Regan's Reach 2: Orbital Envy (33 page)

"Err; hi . . . you must be Melon?"

Regan looked down at her strangely, Leah's hands still resting on her thigh. "Leah . . . the name is
Marin
."

She looked up at them both, embarrassed. "What did I say?"

It was perfect. Regan, so relieved to see him made eye contact with Marin and they laughed. She turned and embraced her lover lifting her legs to wrap them around him. Marin looked down at Leah and smiled. "Do you mind, we're going to need a minute . . . just to talk."

She nodded and Marin carried Regan to the next room, the door shutting behind them. Leah sat on the floor, still under the warm stream. She reached up for more soap and looked around the room. "We're going to need a bigger shower." She whispered.

Marin carried Regan into the room and sat her on the bed. Kneeling on the floor he took her hands. "I'm so sorry Regan."

She pulled his hands up to her chest and clutched them there. "It wasn't your fault; you have nothing to apologize for."

"Not that," he looked down and took a breath. "I'm sorry for what I did, with Steph, I shouldn't have."

She looked surprised. "You shouldn't be, we agreed, you've always been free."

"But not with Steph; I was a fool. It wasn't her fault either. She misunderstood something I said. It doesn't matter now but I want you to know she never would have done anything with me if she had understood properly."

She stroked his head. "I'm just glad your back and what shits storm you've come back to."

He reached up and stroked his hand down the left side of her head, looking closely for any sign of damage. He shook his head in amazement. "He's a genius, but don't tell him I said that." They both smiled. There were no secrets from Ham.

"Is she here Marin?"

"In her room; are you sure you want to see her?"

"Definitely, I need to say goodbye." And she stood, hauling a sheet off the bed and wrapping it round her. Marin did the same. They walked out into the corridor and he kicked his suit back into the room. They then padded Stephs door. Marin stood back and let Regan enter first. She stayed calm, sad but resigned to the truth. A night of grieving had left her empty, there was nothing left. Kneeling, she reached out and stroked a strand of hair off Stephs face. The sheet wrapped tightly around her she reached up to Marin and drew him down beside her.

"The shooter?"

"I killed him."

"I know . . . I just wanted to hear you say it. Thank you." They sat there quietly, lost in their own thoughts.

"Leah!" Hams voice intruded on her thoughts.

Still leaning against the wall, the shower off now, her legs splayed, a slight redness to her cheeks from the afterglow and the sudsy remains of the smooth soapy substance drying around her crotch, Leah looked up in surprise.

"Yes Ham, you know I can hear you."

"Are you finished?"

She smiled, "Is this what it's been like for Regan?"

He ignored her. "Leah, you need to get up, it's time for the talk."

"What talk?" She slowly climbed to her feet.

"You know, the talk, the 'we need you on your game talk'. It's good, they need it now, get going."

"Are you sure," She entered the bunk room. "Where are they?"

"They're in the spare room, with Steph, this is the time, come on."

She looked down at the floor and saw their suits laying there, with no sign of her own in the mess. She didn't search; walking quickly out into the corridor she passed Marin's room and saw the trail of water entering the room next door. She padded the door and walked in. They looked up startled, but clearly morose.

"Guys, Ham sent me, I'm sorry to be the one to do this. She looked at Steph's body. I'm really sorry about your friend. It'll take a long time to get over this I know, if ever. But right now is not the time to mope. We're in a war people and everyone needs to be on their game. Call me a bitch but I have friends too, in Hawaii and they could be dead in a week. You have friends in Wellington that face the same threat in two days. What part are we going to play in it? That's what I want to know. There's no time to sit around . . . ok?"

They looked back wide eyed. Leah remembered she was naked, the only naked person in the room and she looked down guiltily, the evidence of her recent attentions still smeared around her middle. "Right then . . . that said, I'll leave you to wind up here." she slipped out of the room.

Marin looked sideways at Regan. "She's a ballsy little thing isn't she?"

"You've got to admit, she's got what she needs," she smiled and winked. "Without her, and Ham, I wouldn't be here Marin and she's right, we'll revisit this, but we've got no time to dwell on it now. Everyone needs to be on deck."

She stood, resting a hand on Steph's head for a final time. She then pulled Marin up and they left the room without looking back. As the door closed the temperature dropped suddenly, the body immediately enclosed in a blue gel like field.

* * *

"Terrin!" At the bark she jumped, so on edge now it was becoming suspicious. Calming herself she turned to see Merryl had taken his command chair.

"Are you sleeping?" He glared across the room.

She
had
just been staring at a blank screen, terrified to activate it in case the message was still there. "No sir, just reviewing things in my mind, we have had quite a few changes. I want to make sure we get things right."

"You have another adjustment to make, another six hours earlier. Bring both forward and ensure they are primed for the same time. We want to make an impact."

"Yes sir." She didn't look at him, scared he would notice her distress. Touching the power button the screen lit up instantly. Her sigh of relief at the blank view drew another glare from Merryl then she almost bit through her tongue at the flashing light still there at the corner. Cursing inwardly she ignored it bringing up the missile programming instead. The bombers would deliver the cargo to within twenty kilometers and then drop them to do their work. After ignition her programming would carry them to target. It was a simple matter now to make adjustments although she hid that from Merryl. The more complicated he thought it was the safer her position. As she worked the Commanders secret orders haunted her and the several hundred Russian warheads loaded over the last week took on fresh horror status. So stressed she could hardly think she tried blotting everything out, letting her hands work on autopilot. Still the flashing light kept calling to her. Her hands poised over the keys and she hesitated considering the final inputs. Then a calm certainty came over her, about responsibility as a Coran. She considered only for a moment more, tapped in the changes with renewed confidence and saved them; missile changes locked. Job done she glanced down at the flashing light. With one hand poised over the power button she used the other to tap the icon. It flashed up quickly, the message the same. Before she had time to think she shut down the screen.

"It's done sir." Without commenting further she rose from her seat and left for her room. The urge to vomit was overwhelming and she found herself jogging, holding her stomach, only just making it and dropping to her knees retching just inside the door.
May the stars forgive me, what have I done?

* * *

They gathered in the War Room, Marin openly staring as the two women entered with coffees. Regan caught his look and was surprised until she realized . . . The matching suits.

She smiled at him. "Good enough to eat huh?"

"Is that a promise?" He took a seat on the other side of the table, all the better to enjoy the view.

"Regan," Ham interrupted. "There are some matters to attend to. President Johnston has been chasing both us and Bob Jarvis. Hawaii is in panic, the share and money markets worldwide are tanking and as he points out the only thing people hate more than bad news is a vacuum. He feels they need something from us. All they can say with confidence at the moment is 'no comment'."

"Thanks Ham, I have been following that and I do have an idea." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Ham, not that it matters but what's your degree of confidence that no missile will get through?" She waited swilling her coffee around like wine, savoring the bouquet.

"Degree of confidence . . .? I'd say almost one hundred percent."

"Hmm, let me put it another way. Would you allow me to go there and wait it out?"

There was a long pause, a feeling that somewhere calculations were frying circuits. Finally he answered. "I can give you a qualified yes."

"And the qualification is . . . ?

"That you stay within popping distance of the Interceptor, or whatever you take down."

"Thank you Ham, that's good enough for me. Here's what I think. Let's let it be known we are that confident we will be there too."

Marin leant forward, "Where exactly did you have in mind."

"Ground zero baby, right in the centre, let's send a signal to the people, the markets and the Coran's that it's business as usual as far as we're concerned, Wellington first, then Hawaii."

"I think we should cover both." Leah turned to Regan and gripped her arm. "Regan, the markets are tanking
now
, all over the world. We need to park there now in Honolulu, I'd say Waikiki Beach, really show them we're confident."

"But they're hitting Wellington first."

"I'm not so sure of that from what Ham tells me. Those sneaky bastards have other agenda's. What's to say they don't hit both at once, or Hawaii first?"

"We would have some time." Ham said. "The ADF's we have on station will report in as soon as anything moves from the ship. Having said that, Leah's right, there is a reasonable probability that they won't keep to their declaration."

"Ok, so how do we handle it?" Marin asked.

Leah spoke first. "Look, I don't mean to get in between you two or anything . . ."

There was an "OW!" from Marin and he reached under the table to rub his leg, giving Regan a wounded look.

"Continue what you were saying Leah." She glared at Marin.

Leah gave them both a strange look then continued. "What I was going to say was I think Marin should go to Wellington. For the big guy to be there is a real show of support from his people to this new family, New Zealand. Regan, you should go to Hawaii. It's a statement. It say's you stand with your allies and fall with them if necessary."

"I like it." Regan turned to Marin, "Did I tell you that Leah is my new Personal Advisor?"

"No you didn't," and he moved away from the table. "But I'm not surprised; you seem to have this talent of attracting hot young people." He was looking at Leah with a smile. "What about you Leah, where do you go?"

"I go with Regan." She could see him raise his eyebrows, "Hey," and she opened her arms appealing, "I'm an American, where else would I be?"

Marin leant back on his chair, conceding defeat. "There is another option, why don't we just shoot down this turkey?"

Regan looked disgusted with him. "One we don't have any weapons and two we don't shoot first, you know that."

"I have a weapon." From under the table he produced a ridiculously long pistol, something from the nineteen hundreds.

The two women looked stunned for a moment and Regan couldn't resist a poke. "Where did you get such a big gun?"

"I inherited it from my father." He said it in all seriousness and neither woman could hold back a laugh.

"Look," he continued, "I thought Ham could fly me in there close, pop me in, I pop the Coran and then Ham pops me back out. It would be fun."

"Actually," Ham sounded interested, "That does sound like fun."

"Well even if we put it to a vote," Regan was already standing, "It would be two, you and Ham, against two, as in us." She gestured to include Leah. "That means you lose."

They didn't bother questioning the logic.

"So when do we do this?" Marin came around to join her.

"First thing tomorrow, that way we'll be there two days early and we'll stay for the duration." she looked at him apologetically.

"Sooo . . . we all stay here tonight." He looked hopeful.

"All?" She looked from Marin to Leah. He left the question hanging.

"Well," and Leah grazed her eyes from one to the other, "I'm definitely staying here."

The 'zing' that each of them obviously felt at that moment was palpable. So real that Regan suspected Ham had sent some charge through the air. She didn't fight it.

As Marin used the bathroom both women lay in a tangle, utterly spent. Leah looked across at her friends face, just inches away and mouthed three letters. They didn't need translating. OMG! On returning to the room they could see him already becoming erect as he crossed the small space. Leah prodded Regan and she shook her head,
no way
. Marin stood expectant, as if to say . . . Well?

Finally Leah laughed and looked at Regan, "Well, I guess you're the boss." She rolled over to sit up. Looking up at Marin she quipped, "Enough big guy, this is as good as it gets." She reached out and began to stroke him with both hands, quickly drawing groans.

* * *

Anne Marshall didn't usually burst straight into his office. Cliff Johnston looked up from his desk, still weary from the defense briefing that taken up the last hour. In this sudden space age era regular defense seemed like so much hot air. Still the recent posturing by the Russians couldn't be ignored. They had spent most of the time discussing potential fallout from the expected Coran defeat. At least that was optimistic.

"I'm sorry Cliff; I've wanted to talk to you since just after your meeting started. Phil wasn't at his desk and I didn't want you to miss this."

She had his attention. He stood and walked around to her side. "So what's up?"

"We had word from Hillary Station an hour ago. They said Bob Jarvis had called and advised 'they understood', that was all they said initially. Then half an hour ago we got word that they're on their way to Honolulu, and they're staying, right through the crisis."