Minor Changes, Major Consequences

 

A “Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons” Story

By Kelly Haycock & Sue Stanhope

 

 

 

Captain Aquamarine sat in her quarters reading a book. She’d been off duty for a few hours now and was trying to put her free time to good use.

She heard a knock on the door and looked up.  “Come in,” she called out.

The door opened and a white uniformed man walked in.  Aquamarine stood up quickly.  “Colonel!”

“At ease, Captain, I just stopped by to say hello,” her superior answered.

Aquamarine sat down nervously.  Colonel White often visited her in her quarters, which were only on the other side of the corridor from his.  But this evening, she felt nervous, probably because of the rumours going round Cloudbase.

The Colonel rarely left the Control Room, and usually stayed up there a lot longer than his actual shift, but recently, he’d been leaving the Control Room as soon as he possibly could and would head straight to his quarters.  He only ever seemed to speak to Rhapsody Angel as of lately, and she too had been acting suspiciously.

“Are you alright, Captain?” the Colonel suddenly asked, making young Aquamarine jump.

“Hmm? Oh, sorry, I was miles away, uh, please have a seat,” she said, getting up again and fidgeting around with various things.

Colonel White sat down and looked at her.  “You know, don’t you?”

“Know? Know what?” she answered, avoiding eye contact, and in doing so, spotted a faded pink stain on his uniform.  She closed her eyes and looked away before opening them again.  Yes, she did know, but she didn’t want to say anything.

“Come on, Captain, I need to know how many people know about this,” he asked, almost pleading.

She turned round again.  “Yes, I know.”  She lowered her gaze.  “I’ve known for a while.  And that juice stain on your uniform doesn’t help.”

White looked down at his uniform and saw the stain, covering it with his hand.  “How many others know?”

“Only myself and Captain Cerise that I know of.”

White nodded.  “How did you find out?”

“I’ve seen you sneaking into your quarters a lot with punnets hidden under your vest.”

White nodded again.

“Sir, you must admit you have a problem.”

Her superior frowned.  “I do not have a problem, Captain.”

“Then why do you leave your post as soon as you can? Why do you instantly go to your quarters and not leave until absolutely necessary? And why do you have strawberry juice stains on your uniform?”

“Captain! That’s enough!” He stood up, advancing on her.  “I don’t know what you think, but I do not have a problem! I have simply developed a liking for strawberries, that’s all!”

Aquamarine looked away, glancing at him out of the corner of her eyes.  “Then why have entire punnets gone missing from the galleys? You’ve started stealing them!”

White narrowed his eyes at her.  “How dare you talk to me like that? I’ll thank you to remember your place, Captain.”

“I’m only looking out for you, Sir. You do have a problem, whether you admit it or not.”  ‘How long can I keep him talking?’ she thought. ‘Come on, Cerise, hurry!’

She had expected White’s visit, though she hadn’t expected the accusations.  She had called Cerise just before taking to reading her book, only five minutes before the Colonel had arrived.

“Captain, I do not have a problem! You have a problem! A problem of respecting your superiors!”

Another knock on the door sounded and Aquamarine looked at it gratefully before calling “Come in” once again.

The door opened and a woman dressed in the typical Spectrum uniform walked in, her vest being bright pink.

“Captain Cerise, how good of you to join us,” Aquamarine said as her friend walked in.

“Colonel, I’m surprised to see you here, how are you?” Cerise asked.

“I’m fine,” the Colonel growled.

Aquamarine looked at Cerise, who nodded.  They’d had this planned for a long time.  The former got up and crossed to her small kitchen area, while the latter sat down, looking intently at the Colonel.

“How’d you get that stain on your uniform?” Cerise asked.

He grumbled and covered it up, when Aquamarine walked back into the room with her hands behind her back.

“What have you got there, Captain?” Cerise asked, innocently.

Aquamarine pulled her hands in front of her and revealed the punnet of strawberries she’d brought in from her kitchen.  In a flash, White pounced.  He was on her quicker than anything, knocking her to the floor and tearing the container from her hands.

Cerise watched in amazement, then went to help Aquamarine up.  “Are you alright?” she asked.

Aquamarine rubbed her back.  “Yeah, I’m fine.  Call Fawn, now! He’s got a serious problem if he’s going to go round attacking officers for a small fruit!”

Cerise nodded.  “Alright, keep him occupied without getting yourself hurt.”

“Hey, I might not have retro-metabolism any more, but I can still take care of myself.”

Cerise nodded again.  She knew what her friend meant, even though she cringed inwardly at the thought.

Only a month before, Cerise had talked ‘Kelly’ into returning to Spectrum.  The young Captain had been killed a year before and Mysteronised by the Mysterons’ head Earth agent, Captain Black, and had been working alongside him, as his personal assistant.

After only a few days of being back in uniform for Spectrum, she had discovered that, unlike Captain Scarlet, she had not retained her virtual indestructibility.  She had tripped and cut her hand.  The wound had not healed quickly as it would have, had she retained her retro-metabolism.  Dr Fawn had confirmed this for her, as well.

Aquamarine walked cautiously over to her superior who had taken refuge in a corner, eating the small red fruits as though someone might take them away any moment.

“Colonel?”

White looked up, his lips and chin stained red with juice.  He glared at her, then returned to the fruits.  Aquamarine sighed.  This was going to be difficult.

She looked over at Cerise as she walked back in.  The latter nodded, the call had been made and Fawn was on his way.

“Colonel?” Cerise called out, walking over to him.  The Colonel looked up again, giving Cerise the opportunity to snatch the container from him.  White grew angry and charged at her, but she neatly sidestepped and he went harmlessly past her.

“Cerise, you are asking for a court-martial!” he yelled, angrily.

“Am I, Sir? I thought I was trying to help you! You – have – a – problem!” she said, emphasizing each word, as behind her, the door opened and the med team walked in.

White looked at her, an angry glint in his eyes as the medics came in with some security officers.  The security men took hold of the Colonel, restraining him.

“Let me go!” he yelled, angrily.

“No, Colonel,” came the voice of Dr Fawn.  “We can’t do that.  You’re attacking people for strawberries.  This addiction has gone too far and it’s putting people in danger!”

“I’m not! Let me go!”

“I’m afraid not, Sir.”  Fawn turned to the security officers.  “Take him to the Sickbay.”

They nodded and escorted the fuming commander-in-chief away.

Fawn looked at the two Captains.  “Are you two alright?”

Aquamarine exchanged a glance with Cerise.  “Yeah, we’re alright, just look after him.”

“I will, don’t you worry, we’ll have the old man back to normal in no time at all.”

The two Captains watched the rest of Fawn’s team leave.  “I’ll admit it,” Cerise said, “you were right.”

“If you lived opposite his quarters, you’d have noticed it,” Aquamarine said, smiling.

“But what about Rhapsody?”

“She’s alright, I think she’s just been indulging him.”  Aquamarine smirked.  “And staining her uniform, too.  I don’t think she’s addicted in the way the Colonel is.”

Cerise smiled, and then chuckled.  “Yes, I’d noticed the little pink stain just below her mouth.”

“You’d think they’d at least not be able to miss!”

The two Captains laughed.

 

Two days later, they’d heard no news on Colonel White’s condition and the other officers had noticed his disappearance, and were all asking after him.  They’d never remembered a time when the Colonel was ill so they were, understandably, worried.

Cerise sat in her quarters talking to Aquamarine over the intercom.  “Um, have you heard anything from Fawn?”

“It’s worse than we thought,” Cerise answered.  “I think we’re going to have to consider a stand-in Commander.  The colonel was shaking uncontrollably last time I saw him.”

“Oh dear,” Aquamarine said.  “I haven’t been in recently.”  She thought for a moment.  “But who’s gonna stand in?”

“Not Blue!!” Cerise answered instantly.  “I can’t bear his power games.”

“No way!” Aquamarine agreed.  “Anyway, you think we should go visit the old man?”

“It’s not a pleasant sight,” Cerise said, sighing.

“Well, it’s up to you.”

“We should, I just don’t look forward to it.  Who knows, maybe we’ll be surprised. Shall I meet you there?”

“Okay,” Aquamarine agreed.

“Okay, on my way.”

“S.I.G.”

 

They met outside the Sickbay a few moments later, Cerise arriving first.  They could hear a lot of commotion behind the closed doors, crashing, shouting and other noises of the sort.

Cerise looked nervously at the door.  “Er, Aquamarine, are you sure about this?”

“I think we should see him.  I mean, it’s kinda my fault he’s in there.  You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“I feel ashamed of myself, now,” Cerise said.  “Of course I’ll go in with you.”

“Why feel ashamed?”

“It’s pathetic! I’m supposed to be a Spectrum officer and I’m too nervous to see my own Commander!”

Aquamarine smiled.  “Shall we go in then?” she asked.  Cerise nodded in reply.  “Okay. I'll go in first.”

“It's probably not as bad as it sounds,” Cerise said, opening the door.

Aquamarine walked in and looked around.  “Dr Fawn?” she called out.  The physician was nowhere in sight.

“I wouldn’t bother looking for him!” came a reply. Looking round, they saw Colonel White sitting cross-legged on the end of a bed.  He nodded to the floor.  “He’s not really up to answering.  Now, unless you’ve come with strawberries, I suggest you get out!”

The two Captains looked at the floor and saw Fawn sprawled out, unconscious.

“Colonel?” Aquamarine asked, carefully, suddenly feeling nervous.

White’s eyes suddenly widened and he jumped from the bed.  Aquamarine would have marvelled at his sudden agility had he not grabbed her arm tightly.  “You have them? Where?”

“Colonel!” Cerise exclaimed, startled.  “Let go of her, calm down!”

Aquamarine struggled under his strong grip.  “Colonel! You’re hurting me! Let go!”

“Where are they!” he yelled.

Cerise activated the comm. in her cap.  “Security to sickbay – emergency,” she announced, then turned suddenly to see the Colonel tightening his grip on Aquamarine’s arm even more.  “Colonel, no!” she said, trying to pull him away.

“I don’t have any!” Aquamarine insisted.  “OW! LET ME GO!”

“Oh, God!” Cerise said.  “COLONEL!” She brought her fist down on his arm, causing him to let go.  He glared at her, furiously as Aquamarine fell to the floor, having been suddenly released.

“You have a serious problem, Colonel!” she said, trying to get up.

“No, I don’t,” White insisted.  “I just like strawberries.”

“No, Colonel, I ‘like’ strawberries,” Cerise put in, “but I wouldn’t attack anyone for them!”

White looked between them.  “I… I warned you! You asked for it!”

“Colonel!” Cerise exclaimed, shocked at his behaviour.  “Aquamarine, get out of here!” she instructed, not breaking eye contact with her superior.  “Why isn’t security here yet?”

As if on cue, Cerise’s radio came to life.  “Security to Cerise.”

“Where are you?” she snapped.  “We have an officer down and another attacking us! Where the hell are you?”

“We’re stuck!” the security officer admitted.  “There’s been a slight hold up.  Someone’s set a time-delay on the only access door.”

Realisation dawned on Cerise.  “Colonel? Did you…?” A thought occurred to her.  “How can we get strawberries in if you won’t let anyone in?”

“So you’ll get me strawberries?” he asked hopefully.

Cerise thought quickly.  “Oh, yeah.  Just open the doors,” she said, glancing at her friend.  “Right, Aquamarine? They’re coming, yes?”

The latter looked up, rubbing her arm as she caught on.  “Oh, yeah.”

“Wait a minute,” White said, frowning, “why have you called in Security?”

Cerise thought quickly again.  “Er, well, Colonel, you wouldn’t want anyone stealing them, would you?” she asked, cringing and frowning.  She hated lying.  “They’re guarding them.”

She watched her commander closely.  She could tell he was suspicious, but he shrugged it off.  “I don’t care, as long as I get the strawberries!”

Cerise nodded, as Aquamarine leaned over to her and whispered, “It’s a good thing he’s not like Conrad!”

White looked as though she had just highly insulted him and his face creased into a frown.  “I heard that, Captain!” he said, angrily.  “So, you’re back in touch with him are you? I wondered how long it’d be. I’m in here because of you! One of your little Mysteron plans, is it?”

“HEY!” Cerise snapped, looking at White.  “That’s uncalled for! I don’t care who you are, you can’t say that!”

“I never said I was talking to him,” Aquamarine said, defensibly.  “Just before I left, he developed an addiction, just like yours, but for chocolate! It must have been a Mysteron weakness because until I left them, I was addicted, too.”  She had become tearful at being called a Mysteron, as she had left them to rejoin Spectrum quite some time ago, now.  “How can you say that to me! I’m no longer a Mysteron!”

“Look what you’ve done!” Cerise accused.  “I hope you’re proud of yourself!” She turned to her friend.  “I’m sorry, Aquamarine; I can’t believe he said that!”

Aquamarine wiped her eyes.  “It’s okay; it’s not your fault, it’s his!” she said, looking directly at White.  “This isn’t my fault, it’s your own! You’re a weak, pathetic man! You can’t even admit you have a problem! You’re not fit to run Spectrum!”

White looked at her, taken aback, then lowered his gaze.  “I… I’m sorry, Captain,” he said quietly.  “I don’t know what came over me.  You’re right, I do have a problem, I know, I… I’m sorry.”  He looked about.  “Where’s Dr Fawn? And perhaps Blue should take over for a while?”

Aquamarine took a shaken breath as Security finally arrived.  “Dr Fawn is down there, Sir,” she answered, pointing.  “But please, don’t appoint Blue as your stand-in!”

“Is everything alright in here?” the security officer, Lieutenant Copper, asked.

“Er, yes, I think so,” Cerise answered.  “Colonel?”

“Hmm?” White said, having not really taken in the conversation.  “Oh, yes.  I’m alright now, just a little shaky.”  Cerise looked at him worriedly.  He wasn’t just a little shaky; he was shaking quite a bit.  “Why not Blue?” he asked.  “And where did you say Dr Fawn went?”

Cerise went over to where Fawn lay.  “Erm, you attacked him, Sir,” she said, kneeling at the doctor’s side.  “He seems ok, just unconscious.”  She thought for a moment.  “Oh, there’s no special reason for not Blue, maybe one of the others would like a turn, maybe.”  She looked back up at White.  “You’re shaking, Sir, wouldn’t you rather sit down?”

“I’m fine,” he replied, walking over to the doctor.  “I did that?”

“Don’t you remember?” Aquamarine asked.

White shook his head.  “No.”

Aquamarine frowned.  “How odd.  You told us you’d done it and would do the same to us unless we had strawberries when we came in.”

The commander-in-chief looked horrified.  “What?”

“It’s true, Sir,” Cerise answered, then turned to Security.  “I think it’s okay now, we’ll take it from here.  If you could call a nurse though.”  She turned back to the Colonel.  “Don’t you remember anything, Colonel? You locked the doors so Security couldn’t get through.  We must have been the last ones to get in.  Do you remember that?”

White sat down slowly, reaching out with a shaking hand for the chair behind him.  “No, no, I don’t.”

“This is very odd!” Cerise said.  “Have you had anything else lately, apart from he strawberries? I don’t know, any gifts, anything unusual?”

White frowned, thinking hard.  “I do remember someone leaving some strawberries on my table with some cream, with a note, something like ‘thank you’.  Couldn’t think who’d be thanking me.”  He suddenly shivered violently.  “It’s so cold in here!”

Cerise looked around the room.  “I’m beginning to think you’ve been drugged, Sir.  And maybe you didn’t do the other things, either.  I’m going to take a look around.  Are you okay, Sir?”

“I’m just cold,” he said, shivering.  “Is Captain Aquamarine alright?”

“Hmm?” the latter asked, looking away from the window.  “I’m fine; just feel a headache coming on.”  She smiled, putting a hand to her head.

Cerise looked at the young Captain and nodded in reply.  “She’s okay, Sir, don’t worry.  Let’s see, you have a fever, but you’re pale and clammy.”  She frowned.  “Looks like you’re going to pass out.  Perhaps you should lie down?” She looked behind her upon hearing a noise and saw Fawn waking up.  “Fawn? Are you okay? What happened?”

Fawn groaned.  “Ow, my head!”

Cerise smiled.  “Sorry, Fawn, didn’t mean to laugh, so I guess that answers one of my questions!”

“Huh?” Fawn asked, confused.  He looked round and saw White shivering.  “Whoa! Colonel! You should NOT be out of bed! You look terrible!”

“Thanks, doctor,” the Colonel answered sarcastically.

“Wait!” Cerise said.  “I’m confused.  You’re only surprised he’s up?  Didn’t he… I mean, who hit you?”

“I don’t remember, they were behind me,” Fawn answered, rubbing his head.  “I was working on something at my counter with my back to the rest of the room.”

“Hang on, if we were the last in before the doors locked and no one passed us, that means whoever it was must still be here!” Cerise said, alarmed.

“What?” Fawn asked, matching her tone.

Aquamarine turned to Lieutenant Copper.  “I suggest you start a search.”

“Yes, ma’am, straight away,” the Lieutenant said, walking away briskly.

“Fawn, do you have any idea who it was or what they may have been doing?” Cerise asked.  “It may give us a clue as to where they are now.  Colonel, do you remember seeing anyone?”

White rubbed his head.  “No, I don’t remember much, only this strange craving for strawberries.”

“I don’t remember seeing anyone come in, either,” Fawn admitted.

“This really doesn’t help,” Cerise said, sighing.  “We know someone is here and is attacking staff but we don’t know how or why.  Is it possible… can we get hold of security tapes for Sickbay for the last few hours?”

Fawn thought for a moment.  “I expect so; there’s an outlet for the security system in this room in my office as well as in the security department.”

“I suggest we all go have a look for clues, then,” Aquamarine said.

“I don’t think the Colonel should be left on his own, so I guess Fawn’s office would be best.  Lieutenant Copper, let us know immediately should you find anything.”

“SIG,” the lieutenant replied.

White looked about, confused.  “Left on my own? Sorry?”

“I think he getting worse,” Aquamarine said.  “He doesn’t seem to be with it.”

White had started to shake even more, so Aquamarine put a hand on his shoulder.  “Lie down, Colonel,” she said, then turned to the others.  “I’ll stay out here, you check the tapes.”

“Hmm, okay,” Cerise said.  “But keep a look out at all time. You see or hear anything, yell as loud as you can.”

Aquamarine smiled.  “Don’t worry, people on the other side of Cloudbase will be able to hear me if I yell full volume.”

“Please find something,” the still shaking Colonel said, lying down and closing his eyes.  “I can’t take this much longer.”

 

Cerise sat in Fawn’s office, winding back the tapes while, outside, Security was searching the Sickbay.

“What are you expecting to find?” Fawn asked.

“I really have no idea,” Cerise replied.  “I believe someone has slipped the Colonel something nasty but I can’t imagine who.”  She looked carefully at the screen.  “Hold on… there! Run the tape…”

Fawn leant in closer to watch.  “I don’t see…  Wait, who’s that?”

“I don’t even want to think about it,” she answered.  “It can’t be, there’s no way he’d have got onto Cloudbase undetected.”

“Black?” Fawn asked, understandably worried.

Cerise nodded.  “But if he’s still here, then Aquamarine… what’s he… let’s get back in there quick, with any luck, he’s not reappeared.”

 

In the main part of the Sickbay, Aquamarine had sat down looking at the various things in front of her.

“Captain?”

Aquamarine jumped and looked round to see White sat up looking back at her.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, apologetically.

“It’s okay, what’s wrong?”

“What’s happening to me?” he asked, quietly.

“I honestly don’t know, but we think, we THINK,” she stressed, “that someone’s been drugging you.”

White swallowed slowly as if it were painful.  “Who would do that?”

Before Aquamarine could answer, Fawn and Cerise walked back in, looking grave.  “Colonel, we’re moving you to a more secure area,” Fawn announced.  “We believe there is an attempt being made on your life.  For now, only Cerise and myself will attend you.”

“And Captain Aquamarine…” Cerise said.

“Er, Captain, can we speak?” Fawn asked quietly.

“NO!” Cerise snapped.  “I owe my life to her, and I’m not the only one! Do you have a problem with that?”

“What do you have against me, Doctor?” Aquamarine asked him.

“I don’t have anything against you, Captain,” Fawn answered.  “I just don’t believe it’s entirely safe for you either.”

“Safe for me? Why? What’s going on?” Aquamarine looked between the two officers before her, her expression betraying her confused nature.

Colonel White sat up carefully.  “Doctor, please, tell us what the problem is.”

Fawn sighed.  “Black’s on Cloudbase, somewhere, we don’t know where.”

“Dr Fawn,” Lieutenant Copper called out, making Fawn turn to face him.  “Sickbay checks out clear, there’s no one here.”

“SIG, Lieutenant,” the Doctor answered.  He looked back over at Aquamarine who had gone extremely pale.

“C-Captain Black is here?”

“Subtle, Fawn, real subtle!” Cerise said, frowning at him, “Look, we can arrange protection for you both; it’s not an issue.  But I suspect myself that personally you’re in no danger.  He’s getting to you enough by attacking the people you care for.  Don’t worry; I promised you, we won’t let him get you.”

“But what if he tries to take me back?”

Colonel White seemed to have only just realised what was going on.  “Captain Black is here? How?”

Aquamarine sat staring, wide-eyed and worried.  She didn’t want to be taken back.

“Look, please, stop worrying, both of you!” Cerise said.  “I don’t know how he’s here, but we all know he can appear at will, so I guess that answers that one.”  She turned to look directly at Aquamarine.  “And I told you; he’s NOT going to get you!”

“But-”

“Captain, please!” Fawn interrupted.  “There’s no use getting worked up over it.”

Aquamarine nodded silently.

“No, go on, Captain,” Cerise said.  “You know what he’s capable of more than any of us.  What are you worried about?”

“I’m…” She glanced uneasily at her company.  “Uh, well…” She sighed deeply, thinking it was time they learned.  “Did you ever hear of Captain Black having a Personal Assistant?”

“Yes,” Dr Fawn answered after a short moment to recall.  “I remember hearing he had someone helping him carry out the threats.”

“Why?” White asked.

Cerise suddenly saw what was coming.  “I’m not sure this is the time for a round of Truth or Dare.”

“Let the Captain speak, Cerise!” White snapped.

“Colonel,” the junior officer insisted, “now is not a good time!”

White ignored her.  “Aquamarine, please… continue.”

Aquamarine lowered her head, ashamed of what she was.  “That PA was me.”

“What?” Fawn exclaimed, shocked.  He drew back slightly.

Cerise shook her head and sighed.  “For pity’s sake, you knew, you must have known!”

“We knew she was a Mysteron,” White answered, staring accusingly at Aquamarine.

“And I got arrested for that?  What would you have done to me if you’d known!?” Cerise yelled.  When she had talked Kelly into returning to Spectrum, she had been arrested on arrival at Cloudbase, as Colonel White had believed her to be aiding in a Mysteron plan for a short period of time.  “Look,” she continued, “it doesn’t matter! You don’t act like that with Scarlet, what are you thinking??!!” She was almost beside herself with rage.  She didn’t like the way they were treating her friend.

“This is different,” Fawn answered, not taking his eyes of Aquamarine.  “Scarlet was never so close to Black!”

“It’s not different at all, Aquamarine never tried to kill the World President!! And Scarlet had been friends with Black, close friends for ages!”

“But that was beforehand!” the doctor argued.  “And she may not have attempted to kill the World President, but she did kill a lot of other people!”

“Stop talking about me as though I weren’t here!” Aquamarine suddenly yelled.

Cerise looked round at her.  “I’m sorry,” she said, trying to calm herself.  “It’s just so infuriating!! You saved my life; this apparently counts for nothing.  You’re worried that Black may try to take you back; they’re just worried that you’re some sort of Mysteron stooge trying to lull us into some sort of false sense of security until he returns!!”

“That’s not what I said!” Fawn replied.

“You didn’t have to!” Cerise yelled, almost growling in her anger.

“Is that really what you think of me, though?” Aquamarine asked quietly.

“Captain…” White started, but he trailed off as Aquamarine continued.

“No, I want to know, because if that’s how you see me, I really shouldn’t have returned to Spectrum.”  There was a great deal of sadness in her voice as she said this.

“No!” Cerise said, her eyes widening.  “Don’t say that! Look, Black turning up has got everyone on edge.  You know I don’t think that, don’t you? You could be the only one with enough knowledge about him to stop whatever he’s planning.”

“Captain,” White said softly.  “I’m sorry.”  He took a deep breath.  “I’m not myself, of course we trust you.  Whatever has happened has made me suspicious; I’m relying on you all.”

Aquamarine looked him dead in the eyes, then nodded, before turning to face Cerise again.  “Thank you,” she said.  “Of course I trust you.”  She turned to face Fawn.  “Doctor?”

Fawn looked uncomfortable, then sighed.  “If they can trust you, so can I.”

Cerise looked round and, once she was sure everyone had settled, started speaking again.  “Look; we have to find him, before he does anymore damage.  Dr Fawn, what security arrangements can you make for Colonel White whilst we try to find Black, assuming that you don’t mind,” she said, looking nervously at Aquamarine.  “Is this going to be too hard?”

Aquamarine took a deep, steadying breath.  “No, I want to be in this.  I want to make him pay for what he made me do.”

Cerise smiled gently.  “Don’t worry; we’ll get him.  And Dr Fawn, get some security staff down here; keep them here.  We’ll see you later.  Okay, Cloudbase is big, any suggestions?”

Aquamarine thought hard.  “Hmm, he’ll probably want to be subtle if I remember him, maybe causing a distraction somewhere to put us off whatever else he might be playing at.  I think we should get Lieutenant Green to monitor all essential systems.”

Cerise nodded.  “That’s a good idea,” she said.  “In the meantime, my guess would be life support, engines or weapons systems.  What do you think?”

Aquamarine’s voice dropped as she thought.  “Weapons… weapons…” She repeated the word to herself as she thought.  Then a thought occurred to her.  “That’s it! He might have gone to the armoury! The Mysteron rifles!”

Cerise’s eyes shot wide.  “Oh no! Scarlet! We’ve got to warn him!”

“Right.  You go, I’ll contact Green,” the young Captain said, taking charge of the situation, partially.  “And Fawn, I suggest you get a move on with those security arrangements!”

Fawn threw his hands in the air in mock surrender.  “Alright, I’m going, I’m -”

He was cut off by the sound of a deep rumbling voice echoing through the intercom system.

This is the voice of the Mysterons!

“I was waiting for that!” Aquamarine said quickly.

We know that you can hear us, Earthmen.  We have not forgotten your attack on our Complex, and you will pay for the damage you caused.  Our next act of retaliation will be to strike at key personnel of the Spectrum organisation…

“Key personnel?” Aquamarine said, almost silently.  “This is it! They’ve drugged Colonel White, and if Black gets his filthy hands on a Mysteron rifle, he’ll kill Scarlet!”

“I can’t raise him on my cap Mic., or anyone else for that matter!” Cerise said.  “I’m going to have to find him.”

“Right, I’m going to the Control Room.”  Aquamarine had almost made it to the door when an idea occurred to her.  “Hey, you still got your mobile?”

Cerise reached into her pocket.  “Yeah, got a signal, too, good thinking!  I’ll try his quarters and the gym.  Scream if you see anyone who shouldn’t be here!”

“S.I.G.,” Aquamarine answered.  “Fawn, the security… Wait, if we can’t reach anyone, he won’t be able to get through to security!”

Cerise was getting angry.  “He thinks he’s got us by going for two separate targets, does he?” she said.  “I’ll show him!” She walked over to where Fawn was sat.  “Fawn, where’s your computer? If I link the security cameras to the Sickbay PC, I can see exactly where he is, and I can use it to call Security back.”

“Good thinking,” White commended as Fawn showed her where the OC was.

“Right, so what shall we do then?” Aquamarine asked.  “Shall I still go up to Green? Or would it be too risky to separate?”

“Give me a few minutes,” Cerise said, still concentrating on the computer screen.  “I’ll let Green know what’s happening, too.  Maybe he can figure out a way to connect to our mobiles.  Once we know where Scarlet and Black are, we can make our move, but we’ll have to be quick.”

“Right,” Aquamarine said again.

“Okay, got it,” Cerise announced.  “You’re right, he has an electron rifle, and he’s…” She studied the image.  “It looks like he’s near the lounge.  Now where is…” She frowned as the image faded in and out before disappearing in a cloud of fuzz.  “What’s going on with this thing!! Computer’s down, we better get to the lounge, pronto!!”

“Right, Fawn,” Aquamarine said.  “You’d better cover White with whatever Security we have in here.”

“Okay, just don’t let Black get anyone!” Fawn answered.

“I’m sorry, Sir, we don’t have any choice,” Cerise said, apologetically to the Colonel.  “But at least we know that Black isn’t in the vicinity of Sickbay.”

“I understand, Captain,” he replied sombrely.  “At least I know what’s going on, Scarlet doesn’t.  You must find him and warn him.”

“We will, promise,” Aquamarine said.

“See that you do,” White replied, smiling gently.

Aquamarine walked over and opened the Sickbay door and looked out cautiously.  “Alright, which way’s quickest to the Officers’ Lounge?”

“From here?” Cerise asked.  “I’d say past the Officers’ quarters and in the side way.  You sure you’re okay about this? I mean, if the chance to shoot him came up, would you? Could you?”

Aquamarine looked at the door as they approached it.  “I guess it’s time to find out.  Let’s go, before I change my mind.”

“Right you are! Come on,” Cerise answered.  She ran to the side door of the Officers’ Lounge and opened it.  She looked round, the lounge appeared to be empty.  The two Captains walked inside, but were caught off guard by the sudden words of a familiar voice.

“I thought you’d never get here.”

Aquamarine shuddered and turned to face the speaker.  “Captain Black,” she said civilly.

“Well, now, that’s a lot more formal than when we last spoke,” Black said.

The young ex-Mysteron was getting nervous.  “I- I’ve changed, C-Conrad.”

“So I see,” he said, tilting his head, then continuing with a frown and an evil glare.  “You little abandoning traitor!”

“Like you’ve got the right to call anyone a traitor!” Cerise snapped.  “What do you want here, Black? Are you really after Scarlet or was that just a trick?”

“I haven’t said anything,” Black replied, almost innocently.  “That was the Superiors.  And if Scarlet were here, I wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to kill him!”

Aquamarine took an uneasy step closer.  “You have to listen to me! Think back to the life you had before the trip to Mars! I know you remember it!”

“Conrad Turner as Spectrum knew him is dead!” Black said, turning his ice-cold stare on her.

“No, he’s not!” Aquamarine pressed.  “He’s in there, fighting to get out! Please!”

“There is nothing you can do or say that’ll stop me!”

“Don’t you even remember the feelings we shared?” Aquamarine asked, beginning to feel even more unsure of herself.

“They’re irrelevant!” Black snapped.  “You left us!”

“You really know how to make a woman feel appreciated, don’t you, Black!” Cerise said, angrily.

“That was business!”

“You’re a heartless-”

“You should watch your tongue, Cerise,” Black warned.  “If I were to take it personally, I would have you to blame.”

Aquamarine took a deep breath before speaking again.  “You never did love me, did you?”

Black looked at her, then spoke quietly.  “Yes, I did, but how can I love a traitor like you?!”

“Captain!” Cerise exclaimed, her voice full of warning.  “He’s trying to win you back to the Mysterons.  If he really cared, he’d make more of an effort to come back himself!”

Aquamarine looked between her friend and former love, confusion etched onto her small face.

“I’m sorry, Captain,” Cerise said apologetically, looking at Aquamarine.  “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I have my orders…” She drew her gun and levelled it at Black.

Aquamarine became suddenly panicked and looked at Black.  “Please!” she begged.  “Give her a reason not to!”

“Very well,” the latter said calmly, then smiled cruelly as he seized Aquamarine’s arm and twisted it behind her, dragging her in front of him and using her as a shield.

Cerise instantly lowered her weapon, but kept on alert.  “Let go of her, you coward!”

“I’m only doing what was suggested, Captain,” Black replied, then leaned close to Aquamarine’s ear.  “Perhaps you should have been a little more specific, Captain!”

Aquamarine glanced at him fearfully, then turned to her companion.  “Just do it, Cerise!” she said, determinedly.  “Don’t let this… this bastard take anyone! Shoot through me if you have to!”

“Brave words for such a small person,” Black hissed.

“I might be small, but it doesn’t mean I don’t have some bravery!” The captive agent lifted her foot suddenly, kicking him hard.

He stumbled, but regained his balance quickly, pulling his gun on Aquamarine.  “You really are stupid, aren’t you?”

Aquamarine said nothing, but hadn’t given up.  She stamped on his foot with all the strength she had, but as he tripped, he fired at Aquamarine, hitting her in the leg.

Cerise watched in horror as she saw blood pouring from Aquamarine’s leg.  “Kelly!” She turned to Black, anger flashing in her eyes.  “You evil…” She levelled her gun at him again as Aquamarine fell from his grasp and fired.  The Mysteron agent fell backwards with a bullet in his chest.  “Kelly! Are you alright?” she asked, after relieving Black of his gun.  She left him bleeding on the floor while she attended to her friend.

Aquamarine looked up at her.  “I will be.”  She took a deep breath as a stab of pain hit her again.  “Ow.”  The young Captain looked over at the still form of Black.  “You shot him.”

Cerise smiled with relief.  “Yeah, I can’t believe it.  I guess I’d better see if he’s still alive.”  She leaned over to him and checked his wounds.  “He seems to be breathing.”

“He’s lucky then,” Aquamarine said softly.  “We should take him to the Sickbay.”

Cerise sighed heavily.  “I suppose.”

“Well, we can’t just leave him here!” Aquamarine countered.  “For one thing, he’s still a Mysteron agent!” ‘And for another, we can’t leave him when he needs help,’ she thought.

“No, I was wondering what on Earth we do with him,” Cerise said.  “Can we get him back? The real Conrad Turner, I mean.  I never thought this day would come, I’m nervous I guess.”  She looked from Black back to her companion.  “I’ll check to see if we’ve got the radio back.”  She lowered her cap Mic. “Cerise to Sickbay, come in please.”

She waited for a moment, then heard the voice of Dr Fawn.  There was a lot of static on the connection, but it just about worked.  “Dr Fawn here, what’s going on? I can barely hear you.”

Cerise brushed off his last statement and got straight to the point.  “I need a team in the Officers’ Lounge immediately.  Two officers with gunshot wounds, one critical.”

“Two officers?” Fawn gasped.  “He didn’t get Scarlet, did he?”

“No, he shot Aquamarine in the leg, I shot him.  He’s the critical one.  Look, will somebody please get down here, they’re both losing a lot of blood.”

“SIG, I’ll send a team down there right away.”

“What about the Colonel?” Aquamarine asked, trying to sit up.  “You can’t leave him.”

“I’m not going to, I’ll have to stay here,” Fawn confirmed.

Behind them, Black stirred slightly.  “Kelly, I’m sorry,” he whispered, then coughed.

Cerise looked on with a desperately sad expression as she tried to stop the bleeding in Aquamarine’s leg.  “I should help him,” she said.  “It’s just so hard after everything he’s done.  Are you okay?”

Aquamarine nodded.  “I’ll be alright, just help him, please!” She looked over at Black.  “Conrad?”

“Okay, don’t worry,” Cerise answered, moving over to the Mysteron agent.  “Black? Are you… what? But I…”

“Didn’t Kelly ever tell you that the Seniors can retro-metabolise me without my needing to leave?” he asked, a sneer in his voice, then grabbed Cerise’s wrist.  “Now, don’t go for that gun again, Captain.  Once I can accept, but twice would be very rude.”

Aquamarine pulled herself up and shuffled away in fear as fast as she could.  “Conrad! No! Please!”

“What are you going to do about it?” he asked, glaring at the injured officer.  “You don’t even have your retro-metabolism anymore, you weak little child!”

Cerise tried her hardest to pull away but Black was too strong and took hold of her other wrist, now holding both in one hand.

“Let go of me!” Cerise yelled, then looked at her colleague.  “Aquamarine, get out! Get to Sickbay! He can’t hurt you whilst he’s got to keep me from killing him!”

Black almost rolled his eyes.  “It wouldn’t take more than a moment to deal with you, then I could deal with her at my leisure.”

“Kelly! Get away!” Cerise yelled again.

“I can’t!” Aquamarine said, fearfully.

Black laughed evilly.  “You see? I can do with you as I please! I will make you watch the death of your friend for betraying us, Aquamarine!” he said, hissing her name.

“No! You can’t!” she said, her hand edging carefully and slowly for her hip.

“You think I’m impressed, Captain?” Black asked, then swung his hand, the back of it hitting Cerise hard across the face.  She spun to the floor, momentarily stunned, but as she started to recover, she became aware of Black’s hands round her neck.  “You can’t do that anymore than she can stop me breaking her neck.  You’ll be finished at Spectrum, they’ll only believe you came back to murder for me.  I’ll be long gone and you’ll face a firing squad!”

“I…” She closed her eyes, unsure of what she could do.

At that point, the doors opened and the med team ran in.  One of the med officers, Dr Teal, looked around.  He saw Aquamarine on the floor, her leg still bleeding heavily; she looked very pale, as though she may pass out.  Captain Black had dragged Cerise to her knees and had his arm around her neck.

“Captains!” Teal exclaimed.  “I thought…”

“Turn around and get out,” Black ordered, not taking his cold glare off the medic.  “This is between us.  This will be settled once and for all.”

Teal and the rest of his team hesitated, so Black pulled back his arm, making his captive grimace.  Finally, the team edged out of the lounge.

Outside, Teal turned to the others and spoke quietly.  “We’ve got to report this to the Colonel, come on!” He led the way back to the Sickbay.

Inside, Aquamarine stared at Black.  “What did you do that for?”

“As I said, this is between you, me and your friend in pink, here.”  As he finished, he squeezed his arm tighter for a moment as if to demonstrate his point.

“Conrad, please!” Aquamarine almost begged.  “I miss you! Come back, I know you can fight of their influence, just as I did!”

“Why?” Black asked simply.  “Why would I want to rejoin Spectrum and become a traitor like you?”

Aquamarine sighed.  “Okay,” she said, seeming resigned, but in fact was determined.  She whipped her pistol from its holster and fired it into Black’s shoulder, away from Cerise.

As Black grabbed his wound, Cerise fell forward, gasping for breath.

Black looked at his shoulder, which he was holding, blood pouring from between his fingers, then turned his steely glare at Aquamarine.  “I didn’t think you’d do it, I really didn’t.”

“I bet you don’t have too many doubts about me, though!!” Cerise suddenly exclaimed.  In a flash, her gun was in hand again as she tried to put a second bullet into him, but he faded away before the shot could find its target.

Aquamarine took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, then let it out slowly.  The gun dropped to the floor and she lay back.  “I shot him.  I can’t believe I shot him!”

“Are you okay?” Cerise asked.  “I don’t know if this is consolation or what, but you didn’t kill him, you know, he’s okay.”  She shrugged.

“I know, but I still can’t believe I did it.”  The small Captain grimaced as another stab of pain hit her again, worse than any before.  “Ow! Why did those medics have to back out on us like that?”

Cerise looked at her, she had gone very pale.  “I’ll call them, I can’t leave you, he could come back.”  She lowered her Mic. again.  “Fawn, get that med team back here, Aquamarine’s lost a lot of blood, she needs to get to Sickbay now!”

“Alright,” was the reply.  The line went quiet for a moment while Fawn gave the instructions to the med team.  “They’ve reported what happened.  Are you alright, Cerise?”

The Captain looked at her colleague, who was trying not to fall asleep.  “Never mind me, just get down here, she’s on the verge of passing out!”

“Right, they’re on their way.  How much blood has she lost?”

“Couple of pints, she’s so pale.  Fawn, I’m worried.  Please, hurry.”

“It’s okay,” Fawn reassured.  “She’ll be alright, the team should be there soon.  Just whatever you do, don’t let her fall asleep.”

“Right.”  Cerise looked up.  Aquamarine’s eyes were closed, but she was still just managing to prop herself up.  “Hey, come on, Captain! You can’t fall asleep now, there’s a report to write! You gonna leave me to do it on my own?”

Aquamarine opened her eyes and spoke slowly.  “I’ve never been any good at writing reports, will you help?”

“Sure, but you’re gonna have to talk me through what you want to say.  Are you listening, Captain? What would the Colonel say if he saw you nodding off on duty!?”

The injured Captain smiled faintly.  “I’d laugh.”  She tried not to let her eyes close as the med team returned.

“Finally!” Cerise exclaimed.  “Quick, Fawn’s expecting her.”  She looked at her companion.  “Hold on, Kelly, don’t go to sleep on me, promise!”

The team placed Aquamarine on a trolley and returned to Sickbay.  Teal stayed behind.  “You don’t look too good, yourself, Captain,” he noted, seeing the bruises on her neck.

She said nothing, but followed the team out, Teal trailing behind her.

Aquamarine was having trouble staying awake and by the time they arrived in the Sickbay, she was practically unconscious.

Fawn had set up a surgical area ready to remove the bullet and had already gathered a matching blood type and a saline drip, both of which were ready.

Colonel White stood to the side, watching worriedly as Aquamarine was gently lifted onto the surgery bed, off of the trolley.

“Don’t worry, Colonel, she’s going to be alright.”

“I hope so,” he said.  He was stood watching, wrapped up in a thick blanket to keep him warm as he was still shivering.  “Come on, Captain,” he whispered.  “You’ve got to pull through.”

“No offence, Sir, but could you step aside, please?” Fawn asked, breezing passed the Colonel again.

“Yes… yes, of course,” he mumbled, stepping back.

Cerise entered the Sickbay, accompanied by Teal.  “Will she be okay?”

Fawn looked round at her to answer and frowned.  “Sit down before you fall down!” he ordered, noticing her neck.  “You’re next, Captain.  Yes, she’ll be fine, you got her here in time.”

Cerise’s shoulders dropped.  “If I’d done a proper job of it, she’d have been here sooner.”  She sighed.

“You mustn’t blame yourself, Captain,” Fawn said.  “You did everything you could.  How were we to know Black would fire at her?”

“What did happen up there, anyway?” White asked, curiously.

“I shot him, he was retro-metabolised, and I didn’t realise until it was too late.  He stopped me helping Ke…” She broke off, remembering the use of name.  “Aquamarine.  He was threatening to kill be, but I think he wanted me to watch her bleed to death first.”

“How did you escape him, then?” the Colonel asked.

Cerise looked over at Aquamarine, watching Fawn continue to see to her injuries, then sighed.  “She shot him.  Colonel, she’s not a Mysteron, I think you owe her an apology.”

“I think I do,” White agreed, nodding silently.  “As soon as she’s recovered enough, come round.”

“Right, will you be able to handle the stitches?” Fawn asked his nurses.

“Yes, doctor,” one answered.

“Good.”  The doctor walked over to Cerise.  “Right then, let’s see what we can do for you.  And Colonel, please sit down!”

“I’m alright, just a bit shaken,” Cerise answered.  “See to the Colonel first.”  She turned to White.  “Sir, you’re shaking again.”

White, who hadn’t realised, held his hands in front of him and looked at them.  They were shaking wildly.  “I suppose it must be this stupid addiction.  Isn’t there anything that can be done about it?” he asked, hopefully.

“I checked out your blood in the Auto Analyser, Colonel.  There’s a high concentration of a rather nasty drug.  Whatever you ate at the time of consuming it, you crave.  I mean, the amount in your system, you’d practically kill for it! It will wear off.  Another forty-eight hours maximum.”

White snapped his head round to look at him.  “Forty-eight hours?!” he asked, horrified.  “But what will I do until then?”

“Colonel! I mean completely out of your system by then!” Fawn reassured.  “You haven’t been nearly as bad as you have been in the last hour, have you?”

“I suppose not, though I still want some strawberries.”  His stomach growled and he blushed, embarrassedly.

“But you haven’t been trying to knock anyone out for them, have you?”

The Colonel blushed even more, his embarrassment rising.  “Thank you for reminding me.”

Cerise looked at her superior and decided a change of subject was necessary.  “Colonel, on the way here, I asked Lieutenant Green to do a sweep of Cloudbase, to check Black had gone, not lurking anywhere.  It seems he’s gone.”  Her vision went slightly hazy and she blinked a few times.  “Doc, I guess I don’t feel too good after all.”

“Lie on that bed,” Fawn instructed.  “That way if you do pass out or anything, you won’t hurt yourself.”

“I’m not going to do that, I’m staying awake, at least until I know Kelly’s alright.”

“Just a precaution.  If you want to, though, you can sit, just don’t stay on your feet.  And for the last time, Captain Aquamarine will be fine.”

Cerise nodded.  “Okay, Doc, I trust you.  Maybe I will just sit down.”  No sooner had she reached the bed to sit down, had she slumped sideways, unconscious.

Fawn moved over to her, glad she had reached the bed, and examined the bruising on her neck.  “Stubborn thing! He must have choked her pretty bad to do this.”   He made her comfortable and looked over at White, noting his returned worried expression.  “She’ll be okay, too.”

White nodded and sat back on his bed again, licking his lips.  “My mouth is so dry.”

“That’s probably because of the drug, Colonel.”  Fawn thought for a moment.  “I think I may know something that could help.”

“Not strawberries!” White said quickly.

Fawn shook his head.  “No, not quite, but something that has the same taste.  I believe that strawberry flavoured squash may help you with the craving, but won’t make it worse, like the real fruits do.”

“I’ll try anything,” White agreed.  “I think when this is over, I won’t be able to even look at a strawberry.”

“Very likely, Colonel,” Fawn said, smiling gently.  “Now get some rest!”

“Alright,” White said, taking a deep breath, “alright.”  He lay back and shut his eyes.

Fawn looked around the room.  His medical staff were all busy with various jobs in the adjoining room.  Aquamarine’s injury had been sorted and a few members of staff had finished making her comfortable in a nearby bed.

“I’m all alone again,” Fawn said to no one, but jumped out of his skin when he received an answer.

“Are you sure about that, Doctor?”

Fawn spun round to face the owner of the deep voice, and gulped, seeing Black stood there.  “Captain Black, good of you to join me.”

Black became confused.  Of all the things he had expected to hear, that was not it.  He looked about as if nervous, expecting the worst.  “Doctor?”

Fawn frowned and edged backwards towards his table, hands behind him to conceal the fact he was looking for a gun.

The pause and lack of action settled Black’s nerves.  He had been unsettled by the day’s events, but was pleased to see that Colonel White and Captains Aquamarine and Cerise were sleeping.  “Oh, poor Captains,” he said, mockingly.  “Had a hard day, Doctor? What are you up to there?” He shook his head.  “You don’t want to be a hero, too, do you?”

“Like I’m gonna leave myself undefended against you!”

Black smiled.  “You have a gun in your lab coat pocket, then? I find that hard to believe.”

Fawn was still edging backwards.  He reached the table and his hands closed round the pistol that was confiscated from Colonel White upon his arrival in Sickbay.  “Not in my pocket.”

“You forget, Dr Fawn,” Black said, raising his own pistol, recovered from where Cerise had earlier dropped it.  “I have one, too.  Now drop whatever you have there.  I haven’t come for you, but I do need you out of my way.”

Fawn briefly closed his eyes, secretly flicking a switch on a radio unit on the table, then opened his eyes and drew his hands to be in front of him, and raised them, sighing.  “What do you mean ‘you haven’t come for me’?”

“I’m here for what I came for originally,” Black answered, nodding in the sleeping Aquamarine’s direction.

“She’s not fit to be moved!” Fawn said, angrily.

“I wasn’t planning on moving her,” the Mysteron agent replied.  “I was planning on killing her.”  He laughed.  “And maybe this one, too.”  He nodded at Cerise.  “Depends how I feel.  Maybe I have another idea which would be much more fun…” He sneered.

“What are you talking about?” Fawn asked, discreetly glancing at the console on the table every now and then.

“Well, I never did see Aquamarine in action for Spectrum.  Maybe, if I take this one and say give her an hour to find and rescue her before I kill and Mysteronise her.  Well, it could be quite interesting.  Think she’s up for the challenge, Fawn.  Think you can get her off that drip long enough?”

Fawn’s eyes widened at the proposal.  “You can’t be serious! She’s not even awake, let alone able to stand!”

“I’m sure you can wake her.  And as for her physical condition, well, the weaker the better, really.”  Black smiled cruelly.  “This one must suffer for taking what was mine, and Kelly must suffer for defying me.”

“You are the most insensitive, inhuman-”

“Save it,” Black interrupted.  “You’re making no sense.  I haven’t been human for a long time.  I’m much more than that, now.”

Across the room, Aquamarine groaned weakly in her sleep from the pain in her leg, making Black laugh evilly, but quietly.  “Wake her, or I’ll do it for you.  I’m sure a gunshot would wake her, don’t you think? Maybe to your head!”

“Okay,” Fawn agreed reluctantly.  “You don’t leave me any choice.”

Black smiled.  “I rarely do, Doctor, I rarely do.  Now wake her!”

Fawn walked over to where Aquamarine slept.  “Captain, wake up.  Can you hear me?”

“Come on, ‘Captain’,” Black said sarcastically.  “You have a visitor…”

Aquamarine groaned again.  “Wha-” She spoke softly.  “What’s going on?” Her eyes started to come into focus and rested on Black.  She smiled, misinterpreting his presence.  “Conrad?” she asked, hopefully.

Black smiled again.  “It’s good that you are pleased to see me, Captain.  I’m going to ask you to follow me if you can.  You’ll have plenty of incentive.  Look somewhere you know well.  The good doctor will explain the rest.”

Black disappeared, fading from view.  Fawn turned to see him reappear next to Cerise, take hold of her arm, then both disappear together.

Aquamarine looked at Fawn and spoke quietly.  “What’s going on? Why did he speak to me so softly yet disappear with Cerise?”

Fawn shook his head and sighed.  “Can you stand?”

“I don't know if I can, my leg is hurting so much. Doctor, please, what's going on? You have to tell me.” The expression on Aquamarine’s face was now one of serious concern.

Fawn sighed and looked down. “I really don't have time to sugar-coat this one.  Black has given you one hour to find him and Cerise and rescue her before he kills and Mysteronises her.”

The young Captain’s eyes opened wide, she couldn’t believe that Captain Black would sink so low as to get his revenge on her by killing her friend and field partner.

“What?! How am I supposed to find them? I can hardly walk and I don't know where they'll be!”  It felt like an impossible task, but if she didn’t find them she knew Cerise’s death would always be on her conscience.

“He said look somewhere you know well - where could he mean?  Is there somewhere you spent a lot of time, and he would know about it?  College maybe, did he ever go there?” Fawn continued.

“Yes, he did. I would always sit in the computer room in my free times, breaks, lunch hours, I'd even sit in there and play during study hours, but he'd always sit with me.”  The memory of their time together caused tears to well up in Aquamarine’s eyes until she could barely see.

“Captain, the things he said, I don't think this has anything to do with the Mysterons, this is personal.  The way he spoke, he's bitter, an unpleasant but distinctly human emotion.  My guess would be that he's there if you both spent time.  But, Captain, for Cerise's sake you haven't the luxury of time to get weepy, I believe he means what he says.” Fawn sighed again and repeated his earlier question.  “Can you stand?”

“I’ll try, but if he is at my college, will I be able to get there before he… before I’m out of time?” she asked, as she manoeuvred her legs to the side of the bed, grimacing.

“Given where we are at the moment, I reckon that if you take the helicopter, you’ll be there with only twenty minutes to spare.  The SPJ will get you there quicker, but you’ll have to requisition an SPV,” Fawn advised.  “I don’t think there’s much in it.”

Aquamarine took in a breath.  “Right.  Okay, here goes.”  She stood up carefully, grimacing at the amount of pain shooting through her leg, but soon fell back again.  “Damn it! I have to do this! Cerise needs me.”  She tried again to get up.

“I’ll give you something to kill the pain,” Fawn said, heading to a medicine cabinet.  “But the amount you’ll need, well, it’ll make you pretty drowsy.  You might be better requisitioning an SPV, there’s more equipment in it than the helicopter, like the jet packs and stuff like that.  Might that be useful?”

“Not in the college,” she answered, trying again to get up, but failing.  “And if I’ll be drowsy as a result, I’d rather go without.”

“Maybe half the dose, then,” the doctor said, already preparing a syringe of pale green liquid.  “I have to be honest, I’m concerned you’ll pass out with the pain.”

“Doctor, if I’m going to be drowsy in any way, I don’t want it!”

“Captain! Don’t be so stubborn! At least let me give you this, it’s a steroid/adrenaline shot.  It should help with the pain, but keep you going, too.  More of a case of not realising it’s painful than actually combating it.”

“Whatever,” Aquamarine grudgingly agreed.  “As long as I can still think… Wait a minute.”

“What?”

The young Captain hadn’t heard him.  She was thinking carefully, them made her decision.  “It just might work,” she mumbled.

“Captain, what is it? And do you want this injection?”

“As long as I can still think,” she said again.

“Yes, you should be able to.  At least, the injection itself won’t stop you, I can’t vouch for the pain.”  He watched her carefully as he gave her the injection.  “What are you planning?”

“Planning? Oh yes.  Any idea how much chocolate they have in the galley?”

Fawn raised an eyebrow.  “They usually have quite a lot for cakes and things like that.  That seems an odd thing to ask for.”

“Not if you’re dealing with Conrad,” she answered, still thinking things through.  “You remember what I…” She thought about what she had been about to say.  “Oh yeah, I think you were unconscious at the time.  I told the Colonel that just before I left Black, he developed a major chocolate addiction.  I’m hoping I might be able to distract him long enough to help Cerise.”

“Well, I hope so,” the Doctor replied, wiping her arm with a cotton wool ball.  “Good luck, Captain.  I’ll get a wheelchair to get you down to the hangar.  Grey’s on duty, he can fly you down.”

“Will he be able to help me, do you think?”

“I think you’ll have difficulty trying to stop him!” Fawn smiled.  “I’m just pleased it’s him on flight duty tonight, I know they don’t think we know, but the other Captains could be more of a hindrance than a help.”

Aquamarine nodded.  “Right.  Could you contact the galley staff to get as much chocolate as possible to an SPJ and ask Grey to meet me there?”

“Consider it done, Captain, but I’ll take you there myself, I can’t leave you to struggle on your own.”

“Alright then.”

 

In the hangar, Grey had been supervising the loading of chocolate into the SPJ, unaware of why.  When Fawn arrived with Aquamarine, who sat looking tired in her wheelchair, Grey was horrified.  Fawn told him what had happened, leaving Grey to look after her.  He had to return to the Sickbay to keep an eye on the slightly unstable Colonel.

Grey looked at her, determination to help clear on his face.

Aquamarine interpreted this look easily.  “I’m okay, Grey.  So you’ll help me?”

“Of course! You need to ask?”

The young captain smiled.  “Thank you.”

Grey smiled back.  “Don’t mention it.  But, God, don’t mention it to Ochre! Let’s get going shall we?”

“Okay.  We haven’t much time.”

 

They boarded the SPJ and Grey took the controls while Aquamarine settled down in the back, trying to get as comfortable as possible.

“How are you feeling?” Grey called out, turning his head slightly, but still keeping his gaze fixed on the view ahead.

“Sore,” she replied.  “It’s not as bad as I thought it would be.  I guess, most of all, I’m worried.  Fawn said that Black may be taking this personally and now he has Cerise.”

“I guess something like this was on the cards,” he said, then spoke with an obvious hint of uncertainty about his words.  “You were, er, pretty close.  I mean, he is still sort of human, yes?” He decided then to stop talking, as he felt very uncomfortable on the subject.

“I think he was, yes.”  Aquamarine could see the look on Grey’s face.  “Sorry.  We don’t have to talk about this if you don’t want to.”

“I… I don’t mind, I just, I don’t want to upset you.”

“It’s okay,” she said, sighing.  “You’re right, though.  We were close.  I loved him, but…”

“I think, in other circumstances maybe…” He broke off for a moment, thinking.  “He was a nice guy, I miss him, too.”

Aquamarine nodded and wiped her eyes, then took a deep, steadying breath.  “Any idea how much time we have left?”

“Probably, by the time we get there, thirty minutes or so.  We’re about to touch down.  I’ve arranged for an SPV to be at the airport.  We’ll be there before you know it.”

Aquamarine nodded.  “Alright,” she said, but suddenly became worried.  “Have you taken into account the journey from Southampton airport to Gosport, where my old college is?”

“Yes, if he’s there, we’ll have half an hour.  Don’t worry.”

“I can’t help it, I’m worried about Sue, and this is my fault!”

“It’s not!” Grey insisted.  “She knew the risks the day she brought you back.  Believe me, this is minimal to what most people thought would happen.  Cerise knows, we’ll do everything we can to help her.”  He looked down.  “We have to get her back safely.”

“We will. I’m just worried.  I know what he’s capable of when he’s carrying out his orders, but this is much more than that.”

“You mean this isn’t orders? This is just him?” Grey asked, bringing the SPJ into land.

“I think he was ordered to, but… Oh, I don’t know!” the distressed Aquamarine stated.  “I don’t see how this fits in with the threat anymore.”

“I do,” Grey responded.  “This whole thing had put us all in turmoil.  I can’t think of anyone unaffected by it.  He’s used a general threat to his own ends.  But I think even that has gone way beyond what we’re used to.”

 

The two Captains had boarded the SPV and had set off towards the former college of Aquamarine, maintaining silence for quite some time before the younger Captain broke the stillness inside the armoured vehicle.  “How long ‘til we get there?”

“Just a few minutes, we’ve had the roads cleared,” he reported.  “I can go at top speed, don’t worry.”

Aquamarine nodded, but she was becoming more and more nervous, the closer they got to the school.

Grey frowned as they entered the grounds.  He’d never seen his young colleague so nervous before.

 

“Ah,” Captain Black said, a cruel and pleased hint in his deep and menacing voice.  “She’s here at least, luckily for you.”  He looked over at where he’d restrained Cerise.  “Well, a lot of things could happen.”

The captive Spectrum officer looked up dejectedly at him from her seated position several hundred feet in the air, within the arm of the huge crane, hired to aid the construction workers complete the new teaching block within the school.  Her hands were bound firmly to one of the struts; all she could do was wait.

 

Grey steered the SPV towards the school with Aquamarine sitting quietly in the next seat.  He looked over at her pale face, his own face creasing with concern.  “Are you alright?”

“I can feel him.  I can sense him just as Scarlet can sense Mysterons.”

Grey brought the vehicle to a halt outside the side entrance gates of the school complex.  “Any idea where he might be? This is a big place,” he said, scanning the view ahead of him from his now opened door.

“I know,” Aquamarine replied quietly, disturbed by the idea that she could still feel her old colleague despite having been released from Mysteron control for a considerable amount of time.  “We’ll try the computer room first, then the construction site.  He went there a lot, especially when it rained.”

 

“You can’t win, Black,” Cerise said calmly.  “Even if… too many people have got away from your control.  I’ll do the same, I’ll never work for you!”

Black sighed.  “You’ll do what you’re told when you’re told.  With any luck, I’ll get rid of you all.”

 

In the school’s library, Aquamarine was in a heated argument with the librarian.

“I’m afraid I have no time!” Aquamarine insisted.  “I have to check the computer room!”

“You should have reported to the headmaster first!”

“Mrs Hammond, this is me!” Aquamarine said, reminding her of the fact that she used to attend the school.  “You know me! Please, we have to check something, we won’t be long.”

“Alright,” Hammond said, giving in.  “Just hurry up.”

“Thank you,” Aquamarine said, gratefully, hobbling out in the direction of the sixth form computer room with Grey’s help.

“What was all that about?” Grey asked when the door had closed behind them.

“Visitors are supposed to sign in.”

“We’re not visitors though, and Magenta radioed ahead, anyway, contacting the head and telling him what’s going on.”

“Obviously word hasn’t gotten right round the school yet.”

The two captains were disappointed that there was no sign of either Captain Black or Captain Cerise in the computer room, and no indication that he had even been near.  They decided to check out the construction site.

As they drew near, there, in the middle of everything, they saw Black.  He stood apparently alone and unarmed, watching the Spectrum pair carefully.

Aquamarine approached him and grew angry.  “Where is she, Conrad?”

He laughed evilly.  “First of all, he can go and second, this is personal. You know that, and yet you drag…” He stopped to think, then sighed heavily.  “No.  You want to know where she is? Look up.”

“Up?” Aquamarine asked, confused.  She looked up as she spoke and saw her friend.  “Oh my g- Black, let her go! As you said, this is personal! This isn’t about her, it’s about me!”

“No, Kelly!” he snapped, his deep voice sounding even more menacing.  “You let me down! And it’s as much her as it is you.  She talked you back, I know, she wouldn’t leave it.  Well now she’s going to take your place!”

The young Captain sighed and dug her hands into her pockets.  ‘Here goes,’ she thought.  “What the…? Why on Earth do I have a chocolate bar in my pocket?” She shrugged and threw it to the ground.  It landed on the floor at Black’s feet.

He looked down at the bar in front of him, continuing but his voice becoming now hesitant and distracted.  “Yes… er… she’ll die soon enough.  On the arm of the crane, set to explode in fifteen minutes.  She will plummet to her death.  There is nothing you can do… nothing that you… you… oh, a Dairy Milk.”

Aquamarine noticed that he became distracted and signalled to Grey.  He was stood just inside the incomplete building.  On Aquamarine’s signal, he ran off to find a way to get to Cerise.  The former looked back at Black, making sure he didn’t notice her movements.  “You want some more?”

“You have more?” He screwed his eyes shut.  “NO! I won’t be… I… Kelly… No! It’s too late! Everything is arranged! Cerise will die and will destroy you!”

 

Grey ran swiftly back to the SPV and donned the jetpack.  ‘I only hope I can reach her and free her before the bomb explodes!’

 

“Are you quite sure?” Aquamarine asked, taunting the Mysteron agent.  “I’ve got plenty more.”  She walked over carefully and picked up the bar she threw and looked at it, shrugging.  “Well, if you’re sure though, I’ll have it.”

“You think I’ll give up my revenge for…” The indecision was still obvious in his voice, but he fought through it.  “It’s too late anyway… I lied to you.”

She snapped round to look at him.  “You lied to me?”

“The bomb is due to go off in…” He looked at his watch.  “…just over a minute.  There’s nothing you can do.  It will break the arm of the crane; the fall will kill her.  It’s too late now.”

Aquamarine looked at him, panic stricken.  She thought fast.  ‘I have to get him away so Grey can get close enough.’  “Black, why are you hiding over there, anyway? Why not come out and face me?”

“I have nothing to fear from you, Captain,” he said, walking closer.  “You are far too weak to pose much of a threat.”  He stopped immediately in front of her.  “But, nevertheless, I’ll have this.”  He snatched her colour-coded pistol from its holster at her hip.

She gasped.  “What’s happened to you, Conrad?” she asked, softly.  “You’ve changed.”

“I had a close friend once, she let me down,” he said, as quietly as his deep voice would allow.  “What can I say? I’m bitter about it.”

“Bitter? This is beyond bitter! And to think I actually brought you a gift to say sorry! To try and make it up to you!”

“The only way you can make it up to me is by coming back.  If not, your friend will kill you.  It’s that simple.  By the way, I know you’ve been trying to buy time for Captain Grey to reach her, but by the time he does, the bomb will blow him out of the sky, too.”  He smiled with satisfaction.  “I told you everything was in place.”

“I truly have lost you,” she said sadly.  She dug her hands into her pockets again and pulled out all the chocolate bars she’d managed to get into them, then threw them at him.  They landed on the floor in front of him.  “Here, take them anyway.  I don’t care anymore!” She quickly lowered her cap Mic. and spoke swiftly, knowing she may not have long.  “Grey! Hurry! You have less time than was anticipated!”

“You… you don’t care?” Black asked, slightly confused.  “You don’t mean that?” He looked down at the floor.  “One I can resist but… this is too hard.”

“No.  I don’t care!” Aquamarine said tearfully.  “I hate you now, Turner!” She turned quickly to the crane and yelled as loud as she could, determined to warn them.  “HURRY GREY!”

 

Cerise turned her eyes away from the bomb as she saw the last few seconds tick away.  She was thankful that Grey was as yet still far enough away not to be hurt by the blast.  Sadly, she thought of her friends and family as the last few seconds counted down.

“Goodbye, Rick,” she whispered as the explosion rocked the crane.

 

Aquamarine saw the explosion before she realised what had happened or heard it.  “NOOOO! SUE!” she screamed.  She stood staring at the explosion, before turning to Black, an angry glint in her eyes.

The latter tentatively picked up a chocolate bar.  “I hoped you would change your mind, perhaps it’s not too late.”

“You’re kidding me, right? You just killed my partner, now you want me back? I don’t think so!” She punched him hard round the face, not caring about the consequences of her actions.

Black was momentarily stunned by this and dropped the bar, then, getting his senses back, he grabbed Aquamarine’s arms and held her still.  “But you can still work together, for the Mysterons.”

“I’ll never go back to the Mysterons!” she snapped, aware that she was sinking slowly to the floor, partially from the pressure of his grip, but mostly because her knees were buckling as the drugs started to wear off.

“I’m sorry,” Black said, and then faded away, leaving Aquamarine alone.  Free of his grip, she stumbled and pressed herself against a wall.  She looked up to see the arm of the crane starting to give under the stress.  If hadn’t snapped as Black had expected, but had still bent and twisted to a peculiar angle.  The weak Captain could see Cerise hanging by her bound hands, not moving.  Grey was fast approaching her.

Aquamarine fell to the floor completely, the pain in her leg mounting.  “Sue?” she whispered hopefully.  “Come on, Grey, come on!”

 

“Cerise? Can you hear me? Are you okay?” Grey asked, using the jet pack to hover nearby.

Captain Cerise slowly opened her eyes halfway, speaking in a whisper, all that she could manage.  “Grey? I’m alive? How’s Kelly?”

“Save your strength,” he answered, “I’ve got to get you out of here before the whole lot collapses.”  His cap mic. swung down and he spoke quickly to Aquamarine.  “She’s okay!” he reported, “she’s okay.”

“Oh… oh good,” Aquamarine said.  Her voice, though fading, was thankful.  “Hurry up and… and get her down.”

Grey’s mic. swung back up again, then he turned to Cerise.  “I can’t expect you to hold on whilst I untie you, I…”

“We don’t have time for much else, it doesn’t feel safe and I think my arms might get ripped out of their sockets if I don’t do something quick!” She found her footing and interlaced her fingers.  “Hurry, Grey!”

Working fast to untie the rope, Grey swiftly manoeuvred himself so he could catch Cerise the moment she was untied.  “Ready?”

“You need to ask?”

He smiled as he pulled her clear just as the arm gave way completely.  They watched it fall to the ground before Grey lowered the pair of them down.”

The second Cerise’s feet touched the floor, she looked round and spotted Aquamarine lying on the ground against the wall.  “Oh God, he got her whilst you were helping me!”

Aquamarine heard her voice and looked up, speaking weakly.  “He didn’t get me, my drugs wore off.”

“Oh, thank God!” Cerise said, relieved.  “Grey, help me get her to the SPV, we have to get back as soon as possible.”

“You’re in no state to walk far, yourself,” Grey stated.

“I’m know, but it’s not far, I’m sure I can make it.”

“Whatever we do,” Aquamarine said, “we have to get out of here, he may return…”

“Look,” Grey said, “you two stay here, I’ll bring the SPV round.  It’ll be quicker.  Are you okay?”

Cerise had taken a seat on the floor next to Aquamarine.  “Yeah, maybe that would be better.”

Grey nodded and left to collect the armoured vehicle.

“Where’s your gun?” Cerise asked.

“Con…” the injured Captain sighed.  “Black stole it.”

“Got a right little collection, now, hasn’t he?”

“Heh, yeah.”  Aquamarine looked away sadly.

“He’s still getting to you, isn’t he?”

The small Captain nodded.  “I’m so confused.  Before he disappeared, he… he said sorry.”

“Do you think he meant it? Or is he just trying to confuse you? I mean, he did try to kill me.  You think he…? What did he hope to achieve?”

“I don’t know, I honestly don’t know.  Though there’s one thing I DO know.”

“What’s that?” Cerise asked, getting up and helping Aquamarine to her feet as Grey arrived with the SPV.

“I don’t think I was ready to start active duty.  My feelings for Black are still too strong.  I… I could have got you killed when I was hesitating.”

“What are you saying?” Cerise asked, not entirely sure what her friend was talking about.  “You just risked your life for me.  It wasn’t your fault he got me, it was mine.”

“No, it’s not.  It IS mine.  He knows that I still…” She lowered her head.  “…still love him.  He’s using it to his advantage, knowing I’ll react the way I have been.  I’m endangering the organisation with each mission I partake in.”

“You shot him,” Cerise countered.  “If that’s the action of someone who believes she can’t see past her own feelings, then I’d love to see you on a self-assured day!”

Aquamarine opened her mouth to reply, but was overcome by dizziness.

“Grey, she’s about to pass out, we have to get her back quick!” Cerise called out to the approaching Captain.

“I think we have a problem, the SPV, it’s only a two seater.  We needed the equipment.”

“It’s okay, I’ll wait here, radio on the way, send a car.  You have to get her back to Sickbay.”

“We’re not… going without… you,” Aquamarine said weakly.

“Grey, take her.  There’s no choice.”

“S.I.G., Cerise,” Grey replied, helping Aquamarine into the SPV and fastening her harness.

“I’ll be okay,” Cerise assured them.  “I’ll see you soon.”

“No! No, we can’t… we can’t leave her!” Aquamarine said to Grey.

Grey looked from Aquamarine to Cerise.  “Look, at least take this,” he said, pulling his colour-coded pistol from its holster and handing it to Cerise.”

“Thanks, Brad.  I haven’t thanked you for rescuing me before, I’m sorry.”

Grey winked.  “Don’t mention it.  I’ll get a car for you.”

“Thanks,” she replied.  “Take care of her.”

Grey smiled, nodding, then climbed into the vehicle.  The door closed, moving his seat into the interior, then the engine started and it pulled away.

Inside, Aquamarine turned to looked at him.  “How could you… leave her?” she asked, then grimaced.  The pain was becoming unbearable.

Grey noticed this.  “I think you just answered your own question.  It was her or me and she’s in no state to drive an SPV.  She’ll be fine, don’t worry, she’s tougher than she looks.”

Aquamarine wiped her eyes.  “Just as long as Conrad doesn’t get her.”  She grimaced again, gritting her teeth.

 

Cerise walked about slowly next to the wall, kicking stones.  “Hmm, maybe I should’ve said I’d be picked up from the school, rather than the site.”  She sat down still aching and dazed from the explosion and leaned her back against the incomplete wall behind her.

 

“Brad, please…” Aquamarine begged.

“Kelly, we can’t go back.”

“But, Sue… The explosion.”

“The explosion happened,” Grey said, worrying, she seemed to be getting worse if she couldn’t remember that.  “We helped her, remember? She’s safe.”

“No… not safe.”  Aquamarine’s voice was fading fast.

“I doubt Black’ll turn up again, his plan failed.”

“I don’t mean him!” she managed to say, as clearly as she possibly could.  “The buildings, Brad, they’re… they’re half built.  They could have been damaged, they’re not safe!”

“You mean…” Grey realised what she was getting at.  “And she’s right by one!”

 

Cerise had lowered her head to place it on her knees, while behind her, unnoticed by the dazed Spectrum Captain, some loose concrete crumbled.

 

Aquamarine sat up straight in her chair, ignoring the tremendous pain in her leg the best she could.  “We have to go back! NOW!”

“Okay, we’ll be there quicker than the SSC, we can’t even contact her, she’s not got her cap.  Hang on to your seat, I’m gonna do top speed, we’ll be just a couple of minutes.”

“S.I.G., just hurry!”

 

Captain Cerise still sat against the wall, but looked up upon hearing a noise.  She looked about, thinking Black had returned and stood up.  “Black, is that you?” The noise was coming from within the building.  She stepped through the doorless entryway, and further in to investigate.

 

The SPV arrived outside the construction area and the two Captains headed over to the gates to enter.

“Where is she?” Grey asked as they cautiously approached the building.  “Can you see her?”

Aquamarine looked carefully, catching a glimpse of pink entering the now obviously damaged building.  From their vantage point, she and Grey could easily see the danger Cerise was now in, only apparent from where the pair stood.

“Oh my God!” Aquamarine breathed.  “She’s gone inside!”

 

Cerise spun, drawing Grey’s gun.  “Who’s there?” She looked about, confused by all the noises now coming from almost everywhere.

 

“SUE!” Aquamarine yelled as loud as she could, and started to move towards the building carefully, trying not to trip from debris on the floor and the pain in her leg.

 

Cerise looked up, hearing the voice.  “Kelly? Where are you?”  She heard a noise above her and looked up in time to see a large chunk of masonry about to fall.

“SUE!” Aquamarine screamed again.  “Get out of there! Now!”

Cerise dived forward and rolled clear as part of the ceiling collapsed, the debris landing where she had just been standing.  She scrambled to her feet and raced from the building.  Once outside, she looked around as the room, she had just moments earlier vacated, disappeared in a cloud of dust and debris.

“Kelly, you… you saved my life.  I thought someone was in there.  How did you know?”

“I don’t know, I… I just did.  I guess I just put it down to seeing the explosion so close to the building.”

Cerise nodded.  “You’d feel how much it shook the place.  It certainly shook me, I can tell you! The shockwave probably damaged the foundations.”  She grinned with relief.  “You’re making quite a habit of rescuing me, aren’t you?”

Aquamarine blushed.  “Can we just get out of here now? Please? Together? I don’t like the idea of staying here.”

“Yes, but there’s…” Grey started, but broke off as a bright red car pulled up at the gates to the construction site.  “Problem solved, the SSC’s here.”

“Then can I suggest we take the SSC and Lieutenant…?” Cerise squinted over to the agent by the gate.  “…Maroon returns the SPV?”

“Agreed,” Aquamarine said.  “Let’s just get out of here.  Wait! We’d better warn the school to clear this side in case this thing totally collapses.”  She waved a hand distractedly at the building.

“Maroon can do that, too,” Cerise said.  “You have to get back to Sickbay.  How you’ve kept going this long is beyond me.”

“I’ll let him know and bring the car round,” Grey said.  “Wait here, but you know not near anything dangerous.”

“Okay,” Aquamarine answered, then turned to Cerise.  “I think I’ve been going on adrenaline and worry.”

“Well, hopefully that’ll run out now, but then you’re liable to collapse.  You’re still low on blood, you know?” She looked round to see the red car approach them.  “Ah, that was quick, here’s Brad with the car.”

Aquamarine put a hand to get head as she looked over.  “Oh… oh good.”

Cerise took Aquamarine’s right arm and pulled it over her shoulder, her left arm around the latter’s waist.  “Brad, give me a hand please?”

“Come on, Kelly,” he said, scooping her up easily in his arms and carrying her over to the car, then settled her inside.

Cerise smiled and started to walk over.

Grey looked round.  “Huh! Like we have all day!”

Cerise looked surprised.  “I…”

“I’m joking,” Grey assured.  “You’re not exactly at full strength or speed either you know.”

Aquamarine had shifted herself to be comfortable in the back of the car and rested her head against the window, letting her eyes droop as Cerise climbed in next to her.

Grey climbed into the front and strapped himself in.  “Comfy in the back?” He received no reply.  “Kelly…? Sue…?” He looked round and saw them both sleeping soundly.  He laughed softly.  “Maybe I’ll manage to get them back to Cloudbase without even waking them.”

 

The trip to the airport was uneventful and Cerise and Aquamarine slept the entire way, both completely drained and exhausted.

Upon arrival at the airport, Grey realised he had little choice but to wake his sleepy companions to get them onto the SPJ.

He walked round to the back of the vehicle and carefully unstrapped Aquamarine.  She stirred and looked at him.

“It’s okay, I’m just getting you onto the plane.  How’s your leg?”

“I don’t know, I can’t really feel it.”

“I’d better carry you onto the jet then.”

She nodded and let him pick her up.

Grey carried her up the steps and onto the jet, settling her on a seat in the back of the aircraft, then descended again to wake Cerise.

“What? Oh, Brad, leave me alone, I’m really tired,” the latter said as Grey woke her.

“You’ve got to get on the SPJ.”

“Huh?” She looked up, realising where she was and remembered.  “Where’s Kelly?” she asked, noticing her companion’s absence.

“I got her on first, come on, we’ve got to get back to Cloudbase.”

“Yes, yes of course, sorry,” she answered.

Grey helped her from the car and onto the waiting jet.  Aquamarine looked up from her seat, looking very pale but very much awake.  “How are you feeling?” Cerise asked.

“Sore,” she answered quietly.  “I’m so tired and my leg isn’t helping much.  Makes me wish I’d retained my retro-metabolism.”

“I used to think I’d like that, too.  Nearly got my wish today.”

Aquamarine cringed and looked away sadly.  “I should have been faster.”

Cerise sighed heavily and sat down next to her.  “Oh yes, you’re the only one who makes mistakes and it’s because you used to be a Mysteron – is that it?” she asked, her tone stern.  “Do you realise how much nonsense that is?”

“Ease up on her, Sue!” Grey said, hearing her harsh sounding words as he climbed in.  He’d waited outside until someone had arrived to take the car.  “She was worried about you!”

Cerise looked at him.  “Back off, Brad, you don’t know what you’re talking about.  She’s got so much self doubt she’s suggesting she shouldn’t even be on duty!”

“What?” Grey asked, completely shocked.

“I shouldn’t though.  I don’t think…”

“I can’t convince her,” Cerise said, sounding almost disappointed.  “She won’t listen to me!”

“But why? I don’t understand.”

“Because it’s Black, she can’t see that he gets the better of every one of us.  She thinks she should know what he’s going to do before he does.”  She turned to the quiet Captain.  “I mean, if we’re going to talk about mistakes, if I’d done my job properly, you would never have been shot!”

“I…” Aquamarine didn’t know what to say.  She raised a hand, putting it to her head, trying her best to fight off her dizziness.

Cerise sighed and hung her head.  “I… I’m sorry, Kelly, I didn’t mean to shout,” she said apologetically.  “But it’s so hard to see you do this to yourself.  You’re a great officer, you’re my partner and I’d put my life in your hands and know it’s safe.”

“It’s not… not you, I’m sorry.  I just… feel so dizzy.”

Cerise looked at her, then turned to the third officer.  “Grey, get us back, please hurry!”

“S.I.G.  Is she alright?”

“I… I don’t know,” Cerise admitted.  “It could be the blood loss, anything, I don’t know… Brad, please, take off!”

“Alright, alright,” he said softly, then left for the cockpit.

“Kelly, lie down,” Cerise advised.  She realised her partner was shivering.  “Are you cold? Can I get you some water?”

“I’m okay, just dizzy.”

“I’ll get you a blanket,” Cerise said, getting up.  “You’re shivering.  Lie down, it’ll ease the blood flow to your head, make you feel better.”

“Okay,” Aquamarine said softly, complying.  “You been taking lessons off Fawn?”

“I pay attention when Scarlet’s moaning,” she answered.  “Just relax.”  She placed a blanket over her.  “There, just rest, we’ll be there in no time.”  She took her colleague’s pulse as Aquamarine nodded her reply, her eyes beginning to droop.

“I’m just going to see how Grey’s doing, you just relax,” Cerise said, getting up again.

Grey piloted the craft carefully, but pushed it to its limits to ensure they got there in as little time as possible.  “How is she?” he whispered as Cerise sat down in the co-pilot’s chair.

“Rapid, weak pulse, pale, cold.” she whispered in reply.  “I think she’s going into shock, Brad.  I’ll do what I can, but she’s got to get to Sickbay soon.”

Grey nodded as Cerise slipped back to Aquamarine.  “Kelly, I’m just going to raise your feet a little, it’ll help.  We’re nearly there now.  Are you okay?”

“Yeah…” she answered weakly, her eyes drooping again.  “Just tired.”

“But you’re not going to go to sleep, are you?” Cerise asked worriedly.

“Don’t know.”

“No, you’re not, trust me on this one,” Cerise insisted.  “Do your best.”

“S…I.G.”

 

The plane climbed higher and higher as it approached Cloudbase’s position 40,000 feet above sea level.  Grey activated the radio and communicated with Lieutenant Green.  “Request permission to land.  Require emergency medical team ready in hangar.”

“We’re here,” Cerise reported, hearing the request.  “Stay with us, Kelly.”

“Okay,” she whispered.

“Spectrum is green, medical team has been dispatched.”

Aquamarine listened to Green’s response, trying her very best to hang onto consciousness.

 

It seemed as though the hydraulic platform below the SPJ would never reach the hangar bay.  Cerise and Grey felt it was moving much slower than usual, but they had never been in this much of a hurry before.  As soon as the bay doors closed, Grey shut down the engines and opened the doors.

Climbing aboard, Doctor Teal looked immediately to Cerise who was nearest the door.

“Doctor! Hypovolaemic shock,” she reported.

“Right! Straight to Sickbay!” he informed.

 

On arrival in Sickbay, Fawn immediately took charge of the situation.

White was dozing on his bed, still wrapped up in many blankets and with a large jug of the promised strawberry juice on the bedside table.

“How long has she been like this?” Fawn asked.

“About forty minutes,” Cerise reported.  “She passed out at the construction site.  But full symptoms, I’d say about twenty minutes, quite a long time.”

“Have you had to resuscitate?”

“No, Doctor, she remained conscious, if barely, throughout.”

“Well, that’s something!”

Behind them, Colonel White stirred and woke up, the urgent voices having woken him up.  As soon as he was sat up, he leaned over to his bedside table to pick up his cup, which he filled from the jug.  After taking a deep drink, he looked around.  “What the-? What happened?”

Captain Grey walked over to him, trying to keep out of the medics’ way.  “Colonel, you’re looking better.”

“Captain Grey? What’s happening? How long have I been asleep? Why does Captain Cerise’s uniform look char-grilled?”

“Well, Sir, it’s kind of a long story, and I don’t know how long you’ve been asleep.”  He rubbed the back of his neck.

“Grey, fill him in please,” Fawn said still working swiftly.  “That should keep the both of you out of the way… no offence meant,” he added as an afterthought.

“S.I.G., Doc.”  He sat down on the chair next to White’s bed and filled him in on what had happened, who was clearly and understandably shocked.

“Are they alright?” the senior officer asked.  “Aquamarine, she’s in a bad way? And Cerise, she was caught in the blast? And you, too, Captain, were you?”

“No, Sir,” Grey answered.  “I hadn’t reached her.  She was lucky, Sir, the blast blew outwards, I believe.  She was just lightly toasted, I think, Colonel.”

“The things that happen while I’m off duty! Remind me never to accept anything I don’t know the origins of ever again!”

Grey smiled lightly then looked over at where the doctors were working.

Fawn looked up and caught Grey and White’s eyes and nodded briefly.  He reconnected the blood pouch and saline drip before walking over.  “She’s going to be fine.  And I don’t care, this time she’s not leaving here until she’s one hundred percent fit!”

Cerise smiled happily from where she was stood, then passed out.

Fawn acted quickly and caught her.  “Oh bother.”  While the other medics finished up with Aquamarine, he carried her over to a bed, asking Grey to sort out the sheets.  He placed her down and sighed.  “Looks like all the senior staff are gonna be in here at this rate! I think my normal regular’s the only actual healthy one for once!”

“Make sure you don’t tire yourself out, too, Doc,” Grey warned.  “You’ve done quite a shift today!”

“I know.”  Fawn looked around to his team.  “Everyone okay without me for a while?”

“It’s okay, Fawn,” Teal answered.  “You go.”

“I’m not going anywhere!” he said, jumping up onto the bed next to White’s, making himself comfortable and shutting his eyes.

“Wouldn’t you be more comfortable in your quarters?” Teal asked.  He received no reply.  “Doctor Fawn?” Still nothing.  “Doctor?”

“Too late, I think!” Grey said, walking round to stand in front of him.  He was already sound asleep.

“Poor thing, I think he has tired himself out,” White said, looking over at him.

“Should we make him more comfortable?” Grey asked.  “I mean, give him blankets and stuff?”

“We could do, he’s done enough for us today,” White answered, watching Grey move over to a store cupboard and pull out some spare blankets.

He covered the doctor up and tucked him in, then grinned.  “Nice to play doctor for a bit!”

White smiled and pulled his own blankets further round him.  “You did a good job today, Captain.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Grey answered, turning to face him.  “Little more than a chauffeur, really.”

“No, I mean it.  From what you told me, you helped Captain Aquamarine out a great deal.  Both she and Captain Cerise owe you a lot.”

“I’m just glad they’re both okay,” he answered.  “And you, too, Sir, of course.”

White smiled again.  “Thank you, Captain, but we both know I’ll be stuck in here for a while yet.”

“But at least you know you’re on the mend, Sir.”

White nodded.  “Until then, will you take over for me?”

“Of course, Sir.  It’d be an honour.”  He thought for a moment.  “How come you’re not asking Blue this time, if you don’t mind my asking, Colonel?”

White smiled again.  “I’ve heard a few rumours.”  He sat up straighter.  “Besides, someone else should take charge once in a while.”

“Well, they say a change is as good as a rest,” Grey said.  “But if they think I’ll let them rest, then I think they’ll be… pleasantly surprised.”

White smiled again and chuckled.  “I know you’ll do a good job.  Now, I suggest you go do that good job.”

“Yes, Sir.”  He spun on his heels and walked off.

White watched him leave, then turned and poured out another cup of juice.  He nodded and took a sip.  “Good officers,” he said to himself, looking round and smiling with satisfaction.

 

The End

 

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