Chapter Two

Without removing his eyes off the armored figure, Mike directed a question to TJ. "Is that a robot, or is there someone inside that thing?"

Tam'na tried to understand what the alien said. The database was still being absorbed and sorted by her mind, and the neural connections were still developing that would make translation easier as time went on. However, she got the impression that they were confused by her presence. Her suit sensors revealed that the atmosphere here was safe for her, even if the nitrogen levels were higher than Cherth. The medical scanners in the pod had sampled the pollutant levels and microorganisms of the planet, and found that while the pollutants were on the high side, they were in acceptable limits. Her biology was different enough so that the planetary bugs and germs wouldn't affect her, and she was inoculated in case there was something that might affect her. She herself was free of germs that might get loose on the planet, as the Space Force had rigid sterilization procedures to prevent transmittal of disease on foreign planets.

She ran a weapons scan and didn't pick up anything among the group of aliens that could be used as a weapon. No tell-tale chemicals or power cells that were used in the creation of projectile or energy weapons. None of the aliens were equipped with swords or bows either.

Tam'na suspected that the aliens were also mentally underdeveloped, but she remained cautious as reached out with her mental senses. The aliens showed minor levels of latency of mental abilities, but nothing that would be of a threat to her. She was also able to determine that the aliens were more curious of her than afraid, and none seemed threatening. The one standing next to the injured one in the wheeled chair expressed the most fear, but again, nothing that could threaten her was apparent. She decided to be friendly.

Before TJ could respond to Mike's query, there was a double click and a brief sound of escaping gas, and the helmet lifted off and back to reveal the face of the suit occupant. The men just stared as a feline head covered with fine golden fur was exposed. The fur did not hide the delicate and attractive features which the men recognized as that of a woman. Her ears were like those of a cat, tall and pointed on each side of her head, and as the helmet moved off, she shook her head from side to side, revealing a long golden mane that stretched from high on her forehead and went across the top of her head and was braided down her back. As she focused her vision on the group of men staring at her, her yellow cat-like eyes blinked a couple of times. "Who among you is the leader?" She spoke, in the same odd, yet melodious voice they heard before, and they could see that her teeth were white, even, and very sharp.

TJ, Mike, and Eddie didn't move, but the firemen that had gathered to watch all glanced at TJ. Her gaze focused on TJ, and her expression became puzzled. She examined the auras of the creatures she was facing, and the database supplied the term "Human" as she visualized the aliens. There was no definite aura of command here, but the auras belonging to the one in the wheeled chair and the human standing next to him on the right were the most confident. She looked them all over, and then made her choice. She turned to face the one standing and pointed an armored finger at him. "You. You are the leader here. Who are you?"

Mike swallowed hard as he realized that she was speaking directly to him, and thought quickly. He didn't want to be vaporized by any megadeath weapons that she might have in the finger pointed at him, but it might be safer for TJ if he pretended to be the leader until they found out what she wanted. He glanced down at TJ, and could tell that he was upset at her automatic dismissal. Mike placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Chill, TJ. Let's find out what she wants first," he whispered.

Mike stepped forward. "I am Mike Dunross, Chief of Security. You can talk to me. Who are you, and why are you here?"

Her expression became smug. She lowered her arm. "I thought you were the leader. You have the look of the Termat about you." She lifted her chin and gazed down at him in a regal posture. "I am the Princess Tam'na K'lara M'dala." There were several odd clicks from her suit, and the front of it folded away to reveal her body, covered in a white jumpsuit with an odd badge on her upper left breast.

She pulled her arms and legs from the appendages of the suit, and leapt down. The suit remained standing like a statue, looking like a suit of armor that had been opened down the center with a can opener and the sides peeled back. Her body was lithe and athletic, and could have passed for a human woman's, except for an extra pair of small breasts placed directly under the top pair. All four were the same size, and did nothing to diminish their attractiveness. She also had a tail that whipped from side to side, that was not covered by the jumpsuit, and was covered by same fine golden fur. The only parts visible that did not have fur were the palms of her hands and the tip of her nose, just like a cat's. She landed gracefully on her feet, and for a moment Mike thought she was standing on her toes, until he realized that her feet were shaped like a cat's as well. She wasn't as tall as he thought she was going to be, standing only about five and a half feet tall.

Mike bowed. "Welcome to Earth, your Royal Majesty." He glanced back up and saw that she still had the same smug look on her face. He decided to continue on this same tack. "What may we do for you?"

Tam'na was pleased. These creatures may be backward and resemble hairless monars, but they knew when to be respectful. The info dump that the lifeboat provided her with was full of promising data. "I need to see your Queen right away. Take me to her." Mike looked confused. What in hell was she talking about? He thought for a moment. If she's a princess, then where she came from, there's a Queen, so, he thought, She's assuming that we have one too. "I'm sorry, your majesty. We don't have a Queen. We have a President. This is the country of the United States of America."

Tam'na shook her head in annoyance. "I don't want to talk to the regional leader, I want to see your world leader, Queen Elizabeth."

Oops, thought Mike. Now what do I do? She would ask about a monarch that just a figurehead. He glanced down at TJ, who just shrugged. Turning back to the princess, he took a deep breath. No point in putting it off. "I'm sorry, we don't have a world leader. Queen Elizabeth is just a symbol of another country called England. She doesn't have any power."

Oops, thought Tam'na. Now what do I do? No world leader, and the only Royalty in her info dump was a dud. Mike could tell that she was upset. She looked around, and waving her arms to indicate the local scenery, asked, "Who owns this?"

"This is the property of the CyberTech Corporation, and is owned by TJ Adams," replied Mike.

"Okay, then, take me to him. I have much to discuss with him," she demanded.

Before Mike could respond, TJ rolled up to her and held out his hand. "I'm TJ Adams. Pleased to meet you, your Highness."

Tam'na jumped back as TJ approached. She looked disgusted, and faced Mike. "Do not attempt to deceive me, Mikedunross. Do you think I'm idiot enough to accept this invalid as your leader?"

Mike cringed. TJ hated to reminded of his disability, and nothing set off his temper more quickly. He watched TJ, but instead of getting angry, TJ looked sad. Mike quickly spoke up. "Your Majesty, this really is TJ Adams, my boss. His disability has not prevented him from achieving his goals."

Tam'na looked at TJ. Other than being in a wheelchair, he seemed fit. His upper body was firm and well muscled. His face and top of his head was hairless. There was a small strip of black fur under his nose and around the sides of his head were the remains of a mane. She struggled with the thought that he might be who he claimed to be, which would explain his high level of confidence she saw in his aura. She wasn't in a position to deny him, but if they were trying to fool her, she would make them regret it. With a struggle to control her feelings of revulsion, she approached TJ, and presented her hand like she saw him do. "My apologies." She struggled to find a proper phrase of greeting. "It is nice to meet you."

TJ reached for her hand and grasped it, amazed by the wonderfully soft fur and the warm palm. He could see the hint of claws in the tips of the fingers, and guessed that they might be retractable, like a cat's. He could tell that she was nervous. Her tail was whipping back and forth enough to create a light breeze. Instead of shaking her hand, he turned her palm down and kissed the back of it.

She snatched her hand away and unconsciously rubbed the back of her hand on the leg of her jumpsuit. TJ smiled up at her. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Shall we go to my house where we can sit and talk?"

She nodded. "That would be good. Which way?"

TJ pointed at the trees. "In that direction. Would you like a ride?"

She shook her head. "In my hardsuit I will follow your vehicle."

"Very good. It's not far." TJ turned back to the Fire Chief. "Chief, please keep this quiet. Arrange to get her ship out of that hole and into a secure hanger. I think the workshop in number three will hold it, and get this mess cleaned up."

"Yes sir. I'll see to everything." The Chief saluted TJ, and turned to his men and issued orders.

TJ turned to Eddie and Mike. "I want this kept quiet. Find an explanation for this mess to use if anyone asks, and don't talk to anyone about this, and I mean no one. Not even the day shift. Don't record this in the log. Report that we had a near miss with a fireball, possibly from the Perseid Meteor shower, that burned up near ground level without hitting. Put the same on the report to the FAA. Understood?" Mike and Eddie saluted. "Mike, let's get back to the mansion, and use the underground garage to get her out of sight." Finally, TJ turned to face the Princess. "If you will follow us, your highness, we shall go to the mansion. We will be parking underground, so you might want to stay low and close behind us."

The Princess just nodded. From the way he spouted orders, he expected them to be followed. He clearly seemed to be in charge, but, as she reminded herself, appearances can be deceiving. Plus the way he slobbered on her hand. She wasn't sure what to make of that. It might have been respectful, or he might have been tasting her. It was hard to tell with primitives. She decided to continue to withhold any judgments until she learned more.

TJ watched as the Princess turned and climbed back into her suit. The suit was open in the back, plunging in a V to the base of her tail. Her mane extended all the way from her neck down to her tail, and was all the same rich golden color. Her physical proportions the same as a human's, and he caught himself admiring the curve of her ass and legs as she installed herself back in her suit. He shook his head. She was a Star Princess of another species, and from her reaction to him, he fell into the category of a frog. No doubt she had a furry Prince Charming somewhere out there looking for her. He sighed, and turned to Mike. "Come on, Mike. Let's get back to the house."

Once in his office, TJ felt more at ease. The Princess had left her suit down in the garage, and was now stretched out on his office couch, looking purrfect. . ., perfectly relaxed. He still couldn't get over how attractive she was. He had always liked cats anyway, and she looked like she stepped out of an underground funny animal comic he particularly liked, so he wasn't too surprised by his feelings. She was a real foxy babe, fur and all.

Mike was sitting in one of the other overstuffed chairs that surrounded the fireplace in TJ's office. They were all arranged for easy conversation, but no one knew how to start. TJ shook his head to clear his mind. "Princess M'dala, uh, well, this is the first time that an alien has visited our planet, that we know of. Jut knowing that you exist is going to have enormous consequences for our world. You are final proof that we are not the only ones in the universe. Uh, why are you here?"

Tam'na had been looking at TJ's office. In many respects, it resembled her father's private den. Dark wooden bookshelves stuffed with volumes of wisdom, with souvenirs of hunts and travels scattered among and between the books. She felt herself relaxing, knowing that she didn't have anything to fear from these primitives. She turned her head to look at TJ. "This is a virgin planet? Excellent. Being so far out by the rim of the galaxy I hoped that I would find a hiding place, but I am confused. Don't you have a Federation or something? If you don't have a world leader, then a great admiral will do. Can you get me to see Admiral Kirk? From what I understand, he's just the human I need to help me." She stopped as the one called Mike started having convulsions. He was clutching at his stomach and leaning forward, making all sorts of hideous noises. She sat up as he fell out of his chair onto the floor. She glanced at TJ to see if he would go to the fallen man's aid, only to see him repressing similar convulsions.

Tam'na started to panic when TJ held up a hand toward her, and got himself under control. "Princess, I think you might be suffering from some misinformation. How did you learn about us and our language?" Mike finally got himself under control and regained his seat.

Tam'na glared at TJ and Mike, suspecting that she had just made a Royal fool of herself again. "My lifeboat has sensors and receptors built in. The computer's AI is designed to study any informational broadcasts and prepare a language and background database that can be relayed to me before I land in a strange world. This is an emergency measure designed to improve survivability."

"Oh, that would explain a lot," said Mike.

"What do you mean?" the Princess asked.

TJ explained. "We broadcast a lot of information, but much of it is fiction. Apparently your computer couldn't tell the difference."

"What is Fiction?"

"Fiction is information that is made up for our amusement. It's entertainment. Some of it is based on real information, while others are pure works of the imagination."

"I understand. We have the same in my world." The Princess shuttered. "Then how can I tell what is what?"

"Well, we can explain a lot, but if we knew something about you and why you were here, it might make the explanations easier," said Mike.

Tam'na thought for a moment and sat up. "Sure. I was commanding the homeworld defense fleet when a sneak force of Erscans attacked it, and my ship was taken out in the first wave. I set the ship to self-destruct and escaped in my personal gig, but I was followed. My ship was damaged, and I was forced to eject in a life pod. The stasis field in the pod protected me until I came to your planet, and according to the pod's clock, I was in stasis for three months. Since my fleet was my homeworld's main defense force, I can only assume that it has fallen under control of the Erscans, and with it, the rest of our empire." Tam'na became somber. "The rest of my family was on Cherth for holiday. The Erscans would not allow any of the Royal Family to live to challenge their control. I must be the only one alive by this time." What she said finally sunk into her, and Tam'na fell forward on the couch, buried her face in her arms, and began to cry. She had been so occupied by her efforts to survive, she hadn't allowed herself the luxury of grief. Now she allowed herself to feel her loss, and wept for her lost parents and siblings.

TJ felt his own heart breaking as he watched her cry. He rolled over to the couch, and reached over to place her hand on her shoulder. She didn't shrink from his touch, and continued to sob. He started to stroke her back, marveling at the soft, warm fur that covered her body. "Princess, I promise you, anything I can do for you, I will."

Tam'na raised her head to look at him. Her eyes were huge and wet from crying, and tears had matted the fur under her eyes. She reached over to grasp the hand that he had been stroking her with, and held it tight, holding down the revulsion that instinctively came from touching a diseased one. "Thank you, TJ, but if all I know of your space forces is this fiction, then there isn't anything you can do." She let go of his hand and started crying again while TJ just stared at her helplessly.

Mike coughed gently into his hand to get TJ's attention. When TJ looked over, Mike pointed at the door and stood up. TJ looked back briefly at the Princess, and then followed Mike out the door. Mike closed the door behind them, muffling the Princess' crying, and faced TJ. "What the hell we gonna do now, boss? Don't we have to put her in quarantine or something? What about space rabies or something?"

TJ shook his head. "I don't think we have anything to worry about. Since she's from a more advanced culture, it's not likely that she is carrying anything infectious. Also, being from another planet, she's probably chemically different from us enough for our bugs not to like her, and visa versa." TJ shrugged and smiled. "Besides, it became academic when she popped her helmet. Let's hope that nothing bites, eh?"

Mike rolled his eyes up and shook his head. "So what are we gonna do? Can she eat our food? We're going to need someone who's a real hotshot biochemist. And how are you going to keep this quiet? When people get up in the morning and see her, word's bound to get out, and everyone will want to get involved. The government will probably whisk her off to some secret air base, and threaten to shoot us if we complain. So, again, what are we going to do?"

TJ hunkered down in his chair and thought. This wasn't going to be easy. He glanced at his watch. In just a couple of hours the house staff would be getting up and beginning their routines. There wasn't anyone here at CyberTech HQ that he didn't trust, and no one got to this place without his personal approval. He was going to have to tell them. The only other option was to make the Princess a virtual prisoner. He didn't think she would go for that, and it would make it impossible to help her. TJ looked up at Mike. "Call a department head meeting for nine o'clock, and let them know that attendance is mandatory. We're going to need everyone's help for this." Mike started to protest, but TJ cut him off. "We'll let them know about her, and let them decide which of their people need to get involved. We'll keep this on a strict need-to-know basis. Also, increase general security for this location. If anyone complains, tell them that it's necessary for government contracts, nothing else. Okay?"

Mike nodded. TJ smiled up at him. "Don't worry, Mike. Think of the possibilities. If we can get access to her technology, we'll be so far ahead of everyone else that nothing will stop us."

"Yeah, I see that, but I got to worry about these things. That's why you pay me the big bucks." Mike smiled back at TJ. "Look, I need to get things started. Will you be okay?" Mike asked, indicating the closed office door.

TJ looked at the door. "Yeah. I just gotta think about what I'm going to tell everyone. I'll call you if I need anything. See you at Nine."

"Okay, TJ." Mike turned and went upstairs. TJ turned himself around and quietly listened at the door. He didn't hear anything, so he quietly opened the door. The Princess was still on the couch, but her eyes were closed and she was breathing slowly and regularly. TJ quietly entered and closed the door behind him. He positioned himself next to her, and watched her sleep, still trying to convince himself she was real. He resisted the urge to touch her again, not wanting to wake her. Poor kitty, he thought. You're too young and pretty to have to deal with all of this. I hope you can cope. I really want to be friends.

Tam'na looked up when she hear the door shut and discovered that she had been left alone. Alone. That was her problem now. All her friends and family, enjoying the celebration of the birth of their empire, now either dead or imprisoned. As the celebration rights were transmitted live throughout the empire, all the worlds would know that their new masters had arrived. Clever of those foul Erscans. Such planning and timing must have been worked out long ago, just waiting for the right set of circumstances to come about.

Her thoughts fled back to the last celebration, held five years ago. She loved the world that she rarely visited, yet always considered her home. Cherth was a beautiful world. It was her ninth visit to her race's homeworld, and always a treat. By order of a millennium old law, the Heir and the Emperor must remain separated to prevent a single accident that might leave the empire leaderless, plunging the race into a vicious civil war.

The Emperor, her father, was away on a tour of planets, so she was allowed to attend. This was the first time she had been able to visit the homeworld for the celebration, and the planet seemed equally excited to finally have her attend in person. The spaceport they landed at had been closed all day pending her arrival, and it seemed that every square foot not needed for the shuttle was packed with fellow cherthians, all straining to get the first look at the now adult and beautiful heiress. Her previous visits had been quiet affairs, her coming and goings held at the private and heavily armed space field on the palace grounds. However, now that she was finally of age, and her regent officially dismissed from her post, it was felt that a public arrival was warranted.

For the planet, it was a double celebration. A combination of the Empire's birth and the coming of age for the Royal Heir. There was nothing spared. It was determined that this would be the greatest celebration of all. The spaceport that serviced the capital city of M'dalad was shut down for the day, and dedicated to the Princess's arrival. Barriers were put in place, Banners hung, and the pink and white Merethor blossoms were everywhere. The plant, with it's many long, slim, white pedals decorated with thin pink lines running down the center of the pedals, leading to a small pink bud in the center, and slender stems were the official royal flower. Crowds of cherthians had been gathering since before dawn, fighting for choice viewing areas for the scheduled noon arrival of the Princess.

As the royal shuttle slowly descended, Tam'na checked herself out in the holoflection, making sure that her dress shipsuit and the newly presented Captain's harness were spotless, and fit her perfectly. She was happy. The tailor always did a good job. She rotated her image to make sure that her back was equally as presentable. She had always been told by her mother that she was a lovely girl, but finally seeing herself now of legal age and in uniform, she agreed with the assessment. She flipped out a brush and made sure that her mane was as perfect as her uniform, and that her tail was as neatly brushed.

The door that separated the cabin from the cockpit quietly slid open, and her mother entered. She paused as the door slid shut behind her as she watched her eldest child fuss over her appearance. Tam'na heard her chuckle. She turned to face her mother. "Well?"

"You look lovely, as always. The boys will claw each other just to be near you. Every inch the Princess, the perfect image of Royalty." The royal consort sat down on a nearby acceleration seat. "We're right on schedule. Have you seen the crowds?"

Tam'na nodded. "I've been watching the vid. They've preempted all the usual programming for this. I still can't believe it's all for me. They were showing all those baby pictures of me, growing up and in training. Some were from my birthdays and acting goofy, and now the entire universe knows what I look like all wet. Don't I get any respect?" Tam'na threw her brush at the image of the newscaster. The vid didn't even flicker as the brush passed through the holographic journalist, who smiled as he relayed yet another amusing anecdote about her youth. That bothered Tam'na more. She stalked over next to her mother and sat down. Her mother reached over and held her hands.

"I know, my pet. There are few secrets between the Royal family and our subjects." The Lady M'dala patted her daughter's hand. "Try to relax. It's a big day for all of us."

"And what's the point of the ceremony? Father already made me official and stripped you of the regency."

"He has, yes. He wanted you to be official as soon as you were of age. He's very proud of you and your accomplishments. However, there has to be a public ceremony so our subjects can witness it."

"I wish we didn't have to. It's so degrading to have you bow to me, mommy."

The Lady M'dala shrugged. "It's part of the job, my dearest. I don't mind. You are deserving of the honor. And I won't be the only one. From today on, the only one who isn't supposed to bow to you is your father." There was a change in the whine of the engines, and a distant image of the shuttle appeared on the vid, flanked by the escort fighters. "Now relax, Tam'na, excuse me, Princess M'dala, its almost time for your grand appearance. When you appear like this, no one will be thinking of you as a wet stripling."

"Mom, please, you don't ever have to call me that." Tam'na stood up and took her place near the door. The lady M'dala also rose and donned the cloak of the Regency and smiled.

"Get used to it, my dear. You'll be hearing a lot of it."

They watched the vid as they approached for landing. Four of the escorting craft were already landing, their pilots to form the honor guard assigned to escort the princess. The vid image split, one half showing the slow descent of the shuttle, and the other half covering the four hottest pilots in the Imperial spacefleet that won the honor of the guard. Small still images and bios of the pilots appeared in the bottom of the second screen. Tam'na smiled as a picture of one dashing pilot appeared, and happily noted that there were some facts still hidden about him and his relationship to her.

Once the four honor guards were in position, the shuttle began to settle down towards the landing zone. The pilots stood at attention as the shuttle settled into the landing port, scant inches away from the waiting guard. The four didn't even blink as the antigrav field of the shuttle whipped wind and debris past them. Once the green 'landing secure' light came on, Tam'na let her breath out. She realized that she hadn't dared breathe during the final maneuvers. The shuttle airlock opened and the four guards entered, and took their positions around the Princess. Momentarily out of sight of the cameras, Flight Leader T'lara winked at her. She winked back, and filled her lungs with the spring-scented air of her race's homeworld, reveling in the exotic perfumes of the flowering plants. Then she put on the official poker face she had been practicing all morning, and nodded. Together, on the beat to the Cherthian Imperial Anthem, they stepped out. The Lady M'dala, mother of the heir and Imperial Regent led the procession, followed by Flight Leader T'lara in the lead guard position, then the Princess M'dala, flanked by two guards, and followed by the last guard.

The crowds, which had been loud, became deafening. Cheers, hoots, and whistles competed with the music for attention, and Tam'na felt very self-conscious, knowing that the entire attention of the Empire was on her at this moment. `I hope I don't trip,' she thought.

They made their way to the waiting vehicles at the debarking zone. To each side of her as they marched were the members of the 101st space marine battalion, the designated personal troops of the Royal family, now under her direct command. The troops were recruited from other marine battalions, after they had proved their bravery in battle and receiving special training. They were the top marines in the Empire. Beyond them lay the barriers, the press and holojournalists pressed up tight against them to focus their cameras and recorders on her. The general public was behind them, almost out of sight.

There were no plans for any announcements or presentations. All that would take place at the official ceremony later this afternoon at the Royal stadium. Seats at the stadium were sold out the day they became available. Everyone would get to see it through the holovids, but only a few in person. All the people here at the spaceport came just to get a glimpse of her, nothing else. Tam'na felt bad for them. They had waited for hours just to see her, and she was only going to be visible for a few minutes. It didn't seem fair.

As they approached the vehicles, Tam'na noticed that the vid announcer she had seen was actually present, his reputation and influence giving him close access to the Royal family. He and his crew were just beyond the guard around the vehicles, able to get close and clear images of the Royal party. As they arrived, Tam'na suddenly and gracefully leapt to the top of the transport, and held up her arms.

Instantly the nearby crowd hushed, and the silence slowly extended outward through the immense crowd as they realized that something unplanned was taking place. The Band cut suddenly, and Tam'na was stunned by the immediate silence. She could see the teeming crowds now, all their attention focused on her. She felt a huge lump form in her throat as she felt the sheer love and loyalty of the people extended to her. She glanced down to see the shocked looks of her mother and the guards, except for T'lara. He just crossed his arms, smiled, and winked at her again. An alert communications engineer sensed what was coming, and directed the audio signals from the holovid crew to the loudspeakers covering the spaceport.

Tam'na swallowed and lowered her hands. "Hello, everyone." She was startled for a moment to hear herself echoed across the spaceport, then mentally slapped herself. `You're the princess, you got yourself into this, now get yourself out,' she thought to herself. She raised her arms again. "I wanted to thank you all for coming to see me arrive. I. . .," She choked up for a second, swallowed, and continued. "I wanted to let you know that I appreciate it, and I shall remember this always." Loud cheers greeted this statement, and she waved at the crowds. Thousands of arms waved back, and feeling choked up again, she jumped off the car, waved again, and slipped into the transport.

Later, at the ceremony, her father's image huge behind them, he spoke the words that formally stripped the Lady M'dala of the regency. Then the Lady M'dala and the rest of the royal family, as well as everyone in the amphitheater, knelt down on one knee to Tam'na as her father, the Emperor, acknowledged her formally and announced her as his official Heir to the Empire of Cherth, and all the eighty worlds within.

She remembered looking down at all of them. Her mother, her younger brothers and sisters, and countless other relations. In her mind the scene burned, as if it was a holovid that caught on fire, as she imagined what it would have looked like as the Erscan raiders swept down from the skies, bringing sudden death and destruction to them all. She sobbed again, and tired from all the stress, fell asleep on TJ's couch.

Mike opened the door to his room and saw the lump of Jill's body sprawled over the bed. Seeing her momentarily distracted him from the recent events of the night. He went over and sat down on the edge of the bed, and stared at Jill's face, illuminated by the soft moonlight that came through the window. He had enjoyed spending the last week with Jill, sharing their free time with each other, and sleeping together every night.

Previously she had divided her time between him and a mutual friend, Tom Shaw, who had been away for the past week attending a martial arts competition. As Mike and Tom were also very good friends, their odd, triangle affair hadn't been much of a strain, but now that Mike had Jill's exclusive attention for the past week, he found that he didn't want it to end.

Mike brushed a wayward hair off of Jill's face, and she stirred slightly, her mouth curving in a small smile as if responding to a dream. He leaned over and gently kissed her on the lips. Her eyes opened slowly and her smile widened. "Hello, lover. I was beginning to think that you were seeing another woman."

"As a matter of fact, I have. However, there is something I want to talk to you about first." Mike gathered her hands up in his and stared into her eyes. "I love you."

Jill smiled and squeezed his hands. "I love you too, Mike."

Mike paused and swallowed a lump he felt forming in his throat. "Jill, will you marry me?"

Jill blinked in surprise and glanced away. Mike watched her face as she struggled with internal feeling. Finally she looked back at him. "Isn't this kinda sudden?"

"I know, but the past week has been just fantastic, and I don't want it to end."

"What about Tom? What about his feelings?" asked Jill.

It was Mike's turn to look away. "I don't want to do anything to hurt him, but this means a lot to me." He turned to look her in the eye again. "I love you, Jill, and I want to have you to myself."

"I love both of you, Mike. I don't know if I can make a choice between the two of you," said Jill.

"Wouldn't you like to have a normal relationship? Have you thought about having a family?" asked Mike. "It's been on my mind all day, and I wanted to ask you before Tom came back. I was afraid that if I waited, I'd be too afraid to ask. Tom's almost like a brother to me, and the last thing I want to do is hurt him, but I love you so much that I have to ask. It's that important to me."

Jill was quiet for a few minutes while she stared out the window at the night sky while she thought about what he said. Finally she looked back at him. "Let me talk to Tom when he gets back, okay? I have to know how he would feel about this. I don't want to hurt either one of you." Jill paused, and she shifted her weight on the bed. "I've been afraid of something like this happening, and the last thing I want to do is ruin a friendship between two guys I love so much." She patted Mike's hand and pouted when she noticed his frown. "Cheer up, love. It's not that bad. I'm not saying no. I'm just saying that I need to make sure that I'm not going to hurt anyone."

"What if Tom wants to marry you too? Does he get first refusal?" said Mike.

"Mike, it's not like that. I won't have you guys fighting over me. We discussed this when this affair started, and we all knew the risks. So far it's worked out well, but if there's going to be a problem, then it's over between all of us."

"I'm sorry, Jill. I'm just tired." Mike rubbed his eyes.

Jill leaned over and kissed him. "It's okay, lover. Now tell me what Eddie wanted that dragged you away from me, and what does it have to do with seeing another woman?"

The tight security restrictions that TJ wanted ran through Mike's head, but Jill was TJ's private secretary, and there were no secrets from her. TJ depended on her for everything, so she would have to learn about the new arrival sooner or later. Mike sighed. "You are not going to believe this," he said as he started to relate the night's events.

To Be Continued