<USS Avalon> Or Die For...

Or Die For...

By Senior Lieutenant Anthony Manson

The showers hit his skin like needles but soft at the touch. It was as hot as 
he could stand it, letting the water fall on him as he rested his head on his 
arm. Not a care in the world right now as he took that moment and tried to feel 
better as the hot water beat his body. 

Things weren?t going as quickly as he thought it would. The padds, they had to 
be discovered by now. Someone had to take notice. Commander Skyler, in 
particular since she now had the ready room back. It just wasn?t working out. 
He found himself looking behind his back more often now then when the ship and 
it?s crew were space tossed a generation into their own future. 

And Alder. The guy had been in the dark about this, frowns in place, not 
understanding his behavior for awhile since they arrived at Rydyn Prime. The 
bruises had raised questions, the attitude to keep Alder in his quarters raised 
more, and now the need to be alone to think- some more- and try to figure out 
what he could do drove Alder out of the loop completely.

They hadn?t talked since he asked Alder to stay one day in his quarters. Sleep 
deprivation, the constant paranoia that the roaming thirty-one agent could be 
right where he least expected, it was just too much. And the threats, that man 
meant every word. One way or the other, that man would find a way for him to 
join Section 31. Simple really, the death of one or the life of that one. It 
was now just a question of with necessary evil to choose from. To serve a 
faction he didn?t wish to join in order to keep Alder safe. Or if he died, to 
join that same faction, and kill the man responsible. 

He completed the mission, or so he thought. It wasn?t being picked up fast 
enough and they were only a few days from Earth. He forced himself to think of 
an alternative. There was always a way, and just like that agent demonstrated, 
it was not always the way a person would like- yet there nevertheless. 

A sudden outburst came as he felt the bones in his hand sting from the hit 
against the wall and he pulled back, hand throbbing in pain. Three cuts on 
three knuckles, shallow small ones. He smirked at the sight of the blood 
running down. That man was right, he felt like a puppet. 

The flow of water had lessened, the hot water drifting more like a stream than 
rain. Arms wrapped around him, their body temperature with the addition of the 
hot water raised a few more levels as Alder rested his head on Anthony?s 
shoulder. "Thought maybe you?d like the company."

A smile crept up from Anthony?s worried state. It suddenly felt nice to be 
smiling again. "Yeah... stay. I?ve missed you," quietly stated.

Alder?s grasp tightened, "you mind if we lessened the water temp? It?s too hot."

Anthony shook his head and within moments the water had changed a few degrees 
cooler.

"You alright? We haven?t talked much... and you?ve been acting weird. Like some 
ghost is following you."

"Yeah. It?s just the delegates," he calmly lied, "they?re a handful."

"It?s not that... we?ve barely talked, we haven?t said anything past a ?good 
morning? since that day you had those bruises. Not to mention your confusing 
request for me not to die- I don?t think anyone is out to get me. I wish you?d 
just let me know, let me in on what?s bothering you."

He sighed, "...I can?t."

"Why?"

"Because," he instantly replied but the sentence dangled. He couldn?t find an 
excuse, "because... I just can?t. Not yet. Maybe not ever."

"Then explain those bruises."

"I told you."

"No, that wasn?t from a ruptured conduit," Alder?s growing frustration showed 
in his voice. "You got that from a fight. Am I in danger? Were you trying to 
protect me?"

"No," another lie as he turned facing Alder whose eyes were penetrating enough 
that Anthony averted his gaze, "I guess I was just talking a lot of nonsense. 
You?re not in danger."

Alder slowly nodded, knowing that Anthony avoided his question about the 
bruises. He instantly questioned Anthony?s motives, "you?re not lying... are 
you?"

"No. Look, I don?t know how much more clearer I can get with this, Alder. 
You?re not in danger, there is nothing wrong aside from stress about the 
delegates. Why can?t you just believe me?"

"Alright," he said with a more intense look. "I?ll go. I know how you don?t 
like warm water." Alder turned but Anthony stopped him.

"No. Stay. Please." 

He knew now, in order to make his lie a truth, he?ll have to do what he never 
wanted to in the first place. To commit murder. At that moment, Anthony knew 
he?d have to kill that agent. To keep Alder safe. To keep both of them safe. Or 
be hunted down. It became a risk worth taking. 

The water drifted as Alder closed in the distance between them and Anthony 
looked into the eyes of the man he?d protect. 

Or die for.


                
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