Cassandra's Challenge Read online

  “Lucas has talked to you.”

  “No, Tar. Lucas knows?”

  “Yes.”

  ”So everyone except the Admiral.”

  “He’s not going to take that well.”

  “That’s an understatement.”

  “He’ll see it as me not trusting him, that I went to Lucas instead of him, that’s what you’re been trying to tell me.”

  “Yes.”

  “Thanks for filling me in. You’re right there are things here I still don’t understand.” Moving to the edge of the chair she looks at Bliant. “Would you mind helping me up? I believe there is an impatient nine year old, waiting for me.” As she moves towards the door Bliant is close by.

  “How’s the pain?”

  “Better, I’m not as stiff.”

  “Good.” Bliant opens the door. “Remember what I said.”

  “I will.” When Cassandra enters the ready room, William walks over to her, looking first at her then Bliant.

  “She’s healing well, just stiff and sore, she’ll be that way for awhile. You need to make sure she’s not over doing.”

  “She won’t”

  “Standing right here.” Cassandra says looking at the two men. Stepping around them she sees Tori and Lucas sitting in front of William’s desk. Smiling she moves towards her.

  “Aunt Cassie!” Victoria starts to get up when Lucas puts a hand on her shoulder.

  “Wait Tori, let her sit down.”

  Sitting in the chair next to her Cassandra opens her arms. “Come here baby girl.” Tori’s immediately in her arms, William grimaces, knowing Cassandra’s muscles are protesting.

  “You’re okay?” Victoria quizzes.

  “Yes just a lot of bruises.”

  “Can I see?” Cassandra smiles at her.

  “Maybe later.” At the buzzing at the hatch Tori stands back up.

  “That’ll be Hutu with first meal.” William tells them.

  Hutu checks all the plates before turning to the Admiral. “Did you need anything else sir, something for the Doctor?”

  “Nothing for me Hutu, I need to get to medical. Call if there are any problems.” Bliant looks at Cassandra.

  “Thanks Bliant.” Picking up a couple bowls William gives one to Tori the other to Cassandra.

  “Eat.” Is all he says as Lucas brings one to him. William keeps a close eye on Cassandra, making sure she eats all of it. Finishing Lucas removes the bowls then sits back down next to Tori.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Victoria’s been studying Regulian, so she might be able to remember what they were saying when they kidnapped her.” The Admiral tells Lucas. “Tori what did you need to tell us?” Tori looks first at William, then her Aunt.

  “I had the dream again last night Aunt Cassie.”

  “Oh Tori, I’m sorry I wasn’t there.” Cassandra goes to move to her, but William’s look keeps her in her chair.

  “It’s okay, I wasn’t scared this time. Well maybe a little at first but then I remembered what you said. That I would know something they didn’t want me to know, and you were right.”

  “Want did you learn Tori.” The Admiral asks.

  “The Glitter Man, he was mad! After he checked my hands and feet he told the ones I couldn’t see that they were stupid, that I wasn’t the Light. One in the dark argued back saying that they had followed his orders, that I was the one. That he would honor their agreement. The Glitter Man ordered them to get him the thread so he could put it in my arm telling them that this trip might not be a total loss. That maybe I could lead them to the Light. That’s when he told me he would always be able to find me.” As Tori tells this to the Admiral, Cassandra realizes that William’s been right. The Regulians were looking for her. Meeting his eyes she says nothing.

  “They never called each other by name?” Tori thinks hard.

  “No.” William is disappointed that Tori hadn’t discovered anything new but nothing is revealed on his face.

  “You did good Tori.” The Admiral tells her. “It’s a very brave thing you did.”

  “It is?”

  “Yes.” Tori grins at him.

  Cassandra smiles at Tori. “The Admiral’s right Tori, you did a very brave thing. I’m really proud of you.” Tori gives Cassandra a hug.

  “Oh, there was this one other thing the Glitter Man said. He told the Regulians they would have to take me back because he needed to return to Messene before he was missed.” William in the process of standing freezes.

  “Messene? You’re sure Tori?” He demands. She nods.

  “He said he couldn’t go unseen much longer.” Sitting down William leans back in his chair to think.

  “Tori, did I see your bag?” Cassandra distracts her.

  “Yeah.”

  “Do you have some homework you need to do?”

  “Some.”

  “Why don’t you go into the other room and get started on it then.” Tori looks at the three adults, then on a sigh agrees.

  “Okay.” Picking up her bag she heads back.

  “Oh, and close the door so we won’t disturb you.” As the connecting door closes Cassandra turns to William.

  “What’s Messene?” She demands.

  “Dad, she couldn’t of heard right.”

  “I think she did.”

  “Hello! Messene. What is it?” Cassandra demands in a testy voice.

  “It’s a retreat on Goryn, used exclusive by the royal families and high-ranking officials, very private and secluded.” Lucas informs her. William watches Cassandra.

  “She got it wrong Dad.”

  “I don’t think she did.” William says quietly watching Cassandra slowly rise and walk over to the painting of the setting suns. Lucas looks from his father to Cassandra.

  “What’s going on? What don’t I know?” Before William can answer there is a buzzing at the hatch. Lucas opens it to Tar.

  “Admiral.” Tar starts, seeing Cassandra he pauses.

  “What is it Quinn.”

  “I have evidence on who I believe is attacking Cassandra.” Turning from the painting she walks back to her chair and eases into it, watching Tar.

  “Who.” William demands.

  “Senior Chief Falco.”

  “What?” William looks to find Cassandra silently watching him. “What’s your evidence Colonel?”

  “Falco has an E1 explosive rating, specializing in directional blasts. While she moved out of the explosive branch six years ago, she’s maintained her rating. Falco is also one of the crew who had access to bunker J342. She helped move the explosive to D345.”

  “What else.”

  “I had Dr. Bliant look into her medical history. At first it looked clean, but he called a friend and discovered that she’d been quietly removed from her last post, diagnosed with attachment issues.” Quinn pauses.

  “Go on.”

  “She’d ‘attached’ herself to Captain San during their last tour. She’d threatened his wife. San had her removed from his ship.”

  “Why was it kept quiet?” William demands with a sinking feeling.

  “It was believed that she and San had been intimate at one point, San’s didn’t want his wife to know. She was quietly treated, prescribed Xyphrine.” William’s jaw tightens.

  “How’s she getting it?”

  “It seems she was able to convince a doctor to let her have a two year supply since she was going on tour.”

  “Idiot.”

  “Agreed.”

  “How’d you zero in on her?”

  “After Lucas called…”

  “Lucas!” Lucas finds himself under the Admiral’s intense stare. “Why would you be looking at Falco?” Cassandra saves Lucas from answering.

  “I asked Lucas to look into Falco.” She meets his look head on. “Once I realized that I was the target, it was the only person who made sense.”

  “You went to Lucas.” Cassandra knows she’s on tricky ground here.

  “I reali
zed it yesterday in medical. Lucas was there. I told him what I thought, asked him to look into it. If I was wrong I didn’t want to distract you from looking for the right person.” Cassandra can tell William isn’t buying it.

  “Why haven’t you questioned her Colonel?”

  “Admiral, all the information we’ve gathered isn’t proof. I want to get into her quarters, see what she’s hiding. There’s still some DC-48 unaccounted for and a detonator.”

  “Why haven’t you?”

  “During the investigation I discovered she has remote detection installed on her security panel.”

  “What’s that?” Cassandra asks, feeling the sting of William’s look. Lucas finally answers.

  “It means she’ll know as soon as anyone enters her quarters.”

  “Anywhere on the ship?” Cassandra’s mind starts to race.

  “Yes.”

  “Would there be any reason she’d have to shut it off?” Lucas looks at his father.

  “She wouldn’t chance it if my security screen was down on the bridge. The security would trigger an alarm.” The Admiral informs her.

  “Then that’s your answer.” Cassandra stares William in the eye. Quinn and Lucas look at each other.

  “It could work.” Quinn finally breaks the tense silence. “But she just came off a twelve hour shift. She’s off for the next twenty-four.”

  “I don’t think we can wait that long.” Lucas states.

  “What do you do if the on duty navigator gets sick?” Cassandra asks still looking at William.

  “She still wouldn’t be up.” Quinn replies.

  “Even if it’s a personal request from the Admiral? That with all the crap going on he needs his most trusted navigator on duty.” The tension between William and Cassandra is growing. Both men notice it.

  “That could work. The Admiral only has to ask her to engage the security screen then we can go in.” Quinn likes the plan.

  “Anything else you’d like to add?” The Admiral asks in a cold voice.

  “Many things Admiral, but now isn’t the time.” Cassandra replies in a voice as cold as his.

  “Get started making it happen Colonel. Lucas you need to take Victoria back to your quarters until this is over.”

  “No.” Cassandra interrupts. “Victoria’s safer here.” William says nothing for a moment.

  “Fine, Lucas you’re with Quinn. Let me know when things are set. Dismissed.” As the two men leave William follows securing the hatch.

  Turning he finds Cassandra has risen to lean against the front of his desk. Saying nothing he stops in front of her, his violet eyes intensely staring into her unguarded blue, trying to find answers.

  “You went to Lucas.”

  “I told you why.”

  “I can understand, after everything that’s happened.”

  “What that supposed to mean?” William starts to turn away but Cassandra puts a hand on his arm stopping him, both knowing he could have pulled away if he’d wanted too.

  “William…” Cassandra’s eyes questioning.

  “I haven’t protected you very well. You had every right to turn to Lucas for help.” She realizes Bliant is right.

  “Why would you think that!?! William.” Cassandra frames his face with her hands. “You’ve done nothing but protect me. Me and Victoria.”

  “Right, she gets poisoned and you nearly blown up.”

  “Neither of those is your fault! You couldn’t have known they were going to happen. I’ve never doubted you!” She stretches to kiss him but he pulls away.

  “You didn’t trust me, Cassandra, you should have told me about your concerns.”

  “I did!” She fires back. “That first night I told you. You didn’t trust my instincts.” She lets her hands fall away at his rejection. “You didn’t tell me you believed the poison was meant for me. You told Lucas. Who else?”

  The shuttered look that’s come into Cassandra’s eyes has William realizing he’s hurt her. The fatigue in her voice reminding him that less then twenty-four hours ago she’d nearly died.

  “Cassandra….”

  “Who!” The sting of his rejection nearly steals her voice.

  “Quinn, Hutu, Bliant.”

  “So everyone but me, you trusted everyone but me.” Her voice is flat and unemotional. “I’m not Salish, William. I haven’t lied and deceived you. I’ve trusted you from the first moment on the Raptor. Everything that’s happened since has only strengthened that trust, for me, but then I’m just some stupid refugee.” She uses Falco’s term as she turns to walk away. William can’t seem to move. Cassandra’s words, what she said, as much as the tone telling him how badly his hurt her.

  He trusts her. His experience with his past wife isn’t influencing him. Is it? Didn’t he keep looking for something she’s lied to him about? The way he did with her birthmark? Now Falco. Yesterday he’d nearly lost her, today he’s pushing her away. It’s no wonder she told Lucas of her concerns.

  Turning to follow her, he finds she’s stopped at the still closed connecting door. The pain revealed in her eyes staggers him.

  “You should have let go William. It would have been better for everyone.” Entering what for less than a day she’d considered home, she closes the door.

  On the other side William can’t breathe, it feels like his heart’s been ripped out of his chest. Had he done that to her? Made her wish she hadn’t returned to him. His life mate. Had his lack of trust in her destroyed what they were building? She’s accepted him from the very beginning. She’s been open and honest with what she was feeling even if it embarrassed her. Has he done the same without being pushed? He has to fix this.

  Opening the connecting door, he finds Tori sitting in a chair reading. She watches him with eyes much too old for such a young girl. Cassandra is lying on the couch with her eyes closed.

  “Shhhh…” Tori tells him in a quiet voice. “Aunt Cassie’s tired.”

  William squats down next to the couch, taking in how pale her skin is, the bruising under her eyes that has nothing to do with the explosion. Caressing her cheek he tucks a strand behind her ear. Rising he goes to the bed pulling off the blanket he gently covers her.

  “Will you be okay here? I’m going to need to leave.”

  “Sure. Aunt Cassie and I, we take care of each other.”

  “You both do a good job too.” Rising William looks at the clock. “When you get hungry call Hutu, he’ll bring you second meal.”

  “I’ll have to wait until Aunt Cassie wakes up, I can’t let him in.” Realizing she’s right William holds out his hand.

  “Come on we’ll take care of that.” Leading her to his ready room consul William has her put her thumb on the security panel. “Say your full name.”

  “Victoria Lynn Chamberlain.”

  “There you go, now you can let Hutu in, no one else Tori.”

  “Okay.” Tori watches him with those serious eyes. “Admiral.”

  “Yes.”

  “Aunt Cassie’s hurt.” Her voice wobbles. William sits down, setting her on his knees so he can look her in the eyes.

  “I know she is Tori. But she’s going to get better. Her body just needs time to heal.”

  “That’s not the only thing hurting her.”

  “I know.”

  “You’re the Admiral. You’re going to stop what’s hurting her aren’t you? Aunt Cassie told me that’s what you do. You make it safe so no one can hurt us, that I need to trust you like she does.”

  “You can trust me Tori.” William voice is tight. “I’ll make sure nothing else hurts her.” Tori’s green eyes stare into his.

  “Okay.” Putting her arms around his neck she hugs him. Hugging her back William closes his eyes. This is what Cassandra has given him simple trust. No doubts, even when he’s given her cause. It’s time he lived up to it. Setting Tori on her feet the Admiral stands up.

  “You’d better go back to Cassandra. Remember what I said about only opening the hatch to H
utu. Okay?”

  “Yes Admiral.”

  Securing the hatch from the outside the Admiral nods to the guards and heads to the bridge. It’s time to deal with this problem so he can come home and concentrate on the one he’s created.

  Entering the bridge he finds Falco at her post. Giving her a nod he enters his command center. Sitting in his chair, Quinn enters.

  “Here are today’s reports Admiral.” Quinn starts. “We didn’t contact you yet Will.” He says quietly.

  “Did I ask your opinion Colonel?” The Admiral announces in a loud voice. “When it’s done Quinn get back here and get her out of my command center.” William says in equally quiet voice. “If you don’t have answers get off my bridge!” The Admiral orders.

  “Yes sir!” Quinn leaves the bridge.

  “Falco!”

  “Yes sir.”

  “My Command center. Bring your charts!”

  “Yes sir.” Falco is feeling very smug. The Admiral has personally asked for her to come back on duty and now wants her in the command center. Entering she sets down her charts.

  “Engage the security screen Falco.” The Admiral orders.

  “Sir?”

  “Engage the screen!” William turns away to allow her to disengage her remote detection device.

  As the security system within the Admiral Command center records Falco’s hand slipping into her pocket disengaging her detection system, Falco engages the security screen.

  The Admiral turns back around and while he’s thinking ‘Let’s play bitch’, his face showing nothing.

  “I want to see your charts for where the fleet was twenty-four days ago. Where was the Regulian fleet?”

  “Yes sir.” As Falco arranges her charts Tar and Falco override her security.

  “Ready sir.” Falco shows the Admiral the locations moving closer to him. He doesn’t move away. Taking his time William pretends to study the charts.

  “Now twenty-two days ago.” William allows Falco to move even closer with her charts.

  At first glance Falco’s quarters appear normal. But closer inspection finds nothing normal. A drawer in the bathroom reveals empty bottles labeled Xyphrine. Hidden under her pillow was the missing detonator. The DC-48 is found in her closet.