. He moved back away from the crystal pile and sat down, leaning against the wall opposite Evan. "Family, desires, thoughts, dreams. What went through his head when he realized he was going to die out here, alone, the last of his crew? Did he have plans for his life? Were there things he wanted to be remembered for?" He shrugged. "Why didn't the orb kill him? Was he really immune, like we think? Alive all that time, unable to save his shipmates?"

Evan took a deep breath and wiped sweat from his forehead. "You're putting human values and ideals somewhere they might not belong."

"I know," Alex nodded, gazing with slightly unfocused eyes on the crystals. "I just keep thinking about it. Dying out here, alone, forgotten."

"You were scared."

"What?" He looked at Evan. Black, almost alien eyes glowed back at him in the blue light.

"Of dying out here and having no one find us. But you have people who care about you, who would notice if you never returned from an excursion. People who would want to know what happened, and come looking." Evan held Alex's gaze. "But there's more to it than that, isn't there?"

Alex shrugged as much as the gravity and his exhaustion would allow. All this talk about death, it was morbid. He didn't even have a will. "It's not just dying out here alone and forgotten, it's what you're remembered for. Look at all these discoveries, all those samples in their cases. What if this ship -- this crew -- were the only ones of their kind to witness these things? What if they'd just made the discovery of their lives, and they died without ever being able to tell anyone?"

"That bothers you?"

"Hell yes, it bothers me." Alex broke eye contact and shifted his legs. "All that work for nothing. All they've seen and done will go unrecorded, unnoticed. They could have been the first ones to do a million new things, and no one will know."

Evan looked at the crystal pile. He rubbed his black hair with one gloved hand, still breathing heavily from the effort of the long walk. "But you're speculating. And using human values to do it." He looked back at Alex. "That couldn't possibly happen to you, not after all you've done already."

Alex wanted to shrug, but his shoulders felt too heavy.

"Look at all the things you're already known for," Evan persisted, obviously wanting to be sure he made his point. "You're the most talked about explorer, with more discoveries to your credit than most of them put together. Not to mention this latest find, even if we're not bringing it back." He leaned forward to add emphasis. "You've discovered proof of alien sentient life. We might not know much about them, but now we know they exist. And not just them," he pointed to the crystals, "but all of those samples in the hold."

Alex tilted his head back to rest it against the wall. He felt stupid and humbled at the same time, but the nagging sense of sorrow filling this ship hadn't melted. "I guess."

"I know." Evan leaned back again, satisfied.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"There must be something you want to be remembered for."

"I'm Sha'erah." Evan shook his head once.

"Yeah, and I'm Alex," he laughed shortly. "I don't care what you say, there has to be something you take pride in, and would want to be remembered for. It's natural."

"Who would remember me? Spencer was my first Keeper, and he's dead. You're my Keeper now, and you say you'll never sell me. So who is there I need to be remembered by if not you?"

Alex was ready for this one. "History. The crew of the Ascalon. Everyone we dropped off at that mining orbiter. Hell, even my mother will remember you!"

"They won't remember me, they'll remember a Sha'erah."

"And what should they remember about that Sha'erah then?" He was going to win this one!

Evan was silent for a moment as a drop of sweat rolled down the length of his nose. "The only thing that matters. My work. A Sha'erah can take pride only in a job well done, or his ability to do what was asked of him."

Alex nodded slowly, allowing a smile to show. "Well, in that case Evan, I can assure you, you'll be well remembered."

Evan merely blinked, staring at him with nothing to say.

"Come on, this place is too depressing." Alex started to pull his legs in, ready to force gravity to loosen its hold so he could stand. Before he could push himself off the floor, Evan was on his feet, offering a hand to assist.

"There are still five mobile units stuck in the hallways. Reilly said they have dust in their wheels."

"We'll fix 'em as we go." Alex shot one last glance at their crystal alien. "They'll have company as soon as we show the rest of the worlds what we found."

"They might tow the ship out of the nebula to bring it back for study."

"Maybe. They might try and use the orb as a weapon." Evan started back up the corridor with Alex beside him.

"Maybe we should try and toss it out or something."

"I thought about that. If I knew how we could, or what it might do if we did, I might." It was tempting. But the unknown factor was too high. "All we can do is show them what it did to us, and what we think it did here. What they choose to do with the information is up to them." God, it felt like his legs wanted to stay here! "I tell you one thing, if they don't figure out how to lessen this gravity, they'll be sorry."

Evan agreed, then located the first of their stuck mobile units. He picked it up and turned the small robot over, examining its wheels. "There's dust clogging the mechanism."

"Reilly, are you reading me?"

"Yes sir, loud and clear."

"We've got . . . " Alex checked the unit. "Number twenty-one here. Got some clogged wheels. Go ahead and give it a rev."

Evan held the other two wheels, then braced himself against the wall, ready for the vibration to course through his legs to his feet.

Alex put a hand on his shoulder, assuring the floor didn't slip out from under his feet again. The engine churned until the offending wheel broke free, sending a fine mist of silver dust into the air that fell quickly to the floor. When the unit was returned to the floor, it rolled happily forward, heading back to the Ascalon.

Number fourteen was one level up. Alex held this one, braced by Evan, while more dust was dislodged. He watched the silver sparkle during its momentary weightlessness and felt a pang of guilt. They'd rolled machines right through alien remains as if it were no more important than dirt dragged in on someone's shoes. What kind of disrespect did that imply?

He set the mobile down and watched it roll on ahead. "It's like driving a land rover through someone's grave." He looked at Evan as they started walking again. "Then picking up a femur in the gears."

"That's a bit literal, don't you think?"

Alex suddenly laughed. The absurdity of the situation finally got the better of him, and he laughed out loud, momentarily set off balance by the action. Evan merely watched, looking puzzled, until he could speak again. "This from the guy who invented black and white?"

Evan rolled his eyes.

"No, you're right. I don't know if it was the orb, or just this place." Alex put a hand on the back of Evan's shoulder as they walked. "I should stick to what I do best, and leave this philosophizing to the pros."

"Actually, you're quite good at it."

Alex looked at the Sha'erah, knowing the man was -- according to him -- unable to lie. But before he could comment, his earpiece beeped. "Yeah, Reilly, we're on our way back. Just have a few more mobiles to find."

"You might want to put a rush on that, Captain."

There was a quality to the officer's voice Alex didn't like. He stopped in the corridor and looked at Evan, seeing some of his own alarm mirrored in the dark eyes. "What's up?"

"We've got company!"

Chapter 19

Evan ran as fast as his legs could manage, fighting the unusually strong gravity with every movement. Alex was just ahead of him, struggling to keep moving while shouting orders to the Ascalon's bridge crew at the same time.

"Get the engines ready!"

"Powering up now, Captain."

"How fast are they traveling?" Alex spared a glance sideways, catching Evan's quick look while they ran, waiting to hear the answer.

"Can't tell, sir! We're still seeing them through the static. Too much interference."

"Captain, looks like they're maybe fifteen minutes out, best guess!"

Evan's legs screamed in protest, his muscles angry about the abuse. He wanted to stop, fall to the floor and catch his breath, but he couldn't. And he couldn't let Alex, either. The alien ship matching the one they were trespassing was closing in. They had to get out.

"The instant . . . we're onboard, get . . . us the hell . . . out of here!" Alex's words had heavy competition against the air his lungs were desperately gasping through the filtered mask.

Evan wanted to tell his Keeper to hurry, but he had no breath for words. As long as he kept Alex in front, and moving, they stood a chance. He wouldn't stop running, no matter how badly his legs cried out for rest. Alex had to make it to the Ascalon, it was their only chance at safety.

"Still no signal from the alien ship, Captain. It's making no outward signs in reaction to us."

They kept running. Three levels to go before they reached the airlock. Evan wasn't going to lose. He was going to get Alex out of here if it was the last thing he did. Breathing through the filter was beginning to impede his ability to oxygenate the blood raging through his body. The sweat soaked his biosuit, making the cloth cling to his body like a second skin desperate to hang on. Each footfall threatened to be his last, gravity pulling at his legs and body as hungrily as the soaked suit.

"They're breaking through the bubble, Captain! We're getting a clearer image now!"

"Any . . . signal?" Alex suddenly jumped to the side and careened into the smooth wall, narrowly missing one of the little mobile robots as it scurried home.

"Nothing."

Evan made no move to jump. He was certain in this gravity he could have plowed right through the little machine. But before he got the chance, it swerved violently to the side, allowing him to barrel past it without hitting the wall. There was still no time for words while his lungs were busy sucking in air, but he made a mental note to bash one of those things in when this was over. He was beginning to hate the little monsters.

Two more levels.

Alex stumbled again, catching himself just before he hit the wall.

"Come on!" Evan grabbed his Keeper's shoulder, steadying him without slowing down.

"This . . . damn gravity!" They continued to run, stumbling as quickly as they could toward the only safety they had.

Evan knew Alex was assuming the aliens weren't going to be pleased finding them there. God knew he wasn't too pleased with the idea of meeting any of them. Especially onboard one of their ships, with a dead crew. It was better to assume the worst, and be prepared, than take any risks. Even reaching the Ascalon in time was no guarantee.

Alex rounded the corner at the top of the last ramp, bringing them to the top level. The airlock was at the far end, visible only as a black area in the soft blue light.

"Reilly!"

"They seem to be maneuvering toward the far section, sir. Still no sign they've taken notice of us."

Evan didn't understand it, but he hadn't understood much of anything about these aliens yet, so it didn't surprise him. What did surprise him was seeing Alex suddenly trip, landing heavily on the floor a few yards away from their goal. There was only time to make sure he didn't land on his Keeper when he, too, hit the mobile unit and crashed to the floor.

For a long moment, neither man could speak. Stunned by the sudden fall, and exhausted by the run, they could only lie on the smooth floor and struggle for breath.

"They'll . . . have to . . . change . . the air!" Alex gasped between breaths. "We . . . poisoned it."

"Their air . . . will kill us!"

As if on cue, they felt a rush of wind, then a steady breeze began filling the corridors from unseen vents. A mist began rising from the edges where wall met floor, choking out the breathable atmosphere.

"Captain, it's docked! Somewhere near the lower level. Looks like they're hooking up some kind of airlock tube to the bottom of the ship!"

"Right where . . . "

"The crystals . . . are," Evan finished for him, glancing nervously over his shoulder. He had to get Alex out of there, fast! "Get up!" In minutes, the atmosphere would be too lethal for their simple breathing filters to manage.

Alex nodded. He pushed against the floor with both palms, arms shaking with the effort, but couldn't get to his knees.

"We have to . . . move!" Evan found the strength somehow to get to his knees. He braced his shaking body against the wall and forced his legs to defy gravity and support him one last time. Reaching down, he took two fistfuls of Alex's sweat-soaked shirt and hauled him to his feet, propelling both of them toward the airlock.

"Captain, they're boarding! This is incredible! My God, they're incredible!"

"Sir, we show you near the airlock. Reilly, prepare to disengage!"

It was there. Three feet in front of them the airlock waited, open and inviting. Alex reached out and grabbed the side of the opening, pulling himself forward with effort. They felt a great shudder throughout the ship, and Evan nearly lost his balance. He shot a glance over his shoulder and saw the mobile unit they'd tripped over racing toward the door. When the shuddering stopped, a strange vibration shook the floor. There was a humming, crisp and sharp, almost lyrical, emanating from the walls. In an instant, the small mobile unit slid past the doorway, its little wheels spinning uselessly toward them.

Evan turned away. He still had Alex by the shirt and the slight momentum they'd achieved lurching through the airlock carried them through the connecting tube to the safety of the Ascalon.

The airlock opened before they reached the door, while the doorway behind them suddenly closed, sealing off the poisonous atmosphere filling the alien ship.

Alex stumbled through the airlock into the final staging room and collapsed on the floor in an exhausted heap with Evan right behind him. Seconds after the airlock sealed, they felt the throbbing of engines as the Ascalon pulled away from the alien ship, gaining speed with every passing second.

Neither man could speak, or even sit up and reach the control that would have allowed the medical team anxiously waiting in the ready room to get to them. Evan didn't have the strength necessary to reach his hand to the panel, and barely managed to push the mask from his face. It was enough that they'd made it! They were alive, for now, and back onboard the Ascalon, speeding their way as far away from the alien ships as fast as they could. There was no telling whether or not they'd be pursued, or simply shot down from miles away, and right now it didn't matter. The only thing filling Evan's thoughts was the simple act of inhaling.

Even lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling with vision plagued with the black spots of near unconsciousness, his legs couldn't stop shaking. They didn't believe gravity was now normal, and would no longer pull them relentlessly down with unbearable force, preferring to stay right where they were for the next few years.

"We made it." Alex had his eyes closed against the sweat running down his forehead.

Evan nodded, glancing up at the faces pressed against the small window in the door. "They want in."

"Uh-huh." Alex opened one eye and dragged a hand to his chest, giving Doctor Zane a thumbs up. "Reilly?"

"Captain, they're not pursuing." Reilly's voice echoed over the speakers. "We've passed through the protective bubble around that ship, heading back into the nebula on course." There was a pause during which they could hear excited voices in the background. "Captain, we're going to lose visual pretty soon, but we've got some amazing pictures from the mobile units that didn't make it off that ship."

Alex suddenly opened both eyes and looked at Evan since he couldn't see the bridge officer. "God, I forgot about them. Reilly, you've seen the aliens?" Excited, he managed somehow to force himself up on both elbows.

"Yes sir, and they're incredible!"

"They're not following us?" Evan knew someone needed to stay focused on the danger they could very well still be in.

"No sign of it. We've recorded all we could, Captain. And what little we're still getting, too."

"Good." Alex made no move to get to his feet. "We'll be there, eventually."

Evan rolled to his side and convinced his body the gravity wasn't out to get him anymore. When it agreed, he managed to get to his knees and hit the controls, opening the door to the ready room and letting Doctor Zane and his team in.

"That was close, gentlemen." Doctor Zane waved his two assistants over to Evan while he knelt beside Alex. "Almost a little too close."

Evan didn't ask questions when he felt hypo guns pressed to his neck, since he saw Alex receiving the same treatment. They were safe now, at least for the time being. The sprays entered his neck with a rush of coolness, and almost instantly he felt the shaking in legs and arms subside.

"I wanna get up to the bridge and see what chased us away."

"There's time for that." Doctor Zane's tone suggested there was no sense arguing with him. "You two are exhausted and dehydrated. And I don't know how much of that poisonous atmosphere got through these filters."

"It tasted strange." Evan recalled the bitter taste in the air during their lunge through the airlock. "But making them vent out what we put in probably bought us the time we needed."

Alex was sitting up now, leaning forward so both arms could rest on bent knees while Doctor Zane ran the scanner over his head, neck and back. "Did you hear that noise? I thought I felt a vibration, too."

"Like glass breaking?" Evan nodded. "I did. The floor was vibrating from the sound, I think. I saw a mobile slip past the doorway because of it."

"I gotta get to the bridge." Alex still made no move to get to his feet.

"In time, Captain." Doctor Zane turned to his assistants and asked for their report of Evan's health. "Good. No effects from the atmosphere. The filters must have been working overtime, giving you just the faintest taste of what they couldn't process."

Evan nodded, feeling more in control of his muscles now that the medications had taken effect. He stood up slowly, nearly falling over when he tried to overcompensate for the normal gravity.

"All right, the two of you can go to the bridge and make sure we're all safe and sound." Zane spoke directly to Evan while the Sha'erah held out a hand, helping Alex to his feet. "Then you're to report to my office for a full examination and some fluids. And a shower."

"Don't you wanna see this too, Doc?" Alex swayed slightly, holding on to Evan's arm until he found his balance again.

"Oh, I'll be right behind you, trust me. I wouldn't miss this for anything."

The walk down the corridor to a lift was surreal. Evan's legs felt almost weightless, even as weak as they were, no longer fighting the pull of alien gravity. As exhausted as he was, it seemed as if he was floating down the hallway. Judging by Alex's tendency to come too close to the walls, he too was reacting to it.

By the time they reached the bridge, the sensation had ended. Now he was just incredibly tired! The weariness mirrored in his Keeper's eyes dimmed dramatically with the excitement filling the bridge.

"Captain, we've lost all signals from the alien ship." Reilly met them at the door. He walked beside Alex, gesturing wildly as they made their way to the view screen. "And there's still no sign at all that we're being followed, or even monitored. It's as if they didn't notice we were there at all."

"Maybe they didn't." Evan glanced around the bridge out of habit, checking to see that everything was in order. Order in this case being the excited chaos of chattering crewmen.

"It was the nebula that kept us from seeing it sooner." Reilly stopped in front of a data terminal and began typing out commands. "Once we realized it was there, it moved pretty quickly."

Evan considered taking over for the officer, who was struggling between bringing up the images and explaining to his Captain. Exhaustion kept him from offering. They were speeding their way back through the nebula on the same course that had brought them safely inside, apparently without pursuit. There was no need to hurry for anything just now.

"Here we are. This is when we first realized there was something out there. I called you right away."

The view screen in front of them flashed to life with the replay. Evan watched the familiar swirling colors, then saw the screen zero in on a section, magnifying it automatically when the sensors discovered a pattern suggesting something manmade. Through bursts of static and waves of electrical interference, they saw the distinctive shape of a ship forming.

"We didn't get a clear look until it came closer to the bubble we were in."

"Look at that." Alex leaned forward, resting his hands on the terminal in front of him. "That ship has a shield bubble of its own."

The ship was an identical match to the one they'd been exploring, moving with perfect ease through the chaos of the nebula, surrounded by a shielded halo. Once the bubbles 'touched', the shielded areas merged, forming an even larger protected area. When it drew closer, the image was perfectly clear.

"I can't see any lights, can you?"

Evan shook his head, studying the image before them. It was beautiful, in an odd way, completely lacking in the windows the Ascalon sported. There were no outward signs of lighting or even energy.

"I don't even see an engine glow." Evan squinted, wishing this was a live video feed he could hook into. "I can't see any sign of power anywhere."

"Damn! I wish we could have sent a probe around the other side." Alex shook his head, never taking his eyes from the screen.

"We don't know what their reaction could have been," Evan reminded. "What would you think if an alien ship sent out a projectile heading straight for your ship?"

"I know, I know." Alex nodded, still watching the screen in fascination. "It's just -- We never even found the engine room, or crew's quarters, or mess hall, or even a bathroom. Hell, we never really found much of anything other than bare walls and symbols."

Evan thought that was the most incredible attempt at oversimplifying he'd ever heard in his life, but he refrained from mentioning it.

"Here's where we started getting the really interesting stuff." Reilly hit a control on the terminal and the view altered to the interior of the ship, from the perspective of a mobile unit several yards away from the crystal pile.

Not very far from what they assumed was a the last alien to die, the floor opened up, revealing a circular airlock they hadn't seen before. A few moments later, something white and sparkling emerged.

"This is it." Reilly was nearly bobbing up and down with anticipation.

The alien continued to rise from the airlock in the floor. It's movements looked more like growth than actual motion, as if the crystalline appendages jutting out in all directions were growing in the direction the alien wished to move, while the ones on the opposite side of the creature appeared to retract. It was nearly clear, like the samples Evan had retrieved from the dead specimen, only these were sharper, sparkling in the soft blue light.

"Incredible," Alex breathed the word, barely a whisper as he watched the video replay.

As soon as the crystal alien was out of the airlock, it was followed by another, then another. They moved along the floor with no sign of motion from anything looking like a foot or leg. Their pointed, crystal bodies stood approximately four feet high, but that changed randomly as new appendages sprouted up and out almost constantly.

"Do you think they're sliding on the floor, with that vibration?" Reilly glanced at Alex, then Evan. "We recorded those sounds, and had trouble keeping the robot in place when it started, like it was slipping. Finally got the thing pressed against a wall, until this happened." He pointed to the screen.

Evan blinked, startled when he saw the flash of crystal suddenly jab forward at the screen as the alien found the robot. In a motion quicker than he expected, the alien picked up the small mobile unit, growing crystalline 'arms' until the were long enough to reach the robot and lift it from underneath. For a moment, they were treated to a better view as the alien picked the unit up off the floor, showing them the view from behind.

"What's that, about ten of them already?" Alex moved his head as if he could see over the alien to what was behind it. "They're not even stopping near that pile."

"Maybe it's not what we thought it was." Evan noticed it too, how they didn't seem to even see their dead comrade. Providing that's what it was.

"No, it has to be." Alex shook his head. "Look at them, then look at what we found." He turned to Evan. "You were right, dead on. These aliens are crystalline, and that pile has to be a dead one."

"That's not the only interesting part, Captain." Reilly pointed to the screen.

They watched as the aliens moved down the corridors, gliding along the floor without effort.

"Can you see anything you might call eyes? Or a mouth? I wonder how they're communicating?" Alex was twisting the silver ring around his finger now, watching the aliens. "I don't get it, they're not even stopping at those piles of dust."

Evan nodded, watching. The alien procession had reached the first pile of dust, the one who seemed to have been scribbling the messages on the wall that Evan had been studying. When they reached the silver dust, they simply rolled right through it, apparently unconcerned.

"So much for a reverence of the dead."

Alex glanced at the Sha'erah. "Even an animal would have stopped to check it out, or walk around it."

"It's like they didn't see it. Any of it."

"Well it's a good thing you two got out of there when you did." Reilly nodded toward the screen. "Look what they did to the mobile."

The perspective was strange, coming from somewhere mid-level with the alien carrying it, but the robot dutifully relayed what it could see as it was carried through the ship. Evan recognized the storage bay doors as they passed by on the view screen. The machine was being carried into the last bay containing the orb.

"Look at that!" Alex pointed to the screen. "They're just growing as tall as they need to in order to reach the walkway."

"No wonder we couldn't find a way up."

Long tendrils of sparkling crystal grew up from beneath the aliens, pushing them up until they were even with the lowest walkway. Once there, they reached out with new crystals, setting themselves on the walkway, while the 'legs' retracted back into their bodies. Suddenly the view shifted upward. All they could see was the blackness of the vaulted ceiling for a moment, then something clear and thick coated the lens.

"They put it in one of those display cases." Reilly looked at Alex, shaking his head somewhat sadly. "That's all we got from this unit after that, up until the transmission started going out."

Evan swallowed, imagining how easily it could have been him being sampled by the aliens, frozen for eternity like some kind of hunting trophy. "You're sure they're not following us?"

Reilly tapped in a new set of controls and displayed a wire-framed display. "They haven't moved, from what we can see."

"We had the orb covered, and they put the mobile unit in the case next to it." Alex turned away from the screen and looked at Evan. "They'll probably pull that cover off and look at it. They could stay there, mesmerized by that damn thing, forever."

"And we can stand here speculating forever." Doctor Zane chimed in, nodding with his head back toward the exit. "Come along, gentlemen. You can speculate all you want in the med lab."

After a shower and complete physical, Evan felt more human. His legs no longer shook with the effort of keeping him mobile, and his balance had been completely restored. Even his stomach happily told him it was feeling fine and quite willing to eat when dinner arrived. Doctor Zane had insisted both he and Alex eat a full meal, and invited them to enjoy it with him in his spacious office. Evan knew it was due more to his own curiosity and desire to discuss what had happened than his medical need to ensure his patients followed their doctor's orders.

"I can't get the image of those things out of my head." Alex leaned back in his chair, tossing his fork onto the recently emptied dinner plate. "The way they just scooped that robot up and stuck it in the display case without so much as an examination. They didn't even seem to talk it over among themselves."

"Not in a language we could see or understand," Zane nodded. "I'm surprised there wasn't more of a reaction to our presence. Hard to believe they could have simply missed seeing the Ascalon parked right there."

Evan set down his glass and glanced at Alex. "If they'd found us, we'd probably be encased, too."

Alex nodded. "I know. There's obviously no way we could have communicated with them in time to talk them out of anything. But what really bugs me is the way they didn't even take notice of the other ones. The dead ones."

"Assuming that's what they were."

"Oh, Evan, I'm quite certain - especially after what we've just witnessed - we can be positive that's what they were. The crystals you found appeared to be an exact match, if not a bit older and decaying. And the powder is a logical conclusion of many years worth of decomposition."

"Doctor Zane's right," Alex agreed. "We don't know why that ship was dead out there so long, why it took this long for others of their kind to reach them, but I'm positive that's what we found."

Evan nodded. The question no one seemed willing to ask was burning in his mind, but there would be no answer. All he could offer was more speculation. Still, the feeling that kept surfacing was so strong, it could very well be right.

"It was almost as if . . . " He paused, looking at his Keeper. "Almost as if they weren't there to rescue or recover, but to salvage."

"You mean, steal what that ship had found?" Zane pursed his lips. "Opportunists?"

Alex seemed to be considering the possibility. "We don't know where they came from, or how far away from their home they are. And we don't know where they've been or how long they've been out here." He stared at the table, eyebrows knitting together slightly. "For all we know they could very well have a collective consciousness, or hive mentality that allows them to communicate on a level we couldn't possibly hear or understand."

"So finding a ship of dead comrades might not have been a surprise." Evan nodded once, recalling the attitude of the crystal aliens as they passed by their dead, unconcerned.

"If that's true, or anywhere near possible, then the method of their death might not have been a surprise, either," Doctor Zane offered. "If so, we can assume they won't reveal the orb or chance looking at it themselves."

"They might even discard it into the nebula." Evan didn't want to consider what might happen if another ship -- a human ship -- stumbled into the orb in space.

Alex shook his head once as if to clear it. "I dunno. That idea fits just as easily as them being ruthless scavengers, stealing what others died discovering. Hell, we couldn't even find the engines, or the source of energy that kept the gravity fixed and that bubble shield working. I'm not sure our speculations mean much of anything."

Doctor Zane sat up straighter. "Well, Captain, I for one am glad to be away from it all. Alien life forms aren't my forte. I'd just as soon leave all that up to the experts."

"Well said, doctor," Alex smiled. "We'll head back home and show the scientific community what we found. Let them dissect it all and make their own theories."

"Do you think they'll come out here to make contact?" Evan wasn't convinced they weren't going to be pursued at any given time, but he'd just as soon never see the alien ship again. Even if someone did find all the answers.

"I'm sure someone will."

"And they're welcome to it." Alex stood and stretched. "There's a twenty-four hour watch behind us, such as we can see now that we're no longer in that bubble, making sure nothing comes after us."

"Should we stop at C-7 and warn the miners?" As tempting as it was to leave them to whatever fate demanded, Evan knew full well not everyone on the mining orbital had betrayed Alex. Some of them had traveled here solely to establish the mining operations.

"Yeah, we'll let them know what we found. If the ships are still there, we'll hang around until the mining equipment and ships arrive. If that's what they want." Alex shook his head, then nodded at Doctor Zane. "Thanks for dinner, doc."

"Any time," Zane smiled. "In fact, I was hoping during the trip back we could do this more often."

"You're on." Alex motioned at Evan. "Let's call it a night, shall we?"

"You don't want to study the images of the aliens some more?" Evan was sure he couldn't be this lucky. Alex would probably sit on the couch all night long watching the video replay over and over again.

"I don't think I could keep my eyes open long enough." Alex grinned and slapped Evan on the back as they passed through the door. "Actually, they kinda gave me the creeps anyway."

"I won't argue that." Evan hadn't liked anything about the aliens once he caught a glimpse of them. It was momentarily satisfying to learn his theories concerning their looks had been correct, but that was as far as it went. There was something about the way they moved, the way they appeared to ignore their own dead, that didn't sit well with him. And there weren't even any faces, at least none he could see, to show any type of expression. They looked as cold as their crystalline structure suggested.

By the time they reached the mining orbital, it seemed clear they weren't going to be followed. Alex used the last of their probes, modified so Evan could navigate it through the nebula, to see what they could see while orbiting C-7. The interference was thick, but Evan knew exactly where to look.

"It's not there." He withdrew his hand once the probe's engines ran out and it began to drift, an empty, spent shell. "Neither of them are where they were."

Alex nodded, looking more relieved than disappointed. "They must have taken it with them, wherever they went."

After much deliberation, they determined the mining colony was safe from alien invasion. The Ascalon crew banished there after their association with Spencer Marcase was revealed didn't want the protection, and the miners were so preoccupied with the pleasure of their work that they didn't much care. C-7 was turning such a profit, plans were already being drawn up for complete enclosure and mining of the entire planet, followed by each moon.

Evan couldn't help noticing how all the talk of profit margins and wealth seemed to disgust Alex. There was a fine line between financial security and greed, and most of the expatriated crewmen had crossed that line long ago.

"They don't stand to profit much, once the authorities get established." Alex shook his head, scoffing at the image on the screen as they pulled away from the planet. "Franklin had relatives in high government. When that transmission reached Scotian, I'm sure they got wind of things and started securing the claim on behalf of the Vision."

"So they'll be left with nothing?" Evan nodded, indicating the group they were speeding away from.

"Thereabouts. Some of them might manage talking themselves into jobs here, but that's probably it." Alex shook his head, dismissing them all. "Some of them might have looked pretty good in alien display cases."

Evan knew his Keeper didn't really mean that, but he had to admit -- to himself -- that it wasn't such a bad notion. He still couldn't get the images out of his head of crystal aliens picking up the mobile robot and encasing it without second thoughts. What would they think when they tried to study or dissect it? What, if anything, would they learn? The sight of those crystal appendages, growing and retracting at will, filled his mind.

And they filled his dreams that night. Images of crystals jutting out, trying to catch him as he ran through dark corridors and blue-lit rooms. Desperately fighting the floor that sucked him down with each step, slowing his retreat and pulling at his body hungrily. He knew instinctively, if they caught him, he'd be forever imprisoned in one of their display cases, taken back to their alien home world with the other trophies collected throughout the galaxy.

Evan woke with a start, instantly alert but unsure why. It took only seconds to realize it hadn't been due to any alarms from the bridge. It was Alex. He stumbled to the door and found his Keeper in the living room, barefoot, pulling a sweatshirt over his head.

"What's wrong?"

The reply had to wait until Alex's head cleared the shirt's neck opening. "Nothing, just couldn't sleep. I keep seeing those things."

Evan sighed, somewhat relieved, and walked to the couch. "So do I."

"There's something about the way they just rolled right through that powder, I can't get it out of my head. And the way they ignored the body right there by their airlock." Alex leaned against the wall and shoved both hands into the pockets on either side of his sweatshirt. "It was really like they didn't care. Like they were just stealing what they found, ship and all, and didn't care."

"Maybe they're not so much a hive, but opportunistic scavengers. They seemed to have picked up samples wherever they went. I doubt they asked anyone's permission before shoving them into those specimen cases and studying them."

"I know, I don't like that much, either. Maybe they got what they deserved when they found the orb."

Evan shrugged. "Maybe whoever or whatever put that orb there, knew exactly what they were doing."

"Yeah," Alex nodded, then ran one hand over his disheveled hair. "I know what I'm doing, too."

Before Evan could ask, Alex turned and walked toward the door.

He hurried to catch up. "Where are we going?" His Keeper didn't even have socks on, and he was heading down the corridor, wearing only sweats.

"There's something I need to do while we're still in the nebula."

That was all Alex offered by way of explanation, and Evan didn't ask for more. He simply followed his Keeper as they made their way to a lift, then several levels down, until they reached the Ascalon's storage bays.

"This has been bothering me since seeing those images." Alex reached through the door of the storage bay and hit the control that would turn on all the lights in the cavernous room. "It's been like this the whole trip out here, people profiting from death." He entered the room and walked purposefully toward the back.

Evan knew he was heading for Spencer's coffin, he just didn't understand why.

"Maybe that's what they were doing over there, maybe not." Alex continued on toward the refrigerated crate, glancing at Evan as he spoke. "We don't know for sure, but my gut tells me you're right. They're scavengers. They didn't come to that ship to help, or return the dead. They came to take what was already found and keep it for themselves."

Evan followed, sensing something brewing under the surface that Alex was only hinting at.

"Well, I'm tired of it." Alex stopped in front of the crate, staring at it. "I'm tired of the living making a profit from the death of others." He reached out and lifted the lid. The coffin inside was exposed with a whoosh of chilled air.

"What are you doing?" Evan kept his voice low, even though they were the only two in the room. He didn't want to look at Spencer's body out of an irrational fear it wouldn't be there.

But it was. Staring lifelessly back at them.

"We're getting rid of him."

"What?"

Alex looked around, then seemed to find something he wanted in a bin next to the crate. "We're getting rid of him. Funeral in space, happens all the time." He came back with a set of anti-gravity handles, then attached them to each end of the coffin.

"But, we'll need the body for proof, so you can claim the reward." Evan was stunned, but he found himself taking hold of the handles at the far end, helping Alex even as he tried to remind him why they shouldn't be doing what they were doing. "We have documented evidence, but for something this big, they'll want the body."

"I don't want the reward." Alex hefted his end of the coffin and started walking to the far end of the bay. "I don't care how big it is."

"But, you could buy this ship." Evan followed, carrying the coffin toward the partially recessed conveyor belt used to launch probes. "You gave the Turbidium claim to the crew of the Vision."

"I know."

They set the coffin down on the belt and attached the proper hooks and lines.

"What will you do, then?"

Alex hit a control near the wall and the conveyor belt began to move, then descended through an opening in the floor, carrying the coffin and the body of Spencer Marcase through a launch tube.

"What I've always done," Alex turned and looked at Evan. "I'll get by."

The doors in the floor closed, and red lights flashed, warning of an impending launch. Within seconds, the small box shot out of the Ascalon and into the purple haze of the Pendulum Nebula. Both men watched silently on the small progress screen as the coffin vanished behind them, forever to wander the infinite coldness of space.

Evan wasn't sure what to think. That body -- the man who had been his Keeper since the day he was born -- was Alex's ticket to financial freedom. Did this mean he was once again a viable option for monetary gain? Or had Alex meant exactly what he said, that they'd get by?

"People profit from the dead all the time."

Alex nodded. "I know. It's okay to profit from the dead." He turned to Evan. "But not from death."

Evan looked at the screen, contemplating the change. Spencer's coffin was no longer visible in the static interference. "You could have profited from him, though."

Alex smiled in a thoughtful way, then shut off the monitor and put a hand on Evan's shoulder. "I already have."

End

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