“Come on, say it…” Alex taunted the Titaness with a grin on his face.

She glared down at him.

“Come, on… say it! Please?” 

He was lying on her stomach, while she reclined against the headboard of her hospital bed. He had his body draped protectively over the controller to her voice box. 

Rixie shook her head, lips pursed defiantly.

“Say it! Come on, just one time, and then I’ll stop…” 

Rixie’s eyebrow shot up sardonically. 

“Well, for a little while anyway.” Alex amended. 

Rixie’s eyes narrowed and she glared at the little human for a few seconds before sighing in resignation. 

“Luke, I am your father.” She muttered resentfully. Alex had cranked the bass on her voice box as low as it would go, so her words seemed to rumble in her chest below him. 

“Oh my God!” Alex cackled. “That’s never going to get old!” 

“Believe me,” Rixie grumbled, her voice still impossibly deep. “It already has.”

Alex broke down laughing again. 

“And that’s not even the line from the movie!” Rixie complained. 

“I don’t care!” Alex crowed, eyes watering from laughter. “It’s still hilarious! You sound like Barry White.” 

Suddenly his laughter cut short and the grin slid off his face. “Actually… now that I think about it… that is kind of disturbing. Okay… maybe you’re right, this isn’t funny anymore…” 

Rixie’s eyes lit up and her face split into a devious grin. “What’s the matter baby?” She rumbled. “Don’t you find this sexy?” 

“Oh god, Rixie, that… that’s not right…” Alex’s eyes widened and he jumped away from the controller as if it were on fire. 

“Hmmm….” Rixie purred, reaching down to grab the controller and scoop Alex up into her other hand. “Ooh baby… mama likes it…” Her lips parted and her tongue slithered out and stroked up Alex’s torso, her baritone moans vibrating his entire body. 

“Wait, Rixie… stop it!” Alex wailed. “Stop… Stop confusing my boner!” 

“Are you going to stop messing with my voice box?” The Titaness asked, before pressing her tongue against him again. 

“You know I can’t promise that! Don’t make a liar out of me, woman!” Alex replied. 

Rixie paused to consider, her fingers wrapping around the control. “Well, will you at least leave it be for the rest of the day?” 

“Yes.” 

“Good.” Her voice suddenly returned to normal… or as close to normal as it ever got anymore.

“Oh… thank god…” Alex muttered. 

Rixie rolled her eyes in amusement and raised the human to her shoulder where he leaned against her neck. 

There was a knock at the door. 

“Come in.” Rixie’s electronic voice rang across the room. She was still getting used to the strange metallic buzz that now accompanied her words, but at least she didn’t have to type everything anymore. 

The door opened and in walked a tall man in a black and dark grey duty uniform. Even if Rixie didn’t recognize him, the name plate and the two silver comet rank insignias on his collar would have given him away instantly. 

“Krator Zisko.” Rixie’s voice chirped, and she tried to sit up straighter in the bed. 

“At ease.” Zisko said with a grin. “I’m not such a monster as to make a wounded soldier come to attention.” 

Rixie let a breath out and nodded, her shoulders relaxing as she did so. 

“What can I do for you?” Rixie asked, smiling slightly. “I hope you’re not here to send me on another mission?” 

Zisko chuckled and stroked his neatly-trimmed, snow white beard. “Tempting, but no. Actually I’m here to give you something.” 

Rixie sat up a little, her eyebrow raising skeptically. “Give me something… sir?” 

“Yes.” Zisko reached into the pocket of his uniform and retrieved a small, palm sized box. “This.”

He opened the box and inside was a single pin, made of golden metal and shaped like a flaming comet. 

“Sir…” Rixie’s eyes widened, she recognized the object immediately. “You’re… you’re promoting me?” 

“I am.” Zisko cleared his throat and drew up straight, and in as officious a voice as he could muster: “Officer Tam, due to meritorious conduct above and beyond the call of duty, for answering the needs of the Empire when it was called of you, and for risking your life in defense of her people, I hearby promote you to the rank of Magister-Imperator, with all the rights and privileges thereof.” 

He handed the small box to Rixie, who took it in both hands, holding it as carefully as she had a wounded Alex in her palms. 

“Sir…” Rixie swallowed the lump in her throat. “Not that I’m ungrateful but… we failed the mission, we never got found Trell Pria.” 

“Ah well,” Zisko chuckled. “Perhaps you’d better contact Pryvani Tarsuss about that.”

Rixie’s eyes widened. “Sir?” 

Zisko nodded. “Seems Pria had made her way to that moon that belongs to Tarsuss-” 

“Avalon.” Rixie supplied. 

“Right. She headed there, probably to get revenge on her former employer, or possibly you. Anyway, she must have lost control of her shuttle because she crashed onto the moon’s surface, dying in the wreck.” 

His eyebrow arched significantly, and Rixie nodded. 

“See sir? You should have just left me where I was.” 

“Apparently.” 

Rixie shifted in her bed for a moment. 

“So what happens now, sir?” 

Zisko quirked an eyebrow at the question. “Now? You go home Rixie, and back to your retirement- such as it is- only now with a bigger pension. The mission is completed, all targets are accounted for.” 

Rixie nodded, unable to decide if she was relieved or not at having the whole thing over with. 

“You’ll rendezvous with the Gyfjon after your recovery and they’ll shuttle you back to Sol Tarsuss on their way back to Gamma sector.” 

“And Vanser?” 

“He’ll accompany you to recover Pria’s body. Then he’ll escort it back to Archavia for the standard autopsy before the remains are released to her family for whatever funerary rites they care to enact.” 

Rixie nodded. “Okay. I understand. Am I to assume then that I’m discharged, again?” 

Zisko nodded. “You are, Magister Imperator. Effective as soon as you reach the Tarsuss System.” 

“Good.” 

“I’ll leave you to your recovery then.” Zisko smiled and drew up straight, drawing two fingers across his forehead in a salute.

Rixie repeated the gesture.

Zisko nodded, and then left the room. For a moment the room was perfectly silent. 

“So…” Alex spoke up, startling Rixie. “Do you think I can tweak that voice box of yours so it makes you sound like Stephen Hawking?”

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Dr. Kharee Selil peered through the lens of her microscope, then checked the notes on her data pad. Behind her, Taron watched over her shoulder. 

“Well?” The young man behind her asked pensively. 

“Sh, let me concentrate.” Selil admonished.

A few agonizing moments ticked by and Taron decided he desperately needed something to do. He took a long cylinder out of his pockets and placed it between his lips.

“That’s a nasty habit.” Selil said in a mild tone, without looking up. 

“I only do it when I’m nervous.” Taron responded. 

“Hm.” Without further comment, Selil turned back to her notes. 

“Or drinking.” Taron amended. 

“Uh huh.” 

“And when I’m mad.”

“I see…”

“And occasionally after sex…” 

“Fascinating…” 

“And…” Taron stopped abruptly. “And you’re not actually listening to me anymore, are you?” 

Suddenly, Selil’s head shot up. She turned to Taron, who was shocked to see the look of joy on her face. 

“I think we’ve got it!”

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Zhan awoke with a groan. He was sore all over. At first his vision was blurry, but after a few seconds it managed to clear itself. 

He looked around, he was lying on a clean white sheeted bed, situated in the middle of a giant desk, and once again he had tubes coming out of all kinds of places on his body. 

“Oh no, not this again…” He muttered. 

“I do hope you’re not going to be making a habit out of this sort of thing.” A beautiful voice spoke out above him. 

A shadow fell over him and he looked up into the beautiful and amused eyes of a goddess. 

Or rather, his goddess. 

“You and me both.” He groaned. “What did I do to myself this time?” 

“Oh not much.” Pryvani muttered wryly. “Superficial burns, some bruising- most likely from the fall- a couple of minor fractures.” 

“It beats the alternative.” 

“Now that, I will agree with.” Pryvani muttered, leaning back in her chair. Her finger twitched as she resisted the urge to take the little human into her hand. Part of her just wanted to touch him, just for a moment, just to be sure he was still real. 

Finally, the compulsion became strong enough that she could no longer ignore it. Gently, she reached out with her smallest finger and softly touched his hair. 

“I’m… I’m so glad you’re okay Zhan.” Pryvani spoke softly. 

“Me too…” The young man muttered. His eyes closed and he found himself subconsciously moving closer to her finger. “I can’t tell you how glad I am to be able to breathe fresh air again or see daylight, or-” Zhan’s sentence cut off abruptly and he fell silent. 

“Or what?” Pryvani asked, valiantly fighting to keep the amusement out of her voice. 

“Nothing. Just, you know, happy to be alive…” Zhan muttered evasively. 

“Good.” 

Pryvani withdrew her hand slowly. 

“Despite what you say, Pryvani… I do owe you my life.” Zhan spoke up after a bit of silence had fallen between them. 

Pryvani shook her head. “No, you don’t.” 

“I do.” Zhan insisted. “If you hadn’t given me those explosives, I wouldn’t be here right now.” 

“Well, by that logic…” Pryvani mused. “It would seem I likely owe you my life as well.” 

Zhan tilted his head to see Pryvani as well as he could. 

“How do you figure?” 

Pryvani shrugged. “Trell and I were fairly evenly matched. I could tell she was beginning to tire quicker than I was, but that’s because you were injuring her from the inside. Had you not been doing that, she might have gained the upper hand at some point and I might not have been able to escape her. Also, do recall that you were the one who ended the fight. Had we kept going, who knows what would have happened. 

Zhan was silent for a moment as he considered that. 

“All right, that takes care of the first time you saved my life. I still owe you one.” 

Pryvani chuckled. “Yes well, don’t go rushing off on another adventure just yet. You’ve still got a lot of recuperating to do, okay?” 

“Hm… that’s a tough choice… rush off into possible danger, stay here in luxurious accomodations… agonizing decision really.” 

“I know. It’s a sacrifice.” 

There was a beep and Pryvani glanced down at her data pad. 

“It’s Dr. Selil. I’m hoping she has good news. You stay here and rest while I could see what she’s found.” 

“Well…” Zhan muttered, pulling the cover up to his shoulders. “If you insist.”

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

“You think it’ll work?” Pryvani tried to control the sudden surge of excitement. She didn’t want to raise her hopes up too much, she didn’t think she could take the strain if this turned out to be just another dead end. 

“I believe so, yes.” Dr. Selil nodded. “Ironically, it was thanks to that sample of the Titan targeting disease you brought me. They’re both artificially created contagions. After studying it and comparing it to the human strain, I now believe I understand how both were created. After that it’s a fairly simple matter of working backwards to learn how to counteract them.” 

“Oh yes, completely simple.” Pryvani muttered mildly. 

Pryvani steepled her fingers and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk in front of her. “Doctor, are you confident in this formula enough to… try it out?” 

“I am.” 

Pryvani glanced over at Taron and Zara. The latter was chewing her lip pensively. 

“And Sophia?” Pryvani asked. 

“She’s agreed to try it.” Taron sighed. “And, to be perfectly honest, I don’t think she has enough time left to wait for any other option to present itself.” 

Zara’s eyes teared up but she nodded her agreement. “And like he said, she agreed to it…” 

“Okay.” Pryvani rose from her seat. “It looks like our course of action is clear.” 

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

She stared at the dead body, lying on the metal table, covered in a white sheet. A numbness was spreading through her body at the sight… and she hated that she was starting to welcome it.

“Brinn?”

The young woman started at the sound of her name. She turned to face the door to the laboratory. Zara stood framed in the doorway, a concerned look on her face. 

“Oh… hey Zara.” Brinn smiled weakly. “Did you need something?” 

Zara stepped warily into the room. “Actually, I was wondering if maybe you needed anything…?” 

“No,” Brinn shook her head. “Wh-why would I?” 

“Well…” Zara spoke hesitatingly. “I mean… because… you know.” She nodded significantly towards the sheet covered body of Brinn’s sister. 

“Oh well, that.” Brinn sighed. “No. I’m okay.” 

Zara narrowed her eyes. “Brinn, I’ve known you too long to be fooled by that. Your little sister is dead, Brinn. You can’t tell me that hasn’t affected you at all.”

“SHE’S NOT MY SISTER!” Brinn snapped suddenly. 

Zara blinked, unaffected by the outburst. “Good. Now we’re getting somewhere.” 

“I don’t know who this is.” Brinn continued, jabbing a finger at the corpse. Her voice stayed soft but was filled with anger. “But she is not my sister, not anymore. Not for a long time.” 

She turned to face Zara.

“She tried to kill Nick and Sophia, she almost killed you. Hell, she almost killed every single living person on this moon. How could she possibly be my sister, Zara? How could she be my sister and still do that?” 

“Brinn-”

“HOW!?” Brinn grabbed blindly for the first object she could get her hands on, which happened to be an empty glass beaker, and hurled it against the far wall where it shattered. 

The act seemed to drain her. She slumped against the lab table and buried her face in her arms. Her shoulders shook with quiet sobs. 

Zara sighed and stepped over to Brinn, draping herself over the other woman’s back. She held Brinn close and rubbed her back gently. 

After a few moments, Brinn seemed to calm and slowly rose, allowing Zara time to stand up as well. 

“Feel better?” Zara asked softly. 

“No.” Brinn sighed. “I feel worse.” 

“Brinn… you need to mourn for her.” Zara explained. “You’re allowed to do that.”

“She’s right, you know.” They turned towards the door to find Pryvani leaning against it with a small smile on her face. “You are allowed to mourn for her. She was family.”

“Family? She was a psychopath. This isn’t exactly a normal situation Pryvani.” Brinn laughed bitterly. “And it’s a bit rich for you to tell me that.” 

“Right.” Pryvani responded with just a bit of sarcasm. “Because I would know absolutely nothing about having a murderer for a blood relative…” 

Brinn blinked, and then sighed, her eyes downcast. “Sorry.” 

Pryvani walked into the room. “Quite all right. I don’t blame you for forgetting, I only wish that I could as well.” 

“How… How do you deal with it?”

Pryvani shrugged. “You just learn to handle it, after a while. If you don’t want to mourn Trell as she was, that’s perfectly understandable. Probably healthy too, come to think on it. So- my advice then is: don’t.” 

“Don’t what?” 

“Don’t mourn the Trell that was. Mourn for the sister, the person, she could have been. Mourn for the sister you should have had. The sister you deserved to have.” 

Brinn inhaled a shuddering breath, and then exhaled it slowly. “Okay. I can do that.” 

“Good.” Pryvani smiled. “Now come on, we’ll get you some tea.” 

The young heiress turned and strode from the lab. Zara made to follow but was stopped when Brinn grabbed her hand. 

She turned to look at the young redhead, quizzically. 

“Thank you.” Brinn whispered softly. “Thank you for being here with me during that little… outburst.” 

Zara nodded and smiled. She stepped closer to Brinn and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. “Always. You can return the favor if my little sister ever goes insane, or something.” 

Brinn snorted; the barest hint of a smile on her face. “Tylum? Only if someone threatens her book collection…” 

“If that ever happens, I fear for the future of the empire.” Zara laughed. “Now, come on, there’s something we need to talk to you about.”