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He lay on top of her, and she stared at him with deep eyes.

"You got me," she said softly.

"I don't think Kilos likes me coming here," he said, climbing off of her. "I should return to my quarters and turn in. I'm tired."

"Is Kilos your mother?" she asked, sitting up. "That's another reason why she needs her teeth knocked out. What we do together is none of her business. I only get to see you in the evening, and I'll not have her cutting into that time. Come on, round two—let's wrestle some more. I want another crack at you."

"We've been through this before, Syg."

"That's right, Dav, we have, and we'll go through it again."

She kissed him on the cheek. She'd been kissing him a lot lately, but he never kissed her back—he clung to his coy elusiveness with annoying tenacity.

"You know I love you. I love you so much …" She pulled him onto the couch and wrapped around him.

Dav said nothing and looked at her in the dim light: coiled against him, strong arms around his neck, lovely red hair, eyes big and green, full of genuine love.

"I've already offered my Zen-La, years ago, to Princess Marilith."

Syg got close and spoke into his ear. "And so," she whispered.

"I am therefore lost. I cannot hope to offer it to another."

"Zen-La is not forever, Dav, that is a myth. Do you still dream of her?"

Davage said nothing.

"You don't, do you? And don't lie to me, because I'll know."

"I have not seen her in my dreams in some time, true enough."

Sygillis looked up at him with her deep green eyes. "I dream of you every night."

"She is my Zen-La, Syg … though there is no hope for us."

"Yes, yes, so you say. Yet, here you are, with me, in the presence of a woman you know loves you … adores you. You come almost every night, and almost every night you fall asleep in my arms."

"What if I didn't come? Perhaps I should avoid you."

"Then I will come to you. I'll knock on your door until you open it."

"And why is that?"

"Because I am in love with you. How many times must I say it? I want to be your Zen-La. You can offer it again—offer it to me. Forget Marilith, with whom you have no future. We have a future together, Dav—you and I. Can you honestly say that you don't care about me?"

"I do care about you, Syg."

"But?"

"No buts. I care for you very much, and yes, I feel very comfortable in your arms. Still, I have told you from the beginning that …"

"That you are unavailable and uninterested … and you were lying then, and you're lying now. Look how you come to me for comfort."

Davage stood up. "I should go, Syg."

"I have loved you from our first meeting, Dav."

Davage thought a moment. "Our first meeting? When you wanted to kill me?"

"Of course I wanted to kill you—I didn't know how else to express myself! I was a Black Hat, for Creation's Sake! I was wanting to impress you!"

"You were hoping the method of my killing … would impress me?"

"Yes. But now I know that what I was feeling was the beginning of love."

"Well, I suppose that makes sense on certain levels."

"For someone who claims not to love me, you certainly act like you do."

Davage walked toward the door.

She stood up and ran to him. "Don't go, Dav. Stay here. I'm sorry, please. I make no demands upon you, as always. Let me comfort you."

Later, Davage lay asleep on Syg's couch. She was on top of him, her arms and legs entwined around him.

"Take all the time you need, my love. I'll be waiting for you."

* * * * *

Davage, Kilos, and Sygillis sat in the Bridge conference room. Sygillis and Kilos glared at each other.

Davage signed a report and began. "All right, ladies, I've wanted to discuss the possible Xaphan threat posed to us by …"

He could feel the ice forming between them.

"Ladies, what is going on?"

"I don't like her, Dav," Kilos said.

"I don't like her, either, Dav," Sygillis said.

"Looks like you might need a few more teeth knocked out," Kilos said.

"It seems you want a few more ribs broken! Perhaps you didn't scream loud enough the last time."

Kilos stood up. "Shall we to the gym for another go?"

Sygillis stood up. Kilos towered over her. "Let's!"

Davage stood. "Ladies, enough!"

Kilos and Sygillis stared at each other down.

"Sit down, please," Davage said in a firm voice.

Slowly, they sat.

"What is the problem here?"

"I don't trust her, Dav," Kilos said.

"I don't like her," Sygillis said.

"And your continued sessions in the gym haven't put the matter to rest?"

"No, they have not. I want to beat her up again."

"You didn't beat me up the first and second time!"

"Ladies, please. You two don't like each other—that's clear. However, I see infinite value in the both of you. Kilos, you have been my dearest friend for ten years now. You remember your first day on the ship?"

Kilos looked down and blushed. "I do."

"As do I. You have more than proved my initial confidence in you. I am not exaggerating when I say that I could not be the commander I am without you. Your service to me and this ship is invaluable."

He turned to Syg.

"Syg, I gambled everything—my life, the safety of my crew, my career—on the notion that there is good in you. You have proved me right, beyond any expectation that I ever had. Look how far you've come in such a short period of time."

"What about when she tried to kill you?" Kilos said.

"Don'
t you dare bring that up!
" Sygillis shrieked, turning red. "G
et up! Get your ass in the gym right now! I am going to tear you apart!"

"Syg," Davage said in a low, commanding voice. "Take a deep breath and calm yourself."

Syg looked at the table and took a few deep breaths. Her hands shook with rage.

"Are you all right, Syg?" Davage asked.

She looked at him and nodded.

"Ki," Davage said, "that was a misunderstanding that is in the past and forgotten, and as you can see, it's a touchy subject. In your various sessions in the gym, has Syg used any of her incredible power against you?"

"No, but she's strong as an ox—way too strong for someone her size. She's got to be using the Strength or something."

"That's not my doing—that's just the way it is!" Sygillis said.

"Ki, the Shadow tech makes her strong. If you want to fight with her, that's just something you'll have to deal with. You're a lot taller than she is; will you fight her on your knees? Given that, will you admit that she has fought you fairly?"

Kilos thought for a moment. "Yes, I'll admit it."

"And will the both of you acknowledge that you are both very dear to me, and that it will make me very happy if you two at least try to get along?"

Sygillis looked at Davage. "I will try, if only for you, Dav."

Kilos crossed her arms and looked at the table. "Oh, don't suck up," she said.

"Ki …" Davage said.

"If she agrees to put some shoes on, I will, Dav. I'm sick of seeing her walking around in bare feet."

"I'll not wear shoes for your sake," Syg said curtly.

Davage rubbed his brow. "Can we agree on something light, a paper shoe with a thin sole perhaps, or possibly a minimal sandal? You won't even know you're wearing anything, I promise."

Sygillis looked at Davage and smiled. "Again, to please you, Dav, I will agree to a light sandal."

"Excellent," Davage said. "I think we've made a bit of progress here." Kilos and Sygillis again locked eyes, like two cats ready to pounce.

Davage stood up and smiled brightly. "Well, before we begin the briefing, what can I get you to drink?"

Sygillis looked at Davage. "If you're having coffee, I'll have some. You know how I like it."

Kilos rolled her eyes. "Narva, Dav—buncked."

Davage poured two cups of coffee, stirred in some sugar, and gave one to Syg. He then went to a bare panel, rapped it twice, and a secret opening emerged. He pulled out a cold decanter and a tall mug, filled it, and gave it to Kilos. She took a few healthy swigs and smiled at Davage.

"Now," Davage said, "let's talk about the Black Abbess."

* * * * *

"The Black Hat Sisterhood numbers five hundred. The exact number varies a bit, but the usual number is around five hundred. There is no central meeting place, no headquarters, no direct line of communication. We are scattered throughout Xaphan space, each of us sequestered in our temples. Our only direct link to each other is the Black Abbess and her Shade Church. It is there and only there that we come into contact with each other."

"You don't know any of the other Black Hats?"

"I know most of them actually … mostly in name only. Some I have gone into battle with, some I'm not on very good terms with. There are no friends per se in the order."

"You said you operate out of a temple?" Davage asked.

"Yes. Mine was located in Metatron, on Ergos's southern continent. Many of the Sisterhood have moved off the Xaphans, but I never did."

Kilos shuddered a bit, and Sygillis saw it. "Something about Metatron disturbs you?"

Davage answered: "More stories, Syg. Metatron is a place Elder mothers tell their children they'll go to if they don't behave."

Sygillis smiled. "I see. It's not a pretty happy place to be sure, and it's been dark since the defeat at Mirendra 3—no power. My temple was located on the Street of the Damned, a black pyramid rising up five thousand feet to a blasted sky."

"And people came and worshipped you there?" Kilos asked, holding her narva mug.

"No—not like that anyways. All my Hulgismen were there, and occasionally prisoners were brought to me. The shills, the occasional conquered warlord."

"Wait a minute!" Kilos cried putting her mug down. "What did you do to all these warlords and shills?"

Syg looked down at the table. "What do you think I did to them? Must I paint a lurid picture for you?"

Davage put his hand on Syg's shoulder—it was trembling. She was lost in bad memories. "Ki, you needn't be cruel," he said.

"Me, cruel?" she said. "I'm not the murderer here!"

"Ki—enough! We are certainly and painfully aware of what Syg did whilst she was under the sway of the Black Abbess. I've said it before and I'll say it again: it wasn't her fault."

Teary-eyed, Syg looked at Davage, miserable. He tossed her hair lightly. "It's not your fault, Syg."

She tried to smile. "Thank you, Dav."

Ki appeared to not be convinced, and Davage eyed her with an angry note. "Now, Syg, I have a few more questions if you're up to it."

Syg nodded.

"How many Hulgismen did you command?"

"One thousand."

"Where are they now?"

"Probably still at my temple, wondering where I am. I really don't know. When a Black Hat is killed, the Hulgismen also die. It's their fate."

"How?"

"The temple is made of Shadow tech. Each Black Hat makes her own. When she dies or is killed, the temple collapses and the Hulgismen there are killed."

"So, your temple is still sitting there in Metatron, awaiting your return?"

"Again, I don't know. Since I'm now an exile and have no intention of returning, I'm certain the Black Abbess has razed my temple to the ground, Hulgismen and all."

"The Black Abbess said she was declaring open war on us. What sort of force does she command at present?" Davage asked.

"The Xaphan forces, since the Mirendra battles, are close to nonexistent. They still have ships floating around, but they aren't warships. I'm not sure what they are."

"Ancillary craft, transports you mean?"

"Yes. Additionally, as I said, since the defeat at Mirendra 3, the Xaphans have little power to spare. Their cities are shut down. The lights in Metatron are off. They have been making extensive use of Black Hat infiltrations to create mayhem to compensate."

"As in the
Triumph
incursion three years ago."

"That was Princess Marilith's doing. She promised a bold victory and a warning. I had heard that Marilith uncovered the Black Hat force before it was ready to depart. She was set to task in the Black Abbess's dungeon for it, where she was to die a slow death."

"What happened?"

"She eventually escaped. She killed several Black Hats in the process. She is very powerful with the Gifts."

"She has a knack for that."

Sygillis looked at Davage warmly. "I am very glad you weren't hurt in that attack, Dav."

Kilos put down her mug. "Oh, come off it."

Sygillis turned to Kilos. "You rather that I'd wish for him to have been hurt?"

"No, but this sappy talk is making me sick."

"Ki," Davage said, "give it a rest, yes."

Kilos grumbled something and took another drink.

"I'm curious, Syg," Davage said, "where do these Hulgismen come from?"

Syg took a sip of her coffee and thought. "You know … I really don't know. They just show up. I'd never given it any consideration. Always right around a thousand. Black Hats tend to go through a lot of Hulgismen. The dead get replaced very quickly."

"Do you communicate with them at all? Is there any discourse, any give and take?"

"I can command them, but they don't communicate in return. They just scrabble about on the temple floor, in the darkness, until called."

"Are there any women?"

Sygillis laughed. "Of course."

"We've never seen any women, just the naked men."

"The female Hulgismen tend and care for us personally. They are also used as midwives."

"As what?"

Sygillis put her coffee cup down and took a deep breath. "What do your stories tell you of how one becomes a Black Hat, Dav?"

Kilos interrupted: "They say that only the foulest, most wicked of Xaphan females are allowed to join the Black Hat Sisterhood. They say you really have to be bad to become a Black Hat."

"Ki … that was a very rude thing to say."

"Well, that's what the stories say, Dav."

Sygillis said nothing.