"What are you doing?" Rasmus growled in response to her moans of mock pleasure. "That is not your entry point."

Entry point. Tausson had called it that too at first.

"The stomach is an erogenous zone for many human women," she said, biting her lip.

Squirming as if she were tingling all over, but careful to keep her knees together so she didn't give him any more of a show than she already was, she risked peeking up at him. He was watching her hand intently, as she rubbed hard circles around and in her belly button. His own hand slid to his shield and squeezed.

It's working!

Between fake gasps, she asked, "Now your -- ah! -- turn. How are you going to -- oh! -- win?"

His other hand reached out for her leg. She automatically recoiled from his touch, but recovered by saying, "No touching," with a sly smile. "That's tomorrow."

He narrowed his eyes at her, and Tierney worried that he wasn't going to hold up his end of the bargain -- fake though it may be. But then she let out a particularly effective whimper, seemingly from her heightening stimulation, and his lust clouded his judgment.

"I will spar with the zalfatum," he said, squeezing his shield again. Tierney repeated the foreign word silently in her mind, memorizing it. Then Rasmus stood and cast a dark, cruel smile on her. "But my true weapon is a secret I will share with no one."

Tierney realized too late she'd accidentally stopped rubbing herself. The predatory gleam was in his eye again as he grabbed her ankles and swiftly dragged her towards him.

"You are mine," he said, lifting her feet until they were by his shoulders. His shield pressed against her panties. "And I will touch you whenever it pleases me."

Before Tierney could think of a way to get out of this without ruining her cover, the door opened, and a figure stood in the doorway. Tierney's stomach, already churning, lurched.

"Tausson!" she whispered, too paralyzed to cry out.

Because the rest of the command crew were up on the balcony section, no one else could see Tierney and Rasmus. But Tausson's pained and confused look made it all too clear that he could.

"How dare you enter my lodge without an invitation!" Rasmus shouted. He tossed Tierney's legs aside, and she nearly rolled off the bed. Hastily she stood, desperate for Tausson to see the truth in her eyes, that she would never betray him. But she knew all he could see was her skimpy dress, and her hair, loose on her shoulders.

Rasmus charged, and Tausson, who was still glued to the doorway, didn't bother moving. The commander rammed into him, launching them both into the command center.

"Tausson!" Tierney yelled, throwing on her sweater but not bothering to button it before following them out.

The commander was on top of Tausson, beating him with his fists. Tausson offered no defense, lying limp on the grate floor. Hoff and Undir grabbed Rasmus's arms and dragged him off, but Tausson remained on the ground.

Tierney ran to kneel by his side, but First Elic beat her to it.

"Ih ka hasan?" asked Elic, a gentle hand on his chest.

He wasn't as badly injured as Tierney had feared. His lips and nose were oozing dark brown blood, but his eyes were open, if dazed.

Rasmus shouted something in Relican, and the Communications and Trajectory Officers released him, though they stayed by his side until he stormed into his room and slammed the door closed. When Tierney turned back to Tausson, his eyes were on her. The pain, accusation, and disbelief in his gaze cut through her, slicing her heart in half.

"Tausson?" she whispered, standing over him.

He winced more from the sound of her voice than from his injuries. He spoke a few words in Relican, and Elic helped him stand.

"Are you bringing him to Aspri?" Tierney asked. She needed to tell him the truth. He needed to know what she'd been doing and why, but she couldn't tell him, not here.

Neither of them answered her, so as they started for the door, she did the same.

"Sal hala," Tausson said, not looking back at her.

"Not what?" Tierney asked. "What does that mean? Tausson?"

Hoff raised a hand to stop her from following them. With a sorrowful expression, he said, "He doesn't want you with him."

Her throat tightened, and a shock of terror coursed through her. She almost called for him again but held it in, remembering Tausson's warning about showing the crew how much they truly cared for each other. So as he passed through the door of the command center, all she could do was watch.

* * *

Dressed normally again, Tierney arrived at the Medic Lab ten minutes early, hoping to get Tausson alone in the pairing room before their session, but as soon as Aspri saw her, he said, "Your mate is unable to pair today."

"Because of Rasmus?" she asked. "He didn't look like he'd been hurt that badly."

"His energies must be focused on training this close to the blood walk," the Senior Medic said. Was that a hint of malice in his eyes? Had Tausson told him what he'd seen?

Tierney left without another word and went straight to Tausson's room. "Tausson?" she called, knocking on his door and trying to appear casual for the two Relicans walking by. When they were out of sight, she tried the handle, but the door was locked.

"Tausson, I need to talk to you," she said as quietly as she could and still hope that he could hear her. "Today wasn't what it looked like. Please."

She stifled her sob at the sight of another crew member appearing, then another, each smiling at her before going into their own rooms. It was just under two hours or so before the Relicans were scheduled to sleep, and most usually spent this time in their rooms alone relaxing. Too many people were passing by for her to do more than knock a couple more times without looking suspicious. But the memory of Tausson's eyes, broken and tormented, haunted her, holding her where she was.

"Miss Dawson?" came a friendly voice.

Tierney spun around to see the Communications Officer strolling down the hall. "Hoff," she said, stepping away from Tausson's door and trying to collect herself.

He glanced at Tausson's door then back at her, his warm gaze cooling with sympathy. "Will you join me?" he asked, gesturing down the hall.

With a weak smile, she said, "I think I'm just going to go back to my room. Thanks anyway."

"May I join you, then? There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

"I don't really feel like discussing the hotline right now," she said, but Hoff shook his head.

"It's not that."

Tierney noticed the intensity in his face. What could this be about?

"Sure," she said, and he smiled, motioning for her to set the pace.

His translator matched the softness of his voice when he said, "Aspri told me about the training room."

Snapping her head up to look at him, Tierney was reassured by the lack of judgment or disapproval in his expression.

"He also told me," he continued, watching the floor ahead of them, "that you seem to have noticed the unique friendship he and I share."

The pain in his voice made Tierney briefly forget her own problems. "Yes," she said quietly. "The first time I saw you two together I could tell there was more than a simple camaraderie. I've mentioned to him that the... friendship you share is accepted and considered normal by most humans."

"But not for Relicans," he muttered, the sadness in his voice belying his smile as he waved at a group of crew members down an intersecting hall.

"Well you've nothing to fear from me on that front," Tierney assured him. "I tried to tell Aspri as much, without revealing you both to Tausson."

"Squad," he said with a soft laugh. "That's the only reason he didn't report you. He was afraid you'd change your mind if you were accused."

"Is that why he paired me and Tausson?" she asked. "Because he thought I was trying to blackmail him?"

Casting a quick glance her way, Hoff said, "No, that was my idea."

That made far more sense. Aspri may have kept his mouth shut to ensure Tierney did the same, but it was Hoff's generosity of spirit that had brought her and Tausson together.

"We've known for a long time that what we share is... special," he continued, "but it wasn't until we began studying humanity that we understood we could be more." Casting a solemn gaze down on her, he said, "For that, you and your people deserve every kindness I can offer."

"Thank you," she whispered, blinking back tears, "although I'm afraid your kindness may have been for nothing. I did something today that I thought would help, and it still could, but Tausson thinks the worst of me now. He made Aspri cancel our pairings until the blood walk, and he won't even open his door so I can explain."

Hoff didn't reply, and they were each left to their own thoughts the rest of the way to her room. When they arrived, she turned to thank him, but before she could speak, he asked, "May I enter?"

Although she couldn't think of a reason he'd want to come in, she couldn't think of a reason not to let him either, so she nodded and walked in. Hoff closed the door behind him and asked, "You wish to see Tausson?"

"Yes, but he won't see me."

"There is a way, but it's risky, and endangers both our lives." His grim expression told her he wasn't exaggerating.

"What is it?"

"We could convey into his room using my mechasuit."

"Tausson said the accuracy of small jumps wasn't very good," she said.

"Correct," Hoff said with a nod. "It's not allowed because of the danger. We may materialize in another lodge, or halfway through a wall."

Tierney grimaced, wishing she'd been spared that mental image. "But you think it could work?"

"There's an eighty percent chance that we will be successful."

That was better than what she'd been fearing, but still -- a twenty percent chance of being split in two by a steel wall was far too big for her taste.

But she had to tell Tausson what she'd learned. If nothing else, he had to know which weapon Rasmus was going to use, so he could be as prepared as Rasmus was.

"You're willing to do this, for me?" she asked.

"For love," he said, without a drop of sarcasm or mockery.

She smiled, and risked a question. "What do you see in Aspri? He's so cold and unfriendly, while you're... completely the opposite."

Luckily he didn't take offense, and with a growing smile and brightening eyes, he said, "There is an old saying on Relica: The dullest rock holds the brightest gem." He motioned for her to come close. "Time to risk everything."

Tierney put her arms around him, praying that this was the right thing to do. Hoff entered the coordinates in his mechasuit, and held her tightly to him. As the world dissolved around her, Hoff's words echoed in her ears.

For love.

* * *

Slowly Tierney became aware of herself again. She felt no pain, which was a good sign, but had they made it to their destination? Or were they materializing in front of Tausson's neighbor?

Her body solidified. She felt the floor beneath her feet, and Hoff's body against hers.

"Tierney?"

Tausson! But she couldn't speak yet.

"Hoff?"

Her eyes fluttered open, and Tausson stood a few feet away, staring at them in shock. Hoff let her go, and she took a step towards him before being stopped cold by his anger.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded. "How could you do this, knowing the risks? You both could have been killed." He sounded like he was dressing down one of his crew.

"I need to talk to you," said Tierney. "You wouldn't let me in."

"That is my right," he said, going to the door and opening it. "Leave."

Hoff moved to the exit, but before leaving, he looked Tausson straight in the eye and said, "She has the right to speak, also."

Tausson frowned.

"Thank you, Hoff," said Tierney. The Communications Officer nodded to her and left. Tausson held the door open, waiting for her.

"I need to tell you --" she began, but Tausson interrupted her.

"Leave," he said, his eyes skirting past her and settling on the wall.

"It wasn't what you think," she said. "I was --"

"Leave!" he snapped, though he kept his voice down so no one walking by would hear.

"You have to listen to me!" she said, tears threatening to break forth. "If you love me, you'll listen."

He met her eyes, and for a moment she saw the man she loved. But then his face hardened, and Tierney's heart, already broken, began to crumble.

"I didn't even know what love was before you," he muttered. "Now I --" Voices in the corridor made him close the door, but he stayed where he was. "Now I can't even look at you. All I see is..." He trailed off in disgust, and Tierney saw it too: her on the bed, hip to hip with Rasmus, her hand so close to her crotch that it looked like she was massaging herself, a smile on her face. "How far would you have gone, if they hadn't told me to enter the lodge?"

"It was pretend," she said, wiping stray tears. "It was the only way to find out. I tried searching his room when he wasn't there, but all I found were clothes, some vitamins, and --"

"Does violation of privacy come so easy to all humans, or just you?" he demanded. "First the lodge of the Relican Squad Commander, then my room? What next? Chief Raleth's personal files?"

"I was trying to figure out which weapon he had selected," Tierney insisted. "I couldn't figure it out then, but I got him to tell me -- it's the zalfatum."

Tausson's already burning anger flamed even hotter. "I told you I must not know!" he said, balling his hands into fists. "Now I am in breach of the blood walk."

"But Rasmus already knew you're using your sword. He said that wasn't his only weapon though, that it was --"

"I don't care what he knew!" shouted Tausson. "I am better than him!"

Tierney responded with her own anger. "Well this isn't just about you," she snapped. "Last night he brought me into the assembly and was raving like a lunatic about how this ship is his and soon I'm going to be his too. He nearly threw me off the catwalk! And then today he didn't even remember it. He's deranged. He can't be allowed to command this ship. You have to win -- not just for your sake, but for everyone on the Irral, and everyone on the cart too."

Tausson began pacing the room. "You went against my explicit instructions to keep out of this. I cannot stand for that."

"I'm not your subordinate, I'm your..." But what was she to him, really? Not wife. Girlfriend hardly seemed appropriate. Mate just sounded wrong. Lover?

"We're equals," she finally said. "You don't get to order me around."

"I shouldn't have to order you not to surrender your body to my opponent," he said.

"I was just about to leave. I would have screamed for help if he tried to stop me. I couldn't think of a better way to distract him enough so he'd tell me."

"The man is little better than an animal when it comes to his urges. Even if it was a ruse --"

"Which it was," Tierney interjected.

"-- it seems a cruel one," Tausson finished.

"He holds no such sympathy for you. He thinks you've been handed the world on a platter just because of your lineage. He's mad with jealousy and obsessed with taking you down."

Tausson stopped pacing and stared at her. At first Tierney was grateful for his gaze, but soon his nose wrinkled in repugnance, and his beautiful eyes turned icy cold. "I asked you to stay out of it," he said, his voice deadly calm, "and you did not. You taught me the value of devoting yourself only to one, yet you offered yourself to another -- genuine or not, Rasmus would have found a way to make you follow through. We both know that."

He was back by the door, and he reached for the handle. "My life was simpler before you were in it," he said, opening the door, "I wish for that simplicity again. Now leave."

The gravity of his statement froze Tierney's heart. "But --" she whispered.

"Go!" he shouted. Without waiting for her to obey, he grabbed her arm and pushed her into the hallway, slamming the door behind her.