I know, I’m sick. The story is a follow up on “Searching for Armelia”. Crais, ten cycles after the Command Carrier.

Intermission

By GitonCrais

“How much for these?”

The deep, calm voice got the trader’s attention. She looked up and saw a handsome man in front of her stall. His black hair hung three-quarters down on his back, dark and wavy. She looked up in his dark eyes, they were almost black, and a neatly trimmed black goatee encircled full lips under a prominent straight nose…

“How much for these!” There was impatience now in the man’s voice.

“Sorry Sir.” She looked at the articles he had pointed at and she was a little disappointed that all the items were meant to be worn by a female. She sighed, named the price and wrapped it up slowly.

He was about to pay for it when a young voice called out “Father” and he turned his head. The trader lifted her head and her eyes lit up again; there was still a chance.

“Yes, Armelia,” the man had turned away to answer his daughter and the trader had an opportunity to admire the silky shine of all that abundant hair.

“Can I have these too?”

The trader shifted her gaze to the young woman. She was such a sharp contrast to her father. Her hair was red-blond, her eyes green and her complexion fair, her light against his dark. The contrast was very striking and the trader wondered.

The man turned back to her, ”And I want to purchase these too.” He placed the other articles his daughter had chosen on the counter next to the ones he had already placed there.

The trader made a second parcel and named the new price.

The man paid without hesitation. It surprised her, one of the last articles was rather expensive and most men tried to haggle for a better deal. She normally enjoyed that game.

He picked up the parcels and handed them to his daughter before turning away from the stall.

The trader noticed that he was carrying a walking stick in his right hand and when he walked away she saw he was sporting a heavy limp. She had not noticed the walking stick since it has been as black as his clothes.

She sighed again. She would probably never see him again.

Crais and Armelia walked quickly to the centre of the town.

It had only been one monen since his operation but still too much exertion would leave him quite tired. On the Diagnosian’s insistence he carried a walking stick to support his gammy leg. Crais had to admit it diminished the tiredness.

Rather then go straight back to Talyn after their shopping, Crais decided to spend the evening on the planet and Armelia had jumped with anticipation.

Crais secured two rooms in the local hotel on the ground floor where they were able to leave the parcels before going out again.

They stopped at a nearby inn to have some refreshments and plan their day ahead. Crais was glad when they finally sat down.

Armelia looked worried at him, “Are you all right, Father?”

“I‘m just a bit tired, nothing to worry about. Any ideas what you would like to do?”

“I’ve heard there is a dance tonight. I would like to go.”

She saw her father stiffen in his seat and her face fell. He still didn’t feel comfortable with letting her out of his sight. It brought sweat to his brow and panic to his mind.

To Armelia’s surprise, he nodded, “You can go.”

She jumped out of her chair and draped her arms around his neck with an exclamation of joy.

He patted her on the back with an embarrassed smile to this public display.

Since she was going to the dance, most of the afternoon was spend in finding suitable clothing for her. By the time they had finished and had gone back to the inn Crais was glad to sit down.

Armelia was too excited to eat and after Crais gave her leave she raced to her room at the hotel to change for the evening.

Crais watched her go. Twinges of panic were tugging at his mind and his breathing halted. It was still too short a period for him to adjust. He tried to control his breathing while his mind moved back in time.

Armelia’s story

They had told Crais Armelia’s story about two weekens after his operation. He had not been strong enough before that time and they feared he had not been strong enough when they told him. He had insisted on knowing the truth and so they reluctantly told him.

After they split up from Crais on Zandor, Tymrok and Armelia had gone to the big square in the centre of the town to buy Armelia some new clothes. They couldn’t have been there long when the Scarrans entered the square and rounded up everyone, mainly women and young children. Some managed to escape, resistance from the men of the town was minimal.

Armelia fought in her own small way but the kicks of a ten year old were as nothing to the Scarran’s thick hide, still he was amused by her defiance.

The Scarrans had been ready to break up and take their captives to their ship when gunfire erupted from the side of the square and a lone black glad figure could be seen firing at the Scarrans with deadly accuracy.

This man knew what he was doing and Armelia’s face lit up in joy when she recognised Crais. This had also not gone unnoticed by one of the Scarrans. While Crais rolled and dived and fired, the Scarran took Armelia with him. When Tymrok reached for her she was cast aside by a sweep of his arm.

Armelia pulled herself away but was no match for the big Scarran. One last look back at Crais, she saw him dive for a stone wall and then she was dragged away.

After being abducted from Zandor, Armelia and the others had been taken to the Scarran slave ship to be “categorized”.

Her two cycles of combat training had already shaped her muscles and the Scarrans were impressed. Such muscle definition on one so young was normally to be found only on young Peacekeepers, if they had the misfortune to run in Scarrans. It puzzled the Scarrans that this one was definitely not.

Crais had taught her to use the name Xercus if she was ever to be captured and she had thought it a game, now she was not so sure anymore.

They were taken away from the planet almost immediately. The women and children filled one big cage with only enough room to lie down. Armelia sat apart from the others. Her knees were drawn up and her chin rested on top of it. She watched the others. The children were crying softly, the women consoling them.

Armelia didn’t cry. Her bright eyes just observed, looking for possible escape routes for when Crais came to safe them, of that she had not doubt.

The next day she and the others were taken to another slave ship. Her stronger physique and small body made her perfect for some of their operations. Like crawling to tunnels to look for the Crysterium flowers.

Her first experience in the mines started on Azathor. She was used in their mines for the search of the flowers and later when she became too big to crawl through the tunnels, they had tried using her as a household slave. Defiance to the hosts, enhanced by her now stronger body made it impossible for them to keep her there.

Letting her work on the land wasn’t feasible due to her Sebacean physique and numerous escape attempts. She was brought back to the mines.

Normally, because of her rebellious nature, she didn’t stay long enough and she got used to being transferred every three to four monens.

Food in the mines was minimal, injury maximal. Somehow Armelia managed to eat enough and not get injured.

Her beauty, even under these ardent circumstances, became almost a curse to her.

When she grew up her curves and muscles became that of a strong young woman and by the age of twelve many male miners saw nothing wrong in taking her body for granted. The first one who tried was found dead the next morning due to a broken neck and Armelia’s virginity still intact.

Soon it became known that she was too strong to be tackled by one at the time. She was nearly thirteen cycles old when she was first abused. It took five men to hold her down and to do the deed. After that Armelia dreaded to go to sleep and sleeping among the other women didn’t help either. Once it was common knowledge that she was their main target, the other women just let it happen. If the men were busy with her, it wouldn’t be done to them.

Armelia grew a great resentment to all, slaves and captors alike. Her defiance grew and her attempts to escape bolder.

She still believed that Crais would find her and rescue her, even though it was hard sometimes to keep believing. She clung to that believe like a lifeline to keep her strong.

Finally, well into the fourth cycle of her enslavement she saw her chance.

The transport ship, which brought her and the others down to the mining colony, was small and only had two Scarrans on board, one to fly and one to stand guard. It didn’t even have a holding cage.

Armelia had sat demurely, almost curled up in the corner of the craft, quietly working away at opening her shackles. She looked up now and again with a faked scared look on her face when the guard passed and in the meantime she was calculating his rounds.

Finally, loose! She waited until he had turned away from them, then jumped on his back and at the same time took his gun from his belt and shot him in the mouth. Before the other Scarran could react and turn to her she shot him in the head too. Both Scarrans were dead before she hit the ground.

The other slaves looked at her in astonishment and sat rooted to the spot.

She took the keys from the Scarran and looked at the others, “Does any of you know how to fly this thing?” She was glad that the ship was still in space or they would be in deep trouble now.

One lifted his hand tentatively. She walked over to him and released him first, “Then fly this thing away from the Scarrans.”

“They’ll shoot us to Hezmana…”

“You want to spend some more time in the mines? Die in a dark hole under the ground?” She fingered the captured gun.

“No,” the man admitted resolutely and took the controls, shoving the Scarran away in disgust.

She turned to the others, “Any of you want to stay with the Scarrans?”

Silence and mutterings in the negative were heard.

“Good,” she tossed the keys to them and took the co-pilot’s seat.

“Where to,” asked the newly appointed pilot. No one found it strange to accept orders from the fifteen-year-old girl.

“To the planet first, we don’t want to make the others suspicious. We’ll find a way out.” She looked outside at space and thought, “Where to now?”

They made it to the planet without any trouble. Once on the planet the pilot flew under the Scarrans’ tracking system and guided the ship to a forest near one of the mining camps.

“Aren’t we a little close,” hissed one of the others in the back.

Armelia turned around to face him, “They won’t suspect us to land so close. We need faster transport, which they can provide and we need to act fast, before they suspect we are too close. You can come with me or you can stay her and use this ship to put a distance between you and the mining colony.”

Of the nine others, three opted to go with her, the other six would take their chances with the ship. Armelia and the three others quickly disembarked and waited until the ship was out of sight before moving to the mining colony. They moved swiftly, each delay could mean detection. They watched the camp from the edge of the woods.

Finally Armelia spotted one of the smaller attack ships. She knew it would hold six Scarrans easily and was fast. That was the ship they needed to get.

Their luck held and soon they cleared the planet’s atmosphere and were gone before the Scarrans could get a lock on them.

First there was a hushed silence, they still couldn’t believe they had made it. Then a cheer went up and happy shoulder-claps were given all around.

Ba’chem, the pilot and Armelia were the only ones who went immediately back to work again. They would celebrate once they knew they were out of danger. For a change the Gods were smiling on them and there was no pursuit of any Scarran ships.

The first planet they landed on had a sparse population but a great lake to wash all the soot and grime off. Hunting was aplenty and they suffered no ill consequences of eating the root vegetables.

Two weekens they stayed on the planet before deciding it was time to move on.

They were able to sell the Scarran ship on the next planet. They divided the credits. The other two wanted to stay on the planet and Ba’chem and Armelia went in search of transport off the planet. By now all four had filled out a bit and didn’t resemble slaves anymore.

Armelia and Ba’chem managed to secure passage on board a freighter looking for temporary crew. Armelia was put on kitchen duty first but when she showed that she hardly had any cooking skills worth mentioning but showed prowess in shaking off any would be suitors with ease, she was transferred to security. They stayed with the freighter for three monens.

When Armelia went down with the others to Xandor a man approached her while she was having her meal in one of the guesthouses. He sat next to her and was rewarded with a frown, “Armelia Xercus?”

“Who’s asking?”

“My name is Yastos but that is quite irrelevant. There are some friends looking for you.”

“Friends?” Her eyes pinched in suspicion.

“Friends of Captain Xercus.”

Armelia’s heart beat faster, “Who are these friends?”

The man moved closer so he wouldn’t be overheard so easily, “Levarthes (the name meant nothing to Armelia), Moya.”

This time Armelia reacted. She had learned from Talyn and Crais that Moya had been Talyn’s mother but Talyn had believed her missing, “And Captain Xercus?”

“Nobody knows where he is at the moment but we are all helping him to look for you.”

Armelia believed him, wanted to believe him, “I will have to tell my crewmates I’m going with you.” She stood up, her meal forgotten and went in search of Ba’chem.

She told him what had happened and he hugged her happily, “I hope you’ll find your father Armelia. If he’s still missing or if it is a false lead, come back to us.”

“I will, she promised and hugged him back. Ever since their escape they had become good friends and part of her didn’t want to say goodbye to him.

Yastos brought her to Moya, their trip had taken them a whole weeken and that was with both ships moving to the rendezvous.

When Armelia stepped on board Moya and was greeted by Aeryn and Crichton, she was anxious for news about her father but they could only promise that they would contact him and try to get them reunited soon. When Crichton looked at her, he smiled. Maybe she wasn’t Crais’ daughter by blood, she certainly was his in fighting spirit.

Armelia could hardly wait until she saw her father again and paced the corridors of Moya impatiently, finally Aeryn had to admonish her to stay in her room and rest. They would warn her when he had arrived.

It took Crais and Talyn two days and two long StarBursts to get to Moya. Aeryn and Crichton had agreed that they would meet Crais in the Hangar Bay and then would call for Armelia.

But Armelia couldn’t wait and stood in the shadows of the entrance of the Hangar Bay.

She saw his pod land and the hatch open and her heart beat faster.

When she saw him emerge she was shocked by his appearance. He had thinned and his hair was long now. His face was wild and pale. He had not shaven for days. His limp was bad.

She ran to him, “Father!”

When Crais heard his daughter’s voice he made haste to walk to her but she already ran to him. She saw how he threw Crichton metras away but then had flung herself into his strong arms. For once Crais didn’t mind who was watching his public display. She could hear him sob in relief when he embraced her. “I have missed you so much,” he whispered to her.

“I have missed you too,” she sobbed.

They could feel Aeryn guide them over but they wouldn’t let go of each other. Crais sat down and Armelia with him. She grew alarmed when he keeled over without warning.

Aeryn caught her before she could hit the ground too. Crichton held her back when Aeryn tried to revive Crais. There was panic in Armelia’s eyes. She couldn’t loose him after being reunited again after such a long time.

The anxiety stayed with her until after his operation.

Present

“Is this seat taken?”

Crais came back to the present. His eyes focused on the woman in front of him. She wasn’t exceptionally beautiful but nonetheless pretty. Crais looked around the room and noticed some empty tables. She had seen his look and her face dropped in disappointment. He turned back to her and pointed at one of the other two seats at the table, “This seat has not been taken yet. I am waiting for the return of my daughter. Please, sit down.”

She sat opposite him, surprised at his invitation.

He ordered their drinks and she was astonished that he had ordered Tarkelian tea for himself while she had a hot Raslak.

They sipped their drinks in silence for a while and she found it strangely comforting.

He looked at her, “You are the market trader.” It had been a simple statement.

She nodded and introduced herself, “Althea Vinz’ath.”

He nodded at her, “Captain Xercus.”

Her eyes widened in recognition, “The Dark… I’m sorry, that was rude of me.”

Crais smiled wryly, “Not at all. I’ve grown used to it.”

She made to rise, “I am sorry, I did not know…”

He looked sadly at her, “I am sorry too. I can understand it if you don’t want to talk to me.”

She quickly sat down again. “No, it’s not that I don’t want to talk to you… It’s just that…” She looked in Crais’ eyes and saw the loneliness reflected in them, which had drawn her to him in the first place. She smiled shyly at him, “Can we start again?”

Crais smiled back, “If you want to.”

“I noticed you this morning at my stall (Crais cocked his head) and I just thought that you seemed like an interesting man. I had hoped you stayed around town for a bit longer. When I saw you pass again this afternoon I took my chances.”

“Any particular reason,” Crais wanted to know.

She looked away briefly. When she looked back she had slightly coloured with embarrassment, “I just find you very attractive, there is no other reason.”

If the woman sitting before him had not been so embarrassed and serious Crais would have laughed. “I see,” he said calmly.

“No you don’t,” thought Althea.

Crais grew suspicious again, “And it wasn’t because of who I am?”

“I have heard of you but I didn’t know who you were.”

Crais saw Armelia come through the doors and his whole face lit up. For his benefit Armelia did a twirl in front of his table.

Her calf length white dress was tight in the bodice and waist but flowed freely and wide down. Her long sleeves tapered wide. Slender black knee-length boots and a black wide belt a contrasting colour to the stark white.

At Crais’ questioning glance she nodded and he knew that she had concealed her weapons on her person as he had taught her.

“Do I pass muster,” she asked with a big grin.

Crais smiled at her, “You do. I would be surprised if no one will dance with you tonight.”

Armelia sat at the table with a joyful grin and looked at Althea, “I am Armelia and you are?”

“Althea Vinz’ath. You’re going to the dance tonight?”

Armelia nodded, “It will give Father an evening off from my chattering.”

She looked from her father to Althea.

Crais shook his head, “Will you stay long enough to eat with me?”

Armelia nodded.

Crais looked at Althea, “Would you care to join us?”

Althea was surprised by the offer, “I would love to.

Armelia smiled suggestively.

The meal was mainly an exchange of information on the women’s part. Crais tried to look interested but lost the thread completely when the conversation turned to fashions and female related topics. It astonished him how Armelia adjusted so quickly to the patterns and customs after an absence of such input for nearly five cycles.

Once the meal was over Armelia excused herself to go to the dance, she could barely contain herself with anticipation.

“She’ll be fine Captain,” Althea said next to him, “She will be with others of her own age,” She had noticed his worried look and the quickening of his breath when Armelia left the inn.

“I know,” said Crais turning back to her, “It’s just that I have to get used to her… being nearly grown up.”

Althea looked at him in understanding. Some of the stories of The Dark Captain had leaked out, most of them romanticised or taken out of proportion, mainly by the ones who had been rescued.

One of the stories had been of the search for his daughter, at least that part had been true.

“She will be all right,” Althea repeated.

Crais turned his full attention on her, changing and avoiding the subject, “And what were your plans for the night?”

She was taken by surprise, “I had no real plan in mind. When I saw you enter this establishment I just wanted to talk to you. (Crais raised an eyebrow) It is not very often that a man can attract my attention. You did.”

Crais was intrigued. “Just to talk,” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered, “And maybe spend a pleasant evening with.”

Crais’ defences went up immediately, “I do not think…”

“Not that kind of pleasure,” she smiled, guessing right about his reservations, “Although the thought did cross my mind briefly.”

She leaned her elbows on the table, sank her chin in her hands and explained, “Two cycles ago I lost my Bondmate in an accident. Even though we had never been able to complete the last stage of the Bonding, the people here see it as completed. I do long for company sometimes.”

Crais could understand it now, “Then why not leave? Settle someplace else? You don’t have the bonding tattoos. Moving somewhere else might give you the opportunity to find a new Bondmate.”

“If only it were that simple,” she said offhandedly, “I have built a business here. It’s not that much but it meets my needs. To start somewhere else might not be so easy.”

“Then you will likely stay alone,” started Crais, “and for a long time. Is it worth it?”

She smiled, “I don’t know.”

Crais finished his tea, “Maybe you should try.”

He stood up from the table. She noticed that he winced with the stiffness of his leg.

“Is it bothering you?”

“Only when I stay too long in the same position.”

“Would you like to take a stroll on the promenade?”

“Wouldn’t mind if I do, I didn’t know there was one.”

“Quite pretty too,” she smiled.

Crais paid the barkeep and followed her out.

They walked at ease beside each other, not at all in a hurry. At this pace Crais’ limp was hardly noticeable. She led him down the High Street to the harbour. The promenade was no more than a small strip of an extension to the harbour head.

Nevertheless the view was nice and the walk not unpleasant.

When they came to the end and looked over the water, Althea glanced over at Crais and saw that his eyes had softened while he looked at the dying sun.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” replied Crais gently, “It has been a long time since I have seen a sunset. I had almost forgotten its beauty.”

They sat down on the bench on the harbour head, it faced out to sea.

She could hear his soft sigh of relief when they did. She looked over and noticed that he had paled. Before she could say anything he asked her, “How long have you been here?”

“You’ve noticed I am not from around here,” she was amazed.

He nodded.

She looked out to sea, “For about eight cycles now.” She looked at him, “You look like an ex-officer. Maybe you know the story. I can not tell the others here, they would not understand.”

When he stayed silent, she looked briefly out to sea before she continued, “My Bondmate was a soldier on the Mu Thaan (Crais stiffened). I see that you have at least heard of it,” she said when she saw his reaction, “Captain Crais blew up the Command Carrier by discharging StarBurst inside the Command Carrier. My Bondmate managed to escape. He decided to leave the Peacekeepers and finally settled on Tavnek, thinking that he might have a chance to leave the Peacekeepers without being noticed.

Many of the Peacekeepers who were on the Mu Thaan and managed to survive did so. He had been a conscript, you know. This was his chance to start a new life. He met me on Tavnek.”

Her voice became dreamy, “For a little over a cycle we were happy. We had completed the first stage of the bonding ceremony and had intended to complete the rest of the ceremony. He was such a kind man, not at all like how you would expect a soldier to behave.”

She looked out to sea and grew sad, “But the Peacekeepers wouldn’t leave us alone. It wasn’t as if they were looking for their missing soldiers but Radek became increasingly nervous the more of them came to the planet. That’s when we decided to move deeper into the Uncharted Territories. We landed here.”

She paused briefly, “Here nobody cares which species you are or what your previous history was. This settlement has a high concentration of Sebaceans. Therefore it was our most obvious choice. We fitted in easily and they had accepted us as Bondmates. I ran the little stall you have already seen. Radek offered his services as a ferry pilot. Life was good, until he had an accident. It was such a silly accident.”

She was in anguish and wrung her hands. The memories were still painful. Crais put his hand comfortingly on hers and she drew comfort from the small gesture. His hand was remarkably cool on hers.

She continued in a calmer tone of voice, “He had been on his way home when a Handok-handler lost control of his beast and let it gallop down the High Street. Radek couldn’t avoid it and was run down. When they brought him home he was diagnosed with a severely damaged paraphoral gland. They couldn’t find a matching tissue-sample and couldn’t treat him. It took him two days to die and in all that time he had been lucid, he knew what was going to happen. He only cared for my feelings and his last words were of love.”

She finally broke down and clasped her hands in front of her face. Big wracking sobs shook her body. Crais moved closer and drew her body close to him. He was surprised by his own actions but for now I seemed the most practical thing to do.

His warm embrace and calm breathing had a soothing effect on her. Gradually her crying subsided and she slowly sat up to dry her eyes, “I have to apologise. I am normally not this emotional. I don’t know what came over me. This is not what I had in mind for a pleasant evening.” She dabbed at her eyes, “Thank you for the comfort anyway.”

She looked at Crais and saw a calm composure only his eyes had softened. He had not said a word during the whole story.

“How about you,” she asked.

His eyes turned dark and unreadable, “I do not like to share my history.”

“Sorry,” she said, “I did not mean to pry.”

Crais looked over the expanse of water, “No need to apologise. I am not used to sharing my thoughts with others.”

“Isn’t that a lonely existence?”

“Perhaps but one grows used to it and it suits me.”

He stood up and offered her his hand, “Shall we go back?”

She took his hand and was surprised by the strength when he lifted her off the bench.

They walked back in silence and Althea wondered if that would be the end of the evening. She noticed that his limp was more visible and slowed her pace. She could not contain her curiosity, “How did you get the limp?”

“An accident. The leg didn’t mend properly.”

“Were you a Peacekeeper too, like my Radek?’

He stopped walking. She stopped and turned around to look at him.

He answered, “Yes I was, a long time ago.”

“Were you one of them who were on the Command Carrier when it was destroyed. Is that how your leg was damaged?”

“That was how my leg was damaged,” Crais admitted with a half-truth.

“But unlike Radek you never found a mate?”

“No. I found a daughter instead.”

“But never a mate?”

He shook his head.

“Because you don’t want to?”

“Not with the existence I lead.”

“But your daughter…”

“That was different.”

“Was she the one you lost for so many years and made you help free the slaves?’

‘You know about the story then?”

“Who doesn’t?”

“Then there isn’t much more to know about me.” He continued walking.

She recognised a dismissal when she heard one. Why couldn’t she just shut up? She caught up with him but he continued walking.

“Sorry if I offended you. I know you don’t want to explain yourself and you don’t have to… I mean…”

Crais stopped, “Have they ever told you about your bluntness? No, I don’t want to explain myself to you or anyone.”

“Can we start again?”

Crais sighed. He had enjoyed her company tonight, “Yes.”

She smiled at him in relief.

They had entered the heart of the town again and Crais directed his steps towards the inn. The centre was bustling with people and Crais slowed his steps, surprised by the activity. He turned to Althea, “Is it always this crowded in the evening or is this a special occasion?’

“Tomorrow is Spring Festival. Quite a number of people start celebrating early. That’s why the dance your daughter went to was on tonight.”

“Spring Festival?”

“The celebration of the renewal of life.”

Crais had heard many versions of the celebration on the different planets he had visited, including the one he was born on. He found it most apt to his own situation but something was worrying him.

She noticed his silence, “Are you all right Captain?”

He turned his concentration back on her, “Yes, I’m fine. How is it celebrated?”

“Mainly people are having a great time. Tomorrow they will choose a Spring Queen who will be queen for a whole year. They hope they will have a good harvest throughout the year if the most beautiful is chosen. Why Captain, your daughter might be the lucky girl.”

Crais’ head snapped up, “Armelia?”

“Yes, why not? She is a very pretty girl.”

“What does the Spring Queen have to do,” a feeling of dread crept into Crais.

“She will bless the harvests and…”

“She will have to be present the whole year?”

“Well… yes!”

“Where is the dance held?”

She pointed to a big building. Crais ran to it in a loping gait.

Althea ran after him, she was surprised at his speed, “Xercus…”

He ran on.

She finally caught up with him by the time they reached the building. He had to slow down to enter it.

She caught his arm, “Armelia doesn’t have to be the chosen one.”

He looked at her, he was out of breath and his face was pale with fatigue, he clutched his chest, “I cannot take the risk. We are not staying in the planet for a whole cycle.”

“But Xercus, it’s an honour…”

“I don’t care,” he shouted. He stopped, clutched his chest and closed his eyes. He was breathing deeply.

“Are you all right?” She placed a hand on his shoulder.

He nodded, “In a micron.” When he had composed himself he entered the building.

Inside they were met by a cacophony of sound and bright lights.

Crais shielded his eyes to look for Armelia. He finally spotted her at the far end of the dance floor. He limped over there, gently shoving bodies aside to reach her.

Shouts like “watch where you’re going old man” were thrown his way.

He finally reached Armelia. She turned to face him and was shocked and surprised to see him.

“We’re going home, now! Tonight!”

“But the dance…”

“Now, Armelia!”

She pouted but made ready to go. He must have a good reason.

The boy she was with didn’t take it so amicably. He positioned himself in front of Armelia and challenged Crais, “Why can’t she stay if she wants to stay?” He was almost as tall as Crais but not as broadly build.

Crais looked him calmly in the face, “Because I say so.”

“And who are you? Her father?”

“Yes,” Crais met his eyes calmly. The boy backed off.

Crais was glad for that. He wouldn’t have wanted to hurt the youngster for being impetuous.

Armelia stood next to Crais. She pouted and wasn’t very pleased that she had to leave this early.

They left the building.

“Why can’t I stay longer?”

“Because we have to be off the planet tonight.”

“Tonight? Why?”

Crais turned to Althea, “Am I right in assuming that the spaceport will be closed tomorrow?”

“Yes,” answered Althea truthfully, “From midnight tonight.”

“Come Armelia, we have to pack.”

They hastened to the hotel. Crais had finished packing before Armelia came out of her room. He had paid the bill and was now waiting for her. Althea kept him company.

“Will you be coming back?”

“Maybe after the Festival.”

“I would like to see you again. Just to talk,” she hastened to add.

“I make sure I’ll pay you a visit when I’m here.”

She nodded.

Armelia came out of her room. She was still pouting. “Do we really have to go now,” she asked in a last attempt.

“Yes.”

“But they said I could be chosen as Queen of the Spring Festival…”

“That’s why we ARE leaving. We can’t spend a whole cycle on this planet.”

“Why would we want to do that?”

Crais grew impatient with her, “That’s what you will have to do as Queen.”

“Oh,” she said demurely and then looked up sharply when his words sunk in, “Oh! No, you’re right!” She became a flurry activity, grabbed her bags and even picked up Crais’ carryall. She was out of the door like a shot.

Crais turned to Althea, “Until we meet again.”

Two days had passed since the festivities, still no word or sign of Xercus. He probably wouldn’t come.

Althea looked out over the square. Ah, well, she had a pleasant talk and walk. She shrugged her shoulder and rearranged her wares.

“How much for these,” a deep calm voice asked.

She looked up with a smile, Crais smiled back at her.

The End

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FanFiction on Captain Bialar Crais