Cassandra's Challenge (17 page)

“But Lucas and the Admiral, they fight the
Regulians.” Tori persists.

“So are you, your learning their language so you
can know what they are doing. That’s fighting. The Admiral says
it’s a difficult language. There are all kinds of brave Victoria.”
Cassandra informs her.

“Really?”

“Really. Now why don’t you take that rest?” She
lays her back onto the couch.

“Okay.” Drained, she’s asleep in moments.

Later studying the Regulian program the comm
center rings. Looking over to make sure it hasn’t woken Tori she
picks up the headset to answer.

“Chamberlain.” She says in a quiet voice.

“She’s sleeping?” William asks on the other end,
a warm feeling fills Cassandra.

“Yeah, fell asleep after lunch.” William looks
at the clock it’s 1500.

“She’s doing ok?”

“We’ve had our ups and downs. But she will be.”
Cassandra voice is firm.

“What happened?”

“I screwed up.” She replies before she thinks.
Looking at the couch she sees Tori’s starting to wake. “Look
William, she’s waking up, I need to go. Everything’s being
handled.” Disconnecting she moves to Victoria.

Removing his headset William looks at it. What
is it about this woman? Something’s happened. It’s upset her. He
could hear it in her voice. But does she ask him for help, her life
mate. No, she says she’s handling it and hangs up on him. Tossing
the headset aside he stands.

Quinn watches him. Unknown to both of them so is
Falco from her navigation station.

“Falco, how long until we reach Rodham? Falco!”
The Admiral demands his temper showing.

“Sir, at current speed, just over five days.”
She replies. The Admiral isn’t happy. That woman is making him
unhappy. She’d have to pay for that.

“Quinn. How are repairs coming on the Sentinel
coming? Can we increase speed?” He walks over studying a chart.

“No sir. All repairs that can be completed in
route have been. This is their max speed until they get to Rodham
for more extensive repairs.”

“They’ve been notified so they’re prepared. I
want these repairs expedited. We need that ship back.”

“Yes Admiral, they’ve received copies of all the
damage. They say two days until its battle ready.”

“Fine. We’ll put the fleet in for two days.”

“I’ll let medical know they’ll be having a run
on Ollali Juice” Quinn jokes missing the Admiral’s startled
look.

“Admiral, I have a communication for you from
Carina.” The communications specialist on duty tells him. The
Admiral goes to his desk picking up his headset.

“Hey there, did you have a good rest?” Cassandra
walks over to the couch.

“Pretty good,” Mumbling Tori leans into her as
she rubs her back, giving her time to fully wake up. After a couple
minutes Tori lifts her head.

“Can I have a drink?”

“Sure, let me get you some water.” Filling a
glass in the bathroom she returns, Tori drinks thirstily.

“You ok? You want to talk?”

“I’m ok. I want to work on the program more.”
There’s a gleam in her eye.

“Alright, but you’re not going to overdue is
that understood.”

“Aunt Cassie…”

“I mean it young lady.”

“Ok, ok.” Together they head back to the consul.
Several hours later Cassandra leans back from the consul rubbing
her neck. Glancing at the clock she realizes it’s already 1745.

“Tori, time to stop.”

“What? No just a little longer!” She pleads.

“Tori we need to give it a rest let it soak in.
Now,” Cassandra raising a finger, “you know I’m right. We can start
again tomorrow.”

“But what if I have the dream tonight?” She
demands.

“Well then it will be a good test. So mark where
we’re at and shut it down.”

“Okay, but what are we going to do for the rest
of the night?”

“Well, the Admiral has invited us to dinner in
his quarters. Are you up for it? Or would you rather stay here?”
Tori looks at her then away.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Victoria Lynn. What?”

“It’s just, what if something bad happens
again?”

“You mean getting sick? That won’t happen
again.”

“And the other?”

“Your arm?” Tori nods. “But that was a good
thing. We found the thread, got it out, now you’re safe.”

“Yeah, I guess I didn’t think about it that
way.” Victoria watches puzzled as her Aunt goes into the bathroom.
Returning Cassandra squats down in front of her, opening her hand
she lets her see what’s in it, then puts the chain around neck.
Touching it Victoria looks at her.

“It’s your lucky ring.” Tori’s eyes are
wide.

“You wear it.” Cassandra smiles at her.

“Really?” Her green eyes hopeful.

“Really. So what’s your choice here or the
Admiral’s?” Tori looks around their quarters, it would be nice to
get out for awhile. And the Admiral’s is bigger and nicer. Then
there’s the chance that Lucas might be there.

“Let’s go to the Admiral’s.” Tori grins at her
aunt.

“Sure you can walk that far?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, go brush your hair then we’ll go.”

“Ok.”

William can’t believe he’s been so
irresponsible. What is he some cadet with his first girl? On Carina
contraception is the man’s responsibility. Ollali juice causes the
male to become infertile within twenty-four hours, the effects
wearing off within twenty-four hours of stopping. How could he have
forgotten? Cassandra could already have conceived.

William hesitates, would that really be so bad?
The thought of her carrying his child is taking root, his desire
for the child surprisingly strong. Entering his ready room he hears
laughter, securing the door, he follows it into his private
quarters. Walking back he sees Cassandra on the floor tickling her
niece.

“Hi Admiral!” Victoria giggles seeing him
first.

Cassandra twists around her face full of
mischief, those beautiful blue eyes sparkling. “Hi Admiral.” She
mimics, she sees the serious look in his eyes before it’s gone.

“Looks like you’re feeling better.” He makes
himself smile at Victoria.

“I am.” Tori gets up from the floor. Walking
over William helps Cassandra up, pulling her close. Could she be
carrying his child? He wonders, she raises an eyebrow at his
serious look, her smile dimming. Leaning down he kisses her
gently.

“Hi.”

Cassandra puts a hand on the side of his face.
“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, just glad to see you, both of
you.” He turns to smiling at Tori. “I wasn’t sure you’d be up to
it.”

“I’m good.” She says, a thought crossing her
mind. “Really good.” With a gleam in her eye she walks up to hold
his hand. “Maybe you could
order
Aunt Cassie to let me go
back to class tomorrow.” William has been watching the little
girl’s eyes as the idea comes to her. She is going to be a
handful.

“Victoria Lynn! You are not going tomorrow!”

“But
he’s
the Admiral. He gets to order
people around. Don’t you?” Tori asks still holding his hand.

“Well, let’s see.” William wonders how he is
going to get out from between two females. “No. Yes. I’ll go see
where Hutu is.”

“What?” Tori looks her Aunt as the Admiral makes
a hasty retreat to his ready room.

“No, he’s not going to order me. Yes, he gets to
order people around. And what you just witnessed is a man not
wanting to be in the middle of an argument between two women.”

“Oh.” Tori looks at the door. “Is he coming
back?”

“Oh eventually. Why don’t I go check to see when
Hutu’s going to be here okay?”

“Sure.”

Entering the ready room she finds William
leaning back in his chair. “We kind of chased you out of your
quarters, Admiral.” William watches as she crosses the room to him.
He’s eyes serious again.

“What’s wrong? What don’t I know?” William’s
continually amazed at his life mate’s intuition. Pulling her into
his lap he kisses her.

“There’s nothing wrong, just something we need
to discuss.” A knock at the hatch interrupts him. “But not right
now.” Releasing her he opens it to Hutu.

“How is the Regulian going?” William asks as
they sit down to eat. Tori gives him a pained look.

“It’s okay, it would be better if Aunt Cassie
wouldn’t go so slow.” She complains.

“It’s a difficult language Tori, don’t feel bad
if you didn’t get very far today.”

“Yeah, we only got a third of the way.” Tori
takes a bite of her dinner.

William looks at Cassandra. “A
third?!?
”

“I
know
!” Victoria agrees. “If Aunt
Cassie didn’t make us go so slow, we could have gotten a
lot
further.”

“You’ll remember more if you take it in smaller
chunks. You know I’m right.” Cassandra stops Tori from arguing with
her.

“A
third
?” William looks at Cassandra to
see if he’d heard right.

“Yeah?” She isn’t sure what he’s asking.

“The two of you made it through a
third
of the program in….”

“I don’t know, five, six hours? Wouldn’t you say
Tori?”

“Yeah, slow!” Tori looks at Cassandra hopefully
“I could do some more when I get done eating.”

“No, but if you wanted to practice the writing
for what we’ve done so far you can.” Tori shoots her a disappointed
look.

“Ok.”

William is trying to decide if the two of them
are joking with him. He’d known Cassandra was ‘smart’ that Victoria
was very ‘intelligent’ for her age but this….

“So just how smart are the two of you?” Two pair
of eyes turns to him.

“I guess depends on your point of
reference.”

“Aunt Cassie is the smartest person on the
planet!” Tori exclaims proudly.

“Victoria!”

“What? That’s what Great Grams always said. She
said you were the brightest light!”

“She was just a
little
biased.” Cassandra
informs her.

“But you were up for the Magellan Award!” Tori
persisted.

“Victoria enough! Give it a rest, please!”
Hearing the strain in her Aunt’s voice Tori stops.

“I’m full. Can I go study?” Cassandra looks at
her nearly empty plate.

“You’re sure?” Tori nods. “Okay for a little
while.” As Tori moves around the table Cassandra pulls her in for a
hug. “I love you Victoria Lynn.” Drawing back she continues, “Never
doubt it.”

Tori smiles at her, “I don’t.” She moves to the
couch.

William’s mind is whirling as he tries to follow
this conversation. It normally took a good six months to a year for
an exceptionally bright Carinian to get through the program he’d
given Cassandra. How had these two gotten so far? Victoria said the
‘brightest light’. The Regulians are looking for the light. What is
this Magellan Award Cassandra didn’t want talked about. She said
she’d screwed up earlier today. What is that about?

“Sorry.” Cassandra brings his attention back to
her. “Not quite the dinner conversation you expected when you
invited us over.” He turns in his chair to look at her.

“It doesn’t matter, as long as you’re here.
Eat.” He points to her nearly full plate. Once they were both done
William picks up all three plates taking the tray back into the
ready room, while Cassandra checks on Victoria.

“So how’s it going?”

“Not too bad,” Tori looks up at her Aunt. “You
were right. I need to know this better before we go on.”

“So you study it and tomorrow we’ll see.
Okay?’

“Okay. Are you going to go talk to the
Admiral?”

“Why?”

“I think he has some questions.” Cassandra looks
towards the connecting door.

“I’m sure he does.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what sweetie?”

“For arguing with you.”

‘Oh please, families argue. Didn’t your dad and
I argue all the time?”

“Yeah.” Tori smiles remembering. “You always
won. It used to make him so mad!”Cassandra smiles at her niece.

“I didn’t
always
win. Your dad was one
tough cookie.”

“Yeah, he was.” Tori turns back to her writing.
After a quick kiss on her head Cassandra goes to find William.

He’s standing in front of the painting of the
three setting suns when she closes the connecting door. She doesn’t
think this is a conversation for Tori’s ears. Turning when he hears
the door close, he raises an eyebrow.

“You said we need to talk.” Walking over he
pulls her close, feeling her arms go around him.

“What did you think you screwed up today?”

“What?” William put a hand under her chin so
she’s looking at him.

“When I called, you’d been upset. You thought
you’d screwed up. What happened?”

“I just should have realized that’s all, given
Tori more attention.”

“I’m not sure that would be possible. Cassandra,
you give her everything. You think about what she needs before she
does. What didn’t you do?”

“I didn’t let her know that I missed her parents
too, that I missed my father. I was so damn busy trying to be
strong and brave for her that I didn’t let her know that it was
okay for her to cry for them, to miss them. I should be smarter
than that!” Putting her hands on his chest she tries to push away.
Gripping her upper arms he gives her a shake.

“Stop that!” He isn’t going to let her do this
to herself. “You haven’t screwed anything up! You can’t think of
everything, be everything, all the time!”

“Why not?!?” She demands. “She needs me to be!
God she’s just a little girl! She shouldn’t have to go through
something like this. To lose everyone she loves!”

“She didn’t
! She has you!” William
tightens his grip bring her to her toes. “You shouldn’t have had to
go through this either! But you are! Give yourself a break, you
lost too!” The eyes that meet his break his heart.