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Date: Sun, 06 Jun 2004 23:26:41 -0400
Subject: [ASC] NEW TOS: The Lost Years: Dirty Secrets 2/3 [PG-13] Slayer Series
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Posted: 5 Jun 2004 19:43:03 -0700  
In: alt.startrek.creative 
From: djinn@djinnslair.com (Djinn) 
 

TITLE: The Lost Years: Dirty Secrets (Slayer Series)
AUTHOR: Djinn
CONTACT: djinn@djinnslair.com http://www.djinnslair.com
SERIES: TOS
RATING: PG-13
CODES: Ch, K, U, Others
PART: 2/3
SUMMARY: The eighth in the Lost Years series.



Christine barreled out of the restaurant, could feel Jim close behind
her.

"Chris.  You need to calm down."

"You don't know what's at stake."  She spun on him.

"How can I?  Neither of you have told me a thing."  He touched her
arm.  "And you don't have to now.  But just calm down and think
rationally before you go charging off."

She sighed.  He was right.  She took a deep breath, then another.

"Better?"

She nodded.  

"You hate to see suffering.  I understand that.  But she's safe for
now.  What are you going to do?"

"I need to talk to LaVelle.  I can't just hand over the keys to
Kirsu."  She fiddled with the necklace.

He gently pulled her hand away.   She realized what she had been doing
and made a face.

"No harm, no foul."  He grinned.  "Just looks a bit odd, playing with
nothing."  He started off, heading for the waterfront.  "I presume
we're bound for Tolvar's?"

"Yes."

He reached down for her hand, squeezed it gently.  "We can't give in
to emotion.  Not where he's concerned.  He'll read us too easily if we
don't keep our cool.  Okay?"

She nodded.  "You're better at that then I am.  I tend to prefer
opening a can of whup ass to keeping my cool."

He laughed.  "I haven't heard that expression for years."

She smiled.  Looked down at their joined hands and sighed.  Soon this
would be over.  This touching, the sharing.  Too soon.

"Chris.  Ow."

She realized she was squeezing his hand really hard.  She let go.

He laughed ruefully as he rubbed at his hand.  At her guilty look, he
said, "No broken bones.  Don't worry."  He grinned.  "But now I know
how poor Carol felt."

She laughed.  "She had it coming."  

"I'm not sure she did.  I make her nervous and angry.  Just seeing me
now seems to set her off."

"Well, she needs to get over it."  She didn't want to talk about
Carol.  She hadn't liked the way the other woman had looked at Jim. 
Yes, Carol been mad once Christine had appeared.  But before?  The
look she'd seen on Carol's face hadn't looked like anger, so much as
interest, and Christine had felt a brief moment of panic--the woman
had a history with Jim that she could never share.  When Christine had
gone in all macho slayer and terrorized Carol and her hand, she'd been
acting more territorial than Jim seemed to realize.

Which was fine with her.   He didn't need to know.  She pushed Carol
Marcus out of her mind and hurried through the small crowd to Tolvar's
booth.

It hadn't been easy telling him of Emma's sickness, but he'd nodded
sadly, as if he had known it all along.  And maybe he had, being
psychic or so his sign claimed.   He had spent a great deal of time
with Emma during her last weeks, and it had been clear that he cared
for her deeply.

He looked up as they walked up.  "Christine."  He smiled at Kirk. 
"And Admiral."

"It's just Jim here."

Tolvar looked pleased.  "Jim."

Christine smiled.  "I need to make a call again if you don't mind."

He dug into his pocket, tossed her the keys.  "Take your time."  He
gestured for Jim to sit.  "I'll tell your fortune."

Jim shook his head.  "Thanks but no."

"You don't want to know what your future holds?"

Jim looked positively mournful as he said, "No."

Tolvar shrugged.  "Suit yourself."

Christine headed for the storeroom, opening the door and locking it
behind her.  The portal was getting easier to call.  She'd had no
trouble with it the last time, when she'd taken LaVelle's dress back.

The brightness of the Kirsu sun was a shock after the cool darkness of
San Francisco.  Two slayers were sitting on the steps talking when
Christine stepped out of the portal.  One of them ran inside, came
back out followed by LaVelle.

"I need to talk to you," Christine said.

"Well, come in then."

Christine shook her head.  "Can we walk?  I need to talk to you
alone."

LaVelle walked over to her.  "All right."

They moved away from the house.  The day...or night--Christine wasn't
completely sure what time it was in Kirsu--was warm with a light
breeze.

"Is it always like this?  Pleasant.  Sunny."

LaVelle nodded.

"How big is Kirsu?"

"Why?  Are you thinking of relocating?"

Christine shot her a look.  "No, I want to put in vacation rentals."

LaVelle didn't laugh.  

"I know some people who need to get off Earth."

"What kind of people?"

"Well, they're humans," Christine said.  "Most of the time."

"And what are they the rest of the time?"

"Werewolves."  Christine turned to see LaVelle's expression.

It was not a agreeable one.

"How many of these mostly human people are you talking about?"

Christine swallowed.  "I'm not entirely sure.  I think it would be
much like with you and the slayers.  When a new one was found..."

"So potentially a lot."

Christine nodded.  '"Yes.  A lot."  She held out a hand to stop
LaVelle's answer.  "But they won't change into werewolves here. 
They'd be human the entire time."

LaVelle shook her head.  "Why do they need to come here?  Can't they
find somebody else's dimension?"

"Why should they?  If it's a whole dimension, surely there's room to
share?"

LaVelle took Christine by the arm and turned her.  "What do you see?"

Christine studied the landscape in front of her.  "The house.  The
sky.  Grass."  She sniffed.  "I can smell the sea."

"Yes.  I can too.  I've never seen it."  She pulled Christine back
around.  "Run with me."

She took off, heading away from the house, loping easily through the
grass, her long strides eating up ground.  Christine followed her, her
boots not the best for running but serviceable.  It felt great to open
up, to try to catch LaVelle.  They ran for a long time.

LaVelle turned her around.  "What do you see?"

The house was still in sight.  As big as when they'd started running.

"We don't understand it yet," LaVelle said softly.  "We think that it
opens up.  That the more space we need, the more we get.  But at the
same time there is no space.  We can run and run...all day, if we
want.  And when we turn around, the house will always be there."

"I didn't know."

LaVelle laughed.  "Neither did we.  We'd been fighting Anacost.  For
as long as I can remember, that was our life.  We didn't have time to
worry about how much space there was here or what Kirsu was really
like.  Now, we do.  And a lot of us have gone exploring.  But we never
seem to get very far."

Christine looked down.

"I can't tell you that we'll live cheek to jowl with a bunch of
werewolves when I'm not even sure yet that there's room for all of us.
 We're crowded in, Christine.  We're going to try to build some new
houses.  Explore this place--if that's possible."

Christine looked around.  "You've never seen the sea?"

"No.  The smell's there.  Sometimes so strong it makes me crazy with
the need to find it.  To see the water again, to splash in it, maybe
swim.  But I can't get to it."  LaVelle sighed.  "I'm sorry I can't
tell you yes."

"Well, not yet is better than no."

"I think that might depend on your perspective."  LaVelle sat down on
a large rock, her back to the house.  "And from the sound of it, these
people you know are in a rush to get here?"

Christine sighed.  How was she going to tell Lori that she'd have to
wait?  "You're not wrong."  She sat down in the grass.  "They'll just
have to wait.  Or find another solution to their problem."

LaVelle studied her.  "I thought you'd argue with me."

Christine shook her head.  "Your way of illustrating the problem was
quite dramatic.  This world may be smaller than any of us realize."

"I know.  It scares me."

Christine looked at her, startled to hear LaVelle admit that.

The other slayer met her gaze.  "Before we met Anacost for the last
time, it was starting to get crowded.  But then we lost so many in
that battle and it bought us time."  She looked down.  "There's water
here to drink, and we grow some food.  But we bring most of it in,
even after all these years.  Marion and I provision the others.  We
leave and go to worlds where no one questions who we are.  Hit their
markets.  Shop."

"I wondered where you got the clothes.  That was a nice dress."

LaVelle nodded.  Then she looked at Christine guiltily.  "Haven't you
wondered where we got the money?"  She made a face.  "We relieve
not-so-nice people of their wealth."

"You steal it?"

"They stole it first.  Or made it through doing bad things."  LaVelle
smiled, as if mocking her own simplistic terms.

"You have to survive.  It's not like the watchers pay us."  Christine
shook her head, remembering David's words on that score.

"No, it's not."  LaVelle sighed.  "And we'll need even more if we have
to start looking for another home for most of the girls.  I'm afraid
that Kirsu may turn out to be only a place to rest in between dying
and starting a new life.  Or a place to launch the next battle from. 
There will no doubt be someone who rises to take Anacost's place."

"Do you want me to keep an eye out for a nice place?"

LaVelle shot her a confused look.  "We don't want to go back to
Earth."

Christine shook her head.  "I mean a nice planet.  I'm shipping out
again.  On the Enterprise.  The ship I was on before."

"Is the annoying Kirk man going with you?"

Christine laughed.  "Most people just call him Admiral.  Or Jim."  She
looked down.  Sighed.  "And no.  He's not coming."

"So the other one will be there?  Spock?"

"No.  He's gone.  For good."

LaVelle shot her an amazed look.  "You mean you're going on your own? 
No man?"

Christine made an exasperated sound.  "I spent many years of my first
tour on the Enterprise alone.  Without a man."

"No, you didn't.  You were looking for that watcher of yours.  You may
not have been with him, but you were still tied to him."

Christine sighed.  "Someone far cleverer than you already covered this
ground."  She felt a pang, sent a silent apology to Emma for speaking
so cavalierly of her.

"Right.  And besides.  What do I care?  We're not friends."  LaVelle
laughed.

"We're not, are we?"

LaVelle shook her head.  

"Do you think we could be?"  Christine smiled.  "You did loan me your
dress."

"And had it fumigated when you brought it back."

"Right."  Christine smiled.  "It doesn't matter if we're friends or
not.  We're of an age.  And we're slayers.  That's all that matters." 
She pushed herself to her feet.  "I'll show myself out."

LaVelle didn't say anything.  Just sat on her rock, staring out to the
distant, possibly unreachable, sea.

-----------------------------

Kirk was running out of things to talk about with Tolvar.  They could
only go on about what a great guy Weasel was for so long.  He looked
over at the storeroom, wondered what was keeping Chris.

"She's fine."  Tolvar seemed to read his mind.  "Inter-dimensional
calls can be a bit tricky."

"I know."   Kirk felt restless and began to pace.  He was full of
pent-up energy that was just itching to go somewhere, preferably in
Nogura's direction to make the man pay.  It had been a shock to see
Lori in such a bad state.  A shock...and sobering.  She was so
strong--stronger than he was by a long shot.  If she couldn't keep
Nogura's magic away, what chance did he stand if his boss ever decided
to go after him for real and not just with a little coercion spell?

Tolvar looked up from the table.  "You sure you don't want your
fortune read?"

"I'm sure."  

"Then sit down.  You're making me nervous.  And I doubt I'll get any
other customers tonight."

Kirk sat, but the restlessness persisted.  He jiggled his leg, the
vibration making everything on Tolvar's little table shake.

"Anxious?" Tolvar asked.

"Antsy."

"Ah."  He smiled. 

"What?"

"Well, it's just semantics, isn't it?"  Tolvar smiled again.  "Antsy
being less pejorative than anxious.  Less unmanly?"

Kirk shrugged.  "Words are tricky."

"Yes, they are."  Tolvar didn't press any further.  A few moments
later, he asked, "You went to Emma's funeral?"

"Yeah."

"Was it nice?"  Tolvar made a face.  "Well, it was a watcher event, so
nice probably doesn't apply.  Did they honor her?"

"Some did."  Kirk shook his head.  

"They were not welcoming to you?"

Kirk laughed bitterly.  "Let's just say that Chris isn't one of the
finalists in the slayer popularity contest."

"No.  I don't imagine she is.  It's one of the reasons I like her so
much."  Tolvar sat back.  "Isn't her energy remarkable?"

Kirk could feel his eyebrows heading skyward.

Tolvar laughed.  "Oh, I didn't mean it that way.  I've only tasted it
from a distance."

Kirk grinned, a little sheepishly.  "Oh."  

"You, on the other hand..."

Kirk shot him a look.

Tolvar held up a hand.  "I know, I know.  I'm a terrible gossip."  

He seemed about to say more, but the door to the storeroom opened, and
Chris came out.  She did not look happy.

"Not a pleasant call?" Tolvar asked.

"Not the result I'd hoped for."  She didn't look like she was
relishing telling Lori.

Kirk got up.  "We should go?"

She nodded, tossed the key back to Tolvar.  "Thanks.  I hate to abuse
your hospitality and run but..."

He nodded.  Waved them away.  "Go.  You're in a hurry, I can tell."

She walked quickly away from the pier, not talking for a few minutes. 
Finally, she turned to him.  "As dimensions go, Kirsu may not be much
of one.  It's possible it's too small to support even the slayers."

He took that in.  "How long before LaVelle knows more?"

Chris just shook her head.  

He rubbed at his eyes.  "Lori needs our help now."

"I know that, Jim.  But Kirsu isn't the way.  There must be another
answer."

They walked in silence, then he had a thought, touched her arm to get
her to slow down.  "Didn't Weasel say the motel was a dimensional way
station?"

She began to smile.  "I think he did."  

"Then maybe he can help?"

She nodded, looking a bit happier.  "Maybe he can."

The restaurant came into sight.  There were, if possible, even more
werewolves crowding in.  Kirk could feel the strangeness of being in
such a shielded place warring with the overwhelming energy of that
many werewolves so close to him.  His body went into high alert.

Chris headed downstairs and he followed her.  

Lori was still at the table, slumped over it.  If anything, she looked
grayer.  She looked up at them, her expression one of cautious hope. 
"Well?"

Chris looked down.

One of the men at her table slammed his hand down.  "Did you even try?
 Or don't we matter to you?"

Chris looked up, her eyes full of regret.  "You do matter. But Kirsu
isn't what you think.  It's limited.  Possibly incredibly so.  Until
the slayers can survey it, see how much room there is..."

"And how long will that take?" Lori asked.  Her voice was low, angry.

"I don't know.  But long enough to make it no longer an option."

"Then what?  We just sit here and wait for Nogura to find us?"

"We have another idea," Kirk said softly.  All eyes turned to him. 
"We need to check it out first.  But if we could get you to another
dimension...?"

Lori closed her eyes.  Shaking her head, she said, "You don't know
what you're saying.  We don't know what kind of dimension we might end
up in.  It might be a worse hell than this...than the pens."

"That's why we have to check it out," Chris said.

"We're nearly out of time," Lori said.  "We can't afford to waste
what's left."  She forced herself to her feet.  "I need to talk to the
slayers in Kirsu."

"That's impossible," Chris said.

Lori walked toward her; every step seemed an enormous effort.  "I must
talk to them.  If they see, if they understand...just get me there,
and I'll do the rest."

She was standing very close--too close--to Chris.  Her eyes were wild,
frantic.

"No.  I'm sorry." Chris stood her ground, didn't budge.

A surge of anger flitted across Lori's face, then she clamped down on
it.  "Of course.  You have to protect them.  You're a slayer...one of
them."  She turned away, walked back to the table as if she was a
hundred years old.  "Go away then.  You can't help us."

"Let us check out this other solution," Chris said.  "Please."

"Fine.  If it makes you feel better, go ahead."  Lori's voice left no
doubt that she didn't feel any better for the suggestion.

"I'm sorry."  Chris shook her head.  "I wanted it to work out for
you."

"I'm sorry too, Christine."  Lori held her eyes, there seemed to be
something dark in her expression.  Then it was gone.   She sighed and
looked away.  "I'm tired.  Go away."

A low growl started in the room; it became louder as more voices took
it up.

Chris motioned for him to go; she took the rear, following him up the
stairs.

The upstairs room was filled with the sound of growling too.  The low
tone seemed to pass right through his bones, straight into his heart
and stomach and soul.

He and Chris had failed them, the growl seemed to say.  They had
failed them utterly.

------------------------

Christine slowed once they were well clear of the restaurant and all
those accusing faces.  She wasn't in any rush to hear Weasel tell them
he couldn't help--bad news seemed to be the only thing they were
getting.

She looked over at Jim.  He looked as dejected as she felt.  And he
didn't even know the full story.  It was just so much in his nature to
help, to want to make a difference.  Even for a bunch of werewolves.

He glanced at her, gave her a sad smile.  She reached out, and he took
her hand.

"Maybe Weasel will have better news than LaVelle did," she said,
trying to sound hopeful.  Although Lori hadn't seemed very thrilled
with their alternate solution.

"Maybe," he said softly.

They passed the cemetery and she looked through the iron fence,
remembering all the times she'd patrolled it with David shadowing her.
 She missed him.  She'd been willing to destroy him, but she still
missed him.

Jim squeezed her hand.  She smiled, looked over at him.  His own smile
was sad.  He knew.  He always seemed to know what she was thinking.

"Help.  Please help."

Christine whirled, pulling Jim with her.  A young woman was running
out of the bushes from the center of the cemetery.

"Please wait," she said, running straight for them.  

Christine and Jim both hurried to meet her.

"Oh my god.  It was horrible.  It was clawing itself out of the
ground...out of a grave."  She sobbed, short of breath and obviously
scared out of her wits.  She looked at Christine.  "Its face was
all--"

"--Bumpy?"  Christine was surprised there were any vampires left in
San Francisco.  She turned to Jim.  "Go on.  I'll catch up."

"Be careful," he said.

"You too."  She turned back to the woman.  "Where was the grave?"

The woman pointed back the way she had come.  "Near the big mausoleum.
 Just behind it.  I was cutting through the cemetery on my way home. 
It knocks ten minutes off my walk."

"Don't do it again."  Christine studied the woman, remembering how
David had met her the first time in much this way, pretending to be
there innocently.  She drew out her cross, held it against the woman's
arm.

The woman stared down at the cross.  "Is that to bless me or
something?"

"Something like that.  Now go, get out of here.  And don't cut through
the cemeteries, okay?"

"Not a problem."  The woman looked at her curiously.  "But what are
you going to do?"

"What I always do."  Christine laughed bitterly.  "Don't worry.  Just
get home safe."  She turned away from the woman, headed into the heart
of the cemetery.

She reached the mausoleum quickly, walked around but didn't see any
disturbed graves.  She started another pass, figured she must have
missed it.

As she came around the back of the mausoleum, she heard a strange pop,
then felt a sting in her neck.  She reached down, felt cold metal, and
pulled out a dart.  She stared at it, confused.  "What the hell?"

She turned.  Too fast, much too fast.  She nearly fell as her head
started to spin.  She felt her legs begin to tremble, her arms
tingled, as if they'd fallen asleep.

And it was hard to breathe.

"I'm sorry."  Lori walked out of the bushes.  

She looked different somehow, but Christine was having trouble
focusing on her.

Lori moved closer, held up a small weapon.  "Don't try to fight it,
Christine.  You can't.  It's a very fast-acting nerve agent.  It's
paralyzing but not fatal.  You'll lose control of your limbs soon, so
you might want to sit down before you fall down."

Christine could feel her legs about to give out.  She sat, heavily and
gracelessly.  She tried to catch herself with her arms, felt the
muscles screaming as they gave out and she fell to her side in the
grass.  "Why?"

Lori walked over to her.  "I don't have any choice anymore.  I was
hoping you could get me Kirsu.  But you didn't come through."  She
knelt down, stroked Christine's hair.  "I wish it didn't have to be
this way.  I do like you."

"Be what way?"  Christine couldn't move but she could still
talk...with effort.  "Jim...Jim's going to get help for you.  We'll
find another way.  Whatever you think you're doing, you don't need
to."

Lori leaned down, sniffed along her neck.  "I would have liked to have
gotten to know you better."  She laid her lips on Christine's neck,
not a kiss as much as a nuzzle.  One animal to another.

Or predator to prey?  Christine tried to move.  Couldn't.  "I don't
understand."

"I know."  Lori drew away.  "I need Kirsu.  Another dimension just
won't work for me.  And I'm out of time.  You let me down, Christine. 
 I was counting on you, and you didn't deliver.  Now, I have to look
out for my people.  I don't have a choice."

"So you kill me?"

"Not me.  Him."  Lori moved Christine's head so she could see the
vampire moving across the lawn.

"Where...there was no grave."

"No.  There wasn't.  She was one of mine, dear."  Lori stood up.  "I
made a deal with this nice vampire.  He's going to kill you slowly so
the slayers in Kirsu will have plenty of notice that you need help.  I
expect them to come rushing in very soon."

Christine felt her stomach sink.  "Lori, no.  It won't work.  Not if
you're here."

"Oh, I plan to hide.  And once they're busy with you, I can borrow
their means of travel and go to Kirsu.  Once I'm there, I can bring my
own to join me.  I'm out of other options, Christine.  One way or
another, you'll deliver Kirsu to me."

Christine waited, but Lori seemed to have moved away.  Then she heard
her footsteps on the path.

"Slowly."  Lori's voice was neutral, as if she was ordering a junior
officer to take a reading or run a diagnostic.  "Remember, she can't
fight you."

"She's really a slayer?"

"You're not seeing her at her best.  Believe me, if she was feeling
better, she'd kick your ass."

Christine tried to send a silent message to LaVelle, and to Marion. 
Don't come.  It's a trap.

The vampire picked her up; she hung helplessly from his grip.  He
tightened his hold on her neck, cutting off her air.  She tried to
kick; her legs didn't even move.

He laughed and punched her in the stomach hard.  Her middle erupted in
pain.  She tried to punch him back, couldn't get her arm to even
twitch, much less strike.

He kicked her away from him, and she landed on a gravestone, her back
wrenching.  He stalked over and dragged her off the marker, shaking
her as he pulled her up.

"If it were going to be quick, I'd rip your throat out here and now." 
He opened his mouth, horrible teeth coming closer and closer.  "But
she said to make it slow.  So your neck is off limits."  He bit down
hard on her shoulder, tearing away a chunk of skin.  Then he drank.

Pain shot through her.  This was nothing like David's bite.

She heard a whimper, realized it was coming from her.

This was how she would die?

"What the hell is going on?"  The voice was commanding, but she
couldn't place it.

The vampire looked irritated that anyone would interrupt his fun.  He
turned, and she could see who was standing on the walk watching them.

Nogura.  

He lifted his hand, muttered something, and the vampire's shirt caught
on fire.  He let go of Christine and dropped to the ground, rolling,
putting out the flames.  She landed on her side, tried to crawl,
couldn't even inch away.

She heard Nogura murmur something, and she suddenly felt as if she was
in an isolation tank.  The air felt funny, and the normal sounds of
the night seemed muffled.  And when the vampire reached for her, his
hand was repelled, as if by a forcefield.

"Lori," Nogura said loudly.  "I know you're here."

There was no answer.

"She has darts," Christine managed to say.

"It doesn't matter."  He walked over to her.

She heard the vampire charge, could only see his feet as he ran past
her.  There was a moment's struggle, then she heard a scream and the
familiar sound of an undead body turning to dust.

Nogura knelt down next to her.  "She was trying to call the slayers,
wasn't she?"

Christine didn't answer.  Hoped he'd think she was out of strength. 

"It was a good idea.  Except for the fact that they aren't here."  He
muttered something that sounded like Latin, and the air returned to
normal around her.

She tried to take a deep breath, felt as if her lungs were tightening
up.

"If I have an emergency medkit beamed to me, can I reverse the drug's
effects?"

"I don't think so.  But a toxicology kit might work."

She heard him open his communicator, there was the whine of connection
and then he was ordering both kits from someone named Ellie.  He left
the communicator open, set it down just to his side.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Why wouldn't I help you?"  He pulled her shirt away from her torn
shoulder.  "This has to hurt."

She didn't answer.

"I know you don't trust me, Lieutenant."  He set his hand over her
torn skin.

If she could have pulled away from him, she would have.  But she was
frozen, at his mercy.  As long as he didn't touch the necklace, she'd
be okay.  Fortunately it was hanging down, away from the shoulder that
had been bitten, away from him.

"Just relax.  I'm not going to hurt you."  He pressed down.

She felt as if he'd shot her full of anesthetic, the pain fled under
his touch.  "What are you doing?"

"Fixing your shoulder.  You're bleeding badly."

"Why?"

"Why am I helping you?"

She tried to nod, couldn't.  "Yes."

"Starfleet's made an investment in you, Doctor.  It wouldn't do to let
you die before we get any value back.  And I could hardly let you
bleed to death out here."  He let go of her shoulder.  "There, that's
better."

His communicator beeped, and then the medkits materialized next to it.
 She saw him open one, his large hands digging through the kit.  "What
am I looking for?"

She tried to think.  Lori had said nerve agent.  "Load the hypospray
with the canister that has orange stripes on the casing."

He did it.  "On the neck?"

"No," she said quickly, afraid again for the necklace.  "My arm."  

He pulled her sleeve up, injected her, then put the hypo back in the
bag.

A wave of pain roared up her spine.  She'd hit the gravestone at an
odd angle, and so hard.  Could her back be broken?  She couldn't
afford to let Nogura check her out with the scanner.  Not while she
had the necklace on.  She could scan herself once her arms and legs
were working again.

The pain came again.  There were other meds in the kit.  It would be
easy to tell him which one to load up, easy for him to give her some
relief.  But an analgesic might mask the feelings of the nerve agent
rubbing off.  And she had to keep her head around him--drugged she'd
be far more vulnerable to his magic.

She was a slayer.  She'd heal fast.  She could live with the pain.

"How long will it take to wear off?" Nogura asked.

"I don't know if it even will work."

"If it doesn't, we'll have to get you back to Starfleet Medical.  I'd
rather it worked."

"Hate to take time from the hunt?"  She wasn't sure why she was
baiting him.  Maybe it was because she was feeling helpless--it made
her damned cranky.

"Actually, I think it's time you and I and Jim talked.  And he'll
listen to me better if you're along.  And I'm a bit old to be carrying
women through the streets of our fair city."

"You don't have to carry me.  Or are you out of transporter credits?"

He laughed.  It was a surprisingly normal laugh.  "No.  I just prefer
to leave no trace of where we're going.  I assume Jim is with his
sensei?"

She decided not to answer.  

He sat down next to her.  "Do you have any idea where Lori went?"

She stayed silent.

"She tried to kill you.  Why are you protecting her?"

"She's desperate."

"Yes.  I imagine she is."  His voice dropped dangerously.  "Where is
she, Lieutenant Chapel?"

"I wouldn't know, sir."

He sighed.  "This is why the three of us need to talk."

"Talk won't change anything."  She groaned as her back spasmed again.

"You are in pain."  He reached for her.

"Don't touch me."

He pulled his hand back.

She felt her legs begin to tingle, tried to move her foot and was
gratified when it jerked just slightly.  She reached with her hand,
felt a finger move.

"It's working?" he asked.  He actually sounded relieved.

"Seems to be."

"Then we wait until you can walk again."  He settled down next to her.
 "Have you ever heard the story of Sachiko Nogura, Lieutenant?"

She nodded, was surprised when her head actually moved a tiny bit.  

"It's an interesting tale even the second time.  And maybe you heard a
different version?  I'll tell you mine while we wait."

Christine felt her hand twitch, moved her thumb and wiggled her
fingers.  She wasn't going to die.  Or be paralyzed forever.  She
closed her eyes, waiting for her body to come back to life.

And as she did, her body's resurrection was accompanied by the curious
sound of an Admiral recounting slayer lore.  His version wasn't all
that different than the story Emma had told her.

She wished her watcher were here now.  Not this Admiral she would
never, ever trust.

Even if he had just saved her life.


End part 2 of 3

--
Forwarded to ASCL by:
Stephen Ratliff
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