Black Hole Heartbeat

Forr - 38

Lavell cupped an apple in her palm while Forr cut segments away from it, keeping the

knife steady in his repaired hand. He sliced a piece off cleanly and raised the impaled

fruit to his mouth.

"There. I knew you could do it," Lavell said.

They looked up as Elizabeth walked over.

"Head down to the armory. I need you for a mission. Both of you."

Forr looked at the knife in his hand.

"I'm not ready."

"I wouldn't be taking you if I believed that. I've got a feeling this is a set up, so hand to

hand might come into play. Lavell, you go in covert with Rusalka. I don't want anybody

knowing you're there."

Elizabeth walked away, then looked back.

"And keep an eye on her. I'm not sure about her angle."

Forr threw the apple at a garbage can.

"Just like the old days," Lavell said.

"Except I've only got one hand," Forr said.

Lavell reached up and stroked his cheek.

"I've never known Elizabeth stand for a charity case. Have you?"

Rusalka was already at the armoury when they arrived. She sat on a weapon bench with

her legs swinging casually in sweeping circles. She had a pistol strapped to each thigh

and knives at her back.

"So what do you guys think about Elizabeth and Ana?" she said.

"What do you mean?" Forr said.

There didn't seem much to think about.

"I think she's on the rebound from Brack," Lavell said.

"You never said to me," Forr said.

"You wouldn't be interested."

"I won't get dragged into this," Forr said, "But Elizabeth and Brack ended three years

ago."

"Not to her! To her they just broke up! To her they never even broke up!" Lavell said.

"Exactly. And now she's got a mission that she admits could be a trap, but doesn't want

either of them watching her back?"

Rusalka took out her knife and examined her reflection in the blade.

"It's none of our business," Forr said.

Lavell bowed her head in a sulk, "We're just talking."

"How would you like it if people 'just talked' about us?" he asked.

He pulled her into a warm hug.

"You guys are a cute couple," Rusalka said, jumping down silently from the table.

"Most people have a stigma about Krei/Jahlder relationships," Lavell said.

"A lot of those people are Krei. Or Jahlder," Forr said.

"So... what's his thing look like?" Rusalka asked, glancing at Lavell from the corner of her

eyes.

"I'm standing right here," Forr said.

"You offering to show me?"

Lavell started to giggle.

"Come on, Lavell. Give me some girl talk."

"Sorry. I don't kiss and tell," she said with a smile.

"Does that mean you kiss it?"

Lavell playfully pushed Rusalka away. Forr continued to fasten his baLle gear. His

metallic hand struggled with the latches of the armour.

~*~

Elizabeth was leaning against the shuLle, talking to Roka as they approached.

"Keep the engine running while we're in there," she told him.

"What exactly is this mission for? Donny boy wasn't exactly forthcoming with details,"

Rusalka said.

"That's because we don't have any. We received a transmission from a Shrook who said

he has information. I don't trust him but I'm sick of siLing around waiting for answers to

hit us in the face."

"Agreed. There are lots of preLy things out there, just waiting for me to steal them,"

Rusalka said.

"Roka's traced the co-ordinates to a space station. Me and Forr will go in and meet the

Shrook, you two are gonna infiltrate the station undetected. If nothing goes wrong,

don't reveal yourself."

"Oh Ranger. Where's the fun in that?" Rusalka asked, sliding by.

Rusalka and Lavell continued their hushed discussion while the engines purred into life.

They glanced up occasionally and giggled before returning to their whispers.

"What's goLen into them?" Elizabeth said.

"Don't ask," Forr said.

He stood and moved over to the window. He pressed his head against the cool glass.

Elizabeth came and stood by his side.

"Something on your mind?"

He raised his hand, clenching. Unclenching. He fiddled with the transmiLers on his

forehead.

"Lavell did a good job," Elizabeth said.

Behind them, Lavell chuckled brightly.

"What if I can't protect her anymore?"

"How many times did you knock me on my ass while we were training?"

"You let me win."

"That sound like me?"

He stared out into the darkness of the stars.

"What about you?" he said.

"What about me?"

"You and Brack."

"There is no me and Brack," she said, staring out at the jade rocks floating through space.

"But there was," he said.

He turned to face her. Elizabeth's eyes stayed forward.

"Years ago."

"Not to you. I just want to know you're okay."

"Why are you asking me this?"

"It's like a bee in a jar," he said, "This dangerous thing inside you. And you need to crack

the lid a liLle, give it air. But if someone else opens it for you, the bee'll just fly out.

Everyone might get stung."

Elizabeth smiled and swung a right hook at Forr's shoulder.

"That's for going soft on me."