The monster's ID (Forbidden love) Day 2 / Night 2 / Day 3
~~~~ Day 2 ~~~~
As he watched Jensen leave with his officers, Jared had the strangest feeling that he shouldn't let him go. He knew already that Jensen was his future, and the fear of being left behind was sickening.
He reminded himself that Jensen couldn't go anywhere right now, his ship damaged and stranded.
Even then, the first thing he did as he woke up was check with Misha that the Arcadia was still grounded.
He would never admit to the insane amount of time he passed gazing at the security films to catch Jensen's adorable smile. Worse, he would never talk again to anyone suggesting how long it had taken him to choose sexy shorts for the day, only to dismiss them on the way to the lake.
Bathing in the natural pool and basking in the sun - B&B, as his father liked to put it - was Jared's favorite time of the day. Nothing better than to feel the caress of the water and sun on your skin, alternating between the two different but just as erotic pleasures. With an amused smile, Dad liked to call him a hedonist, a pleasure-seeker, and let him enjoy his time while he descended to his lab, working with the same determination despite the passing of months and years without anyone to share his achievements with, besides his son and his android.
Jared was tired of this life. He was done. He didn't just want to follow Jensen and get a chance to know him better, more intimately. It was more than time for him to leave the nest and see the world, whatever his dad might think. He didn't want to look ungrateful, but he was sure there was more in store for him than the same exact days repeated again and again on the same patch of land in a part of the universe everybody else was smart enough to avoid. Supposedly at the mercy of a wild and invincible beast who killed humans without remorse in the most horrible way, torn apart like they were rag dolls.
Jared shivered and cast this thought away. Thinking about how his mother had died always put him in the saddest mood, a facet of him he didn't care to show Jensen this early in their relationship.
He preferred to revert to planning Jensen's seduction, all those delicious ideas that had kept him awake a good part of the night. Kissing Jensen, the feel of his skin under Jared's hands, of Jensen's hands on Jared's own skin… Jensen inside him…
He was already half-hard as he took his shorts off and dove into the lake, and the water did little to alleviate his predicament, only hid it, as long as his thoughts remained focused on the young and gorgeous Starfleet captain. But then the pleasure of swimming took over. The temperature-controlled environment - courtesy of the Krell, former inhabitants of Jardina 4 - offered the Morgan household the joys of perfect weather all year long, all five hundred and thirty two days of it. Jared wasn't about to look a gift computer in the transistor case, whatever the old saying had meant in the first place. He knew there were many things they still didn't know about the Krell, but he had long ago decided to enjoy the remains of their incredible technology and he would do so for as long as he lived here - which hopefully wouldn't last now that he had met Jensen.
Accompanied by Harrington and Dann as planned, Jensen showed at the Morgans' a little earlier than they had agreed on the previous night. No one had slept really well after the attack and there might be answers to be found with the locals.
Teleporting themselves right next to the entrance to the professor and his son's house, they found Misha appearing almost instantly to let them in.
"Misha, this is my science officer, Lieutenant Commander Harrington. I thought he would be more interested by whatever it is that the Professor intends to show us today. And you remember Lieutenant Harris, my security chief."
"Indeed, Captain. Welcome, Lieutenants. The professor will come for you in a few minutes, please wait for him and help yourself to any convenience this house offers."
"Thank you," both men answered while Dann nodded.
Harrington just had time to sit on the only, hard-cushioned couch, before Misha's right arm elongated to take on a different shape. At the same time, his left hand seemed to grow a protuberance that became a colorful cup and was placed under his right wrist to hold the brown liquid dripping from the beak-like protrusion.
Once the cup was full, Misha offered it to a speechless Jensen.
"Captain, you seemed really partial to this beverage last night. Would another cup please you this morning ?"
Jensen could feel himself smiling foolishly, but he refused to acknowledge his security officer's snort. He grabbed the cup eagerly but waited for the mini PADD Gil had given him as they prepared to leave the ship to do its work. Only when he was assured that the beverage was real coffee and contained no drug at all did he taste it again, not caring to hide his pleasure.
"Misha, you're not only observant, you're also a life saver. It does indeed please me very much. Where did you find coffee and are you willing to sell me some of it ?"
"I'm sorry, Captain. I didn't find the coffee. Professor Morgan asked me to recreate it, using molecules available on Jardina 4. Maybe I can teach your ship to do it too."
"We already have synthesizers, but not one that ever proved able to do good coffee."
"At least not for a coffee snob like you," Adam intervened. "Most of the crew is, just like me, perfectly happy with the substitute we're offered."
Jensen grimaced. It didn't feel that way, especially considering how quickly real coffee disappeared every time they got some more. He could only be very grateful to Professor Morgan for having taught to Misha the taste of the real stuff.
"My cook wanted me to ask you for fresh vegetables or any other kind of food, but I don't suppose you're growing much more than the Morgans can eat ?"
"Not much indeed. I can still see if we can spare something for you before you are able to leave Jardina 4."
"That's great, thanks ! I don't want to deprive you of anything, but a happy cook makes for a happy crew."
"If you say so, Captain. I have no experience on this matter."
They watched the robot make his way toward another room before Adam called him back.
"Misha, if you've lived this whole time on Jardina 4 under this mysterious and deadly threat, how come this house isn't more protected ?"
Subtle, Jensen thought. But it might actually get good results with someone as literal and straight thinking as Misha the honest robot.
"The lieutenant is right," Jensen approved, and this was something that had troubled him before. "If the danger the professor told us about is this terrible, how come this house is made of so much glass ? Is there any fortification available to protect you and your family ?"
Jensen metaphorically patted himself on the back when he saw the pleased smile appearing on Misha's face at the mention of his family. This android had definitely developed feelings for the humans he cared for and he loved to be considered one of them.
"This is not glass, Captain. A good imitation, I'll grant you, but nonetheless a very different alloy of Jardina 4's best molecules."
Of course. It might explain why the robot didn't appear on their scanners as a life form but a mere energy radiation, if some of the molecules he was made of were still unknown, the Arcadia machines therefore not calibrated to look for them. Jensen made a note to himself to change that, to make sure they could track Misha just like any other inhabitant of Jardina 4.
"Let me guess : you created this ?" Jensen asked, indicating the non-glass window bays.
"I merely engineered it. The professor and Jared came up with the perfect formula."
"Really ? Is Jared assisting the professor in all his work ?"
"Most of it. But he also has his own projects. As the professor told you last night, young Jared is very learned, and his intelligence might surpass that his father."
"I sense you're just as proud of him as the professor is."
"I am. Jared is someone you can't help but be proud of."
They shared a smile that Harrington quickly interrupted.
"Can we come back to the matter of your non-glass walls ? Have you tested them against this elusive force ?"
"We haven't, but we ran every test we could think of, and nothing managed to come through. Not even close to scratching it a bit. We're definitely secure inside these walls."
"Would you agree to tell me more about their making ?"
"Of course, Commander. The two most widespread Jardinian metals are J22 and J58 - named that way because of the order they were found by the first colonists. They're made of molecules of…"
Jensen tuned him out, confident that Adam would remember and make notes of everything Misha would teach him. He was more interested by the noise he had heard again - someone swimming out there - and the confirmation through a furtive glimpse that Jared was the one exercising in the beautiful body of water almost completely masked from his point of view by bushes and trees.
"Adam, Dann," he interrupted the ongoing conversation, "I'll leave you in Misha's expert hands. I'm going to greet our host."
Without waiting for an answer, Jensen got out of the house through one of the huge patio doors bordering the whole north wall, made of this alloy Misha was telling them about, and followed the water sounds until a gap in the garden's luxurious vegetation offered him a perfect view of the whole lake.
And there he was. Jared, powerful arms slicing through the blue, almost translucent water, long mane sticking to his skull, save for a few strands, every time his face emerged to take a necessary breath. Now and then, another mesmerizing display stole Jensen's breath away, the one of Jared's naked ass showing out of the water for a short, heavenly moment. A display that made Jensen loath to interrupt him.
Jared eventually reached the edge of the lake and stopped for a moment. He used a hand to get his hair out of his face and the water out of his eyes, and then smiled when he realized what a captive audience he had.
"Jensen ! I'm so glad you're here !"
"Aren't you wearing anything to swim ?" Jensen answered, his voice somewhat strangled.
"Why would I do that ?" Jared laughed. "It would get wet."
Jensen had to smile. It appeared Jared was as logical as he was shameless when it came to displaying his gorgeous body. And Jensen couldn't even pretend to care, unless it meant other people than him got to see the boy too.
"I guess you make your own rules on Jardina 4, but you should know that not all beaches and swimming pools on Earth tolerate nakedness."
"Really ? Why is that ? Is it considered dirty ?"
"I rather think people in bad shape don't want to be reminded there are those fitter than them. You would be bad for their self-worth."
"Why Captain, I think this is the kindest thing you ever told me ! Tell me you're taking me to Earth and my life will be complete."
"I don't know. Can you pay for your passage ?"
"You're terrible. Think of me as your ship's entertainer. Let your crew come and see me, I'll keep them happy."
Jensen wondered if Jared was really as naive as he seemed, if this remark was completely innocent of all the innuendos he would have joked about with anyone else. Undecided, he erred on the side of caution.
"The crew is supposed to be working, Jared."
"Not all the time. I'm sure they spend a lot of time watching you. You should swim naked too, it's obvious you have nothing to hide."
"I prefer to keep a modicum of modesty and mystery."
"Why ? Do you have a small cock ?"
Jensen spluttered.
"I'm more than well-endowed, thank you very much."
"Then why don't you come swimming with me ?"
Jared was an evil temptress and Jensen couldn't help eyeing the outlines of his body still masked by the water, feeling heady at the idea of approaching such tanned beauty.
"That is not why I came here. We came back to see your father as we said we would last night. Tell me where to find him and I'll let you get back to swimming without disruption."
Jared sighed.
"You're no fun. Okay, let me get dressed, since my body seems to bother you, and I'll take you to him."
Jared didn't wait for Jensen's approval before he used his finely muscled arms to rise above the pond's edge. Jensen didn't even think about turning away, the display far too beautiful to miss it. Even if it was clear Jared was still doing his best to seduce him since he could have used the steps, only a few inches away, to get out of the water more easily.
Jared looked even taller naked, but this fact only registered for a second before Jensen's eyes, following Jared's towel, travelled down his broad chest to his beautiful cock and balls. His legs were a tad on the skinny side, but nothing a bit of exercise wouldn't make better if Jared ever wanted to. Jensen's mind was suddenly taken over by the image of the younger man sitting on his dick, rising and descending repetitively thanks to his thighs getting always more powerful as they made love again and again.
He couldn't help blushing when he realized Jared had stopped drying himself and was looking directly at him with a satisfied grin, body still on full display. The kid was relentless and he damn well knew what he was doing !
"Are you the one in charge of the garden ?" Jensen asked absently, turning his eyes away to land on some pretty alien flowers.
"Yes, with Misha's help. He does most of the backbreaking work, like turning the soil over and getting roots out, since he can't actually break his back. But I do everything else and conceive the plans. We succeeded in acclimating most plants my parents and their colleagues had brought from Earth, as well as the few animals."
Even though the colors and shapes of the plants were attractive, Jensen's eyes didn't obey him for long and they returned to their new favorite pastime, watching Jared. Watching Jared naked was even better, and Jensen's eyes settled on Jared's gorgeous ass when he bent to retrieve his short shorts from the bank and put them back on. Knowing Jared was going commando would certainly fuel Jensen's dreams but it would also make it difficult to be next to him without thinking of touching.
Of course, Jensen felt deeply disappointed when Jared's ass and genitals disappeared under the small layer of clothing, already thinking of reasons to have him take it off again. Wishing he could take the time to come swimming with him every morning. Hoping in spite of himself that Jared would decide to leave his planet to travel on the Arcadia long enough to really get to know each other and see where this mutual attraction could go. With his height, intelligence and easygoing manners, it was far too easy to forget Jared was impossibly young, far too young for someone like Jensen. Easy not to feel like a cradle-robber desperately fighting against himself to make the right choice.
Jared probably sensed his turmoil and took his arm to lead him back inside the house, walking close and making sure they were constantly touching.
"Didn't you forget your shirt ?"
"Nope. The day's too hot for a shirt," Jared answered, caressing Jensen's bared forearm. "I would suggest you take yours off, but I know you enough already to guess you won't."
"Not on duty, you're right."
"Does this mean I can ask again when you're off shift ?"
Jensen smiled and simply dragged him on the way to the huge living room where they could hear the voices of Harrington and Misha discussing science.
"Jared," Jensen said as they stopped next to the two men, "this is my science officer, Lieutenant Commander Harrington, and my security chief, Lieutenant Harris. Adam, Dann, this is Jared Palicki-Morgan, the professor's son."
Jared shook Harrington's hand and then Dann's without letting go of Jensen's arm, staking his claim with a fierce expression the science officer didn't seem to know how to translate, whereas Danneel smiled at them with sparkling eyes. She loved to bet on his love affairs, and his relationship with Jared would probably be nothing different for her.
Jensen had to introduce his officers again as soon as the professor finally showed up.
"Excuse my tardiness," he told them all as he came out of his office, "one of my experiments ran longer than predicted. Now if you'd like to follow me, I'll take you to the Krell's chambers."
"The Krell ? Is that the name of the former inhabitants of this planet ?" Dann asked.
"It is, Lieutenant, or at least the closest translation I could come up with that our human mouth and vocal cords are able to pronounce."
"As you can see, I'm half Theodolin. I might be able to come closer to the original sound."
The professor looked annoyed for a second before he relented.
"Why not ? Let's give it a try."
He led them inside the office to fetch from his desk a weirdly shaped recorder that let them hear a monotonous chant, closer to a wailing than words to human ears. Jensen and Jared exchanged a grimace to express how disharmonious the noise sounded to them, but Dann didn't seem to feel that way. As soon as the professor stopped playing the recording, she inflated her throat, like a goiter stricken by large red lines, and managed to modulate sounds eerily similar to what they had just heard. The red stripes on her face grew brighter, their glow prolonged far toward the top of her skull and still visible through the thick red hair attached in a safe bun that would normally hide their ends. Jensen knew she loved to find opportunities to use her Theodolin heritage ; too often, she had to keep it quiet in order to get on with her job, and he was glad for the chance to show there was more to her than enhanced brutal force and alien beauty.
"Krell is not a bad approximation," she decreed.
"How would you say it ?" Jared asked, playful, competition over Jensen forgotten.
Dann's answer didn't feel intelligible to Jensen's ears but it clearly amused Jared, more attuned to the language, and even his father smiled after a while.
"Professor Morgan," Harrington interrupted them, "is that all you wanted to show us ?"
"Captain, I see your officer is very dedicated to his task, if a tad impatient and rude."
"Science is Commander Harrington's religion, Professor. I don't think you'll hold a grudge against him for this."
"I guess I won't. Ma'am, gentlemen, please follow me."
A door opened, at the professor's request, in the far wall. Straight from the floor to approximately three feet high, the opening ballooned after that in a perfect circle, its taller point high enough to let Jared go through more than easily, and the width indicative of a race that surely had been much larger than humans.
"I managed to convert the domotics to understand and obey our language, but please stay close to me. The Krell's technology was far more advanced than anything you ever saw. You probably wouldn't be able to break any device but I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."
Jensen forced himself not to react once again, even if the professor's marked sense of superiority was fast becoming old and tiresome. The man had been an idol for a long time, but it was now clear that, in his case, great intelligence didn't equal a great person. It was incredibly difficult to understand how such a pompous jackass had been able to raise such a wonderful son.
Led by the professor, they all passed through the door, Jared commandeering Jensen's arm once more.
"Don't listen to my father," he commented. "He's trying to scare you but I've played down these corridors as a child, many times unattended, which means there's really no danger for well-trained grown-ups."
Soon they entered a huge room covered in prettily lighted machines from floor to ceiling.
"This is the main Krell laboratory," the professor explained. "It took me years to decipher parts of this technology, and many of the devices you see here are still a complete mystery to us."
"What about you, Jared ?" Jensen wondered. "Did you make interesting discoveries ?"
"I helped as much as I was able. I love physics, but I'm not a visionary in this field, not like my father."
"I'm sure you're too modest."
"He's merely cognizant of his assets. Jared's talents and interests take him more toward biology and chemistry. He inherited his mother's abilities and has shown more than once how proficient he is in that area through groundbreaking discoveries."
"Didn't you teach him your own knowledge ?"
"I did, of course, as I told you already, but I didn't want him to be a mere copy of his father. I encouraged him to be his own man, to work on his own projects."
"Were you afraid he might surpass you ?" Adam enquired with his customary tact, taking to their natural conclusion Jensen's ongoing allusions.
The question earned him a deathly glare.
"I was nothing of the sort. Jared is a genius in his field, we complement each other."
"As long as Jared is happy in his work," Jensen concluded to end this moot conversation. "So what is this place all about ?"
"Knowledge. Personal improvement. Technological prowess. I told you the Krell were much advanced compared to us, but this is merely a euphemism. Next to them, we're nothing more than children playing with fire. And this room alone proved it to me as I was trying to understand its use. Come, I'll show you. The best way to learn is to practice."
The professor walked to a wall, triggering the appearance of a console and a bench he sat on. The Krell's bottoms must have been far bigger than the ones of human beings as Morgan hardly filled half the bench width. The technology so far didn't seem that farfetched, the style of the room very reminiscent of the one on the Arcadia, save for the colors. Everything here was some shade of blue, the whole set pleasant to the eye and quite soothing. Jensen got the sense of a peaceful race, who enjoyed harmony and structure, and wondered if the professor's findings would confirm this feeling. It was indeed possible that blue hadn't been a peaceful color at all to the eyes of such a different race.
"Come and see," the professor called them all to gather around him.
No moves from Morgan were necessary for a cubic structure to expand from the console, opening up to reveal another strangely shaped form that took place in front of the professor's face. Immediately, the podium behind it was filled with a perfect hologram of the late Adrianne Palicki, so perfect it would have been difficult to distinguish it from the real thing, had it been full size.
"I used this to show my son what his mother looked like, alive and happy. But to the Krell, it was probably more of a learning device for their children."
"How so ?" Jensen asked to keep him talking, although he had a fairly good idea.
"Geometry. Construction. Creative elaboration from simple imagination… the array is vast, unlimited."
The hologram kept on changing as the professor spoke, showing complex figures and imposing buildings, followed by alien views and interstellar displays, each more detailed and fascinating than the previous one, as if Morgan was just warming up and showing off more than a little bit.
"Can we try ?" Harrington interrupted him.
"That you can, yes," the professor answered, and his voice dripped with the certainty that they wouldn't be able to achieve much.
"Captain, may I ?"
Jensen answered with his hand, showing that Harrington could take the seat first. It was always good politics with the man to show him the respect he thought he was due as far as hard sciences were involved, and he wanted to study the professor's reaction to whatever his first officer would be able to achieve. Obviously, Morgan felt quite possessive of his findings, more so than the groundbreaking progress he had made in the first part of his life and offered to the universe at large, and Jensen wasn't sure how much he was prepared to share of the Krell's technology. He might be humoring them with a few parlor tricks, keeping the real stuff to himself.
Harrington sat in front of the console and focused on the device.
"How does it work ?" he asked the professor, and at the same time a blob appeared on the podium.
"You're doing good. Keep focusing on what you want to build. Imagine the details, picture the whole thing in your mind. It will appear in front of you, and from there you can build more, adapt parts, change others. The device is very sensitive, and it has a recording function so you don't have to keep all details at once in the forefront of your mind."
Harrington was following the advice as it came and using it to build his own hologram, a beautiful model of the Arcadia that got more and more precise to the professor's clear dismay. But it was just as clearly taking its toll on Adam, and Jensen didn't want him to get too far into the ship's description, for fear Morgan might make something of specs known only to Starfleet engineers.
"Commander, I think that's enough for a first time," Jensen said in a firm voice that brooked no argument.
Harrington sagged a little bit on the bench and took a few seconds to right himself, energy quite depleted. Then he moved to let Jensen take his place, averting his eyes as if he had failed a vital mission.
Jensen ignored the professor's satisfied grin to take in the device. His intention was to play with the Arcadia too, but the hologram that appeared was definitely human, and pretty even in its unfinished state. Behind him, Jared kind of giggled at seeing himself, or a resemblance of his own face, taking shape and getting closer to the original as seconds went by. Jensen concentrated on his gorgeous smile, white teeth and dimples, pink lips and foxy eyes. There was nothing on the kid's face that he hadn't memorized already, it seemed. Nothing he wasn't lovingly reconstructing, until the result was almost as perfect as Jared himself.
"Very good !" Jared delighted, his hands on Jensen's shoulders.
Just like Adam, Jensen felt his energy level getting far too low and imagined turning the device off to stop the experiment. Immediately, the hologram vanished and Jensen let himself go against Jared who gently rubbed his temple with the smooth pads of his fingers. He would have stayed there forever if it wasn't for the professor.
"Indeed, that's quite an impressive display for a first time. But see how tired you are now."
"Dann, your turn," Jensen offered to ignore Morgan's comment.
"Is that wise, Captain ? I need to stay alert to do my job properly."
"Don't worry," Harrington said, "I'm back to normal already."
Dann sent him a scathing look but she couldn't back down now without looking like she was afraid. She then proceeded to show them all up by creating the most detailed rendition of a powered phaser that looked so true it seemed ready to shoot at Jensen's first officer on her command. A wan approximation of her finger, easily identifiable thanks to her naturally-reddened nails, completed her mind construction as it appeared over the trigger and simulated consistency until Jensen cleared his throat.
She let the hologram go and stood up to look Harrington in the eye once again, but there was smugness written all over her face this time and not an ounce of fatigue. Dann and Harrington rarely saw eye to eye, unless the security of the Arcadia was at stake, and she enjoyed putting him back in his place on his own turf.
"Even more impressive," Morgan said, even though he didn't look happy about it. "Probably due to the fact that you're not entirely human."
"Was our lowered energy the sign that it was powering the hologram ?" Adam asked. "Or is there something else here powering the lab ?"
"I too wondered about that, at first, but then I found that all those panels you see around the room are energy gauges, and they're directly linked to another place I'll show you later. They light up as the machines in there are more or less solicited. Let me show you."
"Perhaps Jared could show us a hologram of his own ?" Jensen suggested.
"I'd like that !"
"No," Morgan forbid. "I've always tried my best to protect Jared from danger, and it begins with keeping him away from this technology."
"Dad, I'm an adult now. There's no more danger for me than there was for our friends. Or you."
"Jared, you'd understand if you were a father like me. Believe me when I say I'm doing what's best for you."
Jared looked down, defeated, and Jensen brought a hand to his shoulder blades in an effort to comfort him. Though he understood why Morgan had tried to protect Jared as a child, it didn't seem that important nowadays, not after trying himself and proving the device was mostly innocuous. But Jensen wasn't a father either, nor did he know the Krell's technology, and he couldn't really come between Morgan and his son on this topic.
Which didn't stop him from trying, of course.
"Aren't you overly protective, Professor ? The worst Jared risks is feeling a bit depleted, just like we did. But maybe he could master this machine the way you do. He's intelligent enough for that."
"Don't you think I know that ?! This device might seem harmless, but this is not the case for all of them. Look at this one for example," the professor indicated an oblong instrument released from a panel as he neared it.
Morgan took it in his hand and a colored gauge painting its whole length got darker shades from this simple touch, the first three colored marks coming to life.
"We all took this one in hand when we first landed on Jardina 4, and all we suffered from it. The worst came to our own skipper. The man thought he was so intelligent he would master the device's power in no time. It killed him. I was young and foolish enough to think I could do more, and better. I stayed three weeks in a coma. Adriane was mad with grief, so sure I was going to die, and that's when the monster first appeared. I was stuck in a bed, unable to help my friends who were dying, one after the other, because of my own arrogance. So I ask you, why would I submit my son to the same risk ?"
"Because obviously you recovered and mastered it ?" Harrington proposed.
"Only because I was lucky that the incident increased my IQ by half, but I couldn't chance it with Jared. You people from Starfleet are intelligent enough, good at what you do, but you're not irreplaceable. You especially, Captain, and that's why every skipper from the beginning of civilization has been taught that he should die with his ship. Your death, while sad, would not represent a great loss for the universe. I dare to think Jared's would."
Danneel came at Jensen's side in a show of unswerving support.
"Did it ever occur to you that it might not be a question of intelligence, but rather a problem of inappropriate technology ? All this was conceived to work for Krell's anatomy, not human's. I know for a fact how highly intelligent Captain Ackles is, so excuse me for not being convinced by your theory. Professor," Dann added like an afterthought, a merely polite title she clearly was not sure was deserved in this minute.
"Highly intelligent he may be, but he's not a scientist ready to make the world a better place. His job is to make his crew work together and send poor bastards to their death in the name of exploration."
Seeing her stripes getting an angry red, Jensen put his hand on Danneel's arm to keep her quiet. Time to shake things up and see what would come loose.
"That's where you're wrong, Professor," he answered with as much dignity as he could muster. "My job is to make sure all my men will come back home, and that the exploration we're doing will serve the greater good. Which doesn't seem to be your goal here, keeping the lid on your discoveries as you do and showing us as little as you can. What is it you're trying to hide ?"
The steel in his voice impressed the professor enough that he backed down.
"Nothing, Captain, I assure you."
"Really ? Because you amuse us with your hologram toy, threaten us a bit with your robot, but I haven't seen anything so far that would require a lifetime of study as you've told us since our arrival."
"The holographer is not a toy !" Morgan said, angered by Jensen's description.
"Really ?" Jensen repeated. "Is this device used to concretize some of your projects ? Or is it merely theoretical and holographic ?"
"It does crossover with building apparatus, but it's an advanced lesson you won't quite be able to master yet."
"But you do."
"But I do," Morgan confirmed, provocative.
"Did you use it to build Misha ?" Jensen spelled it out since the answer didn't come forward.
"It did help, but so did countless other progress I learned through studying the Krell's library."
"Did you ever create other robots ?"
"Why mar perfection ?"
"Is that a yes or a no ?"
"It means Misha is the only robot I ever brought to life, and he's as perfect as can be, so close to biological perfection - rid of most of our defects - that I never had use for another one."
"Is he close enough to biological life that he could use this device to create a hologram ?"
"Of course. I told you, Captain, my wife was an incredible biologist. In the limited time she had, she made the best of the Krell's knowledge."
"I can show you," Misha's voice offered from the lab's door.
"Please, Misha," Jensen answered, bypassing the professor's authorization.
The robot came in and sat on the bench. His hologram was flawless, multi-colored. Each star in the stormy Jardinian's night sky glowed with a different intensity, the first moon's craters precisely drawn, the second one's rings separate and distinguishable. The Arcadia sat on a vast expanse of arid land, only proof of life in the middle of small rocks and high mountains, until a small animal scurried through to take cover under the ship.
"Show-off," Jared mocked the robot affectionately.
Grinning, Misha turned to Jared without his hologram suffering from the sudden lack of attention.
"Misha," Jensen asked, taking advantage of the moment, "is this how you create the things you make with your own body ? Is this the same technology ?"
"Absolutely, Captain."
Jensen turned back to Morgan, planning to get Harrington or Ty to ask Misha for more details later, without the professor's watching them.
"You talked about a library ?"
"Indeed. It seems the Krell were not interested in their own image, you will not find any representation of them, but they did leave many writings all over the planet that I tried to gather here, only a few of which I've already studied."
"Show us."
"What good will that do ? You don't speak or read the Krell's language."
"Professor, I know you think of us as ants you could crush under your sole, but I assure you that my ship hosts many specialists, and if they're not enough, Starfleet will back us up. I might not be irreplaceable, but neither are you in the end. The Earth kept on turning after you left, letting us all believe you were dead."
Jared came forward at these words.
"Dad ? Is that true ? Why would you do that ?"
"I was… kind of a mess when I left," Morgan answered awkwardly. "There were so many demands on me, and it was the same for your mother. All we wanted was to work in peace, but neither Starfleet nor the scientific community, not to mention journalists of all kinds, would grant our wishes. So we resorted to leave and find a remote place where we could do just that, with a few likeminded friends. But for it to work, we needed to make people believe I was dead. So we kind of… faked my death. None of the foster families I had lived with cared one way or the other, I didn't have any close friends who would mourn me for long outside of those who made the trip with us to Jardina 4. This was the only solution to finally be allowed the life we wanted."
Jared didn't have to speak for Jensen to understand his dismay and he sort of felt his sorrow. The kid now knew there was no way his father would ever agree to come back to Earth, not after such a confession.
With a sigh, Morgan turned back to Jensen.
"You asked me what I was hiding from you. My whole life has been spent in hiding, and I guess this isn't something you shake off easily. My time here brought a new perspective. I was happy at last, living for my son and my research. Your presence disrupted this peace and I'm sorry I took my resentment on you. But I'm not sure the Krell have anything you need. They had no weapons. They loved to develop their capacities, to teach themselves and others, to learn always more. They were pacifists, and all they desired was to become always better, more self-reliant, be one with their planet. You see, their ultimate goal was to get rid of all machinery. I discovered it only a few months ago, after years of readings and translations."
"What do you mean, get rid of all machinery ? Did they want to go back to a life as cavemen ? Living off of fruit picking and animal hunting ?"
"No, I rather think they found the ultimate machine, the one able to replace all others. The one we all possess : our brain."
"So when you say they were much more advanced than us, you mean they were able to use their brains for… what ? Telekinesis ? Self-transporting ? Telepathy ?"
"All of the above, and more. And I think that's why they built the power source the gauge I showed you earlier is linked to. Follow me, I'll show you. It will became clearer if you see it for yourself."
They passed more balloon-shaped doors until they arrived to a small shuttle in which they took place. Dann was on the lookout, compensating for Harrington's utter distraction as the shuttle sped inside its corridor toward the place Morgan wanted to show them. Jared had taken advantage of the small compartment to sit close to Jensen but his attention was called by the lighting trail outside, and Jensen wondered if Jared had been authorized to go down there before. Probably not often, and not alone.
It didn't seem Morgan was driving the small ship in any way, and the deceleration was quick and smooth. The shuttle door opened instantly to a place so big it reminded Jensen of the cathedrals on Quéman 2, but there the resemblance stopped, for this here had nothing to do with religion. The whole technology on display proved it at first glance.
Blue still dominated, in a darker space whose dimensions Jensen couldn't fathom. It was too huge, too gloomy. Columns of diffuse, pastel colors climbing from the impenetrable depth provided the only light, like bubbly touches of clarity in a murky sea.
It was beautiful, soothing. Even the deep red of what was probably the core of this installation didn't take away from the feeling of absolute peace, nor the gentle whoosh of invisible engines. Ty would kill to get in here and study it all, and Jensen made another note of trying to find a way to give him a chance to do just that.
Morgan took them below, walking along a path that seemed infinite as far as the eyes could see.
"How huge is this place ?" Harrington asked, his voice full of wonder.
"Twenty square miles, ten levels, so high human eyes can't detect where they begin or where they end. And there are many more shafts like this one implanted all over the three continents."
"And it's all properly working, despite the Krell's disappearance ?" Jensen wondered.
"Just like in the lab, everything is self-controlled and self-repaired. You won't even find the slightest trace of dust or a spider's web."
"So your theory is that this power plant and every other were built to multiply the Krell's psychic abilities, their minds tapping on the raw power to get strength ?"
"Maybe. Or maybe it was just destined to be the impulse needed to become something else, to pass onto another plane of existence, which would explain why they all disappeared so suddenly, and so completely. It's a much better theory."
"Than what ?" Danneel asked.
"Than the one about them all killed by the monster," Jensen replied.
He cast his eyes far in the distance and admired the Krell's engine room a little longer. Something in him couldn't accept the idea that this place was linked to the annihilation of an entire race but after this minute of contemplation, he would have to stay always alert to make sure his crew could get back home intact.
~~~~ Night 2 / Day 3 ~~~~
Adam awoke with a nasty headache.
His mind was still full of nonsensical flashes of the night's dreams, images of water splashing high in the sky, fields flattened by some invisible weights, boulders falling down huge hills to create monster landslides. An indomitable fury unleashed over the living world, ready to end it all in order to remain the sole, dominant force.
Adam shook his head to clear it, and then drank what felt like half a gallon of water to rid his mouth of the foul taste of bile. The dream reminded him of those moments of frustration he had had to deal with too often along his studies, and even now, stuck at the second place on the Arcadia that should have been his if Captain Beaver and his pet first officer Ackles hadn't fought and won a needlessly glorified battle over the moons of Djarmeen.
Not that Captain Ackles wasn't adequate at his job. Starfleet had made a good warrior-diplomat out of him, and Starfleet was all about promoting its people. Inspiring others through examples of bravery and success, showing that simple men with no connections could become admiral, or enter the very private club of the youngest captains to get their own ships. But Adam had studied the files of the Djarmeenen battle, and it was clear to him that anyone could have achieved the same results and brought back peace to the quadrant. He could have achieved the same results, if not better ones. It was just a matter of being in the right place at the right moment. No one had ever said life was fair.
No, fair was to acknowledge that the captain had done a great job so far and that he might have earned his place in the end. Fair was biding his time and be the best first officer possible until such time the admirals, back in San Francisco, realized Adam deserved a command in his turn.
He had a good head start now. Adam's genius idea was to go back into the lab when no one was looking, to take a chance with that device Professor Morgan had warned them about. Despite his courage, the captain would never do something so out of the box. And now the evidence that Morgan had lied, or at the very least adorned reality, had been proved since Adam hadn't fallen into a coma ; he had just felt slightly off for a while, but nothing serious enough that people had remarked on it or that it had survived a good night of sleep, save for this persistent headache.
Adam was now comforted in his idea to try and test more devices during their stay, thus removing the need to obtain the professor's work. This would show the Starfleet brass that Lieutenant Commander Adam Harrington was a force to be reckoned with. To this end, he would make sure that some chosen excerpts of his own log got into the right hands.
Adam stopped by medbay before anything else. While he considered the effect moderate, the professor's machines had done a number on him anyway, and even Dr. McKinney's most powerful analgesic couldn't entirely make the ache go away. It would have to be just another one of these frustrations visited upon him that Adam was so adept as ignoring. And life would go on, unaware of his wishes or valor, favoring others while he tried his best to survive and prove his worth.
Bypassing the mess, Adam went directly to work. The bridge was buzzing when the door of the turbolift finally opened on the inner sanctum, and Ensign Miner looked like she was waiting for him as she practically threw herself at him.
"Commander, you have to see this !"
Now well used to her antics, Adam refrained from commenting and followed her to her station.
"What is it ?" he asked in his coolest tone.
"The readings ! The same ones as during the attack."
Coolness forgotten, Adam bent over the scope to study the energy readings the Arcadia computers had recorded during the night. Far enough that no one had felt threatened and the captain had simply ordered to keep track of those faraway energy emissions as well as the force field generated around the ship to make sure nothing was coming through.
Heart beating fast, Adam couldn't help the images of his dream coming back to the forefront of his conscious thoughts as he kept studying the recordings. Something there felt incredibly familiar, and his headache burst alive again.
Jared was champing at the bit when Jensen showed up the next day, impatient to get away from his father and enjoy Jensen's company alone. As soon as the last pleasantries had been exchanged - both men seemed to have buried the hatchet for the time being - Jared turned to Jensen.
"Now you can take me on a tour of your beautiful ship !" Jared all but ordered to get the young officer's attention exclusively back on himself.
"Jared ! I definitely taught you better manners. You should wait for the captain to invite you, if he wants to."
"But Dad, I know he wants to."
Jensen laughed again.
"It's alright, sir. I'm sure Jared would enjoy the visit and I'm quite proud of my ship. You're invited too, of course."
Dad didn't answer immediately, looking as if he was about to agree, and Jared crossed his fingers. No doubt, he loved his dad, but he didn't want him to spoil whatever alone time he could grab with Jensen, especially now that he knew about his father's past and that he had to think again about leaving.
A trill was heard that had Jared smiling with its excellent timing. His dad was due somewhere for one of his many experiments.
"I'm sorry, Captain," he confirmed. "Duty calls, I'll have to take a rain check."
Jared rejoiced inwardly and passed his arm through Jensen's to lead him outside toward the hov'speed.
"Later, Dad !" he threw behind his back as he tried to drag Jensen away quickly and give him no room to change his mind.
"Tell me," he said with a blinding smile to get his dimples to pop out, "how long have you been the captain of this ship ?"
It seemed to work well enough and Jensen stared at them - and maybe a little at his mouth, too, sending a thrill through Jared's whole body - before he answered in a daze.
"This one, less than two years. Before that, I replaced my former captain for a while when he was sick, on a smaller transport ship. Nothing glamorous, but it was a good exercise to learn the ropes. Then Jim - Jim Beaver, my captain - got a well-deserved promotion and I was in turn offered the chance to lead this great crew into deep space and to explore new territories. A dream come true, as a matter of fact."
"Really ? And what kind of other dreams do you still have to fulfill ?"
Jared combined his words with what he hoped to be a flirty fluttering of his eyelashes, but the captain seemed more amused than really entranced this time.
"That's a conversation for the day we'll be closer friends, Jared. Now come, let me show you my ship. And we don't need your vehicle."
Jared forgot to answer when Jensen's hand closed on his bare forearm, sending a deeper thrill all over his body. No one but his dad and mom had ever touched Jared before Jensen - Misha didn't count, not for this, in his part-nanny and part-best-friend position. And it was nothing compared to the feeling of Jensen's skin on his own that he hoped he would never get tired of.
He may not ever become a skillful lover, the kind Jensen had probably frequented before, but Jared would do his best to make his handsome captain see him as more than that before he had to depart : a lifelong lover, a partner, someone he would want to make love to not only because he thought him pretty and alluring, but because he loved him with all his soul.
Jensen got his communicator out and hailed his ship.
"Arcadia, this is Captain Ackles. Two to beam."
Jared didn't really know what that meant. He was still entirely lost in the feeling of Jensen being so close, so warm. He wanted more, longer, forever. He came closer, close enough to fit his own body against Jensen's, and it felt so right when Jensen's arm wrapped around his waist that he hardly realized when his molecules started to dematerialize.
Kara looked up from her console as the captain and another person materialized back on the platform. She felt her jaw hanging down at the display she caught, not wanting to believe her eyes at first.
The captain was definitely not alone, his arm securing against himself a younger, handsome boy. Younger even than herself, she thought with a tiny bit of jealousy. No way would the captain ever look at her like that. She knew he'd never break the fraternization rules anyway, but this fact didn't make him any less appealing, so she kept on dreaming that one day, on a shore leave maybe... But as she watched him like that, another man in his arms, eyes locked together, she realized this might have been one of the most erotically-charged shows she had seen in a long while. One that told her the boy would land in the captain's bed sooner or later, that he would do it more than willingly, and damn that pesky jealousy flaring up again.
When a minute had passed and nothing happened, save for the boy bringing his own arms up to squeeze the captain closer, Kara felt obliged to remind them of her presence. She cleared her throat, as discreetly as she could, and tried to make it look as if she really needed to, but she still managed to startle both men.
The captain turned heavy eyes in her general direction, seemingly still far away.
"Ensign Royster," he acknowledged her at last. "Please let the bridge know that I'm back and that I'm taking Jared Palicki-Morgan on a tour of the ship."
"Yes, Captain. Right away."
The young man grinned at her as they passed her by and she couldn't help responding in the same way. He had the most beguiling smile, natural and honest, and she was beginning to understand why the captain had seemed so enthralled with him.
She watched them leave the transporter room - not a bad view either from behind - still closer to each other than two men usually tended to be. She watched as long as she could, and then turned back to her console with a contented sigh. The captain would always remain a distant fantasy but she wouldn't forget the daydreaming material she had just been gifted with.
Jensen couldn't help feeling foolish as he recalled the way Ensign Royster had looked at him and Jared. So much for playing it cool and aloof ! Holding Jared in his arms was enough for him to forget where he was and what he was supposed to do, and he wouldn't be surprised to find knowing smiles on his crew's faces in the near future.
He didn't really understand what was happening to him when it came to Jared. He had had more than his fair share of pretty boys and girls in his time, but ever since taking command of the Arcadia, he had made sure to calm down and become the epitome of the perfect captain, choosing for his private affairs people he knew to be after the same thing as him. He had no time for feelings and attachments, not beyond the great friendships he had made on board, and didn't care for foolish and needy lovers.
But Jared made him want, made him foolish and needy.
The visit was somewhat too quick, and Jensen was taken aback by how much it annoyed him to have to share his time with Jared. It seemed everyone wanted to meet the son of Professor Morgan and welcome him warmly, share with him incredible stories and try to get great ones out of him in exchange.
Jensen also felt strangely proud to see that the initial interest for Jared's father soon turned into a genuine one for the son and his own accomplishments. No one made it as clear as Ty who dragged Jared inside his machinery after only a few minutes and asked multiple times for his opinion about the repairs, ignoring Jensen's attempts at getting him away.
Having a virtual stranger inside the engine room caused a distortion right now between his natural inclination to trust Jared and the need to protect his ship that had been drilled hard and deep into his brain by every instructor at the Academy. He wished to be upfront, with Jared himself and as a representative of the Morgans too, and knew he couldn't, so that the current repairs had provided him with a good excuse to keep him out of the machinery at first.
"I'm sorry we can't go any further, but these areas are condemned right now to non-relevant personnel. Even I have to announce my visit to get in after the monster's attack."
This was of course a way to test Jared about the monster's appearance, and the boy's reaction was all Jensen wanted it to be.
"You've been attacked by the monster ?! When ? Why didn't you tell me before ? Is anyone hurt ?"
Jared's hands automatically landed on Jensen's chest as if needing to make sure he was still whole and uninjured.
"One of my ensigns got a broken arm," Ty's voice behind Jensen's back responded, "but nothing worse happened, and it disappeared as swiftly and as mysteriously as it appeared."
Ty came to stand next to his captain and offered Jared his hand to shake.
"I'm Ty Olsson, chief engineer of the Arcadia. It's a great honor to meet the son of Professor Morgan."
"Thank you," Jared answered with a complicit smile toward Jensen - he had expressed earlier that it was lucky he didn't care much about other people's opinions, or he would definitely feel bad about all the eagerness directed at his father instead of him. "Nice to meet you too. I don't want to presume, but if you ever need more help for your repairs, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll be glad to help any way I can."
And that's how Jared found himself deep into machinery, Jensen trailing behind as if he were the guest rather than the host. Ty managed to extract a few novelty ideas out of Jared's brain, and soon Misha was there too, bringing with him a new alloy that would replace advantageously any superconductors. The robot became the second attraction of the day as he kept on delivering the magical alloy in this incredible way his body had to morph and become anything else it needed to be.
But Jensen couldn't tear his eyes away from Jared for long, not when the young man obviously enjoyed the moment and proved to Jensen, again and again, that his father had definitely kept the lid on this talent to make sure the student wouldn't surpass the teacher. It was clear Jared loved the stuff he was talking about and this first opportunity to use his knowledge other than in a theoretical way would do nothing to detract from his project to leave Jardina 4 and settle on Earth. He was glowing, his joy apparent to anyone who cared to look at him.
Jensen decided after a while to leave him to it and go check on his ship. Hardly a half hour has passed before his comm beeped. Ty's signal had been in fact hijacked by Jared.
"Jensen ?" Jared asked a tad frantically. "Where are you ?!"
"Working in my office. What about you ? Still playing with Ty's machines ?"
"We finished installing the plates and then I turned around and you were nowhere to be found. You can't do this to me."
"Okay, don't move, I'll get back to you soon."
Jensen ended what he was doing and got back to engineering. Jared took him in his arms as soon as he was close enough, and though Jensen thought for a second he should keep a more "captain-ish" stance, he was secretly happy to show everyone that Jared wasn't all about his ship's machinery.
Rumors would spread, and so what ?
"I missed you," Jared said in his ear, nowhere close to letting him go.
"Sorry, Jared. You looked so happy down here, I didn't have the heart to take you away."
"It was exhilarating ! Knowing your ship will be safer thanks to Misha and me… I didn't know working for real, beyond the theory, would be so good !"
"Working for and with others is always better. Come, you must be hungry by now. Time for lunch !"
Jared was reluctant to let him go but he accepted to follow Jensen to the turbolift and then into the mess, leaving Misha to work with Ty during their meal. Jensen had alerted Murray about today's special visitor to let him know he was authorized to dig into the extra stash they kept for special occasions and distinguished company, so he wasn't surprised to find him waiting for them to welcome their guest.
"Jared, this is Chief Petty Officer Chad Michael Murray, our cook. I asked him to prepare a few specialties you might not know, as well as some classic Earth food like pizza."
"And I did it all," Murray continued. "I don't know what you like, but prepare to be dazzled !"
Jared laughed, clearly feeling better after his moment of panic due to Jensen's disappearance. The mess was another test in Jensen's mind, maybe the most difficult one. He wanted to see how Jared would fare in a crowded room, surrounded by many other humans and quite a few different species.
Jared passed with flying colors, never realizing he was under scrutiny as he smiled at everyone and shook many hands with the same gentleness and simple curiosity. He was even nice with Murray who took a shine to him and did the service himself, hovering to know what Jared thought of his meal, taking much pride in the moans of pleasure the young man made upon discovering his Quattro Formaggi - Jensen was so not surprised to learn the professor never had Misha synthesizing pizza for his son, not even a hot dog or a simple waffle.
The surprise came from the thoughtful gift brought earlier by Misha on Jared's demand : a big container of synth-coffee, that would last them at least until they got back to Earth, brewed and served by the chef at the end of their meal.
"Mr. Murray," Jensen ordered with a smile to his guest, "please pack the rest of everything you made for Jared, especially the pizza and guacamole. We'll send it all back home with him so he can have a second taste."
"Of course, sir. Jared, I'm glad you enjoyed your meal. People like you are the ones I love to work for. I hope to see you again before we have to leave."
Jensen didn't like how long Murray kept Jared's hand in his, nor the way the cook's thumb caressed Jared's palm when they separated, but he refrained from commenting. Murray was closer to Jared's age, and maybe those two could become friends, or more, in case Jared joined them on their trip back home. The fact that Murray wasn't at all who Jensen thought should teach Jared the ways of love was irrelevant. It had to be Jared's decision.
But it didn't have to happen now, or anywhere near him.
"Jared, come on. Time to show you the bridge, and then I'll have to let you go, work's calling."
"Of course, let's go."
Jensen told himself once more that it wasn't a competition and he didn't have to feel happy that Murray seemed forgotten immediately. In vain. He felt quite triumphant, to be honest.
The bridge welcomed Jared warmly. Jensen had called Genevieve ahead and tasked her with relaying to everyone his command to stop mentioning Jared's father. It became painfully obvious when Ensign Miner got entangled in her welcome speech, but Jared gently reassured her by bringing up his relative himself in the conversation. The look of admiration in the ensign's eyes doubled, and Jensen accepted with a sigh that another competitor had shown up in the battle for Jared's affection.
Then he proceeded to cut the introductions short and got Jared into his office.
"So, how did you like it ? Is the Arcadia good enough to match what you imagined all those years ?"
"It's so much better !" Jared answered, enthused. "Your ship is gorgeous, and your crew so welcoming. But then it's normal. I'm sure you're the greatest captain of Starfleet and everyone wants to be assigned to your ship."
Jensen smiled, oddly touched and proud of Jared's confidence in him.
"Well," he answered, trying for a bit of modesty, "the Arcadia probably can't be compared to the famous Enterprise, but I think my crew is the best ever and we're doing as much of a good job."
In a move Jensen never saw coming, Jared leaned down and pushed his lips against his. It was short and sweet, and Jensen definitely wanted more, age be damned.
"Jared, what was that ?"
"A kiss, of course," the young man answered in a laugh. "I've seen vids, I know how to do it."
"No, you don't. It's like engineering. You might know the theory of a kiss, but you need to learn the real thing."
They could at least share a kiss, Jensen thought as he let his left hand slide into Jared's hair and used the grip to push his face back down toward his own. He kissed Jared's mouth, lightly, again, and once more. Got him to want more, to chase for more, and then used his tongue to tickle the rift between Jared's lips, to entice them into opening.
He felt Jared's body getting heavier against his, losing tension and ability to stand. His right arm squeezed harder to keep the younger man upright as he continued to kiss and tease, one hand still busy massaging Jared's scalp.
And then he let his tongue push in, map the virgin territory and touch Jared's tongue in return. He taught it how to kiss and caress, how to lick and taste. Jared's moans were the best clue giving away his growing pleasure, right before the sensation of his body melting against Jensen's and his attempt to catch his lips again when Jensen put a little space between them.
"Gimme more," Jared murmured.
Jensen complied and dove for lesson number 2. Swiftly followed by more of the same.
"It's even better than working in engineering," Jared lazily smiled between kisses.
"I take it this is a good day for you."
"The best."
More kisses ensued before Jared spoke again.
"When will we get to more ?"
"Why ? Don't you like what we're doing anymore ?"
"I love it !"
"I know you young people are always in a hurry, but this is all you will get. So enjoy it for what it is."
"I do enjoy kissing you. A lot."
"Really ? I'm not sure you enjoy it that much. We should probably stop right now."
"No, we shouldn't !"
Satisfied he had managed to get Jared back where he wanted him, Jensen indulged him for a while longer before he reminded himself that he had a job and many responsibilities.
"I have a gift for you too," he said.
"Another gift ?! Really ? What is it ?"
"Don't get too excited, it's nothing much, just meant to make life easier."
Jensen turned toward his desk and gestured for Jared to follow him. A long white box was there that Jensen opened to reveal the rest of their meal wrapped for travel by Murray. Jensen ignored it and took a smaller box sitting in the right corner of the bigger one, whose top drew up to reveal a device of some kind.
"This is a long-range communicator," Jensen explained. "Not one good enough to send a message to Earth from here in less than a few days, which makes conversation impossible, but I'm sure that, with your knowledge, you'll find countless ways to power it when the battery is dead, and maybe even make it better. The important thing is that it's pre-dialed on my frequency, so that you'll always be able to reach me. Either while we're here and you want to talk to me directly without passing through Lieutenant Cortese, or later, if you decide to stay on Jardina 4 but wish to share something with me. I'll never be far enough that I can't get back to you in a few days. That's a promise, Jared."
Jared kissed him in thanks.
Next part