"No, that won't be necessary." Besides, the Gold Room held just as many bittersweet memories for her, as that suite had been hers in the beginning.

Following a briefing last night between Ryker and the officers, the Wanderl.u.s.t left orbit around Rigel at dawn and headed for rendezvous with the other starships between Saturn and Jupiter. From the transascreen in their borrowed quarters, Jana eyed the vast span of s.p.a.ce before her. Wherever she looked, all she saw was sky that looked like one endless rippling of white waves. They were under way, traveling to her galaxy at starlight speed, their fastest pace. By Earth timing, the voyage would require three weeks; and by Earth's calendar, they would a.s.sault the rogue less than two weeks before Christmas.

Thanksgiving ... Christmas ... New Year's ... Friends, turkey with all the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs, shopping, decorations, parties, funny hats and noise makers.... Holidays: how she would miss them.

Jana thought about Andrea being on the colony at Anais. If Project Starguard failed, her best friend would lose all of that and her family. She would also be forced to make a new life here in Maffei. But if the mission was successful, Andrea might be sent home. I have to see you at least once before that happens. I need to see you. I need to talk with you. You always teased me about being in full control of my emotions and life. You always said I knew what I wanted. That's no longer true. I have control over nothing-not even the air I breathe or food I eat. How wonderful it would be to make my own decisions again. Please, G.o.d, let this mission succeed. Give Earth another miracle for Christmas.

For three days, Jana didn't leave Varian's quarters. She ate, read, and exercised there to avoid the new crew. She didn't want to make friends with any of them, as she had with the old one. Besides, she would never see these men and women after this trip, so why make any overtures that might be laughed at or ignored?

If she desired to leave the suite, Ryker had told her she had free run of the ship. She turned and let her gaze roam the sitting area. It was roomy, masculine, and comfortable. She could close her eyes and almost picture Varian sitting and working at his desk as he'd done in the past. Several times when Ryker had used it, she had experienced gnawings of irritation at the unnatural sight. As if he'd become a ghost, Varian seemed to haunt this room. His lingering spirit seemed to lurk in here, in the adjoining bedroom, and even in the bathroom. Worst of all, sometimes it was as if .she were suddenly and helplessly yanked into the past when she was the captive but willing mistress of that ebony-haired blue-eyed s.p.a.ce pirate. She expected to glance up to see Varian strolling through the door, but it was always her blond-haired, green-eyed husband. Nearly every area of this ship held special memories of those blissfully ignorant days when she had fallen in love with him, and perhaps that was the real reason why she didn't want to view them again. Yet, she couldn't remain locked in here for six or more weeks.

And that was emphasized the following day when Varian said, "You can't stay cooped up in here for the entire voyage, Jana. I'm sure everyone is wondering why you haven't made a single appearance since our arrival. Do you want them to think you're afraid or embarra.s.sed to face them or that you're being held captive in here by me? You said you didn't want them gossiping about you or us, but this is a sure way to inspire that. This is a big ship with plenty to do on it. Get out and enjoy yourself. Do something with Martella to stop her from being my shadow." He chuckled before using one of Tristan's favorite sayings. "She sticks to me like gracon to a beaker to make sure I don't see or do anything I shouldn't. Come on, woman, get dressed. Let's eat and dance in the Stardust Room. I've seen it, and it's very romantic."

So had she! She had spent many "romantic" evenings there with Varian. "You're right, my intelligent and caring husband. I suppose it's past time for Princess Jana Triloni to grace everyone with her presence*. I'll be ready in thirty minutes."

Chief Medical Officer Mirren said to Martella and Zade, "Tris told me wonderful things about Jana and her skills. Nothing would have pleased him more than to have gotten her as his a.s.sistant. From what I heard, everyone aboard thought she and Varian would get together, that they were perfect for each other. I wonder what happened to prevent it."

"From the way it looks," Zade replied as his gaze pointed at the dancing and smiling couple, "Ryker Triloni happened."

"Whatever it was that split them apart, it's too late now. She looks happy and so does Prince Ryker. I guess if Varian had been in love with her, he wouldn't be marrying that Garthon woman. What a waste of a good man."

"And waste of a good woman from where I sit," Jarre added. "How could any woman leave Varian Saar for a man like that?"

Martella silenced the annoying conversation. "Some things are meant to be and others aren't. If a mistake is made, one can never tell when fate will step in and correct human error. But I don't think we should be gossiping about them. We wouldn't want to be overheard and cause problems. This task is too important."

Jana felt as if Varian was standing in the dark corner and watching them with a mocking grin on his handsome face as they made love in his bed. She soon realized she had no choice except to fake pleasure and a climax. She hoped and prayed pretending wouldn't become a necessary habit for her What she needed was an antidote to Varian Saar, something to cure and heal her and make her immune to his continual torment. She had to face the reality that Ryker was not a panacea or subst.i.tute for that daring s.p.a.ce rogue.

Varian comprehended her predicament, but he was given hope at surmising she was still haunted by him and bound in heart to him. He pretended not to notice her deceit.

Two days later, Jana sneaked into the Gold Room to see if anything had changed there since her departure. She found only the monitor for spying on her and for giving her orders had been removed, and she quickly left.

She entered the officers' gym to exercise on the walkometer. For the time being, no one was present, and she was glad. She stepped on the treadmill, set the time, pace, and incline she wanted, and pressed the start b.u.t.ton. She moved slowly at first during her warm-up period.

"h.e.l.lo, Jana. So we finally have time and privacy for a talk."

Jana was surprised to see Martella coming toward her, as Ryker had alleged the woman stuck to him like glue. Perhaps he had told the new security chief that she would be coming here, as she had told him her plans earlier. "Did you finally manage time away from Ryker's demands to get in some fun and exercise?" she jested as the machine's pace increased. Martella began her warm-up. "I must admit he's doing a superb job."

"Did you expect otherwise?" Jana asked. "Ryker does everything superbly. He's a perfectionist, or didn't the Alliance know that?"

"You've also done well for yourself, Jana. You look wonderful and radiant. I'm glad to see you so happy, and I'm delighted you're free."

Happy and free? Jana caught her breath before replying, "You and your training team taught me well, as did my ensuing experiences."

"But not to become Ryker's wife. I had hoped ..." Martella halted and looked embarra.s.sed by what she wanted to appear a slip..

The treadmill's speed increased again and Jana's legs moved faster. "So had I, Martella, but it didn't work out like that. I'm really fortunate he gave me to Ryker instead of someone else who might not have felt about me the way that my husband does. Our life together is perfect because we have similar interests and skills. I'm lucky, and happy."

"I'm glad, Jana, because I want what's best for you."

Jana believed that was a true and sincere sentiment. She had always been able to speak openly and candidly with this woman. "I'm unsure anyone knows what that is, including me ... How's Tristan? I've missed him. I'm sorry we never had the chance to really work together."

Martella beamed with love. "He's doing fine. He's on one of the other ships. Upon our return, we will be getting married."

"That doesn't surprise me. You two were made for each other. I caught hints of that when I was here. Congratulations. Give him my best wishes."

"Why don't you do that yourself by attending our wedding?"

"I don't think that would be wise. I'm sure your friend Varian will be there. Frankly, I don't care to ever see him again." Jana changed the topic from that of her lost love. "We've never minced words, so I want to ask you a question and I hope you'll answer with the truth. Would you mind telling me why there's a new crew on the ship? It strikes me as odd."

Martella began working out with weights. "It was Varian's orders. They were a.s.signed to other ships for this mission because Varian thought it would be better for you and for them not to be placed in an uncomfortable position of being thrown together for weeks under such ... different circ.u.mstances. He didn't want anyone, especially you, Jana, to be uneasy and embarra.s.sed."

"How nice of him. Why are you here?"

Martella noted the coldness in the tawny-haired Earthling's voice during her first response. She wished she could say something to ease it. She experienced pain for her two friends. "Varian and the Council wanted someone aboard they could trust implicitly as head of security."

The treadmill speeded up again, causing Jana to go into a run. "You mean, someone of your special rank to watch Ryker with an eagle eye?"

Martella looked surprised. "You say that like you know-"

"I do, but I wouldn't tell anyone else."

"Anyone?" It didn't matter if it were "Ryker," but a slip to Maal ...

"Ryker knows, too, but I didn't tell him. In fact ..." Whatever, Jana asked herself, was she doing? Was she getting light-headed and witless from lack of oxygen to the brain? She couldn't tell this Maffeian that Ryker knew the names of all Elite Squad members! Yet she wished she could because it placed their lives and a.s.signments in jeopardy, from Maal.

Martella changed weights. "In fact what, Jana?"

"Nothing. I heard you're working hard to have charl laws abolished. Is that true? Will you succeed?"

"I think so. I hope so. The practice is outdated. I have plenty of influential and powerful people a.s.sisting my cause: Draco, Tirol, Varian, Tristan, and many of the avatars and zartiffs and elite citizens. Naturally some of the charl owners will back my issue. Needless to say, many of them are discontented since you won your freedom and married your ex-owner."

"I thought that might happen. And I'm glad. We abolished slavery on Earth long ago. I'm surprised a society as advanced or 'superior' as yours would have continued it this long. If your males can't romance and woo a female into marriage, they don't deserve a mate or a wife."

"That's a logical and accurate a.s.sumption."

"It wasn't mine; it was Kadim Maal's, my new father-inlaw. We've just returned from a visit with him in Androas. It seems I've become quite the intergalactic traveler since I was stolen from Earth. How long do you think it will take to push through your change in the law?"

"Why are you so interested? It won't affect you, not anymore."

Jana had to catch her breath again before answering. "I'd like to see Kathy Anderson and Ferris Laus married before their first child arrives. I'd also like to see Heather Langdon become the wife of Spala Rilke. And all the others from our voyage and the ones before and since it." The treadmill began to slow its pace with gradual decreases every few minutes. "Speaking of Rilke, how is my old laius partner doing? I had hoped Tesla or Nigel would be aboard so we could continue our quest for a championship."

Martella wondered why Jana asked about Tesla. If Varian had her convinced her rescue and his death were delusions ... "Tesla is fine. He's on Commander Jaekle's ship, the Maffeian Wind. Nigel was given the command of the Kiunterri. Of course, Varian stayed where he was."

"I'm glad. I'm sure he has lots of plans to make since his wedding to Canissia is so close."

The bitterness in the Earthling was blatantly obvious. Martella wished she could say something to ease Jana's anguish and to give her hope, but she couldn't. The officer didn't like this feeling of helplessness and seeing two close friends in such torment. She disagreed with Varian and Tirol about keeping Jana excluded from the ruse, but she had no authority to disobey orders. What she was witnessing and hearing worried her because it appeared as if Varian was pushing Jana away from him and toward Ryker. Even when the Earthling learned the truth, it might be too late to make a difference since their relationship might already be damaged. Obviously Varian was also aware of that risk and that was why she sensed such panic in him to have the affair finished.

Martella turned the topic away from Varian and back to the charl matter as a distraction. "I don't want to deceive you, Jana; the facts are, we have plenty of opposition in high and low places to freeing the charls. Change will require lots of time and work. Some owners are afraid their charls will not want to marry them and will even want to return to their homes; they're afraid abolishment of the practice will break up their families and disrupt their lives. Some might not want to wed their mates because marriage is a serious and permanent relationship, more than they bargained for when purchasing mates for reproduction and companionship. As you know, divorce is hard to obtain and is frowned upon in our culture. Currently, owners can, with a good reason, trade or sell their charls to another, something they can't do with a wife. Captive mates have been like their possessions and would suddenly-with marriage, citizenship, and freedom-be their equals. Many are intimidated by that untested reality. What I'm trying to say, Jana, is that the matter will require a lot of changes in law, customs, and emotions; and most men don't like drastic changes."

Jana knew from experience with Varian Saar that Martella's last statement was true. "Please, keep working on abolishment," she implored her. "No one deserves to be a prisoner to another and certainly not for life. These women did nothing to provoke or justify their captures and entrapments."

The officer wondered if she was referring to herself. "Jana ..."

She looked at the Maffeian redhead who put down the weights. "Yes?"

"Nothing. It's just that I didn't think things would turn out this way."

Jana couldn't bring herself to ask her any questions about Varian, particularly why he had done this to her. She didn't want to be hurt and shamed further, and the truth might do both. "Nor did I, Martella, but perhaps it's for the best. A liar and deceiver could never be trusted again."

"But ..." Don't say another word, you stupid female.

Jana was intrigued. "What is it you're trying to get out, Martella?"

"Something best left inside and unsaid. At least for now. I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I came here to talk of happy things and times, not the past. How much do you know about self-defense and weapons?"

Jana wondered at the sad look in the woman's eyes. "Excuse me?"

Martella repeated her question. A confused Jana asked, "Are we expecting problems?" Was there trouble in the wind after they finished?

"In your new role of princess, trouble can ensnare you at the most unexpected moment. I want you able to defend yourself. Can you do that?"

Jana mused, Role? "I took a course once in self-defense for women."

"Could you battle an attacker and escape from him?"

Jana recalled the night in Andrea's garden when she had confronted the thugs, then the aliens. "Evidently not or I wouldn't be in Maffei."

"Would you mind if I teach you self-defense and use of our weapons? We could meet here every afternoon for lessons and practice. It will give us both something to do during our travel time. How about it?"

As the treadmill halted, Jana shrugged. "Why not? I'm game. Teach me all you know. I might need such skills and knowledge one day. I'll tell you what: I'll agree to be your student if you tell me about Andrea McKay, my best friend on Earth. Varian promised me she would be rescued before this final mission got under way. Was she? Is she on Anais?"

"She was, and she's fine; that's all I can tell you about a secret project."

"Is there any chance I can see her or get a message to her?"

Martella took a deep breath and considered the request. She decided that Jana shouldn't have to suffer over Andrea as it would be known to her soon. "As a favor to you, Jana, I'll check on it after our return home."

Two and a half weeks pa.s.sed while Jana became skilled in self-defense and with the use of weapons. She, as well as the crew, spent time reading books from the ship library, playing sports and games, exercising, and all the daily tasks. Though she had intended to avoid the new crew, she had communicated with most of them many times because they had turned out to be nice and kind people. Except, she amended, for Mirren. The doctor always remained reserved and watchful as if he had a private grievance against her for marrying Ryker or for committing some unknown offense.

Jana had observed a few of the meetings on strategy as the men searched for the rogue's weak points and how to best attack them. Conferernces were held in the geology and astrophysics labs, while facts and theories were a.n.a.lyzed in the data-processing area.

Only once had Jana visited sick bay and the med lab, and it was a brief visit. Mirren, whose family was the third richest in Maffei, was polite, but he wasn't anything like the genial Tristan Zarcoff, her friend.

Jana found it odd that during all the time she had spent with Martella, the officer had not asked her how she had gotten away from Varian, met Ryker, and married the Prince. She had come to a.s.sume Martella knew the truth of the offensive matter. She was sorely tempted to question the Maffeian about how and why Varian could do something so cruel and wicked, but she didn't want to put her friend on the spot. Besides, knowing the truth couldn't alter her situation.

Three times she had made pa.s.sionate love with Ryker, but not in Varian's haunting quarters. Once had been in the locked botanical garden with the scent of exotic flowers swirling around their heads. Another had been in the conservatory bubble, also locked, beneath the stars and a colorful blend of nebulous clouds. The last time had been in the private shower in the officers' gym. Each time, Ryker had intoxicated and tantalized her beyond her will or wits to resist. Away from Varian's intrusive and inhibiting spirit, she had surrendered and had taken great pleasure from her husband. She couldn't possibly have denied either of them of his bewitching skills when he had wanted her with such urgency, tenderness, and love, as if he could not resist her.

"My stars, Ryker, it's so big!" Jana shrieked in astonishment and dismay as they approached the rogue worldlet. "It must be the size of Darkar or larger. How will you ever smash it to pieces?"

"Don't worry, love, we'll overpower it and win. If nothing more, we hope to change its trajectory and send it into a different orbit from Earth's. It must have taken thousands, or even millions, of years to orbit your solar body after it was formed or arrived from deep s.p.a.ce. Perhaps another one struck Earth long ago and sheared off enough ma.s.s to form your moon; that happens often anywhere. It's not alone; there are many similar bodies...o...b..ting your sun. Collisions with planets can pulverize attacker and target."

Jana was alert and tense as he told her more about the potato-shaped object. She prayed they had accurately guessed locations of its weak points. If not, it would plummet to Earth with unimaginable force, as only five to ten percent of its size would be eaten away by friction upon atmospheric entry. If impact was imminent, Stardusting would be used. Yet, she worried, how could these aliens ascertain if that "merciful" action was necessary? How could they be sure all life would be in jeopardy of eventual and total annihilation by aftereffects?

Jana listened as her husband contacted the bridge and told the navigations officer to match the intimidating body's course and speed. He asked if the other ships had arrived either before or after them. They had, and all were in safely s.p.a.ced orbits around the enormous rogue.

"Tell the crew and the other ships we'll get a good night's rest and begin our a.s.sault in the morning. I'll be on the bridge at first light."

She couldn't take her eyes off the dark threat to her civilization. "Will the lasers truly work, Ryker?" she asked. "Can you stop it from destroying Earth?"

"I'll do my best, Jana love. Stop looking at it and let's get to bed. Tomorrow will begin a busy and exhausting period. This task could take days ... weeks. We've never tried it before."

"This is the first time you've tried something like this, ever?"

Varian saw her panic and wished he hadn't made that slip. "Yes, with these new weapons and this size body. Have faith in me and them, my love. Let's get to bed; morning will arrive before we know it."

Jana did s he said, to lay in his possessive and comforting embrace. For once, she felt free of Varian's ghost, or was it an illusion because so much depended upon the green-eyed blond at her side, her husband. They kissed and cuddled for a while, a momentous event looming ahead.

Chapter Eleven.

One starship took its a.s.signed location between the rogue worldlet and its ignorant target to send out deflective pulses to shield the mission against discovery by people and instruments on Earth. Its task was to mock a Black Hole that even a ray of light, such as a laser beam, couldn't escape.

While they waited for the energy shield to be readied, Science/First Officer Zade said, "It is fortunate Earthlings do not have any deep s.p.a.ce probes nearby. Their Voyager missions ended years ago. That data unit malfunctioned before Neptune after pa.s.sing and photographing Jupiter, Saturn, and Ura.n.u.s, as the Earthlings named those bodies. Of course we know the pictures did not reveal the life on Ura.n.u.s, or Earth would have begun another unmanned voyage immediately to make contact. Their probe's instruments could not penetrate the cloud barrier. They do not realize it is not freezing as they a.s.sume it must be. They do not suspect a source of internal heat that warms the planet and makes it livable for humans. Nor have they surmised accurately that something enormous, possibly the size of their world or the rogue out there, struck Ura.n.u.s and tilted it on its axis. Soon, they will be studying the phenomena of an a.s.sumed Black Hole that suddenly appears and then mysteriously vanishes."

"What about the Uranians?" Jana asked. "They'll know we're here."

"It is fortunate Saturn is blocking us and our work from them," Zade told her. "When we pa.s.sed within their detection range, we deflected their signals. They were and remain unaware of our presence."

"Are you sure Stardusting is necessary if you fail?" she asked the genial scientist. "Wouldn't at least the other side of the planet be all right?"

Zade wished she hadn't asked that question about her endangered world, but he replied with honesty. "The rogue's speed is swift now and will increase when it enters your atmosphere and gravitational pull. It will strike with cataclysmic force and evoke terrible aftereffects. The cloud of dust kicked up on impact and then explosion will cover the globe and shut out the sun's life-sustaining rays. After plants, animals, and fish die, man will use up his stored food supplies and he will perish, too, a horrible death if we do not prevent it. Too, there will be chain reactions around the planet: nuclear explosions, floods, quakes, slides, tidal waves, and more that will spread disease and contamination and certain death. Wars will break out among the survivors to take possession of what little is left. It will become a savage and barbaric place. I am sure you would not want to doom your world to such a fate when you can prevent it."

"I don't want to think about Stardust unless the situation becomes hopeless. If you can't smash it into harmless chunks, you can try to alter the rogue's course, can't you?"

"We a.n.a.lyzed that possibility but cannot be a.s.sured of not creating a worse disaster if it struck a smaller planet and disturbed the balance of your solar system. If the alignment of the planets was different, we could try to divert it past Earth and let the rogue carry itself into the sun and to its destruction. Their positions will not change in our favor before it is too late. We could not keep altering its course past each planet in its path until it is beyond the last one; that would place our ships too close to your solar body and would ensure certain destruction of them."

Officer Para, who was in charge of processing all data, reminded Jana, "Star Fleet has relocated as many Earthlings as possible during the time we had. It would be cruel to inform those left behind of their impending peril. It would be wrong to instill terror when they are helpless to prevent it."