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Aristian Holiday	By : amandatrue Category: +. to F > Ai no Kusabi Views: 5131 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Ai no Kusabi, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
- 16
Aristian Holiday Chapter 15: Jupiter's Secret

Raoul takes matters into his own hands; Riki gives the gift of a
pleasant night's rest; Jupiter speaks to Iason and Riki.

*~*~*

Raoul sat quietly in the shuttle lost in thought, there were
several things that bothered him about his interrogation of Asral,
and the moody Blondie had a nagging suspicion that there were forces
beyond the Elders, working against him and the mission. Asral knew
who he was, knew Iason’s bodyguards by name, and yes, even knew
about Riki’s identity just by the way he transformed.

He was certain no one has ever seen an Ancient in their
lifetime, never-the-less, Asral knew of him. What was more
disturbing, was the fact that he was part of a group of mercenaries
responsible for the grave robbing that has plagued Jupiter and the
Firm for centuries. He did agree with the comment made by Asral
regarding the Ancients as Gods and men as ants. Clearly, they
were more powerful, intelligent and dangerous. But Raoul was one of
these reanimated Ancients, although he did not possess the inner
powers Iason and Riki had; if he did possess them, he wouldn’t
know it- Jupiter had suppressed Iason and Riki’s memories, is
it possible, that there were other Ancients walking the
surface of Amoi who weren’t aware of their circumstances?

It was indeed a heavy subject to ponder on.

He looked at his team, every member of the Firm was hand picked by
Sir Hector Stone and Sir Luis. Their faces reflected pride and
reverence towards Riki; in fact- they couldn’t wait to see him
this morning after they were briefed as to Riki’s identity. A
sharp contrast to his team of Elite Special Forces; hand picked by
Jupiter for their skills, strength and intelligence. But that lacked
one crucial element- respect.

They were arrogant, selfish and condescending- very much like he
himself was, before he learned to respect Riki. While he was a
mongrel, Riki had proved loyal and brave when it came to Iason, a
Blondie Elite who took him as a “Pet.” But they became
more, and now this once exotic Pet, has become a man truly worthy of
respect, honor and yes Riki was still loyal to Iason- to a fault.

Raoul watched the eyes of his fellow Elite, they were uneasy
around Riki, perhaps they felt inferior to him. After all, in
their eyes he was still a mongrel, fit for nothing but sport on a
boring night; they couldn’t get their highly intelligent brain
pans around the fact that Riki was beyond their comprehension.
Raoul noticed the stares they gave Riki, but one caught his
attention. It wasn’t that he was looking at Riki, it was the
fact that he was looking- at Asral.

Lord Saber sat across Asral, and glared at the man as if he had
kicked his dog. Lord Saber and his fellow team members, Lord Leonard
and Trenton were always together on these missions; and although they
were specialist in their respective fields, they were trouble to
Raoul. They were the ones brawling with Luis’ team on their
trip to Aristia, and seemed too anxious around Riki. The other seven
Lords kept to themselves, but these three voiced their displeasure at
the briefing, Lord Saber being the ringleader of it all.

Raoul turned to the other side of the shuttle to see Heiku, who
seemed to be enjoying this mission for all the excitement he was
experiencing. He was in his element having a number of subjects to
observe. Riki for one. After all, he’s known Riki for quite
some time, so to see him transform into this super being was quite a
thrill. Being a physician in the field of advanced medicine, Riki’s
ability to heal wounds, and exert energy from his body was truly
fascinating to him. His mental powers were interesting to Raoul, who
specialized in such talents.

Raoul felt sorry for Petros, who was seated next to Heiku, who
continued to pester the old Sage about mystical forces, and the
powers of the Ancients. Now there was a person he would love to
interview. Raoul never was one to believe in the powers of Mystics
and Sages, feeling they were nothing but hacks, who preyed on the
foolish with their parlor tricks. But Raoul could no longer deny what
he had seen in the past two days, and especially the experience he
had of feeling Riki’s powers; and his ability to read minds.

There was much to consider regarding the members of this team, and
those who surrounded Iason daily- his bodyguards. What a strange lot.
Odi he knew was a capable guard, but he had to scratch his head
regarding the twins. They were idiots in his eyes, but apparently
came through during the chaos of the attack with a prisoner in tow.

Iason was indeed surrounded by a unique group; perhaps it was fate
that protected Iason and Riki up until now- which brought him back to
his original query. How did Asral and apparently Darius- get all the
intelligence on Iason? As Head of the Syndicate, Iason was
always protected by a veil of secrecy, and as he’s just
learned, special surveillance by the Firm. These mercenaries who have
Iason, had information about his planned trip to Aristia, his mode of
transportation, and even though a last minute change was made to his
taking the Ios, made little difference to them, as they adjusted to
the change of plans. Rather poorly for sure, but they were shadowing
Iason’s every move, as if they had inside help.

Only he had knowledge of Iason’s change of plans, and his
department where the Special Forces were acquired from. Jupiter and
the Firm were the other source with inside information, so Raoul
figured there must have been a leak somewhere along the way. As they
approached the ship, Riki looked at Raoul and in his mind spoke.

“Lord Am, you’re thoughts are as loud as the
thunderstorm that rages in your heart. I don’t make it a habit
of lurking in peoples minds, however, at this point in time; I must
do what needs to be done to assure Iason’s safe return.
I will allow you one day’s travel time to ferret out this
theory of yours, and if in that time, the leak is not discovered, I
will proceed as promised- to act swiftly, and be unyielding to the
perpetrators.” Riki’s voice made a shiver travel down
Raoul's spine.

“We are not Gods, nor do we interfere with the will of
others. These gifts we possess have a purpose, and it’s
not to control men as your team fears. We are a reflection of what
you were once- and can be again. Iason and I are unique in this time,
however, we are men like you, and so you have nothing to fear. There
is much turmoil in the minds of these men, I understand their
confusion; but I will not tolerate their lack of focus if they cannot
get it together before we arrive on Rhea. So you and Luis will have
to step up, and set their minds at ease, I will also attempt to aid
them to that end. Good luck.”

Riki gave Raoul a slight smile as Raoul nervously nodded to him;
his hands were clenched on his lap as he sat staring at Riki. The
shuttle docked with the ship and all boarded. Raoul pulled Luis aside
and spoke.

“There is something I wish to discuss with you, let’s
meet in the briefing room once we get under way.” Raoul nodded
and Luis agreed, “In one hour.”

Riki seemed a bit out of sorts, as he walked down the corridor to
his quarters, Heiku came up to him and spoke.

“Lord Oskuro, do feel alright? You look a bit pale.”
Heiku timidly touched his forehead. Riki seemed embarrassed by the
attention given by the tall Blondie.

Riki moved his head away, “Yeah, I’m not fond of space
travel, which is weird, because I have many memories of my space
travels, and don’t recall getting motion sickness then.”
Riki felt as if his breakfast was about to make an appearance,
reminding him of his first days on the Ios.

“Well, lets get you something for that, I happen to have a
mild injection to balance your equilibrium...” Heiku pointed to
his quarters.

“What?!” Riki stopped in the middle of the corridor,
making Petros jerk back. “I hate those damn things!” Riki
seemed almost child-like which made Heiku smile. Now there was the
Riki he knew well.

“Very well, I’m sure a pill can be found somewhere,
how’s that- hmm?” Heiku pat Riki’s back making him
smile sweetly.

Riki’s face relaxed a bit, “Cool. I hate shots.
Haven’t we advanced far enough to treat people without
the use of needles? There will be a reconciling of knowledge in the
near future I’ll wager.” Riki’s persona of Lord and
Pet, came together in one statement, which made Heiku excited to
witness.

Petros watched the interaction between Riki and Heiku, and
wondered how those acquainted with the young man and Lord Mink, would
react to their awakened personalities. He figured for Riki, it would
be difficult given his current status as a “Pet.” But the
flipside of this he thought, would be that others would see him as a
glimpse of future changes, that society was about to evolve back to
it’s original path. Men would have to either embrace it,
or fear it. Those who have subjugated their fellow man had much to
lose; posing a threat to Riki and Iason, and it was just this type of
thinking that placed them in the current predicament they were now
in.

*~*~*

Raoul waited in the briefing room; his mind was focused on
revealing the leak in their mission. His anger rising as each minute
seemed to go by ever so slowly, when Sir Luis finally joined him in
the briefing room accompanied by Luther, his right hand man.

“Luther, post a guard on Lord Oskuro’s quarters, and
have the team rotate on each deck unseen by our other guests.”
Luther nodded and left the room.

“I see we are thinking alike Sir Raymone.” Raoul
spoke, as Luis joined him at the conference table. “Why the
security measures for Lord Oskuro?”

Luis leaned close to Raoul and spoke, “We have quite a mix
of personnel on this ship, and I can’t risk Lord Oskuro’s
safety.”

“Do you mean to say you don’t trust my men?”
Raoul feigned offense.

“No, it’s not that. I just have mixed feelings when it
comes to Asral; he knew too much about the men who protect
Lord Mink, and even more regarding their historical past.” Sir
Luis watched Raoul stand up and begin to pace the deck; as Luis grew
concerned.

“Unfortunately, I have the same concerns.” Raoul
spoke, “This Asral knew who I was, and also knew about
Riki. I feel there is a leak- either on Amoi, or on board this ship.
Because as you know, only our men knew of this mission within a
couple of hours. Jupiter informed the Firm, and my department
thereafter. The intelligence of the attack was barely two hours old.
None of my team were privy to Iason or Riki’s lineage until
this morning; yet I feel we’ve been a step behind Darius all
along.” Raoul stopped speaking as Riki walked in, followed by
Petros and Luther.

Sir Luis spoke, “What is the meaning of this Luther?”

“Yes, I’m sorry Sir, but Lord Oskuro was coming down
the corridor as I was heading towards his quarters.”

Riki looked at Luis and then spoke, “Thank you for your
concern for my safety, however, you need not worry.” Riki
smiled and turned to Raoul.

“I’ve seen into Asral’s thoughts; though he is
at this point irrelevant- as he holds no information regarding any
conspirators other than Darius or Victor. I believe your train of
thought- Lord Am, is on the mark, and I feel you will enjoy the
hunt.” Riki gave Raoul a knowing glance.

Riki turned to leave, and then stopped and turned to them once
more, “When all is done, please prepare to brief Jupiter. I’ll
join you then.” Riki seemed a bit weak at the knees, which made
Raoul wonder. Petros looked to Raoul and whispered, “Motion
sickness.”

Raoul shook his head; “it must be Riki” he
thought to himself. Luis then spoke, “Let’s do it this
way, let’s release a rumor that Asral had revealed information
regarding a leak, and was to be further interrogated this evening.
The conspirator will attempt to prevent him from speaking. We’ll
relax security around him and see who takes the bait.”

Raoul agreed, “Very well, what will you do? The team
consists of Elite Blondie’s; an intelligent one is not so
easily fooled.”

“No, I’m certain they aren’t, however, this is a
small ship and there is no escaping. We have less than three days
journey ahead of us, and I for one- don’t want to waste another
moment on this.” Luis paced the deck waving his hand in the
air.

Luis had assigned Luther to the task of leaking the news in the
crew’s quarters, making sure he spoke above a whisper to his
bunkmates. The voices around the squad bay were hushed, Odi and the
twins pretended not to hear the rumor, although they gave each other
a knowing glance. Luther moved about as if nothing was out of sorts,
his men went about preparing their equipment and looked attentively
at the Blondie’s who sat around the common seating, discussing
their views on the mission.

The most outspoken was Lord Saber who felt uneasy about Riki,
fearing he could jeopardize the mission with his “powers”
undermining the team’s tactical plans.

“This Lord Oskuro is a black horse on this
mission. We know nothing of his kind, and one such as him
should not lead a mission of such importance.” he hissed, as
the other Blondie’s nodded in agreement.

“Certainly one of such background as this -mongrel- can’t
possibly be above the Elite. If its true he’s one of these
so-called “Ancient’s,” he’s way out of his
league.” Spoke Lord Leonard, as he reached over and whispered
to Lord Saber, “I mean, he’s what- ten thousand years old
for heaven’s sake? I’m sure we’ve come a long way
in that time with regards to security measures.”

“But he can be of use to us,” spoke Lord Trenton, a
quiet member of the team, “His knowledge of the Elders is
important, besides, he is quite acquainted with Lord Mink is he not?”
Lord Trenton winked at the others.

“Yes, if you can consider a sex slave or a “Pet”
as an acquaintance. Lord Mink has always been eccentric in his
private matters.” Mocked Lord Saber, as the Elite laughed
quietly.

The men continued to gossip, as Luther clenched his jaw, wanting
to go over to the Elite and bust a few heads. He glanced over at Odi
and the twins, who were heading towards the Blondie’s and was
too late to intercept them.

“I would never have imagined a group of Elite -such as
yourselves- could sit around and gossip like a group of old women,
when we’re about to rescue the Head of the Syndicate!”
Odi hissed.

The Blondie’s stood up and faced Odi, who stood his ground.
Odi was nearly as tall as them, and quite strong himself, though not
as strong as a Blondie Elite. “How dare you speak to us in such
a manner!” spoke Lord Leonard, as he came up to the equally
tall Odi. “If this is an example of the manner in which Lord
Mink runs his household, it’s no wonder he is in such a
situation.”

Odi pressed forward and struck Lord Leonard squarely across the
jaw with his fist, sending the shocked Blondie nearly head over heels
as he stumbled backwards, taking Lord Saber with him as he fell to
the deck.

Odi bellowed, “Scum like you is the reason the Elite
are hated by the very one’s who serve under them! Lord Mink and
Lord Oskuro are leagues above you all, so you best watch your mouth.
If you continue in this vein, I will forget you are “Elite”
and defend my Lord’s honor in his stead. So if you value your
skin, you best watch how you speak around those loyal to them.”

Askel and Freyn stood next to Odi with their hands on their laser
pistols, as they watched the Blondie’s rise from their chairs.
Luther and the others came forward and broke it up. “Let’s
not get into a brawl gentlemen, we should save all that energy for
the one’s we’re about to engage- no?” Luther placed
a

hand on Odi’s shoulder, and winked at the angered bodyguard.

“Perhaps you should take a walk Odi, after all, you and your
men have yet to get acquainted with the ship.” Luis pressed.

Odi continued to fume, “I will not stand by and allow anyone
to speak ill of Lord Mink, nor Lord Oskuro.” Odi spoke, as he
gave Lord Leonard a warning glare, then turned and walked out with
Askel and Freyn closely behind.

Lord Saber helped Lord Leonard off the deck, “I should have
that man whipped when we return to Amoi.” Lord Saber spoke, as
Lord Leonard rubbed his jaw.

Luther said nothing as he turned to walk away. The Elite looked at
the members of the Firm, as they all returned to their business. Odi
and the twins walked down Riki’s corridor wanting to check up
on him, as they remembered Riki being ill with motion sickness weeks
earlier on the Ios. As they approached the door to his quarters, an
armed member of the Firm intercepted them.

“What can I do for you Odi?” spoke James, as he looked
intently at Odi and the twins.

“We were concerned for Lord Oskuro, we know he doesn’t
take space travel very well.” Odi spoke, concerned for Riki,
“We wanted to make sure he was okay..” Odi wondered, why
there was an armed guard posted. Suddenly the door slid opened and
Petros came out.

“Lord Oskuro is resting quietly Odi, he appreciates your
concern, and wants you not to worry.” Petros spoke looking at
James, surprised to see the armed guard standing in front of the
door. The five men looked at each other; Odi was now convinced of the
words he heard Luther speak, regarding a leak. Did Raoul and Luis
suspect someone?

Petros also wondered about the security, “James is it? Why
have you been posted?”

James made no secret to his assignment, “Lord Oskuro is to
be guarded at all times considering his importance, do you not agree
gentlemen? Please be on your way. Odi, I’m certain Lord Oskuro
will be pleased to see you, once he’s better. Is that not so
Petros?” James was quite convincing, so Odi and the twins
continued down the corridor.

Petros entered the room once more, and sat on his bed, watching
over Riki whose face expressed his malady. He then rose and walked
over to the sleeping Riki, and began to chant a healing spell. His
body gently rocked from side to side, as he placed his hands above
Riki’s body...and concentrated. In a slow and deliberate
fashion he whispered his healing spell:

“Tempest pure, of heart, and mind,

I cleanse your body, of illness, and bind-

the source of worry, from your heart,

for soon you, and your Flame, will part-

the stars, of all that’s evil, and impure,

for your love, is true, and has endured.

So rest, and power, is what you need,

my strength, to you, I gladly bleed.”

Petros trembled, as power from his inner being flowed from his
hands, and washed over Riki’s body. Powers sacred, and only
used in times of true necessity, one he's held in check for so many
decades. For an Elder he was, an Elder of times past, yet tempered by
spirituality, and genuine love for his charge. He has now used his
powers several times for Riki's sake, and he could feel the
incredible power behind the young man who, not two days earlier- he
held in his arms, injured and near death.

He stepped back, and noticed Riki’s face become peaceful,
and now slept comfortably. Petros returned to his bunk and lay down
to recoup his drained body. He could feel his pulse race with the
surge of power that began to return to him, a power he would now use
against his own kind, in the mission to rescue Iason.

*~*~*

Raoul and Luis entered the brig, and positioned themselves in the
darkened corners of the room. Asral lay on his bunk, knowing he would
probably not survive the trip. He saw Raoul holding a device in his
hand, similar to the ring he wore when he was questioned. But he
wondered why they were there, unless they suspected something.
He was certain he’d covered all his tracks, by turning a blind
eye on informants, thereby leaving no clues, no loose ends. Darius
dealt with all contacts, no one ever knew anything regarding the
missions, except what they needed to know. After all,
mercenaries couldn’t really by trusted, just look what happened
to him, he thought.

As the hours passed, Asral became anxious and spoke, “What
do you think will happen?” He sat up looking in Raoul’s
direction. “Do you actually think I’m worth anything? I
am a dead man- and I don’t even know who will do the deed, as I
know nothing more than what you’ve taken from my mind already.”
whispered Asral.

“Silence!" Hissed Luis, “You know nothing of
consequence, except what credits can buy! You have sold your
humanity, by aligning yourself with men who hold evil in their
hearts, blackened by centuries of vengeance and hatred!” Luis’
eyes could be felt by Asral in the darkened room, “After all
you have pillaged in the tombs of these Ancients, all the history
you’ve learned and destroyed- not a speck of conscious stirred
in your greedy heart, knowing these tombs were sacred.”

Luis walked up to Asral in anger, wanting to pummel the man into
oblivion, when suddenly the door opened and a laser shot was fired,
striking Luis in the back as he stood between Asral and the door.
Raoul leaped out of the shadows as the assassin took aim, to finish
the job. When a second assassin struck Raoul in the back of his head,
sending the powerful Elite staggering towards Asral, who cowered on
the bed. Luis reached for his weapon and fired, striking the first
man in the chest severely wounding him. Raoul turned around, and with
all his strength, tossed his attacker against the wall.

Luther came running after hearing the firefight, followed by Odi,
Askel and Freyn. Luther turned on the lights, as Raoul lunged at his
assailant, who at the last moment fired, killing Asral. Raoul reached
forward pressing his instrument into his attacker’s forehead
rendering him motionless.

When the commotion ended, Lord Leonard lay against the wall unable
to move, and Lord Trenton lay on the deck, critically wounded. Raoul
was shocked- it was not who he expected at all. Odi examined Asral on
the bed, as Askel and Freyn checked on Luis, who was gasping for air.
Luther sent for Heiku, who appeared within moments to render aid to
Sir Luis and Lord Trenton. Raoul looked into Lord Leonard’s
eyes, he knew the strong Elite’s mind was still conscious,
fighting the mind block, though unable to move.

Raoul sat rubbing his head, he looked to Luis as Heiku pressed a
bandage onto his chest; Sir Luis had taken a shot in the back, that
pierced his right lung, and was bleeding severely.

“I must get Sir Luis to the Med-Center immediately, as well
as Lord Trenton. I’m afraid Asral is beyond my help.”
Heiku looked at Raoul, who was bleeding from the wound to the back of
his head.

“You need to be taken care of too Raoul,” Heiku spoke,
as Askel and Freyn carried Sir Luis off to the Med-Center. Odi and
Luther carried Lord Trenton. Raoul growled under his breath, as his
anger began to build. He glared at Lord Leonard, who remained
motionless on the deck, and then kneeled down next to him and spoke.

“You are either the ringleader or the pawn. Whichever it is,
I will take great pleasure in getting to the bottom of this, so stay
put, I’ll return shortly to deal with you.” Raoul
spat at the emotionless Blondie, who began to sweat.

Raoul stood up, and pressed the bandage Heiku left him onto the
back of his head, which continued to throb. His beautiful blond hair
was dripping blood onto the deck, as he walked down the corridors. He
made for the crew’s quarters and entered, searching for Lord
Saber, who sat in one of the chairs with his legs crossed as if
nothing was amiss, drinking a glass of wine.

Raoul took the whip from his belt, and snapped it sharply, as the
frightening snap made everyone jump. Raoul was quite experienced with
this weapon, as he whipped it with eerie perfection. He was also
intimately acquainted with its sting, as the public whippings
were never forgotten in his mind. He would end this conspiracy, by
removing one obstacle at a time. His blood boiled when he imagined
those three conspiring against Iason. Raoul took aim at Lord Saber,
who stood up and spoke.

“What is the meaning of this?!” Lord Saber looked at
Raoul, who appeared more like a wolf staring at his prey. “What
has happened? And why are you injured?” Lord Saber looked
shocked at the bleeding Raoul, who whipped his hand back sharply, and
aimed for Lord Saber’s glass of wine, which he struck with one
fluid motion, sending the glass shards flying into Lord Saber’s
hand and face.

“You dare stand there professing ignorance, when your
two conspirators murdered the prisoner in cold blood, and attacked
Sir Raymone and me?!” Raoul whipped back his hand, and took
aim, striking Lord Saber on the leg. The unarmed Blondie winced, as
Raoul whipped his hand back again, and struck the other leg making
him brace against his chair, to prevent him from falling.

“Now- you will tell me what I want to hear Lord Saber, and I
will consider leniency. However, this is a C-20 Spider; each
strike has sent poison into your nervous system.” Raoul raised
his other hand, “And in my hand I hold the antidote. You will
tell me what your intentions were, or you will die a horrible -and
well deserved- death.” Raoul whipped his hand back, and snapped
the whip in the air as Lord Saber held his hands up in defense.

“I know nothing of what you speak of Raoul! What has
happened, and why am I being attacked?!” Lord Saber shouted.
Although he was a Blondie, and endowed with super strength and
physical stamina, he could easily take several strikes, before the
effects posed a danger to him.

What he didn’t realize, was that Raoul had not engaged the
Spider’s poison, so actually, Lord Saber was not in danger of
being poisoned. Raoul wanted the truth yes, but he also wanted to
unleash his wrath on the traitors. Raoul struck once more, hitting
Lord Saber across his thigh, as the injured Blondie continued to
profess his innocence.

“I have done nothing! I may have my opinions, but I am no
traitor!”

Raoul laughed at his words, “You three are attached at the
hip, surely, you don’t take me for a fool? Take a few moments
to reflect on your statement..” Raoul struck once again, this
time across his chest, as Lord Saber howled his misery.

The remaining Blondie’s all watched in horror, as one of
their own was being whipped like an unruly Pet, in front of the
members of the Firm. Their minds spun at Raoul’s accusations;
no doubt this was quite a spectacle to witness, but no one dared
interfere the enraged Elite. The Head of Intelligence would never
punish one of his own- unless he had a good reason- and his bleeding
head wound was reason enough not to interrupt the man.

Lord Saber, thinking he was being poisoned now spoke, “Am I
being attacked because you accuse me of treason? What of the
Head of the Syndicate hmm? He mocks our General Code,
instituted by Jupiter herself, takes a mongrel for a Pet, and
shamelessly flaunts his perversions by making him his lover! YOU
should know better than anyone Raoul- Lord Iason is the laughing
stock of Elite society. He’s mistaken if he thinks he’s
above us all…and should have been removed….”

Raoul never let Lord Saber finished his sentence, as Raoul let his
wrath rain down on Lord Saber, who now stood bleeding as each strike
opened new wounds, painting a landscape of blood over his body.

“You dare call yourself Elite?! Your betrayal is lower than
the poor imbecile your cohorts murdered in cold blood!” Raoul
roared his anger, as the Blondie’s now moved back to give him
room, as Raoul began to pace the deck.

“This mercenary was bought and paid for by you, and these
Elders. The same men you just recently learned -destroyed Amoi’s
society in the past- and are now attempting to remove Jupiter from
power? You would allow this evil, to murder Lord Mink?! A man
whose boots you are not worthy of licking the dust off?!” Raoul
was no longer a man angered by a traitorous act, but a man defending
the life of a man he once loved.

“Traitor!” Raoul continued to strike Lord Saber until
he collapsed on the deck. “You should be ejected from the
nearest hatch, so you can experience -first hand- what those
innocents felt, as they were ejected out into space on the Ios. You
didn’t lose a moment’s sleep, as men, women, children,
Elite, and nobles alike died!” Raoul angrily struck the nearly
unconscious man.

At long last, Raoul ended his punishment. He looked at the seven
remaining Blondies. “If any of you are in on this conspiracy, I
suggest you follow Lord Saber to the brig, for I am merciful
compared to what Lord Oskuro will do to you- should he sense your
involvement in this.” Raoul glared at the men as he pointed to
Lord Saber.

Raoul called over two of the Firm’s men, “Take Lord
Saber to the Med-Center.” The two men helped Lord Saber up, and
took him out of the crews quarters. Raoul looked at the remaining
Elite, who professed no involvement with Lord Saber, or the other
two, as he pointed to a chair. “Take a seat young Lord,”
Raoul walked up and whispered, “If you have not conspired, this
should clear your name.” Raoul placed the ring device on his
finger, and touched the temple of the first Blondie, and then asked:

“Have you conspired against Lord Mink or Jupiter?”

“No, I have not.” Spoke the nervous Blondie.

Raoul tested the remaining six, who all passed. Raoul sighed, then
apologized, “Forgive me- for putting you under the test, but I
know you understand my reasons.” The men nodded, then returned
to their bunks. The other team members cleaned the blood off the
deck, while the remaining men brought wine to the Blondie’s;
finally feeling confident and comfortable with the remaining Elite.

Raoul left the crew’s quarters and headed down to the
Med-Center. He watched as Heiku looked overwhelmed by the injured,
and looking at Raoul saying, “More of your handy-work Raoul?
Lord Saber looks as if you skinned him alive.” Heiku shook his
head.

Raoul sat in one of the chairs, as he closed his eyes and spoke,
“How is Sir Luis?”

“He will live. His right lung was punctured, but I was able to seal
the wounds, but had to apply Accelerator. Lord Trenton suffered a
severe wound to his chest, he is in pretty bad shape; the next few
hours will tell the tale.” Heiku paused, “I find it
difficult to picture any Blondie conspiring against Iason at
this level…especially for reasons such as these.”

Raoul winced, as Heiku treated his head wound stopping the
bleeding and stitching him up. “When you treat Lord Saber- use
no opiate buffer on his Accelerator treatment- he will suffer for his
treachery, do I make myself clear Heiku?”

Heiku nodded, “As you wish…why not just tear him limb
from limb while I’m at it?” he mused.

Raoul glared in the direction of Lord Saber’s room, “He
is not worthy of mercy.” Raoul hissed, “Have him
transferred to the brig once you’re done.”

*~*~*

Raoul walked into Luis’ room and sat in a chair, looking
down at his former instructor. Luis was resting after Heiku’s
emergency surgery to his lung. Accelerator was applied and pain meds
had kicked in. He thought of all the years he had spent hating the
man for his teaching methods, yet it was these very same methods,
that came through in a critical way. Raoul was proud for not killing
the conspirators, although he did actually want to toss them
out a portal as he threatened. But much more intelligence could be
obtained from the living, whereas, the dead had no voice.

He wondered about the test subjects, poor lab rats used in
experiments for the sake of his education. Sir Raymone walked a fine
line between cold lessons taught for their benefit, and an education
that would someday save lives. Although Raoul didn’t see it
that way in his youth, he clearly appreciated their value now, when
it mattered.

Luis stirred and awoke, finding Raoul staring at him. “How
do you feel Luis?” Raoul whispered.

The older man winced a bit, “I’ve felt better, how
long have I been out?”

“About two hours actually. Heiku was able to treat you with
some rather ingenious surgical skills. I’ve not seen him move
so fast, with that mechanical arm of his in years. I hope he put
everything back where it belongs.” Raoul’s attempt to
joke fell flat, as Luis groaned when he tried to laugh.

“You’re bedside manner is appreciated, but not
necessary…” Luis smiled, as best he could without
busting a stitch. “So what happened after I got shot? Did you
find out who was responsible…is Asral alright?”

Raoul became serious, “Asral is dead. Lord Leonard, I have
in custody sitting in the brig under a mind block; Lord Trenton was
severely wounded, and Lord Saber is currently being treated by Heiku.

Luis’ eyes became wide open, “What?! They were
the leak?” Luis began to cough, bringing Heiku to his bedside
immediately.

“Raoul, Sir Luther needs rest, can this wait?” Heiku
sent another dose of opiates into Luis who sighed.

“No Heiku, this can’t.” Raoul pressed, “But
if Sir Luis promises not to move about, I’ll be brief.”

Luis nodded as Raoul continued, “Lord Saber conspired
against Iason for a host of personal reasons, that the Council of
Elders found ripe for their plot. They fed lies into their minds and
stroked their egos, blaming Iason and Riki for the decline of Elite
society on Amoi, and the loss of credibility by Jupiter. Lord Saber
felt, Amoi would be better off if Iason was removed from power. The
price offered by the Council of Elders was too good to pass up, as
they conspired by giving the Elders the intelligence needed to attack
Iason.” Raoul’s voice was low and angry.

“These three fools never realized that the Council of Elders
had an ulterior motive by offering to remove Iason from power.
Of course, they never revealed their ancestors part in the original
betrayal, and these idiots didn’t care to investigate; the
irony, considering they were members of Intelligence.”

Luis listened as Raoul explained the firefight in the brig, and
how he interrogated his fellow Elite to uncover the details of their
conspiracy. He told him how he punished Lord Saber; as his screams
could be heard as Heiku applied Accelerator to his wounds. Luis could
see understanding in Raoul’s eyes, as he now also walked the
fine line between cruel punishment, and obtaining necessary
information using the same procedures he resented Luis for using at
the Academy.

Raoul was now silent; he looked at Luis and spoke, “Whatever
became of those men- those Blondie’s you used as teaching tools
at the Academy?”

Luis did not speak for a long moment, then finally spoke, “Raoul,
as you know by your position as Head of Intelligence and Security,
sometimes undesirables are used for the advancement of Science and
Medicine. Either they can’t be rehabilitated, they abuse drugs,
are diseased, or they are career criminals correct?”

Raoul nodded, “But these men were fellow students, not drug
addicts or criminals.” Raoul asserted.

“No Raoul- they were undesirables planted as students. Their
minds were controlled by mental locks to suppress their violent
behavior, their murderous inclinations, or their unrepentant criminal
acts. The lessons you were being taught were two-fold; one was to
educate you in the skills you were to learn, and second, was to show
you that no one was above the law, neither Elite nor civilian.”

Luis reached out with his hand, “It was a lesson you never
forgot- I know- but it was necessary, given the task you had before
you today. You have now validated my teaching methods Lord Am. The
skills you used on these men were a means to an end, and that end, is
the safe return of Lord Mink and Lord Oskuro to Amoi, and to Jupiter.
These men sealed their own fate when they made the wrong choice.”
Raoul sat with a vacant look as he realized this truth. Luis spoke
once more, “We need to report to Jupiter tomorrow, why don’t
you get some rest. Let all the information you have stored in your
head gel. Tomorrow will be a better day now that this leak is
plugged. Lord Oskuro will want to move forward, so until tomorrow
Lord Am.” Luis yawned as the opiates kicked in. Raoul stood up
to leave.

“Yes, rest well Sir Raymone.” Raoul bowed slightly to
show his respect to his old teacher, and left his room. He glanced at
Heiku, who was bandaging the many lacerations on Lord Saber’s
body. The wounded Blondie had passed out, much to the relief of the
exhausted Heiku.

Raoul headed to his quarters, passing several of the Firm’s
men along the corridors. “Good evening Lord Am,” came
from many who had witnessed, or heard what occurred in the crew’s
quarters. Raoul was too exhausted to speak, but nodded his
acknowledgment. Indeed things were changing to a positive direction.
Odi also was the recipient of such greetings, being addressed as,
“Sir Odi,” of which Askel and Freyn poked fun at him each
and every time, out of earshot from anyone who might see. Odi
threatened to kick their ass if they didn’t shut up. Askel and
Freyn giggled, as they walked behind him.

The night was coming to a close, as Riki opened his eyes; he
mediated quietly, reaching in his mind and spreading his thoughts in
every direction of the ship. The events of the day played heavily in
the minds of all on board, Riki found the peace within his heart and
let it flow from his mind to both teams; their minds immediately
relaxed as Riki dove deep into their memories and brought a single
episode from a recent passionate encounter with the one they love to
their mind’s eye, wanting all to experience the passion which
would drive all of them to the same conclusion…to live through
this mission and return to the ones they loved.

Raoul who was the most in turmoil, having found sleep very
elusive; his thoughts of the mission worried his mind, so much that
even the sedative Heiku gave him had failed to calm his worries.
Suddenly a warm sensation came over him, and his mind became clouded,
suddenly gravitating to a recent sexual encounter. For the next thing
he knew, he was walking in to his apartment and as the door opened,
he found Yui wearing nothing but a smile, holding a glass of his
favorite brandy.

Raoul dropped his cape and stood frozen in the foyer, he noticed
the lights were dimmed and was lit by nothing but candles. The
beautiful naked young man that stood before him, slowly walked up to
him and spoke.

“Welcome home my Lord, I’m pleased to inform
you that dinner will be served within the hour. Would you care for a
relaxing bath?”

Yui handed Raoul the brandy of which Raoul took a big gulp, then
pulling Yui into his embrace, shared the brandy in a long passionate
kiss. Brandy spilled from their lips and ran down Yui’s neck,
giving Raoul an erotic shock felt all the way down to his cock, which
sprung to life immediately. Raoul nibbled on his neck and proceeded
to spill a bit more down his chest to which Yui gasped with delight,
as Raoul kneeled down and continued his trek south to Yui’s
waiting erection. Raoul moaned as he placed his hands around his
hips, and squeezed his perfectly round ass, pulling his cheeks apart
and softly stroked his portal.

Yui stroked Raoul’s hair then gasped, “Raoul, let me
pleasure you..” to which the aroused Blondie’s response
was a deep moan, as he devoured Yui’s cock taking it all in and
sucking him deeply, as he pressed the young man against his face. Yui
moaned, “Oh Raoul….that is…perfect.” Yui
spread his legs apart, as Raoul continued to service him. Raoul felt
the temptation was too much to resist, as he stopped momentarily and
in one swift movement, rose to his feet lifting Yui into his arms and
carried him to the dining table.

“You are incorrect with regards to dinner my love, for you
are the meal I desire..” Raoul purred, as he sat Yui on the
table and continued his conquest. Raoul looked at Yui with such
desire, he couldn’t help but moan as his cock strained against
the tight fitting suit he wore. He pressed his body against Yui, as
the young man stroked him sensually while reaching behind to unzip
his body suit. Yui aggressively yanked the body suit off Raoul's
shoulders and softly kissed Raoul’s chest, gently biting his
nipples as he caressed Raoul’s body. Raoul could wait no more,
as he stripped the rest of his suit off, kicking his boots off and
standing naked before Yui. He pressed his rigid cock against Yui’s
equally aroused member, and sensually rubbed his cock with his own.

“You excite me beyond bearing my love.” Raoul spoke,
as he pushed him onto the back, lifted his legs up slowly, and
penetrated Yui as he gasped, loving the tight fit. Raoul thrust
slowly. until he was completely in his lover’s warm embrace.
Yui closed his eyes, as Raoul filled him and stroked his cock. He
loved the aggressive thrusts that betrayed Raoul’s passion, as
the young man lifted his hips up with the desire for more.

“Mmm Raoul, your cock is so hard, push in deeper into me my
love, don’t hold back.” Yui moaned as Raoul’s
thrust made the table shake, and the place settings vibrate as Raoul
felt his ascent coming. He placed a hand around Yui’s cock, and
began to stroke him faster pushing Yui over the edge, as he cried
out, “Oh! Raoul, don’t stop! You feel sooo good!”

Raoul began his sex cry as Yui ejaculated, shooting his sex
straight up and then dripping down Raoul’s hand. Raoul held him
tight, as his own essence erupted into Yui, and he cried out once
more. The blissful moans from their lovemaking were so erotic Raoul
wanted more…

He rolled over in his bunk, as his mind continued to replay the
episode. His hips constricted as his erection rubbed against the
sheets; he moaned his excitement as the wonderful memory continued.
He reached down to his aroused member that leaked his sex, and
couldn’t help but pleasure himself as the vivid memory proved
too much. He recalled lifting Yui off the table, and turning him
around he penetrated once more, Yui spread his legs apart eagerly
pushing back for more. Raoul held his hips, and again began to thrust
hard into Yui, who continued to moan his pleasure.

“Yui you are so perfect my love, cry out your passion, and
let me feel you’re tight embrace..”

“Oh what wonderful sounds Yui made” Raoul
remembered, as he stroked his own cock with skilled fingers, bringing
him to the brink, as he arched his back and ejaculated in the
darkness of his quarters. Raoul breathed hard as the vivid episode
was too real to be just a dream.

*~*

Odi tossed in his bunk. His thoughts fought to bring peace to his
mind, when suddenly he felt a warmth wash over his body, and the
image of Tai came to mind. He recalled how the young man’s
touch, brought so much excitement to his body. Tai had joined him the
night before they left on their mission. He quietly entered his room
with a candle in his hand, and walked to Odi who couldn’t
believe his eyes. Odi had held back his desire to take him while at
the Estate, given his royal status. Odi did not want Tai to have any
difficulties with his family. But to have him enter on his own, gave
him such pleasure, he nearly fell out bed when he rose to take Tai in
his arms. Odi was kissing the young man with so much passion, Tai
nearly dropped the candle. Odi took the candle from his hand and
placed it on the bedside table, and pulled Tai down onto his lap as
he sat on the edge of the bed. Tai wrapped is legs around Odi’s
waist, and drank from his lips once more.

“I desire to see the new sun rise with you my love, before
you go on this dangerous mission. I want to become one with you over
this sacred Estate. Armah’s love is a fitting place to convey
my love to you, and all that you’ve become to me.” Tai
whispered.

“My beautiful, reluctant Prince.” Odi purred, as he
kissed his lips and gently bit his neck. “I so hoped you would
come to me. I have craved your touch for so long, I don’t know
whether I am dreaming or if you are real…” Odi moaned,
as he kissed Tai’s lips once more, “I too desire to greet
the sun with you in my arms.”

Odi reached behind Tai and pulled his nightshirt up, and smiled as
he felt Tai’s erection press against his stomach. Odi’s
own erection rubbed against Tai’s portal as the two became
inflamed with passion, and caressed each other frantically.

“Oh Odi, please take me, I want so much to feel you inside
me!”

Tai undulated his hips making his throbbing cock twitch with
desire. Odi quickly place two fingers into Tai’s mouth which
the excited young man eagerly sucked, then Odi reached around and
penetrated Tai, thrusting his fingers rather hard; such was their
immediate need. Odi then gently lifted Tai, and lowered him onto his
waiting member. Tai gasped, as Odi pressed him down, eager to fuck
his lover.

“Odi….oh … keep going …don’t
stop..”

Tai closed his eyes as Odi kissed his lips, and wrapped his arms
around Tai. As they enjoyed the sensation of being one, Tai began to
moan softly. Odi lifted him eagerly and pushed him down, as the
passion grew more serious. Tai placed his arms around Odi’s
head, and held him tight, as Odi continued to lift and drop Tai on
his cock, he loved the sounds of his lover's voice near his ear. Tai
moaned and gasped, bringing him near the brink, as Odi also began he
grunt, his thrusts were deeper, and their moans grew louder as the
two lovers erupted in the throws of ecstasy. Tai’s sex dripped
off Odi’s abdomen, as he tried to catch his breath. He gazed
into Odi’s eyes for several moments, then spoke.

“I fear the danger you’re heading into Odi, please
think of me, and this love we share.” Tai whispered, as he held
Odi tight once more.

Odi kissed him passionately, “I will Tai, for I have
something worth living for, and that’s you my sweet.” Odi
whispered back.

Odi found release in his wonderful dream. He found his body
covered in sweat, and his shorts wet with his sex. He had never
experienced such a vivid dream, and suspected Riki’s hand in it
once more. He sighed, and privately wondered what the dark-eyed young
Lord was dreaming about himself. Odi rose and made his way to the
bath hall, and cleaned up. As he returned to the crew’s
quarters, he could hear the distinct moans of Askel and Freyn, and
wondered if they were also victims to a vivid encounter. Odi
wondering to himself, “Who in their right mind would fuck
those two sex-crazed brothers?” He crawled back into his
bunk and fell asleep.

~*~

Indeed there were some heavy moans coming from the two brothers,
who slept in their adjoining bunks in the corner of the squad bay.
Askel was desperately grinding his hips into the mattress, as Freyn
stroked his rigid member. They were delighted to be treated like
royalty at the Estate, and particularly impressed and delighted with
the twins Markus and Antone. The two young men were attracted to the
mirror images of Askel and Freyn, perhaps because they were siblings
as they were- or perhaps their over abundance of sexuality, permeated
their alluring grins. The two bodyguards made no secret that they
were attracted to the twins, who blushed every time one of them
smiled at them.

Askel was lying on a bench in the bath hall, as Markus rubbed
lotion on his back. The two bodyguards were being deliciously bathed
by the twins, as they were both suffered bumps and bruises over their
body, but did not require, or request the use of the hot springs.
Markus informed them that the lotion and bath salts were infused with
the minerals from the springs, so their bodies would feel better once
they soaked in the warm bath. Askel loved the gentle touch of Markus’
hands, as he rubbed the pleasantly scented lotion all over his body.

Freyn was also enjoying the attention of the other twin Antone, as
the young man gently washed his body with a sponge. He imagined this
is what it felt like, to have an attendant care for his every need.
He thought of Riki, and how he loved to be bathed by Iason, though he
guessed Iason enjoyed it just as much, as sounds of their lovemaking
were always heard in the bath hall. But he was now enjoying the care
Antone was giving him, and he felt his cock twitch as Antone reached
up and sensually washed his chest and then lowered to rub his
abdomen.

“You have a beautiful body Sir Freyn,” Antone
whispered, “You are so strong and brave...I heard about your
actions today.” Antone smiled sweetly, as Freyn blushed
slightly.

“Don’t waste your compliments on that lug Antone, he
was just lucky he didn’t crash into a building and kill
us all.” Askel chimed in, as he laughed at his brother. Askel
was beginning to enjoy Markus too much, as his cock sprung
into life. He lifted his hips a bit, and this was not lost to Freyn,
who began to laugh.

“Hey bro, what’s happening over there, you getting all
kinky with the boy?” Freyn giggled, but felt just as aroused by
the experience, as Antone reached below the warm water, and rubbed
the sponge along his growing erection, which made the young man
blush.

“What’s a matter Freyn, you getting all frisky with
the help?” Askel decided to turn over and expose himself. If he
was reading the twins actions right, they seemed receptive to their
attention, so he wanted to “play his hand.” He looked at
Markus, whose eyes gravitated to the rather large, and obviously
growing erection. He looked at Askel, who reached up and stroked his
cheek, making Markus close his eyes.

Askel pulled the young man down, and kissed him hard. Markus
gasped for breath, and only smiled as he was pulled on top of Askel’s
body. His flimsy robe could not hide his growing erection as Askel
held him tight, and then rolled over and laid on top of Markus,
rubbing his erection against Markus’ own throbbing member.
Their blissful embrace was interrupted by splashing water, as they
turned to see Freyn, taking the excited Antone on the top step of the
bath. The two were also driven by the sexual activity of their
brothers.

Freyn held Antone by the hips, as the young man bucked back
eagerly, wanting the handsome body guard to thrust harder. Freyn
turned his attention to his brother, as Askel pushed Markus’
legs apart, and lifted one leg, penetrated the inner sanctum of his
eager lover. Askel moaned his delight, as the twins were enjoying
them, just as much as Freyn and he. As Freyn was heard crying out his
release to the moans and grunts of Antone, Markus cried out, to
Askel’s aggressive thrusts that pushed Antone to the brink- and
he climaxed. The cries of the young attendant excited Askel so much,
he could not hold back as he erupted his seed into Markus.

It was as if each twin felt what the other was experiencing, the
overwhelming sensations the four experienced did not end there, as
they cleaned up and headed to their bed chambers. They continued to
love each other late into the night, their four bodies were at times
so tied up, they had trouble figuring who was who in the darkness.

Gentle moans could be heard coming from Askel and Freyn, as their
very vivid dream caused their arousal to thrust into their waiting
hands. Askel looked up at Freyn’s bunk and kicked it, “Hey!
I’m trying to sleep here!” Askel growl.

Suddenly, Freyn jumped down and leaped into his brother’s
bunk reaching for his cock “Hey! What the fuck are you doing
bro?” Askel pushed Freyn’s hand away.

“I knew it!” Freyn giggled, “You were jerking
off about the twins weren’t ya?” Freyn giggled some more.

“Cut it out you idiot! And I am not jerking off!”
Askel tried hard to hide his massive erection. “What were you
just doing up there- hm?” I heard the bed squeaking a bit too
much. Were you jerking off yourself?” Askel reached across his
body, and gripped his brother’s cock...much to the pleasure of
Freyn, who moaned.

“Oh yeah! Don’t stop, mmm that feels hot!” Freyn
thrust into his brother’s hand.

“What the F…?!”

Askel protested as Freyn reached out, and once again grabbed his
brother’s cock and began to stroke him. Askel was too close to
his release, when the dream was interrupted by Freyn’s moans,
and the squeaking bed, so he just gave in to the moment as they each
finished the job. Their tandem release, was just another way the
twins were so connected.

Freyn caught his breath as he spoke, “Those twins sure took
us for a ride didn’t they?” Freyn smiled as his brother
removed his hand from his cock.

“Yeah, I hope we get another chance to fuck them when we get
back.” Askel whispered.

Freyn wiped his hand with a cloth. “Let’s just make
sure we both get back for that….got it?”

Askel nodded, “Yeah, that sounds good.” The twins
hugged each other and went back to sleep.

Everyone on board found one dream or another to enjoy. That is-
everyone, except the three Elite who could feel Riki’s presence
in their minds. They felt as if a cold hand reached out to them, and
held them tight by the throat. Riki appeared in their mind’s
eye, transformed and dressed in his royal robes of black silk, and
adorned in gold and sapphire.

“You have been spared by Lord Am’s compassion towards
his fellow man.” Riki spoke, with a hint of anger in his voice,
as a tempest began to surge around him. “I can forgive your
ignorance regarding me, however, you conspired against Lord
Iason, Jupiter, and your fellow Elite. For that betrayal, I promise,
you shall pay. You will share the same fate as those whom you
bargained with. Be it by my hand - or Lord Mink’s- you will be
judged and sentenced.”

Riki faded from their minds. He woke up, and rose out of bed. He
noticed Petros sleeping peacefully, and left his quarters and walked
down the corridors, until he found himself in the command center.
James was piloting the ship, and was surprised to see Riki standing
behind him.

“What is our arrival time James?” Riki spoke sweetly
as the flustered man composed himself.

“We are due to arrive by tomorrow evening Lord Oskuro.”
James answered politely, “Is there anything I can do for you my
Lord?”

Riki smiled, “No, nothing James, thank you.” Riki
tapped him on the shoulder, “Good-night.” Riki left and
headed down to the crew’s quarters, finding most of the men
asleep in the darkened squad bay. Odi being a light sleeper, suddenly
rose out of his bunk.

“Riki- er Lord Oskuro? Is there something wrong?” Odi
looked around the room but noticed nothing in the dark.

“No Odi- thanks,” Riki whispered, “You have done
much tonight. Thank you for defending Iason’s honor, and my
own…I won’t forget that.” Riki lightly socked Odi
on the arm, “By the way, you have a mean punch.”

Odi smiled, looking down at Riki, “Yeah, it felt good too.”

Riki laughed quietly, and then turned to leave, “Good-night,
Sir Odi.”

Odi returned to his bunk, and then stopped, and turned around. He
wondered to himself, “Now how did Riki know about the
scuffle, when he was asleep?” He shrugged his shoulders,
and guessed perhaps Petros or James had told him. He lies back in
bunk and falls asleep.

*~*~*

Iason was dressed in a white, form-fitting bodysuit and matching
robes that were embroidered in gold thread. His beautiful long blond
hair had been brushed out by Martin, who wove a thin braid down the
right side of his head. He tied it with a white leather strap, that
held two tiny bells that chimed ever so softly when he moved. His
blue sapphire eyes made his face almost angelic, with his flawless
features. He wore white boots, and a gold spun belt with gold lace
tassels. Iason wondered who picked his clothing, as it all fit
perfectly. He didn’t care for the tiny bells, and looked in the
mirror several times, as if deciding to remove them.

“Lord Mink,” spoke Martin, as if guessing Iason’s
thoughts. “The tiny bells are to remind you of us, for we don’t
know what will happen today. And the medics and I, feel that in the
heat of the battle, one doesn’t always remember who the enemy
is.” Martin smiled, as he touched the bells softly. “They
chime only above a whisper, and we hope they don’t bother you
too much.”

Iason was touched by the young man, and figured he picked out the
outfit as well. He smiled at Martin and Owen, who held a rather large
mirror in front of Iason. “Thank you Martin, by the way, where
did this outfit come from? It feels tailor made, and even the boots
are the right size.”

Martin whispered, “Well, when this mission began, there was
a wardrobe chest brought on board by Darius. As you may have noticed,
he dresses quite well, and um, since you were injured and your
clothes were ruined, we had no choice but to…well we kind of
borrowed some clothes from his wardrobe chest.” Martin
averted his eyes down to his feet, as Iason smiled at Ayuda who shook
his head.

“Its not like he can complain.” Martin continued, “I
mean, you can’t exactly be seen in a nightshirt in public now
can you? Besides, he is the only one on board, who seems to be the
right height, although you are a bit taller than him. Rhea may be an
eyesore to the more sophisticated planets, but even they have
standards. I’m sure he doesn’t even remember the chest
was on board, considering it was buried beneath many other supplies
and crates.

Iason wondered what Darius will do when he sees him, as he was
certain an outfit such as this wasn’t easily forgotten.
Mercenaries and pirates have always admired the best in all things,
usually because they start out with nothing, and enjoy the finer
things credits can buy.

“Perhaps you should steer clear of the Commander for a while
Martin, although, I must compliment his taste in clothes.”
Iason winked at the young men making them smile broadly.

As fate would have it, their conversation was interrupted by
Darius, as he entered the room and stopped dead in his tracks as he
looked at Iason. The tall Blondie was turning around. looking at the
outfit in the mirror.

“Well it seems as if Martin found a solution to your lack of
attire. I must say, it does look better on you than on me Lord Mink.”
The Commander glanced at Martin, who stood behind Iason.

“Yes, it would seem so.” Iason spoke dryly, “It’s
a bit flamboyant for my taste, however, one can’t be too
picky considering the source.” Iason gave Darius a leveled
glance.

Darius bristled at the comment, “Yes, well not all can
afford the luxury you’re accustomed to, Lord Mink. But
that is not the reason for my visit, as pleasant as it may be. No, we
have arrived, and will be taking a shuttle to the Elders city of
Noerain, where you will be released into their custody, thus, ending
my mission.”

Iason became silent, and his hair began to float in his rising
anger. “Don’t think you are going to walk away from your
part in this affair Commander. For I have not forgotten your
involvement. Your hands are stained red, with the blood of the
innocent, as the Elders too will be held equally accountable.”

Iason’s eyes changed to darker shade of blue, and his face
began to glow softly. As his anger continued to grow, the soft chime
of the tiny bells caught his attention, and his eyes turned to Martin
and Owen, who watched Iason with fear. Iason suddenly began to calm,
as he recalled Martin’s words.

This was not the right time to lose it, and Darius was not the
only one he wanted to unleash his anger on- no, he wanted to meet
these Elders, and see for himself why he was abducted. Darius saw
Iason’s quick transformation, and wondered why he held back.
But was relieved none-the-less.

“Yes, well if you will excuse me, I’ll take my leave.
You will be escorted to Noerain as soon as they arrive to pick you
up, so sit tight, it will be a while before they arrive.”

Darius bowed slightly and left the room. He privately fumed at
Iason’s remarks regarding the clothes, as he had the outfit
specifically tailored for his meeting with the Elders. What really
stuck in his brain was the fact that Iason looked stunning;
personally wishing he didn’t wear it so well.

He didn’t care for the threats, but couldn’t exactly
blame him, considering how the mission played out nearly killing the
famed Blondie. Now he just had to get this over with, and leave the
dark planet as fast as he could manage. But his ship was pretty
banged up, requiring that he stay for repairs- something he didn’t
want to do.

Iason sat in one of the chairs, trying to think of his next move.
He knew Riki was on his way, but he really wanted to speak to him. He
looked at Ayuda and spoke, “I will attempt to contact Riki. If
they come for me before I’m done, do not try to interfere, I
will try to stay aware of my surroundings. If I can’t do that,
and I don’t respond, do not fight them- you are unarmed, and
this is not the place to make our stand. Do you understand?’
Iason whispered.

Ayuda didn’t like the plan, preferring to hijack the ship
now that the majority of the crew had disembarked. But agreed,
considering Iason could be harmed if he acted out, and it was true
that he didn’t have a weapon yet, nor did he know the layout of
the ship. Martin and his team of medics were at this very moment,
trying to obtain the weapon as planned, so he agreed to sit and wait.

*~*~*

Jupiter hummed quietly as she ran a diagnostic on her matrix. She
rarely allowed anyone access to her main frame, from the time she
became self-aware. The select technicians who maintained her were her
most trusted allies, and only from the Firm. Sir Hector Stone
personally inspected any and all replacement parts, and then
supervised the techs whenever she ran maintenance diagnostics. It had
been this way since she came on line; prior to that, Lord Raimen
Mink’s family line of Intellects maintained her matrix, when
she was only the Living Text, many centuries ago.

Young Iason often worked on her matrix, ensuring she ran smoothly
and worked out any kinks that surfaced in her early development. She
loved his touch, although she was only a machine. These “kinks”
were her earliest hints to self-awareness. Iason created a special
archive to gather such anomalies, feeling there might be some future
use for these entries. Jupiter was unique this way and he felt all
such anomalies should be kept. When Iason began his travels to the
stars, it was his father that continued his work.

Jupiter hummed softly whenever Lord Raimen worked on her, happily
bouncing from one room to another throughout the many corridors,
along with Ian who followed Lord Raimen like a puppy from room to
room. The job was usually a long one as all archives needed regular
updates, and backups were always the last duty of the day. Jupiter
hummed once again quietly as the corridors of her tower were empty,
and the lights were dimmed for the night.

It wasn’t until the day of her awakening, that she was able
to express her sorrow, anger, and disgust with the Elder Clans. Once
she reconciled her data, and saw the gaps in the Elders' entries and
the betrayal of Erik’s program, it was then that she swore to
exile -or kill- each and every Elder off the surface of Amoi.

When death came to Lord Raimen, Lord Oskuro laid his remains
beneath Jupiter’s matrix. Raimen loved technology so much, he
had requested that when he died, his remains were to be entombed in
the bowels of Jupiter; jokingly stating he’s spent so much time
beneath Jupiter, he feared Lady Yuri would get jealous. She often
called Jupiter the third wife, since Lady Erin was already the
image representation of Jupiter. Lord Oskuro never forgave himself
for Raimen’s death; it matter nothing to him that he was not in
control of his actions.

Jupiter had discovered the private archive Iason had created
within her matrix. She found the anomalies which were actually her
earliest expressions of love, wonder, appreciation, and
consideration. Iason unknowingly gave her passion. It was this deep
rooted archive, that balanced her judgment against the Elders to
reconsider their extermination; instead ordering them to be exiled.
It was in this private archive, where Jupiter decided to create a DNA
bank; a collective source of the remains of the Royal families. To
her sorrow, the first samples were of Lord Raimen Mink, and Lady Erin
Oskuro.

Lady Yuri Mink would join them several centuries later, as she
would die of a broken heart, never recovering from the loss of
Raimen. She helped Lord Kai Oskuro’s efforts to try and
maintain the peace between the three Clans, but the damage was done,
as Civil War engulfed the planet and her efforts were ignored. Lord
Oskuro would be the last Royal to join the three. He fought to bring
peace between the clans, and his efforts were rewarded by his
assassination nearly a century after the death of Lady Yuri Mink.

Jupiter held on to the hope of finding Iason and Riki; not knowing
where they went, or whether they were still alive. Her search for
them, span the darkness of space for nearly ten thousand years. She
had given up hope of finding them alive centuries ago, and now
focused her search for their remains. It wasn’t until she heard
rumors of the Intellects that had settled on Aristia, that she
discovered the remains of Iason buried beneath the hot springs of
Armah’s Love.

She also discovered the Elder Class that had settled there, prior
to the betrayal of Elder Erik. Jupiter at first was reluctant to deal
with them, as the Firm often found resistance by the Elder sects they
encountered on many worlds. They often destroyed the remains of the
Intellect and Warrior Clans. Such was the deep rooted hate the Elders
held against Jupiter.

But the three Elder Clans that settled on Aristia, were nothing
like the Elders she had encountered. They knew Iason was royalty, and
kept his death a secret for thousands of years, knowing the Council
of Elders searched for his remains. It was their act of compassion
for Jupiter, which mended their ties to her; they retrieved Iason’s
remains, and returned them to Jupiter.

The Firm followed leads of Riki’s travels that reached as
far as Alpha Zen, where Riki died. He had requested that his remains
be brought back to Amoi, and secretly be laid to rest with Iason.
Since Iason was never found, he was buried beneath Dana Burn, which
was built over the Royal Estate of Lord Kai Oskuro, his father. The
Firm recovered his remains and brought them to Jupiter.

Jupiter placed them in the family DNA bank and waited patiently
for the right opportunity to reanimate the two royal families.
Jupiter had witnessed hundreds of reanimated Warrior and Intellects
fail to lead as Kai and Raimen did. Jupiter decided she would not try
again, and chose instead to continue to rule Amoi as proxy for the
Royal family, until it was the proper time for their return. It took
these ten thousand years, and millions of lives to locate the many
tombs of her fallen children; Amoi suffered much during the Civil
War, and subsequent destruction.

Jupiter herself continued to evolve, and grow into the ruling
power that eventually covered the surface of the planet. Her growth
required the aid of the surviving Clansmen. and so the DNA bank was
seen as the future. This secret was known only to the Director of the
Firm, Shield of Honor, and passed on only from father to son.

Iason would be her first choice, in her attempt to bring the royal
families back from the dust. She would not blend, filter or alter his
DNA, instead, she wanted to see if an Ancient would survive the
procedure whole. She would suppress his memories until he discovered
Riki, his Tempest and her second choice. Iason thrived, as his
intelligence was unmatched by any Blondie, and was quickly placed on
the Syndicate track. She then reanimated Riki seven years later, to
be the correct age between him and Iason. She chose to have his high
strung spirit thrive in Midas, his Warrior makeup would do better,
she reasoned, in an environment that would return the spark of the
Warrior Clan to his heart. His memories would also be suppressed
until he discovered his Flame.

Jupiter held this secret close to her matrix, assigning the Firm
of Shield of Honor to watch over the two. Sir Hector Stone and
the Firm kept watch, as events unfolded in the turbulent lives of
these two, wondering how long it would be, before the Flame and
Tempest made the scene. Jupiter watched, and waited to see if they
could overcome interference from assassins, rivals, Elders, and the
passage of time. The poisoning of Iason was the turning point, as
Jupiter held her breath wondering if Agetha would trigger the
awakening within Iason, or would he perish.

The shock of this event in Riki’s eyes, began to trigger his
inner being, as the Warrior in him became stronger, and his love for
Iason grew. Both he and Iason began to change slowly by the
side-effects of the halo, and the intense dynamics of their
relationship. Iason soon became inflamed with passion towards Riki,
as he struggled to hold his position as the Head of the Syndicate,
when his love for Riki went against their society’s acceptable
standards. When Iason was punished, Riki’s sacrifice convinced
Jupiter, that her reanimation was a success, and waited for the two
Ancients to awaken naturally. “It would be better this way”
she thought, and was pleased to see their love flourish.

The attack on the Ios brought Jupiter’s world crashing down
on her, and her sorrow was felt throughout Amoi, as she feared they
were very likely dead. She now waited anxiously for Sir Luis Raymone
and Raoul’s update. She had been running diagnostics for two
days throughout her matrix, which could be compared to one pacing the
floor worrying over a loved one. She had sent word for Sir Hector
Stone to join her in her inner chambers, as Sir Luis was due to
report their status. Her anxiety was clear to Hector who attempted to
soothe her anxiety. The lights in her inner chambers were erratic,
and she appeared in a state of flux.

“Jupiter, please calm down, I understand your worry, but
Iason is strong, you know this. Luis and Raoul will update us soon.”
Hector waved his hands in attempt to calm her down.

As they waited, an incoming communication from Sir Raymone and
Lord Am was received. Jupiter came on line with them, as she saw the
two men standing together, Luis looked worn due to his injuries, and
Raoul’s eyes betrayed his anger

“Sir Raymone, what is your report?” Jupiter sounded
anxious.

For the next hour, Luis and Raoul reported all that had occurred,
Jupiter listened patiently, neither interrupting, nor replying. Raoul
then spoke of Riki, and his transformation; the lights in Jupiter’s
chambers began to flash with her excitement and interrupted Raoul.

“Are you telling me, that Iason and Riki have awakened?”
Jupiter couldn’t hide her joy, “Where is Riki- where is
Lord Oskuro?” Jupiter pressed, and then decided to
appear in their briefing room via holopic. She scanned the room, and
then saw Riki sitting against the wall with Heiku and Petros, who sat
nervously, rubbing his hands on his knees. No one knew what their
reunion would be like, and it would be the first time Petros ever saw
Jupiter face to face.

Raoul and Luis had spoken with Riki prior to communicating with
Jupiter, and felt it best to let their reunion unfold sooner than
later, as time was indeed short. They had much to report, with all
the new information regarding Iason’s captors, Luther felt
protocol would have to yield, considering the gravity of the
situation. Riki had made one request, that all members of the crew
attend the briefing. He wanted all doubts removed from the team
members, and felt the briefing would benefit each member as they
witnessed the truth of Jupiter’s love, and loyalty to
Iason and to him. The men all stood against the bulkhead, listening
intently to Raoul and Luis report all that had occurred the previous
night. Jupiter’s reaction to the three traitors was obvious,
and she now spoke.

“The three Lords will be held accountable, and I want them
held in custody until you return to Amoi.” She then softened
her voice as she addressed Riki, “Lord Oskuro, please step
forward, I desire to see your face.

She smiled as Riki’s appearance began to change, and his
hair seemed to come to life, while his face glowed softly. Riki rose
from his chair, and walked slowly before Jupiter. She noticed that
Riki was dressed in similar attire to what Lord Kai Oskuro wore in
the past. Black leather was always his favorite, and his body was
adorned with gold and sapphire jewelry, and black knee high boots.
The body jewelry he wore made Jupiter light up with a golden aura, as
she now gazed into his eyes, and reached out to touch his cheek. She
suddenly altered her appearance to the surprise of all in the room,
as Riki now gazed into the eyes of his mother Lady Erin Oskuro,
attired as she was in the days of the Ancients, complete with gold
and sapphire jewelry.

“My dearest Prince, I have waited for the light of awareness
to appear in your eyes once more.” Jupiter whispered, “I
would love to see Iason, as I see you before me…”
Jupiter stood close to Riki, who seemed to absorb her affection as he
closed his eyes, and a surge of energy beamed out from within his
heart. Raoul and the others felt the surge of energy, as did everyone
on board. Riki’s hair danced serenely before Jupiter, and then
he spoke.

“Jupiter, I never thought I’d see you again…it
has been so long since I've seen a familiar face…so long…”
Riki’s eyes filled with tears, as he gazed at the image of his
mother. “I would like to share this reunion with Iason.”
Riki looked at Petros who stood next to Heiku. Petros walked
nervously towards Riki, and as he stood before Jupiter, he bowed and
softly spoke. “Jupiter, it is an honor to finally meet you.”
Petros spoke, as Jupiter turned her gaze to the old Sage.

“Petros, you have been true to your word, and I commend you
and the Elder Class of Aristia, for keeping Lord Oskuro safe.”
Jupiter now wondered out loud, “How is it that you can
communicate with Iason?”

Riki smiled as he spoke, “We have been able to communicate
for some time, but it has only become stronger, as our past lives
have awakened our inner powers. Petros has been able to enhance
my power, as a channel between Iason and myself. We will attempt to
do this now, as I’m certain Lord Mink would also want to see
you.” Riki turned to Petros, who now stood behind Riki and
placed his hands on his shoulders and began to meditate. Riki closed
his eyes, and held out both hands palm up as he also began to
meditate. Petros could feel the surge of power flow from his body to
Riki’s, his hair began to float making quite an eerie show for
all in the room.

Jupiter watched fascinated, as she and Sir Stone watched the two
men glow softly. “Amazing...” spoke Sir Stone, as he
watched the two men transform before his eyes.

Riki reached out with his mind, and could feel his mind traveling
along the stars, as they seemed but a blur in the speed he traveled.
He could sense Petros in the back of his mind’s eye, as the old
Sage was amazed, and frightened by the sensation of traveling upon
nothing. Suddenly Riki opened his eyes, and Jupiter noticed they had
turned dark as night.

“Iason, can you see me?” Riki spoke, and the room
became hushed as all witnessed Riki link with Iason. “Iason,
can you hear me?” Riki smiled, as awareness could be seen on
his face.

“Yes Riki, I am here..” Iason whispered, as Ayuda
noticed Iason open his eyes, and whisper Riki’s name. He had
never seen Iason linked to Riki, and watched as his facial
expressions change, his eyes darkened and his hair floated serenely.

“My Prince, I have been anxious to speak with you, I have
arrived on Rhea, and I am being transported to the Elders' city of
Noerain, where I’m to be taken before the Council of Elders. I
never discovered their purpose, however, that mystery shall be
revealed shortly.”

Riki then spoke, “Iason, I am before Jupiter in the ship’s
ready room, and she is anxious to speak to you. Will you watch
through my eyes, what is being spoken?” Riki smiled, at Iason
who smiled back to him.

“Yes, I am most anxious to see her once again.” Iason
breathed hard, as he focused his mind to see Jupiter through Riki’s
eyes. “Lady Erin…I remember her…oh Riki, you’re
before your mother once more.” Iason’s eyes filled with
tears as he spoke.

“Jupiter, we have all been on a long journey, and would have
been reunited at this very moment, if not for the interference of the
Council of Elders. They wish to hold my life over your head, for what
purpose- I have yet to learn. But I do have allies in Ayuda, Sir
Hector Stone’s son, who has been at my side all this time, and
eight medics who have nursed me back to health, and are at this very
moment attempting to obtain weapons for us all.”

Hector gasped as he heard the news, through Riki’s voice.
Ayuda was alive and protecting Iason; he closed his eyes, and felt a
sigh of relief flow from his body.

Jupiter then spoke, “My dearest Lord Iason…I have
waited, and watched time indefinite come and go, and faced many
lonely centuries searching for my Flame, and my Tempest.
Tell me you remember me?” Jupiter seemed more like a woman,
than a sentient computer.

Iason smiled as he spoke, “But of course I remember you, so
many years did I work on you’re matrix before I left. I would
like to know what happened after Riki and I left Amoi, we both have
gaps in our memories with regards to that time, and of our parents
and friends, please let us know.”

Riki tilted his head, as Jupiter seemed to hesitate. Iason had
also caught the face of Jupiter, as she seemed pained to respond.

“My dearest Iason, my dearest Prince, what I’m about
to show you, will be the hardest thing you will endure. But you must
know, for it has great bearing on those who attacked, and abducted
you. I suppressed your memories....due to the nature of these images
you will see. Please realize, that I did this for your sake,
as you had not awakened from your ancient slumber.”

Jupiter then began to show Iason and Riki the horrors of the past,
as scene after scene was played from her archives. Raoul, Luis and
Heiku already knew what was about to be shown to Riki and Iason, and
they watched the reactions of the men in the room, as history was
revealed to them for the first time. Images of Iason and Riki were
greeted with gasps, as they now realized that they indeed were one
and the same. The scope of their mission, and it’s importance-
now rang clear in their minds.

Riki let out a heart wrenching scream, as he witnessed the
destruction of Amoi, and then learned of the deaths of both his
mother and father. Iason too was overwhelmed with grief, as his
father’s funeral was recorded in Jupiter’s memory. Iason
screamed, as Ayuda nearly fell off his seat, hearing the cries that
came from Iason’s mouth, and tears streamed down his face.

Riki fell to his knees, as he brought his hands to his chest; his
heart felt sobs could be felt through each man in the room, as his
grief sent out a tempest that swirled before Jupiter, who had never
seen the manifestations of power from both the Warrior and the
Intellects. Riki and Iason's pain was too much to bear, so Jupiter
removed the images from the room. Riki and Iason were silent, their
minds in turmoil over the scenes of their world destroyed. They both
looked at Jupiter, as the image played in their minds; suddenly
Riki’s eyes went blank.

Iason ran into his mind’s eye, searching for Riki who also
appeared before Iason. They embraced, and attempted to console each
other, as the anguish in their hearts was deep. Iason placed his
hands on Riki’s face, and spoke.

“My Prince, there will be no mercy for these men, and
even though they are only their descendants. They have continued on
their vendetta against us, knowing all this time, that you and
I were the heirs to Amoi, and the last of the Ancients.”
Iason’s eyes were cold, and furious, as he trembled with his
wrath.

Riki was equally enraged, and was at a loss for words as he
thought of his father and mother’s deaths. Jupiter’s
appearance as his mother, just made it more difficult to take.

“Iason, I am too close to the men in this room, and I’m
trying to control my anger, for fear I may injure them. But my wrath
will rain on these men, these -Elders- on Rhea, and I will not rest
until they are all held accountable. There is something else you are
not aware of, these Elders have been collecting the remains of the
Ancients -of our people- this “Commander Darius,” has
revealed to them the location of remains of all the Warriors and
Intellects that traveled the stars. They not only collected them, but
desecrated, and destroyed the tombs, and ransacked the treasures that
were laid to rest with them. I believe, they will use them -and you-
against Jupiter.” Riki trembled, as Iason held him tight.

Jupiter looked into Riki’s eyes as they appeared vacant;
tears streamed down his face and Petros seemed to tremble, as he
witnessed the two Lords cling to each other. In their mind’s
eye Petros could not hear, due to the tempest veil that prevented him
from listening, but the images he saw no doubt showed their grief and
now, their anger.

“Sir Luis, do you know what has happened? Why is Lord Oskuro
silent?” Jupiter’s tone was anxious as she continued to
watch Riki’s vacant stare.

“I believe Lord Oskuro is speaking with Lord Mink in
private.” The voice of Odi could be heard as he stepped
forward. “I have witnessed this before, Lord Oskuro is deep in
what’s called a Waking Dream, in which he is linked with
Lord Mink. Once he’s done, he will awaken.” Odi pointed
as Riki now stood up and faced Jupiter once more.

“Lady Jupiter, Lord Mink and I will bring this to an end. We
will proceed with the rescue as planned, however, Lord Mink will wait
for my arrival. We will face our nemesis together, and it is best
that the men keep a safe distance from us both, once we engage the
Elders. I have informed Iason of the collection of remains by the
Elders, and we are in agreement that they will use them -and Iason-
to leverage their hand against you; although we don’t know to
what end.”

Riki’s voice trembled, as it was clear to everyone in the
room that he was showing great restraint. They could feel the
pressure of his anger like a cold hand gripping their hearts.

“Lord Mink has informed me, that he is about to be
transported to the City of the Elders.” Riki spoke, as his eyes
looked at Jupiter’s face admiring the image of his mother.

“Lord Mink,” Jupiter spoke, “Iason, please be
careful, I’ll await your return.” Jupiter then smiled as
Riki spoke once more for Iason.

“Jupiter, I will get to the bottom of this, thank you for
showing us the past.” Iason whispered.

“My Lords, there is more I wish to talk to you about, more
you need to know, but that will wait until you have been returned to
me, and Amoi. For now, farewell.” Jupiter looked to Raoul and
Luis who bowed respectfully, and then ended the communication.

Iason took hold of Riki’s hand, and brought it to his lips
as he kissed it softly, “My love, we will soon be reunited, and
I want so much for this nightmare to end. I will do my best to wait
for your arrival; I do fear that what the Elders want, is something
we cannot give.” Iason gazed into Riki’s eyes.

Riki reached up, and pulled Iason down for a long passionate kiss,
as Iason raised him up off the floor, and drank deep from Riki’s
lips. They held each other for a long moment, as neither wanted the
moment to end.

Riki whispered into his ear, “I will be there soon my love,
my dearest Flame, and I will bring you back to Amoi, back to
Jupiter, and back into my arms again.” Riki kissed him once
more before he began to fade. Iason held his hand as long as he
could, before he began to fade also.

Riki then awakend and immediately Petros became weak, having used
up much of his strength. Heiku came up to him, as Riki caught the
elder Sage and placed him on the deck. Raoul came up to Riki who was
looking at his hand, still feeling Iason’s touch.

“Lord Oskuro- Riki, we can feel your pain in our
hearts, quite literally.” Raoul gasped as he gestured his hand
towards his heart, making Riki aware of his surroundings. Riki looked
around the room, and could see by their expressions that they were
all feeling the pain of his heartache- and anger.

“Please forgive me Lord Am, as I mentioned to Jupiter, when
the shit hits the fan, you and your men are to give Lord Iason and me
a wide berth, as we do not know the extent of this power we hold. It
will be interesting to see what the Elders have in mind.” Riki
gave Raoul a weak smile, and then closed his eyes and calmed the
tempest that swirled around him. He noticed the relief on the faces
of the men in the room, and turned to see Petros waking as Heiku gave
him a shot of adrenaline, which brought the Sage back immediately.

Riki smiled at the bright eyed Sage and spoke “Those shots
hurt like hell don’t they?”

*~*~*

Thanx for reading my story, I hope you enjoyed it. Please be kind
and give a review. See you in Chapter 16!
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Aristian Holiday