Mike left the room, furious at his team-mates, and avoiding any contact with them. He strode angrily through the apartment, and into the bedroom inhabited by the two Joshes. He shut the door behind him, and slumped back against it. He exhaled deeply, and wondered about the mission they were on. Most of all, he found himself wondering how much of Becki's current predicament was down to him. It struck Mike that a lot of the problems that Team Paris were experiencing were caused by, or added to by the miserable situation Becki and Thayer found themselves in. If only the two of them could be together, it'd be so much more simple.
But real life didn't work like that. Did it?
Mike pulled his communicator from his pocket, and looked at it, blankly.
Aboard the Red Home, Mike's astromech blatted repeatedly at Noreh as she completed her daily check of the ship's systems. Moving over to a console, she read the translation, and accepted the transfer of two video files.
The first one was labeled "Grace Three: Open Now", so she decrypted and opened it, calling up a two foot tall image of Mike. Her eyes widened as she looked closer at the image, her hand covering her mouth as she realised that her friend had been injured, his face smeared with blood.
"Noreh," Mike began, his words a little slurred. "Sorry I haven't been in contact the last couple of days. Paris has been very busy, as you can probably see. Hope you're okay at Bertie's, that the Home is okay, and all that."
He leaned in toward the camera, taking Noreh into his virtual confidence.
"The second file you received is EO:ROBERTS," he continued. "Do me a favour, and send it on, please. These personal communication devices we've been issued can't transmit that far, so...
"Anyway. Hope you're having fun at Bertie's. He's a nice guy, and I'm sure you're getting on well. A big part of me wishes I had stayed out there with you, but it's probably all for the good that I didn't..."
He looked around, as though startled by a noise. "Have to go. Miss you," he added, distractedly.
Noreh looked at the frozen image worriedly. Mike wasn't team leader for the Paris mission, and if he was sending out a mission update, that couldn't be a good thing. She looked at the data for the second file. Encrypted sender and a large file size made her suspect it was a detailed update from the Paris team. She considered viewing the file herself, wanting to find out more about why and how her friend had been hurt. But she sighed, knowing her duty had to come first. Activating the Home's transmitter, she forwarded the message on to its destination, hoping that ROBERTS would know what to make of it.
Thayer -ROBERTS- sat at his desk, unable to contemplate working on the day to day business of his country. How could he, with his heart so many thousands of miles across the sea?
Slowly, the sun dipped below the horizon, and the office dimmed. The sole illumination came from the holoimage of Becki that sat atop Thayer's desk, alternately moving through, or as it was now, frozen on a scene of Becki from her time in the palace. Right now, the image was one of her at the party thrown for Terra Group and their allies following the destruction of the Admonitor. Becki stood, held in time, the formal gown she was wearing seemingly destined for her, so well did it suit her, and display her beauty. Thayer ached as he looked at the image, and eventually he reached out and shut it off, as the last of the sun's light departed from his world.
He sat in absolute darkness.
At least... almost absolute.
The light on his GFFA issue holocomm blinked faintly, having previously been masked by the image of Becki. His heart skipped as he realised that only accredited members of Terra Group knew his comm number. How long since he'd checked his messages? How long had the message been sitting there? Could it be...?
The message loaded and decrypted swiftly, and Thayer's finger rested on the play button. His eyes closed, and a prayer formed in his mind as he pressed down.
The image crackled into life, and Thayer opened his eyes, exhaling as an image of Mike swum into view. Close, but not close enough, he thought. Various data about the sender and classifications scrolled across the image before Mike could become animated.
Something caught his eye, and Thayer leaned in closer to look. Though reduced greatly in size and detail to allow for quicker transmission, the image of Mike was decidedly red around the face. Looking closer, Thayer was able to make out miniature droplets of blood staining Mike's shirt. A cold fear gripped his heart as his mind ran through the possibilities... If Becki was hurt...
"ROBERTS, I bring news," Mike began. His tone of voice went some way to calming Thayer's fears. If Becki was hurt, Mike would not sound so composed. "Our diplomatic mission here in France continues apace. We visited the farm as you suggested, and you were right. The owner was most friendly, and very helpful. We are now in the nation's capital, gay Paris.
"Milord, I suggest you join us. There are those among our party who I feel would be delighted by your presence. Perhaps if you were to come here, certain matters, and I'm sure I do not need to tell you which matters, might be swung more fully in the direction of Mendellia."
Mike's image quickly pulled its left hand from its pocket. Thayer wasn't sure, but he thought he saw only three fingers extended. At the same time, Mike swiped his right arm across his face, wiping blood away, wincing and hissing as he did so. It was a clever distraction, the larger movement masking the really important one.
"Paris is a truly beautiful city," Mike continued. "Our party has seen much, and learnt much during our time here. Unfortunately, the guide suggested to us has proved unavailable, and our party has tended to separate into smaller units. I believe -and I fear I am not alone in believing this- that two of our number are finding each other's company very pleasant. Perhaps too pleasant, milord.
"I have reason to suspect someone is attempting to disrupt our mission, as men of passion, you understand. There have been indications that matrimony and maternity are linked, and that these links are closer and stronger than we may have previously suspected. A certain alliance may be forming that is contrary to all we have worked these long months towards.
"Furthermore, our cause is not helped by the lack of communication between interested parties. It is something that I feel only your presence can overcome, my Lord. Certainly relations as they stand preclude an entirely internal solution. Disagreements with regard to our current standings have darkened the atmosphere among us. A royal visit would be most welcome, I am sure.
"I reiterate, I urge you with every fibre of my being to come to Paris at your earliest convenience. There are, I fear, at least three ideas for the future currently active among our ranks, both for our mission and other matters. I feel that only one of them would be to our liking.
"Furthermore, milord, I suggest that you use personal transport to make your way here. Certain vigilant members of your staff may see a public departure as a way to win favour in your court. Such a disclosure could prove disastrous to our plans.
"I am your faithful ally, milord, and I urge you to come and view Paris. Not for nothing is it known as the most romantic city in the world.
"Four out."
Thayer clicked off the holocomm, and sat back in his chair. His hands gripped the arm rests, and he stared blankly out of the window, over the ocean he would have to cross to go to Paris. Reading between the lines of the message, it seemed things were urgent.
He had to check with someone first, though.
Lenka Leannan and Sharon Kerr sat across the desk from Thayer in his now-lit office. They were lost in thought, contemplating Mike's message. Thayer sat and looked at his friends, people he had come to trust.
"I am confused by what he meant by a lack of communication," Thayer began. "There does not appear to be a communications problem, since Mike could send his message, but it would seem my message to Becki did not arrive. Anyway, as I have said to you, I seek your advice. Mike seems to feel that the situation is urgent, critical even--"
"Go," said Sharon, quietly. "This is serious, I think."
"I agree with Ambassador Kerr," Lenka said. "You must go to them. I've said so before to you, and now I will say it again. If the Lieutenant felt he had to communicate with you, things must be at a critical juncture."
"Between us, we can cover for you," Sharon continued. "We'll bring in Reth to help us out. Lord knows if the man can't answer a question, he can cover it well enough."
Thayer smiled at the thought of his friend dealing with the council.
"Perhaps Kirret could help him as well. So often they have felt like the two halves of me, such total opposites, and yet they go so well together...."
"Speaking of going well together, you will go to Becki?" Sharon asked.
"I shall. After all, Mike has said I must," Thayer replied, attempting to add a note of levity. Lenka looked at him, shrewdly.
"My Lord Thayer," she began, picking her words carefully. "You need not hide yourself. You are among friends here, if I may be so bold. Go to her. Be honest with her. You know in your heart that that is what she wants of you. All strong relationships are built on trust and honesty, and in the case of the King and Queen of a country, that must be doubly true."
Thayer smiled, a genuine smile this time.
"How ever did you convince Mother to send you to me?" he asked her. "If ever she were to suspect for but one second that you have taken my side, that you actively encourage my relationship with Becki, even."
"My duty to my present ruler outweighs my duty to the former," Lenka observed, a slight smile on her lips. "Perhaps, while you are gone, I can even find out what the problem with the communications is. Who knows what your trip may bring?"
"I know what I should like it to bring," he said firmly. "Pack quickly, Lady Lenka, and come to the Batcave as soon as you are ready."
"Me, sire?" she asked.
"With my personal assistant along, it will appear that I had unexpected business which required my attention. Were I to leave you here it would be more obvious that I had suddenly run off on a personal errand," Thayer explained. "And surely you will not mind a few days in Paris, away from the Palace. And my mother," he added with a twinkle in his eye.
A shadow of a grimace passed over Lenka's face. "No, my lord, I would say not."
Sharon looked up from her PDA, which she had been consulting.
"We can do this," she commented to Thayer. "With a couple of exceptions, Reth -and Kirret- can handle the next day or two's appointments. Whatever is yours alone will just have to wait. Go get her," she added.
Thayer stood, and escorted the two women from the room. On his way out, he picked up the holo projection unit and his personal holocomm. Reaching the elevator that went down to the Batcave, he turned to his friends, and smiled at them.
"I shall."