Gravity pt. 10
S.W.O.R.D. #2 is out today! However, the first issue's sales numbers were low, coming in around 21K, so if this book is going to survive past the first arc, a lot more people need to be buying issues! Get your copy today!
In other news I'm still looking for ideas for illustrations for Beast and Brand, because as of this entry I have officially run out of my backlog of B/B art. Ideas for situations or poses are welcome!
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Henry woke with a vague sense that it was morning. The starry window in Abigail’s room disagreed, but it was always night outside. Disentangling himself from her and sitting up, he reached for the mobile phone on the bedstand and checked the time. He blinked at the blurry readout, unable to figure out why he couldn’t read it until he remembered he wasn’t wearing his glasses. Getting out of the bed as carefully as he could so not to wake her, he searched for them. It took five minutes before he remembered that he had placed them in a pants pocket, now folded and sitting on a chair. He perched them on the end of his nose and looked at the phone’s readout. Six fifty-five. He needed a shower. Brand cooled off when she was asleep, but the sweat from holding her while she was still awake remained locked into his fur, unable to evaporate.
Gathering as many towels as he could, Henry went into the bathroom to deposit them somewhere he could reach from the shower. The first time he showered here had been rushed, but now he took his time in examining the toiletries, trying to get a better feel for the person who lived there. Taking a peek into her medicine cabinet, he was surprised by the lonely stick of mascara and pallet of eye shadow. As far as he knew, she didn’t wear anything but lipstick. He found that too, shaking his head at the shade of green she chose. They would have to shop for something better together. Deciding he had enough of prying, he turned on the shower taps, fogging the small bathroom almost immediately. He stepped into the water, letting it comb his fur straight and smooth.
His ears pricked. It was hard to tell with the water rushing on top of him, but he could have sworn he heard the door open. “Hello?” He waited for a response, or the sound of feet on the tile, but there was nothing. He picked up the shampoo and squeezed some into one hand. A rustle. “Abigail?” Nothing but the sound of the shower. He smiled. She could be as stealthy as she liked, but nothing could fool his cat’s senses. He pretended to go back to business.
As soon as he started ignoring her, she was there again, stepping into the shower behind him. She put her hands on his back, fingers knotting themselves in his fur. “Need a hand?”
He turned to greet her and she stepped behind him. He did it again, the fog making him dizzy, and she hid again. “For someone so keen on getting me exactly where you have me now, you certainly are eager to play games.” He reached an arm behind him and grabbed her as he twisted around, forcing her to meet him. “Come here.” Their mouths touched under the rush of water, then their bodies, pressing stomach to stomach. When they pulled away to catch their breath, he looked her over, appreciating every inch.
She fixed him with a skeptical gaze. “What are you doing?”
“Just making sure there aren’t any other alien features that I’ve missed. Do you have a tail?”
“No!” She turned around to prove it. “Do you?”
“Thankfully, no.”
She took the fur at his jaw and dragged him down to her level. “Good. Let’s not waste any more time.” They sunk to their knees, both sets of hands exploring each other eagerly. There was no sound but their breathing and the water.
Until Abigail’s phone began to ring. She didn’t seem bothered by it, but the urgency of the sound grated on Henry. He caught his breath. “Should you get that?”
She didn’t even look in its direction. “Ignore it.”
The phone rang twelve times, then stopped. A minute later it started again. “I hate to interrupt what is most definitely an enjoyable time, but maybe you should see who it is. They certainly seem to want your attention.”
“I’m busy!” The phone stopped ringing and instead there was a series of loud raps on her door. She swore and stood up. “All right, I’ll answer it,” she said, shaking a finger at Henry, “but the second I am done, you and I are going to finish this. You can’t just….” She paused and rephrased. “You know what? You don’t even get a say.”
Henry leaned against the lip of the tub and grinned. “I guess I have no choice but to submit to your will. Be sure to put on a towel before you open the door.”
She walked away grumbling. Chuckling to himself and standing up in the shower, Henry went back to the laborious task of washing his fur. He heard the door between Abigail’s room and the hallway slide open. “There better be an entire galaxy’s worth of lives depending on the next words you say to me.”
“It’s war.”
Abigail’s voice changed, hardening into that of the Commander. “Tell me everything.”
“It’s the Kree and the Mephitisoids. Hala just sent its first wave.”
“Do we have an estimate of the effect this will have on our diplomatic relations?”
“There’s already pressure to choose sides, and we can’t afford to lose alliances on either end.”
“I need numbers!”
“We could call McCoy. Didn’t you hire him for this kind of thing?”
Henry peeked his head through the bathroom door. “Sounds serious. I’ll be right there.” The two uniformed men at Brand’s door exchanged a look.
She moved to close her door. “We’ll be out in five.” Turning to him once it was shut, she crossed her arms in frustration. “Now the whole station will be talking. Couldn’t you let me lie and say I’ll find you?”
He wrapped a towel around his waist and went to his suitcase. “They’d have to find out sooner or later.”
“I’d rather it was later,” she grumbled, pulling on her uniform. “I can’t believe I thought I’d have some time to myself today. With that damn dinner party at four, we’re going to have to work through lunch to get this war thing sorted out.”
Not only did they work through lunch, but it was with thirty minutes to spare that they rushed back to Abigail’s room to prepare themselves for the diplomats. As he worked feverishly with an iron to get the wrinkles out of his slacks, she struggled with her hair. After a few minutes of trying to get it to hang the way she wanted, she threw her hands in the air. “This is why I blow dry my hair! I told you it got stringy….”
He put the iron on its end. “Let me look.” He took her by the shoulders and examined her. “Well, it won’t do to leave it down. Have you ever considered wearing it in a braid? Give me the brush and turn around.”
She squinted at him with suspicion. “You’re trying to play dress-up with me again.”
“Even if I am, it’s always turned out for the best, hasn’t it?” He worked on her hair and eyed the dress she laid out on her bed. “Oh no, you’re not wearing that. You’re wearing the one I got you yesterday.”
“I knew it,” she muttered.
“And the addition of a pair of nice flats instead of your usual boots wouldn’t hurt the look. Just keep that in mind.” He separated her hair into three sections and pulled them end over end.
“By the way,” she said, “you know how I told you I’d tell you if you were about to meet any of my exes?”
He helped her into her dress and zipped her up. “I believe this is the part where I say ‘Oh dear.’”
She nodded. “I’m telling you this because now that everyone knows we’re… seeing each other… he’ll want to talk to you. And he’s as big of a jerk as I am.”
Henry buttoned up his shirt, pushing stray hairs back through the buttonholes where they belonged. “He sounds delightful. If I may inquire, which species is he a member of, what caused the two of you to split up, and am I handsomer than him?”
Abigail ran her hands down the front of his shirt, smoothing the last of his wrinkles. “Luphomoid, he dumped me, and by human standards, maybe.” She paused to scowl up at him. “I don’t like it when you try to be sly about fishing for compliments.”
“Actually,” he said, choosing a bowtie and putting it around his neck, “I honestly wanted to know. If I’m looking for you to say something nice about me, you can trust me to be a little more subtle than that.” He paused. “And what do you mean, ‘by human standards, maybe?’”
She backed away, looking trapped. “I just remembered, I gotta check up on something! You remember which conference hall the dinner thing is in, right?”
“Abigail….”
She retreated into the hallway. “No, seriously, it’s important! I’ll see you down there. Don’t forget to put on your translator, not everyone there will speak English.”
She shut the door before Henry had time to object, leaving him to finish preparing alone. He sighed at his reflection in the window. Pursuing Brand was as difficult as any of his work protecting the Earth. Satisfied with his appearance with just minutes before the meeting of the ambassadors started, he pressed the translator into one ear and set off in search of the correct meeting room.
He knew he found the right one when he saw the congregation of different aliens dressed in finery streaming through a large door. He counted at least four different delegations of reptilian races, three insectoid, and countless humanoids. The odd grouping of most intelligent alien races into one of the three varieties captivated Henry as a scientist, and he was delighted to have the chance to see the three distinct types up close. He walked among them, enjoying the conversations’ strange sounds while a moment later the translation whispered into his ear.
He scanned the room for Abigail as he entered it. Like in the main command rooms of the Peak, the ceilings were high, curving slightly at the top. Instead of the unadorned steel that shone in much of the rooms, the floor was carpet and wood and the walls were paneled. While normally finding her would be easy-just look for green-there were far too many other greens in the room for his trick to work. As he stalked through the room, Henry noticed that all the caterers were human. He wondered if they were hired professionals, or agents who’d gotten on Abigail’s bad side. The corners of his mouth twitched, thinking of it.
As if summoned by his thoughts, she was there, cornered on the end of a buffet table by a pair of diplomats having an argument at her. She looked in need of saving. He listened as he approached while the orange oblong-headed man complained about the treatment of the four-eyed purple man’s emigrants in comparison to the reception of his own. Brand was sour. He timed his arrival in the middle of a convenient pause for breath and put his hand on her shoulder. “Ah yes, we understand your concerns entirely, don’t we Abigail! But I assure you, it is a part of S.W.O.R.D. law that we treat all visitors to the system equally.”
“Unless they’re trying to attack us,” Brand added.
“Unless they’re trying to attack us,” Henry agreed. “So as you can see, gentlemen, your worries are completely unfounded, and any further complaints can be taken formally by any available member of the staff not currently attending this meeting. Thank you very much for taking the time to register your suggestions with us and we’ll be delighted to speak to you about any changes implemented at next year’s gathering.” He pumped both of their hands energetically and led Brand away before anyone had time to process what just happened.
She looked at him with a rare expression of approval. “Not bad, for your first time.”
“You looked like you needed help.”
She turned up her nose. “I could’ve done it myself.”
He put his arm around her. “Of course you could.”
“Hey!” She pulled away. “Not in front of everybody!”
“Oh, they already know. And it wouldn’t hurt to show a little public affection once in a while to prove you’re still capable of human emotion.”
She crossed her arms, annoyed. “My house, my rules. Nothing cute in front of the people I work with, you got that? Now go get me something from the buffet table.”
“What do you want?”
She headed off in the other direction and shrugged. “Whatever. Pick something out that looks good.”
Henry went through the selection, choosing items with the most interesting visual appeal. If nothing else, it would be fun to watch her try to eat the little pod that floated tethered to the plate by a stem, or the bacon-skinned noodle things that wriggled. He picked up a pair of chopstick-like objects at the end of the table that he hoped were utensils, and once again searched the crowd for her. In his searching, he nearly dropped his plate when he walked into a powerfully built blue-skinned alien, but made it away from him with some semblance of dignity.
She was in a corner, speaking sternly to two S.W.O.R.D. agents. When the agents saw Henry approach, they shared a knowing look. Abigail’s face fell, sensing who was behind her. “All right,” she said to the agents, “you know your orders. Move out.” She watched them leave the room before turning to Henry. She picked at the plate he brought. “Don’t you know when someone’s trying to tell you to get lost?”
“If I told you the outcome of tonight was dependent on how well you acted towards me at this little get-together,” he said through a smile, “you would treat me like a king.”
“You better not hold that over me,” she warned. “I’m your boss, I could make you do all sorts of humiliating things.” She popped a shelled object into her mouth. “Have you tried these? They’re really good.”
Henry tasted one. The moment it touched his tongue, the world seemed to lose its balance. “Did you drug me? What is this?!”
She smirked. “It’s a regular dish they serve at these kinds of things. Is the sensation too strong for you?”
His sense of order returning, he scowled. “You’re trying to escape me by drugging me.”
“It’s not a drug, it’s a food. And you should be thankful. These dishes will have all sorts of effects on you, and that was just a little bit of what they can do.” She hid a grin and ate another. “Not so bad, see?”
“Warn me next time.” He scanned the room, suddenly conspiratorial. “Do you know if your ex is here yet? I want to get a look at him.”
Her smile faded. “Yeah, he’s around.”
“Well, where is he? What does he look like?”
Brand put her hands up. “Don’t worry. Now that you’ve made your interest in me obvious, he’ll come looking for you.”
Henry raised an eyebrow. “Because of you? I thought you were dumped.”
She looked pained. “I was. Look, when he wants to make himself known, he will, and I’m sure you can quiz him about the gory details. But for now can I just have a moment before I have to listen to these idiots shout at me again?”
He cleared his throat. “Of course, of course. Here, what on this plate can I eat without some sort of strange effect?”
She pushed several pill-shaped things towards him with two fingers. “You can have these.”
“What do they taste like?”
“Ever had that pasta that tastes like chocolate?”
Henry squinted, trying to recall. “Do you mean molé? That’s a sauce. And you don’t put it on pasta.”
She waved her hand. “Yeah. It’s like that, only different.” She picked one up and put it on her thumbnail, flipping it into the air. In the instant it hung above her she stepped forward, catching it in her mouth.
“That’s quite a talent.”
“Some years, honing my skills catching stuff in my mouth is all I do.” She paused. “That came out wrong.”
He couldn’t help but snicker. “Seeing your file, I wouldn’t be all that surprised if it was true.”
She hit him in the arm. “Hey!”
“Don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you,” he teased. “Hell, I’ll probably disappoint you. You have a whole universe of experience to pull from, and I’ve been Earthbound all this time.”
Her expression softened, and her hand rested briefly on his. “You never disappoint me.”
He reached for her. “Abigail….”
She stepped back just quickly enough to avoid his touch. “Ambassador with an axe to grind’s coming my way. Stay here and hold him off, okay?”
Before he could even manage a “Wait,” she vanished into the crowd. He watched in the direction she disappeared for a moment, hoping to catch a glimpse of green, but she was gone. Locating the diplomat chasing her, he stepped in front of a wrinkled alien who looked a lot like Sydren. “May I help you?”
“Out of the way,” it squawked, putting an arm out to push him away. “I’m not here to be accosted by a Mephitisoid. Go back to your petty wars.”
“I’m afraid you have me mistaken for another species,” he said, countering the alien as he tried to move around him. “I’m an X-Man, and a representative of S.W.O.R.D. Is there something you wished to discuss with the organization?”
The ambassador was petulant. “I want to talk to Agent Brand!”
“She’s indisposed at the moment. I could, however, bring someone from records here so you can have a message formally logged.”
The alien scowled. “You are stalling me. I wish to see her now.”
“What if I promise to send her in your direction the next time I see her?” He gestured to the crowd around them. “Because at the moment, I am not entirely sure where she is.”
He fixed Henry with a look of skepticism. “You would do that for me?”
“Without a doubt,” he promised.
“All right. I expect to see her before this is over.”
“You have my word.” They nodded to each other and the ambassador left. Henry let himself feel a moment of pride. This would only go to show Abigail what perfect boyfriend material he could be. He could handle anything, if she asked him. His moment of ego over, he looked around. Now it was his turn to search her out. Walking through a clump of similarly-dressed aliens, he found himself near the tall double doors that led to the rest of the Peak. They were worked to look like carved oak, but somehow he doubted they were as simple as they seemed. He had a hypothesis that any room could seal out a vacuum if the right buttons were pressed. They were slightly open and he could hear strains of a conversation float through them.
“-Really slumming it lately.”
“Like you even compare.” That was Brand’s voice. Henry’s ears pricked and he moved closer.
The other speaker laughed. “As if I need to! I know your tastes, and you must be pretty desperate to even think of picking up a human.”
“I don’t have to listen to this crap.” Henry peeked through the double doors. Brand stood with the gray alien who nearly knocked him over, hands on her hips and glaring up at him.
“No you don’t, and yet you seek me out instead of the other way around. You instigated it, and we both know why.”
“I really don’t. Enlighten me.”
“You miss me. You miss what we had.”
She let out a wild laugh in reply. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing! You dumped me, buddy, and don’t you forget it.”
“I haven’t exactly been begging for you back if you’ve noticed. I’m just offering an honest opinion.”
“You were staring at us the entire time! You looked like you were going to break something!”
He held up his hands. “You never called me to tell me you’d found someone new. I came here thinking our arrangement was still going to be upheld.”
Brand was apoplectic. “Did it ever cross your mind that I might finally be sick of your mind games, Dax?! That maybe I’m trying to develop a little self-respect, something I can do without your help!”
Henry knew if he didn’t step in soon, she was going to hit the alien, and not in a joking way. He took a few quick strides into the corridor and caught her elbow. “There you are, Abigail! You ran off on me.” He looked to the alien, pretending to notice him for the first time. “Is this fellow bothering you?”
She pushed a few stray hairs behind her ear and looked away. “Not anymore. Let’s get out of here.”
The alien fixed him with a look of curiosity. “You’re Henry McCoy. An X-Man.”
She lowered her voice. “Don’t talk to him. Don’t make eye contact with him. Don’t even act like he’s there.”
“Abby hired you into a top position from outside the organization, didn’t she?” He put his hand to his chin. “Don’t you find it demeaning that you are essentially being paid to act as her boyfriend?”
Henry put a protective arm around her, and this time she didn’t move away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was hired based on my professional qualifications.” He looked to her for confirmation, and saw for the first time a sign of shame on her face.
“Was that before or after she decided she wanted you?”
“This-this topic of conversation is highly inappropriate,” he managed. Her arm was ice cold. “It’s really been something to meet you and all, but there’s an entire roomful of people demanding our attention and we must get back to it.” He moved to turn around, but she was rooted to the spot, head down. “Whatever you two had, you need to accept that it’s over and leave us alone.”
As Henry forcibly turned Abigail around, the alien laughed heartily. “She didn’t tell you? Before you came around, she was begging me to be her date for the night.”
The alien was starting to get on his nerves. “Look,” he said, turning around and jabbing a finger into his chest, “I don’t know where you get the impudence to harass two people who are clearly better off without you in their lives, but it needs to stop. I’m asking you nicely just one more time. After that, I will throw you out myself.” He took a step back, closer to Abigail, and smiled so the alien could see every sharp fang. “So let’s all make this more pleasant for everyone by ignoring each other for the rest of the evening.” He eyed the alien. “Do I make myself clear?”
“I’m just trying to warn you!” he protested, following them as Henry marched Abigail back towards the room. “Has she told you what she does to men who dump-“ He stopped just short of walking into them and looked up. The tall double doors were closed.
Henry tried his hand at opening them, but they wouldn’t budge. He ran a claw down the place where the doors met. They were sealed shut. “Is there some sort of event going on in there that we are inadvertently missing out on?”
She pulled a communicator out of a hidden pocket and attached it to her ear. “Brand to Peak. What’s going on with the doors in the lower-level meeting hall?” She frowned, listening to the response. “Engage the aggressive defense systems and get a trace on ‘em. If they’re doing this now, that means they’ve got a mole somewhere close, telling them when everything goes off. Keep this line clear until you get back to me on who’s causing this.” She touched her communicator, then turned to the men. “Someone’s remotely activated our airlock system and sealed the room off. That means they’re trying to hold a galaxy’s worth of important people until they either set something off from the inside, or extract them from the outside.” She produced a pair of guns. “It’ll take ten minutes to bring the equipment down to forcibly breach these doors, which means until then we have to work to find an alternate route before something bad happens.”
“Where… did you even hide those guns….”
“Focus, Hank.” She sighed and turned to the alien. “And Dax. I don’t want to ask you this, but we’re going to need more than two people to cover all the bases.” She raised an eyebrow. “For old times’ sake?”
Henry was outraged. “Did you even hear half of the things he said about you? I won’t work with someone who would so blatantly belittle you!”
“Don’t have much of a choice,” she replied. “Dax and I ran some missions on his planet together, back in the day. I hate him, but we work well together.”
“I’m on board as long as the cat stops giving me death stares,” Dax offered, reaching under his tunic to produce a gun of his own.
“Right, follow me.” She set off down the hall, the two men on either side. “Let’s crash this party.”