Cassandra's Challenge (33 page)

Opening a drawer, he pulls out the bottle of
Carinian Ale, pours two glasses, puts one in front of her and sits
back to wait.

“Is there a way to get into the archives so I
can learn more about the Houses?” Cassandra picks up the glass,
looks at it and takes a sip. “Not bad.”

“What do you want to know?”

“I don’t know, that’s the problem, there are too
many things I don’t know. I need information on the Houses, the
royals, the connections. You’re already focused on the House of
Knowledge, they have the most to gain, but there’s got to be
more.”

“You want information that wouldn’t be available
to the common Carinian.”

“It would be available to the Rulers, their
families, and the military wouldn’t it?”

“Yes.” William sees where she’s going.

“So it should be available to me, since someone
thinks I could be Queen. Can it be done? From here, without anyone
knowing?”

“It’ll be tricky, we can get so far on my
security, without any flags, but after that…“

“Then it will be up to me. What happens if the
Royals find out your security code is being used?”

“It won’t matter, you’ll be Queen.”

“Before that.”

“It won’t matter.”

“William….”

“Cassandra, if you need the information you’ll
have it. But it will have to be either from this comm or the one in
our quarters. They have the best security on the ship.” Cassandra’s
eyes narrow.

“Then why did you talk to the High Admiral on
the Bridge?”

“Cassandra…”

“It was about the Dioscuri coming wasn’t it. You
didn’t want me to know.”

“I didn’t want anyone one to know. Only Quinn
knows. Cassandra, I know how to protect you.”

“I’ve never doubted that William, but protecting
me and keeping me in the dark are two entirely different
things.”

“I told you about the Dioscuri when everything
was set. You have to trust I know what I’m doing.” Standing she
walks over to lean against the desk next to him.

“I’ve always trusted you. I need to go get Tori,
class is almost out. But there’s something I want to show you, it’s
the real reason I wanted you to clear sometime.” Putting her foot
on his thigh she lifts her pant leg.

Expecting to see her birthmark is darker, he’s
amazed to see it’s starting to fill with color. Rubbing his thumb
across it he knows that anyone seeing it will have no doubt she
is
the lost Queen. Standing he pulls her close, suddenly
uncertain of their future.

“William?” Easing his hold he leans down for a
gentle kiss.

“You are the Queen, Cassandra.”

“Maybe, but I’m also just me, your life
mate.”

“Yes you are. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“You need to make sure no one sees you birthmark
until we reach the Assembly.”

“Alright, I need to get Tori.”

Walking Victoria to class several days later
Cassandra can’t help but notice the unusual silence filling the
Retribution. There are no yells, no shouts, no laughter, it’s like
a funeral. Even the kids are somber.

As Victoria enters the class she sees Javiera
and Amina coming down the corridor. They too are quiet with no
smiles of greeting. Cassandra waits as Javiera hugs her daughter
goodbye.

“Javiera, what’s going on?”

“You should know.” The accusation in Javiera’s
voice causes Cassandra to take a step back.

“What do you mean?” When she starts to turn
away, Cassandra grabs her arm. “You told me that if I had any
questions I could ask you. Well I’m asking. What the fuck is going
on? It’s like someone died.” Javiera sees the honest confusion in
Cassandra’s eyes.

“You really don’t know do you.” Javiera looks
around the corridor. “Come on, we can’t talk here.”

Following her, Cassandra is suddenly aware of
the eyes following them. Entering the
Michelakakis
quarters Javiera secures the door.

“You know the Dioscuri replaced the Retribution
on this tour.”

“Yes, it arrived yesterday.”

“That we’re heading back to Carina.”

“Yes.”

“That there are only two reasons for that to
happen Cassandra.”

“What do you mean
reasons
…?” Cassandra
starts to get a sick feeling in her stomach.

“Either the Admiral has been ordered back
because High Command has lost faith in his ability to command or
the Admiral has requested it, because he no longer feels he
can.”

“Can what?”

“Command the fleet.”

“What!” Cassandra’s eyes widen. “Javiera that’s
crazy, why would anyone think that?”

“Cassandra! You don’t just have a Battle Star
replaced eight months into a tour! Especially one that’s had a lot
of combat, unless it is severely damaged or suffered heavy losses,
the Retribution has had neither. It means there has been a loss of
confidence in the commander at the highest levels.”

“Why would anyone think that, especially on this
ship?” Javiera just stares at her. “Because of me? Everyone thinks
it’s because I’m his life mate that he’s lost his nerve to
command?”

“Simply put, yes.”

“But that’s ridicules. Javiera, you said you
grew up on ships, you know the Admiral, you
know
there is a
reason for this.”

“And it has nothing to do with you?” Turning
away Cassandra runs a hand threw her hair.

“It does, but not in the way you think. Shit!
Why didn’t he tell me this would be what his crew would think?”

“I thought you didn’t care what people would
think. You didn’t about Falco.” Javiera accuses.

“That was different,
he
was worried what
everyone would think about, talk about,
me
. I could care
less. But
this
…
this
is what his crew thinks about
him
! Are saying about
him
! Fuck how could any of them
doubt him? How could
you
!” Javiera is somewhat taken aback
by Cassandra’s rage.

“You really didn’t know, did you?”

“If I’d have known I would have stopped it,
there has to be another way.”

“Another way to what?” At her silence Javiera’s
mind starts to race. “You’re saying that there’s another reason for
this, one that justifies this.”

“I can’t tell you.”

Javiera sit down on her couch. She’s known
Cassandra only a short period of time, but in that time has come to
trust her. Her gut tells her to trust her now.

“Okay, don’t tell me but there is something else
you should know, and I doubt the Admiral will tell you. Even if
there is another reason for returning to base, a major reason that
High Command is aware of. The chances of the Admiral ever being put
in command of another Battle Star let along another fleet are
zero.”

Cassandra’s pale face tells Javiera all she
needs to know. While the Admiral’s told her what was going on, he’d
protected her from what it would do to him.

“They’ll take away his command?” Cassandra’s
voice is faint.

“Yes.”

The first change she notices is Cassandra’s
eyes. Moments ago they’d been dazed and shocked to the point she’d
thought of making her sit. But now they blaze with fury, her cheeks
filling with color.

“That son of a bitch! Damn him! What the
hell
gives him the right!” Javiera is suddenly glad she’s
not the Admiral and not because of High Command. Cassandra pissed
off is an unrivaled sight.

“I need to get back to quarters, but Javiera,
don’t doubt the Admiral,
NEVER
doubt him.” As she strides
the corridors of the Retribution no one seeing her considers
stopping her.

Entering the ready room all conversation stops.
Tar and Lucas are there making Cassandra realizing
she’s
the
only one who didn’t understand. Carefully shutting the hatch she
sits down in the chair to the left of the Admiral.

“Cassandra, we’re having a meeting.”

“Go ahead, it’s not like it concerns me anyway.
Right? It was only my planet destroyed, only my family murdered. I
mean, why should
I
give a damn? I’m just some stupid refugee
that believes everything she’s told. Isn’t that right Admiral?” Her
eyes blaze into his.

“Lucas. Quinn. Would you excuse us for a
minute?”

“There’s no need for that Admiral, after all you
keep
them
informed.” Cassandra’s eyes turn to the two men,
the blazing cold, freezing them in their chairs.

“While
I
on the other hand have been kept
in the dark.” Cassandra turns her attention back to the Admiral.
“That ends now. So please continue on, I’d love to know how the
three of you are handling
my life
!”

“You haven’t been kept in the dark.” The
Admiral’s own temper is rising.

“Really….so I’ve been told what the arrival of
the Dioscuri’s means for you.” Quinn and Lucas look at each
other.

“You’ve been given all the relevant
information.”

“Relevant information….that’s what you call it?
You knew I wouldn’t realize it would cost you your command!” She
stands slamming her hand down on his desk. “You had not right to
keep that from me!”

“It wasn’t
your
decision!”

“No it was
yours
! But it involves
me
! It’s because of
me
! I should have been told!”
Leaning over the desk they are nearly nose to nose.

“You didn’t need to know! There are more
important things for you to concentrate on.”

“More important? How are
you
not
important? How is our life together
not
important?”

“Cassandra, once this is settled you’ll be
Queen, it won’t matter.” Hoping to distract her, he walks over to
grip her shoulders. But Cassandra’s caught the look on Lucas’ face,
the looks he and Quinn exchange. There is something else she isn’t
being told.

“What don’t I know?” Stepping around William,
Cassandra advances in on the two sitting men.

“Lucas,” Cassandra’s eyes bore into his. “What
don’t I know?”

“Cassandra, this is between you and me.” William
gives his son a hard look.

“Bull shit! If it was I’d know about it wouldn’t
I.”

“Dad, she has the right to know.”

“No
!”

“An heir to the throne cannot have a union with
anyone outside his or her House.” Quinn tells her earning a furious
look from his friend. “A Queen has the right to know William.”

“What
?” Quinn sees the utter shock in her
eyes.

“The Queen of the House of Knowledge
must
join with someone from her own House.” Cassandra’s eyes shoot from
Quinn to Lucas, who nods.

“You knew….” She turns to William. “All along,
as soon as you saw my birth mark.” William says nothing.

“You knew that if I became Queen…and you don’t
think that
matters
!”

“Your safety is what
matters
! Damn it
Cassandra, they want you
dead
! I’m not going to let that
happen!”

“So I can be Queen…have a life.”

“Yes.”

“One without you.”

“If that’s what it takes to keep you safe. Then
yes.”

“You’ve thought it all out, planned it, are
willing to execute that plan.” She slowly walks over to stand in
front of William, with eyes he can’t read. She’s shut him out.

“Yes.”

“So who have you picked?” She demands.

“Picked? What are you talking about?”

“I’ll have to marry won’t I? Produce an heir. So
who is he?” The tormented look on William’s face almost makes her
stop, but the thought of him planning all this fuels her anger.

“Who’s the man I’ll sleep with every night, who
I’ll make love with, conceive with? Tell me William who will it
be?” Lucas stands.

“Cassandra, that’s enough!”

”No Lucas, it really isn’t.” Her eyes bore into
him. “Because this is
my
life,
my
future, and
no
one
not even my life mate,” She turns back to William. “Has the
right to make a decision like this for
me!
”

“That would be your decision Cassandra.” William
finally replies in a tight voice.

“That’s right Admiral,
mine
not
yours
.” Turning away from him Cassandra goes into the
private quarters, slamming the door.

William walks slowly to his desk, knowing he’s
just lost any future he might have with his life mate. Sitting down
he flexes his hands on the desk.

“We’ll have to continue this meeting later.”

“Dad….I’ll go talk to her.” Lucas starts to
rise.

“Leave her alone Lucas.” William’s bleak eyes
meet his son’s. “She’ll work her way around to it, figure out it’s
the only way.”

“The only way to what?”

“Keep her safe.”

“Admiral,” Quinn stands looking at his long time
friend. “I think you’ve misjudged. She’s hung out a Raptor for her
niece
, climbed into an active array for the
Retribution
, and stood toe to toe with Tibullus, leaving him
stuttering for
you
, she’s not at all concerned about
her
safety. Come on Lucas.” Turning both men leave.

Standing in the middle of the room, Cassandra
doesn’t know what to do? How could he have done this? How could he
believe she’d sacrifice
him
to be queen? That she’d choose
another to have children with? Has it all been a lie? Four days ago
he’d promised her a child, ‘soon’ he’d said. A lie or a wish?

She needs to sort this out, to come to a
decision in her own mind and she can’t do that in this room with
all its memories. Turning she enters the ready room, stopping when
she finds William there, sitting behind his desk.

Hearing the door open he watches her enter. Her
face is set, her stride determined, her sapphire eyes shuttered.
When she stops, he stands.