The Day the Sharks Stood Still

[Scribe]

PROLOGUE

tempt•ed, tempt•ing, tempts

v.tr.

1. To provoke or to risk provoking: Don't tempt fate.

****

The Barn
MACO Barracks, New Earth Colony
3rd October 2165 – Really Early in the AM

Up early, to leave Sloane's house before the light of the day could rat him out, Derick had foregone heading to the house for heading for the Barn. He'd left his uniform there, figuring he'd have to be up and about.. at least for a few hours, to check on the maggots and his MACO's; make sure everyone got home, that no one was in the brig, that sort of thing.

As he approached the Barn in the pre-dawn hours, he mulled over things in his head, the way his life was going. Sloane was.. well, she'd have a major hang over this morning, he surmised and had left things like ibuprofen and some water for her by her bed. Spending a chaste night, he didn't sleep much, making sure that if Sloane got sick, he was there to keep her from drowning in it. A habit he'd perfected and hadn't had to use since Tom gave up drinking. Derick chuckled to himself. Of course, he hadn't slept on Tom's bed either. Just a wee different.

Moving along side the Barn quietly, Derick spotted someone moving in the darkness and unlike him, this person was trying to sneaky. This person would cross his path and moving to catch up with one of his errant flock (couldn't be anyone else, really), Derick caught the moon lit glint off unmistakable fiery red hair, all down, all loose.

Ren?? What the fuck? Since when did she had to sneak anywhere? Unless of course.. some guy was laying passed out somewhere right now, with a shit eating grin on his face. .

As she moved closer to him, Derick stepped out of the shadows. "Hope you left enough of the guy to keep him useful," he cracked, jamming his hands in his pockets. Of course, he realized belatedly that he hoped she wasn't armed.

******

"Oh hell!" Ren exclaimed, thinking that she must have needed to sleep if anyone could just sneak up on her like that.

God she needed some sack time badly too.

Strange how someone could spend most of the night in bed and not at all close one's eyes to rest. Not that Ren minded when she returned to barracks, taking the after curfew path she had been familiar with back in the days when she and Kate used to sneak out under Gunny's nose for a drink or a smoke. She had thought she had just enough time to get back to her quarters, maybe snag and hour or two worth of sleep before a shower and presenting for the award ceremony.

She was on something of a high, despite her weariness. Gabe had been a great lover and she surprised herself by how much she wanted to see him tonight.

"Hey just because I'm sneaking in doesn't mean I got laid..." she said haughtily, convincing no one she was certain, especially him.

"Right. So you've been out here smoking a cigarette or drinking all night?" Derick chuckled. "By yourself?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow, wondering if she would catch the fact that he let her in on a little secret. It was really hard.. very hard to sneak out past someone who'd spent most of his entire youth sneaking out of one house or another, or into one house or another. "Besides, your hair's a mess," he grinned.

"It was a windy night," Ren looked at him with a look of challenge, not about to fess up just yet. A playful smirk on her face as she ran her fingers through her hair.

Eyeing the perfectly non-breezy conditions, Derick's blue eyes glinted mischievously. "Yep. I can see that," he replied dryly. "So this windy night kept you from joining your friends at Fabien's?" he asked. "You ditched us!"

"Oh come on? Was I really missed?" She eyed him. "I mean I would have spent the night fighting off every drunk MACO in the place, before or after I made sure they didn't drown in their own puke. Sorry, I missed that." She gave him a look.

"Oh, so the Captain and I are drunks now, drowning in our puke?" Derick countered good-naturedly. "Thought we were your friends..." he said, looking down at her. "Besides, the guys that really know you leave you alone. The ones that don't... the Captain and I would have been enough to keep them away from you. Rank and it's privileges, you know."

"Okay I ditched you," she offered a groan of defeat. "I'm guilty. I met this great guy and we hit it of...."

Eyeing her slightly dishevelled state and that hint of a glow on her cheeks that had absolutely nothing with the dawn of a perfect day, Derick chuckled. "I bet you did," he said, shaking his head. Of course, he'd been guilty in the past of meeting a great girl and 'hitting it off'. More like getting it off. "Seriously, I'm glad. You had a good time and that's what the night was for. Didn't have to be with us," he said, smiling.

"Thanks," she said with a little smile, "he's a little different than what I'm used to, a bit older but definitely interesting. I think he might be Fleet but I'm not sure though. I'll ask him when I see him tonight." Ren met his eyes.

"Well, I'll forgive you this once," Derick replied, reaching out to offer a very un-Gunny like and friendly chuck on the arm. "You deserve to be happy," he said. "Fleet or not, as long as he's good to you."

"Actually I was very good to him," she raised a brow in an expression of nothing good, "thrice."

"Shit..." Derick retorted, chuckling. "You sure you left him alive?" he teased.

"I left him sated," she beamed and then added, "He seemed to need it though." Her expression became thoughtful, thinking on the man, the sadness in his eyes. "Enough about me, how about you...pull any hamstrings suspended on a trapeze while doing Candi and Brandi last night?"

"Oh, the twins." Laughing, Derick shook their head. "No. Let's just say... " How to put this? "Let's just say they.. need to look elsewhere for their entertainment," he said, glancing back towards Utopia. Sloane was going to be hating life in a few hours.

"Come on," she said as she resumed walking. "Walk me back to my barracks and get some good gossip started. This sounds serious Gunny? There's actually a woman out there who may be able to tame you? What? She got tired of alligator wrestling and thought she try for something more challenging?" Ren teased.

"Ha, ha..." Sloane could probably wrestle alligators but that wasn't the point. She could wrestle him. That was enough. "Look who's talking, Miss Thrice," he teased back.

"Hey can I help that I'm a nubile minx," Ren said with a completely straight face. "So that's a yes?"

"It's a 'I plead the Fifth' for risk of further incriminating myself," Derick grinned. "I'm not out here for my health or to make sure you and Kate didn't pass out on your way in," he said.

"Chicken," Ren teased. "I'm sure hanging around the female barracks is beneath you anyway. At least now."

Chuckling, he shrugged. "It's your standards that are slipping," he said. "With a Fleeter. You going to the ceremony tomor... today, right?" he asked. "You ditch us on that one for this Fleet boy and I will run your ass into the ground," he teased back.

"I won't... I won't...," Ren laughed. "I even have a dress for the military ball tonight so I have to show. In any case, I don't think my guy is Fleet but he is well mannered, so he couldn't be MACO." She smirked.

"A dress? Well, I was going to ditch the ball but if you're wearing a dress..." Derick chuckled. "And we have manners...somewhere."

"Hey I've won a dress before," she pouted. "What about you? Going to be in dress uniform impressing your mysterious woman?" She teased as the barracks came into sight.

"I think she's more impressed with me naked." God that was so open Derick wouldn't be able to look himself in the mirror if he didn't go after it.

Ren rolled her eyes..."yeah, yeah, so the girls' tell me big boy." She smirked.

Laughing, Derick smiled at her, something real and genuine because, really, he considered Ren a friend. "Go on and get some rest. Don't need you falling asleep during this thing. What would McHayes think?"

Of course... Sloane might go worse on him in private.

Ren stared at him, "Macwhat?"

Derick stared right back. "McHayes. How long have I been using that term? You know, the Iron Colonel and the Battle Bitch of the North?" Reaching out, Derick put his hand on her forehead. "You feeling alright?"

"Oh that's right...sorry...drew a blank for a moment there," she replied. "Too much fun last night. I'm sure the Iron Colonel is sleeping it off to after last night at the Beasts with the party."

"I guess," Derick replied. "He was a no-show. At least for as long as I was there," he said. "Guess he was too stiff to come down and party with us."

"What do you expect?" Ren snorted derisively. "There's officers and then there's God...Iron britches thinks he's something in between."

"Yeah." Derick indicated the barracks. "Alright. I trust you take care of yourself from here on. Get thee to bed," he chuckled. "You look like you've been up all night."

"He certainly was," she grinned, "and I am getting me to bed. I'm worn out." She beamed.

"Oh God." Derick thrust a hand towards the barracks. "Go. Get out of my sight," he teased, shaking his head. There were just some things he didn't need to know about. "I'll see you later," he said.

"Bye Gunny," she replied heading toward the place, sniggering. He was so fun to get.

[Scribe]

ARCHER SQUARE
STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS
NEW EARTH COLONY, GAIA

Later that morning....

Ren was in hell.

He hadn’t seen her yet but he would and then he would be in hell too. Good, she had to suffer alone. Looking up at the podium, a few rows down from the first before the podium, Corporal Ren ‘Orphan Annie’ Richards was staring at the dignitaries present for the medal ceremony with nothing less than horror.

The morning had started well enough. After Gunny had caught her returning to barracks, Ren had returned to her barracks, gotten a few hours sleep and awoke satisfied that the day ahead would be good. She had a medal to receive, a ball to attend and a hot date after, what could go wrong?

Fuck, had she been tempting fate.

In full dress uniform, she had stood next to Gunny Rickman, with the rest of Alpha squad lined up in the row, waiting patiently as Archer Square filled up with spectators and medal recipients who were going to show to this thing finally made their appearance. At first when he came into view, she thought she was seeing things. Quite possibly, she was star struck with morning after vision or something. Great night of sex, pretty cool guy, it wasn’t impossible that he had left his impression on her.

Then she looked closer.

And realized that it was no aberration, he was really up there. Gabe.

And Gabe was wearing a uniform that wasn’t Starfleet dress blues.

It was MACO grey and a colonel’s uniform. Gabe was a fucking MACO colonel and Gaia only had one.

Iron Britches himself. The Old Man. Iron Bastard. Who had not been able to drink with his men at the Beasts last night because he was with her, in a little room at the Outpost, doing the wild thing after shots.

When she was able to respond, Ren opened her mouth and said to no one in particular;

“I am so unbelievably screwed.”

Catching her last words, Gunnery Sergeant Derick Ricman gave his friend a sideways grin (and something to keep his mind off what Major Sloane McRae was doing with a crooked individual like Seth Yuskovski). "Okay, okay," he said. "You don't have to rub it in." Chuckling, Derick shook his head and looked back to Ren...

..and then took a really good look at her.

Pale... dumbstruck... a little green.

Much like Tom had been back in the day when he'd imbibed drinks of mysterious origins, made by folks with possibly nefarious intentions. Only Derick was quite sure that Ren hadn't been to Vulcan overnight (well, she had been 'orbiting') nor had she hauled off to Cambien either.

Nope. She'd just spent the night with a great guy and practically floated back to the barracks. Stepping closer, making sure his back was to the Three Musketeers Plus Two, he canted his head down. "You okay?" he asked, concerned enough because this was the complete opposite of what he'd caught sneaking into the barracks this morning.

Perhaps if she had been less stunned, she might have taken care with her words but Ren was not in any state to be remotely reasonable. Put a MULK in front of her and she had no trouble blowing the things head off with a gun. Put a Klingon in her sights and he was similarly screwed but this…this situation left her floored. So Ren’s guard was down when Gunny Rickman asked the question and she answered truthfully as all truthful questions are done when one answers on impulse.

“Its him,” she finally stammered, eyes wide and still somewhat dazed. “He’s up there.”

One eyebrow went and Derick twisted enough to follow her gaze, where he saw Sloane (naked…no.. Major. Major. Major) and all the brass on the platform. "He's up there?" He'd never seen Ren Richards in this state before, except maybe that time during training when he'd tapped her good in the head. "What is this? Afterglow aftershock?" he teased, frowning. All that brass…an older man.

Gabe.

As in Gabriel... Van Helsing? No.

Gabriel... the Archangel? Ren wished.

Gabriel.... Derick froze, his blue green eyes locked onto Ren's green ones.

Loman... Turning around, he spotted what one might portray as an older man, with manners, arm in a sling....

Haaaayyeeessss....

Chalk this one up to another moment of the great 'oh fuck's' of history. Derick's head came back to Ren so fast he was surprised he didn't crick it. "You. Are. Not. Serious?" he asked, hoping beyond hope that maybe Ren had gone home with say...Captain Tucker... or Commander Reed. Hell, he'd settle for Captain Archer at the moment... just not...

Gabe.

“Do I look like I’m kidding?” Ren hissed, keeping her voice down because saying it, saying it loud, saying it clear would make it all to real and she didn’t want to tempt fate. Stunned, terrified and disappointed all at once, Ren ran the gamut of emotion as she stared at his face. It…was…him. It was Gabe up there. There was no longer any doubt. God how could she crew things up so badly? Politician! He had said he was a politician!

And didn’t you say you were an artist?

Clamping her eyes shut, she conceded the point to her subconscious. They had both lied to each other last night about a great number of things. At least it couldn’t be any worse.

And with that challenge issued to fate, the cosmos chose to answer. In Technicolor.

Admiral Mesu began speaking and he ended his speech with… “Ladies and Gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to introduce Gaia's new Governor, and the man who will be awarding today’s medals, Colonel Gabriel Hayes."”

Descending into a state that was a notch up from catatonic, Ren did not look at Rickman when she spoke, “Oh great, color me scandal.”

Governor... Governor?? Derick did a double take towards the stage, catching Sloane's body language and then he glanced towards his friend who now had another reason to look damn uncomfortable in his dress uniform. Still... if Tom thought he would shit bricks...Ren was going to pop out diamonds.

Ren... and... and... Hayes?? Orphan Annie and THE Iron Bastard?

A second thought arrived in Derick's conscious mind, sliding in with a totally out of place 'YyYYEEEE-HAAAAWWW'...

Thrice.

Derick's stomach tightened at the thought. Thrice... great. Great. He now had more information about Hayes than he EVER wanted to have in his brain and he had the feeling it would be like that time he accidently walked into the bathroom on the Forester’s old grandma. An image seared into his brain for the rest of his life and NO amount of tequila would remove it.

Blinking, Derick reminded himself that there were more important issues at hand. Like the fact Ren had succeeded the color green and moved to something akin to puce. "Alright," he said quietly, trying to brainstorm and coming up with..

... Thrice??? Christ, a man the Colonel's age that could have killed him?!?! Ok. Maybe not, he was a MACO after all and extremely fit and..

... Thrice? EWGH...Ren and any other guy (though with her previous dates, Devereaux and/or Tobin, she might have hit four), maybe but... Hayes? Iron Britches? Iron Colonel? The Ayatollah of Xindi Destruction??

"Ok. First.. just calm down. Ok?" he said, looking to his friend. "Breathe." Maybe that was for him.

Okay breathe. She could do that.

Gunny said breathe, so she had to breathe.

Falling back on her conditioning to obey his order, even one as indirect as that one (since he was talking to her as a friend rather than superior) Ren took a deep breath, steadying her racing pulse and trying to compose herself as she was struck, deaf, dumb and blind by the notion that she would have to go up there and get a medal from the man!

A fucking medal.

What on earth would he say to her? What could he say? They were standing in front of the entire colony?

And perhaps that was the best realization she had made all day. In front of the colony, he couldn’t say anything because he’d be in as much trouble, worse in fact, since he now had a political career to think about. All she had to do was to go up there, dummy up and say nothing other than offering him a snappy salute. If she could get through that, she might be able to get through the rest of the day without throwing up.

“I think…” she said softly, “I think I’m alright…I think I can hold off puking until I’m out of here.”

As she spoke the words, she found herself focusing on Admiral Mesu’s shoes, on the podium, on the shine off Major McRae’s show, anything but Gabe’s face. He hadn’t seen her yet. Lucky him.

“Why the hell are they making him governor?” She managed to ask through all this.

Beats the fuck outta me," Derick grumbled, his mind already racing on the threat level here. "Okay, look. If he busts you, he busts himself, got that?" he said quickly. "Keep a straight face and we'll take care of this when the ceremony is over, alright?"

“Right,” she nodded, knowing that it was going to be nowhere that easy. Seeing the parade of people moving across the podium, she knew that even though things were terrible right now, in a few minutes they were going to go supernova. She was going to go up there and get a medal from the man. For the first time, Ren wished she hadn’t deserved one and wanted to have nothing to do with being honored. What hypocrisy would it be fore her to take a medal from the Iron Colonel for bravery and courage under fire, when she had broken every MACO rule by the fact that she had bedded him the night before? It was almost funny, if it wasn’t so damn tragic.

“Straight face,” she nodded. “Do the best I can…though not sure what’s going to happen when I go get my medal….”

*****

The man that came before him to receive the next medal was sharp in his military attire. They all were, really, in their own way. Even the civilians in their best suits were looking tight and for what it was worth, that impressed Colonel Hayes. A man close to his own age, his own rank, Nicholas Claybourne and Hayes had not shared many words over the years. Claybourne was stationed on his own ship, as was Hayes for over the last decade. A nod, the recognition of respect for the other, Gabriel passed on the medal per regulation and returned the salute that was offered to release the man. More names were called, more medals handed out and all the while, in the back of his mind, Hayes knew what was coming. With each passing name he was becoming closer and closer to the name of the Gunny Sgt. Derick Deadman-walking-Cub-boy Rickman.

With strength and honor alone, Gabriel proceeded, keeping his voice steady, strong and even for the crowd. How he would react once Rickman came forth, Hayes did not know but he knew he could do nothing but pretend. Stay the course. A sad state to be in but this was duty and above and beyond, he would perform it one hundred and twenty-five percent. Deerfield was read next. Then Dodgeson. The NX01 Engineering crew. The entire Excelsior Bridge.

As the alphabet would have it, these groupings were fairly close together with Franklin and Gerald in-between them and the Security team of the Intrepid. The next two were done with a certain look in his eye meant only for them, giving the elder a heightened knowledgeable stare than the later. Sgt. Kemper got an eyeful when the man came to cross the stage, doing a decent enough job to look prestigious although he could not meet Hayes' eyes. The younger, near innocent party thanks to the former, also came and two medals for the people's heroes were awarded as a political statement. When Private Lindsey was saluted to be dismissed, Gabriel went on, not missing a beat. Still in fine form.

Lt. McDanniels led Gabriel into one of the two big bangs and personal hi-lights for this ceremony. He was in the 'M's now. All that much closer to the 'R's and every now and then his eyes gazed down to see the name 'Rickman' waiting for him to taunt in the lower right hand column before he'd flip the page. Steady as a warship, Gabriel called the next name and unlike the two planet killer mockeries, he reserved no special look in his eye. No anger. No happiness. Nothing but that deadened stare as if she weren't important enough to him to even make more of an effort than he did with the civilians.

"For bravery, and sense of leadership," Gabriel couldn't help himself on that one, "the Medal of Honor is awarded," his pulse never raced or became heated within his body. Gabriel was in check and his voice did not waiver. Not even when he said her name, "to Major Sloane McRae."

There was a time in the not so distant past when he'd offer his Major a smile. Perhaps a proud, secret wink or if that was not possible a slight upturn of a corner of his lip. Today, Hayes used the skills of the Iron Colonel to the max and did nothing but duty and duty alone. He watched and waited with the medal in his injured fingers for her to come claim it.

She knew his game.

Infantile.

Childish.

She could do this. Could give as much as she got. After all, they weren't MacHayes for nothing. She could follow his lead, mirror that expressionless face and those cold eyes. It was expressionless for some but spoke volumes to the major. Why he kept feeling the need to ram home the same message over and over, she didn't know. She had heard him loud and clear the first time, that other night.

Yes, she could do this. One more time. The end was in sight. Soon she would be back on the NX-01, back out to space, and she would no longer have to stare at Hayes' mask. The mask of a coward.

As she started walking up to her commanding officer, her former direct superior, Sloane felt that anger and pain bubbling up. She thought of making a show of looking straight at Rickman from where she stood. Tit for tat. How dare Gabe use such a day as a weapon against her. But then, through that hangover haze came shame. For dreaming... wanting to sink as low.

This wasn't about them. Shouldn't be about them.

Just like she had collected the medals in the name of the fallen, Sloane stepped up and followed protocol. For Chang and Kazan, and all the others, she acted to receiving this Medal of Honor like she had for past awards when some, her included, would have believed nothing could ever come between Hayes and McRae. She didn't wear a mask. Her eyes acknowledged Gabe even if his didn't show recognition; her face showed the guilt of a survivor, the pain of losing men in the line of duty, the weight of a team leader's responsibility for ordering those men to their possible deaths. It was about them.

There were no smile or kind nod but deep down she was honored, grateful to be part of the proceedings and she let that show as she accepted the medal and took hold of it.

From the moment the ribbon left the colonel's glove, Sloane let go of all the anger she felt toward him. Sadness filled the void but she saluted him with pride to have served under and alongside him and with genuine gladness that he had made it back from the Planet Killer mission and survived his injuries.

Did that make her better than he? No. Hayes was way out of her league and would always be. But for now her feelings were in line with what the day - this event - was about.

He felt Sloane staring at him, so Gabriel dared to look down, catching the tail end of her look as she walked away. She looked.... pleased with herself.... which only served to rub his face and burned him all the more. Dismissing her in his mind as he had done before, the Colonel continued on. He announced the Medal of Honor for Captain Tom Merrick. Another civilian award went to an Aaron Monty and sure enough, this civvie saluted him.

There was always one.

The names drawing near to Gunny Sgt. Derick Rickman was coming closer and closer and he really wondered what sort of bastard he must be in order to stand there an with nothing but military protocol in order to hand this son of a bitch a star cross. Three decades of service, Gabriel never once thought of himself and here he was today, failing thanks to the ultimate betrayal. It had been consuming him since their fight in his old office.

Eight names stood in-between he and Rickman. Corporal Myllar's name was called. Seven names left. Civilian Narby. Six names. Private Nixon. Five. Ensign Quinn. Four. Lt. Octavio. Three. Captain Richards. Two. Another Richards and Gabriel was so focused on how he would read off Rickman's name, he leaned into the microphone by rote to announce, "For bravery shown with unit, the Star Cross is awarded to Corporal Renee Richards."

The award in his gloved hand, his mind obsessing on the name Gunny Sergeant, Gabriel began to turn to his left, per regulation. When his eyes rested on the approaching soldier, Gabriel Loman Hayes' mouth opened very slight, his eyes widened with a spark of recognition and he felt his body freeze.

What in the hell was his civilian doing in a fucking MACO uniform on this stage?

A solid, heavy clunk reached his ears, having been staring at her unnerved for seconds that felt like eternity. Colonel Hayes did not even realize the medal slipped from his fingers, crashing to the floor and rolled in a circle at his feet. All the anger and hatred he had been building up left his body as nothing but pure panic settled in.

Unless this was a very elaborate joke, having this distinct, red-haired Corporal standing before him, her presence in that uniform meant the one thing he never vowed to do: Last night the Iron Bastard somehow managed to fuck one of his own MACO men.

~~~~~

Ren had given Derick a helpless look when it came time for them to fall in line with the other medal recipients and her stomach was one big knot all the way up the stairs as the litany of names called the procession up the podium steps. He hadn’t seen her yet but that moment was now approaching like a freight train. When she finally heard her name, Ren had reached what she called a ‘zen’ state. She would make no reaction. She couldn’t because one of them had to hold it together and chances were, it was going to have to be her, since she had been given advance warning and he was about to be dropped into this mess – cold.

“Corporal Renee Richards….” She heard her name

Ren strode up to the man, saw the flash of recognition in his eyes before her medal ended up on the floor and knew that she was finally no longer alone in this ‘special hell’ they found themselves.

She stared at him, showing no signs of anything on her face even if her eyes said plainly - ‘Pull yourself together or we’re both screwed’.

The young MACO soldier just stood there. Waiting. So Gabriel did the only thing he could; the Colonel bent down to retrieve the object and put it back in his fingers to offer to her. Recovering, he waited for her to take the medal, gave her a return dismissal salute and found himself so internally flustered, he moved onto the next name in his practiced voice without realizing what he was saying, "For bravery and honor, the Star Cross is awarded to Gunny Sergeant Derick Rickman."

Jesus Christ. That Corporal was one of his own fucking men.

Calming himself, or doing his best to be calm, Gabriel turned to repeat the process for the Gunny and offered the medal that was in his gloved fingers. There was some mercy in his life, for if Colonel Hayes was aware that the man standing before him knew of last night he would have died right there on the stage. Faked a heart attack and gone up to heaven.

"Congratulations." The word came from no where, feeling the need to say something to someone in order to try and feel normal in the middle of a spotlight on him ceremony. Why God had chosen his very enemy to say this to, Gabriel neither knew nor cared. There were bigger issues here all of a sudden other than hating this man.

So this is what it felt like to have kittens... strained, somewhere up in the carbonite producing range (although Derick was sure that both Ren and the Colonel were somewhere past the Hope Diamond stage), he accepted the medal, hoping beyond hope that his face did NOT portray the knowledge that made this moment so tense.

Really. A loud noise, someone wanted to drop something and Derick was certain that Ren, he and the Colonel (if judging by the original but quick stricken look on his face) would all have heart attacks and die right there.

***cut to: Intergalactic Nightly News At Six with Marg Ho and Bob Dick***

"What's going on in Gaia today, Marg? Any more sightings of the wing-tailed schnooper?" *yuckyuck*

"Not today, Bob. We have tragedy on Gaia, three MACO's dropped stone-dead of heart attacks during an awards ceremony when someone sneezed. A Colonel, a Gunnery Sergeant and a Corporal... "

"All three?"

"All three, keeled right over, deader than door-nails. While Governor Hayes, formerly Colonel aka Iron Bastard was up there in years, the other two were young and in shape and the coroner is frankly baffled.. or at least he will be when he sobers up. Hard night of partying there on Gaia! Back to you, Bob."

"Thanks Marg. Now, on to our next story... Gloria D'Marco, a farmer on Gaia, claims she is pregnant with a MULK hybrid baby.... "

*****

"Thank you, sir," Derick replied, managing to find his voice in the tension and somewhere in there, was surprising sincerity. This medal meant a lot to him and having Colonel Hayes hand it to him meant as much. For the moment, Derick could see the Iron Bastard, the man he respected and admired and maybe... even looked up to. Thrice-Gabe was no where to be seen.

Until he stepped away from the Colonel and spotted Ren, looking like she was going to hyperventilate any moment now. It was all Derick could do to NOT look back to the Colonel and ask for his secret... Thrice??

I n the background, war whooping and hollering, not caring what instruction was given or who wasn't proud, civilian Julian Rickman stood up to his full height and began to cheer loudly for his twin who had just received the Star Cross. "GO DEEEEER! GOOOOO DERRRRIIIIIIIICKKK!!!" Waving his fist in the air, doing the white man's overbite (tm), Jules was so happy for Gunny Rickman that he didn't care that people were looking at him. Nor that from the stage a very disapproving Colonel was looking in his direction.

Jules just wanted to make sure Derick knew he was proud of him and also, by shaking his body as he was, that his brother could see him in the back of the crowd. A little hard to miss a tall guy screaming at a quiet ceremony without the body waggling, but Jules never was all that careful about being suave.

It wasn't until the polite laughter quieted down as the Colonel stood there waiting, that Julian's rump made contact with the seat. "Major Shane Riley," was heard as Hayes leaned into the mike and continued on his way, handing out the last of the Honor, Commendation and Star Cross medals. Lt. Commander Alexandra Styles. Almost done, he realized, and was glad for that because he felt exposed up here knowing he had.... with that...... Gabriel blinked to remain focused. Almost done. Almost done with McRae, Rickman and, yes, Richards. On the second page, near the middle of the only column, Hayes announced, "For Bravery, Lt. Aaron Tobin is awarded the Star Cross."

Tobin made it to the stage with little troubles but nearly fucked it all up when his toe caught on the second riser of the stairs. His pale skin did nothing to hide the flush of his skin at the snicker from the MACO behind him, but he was able to recover well and continue along the way to meet the Colonel.

Hayes met eyes with the approaching Grifter, offering the medal and looking just as the rumors stated. Hardass 'Brig His Own Mother' Hayes. As Tobin approached, all Gabriel could think was this uncoordinated man was the CO of Gaia's fighting air fleet. God help the colony.

Aaron swallowed hard once and accepted the medal from the injured but hard looking colonel just before snapping off a crisp salute. The only thought going through his mind ran something like "God am I glad this guy wasn't at the Beast's last night."

Bringing up his good hand, Gabriel addressed the younger fleeter and dismissed him, sending him on his way to join the masses.

As Tobin strode off the stage confidently, medal in hand, he let go of the breath he didn't realize was being held. Getting off the stage turned out to be a very easy thing to do, thank God. Tobin was really hoping that he would have to go dogfight a Klingon warship before he had to do this again.

The next recipient was the only alien who would ever come close to being near and dear to the Colonel's assholic heart. Ensign Torr. She more or less saved his life, although what he came back to be saved for, he wasn't sure. Focus. Lt. Matt Whelan. Ensign Terrance Wyatt. Civilian Zan. Too bad they weren't ending on a MACO but ending was very ideal right about now. Addressing the crowd, wrapping up his part to the ceremony, Gabriel spoke to the masses.

"To the efforts of these men and women, we all give our thanks. Gaia will flourish, grow and now that our presence here is known, we will stand strong and continue to form loyal allies. Humanity will thrive." Hayes decided he was taking a turn he didn't wish to embark on, so the Colonel wrapped it up. "I am your Governor, but without the loyalty of the Marines. The Fleet. The People. I am nothing. My hat, I take off to you." Gabriel reached up, removed his jar hat and with almost a bow of a nod with his head to the crowd, stepped back so Mesu could take center stage once more. The man refused to look in anyone's direction, keeping his jaw set straight as he lifted his hand to tuck his hat under his arm at the proper angle.

One a marine, always a marine.

*******

There it was - or wasn't, actually. Nothing. Nada.

Sloane didn't catch Gabe glance at her and so she left him after her salute with a sadness that only seemed to deepen every step she took. The Medal of Honor in her hand weighed a ton and she wanted nothing to do with it. What the thing represented... the whole thing reeked in fact. All she saw was the deaths of good men in Chang and Kazan. The hypocrisy of this show in Kemper and Lindsay. Treachery and insult in Marke and, in Hayes, well, she saw the time wasted, what she had given up, and what she hadn't risked. Maybe she should have. Having Hayes behaved in this way made her doubt that though... made her doubt his loyalty. Would he have turned his back on her like that had she risked it all for him and their road got a little rocky?

Sloane shook her head to try and clear her mind. Why was she torturing herself with this? Her heart still lingered on what could have been when her head already knew it never would be. She knew this and on some level she already had achieved closure. The booze had helped and Hayes' behavior today, even if it still stabbed at her heart, really helped in letting go. But having to look at him like that and witness his show of indifference was harder than she would admit and she was growing weary of that sense of loss. She felt like leaving. There was nothing for her here and frankly she didn't feel she would be missed. In fact, she was about to leave when Tom's name got called. That made her stop and turn around.

After all, there was a life beyond Gabriel Loman Hayes.

With pride, Sloane watched "Captain Tom" get his medal and nodded to him when he passed by. His cheeky manner made her smile and somehow she got the impression he knew what was going on... that she needed him to shake her out of her self-pity party.

Now she might as well wait for Derick too... see that uniform up close.

But before Rickman got called, there was a certain Renee Richards.

Sloane remembered because of two things. One, she knew her from quite a few years back when T'Pol had asked of Sloane to talk to this young skinny lass about what the MACOs were about. Richards at the time couldn't have been older than 19. And two, well, even if Sloane could no longer read Gabe's body language, a colonel dropping a medal in the middle of a ceremony whilst handing out said medal to a woman that made him freeze like he had seen a freaking ghost made the whole thing quite memorable in itself.

Hmmm.

Witness to the looks between the two, the hesitation, the recomposure of one Colonel-come-Governor, and finally the damn Star Cross being handed out, Sloane figured there was something there but refused to entertain what all that could mean. Still, Renee looked pretty off-color, and Hayes more stuck up than usual.

Then Derick came up the stairs onto the stage and Sloane realized she hadn't even heard Gabe call his name. And it got worse when Hayes kind of leaned in to tell Derick something. Visions of Gabe calling the gunny out on stage flashed before her eyes and Sloane had to blink them away. As entertaining as that would have been, this event was no place for an alpha-male, testosterone-fuelled fight between the two. No matter how much Gabe probably desired it. But no, it didn't happen and Sloane relaxed her hands which had somehow clenched into fists. Derick replied something, looking quite pleasant, and then his twin chimed him full tilt from the crowd and made Sloane chuckle. This one moment was a keeper and Sloane saw how it pleased Derick as he trotted off, his attention moving from Julian back on that rather green-looking Richards.

Hmmm.

All eyes were on that corporal and no Sloane didn't know what to make of it.

*******
Well, well. What have we got here? Elizabeth met her sister's gaze and saw her expression go from upset to surprise and near panic. Turning back to look at Governor Hayes, Elizabeth cocked her head to the side before finding her sister again.

Nah.

HE could be her dad.

Even though a Fleeter, Elizabeth knew that HE leaned toward the likes of Sloane McRae.

HE was the MACO top dog, effectively Renee's commanding officer.

HE had more sense than that.

HE was notoriously known to go by the book. ALWAYS.

HE could be her dad.

It all flashed back to Elizabeth... her sister's look, Hayes' reaction, the medal hitting the deck, the fumbling, the stiffness, the off-color, and yes, even that McRae standing not far looking all glib.

Renee? Her eyes asked the question she could not do verbally across the distance. Nah, Elizabeth told herself once again. She was reading this wrong surely.

******

Returning to her place with the rest of Alpha Squad before the podium, Ren did not see Gunny get his medal and hated the fact she couldn’t join Jule’s exuberant cheer for his brother’s accomplishment. Instead, she walked off the podium, somehow managing to maintain her composure, even though it was clear that the Governor had been floored by the realization that his civilian artist and one night stand was a masquerading corporal in this man’s army. Trying not to look at him, she couldn’t help but steal glances at Gabe, trying to equate the man with whom she had fallen asleep in the early hours of the morning, exhausted from great sex. Now that her brain had stop swimming in the soup of panic, she took time to really look at him.

He did not look anything like his photograph at the Barn.

Of course, that picture had been taken a decade ago but the man she had met last night was different in more than just age and uniform. There had been something about him last night, something sad and broken, far removed from the commanding figure he now presented to Gaia on the podium. Ren believed that she had seen the man and what was up there was just the façade necessary for the rest of Gaia. Of course, it was a glimpse behind the curtain she shouldn’t have seen and now that she had, Ren had no idea how she would be able to regard him again.

Or whether she would have a chance to.

*****

Collecting her medal just before her younger sister, Elizabeth had stood to the side, waiting for Renee to get hers and exit stage left. What should have been a happy event and maybe an occasion for bonding for two sisters who rarely saw eye to eye on anything was unfortunately turned into the weirdest show yet.

Renee had walked up there like she had a pole up her six. Hayes had frozen up, seemingly transfixed, and dropped her sister's Star Cross on the stage. The recovery had been less than gracious and after all this, Elizabeth stayed there only to see her corporal of a sibling march past without so much of a look her way.

From her position on the stage earlier, Elizabeth had spotted her sister in the rows reserved for the MACOs and had found her a little green around the edges. She had attributed it to a night of partying with her brothers in arms. But up close, after the little fracas onstage, Elizabeth suspected it was something else entirely.

Renee looked positively upset when she should have been proudly rejoicing. About to go to her, even if she was probably the last person Ren would tell what was going on, Elizabeth stopped in her tracks when she saw a MACO gunny approach her sister. It was probably best to leave her amongst her MACOs...

*******

Surveying the scene after Gunny had fallen in again, Ren took her mind of Gabe for now. This mess was going to come back and bite her on the ass again, of that there was no doubt in Ren's mind but for now, she was going to calm down. There were just too many people around for her to have a panic attack and for both their sakes, hers and Gabe's she had to hold it together until they got out of here.

Suddenly she caught sight of Liz and realized that in all her panic, she had forgotten her sister was due to get a medal too. Making eye contact with Liz briefly, Ren felt a new surge of panic as the look on Liz's face read concern. Despite the years apart, blood had a tendency to give siblings an edge and suddenly, Ren felt even more exposed than ever that Liz might figure out what was wrong. Would she put together her panic expression with Gabe's faux pas with her medal?

Ren hoped to God not.

*****

Renee? Her eyes asked the question she could not do verbally across the distance. Nah, Elizabeth told herself once again. She was reading this wrong surely.

It was all Dougie Palmer's fault.

Dougie Palmer had asked Ren to sit with him at lunch and she wanted to impress him. Being ten, the possibility of not impressing the pimple faced kid who could spit snotballs further than anyone else was
unimaginable so Ren was determined to dazzle him. Problem was, when you were ten, there really wasn't that much in your wardrobe to dazzle anyone. So Ren had snuck into Liz's room and borrowed her favorite blue sweater. It was a grown up's sweater with V-neck line and appropriately tight in all the places....on an adult.

On Ren, skinny thing she had been, it hung off like a parachute and in Ren's attempts to make it smaller which involved everything from knotting it to washing it twenty times in the drier to make it shrink,
Ren learnt that some fabrics just didn't lend well to repeated washes and the result was sweater that was utterly ruined. In fear of discovery, Ren had thrown the thing away and denied all knowledge of ever seeing the thing.

But Liz had taken one look at her and known and Ren had cracked.

*******

This time, it wasn't Dougie Palmer, it was one Gabriel Loman Hayes and Liz's eyes across the distance staring her down, broke down Ren's defenses with as much ease as she had caved years ago under
her sister’s interrogation as to why a sweater had to be sacrificed for a snot balling champion.

Ren didn't have to say the words but her expression spoke volumes. She had no idea what Liz would do, whether or not her sister would even bring it up with her. Ren doubted she would but Liz would know and Ren supposed there was one consolation.

At least this time, it wasn't for a snotballing champion.

*******

With the medal ceremony more or less over with only two bits of business to attend, Admiral Gregory Mesu stepped forward to take the reins from the newly appointed Governor. Mesu had not missed the
curious exchange between Hayes and one of the female corporals and wondered what was behind that. There had definitely been something but nothing he could put his finger on yet and personally, the
admiral had better things to concern his mind at this time then what may or may not be going on between the governor and one of his men.

Glancing at Hayes, the silent signal to let him speak was delivered and Mesu addressed the crowd.

"Our final medal presentation for these proceedings goes to a man for whom mere thanks cannot be enough. For twelve long years, the weapon known to us as the Xindi Planet Killer, that laid waste to our homes, to our civilization and our very existence as a species, loomed over us like an axe ready to fall. The Planet Killer was our greatest enemy, the pall that darkened everything we accomplished on Gaia. We have lived in fear of this weapon and its deployment but now, thanks to the man we are about to honor here today, that fear is no more."

As anticipated, there was an explosion of applause that seemed to deafen all sound and dragged for a few minutes as Mesu glanced at the Governor in silent gratitude.

On cue, Gabriel put his lid of a hat tight back in place and stepped forward to salute the Admiral. The Planet Killer was not accomplished by one man or even by one away team. Had Torr not freed him, had his MACOs, including the Major, not saved him, Colonel Hayes would not be alive but have joined the others. The crew of the Enterprise assisted them and the sister ship on the mission lead by Captain Teagarden protected them. Never mind without the help of the Romulans there would have been no cloaked Tecius to take them onroute to board the PK.

The Admiral returned the salute to Governor. Traditionally, Starfleet did not offer salute to their officers but Hayes was still military and Mesu took the gesture as it was intended and even went so far as to return it. "Colonel Gabriel Hayes," Mesu spoke. "For service above and beyond the call of duty, for your leadership and undertaking of the most dangerous mission of destroying the Planet Killer and succeeding and for giving the human race the first moment of peace its known in 12 years, it is my pleasure to award to your the Legion of Honor."

Gabriel said nothing during the affair, following the instructions of the other award recipients. He focused on the Admiral's face and when properly dismissed after receiving the medal, fell back in line on stage. There was only one other man to receive the Legion award today and it was not lost on Gabriel that he had awarded that honor to the dead.

The Admiral offered the Colonel his congratulations before the man stepped back into line. The applause was once again thunderous and Mesu prided himself in making the right decision in regards to appointing the Colonel as Gaia's new Governor. After being shown how vulnerable they were, the people needed a hero and the Colonel had certainly proven that in the destruction of the Planet Killer, not to mention, this was a man with a strong tactical knowledge of terrestrial defense, something that starship captains lacked sorely.

Hayes training allowed him to wage war from the ground, not in space with warships and that meant it was on Gaia most of all that he was needed. The man probably couldn't see that and Mesu did not have the luxury of explaining it to him.

It was just the way things were.

"In recent days, our military forces, both MACO and Starfleet have shown us how vital is it for there to be cooperation. The defeat of the Klingons and the destruction of the Planet Killer could not have
been possible without the united efforts of both. Although we honor individual achievement here today, the truth cannot be denied that it was as one body that we struck back at our enemies and prevailed."
Taking a deep breath and bracing himself for the response, especially from the military, as civilians could not understand the significance, he continued with the rest of this prepared speech.

"When the Xindi threat was first perceived, we had not yet understood the danger they posed to us and so our response to form one cohesive fighting unit never came to pass. We were still trapped by old traditions, old prejudices. If nothing else, the events of the last 12 years had taught us we must forget those old ways. We are on precipice of something entirely new and to combat what comes next, we
must combat it together." Looking over his shoulder at the Captains assembled and even a last look at Hayes because some measure of guilt reminded the Admiral this decision had been made without him, Mesu spoke.

"As of this moment, the MACOs and Starfleet will exist under one banner. The MACOs, from this day will be known as the Starfleet Marine Corps. In all matters of internal and planetary security, the
Starfleet Marine Corps will have full jurisdiction. It will be the Marine Corps duty to guard Gaia against all foreign enemies. Starfleet's naval arm will exist as it does in its present incarnation but all matter relating to the defense of Gaia in the event of attack will be deferred to the Marine Corps under the
leadership of its supreme commander, in this case Governor Gabriel Hayes."

Twice.

Twice in one day and he never saw it coming. Nobody even gave him a head's up and it took what little sanity Gabriel had left to stand there, stock-still and give no reaction to the news as if he expected it all along.

StarFLEET Marines?!?

He looked like an ass up here, standing before all his men in the true position of Mesu's bitch whipping boy. No one was even warned, nor was there a proper goodbye party for the MACO symbol which had
accompanied their uniforms for the last twelve years. He looked like a brown nosed asshole who was taking it big time and asking for more. Oh God... Gabriel wondered just what else could go cluster
fuck wrong today and knock the wind out of his lungs without ever being hit. He had to do his duty, and duty before all meant to support his superior.

So he stood there giving no reaction other than strength and honor before all. Iron Bastard Colonel.

Gabriel wanted to turn and snap at both Archer and Mesu. If Archer knew about this, yet failed to 'mention' it.... just like this bullshit assignment no matter how much the Admiral may candy coat it
with pink, sugar plasticity... If... if... if... He felt sick. Sick to his stomach. The MACOs were what the sharks had left and while calling themselves Marines was fine, going under a label of FLEET was insulting.

The redhead being one of his men. The loss of Sloane. The retired desk job. And now the loss of the only symbol that made him feel proud. What the hell else were they going to pull on him? Gabriel blinked and looked at no one but noted the Gaian flag standing half- mast on the pole off in the distance. God's speed to those that needed it.

There was no applause and judging by the look on most of the MACOs' faces, he didn't expect they much liked the idea and so he continued, "the only change that will take place to the structure of the MACO during this changeover will be the name. Rest assured, there will be no other changes to the MACOs beyond this one aspect. The Shark will still represent the Marine Corps."

Although Mesu had no reason to explain, the faces of the MACOs and to some degree Starfleet personnel, demanded some kind of justification. "Following the Klingon invasion, Gaia is no longer a secret hidden," Mesu explained. "The Andorians and the Vulcans have jointly recognised our claim to the territories of Ceti Alpha, a large portion of the Mutara Sector, including Regula where we will soon begin the construction of our shipyards. As leading powers in the quadrant, the other races will soon follow. Tau Ceti is now known to the rest of the galaxy as the Gaian Territories. Very soon, we will have interstellar visitors, commerce and we must present to them a military force under one banner, capable of defending ourselves against the Xindi or any other attacker. To do that, we must adapt and my decision has come about because of this need. I am sure it will not be easy but change seldom is and we do this for the good of our people."

Deciding that this was an excellent time to call the ceremony to a close, as it would give the MACOs as well as Starfleet officers to digest the momentous news before the military ball this evening, the Admiral spoke up in conclusion "I thank you all for you attendance today in honoring our heroes and in heralding a new era for our people. We continue our celebrations through the day with the continuation of the street fairs generously conducted by our vendors and civilian authorities as well as the military ball this evening. To all the people of Gaia, I wish us all a new beginning."

The applause broke out again and as Mesu stepped away from the front of the stage, he saw that most of it was coming from the civilian population. The MACOs were clapping as well but their efforts seemed
half hearted, just like the Starfleet diehards who would undoubtedly take exception to this merging of their separate forces. Mesu took note of this and supposed the fallout would soon ensure but as he had
said earlier - things changed.

If Starfleet and the MACOs did not evolve then Gaia would not survive.

It was that simple.

He made no apologies for it.

*******

What?

Forget Sloane for the moment. Forget Ren's 'little' problem for the moment. Derick did a double take at the podium to Admiral Mesu, the news enough to shock him from years of military training. And as loud as the cheers had been earlier, the MACO's were deathly quiet.

Just like children, it was best to check on MACOs when they were quiet. Or duck and stay on the ground.

Of course, being a Gunny, Derick regained his presence quickly and looked immediately for one person, Tom even as he shushed the MACO's behind him.

"..Gunny, did he..."

"No more MACO?"

One look and a shake of his head silenced those around him as Derick watched the ceremony end, just like that, in growing anger.

Hooking it on the tail end like that was a chicken shit thing to do...the MACO's... now the Marine Corps??

Starfleet…Marine Corps??

Fuck that.

******

Tom Merrick looked up at the sky. He swept his gaze across the distant landscape. He could see Starfleet Command and the Barn. Beyond the Forest River, he could see the tops of Earth Quarter and framing this image was the magnificent Cochrane Hills and even further than that, the ranges that run down the length of the continent the colony had called home. Everything was normal. Clear sky, sunny day.

And hell had not frozen over.

How this could be on a day when Tom Merrick found himself in the same boat with Gabriel Loman Hayes was beyond the MACO….no, he thought with smoldering disgust, not MACO…MARINE….FUCKING STARFLEET MARINE…that’s what he was now. That’s what the Admiral had just called him and everyone one on Gaia who called themselves a MACO shark with pride, a Starfleet goddamn fucking MARINE. Tom was so angry he could spit but shifting his eyes to Hayes, he actually saw someone who was angry.

Well fuck me, Tom thought. Finally, we agree on this something.

This was bloody bullshit.

He had joined the MACOs, he had bled for the MACOs, and he had sworn to protect the human race, under the banner of MACOs. He was proud to be a Shark! Hell they all were! How it was such a decision could be made without any prior consultation. There was no way Hayes would gone along with this! The Iron Bastard wasn’t exactly his favorite person but Hayes loved the MACO even more than him. Despite the Colonel’s stony expression, Tom could tell that Hayes had not know, that he was maintaining that mask because he too was furious. For once, Tom wanted to go over to Hayes and shout at him to fucking do something but reality set in.

Hayes was just as powerless to prevent this as he had been to prevent his promotion to Governor.

Which meant the MACOs were screwed and he was now a fucking Starfleet Marine Captain?

Bloody marvelous.

Meeting Derick’s gaze, Tom could say nothing but was certain his expression said it all.

One eyebrow went up to answer Tom's unspoken comment and he shook his head minutely. Just as he could read Tom's face, Tom could read him. This was... ridiculous... why now? Why change the name now? Especially since so many had been lost under the MACO banner - and would want to be remembered that way? As MACO's, not as damn.. Starfleet.

Fuck a dead chicken.

Twice.

Keeping silent, he narrowed his eyes at Lorio and shook his head once, much like a parent would and could stop a child with one look. Derick was pissed, just as angry as the others and having them complain was something he didn't want to hear right now.

*******

Having heard everything right... the same as everyone else... once the crowd broke up, Kemp turned and looked for some camaraderie that wasn't worshiping the fucking Colonel and then some. Patting Lindsey on the shoulder, let the kid decide if he was trailing or not, Kemp headed over to parts of the Alpha Squad where he knew there would be some vocals going on in agreement with him if he took the initiative and jump started their tongues.

"Whoa, hey guys. Did I hear that shit properly," Kemp jerked a thumb towards the stage as he approached Gunny and his Captain. "Somebody get me a fucking drink so the alcohol can burn out the shit in my ears. I coulda swore I just heard some fucking bullshit about us becoming cock sucking Fleet baggers?"

He had a way with words, usually the way was foul to the ears, and Kemp crossed his arms looking at the two. "Some shit, huh?"

********

Keeping silent, he narrowed his eyes at Lorio and shook his head once, much like a parent would and could stop a child with one look. Derick was pissed, just as angry as the others and having them complain was something he didn't want to hear right now.

Tom almost dropped on his knees and thanked the almighty when Mesu ended the ceremony and he was allowed at last to leave the podium. Descending the stairs, he made his way to Derick, still reeling from the news. Alex was somewhere around but for some reason, he wasn't ready to find her just here. Or maybe, he just wasn't ready to admit that very soon, he'd have to acknowledge that he was her superior officer.

Almost near Derick, he sighted Kemp, one of the few people on the NX, aside from McRae that he could actually stand. When he was drinking heavily, it was usually Kemp who was one of his drinking mates and he could recall a lot of occasions when getting drunk was followed by their favorite drinking game, 'how much can the Colonel take up the rear'.

"I suppose we should have bloody seen it coming," Tom growled. For once, he was angry enough not to let his rank restrain him. "They've been treating us like second class citizens every since we joined up, I guess it was only a matter of time before they pulled us in line but fuck..." Tom shook his head. "Marines I could stand...but Starfleet marines? Sounds like we're fucking girls or something."

"It ain't girls it sounds like we're fucking...." Kemp looked at the Captain and knew he had come over here to good company. "They're making us out to be a bunch of pansy ass...." His eye caught something and he quieted down a little. "Yeah, well, you know. Bend over and take it Bitch Marine. That's what they'll be saying. You mark my words."

It had been too long without a smoke and he felt the pack in his uniform pocket itching. "I never saw it fucking coming... I'll tell you that much. It's one fucked up world today.... save the planet but take it right up the ass."

******

Their half heated applause and the look of stunned silence on many of its senior commanders made the Admiral wonder if he should have at least let Colonel Hayes on what was being decided for the MACOs. Despite the stoic expression on the man's face, well practiced the Admiral was certain, Mesu could tell the man was in the same state of shock as the rest of his Sharks and not for the first time, Elizabeth Richard's words came back to haunt the him regarding the decision to exclude the Colonel when this momentous decision was being made regarding the fate of the MACOs.

Mesu had not brought it up with Hayes earlier because he did not want to be talked out of it. Nothing would change his mind regarding this situation and a debate would only be a waste of time. The Admiral’s scope was far wider than the viewpoint exhibited by simplistic boundaries between Fleeters and Ground Pounders. Gaia had to be united in all things and this was but the first step. It was not to say that he wasn’t wiling to make concessions, he was and this time, he would do so with Hayes at the table.

As the crowd began to break up in Archer Square, Mesu intercepted the new Governor before he could move off the stage and discreetly.

“Mr. Governor, a word in private?”

Mr. Governor. The phrase was acid to his ears and Gabriel's already irritated soul narrowed his eyes. "Yes Sir." He was a fucking MACO and not some sleazy politician that kissed babies and stole their virginity.

Oh wait.

Fuck.

Following the Admiral, Gabriel remained forever the loyal cur and waited to be addressed.

The Admiral saw the shadow that fell over the Governor’s face when he used the man’s proper title and was somewhat bemused by his reaction to what was possibly the most important job on Gaia. “This way,” he said shortly, leading Hayes away from the podium and the dissipating crows to Starfleet Headquarters Building. Though decimated during the attack, the construction work to restore the building was swiftly. While not entirely completed with several sections still under construction, the building was a work in progress. The main body of the structure was already standing and would soon house the Governor and his staff. Mesu himself had officer on a different level of the three story building but it was to Hayes’ section of the building that he led the Governor to on this occasion.

“I thought you might like to see your office,” he remarked as they moved through the empty corridors before arriving at the reception bay where the Governor’s assistant would greet all callers. The reception bay was hexagonal in its shape, with an air luxuriant importance about it in its furnishing. Polished wood, fresh paint and the best furniture Gaia could afford. Pausing at the entrance, Mesu decided that this was private enough for them since everyone was at the ceremony or rather breaking up from the ceremony.

“Hayes,” he said not using the title that had caused so much disdain. “I apologies for springing on you and the MACOs the change in titles but I didn’t wish to be talked out of it.”

When the Admiral told him he wanted to show him to his new office, Gabriel felt himself become deflated and nodded, following along. There was little to no fight in him these days for she took it from him long before he realized it had been done. What did Mesu want him to say? To give forgiveness and reassurance that everything would be all right? An incline of his head, to acknowledge his superior, was all that was offered to the Admiral.

Hayes’s silence didn’t bode well for the conversation but the Admiral pressed on nevertheless because things needed to be said and Mesu was not afraid of clearing the air. “I won’t give you my reasons for absorbing the MACOs into Starfleet but I will say that it is necessary. There are changes ahead and Gaia’s defenses need to be seen as one unit, in this case Starfleet because it is most recognized off world and it is to the aliens that we must present a united front.” He said this in one breath and realized that subconsciously, he had been rehearsing it for some times. Perhaps in expectation of a moment like this. “As for the functioning of the MACOs, nothing will change. They are still under your direct command. The only difference is, if a MACO was to acquire the appropriate skills and qualifications, he may take up command level position on a starship. Other than that, everything else about the MACOs will remain status quo.”

"Yes Sir." Gabriel answered, keeping his voice even. Everything would not remain the same and deep down, Hayes knew it. He'd been around too much to know that what a superior officer said today could change tomorrow and now that everyone would be wearing the words 'Fleet', many things would change. The Admiral was a smart enough man to know that, but perhaps he was looking to the east of optimism too hard. Giving Mesu the out he must have desired, the MACO offered, "Thank you for explaining it to me Sir."

”We will be evaluating the ranking structures of your people,” the Admiral replied. “Some of your officers may need to be promoted in order to adjust align the ranking structures. Some of your captains may be promoted to Majors and vice versa.” Mesu didn’t feel any cooperation and supposed that considering the proverbial rug he had pulled out from beneath the Sharks’, he could understand Hayes’ reluctance to believe him or put much stock in his words. “ I want nothing else changed in the way the MACOs function. Hayes,” he paused and tried to sound earnest. “their defense of Gaia and performance to date is a credit to you. To change their functioning would be to lessen their value, I hope you see that.”

A dead pan stare, Gabriel was all to glad to reply, "The SMS, Starfleet Marines Sharks, will never lessen in value Sir. No one wants that and I will not allow for it."

“Good,” Mesu replied, reaching some equilibrium. “I’d suggest you get your officers together, explain the situation. The change is name only, nothing else. I cannot stress this enough. This is a necessary evil and in the end, the integration might actually improve the performance of our overall defensive capability.”

"I will take care of it Sir." Great. A talk with Sloane. Oh well. He'd arrange for the meeting. Riley and McRae. Merrick and Gonzalez. Everyone would need to support this from the higher ups, to the grunts to the recruiting office that would need to be excited about the SMS clean cut over change.

Perfect.

******

[Scribe]

"Tau Ceti is now known to the rest of the galaxy as the Gaian Territories. Very soon, we will have interstellar visitors, commerce and we must present to them a military force under one banner, capable of defending ourselves against the Xindi or any other attacker. To do that, we must adapt..."

The rest of Mesu's words got lost in the background as Sloane was busily trying to pick her jaw off the shiny podium floor.

Starfleet.

Bullshit.

Hadn't they just proven they were capable of defending themselves fine just as they were? A Klingon invasion and the Xindi Planet Killer no less. Wasn't that enough? What the hell was Mesu expecting next that Starfleet Bloody Marines could handle better than MACOs and Starfleet Security? This was so nonsensical Sloane wondered if her head was playing games on her because of the booze fest from the night before.

As her anger was ignited once more, Sloane started drilling holes in Gabe's head. This man was to become her favorite practice target ever. She was already seeing herself get one of the photographs she had of him ridiculously enlarged and printed for that purpose. Did the bugger know? Was it another blow he kept under his sleeve? Wasn't it enough to dump his men for a political career and a desk job he had to also sell them to the damn Fleeters?

All the MACOs around, and yes, even Starfleet personnel, were dumbfounded by this announcement and one didn't to be as bright as Cochrane to notice the news wasn't happily met. Sloane saw it clearly on the Intrepid's captain's face, Riley's, Gonzales', Merrick's, Brennan's, Reed's (actually he looked like he had eaten a bad oyster), Kemper's, Rickman's... and... and even Hayes. He hadn't known. That was clear to Sloane now.

Her anger shifted (and most likely the poster she would use for target practice - or maybe she'd used both). Bloody two-faced Mesu, waiting to have them all onstage to give everyone an accolade to their face while he would stab them in the back in the next breath.

Sloane let out a chuckle deridingly. What now? What was left? Gabe was gone. Boss, friend and the ol' pipe dream. Rickman would be on his way soon too. And now she was losing the Sharks. Her uniform. Her men. They would get amalgamated into Starfleet, integrated until nothing of the MACOs would remain. Stripped bare.

A decade ago, Sloane had had to move from the annihilated Earth Forces to what was left of the Military Assault Command Operations. Her whole squadron was gone and there weren't many options left for one pilot. The transition had not been an easy one in terms of ranks but also manners. The Air Force simply did things differently than the MACOs' Marine Corps way. But at the end of the day, under fire, Sloane gathered that the switch had been relatively smooth compared to what they faced now. At the time, it had been do or die and one military branch or another, as long as they fought the Xindi, soldiers were soldiers. With Starfleet, well, they weren't a military body as such, that was why the MACOs were needed in the first place. They were explorers and knew nothing of defense.

If defense of Gaia was what weighed on Mesu's mind, then why weren't they all uniting under the MACO Shark banner?

The speech ended, the subdued crowd started to disperse, and rather quickly Sloane hightailed out of there.

Enough was enough. Hang around there a bit longer and another bombshell was bound to hit.

******

This time, it wasn't Dougie Palmer, it was one Gabriel Loman Hayes, and Liz's eyes across the distance staring her down broke down Ren's defenses with as much ease as she had caved years ago. Ren didn't have to say the words but her expression spoke volumes.

"I'll be damned," Elizabeth muttered under her breath, a need to protect her sibling infusing her. How dare he? It was a feeling Elizabeth had not allowed herself in years, except in sometimes stepping in between Ren and their mother, and even that was no longer required since Ren had not entered the family home for the past four years.

At some point Ren would have to be thankful to Starfleet because without their officer training her older sister might have given into the urge to slap her new daddy-o across the face.

The ceremony carried on, of course, and Elizabeth kept herself and her outward reactions in check. But that didn't stop her from observing. She was seeing the Colonel in a totally different light and she didn't like what she saw. The diehard MACO now a politician. The by-the-book officer now a skirt chaser. And not just any skirt! One of his own. One who was young enough to be his daughter. Also, Elizabeth had never thought Hayes would have gone for the desk job. Not in a million years. Then again, was Renee the reason he agreed to a planet-side position so easily?

Her gaze found his right-hand man... well, his former right-hand man, and Elizabeth thought it would be hard to see the pair a pair no more. Even among Starfleet you rarely heard of one without the other. Hayes and McRae, McRae and Hayes. MacHayes was a fitting nickname. Did McRae know of his indiscretions? It was neither here nor there, Elizabeth figured. Had he been bedding his second in command he would have been out of line all the same but at least Elizabeth sensed that Sloane McRae could have handled it... handled him. The ghost of David Satler was still present for Elizabeth when she looked at Renee and that alone was probably reason enough to see this whole affair as ill-fated. As cold and stuck up Renee surely thought of Elizabeth, there was a sentimental side to Elizabeth that couldn't forget that had things been different, she would be an aunt today.

Shrugging that sense of loss that still tugged at the heart of the Richards family, Elizabeth surmised that Renee was probably able to handle Hayes after all. You didn't go through what her sister had without toughening up. She had made it as MACO, a decorated Corporal no less, and that was something to be proud of. Elizabeth had tried to tell her sister that many times but communicating on the same wavelength for her and Ren was quasi-impossible.

Mesu dropped his other megaton bomb and, as busy as Elizabeth had been with figuring out what exactly her sister had gotten herself into, she forgot to act surprised. It took all but half a second for her First Officer to notice and the look he gave her managed to make her quite uncomfortable. Joshua Allen clearly felt betrayed to have been kept in the dark and Elizabeth would have to go do some damage control.

The proceedings finished and, everyone dismissed, the crowd started to dispersed. Finally free to move, Elizabeth walked down the steps and didn't bother to look back to see Hayes being ushered off by Mesu. She saw Claybourne busy talking with some of his crew so Elizabeth took the opportunity to go find Renee.

If it wasn't for the fact that she was coping with news almost as devastating, Ren would have shared the dismay that her fellow Sharks did at learning that the MACOs were being pegged with a Fleet moniker. She had her own reasons for disliking any Starfleet position. That meant that Liz was really her superior officer and that just sucked. Ren had nothing against her older sister, other than what dear old mom had been harping on about for years and half the reason that Ren had run to the MACOs in the first place, was because it was as far away from Starfleet as she could possibly get. So that mom couldn't keep comparing her failure to Liz's spectacular successes.

Instead her brain was still swirling in the fog that last night she had done the Iron Bastard himself..thrice and in the process jeopardized both their careers. She saw him being led away from the podium by the Admiral and for one brief moment, Ren actually thought the C n C of Starfleet Command had guessed and was dragging him off to face the music, which meant the axe would soon descend upon her too. Suddenly, Ren was very attached to her Corporal's stripes.

So engrossed was she in this thought, she barely noticed her sister's approach.

"Congratulations," Elizabeth said, really making an effort to hold on to her decision, which was of not quizzing Renee on whom she chose to 'socialise' with. And she meant the Star Cross, not the lay. Clearing her throat when she realized her word could be misconstrued for either, Elizabeth gave Ren a sheepish smile. What was the point of trying to ignore that big elephant in the room?

Ren almost cursed out loud when she realized that Liz was upon her and that there was no where to run. "Thanks," Ren managed to say somewhat quietly, "I don't know how much of a celebrating there's going to be after what we just heard." Hopefully Liz would think that her unhappy expression had to do with the MACO's name change rather than its commanding officer....now Governor...god could this get any worse.

Oh well. Looked like little sis wanted to try and carry on ignoring it. Elizabeth could play along. She just hoped their parents hadn't caught on anything that might have transpired on that stage.

"I agree. Quite a bad note to finish the ceremony on, isn't it?" Definitely a poor choice on Mesu's part and once again Elizabeth couldn't fathom what went on in that head of his. Should she bother mentioning she had fought for the MACOs to remain MACOs? Ren would probably see it as Elizabeth wanting to keep the Starfleet ranks pure...

"Well, we'll deal," she shrugged and that was the truth too. MACOs were if nothing resilient. "It should be all that surprising though, we were always something Starfleet got stuck with, I guess it was just a matter of time. Just didn't think Colonel...." the word caught in her throat for a second almost involuntarily, "would let it happen without so much as a fight."

Elizabeth nearly nodded her kudos to how well Renee was doing, even risking the mention of his name. It had all come out almost flawlessly. Almost. Feeling a wave of sympathy for her sister, she commented, "I think Colonel Hayes learned of this at the same time you did. A brilliant move from Mesu to avoid any sparks was to have him centre stage when he broke the news. Brilliant if cowardly..."

"I don't think," she swallowed, trying to get a grip here because she was so close to shattering under Liz's stare. "I don't think he would have agreed to it. Not willingly. What I've known of the man, he's a shark through and through." Sure, she knew him. She knew him so well she thought he was a fucking Fleeter the night before. Ren had come to the conclusion that when it came to men, she knew jack.

Oh, believe me, Renee, he wouldn't have, Elizabeth wanted to say. She knew that much about the man even if it seemed, after this morning, that was all she knew. One thing she realized she had missed earlier came apparent to her now...

"You didn't know who he was...?" Elizabeth risked saying. There was no condescension in her tone, just what she hoped for once her sister would understand as support.

Fuck. Ren shot her sister a look. Oh who was she kidding? It was goddamn Dougie Palmer all over again, that snotball spitting twerp. "Of course I didn't know who he was." Ren said through gritted teeth. "He's an officer for god's sake. He just didn't look like one. Christ, I can't believe I didn't recognize him." She let a bit of vulnerability show.

At the thought of Hayes looking anything but an officer, Elizabeth had to bite her bottom lip not to chuckle. Could he really pull that off or had Ren been blind drunk? Shaking her head slightly, she took another chance with Renee and that was to put her arm around her shoulders. "The good news, I suppose, is that he is now Governor. Not exactly what you'd call your direct superior officer..." she tried to calm her somewhat.

"Close enough," Ren said, not pulling away from the arm that was draped over her shoulder and realising to her surprise that Liz wasn't giving her grief or lecturing but instead was sounding....sounding like she was trying to help. It should have surprised her but it did not. Ren knew her sister had been making overtures for some time now and it was mostly their mother that made it so hard for Ren to accept the gesture. "If it gets out, corporals are expendable, governors are not. Besides, I figured he was Fleet. The MACOs I know are never well mannered, not to mention I can't even remember the last time I even saw the man face to face."

Elizabeth nodded, understanding Renee's concerns. There wasn't much else she could do or say. Fraternizing was never a good idea, and for Elizabeth, even if it was permitted, she saw her relationship with Claybourne as a dangerous one for that very reason. "I guess it comes down to how serious you two are..."

She couldn't believe she was actually saying this, but in her book, it was always the superior rank that was at fault, not the other way around. It's Hayes she would see his ass nailed to the wall if she saw any harm come Renee's way because he couldn't keep it in his pants.

"Serious?" Ren almost laughed. "He had no idea who I was. I was some girl he met. I didn't tell him I was MACO and he said he was a politician!" She burst out before lowering her voice quickly. "The first time he realized he bagged a corporal was when he had to hand me that fucking medal."

Elizabeth cleared her throat once more as she threw a cursory glance around to make sure Mother wasn't around or worse, within earshot. "So I gather this was a one night indiscretion you two won't repeat. I doubt anyone will really look into it. Thank your stars and move on," Elizabeth said, looking at her sister closely. "That is, if you can..." Please say that you can, she repeated to herself, not totally unaware of her sister's reputation as a man-eater. Why would this one be any different?

And that was it, wasn't it? Forget it and move on. The part that really struck in Ren's craw because she hadn't planned to make this one a one night discretion. This one, she had wanted to see again. "I don't have much of a choice anymore, even if I did want to see him again. We were going to meet again but now..." she paused. "Yeah..." Ren nodded after a few seconds. "I can."

Aw hell. Elizabeth heard the warning bells but didn't want to have Ren think that once again she knew better. In fact, Elizabeth didn't necessarily, at least not in that area. If Renee thought she could let go, why burst that bubble? Maybe she would work extra hard at it to make it happen even if her hesitation just now spoke volumes to the contrary. It was plain to see she liked him. A lot. "I'm sorry you two got along, Ren, really I am."

"Well, Liz," Ren managed a smile, rather cold, hollow one. "If nothing else, I am consistent. I still apparently have the worst luck when it comes to men. I'll be fine," she said after a moment. "I'll deal. That's what MACOs do."

And for that Elizabeth wished that Mesu had also had the idea of dropping those rules of old... give her sister a break. But was Hayes really for her? Gabriel Loman Hayes? For Christ's sakes. Elizabeth couldn't get over it.

Nodding, Elizabeth returned the smile with a pained one. "If you ever need to talk..." There was nothing worse than being caught in something like this with no one to talk to due to its need to be kept behind closed doors.

"Thanks, Liz," Ren said gratefully but she knew that it was too much too soon. Liz had caught her at a weakened moment and Ren had opted to trust her with a fairly big secret but Ren wasn't certain she was able to confide in Liz like they did before David. Those bridges would take a long time to rebuild even if Liz did throw her the occasional life line. "I appreciate it, I really do."

"Anytime." Changing the subject, Elizabeth nodded to their left. "I think dad wants a word with his favorite," she teased. Mother was busy chatting with some officials so Elizabeth figured her father was really hoping Ren would go to him. "I'll see you at the ball."

"Yeah, I think I could spare a moment for the old man," Ren replied and then felt her stomach hollow because that was what some of the MACOs called the Iron Bastard. Her life just sucked. Searching the field for Aidan Richards, she saw him a moment later. "Thanks, Liz," she said again.

"No problem." Stepping away, Elizabeth looked for Allen and then she would catch up with Claybourne for lunch.

*************

Thinking she was making good her escape, Sloane had to slow down when she spotted Merrick zeroing on her.

Crossing the floor, Tom came up to the Major. "McRae," Tom said, "me and the lads are going to have a farewell drink at the Beasts before the Ball tonight, you coming?"

"More drink?" Sloane asked with a wink. "After this bloody piece of news you can count me in."

Would Hayes be there? At this stage, Sloane was so stunned (and still hangover) that she didn't really care.

"Yeah, count me in." Looking around with a bleary eye at all the disgruntled MACOs, she added, "But for now I need to hit the sack. Beauty sleep and all. I'm not twenty anymore..."

"Who is," Tom chuckled and let her get on her way.

Returning to the stage area, the MACO Captain sought out of Hayes. If the looks they were trading during the ceremony were any indication, Tom did not think that McRae would be passing on the message to the Colonel and really if there was to be any farewell to the MACOs tonight. He ought to be there or at least make an appearance. A few minutes of searching and Tom was ready to believe he had missed the man when he saw the Admiral and the Colonel emerge from Starfleet Headquarters Building. Waiting until the Admiral had gone his way, Tom intercepted Hayes before he too could vanish.

"Governor," he started to say and knew that Gabe would hate it. "Colonel, can I have a word with you?"

"Call me Colonel, Merrick." Gabriel's voice was laced with indifference that he could not quite pull off today as only that label 'Governor' could bring forth. He had caught the Captain speaking with the Major and further glanced out at his men hanging around. Kemp with that Gunny. Today really could become worse.

Well he called that right. "I guess it must take some getting used too," Tom said with genuine sympathy. Christ, he thought inwardly, and I thought I was miserable back in the day. It was odd how hating a person for so long could give you fresh insight into his psyche when not viewed through so much bias. The stunned expression seemed to have taken root in the Colonel and to Tom, he had the look of someone who was seeing the world like some surreal nightmare. When he had first been given an officer's commission after being forced to space fellow crew mates on the Rutherford, Tom imagined he worn the same expression. "I'd offer my congratulations but I don't want to offend."

A nod, coming off near magnanimous, Gabriel accepted the words, "Thank you Captain. Your words are appreciated." Hayes was not trying to keep his words short but his habitual dealings were coming through. "Congratulatory praise must be offered in return. Gaia company held quite their own against the Klingon invasion. Your teams should be very proud of what they accomplished."

"Thank you Colonel," Tom said remembering once they used to refer to each other a little more personally. It was his drunken behavior that had closed that door. Would that gesture be thrown back in his face if he made an attempt at friendship or just reminiscing on old times, better times? Only one way to find out. "Long way from Fort Bragg isn't it, Gabe?" He said rolling his eyes across the square. "Things were a lot simpler when you were my lieutenant and I was your Gunny Sgt."

At every turn, the day was becoming a cloud to a lightening storm. "Yes." Hayes forced himself to not react. "They often have a way of doing that Tom."

He noted the tension in the man's voice but it was offset by the personal use of his name. "I'm sorry they did this to you Gabe, its not right. You should be up on the NX but if it makes any difference, we - meaning your men down on Gaia, we're glad to have you here nevertheless."

There was not much he could say, or rather, was willing to discuss so Gabriel nodded with a fitting, "Thank you." A glance at Merrick, the beaten down wolf shared a glance that for now, his fire had been doused and he was in no condition or mood to continue discussing his current situation. "That is kind of you to say."

Hayes was at a loss for words and did not recognize himself, wanting only to get away. "My apologies, but if you'll excuse me."

"Gabe," Tom spoke up before he left, "uhmm...the men are gathering at the Beasts before the ball to have a farewell drink for the Sharks. It would mean a lot to them and not just Gaia Company but to the spacers as well if you could uhmm... attend." It just occurred to Tom what limitations might be put on his time now that he was Governor. He would have to be present for that horse and pony show tonight.

As he began to turn away, the Colonel had slowed in his tracks before turning his head and looking right at Merrick. Whatever the man might be thinking, it was not revealed. "I'll be there."

"Great," Tom said with a grin. "Thank you Colonel." He added, allowing the man to keep going. He wanted to be alone or away, considering, the nature of their past relationship, Tom couldn't blame him if it was the latter.

"Captain." He inclined his head and took the path of least amount of people, and for Governor Hayes being able to walk away without having to be stopped by anyone would be the first right thing that occurred today.

******

Her hair was red. Her DOB was twenty seven years ago.

She arrived on Gaia from the ship 'Robinson' and according to the logs, lost a baby to their comm officer.

Nice.

Gabriel Loman Hayes, new Governor of Gaia, had made his way out of Archer's Square but not without being stopped by Councilman, Civilians, and military alike along the way. He did not join with any of his men, say the ones that came up to shake his good hand. The invitation from Merrick was on the table and while Hayes had every intention of honoring it, there was other business to attend to.

He only glanced once in her direction, taking in the Corporal uniform as she stood amongst her squad before returning his attention to a Councilman Banks. The man seemed to be the one person present today who was honest to goodness glad Hayes the MACO was here. MACO. Mesu's attempt at ironing things over was so pathetic but it did illustrate a very important situation to the Colonel: He, Gabriel Hayes, was so stunned by the events of today that he hadn't even the will to fight back. He could have asked to speak freely, like the loyal soldier he was, but Gabriel hadn't it even in him today. Too much was spinning out of control and he needed to regain that control.

Somehow.

Somewhere.

So Hayes did what he did best: Once free to the leeches and mouths, he went into his hover craft where a driver awaited and rapped the side of the vehicle so the driver would go from the back seat. From there, he pulled up her information.: Renee Lauren Richards. Ren. Height 5.7 meters. Hair Red. Eyes Green weighing in at a moderate 117lbs. Or so it was seven years ago when she enlisted. Born in New York City, New York. USA. Earth. Twenty-seven years ago.

Gabriel felt sick to his stomach.

She was stationed on New Earth Gaia's MACO facility and had been a part of Alpha Squad. Her specialty was sharp shooting.

He guessed she missed the mark on him last night.

Continuing to read the file, Gabriel felt a wrong sense of normalcy overcome him for the more he read into her file the more his quaking soul settled. This felt right. This felt like he was in control. Learning about Renee Richards his way, since finding out about her being a MACO Corporal the other way did him no good. He spun right off the charts, taking his head and clear thinking. No, learning about her like this was best and it returned a sense of fight into his blood stream that had been vacant on and off for the past week.

Reading her file from start to finish again, Gabriel returned to his holy lands.

MACO BARRACKS
Later that Day….

Not going out.

She was going to stay in here forever.

Knees curled under her chin, Ren sat on her bunk inside her barracks, the blue silk gown staring at her accusingly from where it was draped across the back of the chair, demanding that it be put on.

So not going there, Ren thought. He would be at the ball and after his reaction this morning, Ren was not going anywhere near him. As it was, she was waiting for the axe to fall. She wasn't sure how but Ren knew it was coming. Resolved to stay in this room, Ren told herself that whilst in here, she was safe because out there, out there he was waiting; ready to shred her career to pieces with a military issue rapier.

The light was on in Ren's room.

Dressed in the more formal uniforms of the MACO's, Derick had been to the ball and back already, though it was still early. He'd been long enough to find Sampson and determine that Ren had kept herself shut in her room all day long and had made no effort to get out. Hell, Derick would bet money on Ren not
leaving her bed.

Walking into the women's barracks, he nodded and smiled to the group of women heading out in their finery, a pleasing scent following in their wake. Ren's door wasn't far down the hallway and stopping in front of it, Derick checked his watch. He should have plenty of time to make it back and while he couldn't
take Sloane as his date.... he wanted to see her all the same.

But first... he had to deal with this situation. The joys of leadership. He believed Ren when she said she hadn't recognized Hayes. It was possible... she'd never served with the man, had probably been in the same room with him three times since she enlisted... so he believed her. On the flipside, Derick found that Hayes was probably in the same boat. After all, done up and with her hair down, Ren looked like she belonged on the cover of some skin mag and not in a MACO uniform. There was also the one-night stand syndrome. He'd been there easily... you get in that mindset and you don't think to ask questions, to get to know the person a little bit. He'd been there, definitely, waking up the next morning to some girl telling him to get out before her husband came home.

Hindsight was perfect though, wasn't it? Knowing his friend, Derick knew sitting in here all day hadn’t' done her any good. Sighing, he knocked on the door, instead of hitting the chime. "Ren?" he called.

Aw hell....the one person she couldn't tell to go away. Not after he had stood by her today and certainly when he was covering for her what was a pretty big break in regs. With a heavy sigh, Ren spoke out. "Come in."

Moving inside once the door was opened, Derick let it shut before he said anything. He'd been on the money; she looked like she wasn't going anywhere.

Giving Ren a sympathetic grin, he dropped into the chair by her bunk. What to say? Not much.. and nothing sounded right. "You been in here all day?"

"Pretty much," she shrugged. "Can't think of anywhere I want to go really."

Derick nodded. "So." Looking up at her, he leaned back in the chair. He'd been working on this all day, having the foresight to have a good guess. "What are you more shocked at? That it's Hayes? Or that you had such a good time?"

"That its Hayes of course!" She exclaimed. "Here is this guy I liked, the first one I might add I've liked in quite awhile and he turns out not only to be a freaking MACO but THE freaking MACO!"

"Ok..." Derick replied with a nod, wondering how he was going to go about this. One didn't spend all day pondering the subject of being with a superior officer without some kind of answer and yet, the only one Derick came up with was 'go for it'. But then again, to tell her anything different would be hypocritical... And if anything, he was not that.. would not be that to his friends and his soldiers. "You like him, huh?"

And that was really the part that bit worst of all. She did like him. She liked him a lot. "I did...I do." She answered reluctantly. "For all the good it does me now."

"And you haven't talked to him at all?" He was going to burn in hell.. but then that had been determined ages ago. "He hasn't called?" Probably not, but it never hurt to ask.

"No," she shook her head and then rolled her eyes because that was half the problem with her and Gabe, the facade they had presented for each other. "He said he was a politician, I said was a civilian," she shrugged. "Didn't see any harm in it. I mean you know how some civvies are around us MACO women...okay maybe you don't know but its awkward. Most civilian men aren't that comfortable around a woman who can shoot a MULK at a thousand yards and wiped the floor with them. So I lied. I didn't tell him where I lived or gave him my number. We just agreed to meet tonight."

True… he didn’t' really know. "Alright. Are you?" It was a simple question but Derick was building up to something... something only a few people knew. "I don't care, you know..."

"I don't know," she replied. "Would he want to see me? God can you imagine what he would say. I'm trying to decide whether or not to show up at the Beasts or at the Ball. I might be able to speak to him if I did. If nothing else, to come up with a story. I don't think anyone saw us together but this colony isn't all that big..."

She had a point, but Derick wasn't going to emphasize it. Ren didn't need that. "You need to get this over with. You know that." Easy for him to say. His was already over with and hopefully, he'd be seeing Sloane tonight.

Swallowing thickly, Ren made a decision, her eyes shifting to the dress draped over the chair. "I know," she nodded. "I've got to get off my ass and go to the Beasts for the Sharks farewell and try him at the ball later. I have no idea how a corporal is going to be able to get five minutes alone with the goddamn governor but I figure in civvies, I might not attract as much attention."

"Good thinking... besides," Derick gave her a sideways grin. "If you go in that dress, Jazz wins $5 from Lorio, who bet you'd wear your uniform," he joked.

"Look, I'll be there. If you need to talk, signal me somehow, okay?"

"Well you I can talk to without getting into trouble," she frowned. "I'm going to wear the dress if for no other reason, to look like a damn civvie when I approach him. And the guys bet on me?" She shook her head. I'm going to kick their ass."

Nodding, Derick chuckled. "Look. It's up to you, but the sooner you two talk, the easier it will be on you both, whatever you decide. Just... remember to keep it quiet."

Now she gave him a look, "really Gunny," said getting off her bed and picking up her dress from the chair and hanging it up so it wouldn't be too rumpled. "I'm not going to be screaming from every bell tower I landed the Governor you know."

"Well, make sure you don't or I won't tell you who I'd like to scream about." It was a tease... but Derick knew if anyone could keep a secret, it would be Ren.

Next to Tom, she was easily one of his better friends.

"Oh please, like its a secret. Even the Xindi you've been crushing on the Battle Bitch since forever." She shook her head grabbing a towel. "Now unless you want to join me for a shower, get out."

"Hey!" Derick sat up, glowering at her. "It could not be her!" he said after a slight pause. "And how the fuck do you know.. you didn't know this morning..."

"That you've been lusting after the woman forever, who doesn't know?" Ren looked at him. "You really should move on, you know. I mean not that I'm anyone to talk, but the Major is too smart for you."

Now it was his turn to smirk and/or gloat and Derick shrugged one shoulder, trying play it nonchalant. "Well.. you know. Majors.. Gunnies.. it would never... work out...." he said. "So what.. you don't think it could have been the Major? Who I was coming back from this morning? If not, then who?" he asked, grinning at her.

"I don't know," Ren said stepping into the bathroom and shutting the door just enough so that she could disrobe out of sight. "Maybe that girl at the new cafe. Cyndil or something..."

"Haven't seen her. You have two more choices," Derick replied, politely turning around so he wouldn't see in the door.

"Okay not Bridget," Ren remarked, stripping down and turning on the shower, "and even you have too much taste for Candi and Brandy. What about baby sister?"

"She's fifteen!!" Derick replied in disgust, rolling his eyes. "Even I have better sense than that...one more guess!"

"Hey...I have two words for you," she hollered. "Leather...shorts. Its not some Fleeter is it? Does Commander Styles have a friend?" She asked before ducking under the water.

"That was low and no, it's not a Fleeter... only Tom is man enough for that," Derick chuckled, enjoying this. "Your name is mud Rumplestilskin," he said, checking his watch. He'd told Julian he'd meet him at a certain time. "Hey, will you be alright if I take off?" he hollered.

"Well I was hoping you'd come in here and scrub my back but I'll live if you go," Ren shook her head as she ducked her head beneath the sprinkling water from the showerhead, closing her eyes before she went under and reaching for the shampoo at the same time. She was going to be a little late arriving to the Beasts and then to the ball but Ren didn't think anyone would notice.

"You wish!" he shot back and got to his feet. "See ya there!" With that, Derick headed out, making sure to lock Ren's door on his way out.

[Scribe]

THE SLAIN BEASTS TAVERN
New Earth Colony, Gaia
3rd October 2165 - After 6 pm

Stepping into the Beasts, Ren saw the Colonel immediately. She noticed him at a table occupied by Zeta Squad and quickly looked away. This was not the place to approach him. Although in all honestly, Ren was hard pressed to find any place on Gaia that was actually a 'good' place to approach the leader of the MACOS....grrr...Marines. Shed couldn't bring herself to use the word Starfleet. Despite the horror that was her personal life at present, Ren was still enough shark to appreciate the anger felt by her comrades in the name change. Entering the bar, she was immediately the subject of wolf whistles, thanks to the fact that she planned on going to the ball and was dressed for it.

"Grow you assholes," she grumbled as she went to the bar.

"Hey Fabien, how about a shot?"

"Don’t' you look as pretty as a picture?" Fabien said in that thick accented voice of his.

Fabien was probably the only person who could say that to her and not get hit so Ren managed a smile and a blush that made her feel like she was fifteen again. "Thank you." She replied searching over the crowd and coming to rest briefly on Gabe. Forcing her eyes away, she faced Fabien again. "I think I'm a bit overdressed for this crowd though," she uttered a short laugh.

"Ah, you bring some class into the place," the big man replied as he poured her a drink.

"Jesuz girl!" Jazz announced his presence by a slap on her rump as he came alongside of her in the bar.

Ren looked at him. "Jazz, did I miss the memo that said you had a death wish?"

"Aw come on," the private responded with a decidedly plaintive whine, "what do you expect when you come in here looking like ten different kinds of honey?"

"And still you keep riding that bullet," her green eyes narrowed in calculation. "Besides, next time, you bet on me, do it for more than five bucks and I get fifty percent of the take."

Jazz laughed, "sure, sure," he grinned. "You do look fine though Corporal. You going to the ball with anyone special or you just dressed like this to make us all drool?"

Glancing in the Colonel's direction, Ren picked up her shot and downed it like a pro. "Nope," she said. "No one special."

*******

Clad in an evening gown, Sloane walked in with most of the NX-01 MACO contingent in tow. Yep, spacers. And yep, like their brothers the goundpounders, they too, as of tomorrow, would be called Starfleet Marines. Some had the craziest, stupidest ideas. Just the thought of it made her gag, and after all they had done for the damn colony, its people and Starfleet itself, it left a very bad taste in her mouth... which probably explained this need to be at Fabien's tonight to wash that taste away.

Well, in part. For most it was to drown their sorrows, to say farewell to their MACO identity. For others it was to garner some courage for the ball they had to go to afterwards. Some courage or numbness. For Sloane, it was all of the above. As a major, no matter how she felt about all this, she had to suck it up and act respectable. Hell, she had to set an example. Even in a room full of Starfleet folk. Even face to face with Archer and Mesu. But before she would go and play nice, she would spend some time with her men and give the MACO name the goodbye it was due.

Nods were given to Alpha and Zeta squads, but the NX-01 gang went to join Intrepid's and Excelsior's, who were already sprawled in the area near the pool tables. Pats on the back and words of commiseration were exchanged as they pulled up a pew. Sloane didn't plan on drinking much. Even after an afternoon nap, her liver had not quite yet recovered from the night before, but share in a few she would.

Drinks were ordered, the major's first round of many, and Sloane sat back, letting her gaze capture the sight the Beasts offered. Its atmosphere was quite different than the norm too. Subdued and decidedly morose. She saw Hayes there, already forsaking his NX roots and sitting with McDanniels' men, but didn't acknowledge him any more than she did the others. Merrick and Rickman hadn't showed yet, she noticed, but it was good to see most people there. Some of Charlie's squad and Outrider's too.

As the round of drinks was brought to the tables, Sloane fought the other grabbing hands for a beer and raised it.

"To the MACOs."

********

Derick stood out the building Alex lived... well, now Alex and Tom because lets face it, Gunny. Once Tom Merrick chose to move in with someone, it would take a ship full of C4 to get him to move. Even then, that probably wouldn't do it.

Sticking a finger under his collar again, Derick gave his formal blues a once over. Despite the fact that Tom was his closest friend, he still couldn't give up his training that said look your best, check your uniform, especially in front of two officers. He let his eyes linger on the shark insignia, with the proud letters M.A.C.O. underneath. End of an era, he supposed... an era that had no right to be ended.

Cracking his neck, he headed inside and hit the chime at Alex's door. His duty to Gaia was not to complain, not to be sour... he was a leader, dammit and sometimes that meant doing things.. or supporting ideas you didn't necessarily deem right.

As expected, the door chimed shortly after Alex had disappeared into the shower and Tom went to the door long enough to activate its opening before he peeked his head through the door of the bathroom. Pausing a moment to admire the view, Tom saw Alex's silhouette through the frosted glass. Who'd ever thought that he'd be in a position to think a commander had a great ass? Smirking at the thought, he tapped on the glass cubicle and was rewarded by her wet face poking out of the door.

"What?" She asked, droplet of water dripping down the wet tendrils of hair.

"I'm off," he replied, "Derick is here. I'll be back to pick you up in about an hour or so."

"Don't forget to throw a dart at Admiral Mesu's picture for me," she smiled as she leaned forward for a quick kiss.

"Will do," he said returning the kiss before leaving the room, closing the door behind him as he went to greet Derick.

Moving inside, just as Tom disappeared, Derick chuckled, trying to hide his smirk. "Hey," he said, nodding a greeting. "She's not coming to the Beast's?" he asked.

"Would you?" He looked at Derick, "if you wore a Starfleet uniform. Makes what the girl faced on that bloody Klingon ship look tame in comparison," Tom said grabbing the hat to the toffy dress uniform he had to wear.

"Good point," Derick chuckled, letting it fade into a frown as he glanced at the shark insignia again. "We're keeping the shark right?" he asked, having forgotten in everything that happened that day. Ren.. Geesuz H. Christ. Poor girl... at least she was going. Having left once she hit the showered, Derick had made a promise to himself to be there for her tonight. Moral support. And then there was Sloane. Time had passed, too much by Derick's standards and yeah, okay. He missed her. Tough Mars Rat, my ass.

"I think so," Tom replied, uncertain about anything. "There'll probably be a debriefing at some point from Hayes..." at that thought, Tom's shoulder slumped. "Christ, he'll be stationed here on aia...permanently." Fuck.

"Well, let's hope he's too busy with the civvies to bother you," Derick replied, thinking this was not how this night should be. Not... depressing. "We'll manage. MACO's always do."

"I suppose," Tom said trying not to be too glum. His mood had not been improved by the fact that his girlfriend was now working for Gabe and she wasn't terribly thrilled either. Worst yet, Tom hadn't told her just how difficult the man could be. "Everything’s going to change, I bloody know it."

"We'll manage," Derick replied with a nod, fatally optimistic on this one. Worse things had tried to break his spirit and had failed. "Come on. Let's go get high on club soda and go to this... ball... " Worse things yes... a military ball... horrifying.

“Club soda…” Tom groaned. “My life sucks...” However, despite his bitching, he knew that he’d have to put on a brave face for the men when he arrived at Beasts. How could he expect them to put on a brave face if he couldn’t?

Seeing the kid, Kemp nodded and came down the rest of the way, getting patted on the back from that half of the room because their favorite loud mouth ringmaster was present. "Yeah, yeah. I know. This place ain't nothing without me drinking you all under the table and showing ya how it's done." Wrapping an arm around Richards, he began to drag her towards Lindsey's little 'freshman' utopia. In her ear, enough to embarrass her to him but not for the crowd, Kemp flirted, "Come give the privates a wet dream Ren. And while you're at it, toss a good one in there for me too. One where your naked and stretching those fine legs of yours. Wide open and near dripping with red curls." There was a sense of smarts to not grab at her or pinch her ass. Those heels looked mighty pointy.

“Jesus Christ,” she looked at him with her jaw open for a moment, “I think you’ve got that wet dream well,” she glanced down and winked, “in hand without any help from me but if it makes you feel any better,” she blew him a kiss. “Just imagine I’m puckering up to take you around the world.”

He watched the Major enter and noted that she seemed in about the same mood as earlier today at the ceremony. Oh well. Joke em if they can't take a fuck. That was another motto he decided to wear tonight and continued on his roll of ignoring the higher ups. They were all marines here tonight. No ranks. Well, near no ranks. Kemp smirked as he walked.

Lindsey felt his pulse jump a bit at the fact that Kemp was steering Corporal Richards their way but he wasn’t so wrapped up in that thought to knot laugh at man’s antics. “Will someone give him a drink, he’ll only get louder!”

Fortunately, it looked like Alver was stepping up to the plate on that score.

"Bout fucking time somebody ponied up." Kemp grinned, reaching out to grab Alver's elbow in a non-shaking sort of gripped greeting. He had a lot of aggression to work out between his fucking girlfriend, that fucking ass Tobin and getting an undeserved medal today. What was better than to act like he was on top of the world and didn't give a damn?

It was a place visited often.

What will …” Sydney started to ask when she paused and stared at him. This was the hottie at the square today? He looked much better when he shut up. “Uh…what will be Marine?” Sydney recovered her composure and asked a second later.

He tried to cattle round with Richards over to Petey, while all but dragging his drink ticket of Alver with him. "You taking the order Missy?" Kemp smirked at Sydney, while winking at Bridget who had remained pouring from the taps. Alver’s had order the blonde from out behind the bar but she seemed to think this brunette chick worked here and could help him. "Or you just buying? If you're the kind of girl that likes to take it, then make it Fabien's tallest pint because this bastard's buying." Craig began to wrestle with Alver’s a little, a harmless arm over his shoulders, about to get him in a head lock wrestle.

Christ on a crutch, Sydney rolled her eyes and retorted, “one pint for Blondie, right” she said heading towards the bar, wondering if she was going to need a life preserver to not drown in so much testosterone.

Yes, he had a lot of aggression to work out and his usual wasn't here for him to take it out on.

“OH FOR FUCK SAKE,” Tom Merrick announced himself as he entered the tavern with Derick Rickman , “will someone take the Spacer out back and blow him? Jesus, Kemp haven’t they ditched you out an airlock yet?”

A glance at the Captain, Kemp smirked and hollered back, "Yeah. Somebody take this Spacer out back and blow em! He's in need and is deserving of it! " His hands were pointing to himself and grinning like the cocky bastard he was. "Not out an airlock yet," he glanced over to where the Major was standing and was wise to not hold the look, "But give it time man. Give it time."

Another cocky grin was offered to Merrick.

His arrival coincided with Lorio, Anderson and a good portion of Gaia company cheering, after all he was the man who called this little shindig together. “Alright, its good to see that you guys know how to fucking party,” Tom said as he paused just before the bar, “I was kind of worried that some of you little girls might think that because they’ve added Starfleet to our names that we’re required to turns into pussies and get in touch of our feelings! Well if you think that, YOU’RE FUCKING WRONG! We’re still the biggest, baddest, meanest motherfuckers to crawl out of a photon torpedoes arse. They can call us what they fucking want just as they get out the way when real fighting needs to be done! WHAT ARE WE?” He demanded loudly, getting into it for the sake of the men. Whatever he thought, didn’t exist here.

“SHARKS!” Gaia company who knew the drill, shouted in unison.

“You better fucking believe it!” Tom grinned.

A little belated in joining the cheering, Derick had been distracted by a certain MACO wearing a dress... and it was not Ren. Or Lorio, for that matter. Pulled back from SURPRISE! Land, Derick hollered with the rest of them, seeming to shake even the walls of Fabien's place.

The Colonel was watching, listening now, as he raised his beer to his lips. His sharp eye was content to go back and forth around the room avoiding the two females that had plagued his mind. Strategically speaking, this distant stance was the best chance of survival for this trapped wolf in military clothing. Hayes had to force himself to feel nothing and on any other night, it was a learned skill he could turn on and off at will.

Allowing himself to become caught up in the moment, Gabriel did his best to focus on why he was here tonight. Why he, Colonel, led a ceremony today. He also did his best to ignore where he was going as Governor after this little gathering of his men to toast good-bye the best twelve years of his life. Or next to best. Given his recent situation, the savannah had called to him as he did his drunken soul searching and thought on Naug. On better times.

Gabriel was glad. Glad that Tom had arranged for tonight because, really, it should have been him and Sloane to take this lead or at least have more of a part in it. Not himself this past week, missing the best right-hand part of him, Hayes was more than happy to take a major back seat and go through the motions that were expected of him. With that new thought in mind, he rose to his feet as Kemp and Tom and Gaia company and NX MACOs slugged up their brew and shouted out obscenities that still kept his mood tolerable of a smile.

He slipped over to the bar where he leaned in to whisper to Fabien, careful to remain on the end that did not have his Civilian artist gone Corporal. Surviving hell and back, sort of, Gabriel decided he would deal with that unpleasant situation too. Until that time of action, it was time for the Old Man to buy a round of shots for his boys and Fabien nodded upon taking the expectant order of the Colonel.

Grinning ear to ear, Sloane sat back and downed half of her beer. Good. Now this was starting to look more and more like a proper send off. Just as it should be.

********

While Fabien went back to gather his daughter and the hired help to begin pouring over fifty shots, Gabriel turned about and enjoyed this sight of NX MACOs and Planetside MACOs enjoying themselves proudly in uniforms not yet defecated with the words 'Fleet'. No warning, he almost did not realize he did it until it was too late, Hayes tensed and the smile that was on his face froze in place as Hayes saw who had walked through the door and where that younger man's gaze had once been. On Sloane.

He reached behind him, to feel for the empty stool at the end of the bar butted up to the wall. Hayes sat down in that stool, looking at Gunny Sgt. Rickman and then to Major McRae. Somewhere to his right, the MACOs were laughing and cursing, toasting and being obnoxious with one Sgt.'s voice louder than them all with the red head near, but not even that broke his gaze.

There was a time for persevering strength and a time to know when you were defeated in battle. Trying to sink into the sea of uniforms, Gabriel Loman Hayes watched from a far the scene unfold and began to question if he might be better off leaving. No. He couldn't do that to his men.... yet he wasn't sure he could stomach this scene with all the knowledge he knew about three other people in the room.

A Traitor. A Liar. And a winning Cub.

Thank God the stool seat was beneath him for the Colonel felt his knees go a little weak at the influx of his mind over powering him emotionally as he brought his beer to his lips. One stabilizing sip.

******

Clapping his friend on the back, Derick nodded to the bar. "C'mon. I want to see this stuff you told me Fabien's got," he said, trying to stop the chant in his head.

”I’ve got it all ready for him lad,” Fabien had started pouring him his surprise as soon as he saw the captain enter the room. Fabien knew that it wasn’t the drink that Tom missed so much these days, it was the camaraderie. Somehow drinking club soda was a reminder of past errors and this was meant to be homage to the future. “Here, try some of this.”

“Alright,” Tom raised a brow at the bluish liquid in his glass and took a deep sip.

The taste spread out across his tongue like an enemy now turned ally. There was none of the desire to drink more, none of the malice that came with a good drunk, just a pleasant taste that didn’t feel as neutering as club fucking soda. “Bloody hell,” he gave Derick a look of astonishment, “try that.” He grinned and turned to Fabien. “What is it?”

“Synthehol,” Fabien said proudly. “A merchant brought it in. It’s a Ferengi drink. Tastes like alcohol, Saurian brandy by my reckoning but its not alcoholic and non addictive at all. Enjoy.” He pushed a bottle in Tom’s direction.

Taking another sip, Tom threw the man a grateful grin and for awhile at least, the MACOs forgotten that tomorrow they would be called the Starfleet Marine Corps. Oh bugger yeah, the Sharks would still live but it would never be quite as it was tonight. They’d never be as pure and as free as before. Change was inevitable, even Tom knew that but for tonight at least, they were still MACOs.

They were still sharks.

Around him the sound of celebration continued and Tom was about to turn back to Derick who was probably making moon eyes at Sloan…..

Oh fuck.

His eyes moved across the room with the exacting search of a veteran sniper before he found his target.

How Tom Merrick had despised the man through the years. Blamed him for all the wrongs, not even remembering when the distaste had started and knowing that it never really was about Hayes but rather the insecurities Tom Merrick felt. How many times when he broiled his brain with everything but paint thinner, had Tom blamed Hayes for managing better, for being in charge, for being able to stand the horror of war without having to run to a bottle. He blamed the man for a multitude of sins Hayes had never deserved.

How many times the selfish prick he had been wanted to be witnessing this one singular moment?

When the great Colonel Hayes was beaten.

The sound in the room seemed to drain and even if it was for a second for everyone else, for him it lasted a life time and he was ashamed. Ashamed of wishing ill on someone and ashamed because the desire to see another man broken had been fulfilled.

When he looked at Hayes, dropping unto the stool, he thought he could hear the impact of a falling star and suddenly nothing could make that sensation evaporate from his being. He saw Hayes eyes and knew then without doubt that the Colonel knew about Sloane and Derick. Oh yes he did, that expression of despair was brief and if one hadn’t served with the man for the better part of 16 years, one might have missed it but Tom saw it.

Yes, Gabe knew about Derick and Sloane alright.

Looking away, he returned to the counter and thudded his glass on the counter, gaining the quiet of everyone in the room. “Alright, while we’re doing this,” he said in a sober voice and took a sip of the synthehol which wasn’t quite alcohol but would do nicely for the occasion. “In the days of Earth, we were apart of a proud military tradition, we defended Earth, we protected its people and we stood the line against all comers. Being a Shark, being a MACO meant being the guardians of our species and while it would have been easy to forget that after Earth was destroyed, one man made sure none of us ever forgot where we came from. One man made sure that our traditions survived our planet and our homes, that when the hour was at its darkest, when everyone of us suffered unimaginable loss, one man reminded us that we still were apart of something greater than ourselves, greater than our defeats. No matter what happened, we are still sharks and that means something. Let’s raise our glasses to our commander and chief, COLONEL GABRIEL HAYES!”

Turning to Hayes, Tom Merrick delivered to the man the most sincere salute he had ever been able to give.

And across the room, the Sharks did the same and gave the Colonel his due.

*****

Tom was giving a speech as Fabien and the employees of Beasts were busy behind the bar pouring the required order from the Colonel. With the attention diverted from ordering more drinks for now, the bar keep was glad for the near perfect timing. A few of the locals tried to grab his attention for another round, so the Scotsman made it clear that they'd get theirs soon if they relaxed with a bout of patience.

Upon understanding that it was the Colonel that was paying and including them also, the farmers did as asked - patient as saints.

For the military man at the end of the bar, Gabriel remained on his stool, looking across the room at one of the dart games on the wall. His attention was on the Captain's words but his mind was weaving in and out. The fingers within his cast twitched so slight, he did not notice. It was a direct reaction to the Gunny Sgt. that had entered the room.

Red.

Good god. Was he really seeing red? Or only thinking on his red-headed sin?

Hayes used every piece of might to remain calm and in his seat. Defeated. By a Cub over fifteen years his junior.

None of it made sense, but that didn't matter. Hayes was grateful to have Merrick calling everyone's attention to the other side of the room where the man stood. Thank fucking God for that.

Being a Shark, being a MACO meant being the guardians of our species."

'Good', thought Hayes silently. 'Keep them busy Merrick. Just keep all these marines' attention busy.'

"...and while it would have been easy to forget that after Earth was destroyed, one man made sure none of us ever forgot where we came from."

' No.

Oh no.

Don't you be doing what I think you're doing...... '

"One man made sure that our traditions survived our planet and our homes, that when the hour was at its darkest, when everyone of us suffered unimaginable loss, one man reminded us that we still were apart of something greater than ourselves, greater than our defeats."

Tearing his gaze from the wall board, Gabriel looked right at Merrick embarrassed to hell and back. 'Oh fuck in hell. No. Merrick. Clam up already!' The man couldn't of had worse timing and what in the hell was he doing going on and on like he was high as a kite when everybody in the room knew Merrick despised him since the transfer incident?

This had to be a dream. A surreal Twilight Zone.

Those were respectful words coming from the man's mouth and Hayes instantly thought Tom was mocking him. Mother fucker...... Merrick had to be taunting him. But no... It only became worse with each passing click of the clock.

The farmers waiting for their drinks began to clap as the boys saluted. Hayes had gotten to his feet out of habit and in looking around, seeing the MACOs, his MACOS, deliver what had to be the highest honor a man in his position could receive, Gabriel found himself without words.

Across the way, usually never at a loss of such verbiage, Kemp nudged Hawkins and whispered over nearby applause, "Can you believe this fucking bullshit? Guess Merrick's trying to brown nose his way back into workable good graces early." By now, everybody knew the Iron Bastard was stationed down here on Gaia, where Merrick had been running things for years. His voice was masked by light noise in order to be unheard by any save Hawk and Craig was sure to make it soft and quick. He wasn't looking for a death wish tonight and raised his hand to salute also, per protocol.

His throat dry, Colonel Hayes lifted his good hand and held the salute as he looked around the room. In his sweep, he could not avoid Sloane, Derick, Tom or Ren. If only these MACOs knew... knew what he had given up for them. What he would continue to give. Right now, a part of him believed it had been worth it given the actions of these men. He prayed to his Lord that this wasn't a mercy gesture and tossed those thoughts away.

Merrick was setting him up to say something.

Motioning his arm, watching the men also release their salute, Gabriel stepped forward and was glad that Fabien had begun to have his helping hands pass out shots within the crowd. A sip of his beer, waving off the young boy who tried to give him a shot, Hayes gestured that his MACOs were to be served first. Keeping his best, stoic gaze, a falsity thank to the emotional build up of praise thanks to his MACOS, the Colonel found his voice, "No man in the history of the military or MACO Marine Sharks could be prouder." He lifted his beer to his men, doing his best to retain that Iron Colonel dignity when he felt as if Sloane had single-handedly castrated him. "This," he gestured to the boards and medals on his upper right chest, "These, are honorable. But no piece of fabric or steel could ever mean as much as you men here tonight. For each individual deed. For each salute."

He had nothing else to say, feeling so empty that he was no longer going to be alongside them in battle. This suddenly became more than a simple good bye to a shark symbol. Gabriel realized it was his goodbye to his men. God. Damn. Merrick. What was the man thinking? "Serving with you all has been the high light of my life. I don't think anything can ever compare."

A nod to them, for he couldn't go on, the Iron Bastard toasted the room, "To us Sharks. Proud. Always."


******

She tried not to look at him but it was impossible. Through the corner of her eye she caught her glimpses, grateful for once that her long and somewhat crazy hair allowed her to observe without notice. Before Captain Merrick had come into the bar and started them cheering and hooting like the sharks they were, Ren had tried to look his way when she could. Sometimes she caught him watching her, sometimes she did not. However, it became evident that she wasn’t the only person that had his attention. When he wasn’t looking at her, he was looking at someone else but who?

Then the Captain launched into his speech and the thought was forgotten and Ren told herself that many of Enterprise’s Spacers were here and Gabe was probably looking out for his men. Besides, what was she to him anyhow? Just some tryst that had turned out to be one hell of a disaster for both of them. Why assume it meant more when after today, it could mean nothing?

“No matter what happened, we are still sharks and that means something. Let’s raise our glasses to our commander and chief, COLONEL GABRIEL HAYES!”

And even if she meant nothing to him and they would never face each other again as they had the night before, Ren couldn’t bring herself to deny Captain Merrick’s request. Despite the fact that it was most likely that anything Ren had with Gabe was well and truly over, Colonel Hayes had her respect and so she applauded with genuine sentiment, the same as the rest of the Sharks. Excepting of course Kemp, whose disdain for the man was apparent by his ‘for show only’ salute, she noticed.

Watching his stand up to respond, Ren realized why he had been so damn pissed off the night before. He hated this. The flash of insight hit her so hard Ren was almost startled. Not the accolades but being Governor. She became more certain of this as he began to speak and the words were filled with the sadness he had tried to forget when he was with her last night.

"No man in the history of the military or MACO Marine Sharks could be prouder." He lifted his beer to his men, doing his best to retain that Iron Colonel dignity when he felt as if Sloane had single-handedly castrated him. "This," he gestured to the boards and medals on his upper right chest, "These, are honorable. But no piece of fabric or steel could ever mean as much as you men here tonight. For each individual deed. For each salute."

He had nothing else to say, feeling so empty that he was no longer going to be alongside them in battle. This suddenly became more than a simple good bye to a shark symbol. Gabriel realized it was his goodbye to his men. God. Damn. Merrick. What was the man thinking? "Serving with you all has been the high light of my life. I don't think anything can ever compare."

A nod to them, for he couldn't go on, the Iron Bastard toasted the room, "To us Sharks. Proud. Always."

She listened to his speech and that sadness that she had detected last night was all over him. What had she asked him? Was he ever married? His answer came back to her and now it seemed clear the hidden meaning in his innocent words.

"I live alone. Never married.”

And they were taking him away from everything he was to make him a politician. Last night, she couldn’t understand the reason why he had said those words with such depreciation. Hell, the whole night, she had been able to sense that he was unhappy and being with her, even briefly had given him something. Now that too was taken away and she felt sorry for him, sorry because as much as she liked him and would hate not seeing him, she had the Sharks.

Poor Gabe didn’t even have that and knowing it, Ren couldn’t bring herself to applaud when he finished speaking. More than anything that she could have met him tonight.

She had a feeling he would need the company.

The pat from the Colonel had been surprising but no surprising Tom Merrick supposed than the speech he had made in front of everyone about Gabe. Those who knew how he felt about the Colonel probably thought he was on the piss again probably but Tom could help him. For what he might think of the man personally, Tom could not deny that Gabe had been a good leader who had sacrificed much. Just how much showed in the anguish he had kept hidden from all others. Draining his glass of synthehol and telling Fabien that he'd like an entire crate of the stuff, Tom sought out Derick and found the man talking
to Kemp.

Catching Derick's gaze, he waved the Gunny Sgt over as it was time for him to take his leave and go pick up Alex. Unfortunately, being the Gaia Company Commander, his presence at the official function was a chore he could escape.

Nodding back, Derick pushed to his feet and clapped Lindsay on the shoulder. "Boys, gotta run. Kemp, nice seeing you two again," he said, nodding to them both.

"See you Gunny," Lindsey said before turning back to Kemp.

"Yep..." Moving out from the table, Derick glanced Sloane's way and ducked back again as he noticed she wasn't at the table. "What's up?" he asked of Tom, approaching his friend.

"I'm about to head off to this thing, I'll see you up there?" He asked the Gunny.

*******

When Gabe had left finally, Ren had decided that she too would leave. At the ball, where there would be a mixture of both Starfleet, MACO and civilians, Ren could approach him without causing any suspicion and they would have their talk. All she knew was that she had to see him. After that speech where no one seemed to notice that he was dying with every platitude he accepted for the benefit of his troops, her and her comrades, Ren had to see him. Had to make it better for him somehow.

Seeing Gunny break away from Kemp and head over to the Captain, Ren made her way to him and her arrival drew the attention of Captain Merrick who appeared about to leave.

"Very nice Richards," Tom said approvingly, getting back into the spirit of things after his own moment of melancholy regarding the Colonel's situation. "If I was ten years younger and you were blind, we might have had something." He joked.

"Since when has a ten year age difference stopped you?" Derick chuckled, glad to see Ren smile, especially considering the information from earlier. "Don't go killing Lorio or Anderson because they're drooling," he teased.

"If they didn't drool, I'd recommend not allowing them in the communal showers anymore," Tom grinned. "Seriously Corporal, you clean up good."

"Thanks Captain," Ren blushed a little. "I figure once in a while, I should remember that I'm a skirt in this man's army and give everyone else a little reminder too." Though she doubted the Colonel was ever going to forget that again.

"Hey! Watch your tongue," Derick retorted. "Ain't no army... " Fuck that. Weren't MACO's anymore either. "Anyway. You make us look respectable. Sort of," he smirked, with a teasing wink as he moved over next to her. "Glad you decided to come out tonight," he offered in a low voice, encouraging and away from Tom.

More than accustomed to the duo having their private time and knowing where the line between officer and enlisted stood, Tom took this as his cue to leave. "Alright, I'm buggering off. I've got to pick the woman up and you know how they are if you're late." He gave Ren a teasing smirk. "I'll see you both at the ball."

"I'm going to tell her you called her 'the woman'." Chuckling, Derick heartily shook his friend's hand. "I'll be there shortly," he said, eyes ducking over to where Sloane sat with Lindsay and Brennan and back to Tom.

"See youse later," he said taking another sip of synthehol before heading up.

Once he was gone, Ren said to Derick in a quieter voice. "I'm going to see him."

"Now?" Derick asked, deliberately keeping his gaze on the wall in front of him.

"Of course not now," Ren said giving him her favorite ‘ jeez you mean are dumb' expression of disbelief. "Later, at the ball. I figure I'll just get him some place quiet and we'll hash this out. The guy is miserable enough without this hanging over his head." She said softly.

"Miserable?" At this point, it took some concentration not to stare back at the Colonel. Well... Derick supposed that a man who had spent his entire life in the military might not want a civilian job. He knew he certainly wouldn't, not after everything he'd given the MACO's and asked of them. "How can you tell?"

"I can tell," she said some enigmatically. "He hates this...and who can blame him? You give up just about everything to lead your men and one day, they put you in a job that's so far from what you've been doing..." Ren faltered a moment. "It isn't right."

"No..." Sighing, Derick downed the rest of his synthehol. Good stuff that and he was glad Fabien had found it. "I guess not. You know, Ren.. I know this isn't easy for you," he said. "But I'm glad you're handling it. That you didn't stay in your room. You don't quit and I'm proud of that."

Thank you," she said warmly, grateful for the praise. "Its easy to be strong when you have good people holding you up." She said affectionately. Especially when one was also about to do something monumentally stupid. "Can I ask you something...how bad would it be, if last night wasn't a one time thing? I mean in terms of the regs?"

Pausing, Derick stretched his neck for a moment, considering her question. "Well, I guess not as bad now, seeing as he's technically not a MACO.. Marine anymore," he said, thinking. "I think the big question would be all the people who won't believe that this is something just started, if you get my meaning."

Yeah there was that and as she glanced in the direction of Kemp who was as usual mugging loud and obnoxious for everyone to see, Ren could see Kemp being the first in line to say that the only reason she could possibly be seeing Gabe was because of who he was. "I know," she nodded thoughtfully. "Do you think the people who know me will believe that?" It was a serious question, even if she sort of knew the answer. She needed to hear from him.

"Believe what? That it's something just started or that you've been at this for a while?" Giving Ren a smile, Derick shrugged. "I think that those of us who really know you, will want you happy and that they will believe -you-." All kidding aside, Derick was serious when he looked at Ren.

"Actually, I'm more afraid of them thinking I'm doing it because of his rank rather than when it actually started." It said something about the man that it didn't occur to him. She loved him for that.

"Oh..." Derick blinked, frowning because no way would any one who knew Ren think that. But then... realization dawned on him. "I see..." he said, nodding. "No, I don't think anyone who knows you would think that." A rather impish smirk overcame him and Derick chuckled. "After all. You would have been in my bed or Tom's way before now, if you were," he teased.

"Oh yours for certain," she winked, knowing better.

Snorting, Derick shook his head. "Shit. You'd kill me," he chuckled. "Alright. One more beer here and I'm off to the ball..." he said, finding Sloane's figure distorted in the mirror behind Fabien. "You coming or you want to hang out here for a bit?"

"I'm coming," Ren said deciding that whatever happened would happen. Damn the consequences.

[Scribe]

STARFLEET COMMAND
CEREMONIAL BALL

Later that Evening....


Though he'd made it a personal mission to watch out for Ren, to offer her the moral support (read: boot up the ass) for motivation, Derick's eyes kept sliding to where a certain major was sitting, not being able to be quite distracted from the legs she was keeping out, probably on purpose. Evil minx.

Beside him, Tom and Alex were quietly talking and just when he spotted that familiar head of red hair, he heard Tom call his name. "Yeah?" he asked, turning his attention back to his friend.

There had to be a rule about having to walk from the Beasts to the Starfleet Command where the ball was being held. The thought hadn't even occurred to Ren until she was half way to the place and her feet started to ache that she realized just how comfortable combat boots were. Unfortunately on this occasion, they simply would not go with a pale satin dress with spaghetti straps and a scoop neck. Feeling self conscious as hell, for the first time not because of Gabe, Ren stepped into the large auditorium that had been converted into a ballroom for the occasion. Clutching her purse, she tried not to look as uneasy as she felt, her eyes searching for a familiar face.

Looking to Tom, Derick held up a finger. "Hold that thought," he said. "I'll be right back... " Getting up, he made his way over to Ren and looked up, towards the ceiling. "Lightning hasn't struck you down yet..." he grinned.

"I'm on a mission," she said smoothing down the front of her dress like her hands needed something to do as she looked around for any sight of Gabe and that straightened up and tore her eyes away when she did steal of glimpse of him as if lighting was going to strike her down dead for daring to casting a glance his way. "Is he here with anyone?"
It was a valid question. If he had lied about being a MACO colonel, he might have lied about there being someone else in his life. After all, the night before had been a transitory thing, with little said on each other's past. There had been no need but Ren wondered now.

"No." Derick didn't have to look. "Unless you count Admiral Mesu and the rest of the brass," he said, leaning forward. "And frankly... that's an image I just don't want..." he teased.

"You're freaking hilarious," she said giving him a look that stated clearly she was washing her hands of him. "I need to talk to him but I haven't got the faintest idea how to approach him."

Glancing back towards his friend, Derick's green eyes took on that sly slant they got when he was up to no good. Assessing the situation, all the brass surrounding Hayes, his eyes narrowed and he turned back to Ren. "You know... I think I might have that solved. Come with me," he said, turning back towards Tom and Alex.

~~~~~

"Is that the girl he's dating?" Alex asked as she saw Derick approach hem with a tall redhead in tow.

Tom glanced over and expected McRae, thinking that Derick had finally lost his mind or had a monumental death wish only to find, much to his relief, that the woman was Ren, not McRae. "No bloody way," Tom retorted. "You'd have better luck trying to breed alligators. No that's Corporal Richards, one of Derick's grunts."

"Oh okay," Alex said with a nod, thinking that the redhead really DIDN'T look MACO.

"Hello Ren," Tom said proudly. "I still can’t believe you’re not some chippie Gunny's picked up." He threw Derick a smirk.

"She cleans up nice, doesn't she? Who would have thought from that knock-kneed, frizzy-haired kid who walked into my office five years ago," Derick chuckled, indicating Alex. "Not sure you've met. Commander Alexandra Styles, Corporal Ren Richards," he said, smirking at Ren, eyebrows dancing up and down

"I don't think so," Ren said politely, "Commander," she wanted to offer a salute but didn't think that the occasion demanded it.

"Nice to meet you Ren," Alex said. "That's a lovely dress," she added, having opted for dress blues since there was no way she was going to look remotely graceful hobbling around with a cane.

"Thank you," Ren blushed. "This old thing..." she tried to joke.

"Holy shit, you're blushing," Derick teased. "That's got to be a first.. in years," he laughed. "Anyway... " He took a swig from his water on the table as he sat down. "I had an idea. " He was going to the special hell. "I think that Colonel Governor needs to put a face on the MACO's that are planet side. Especially some of the ones he awarded medals to." Derick indicated Ren with his beer bottle. "Lorio's drunk already and I wouldn't take Anderson anywhere near the man... so that leaves Ren. What do you think?"

It wasn't a bad idea but Tom didn't want Derick anywhere near Gabe tonight. As soon as Tom had learnt that Gabriel Hayes would be the new governor, he knew one other thing with as much certainty. Gabe and Sloane were on the outs because of more than just his promotion. If nothing else, it would have made things simpler since she was no longer her direct superior and yet they were staying miles apart last night; which indicated Gabe knew something was up and that something could well be Derick.

"Good idea but I don't know," he glanced at Ren skeptically. "You going to behave Corporal? No mouthing off? The Colonel isn't the sort to take your lip like yours truly," he said with a hint of s smile so she knew he wasn't having a go at her. "Speak when spoken to and military decorum at all time. The man likes his spit and polish."

Ren managed to keep a poker face that would have made even the Iron Bastard proud had he been present and privy to the conversation. "Trust me Sir," Ren said not looking at Derick. "There will be no lip tonight."

For his part, Derick kept his eyes from Ren, managing to hold back the smirk that so badly wanted to escape. It would not have been possible had he looked at her. "So, what do you say?" he asked Tom. "I'll watch your woman for you," he teased, winking at Alex.

"That's all you better do," Tom grizzled good-naturedly and then offered his hand to Ren, "come on Corporal, might as well get this over and done with."

Ren didn't speak as she threw Derick a look and followed the Captain docilely. Yeah, let's get this over and done with.

Exactly right.

Trying to give her an encouraging look while being discreet was difficult, but Derick hoped he managed it before turning back to Alex, almost afraid to watch Ren approach the Colonel because time might.. freeze or something. "So," he said, addressing the Commander. "What can I say that will make you leave Tom and come to me," he grinned.

"Your ability to perform in Firing Range 4," Alex smirked.

Chuckling, Derick leaned back and nodded. "You win," he grinned. "Can I get you something to drink?"

*******

"You sure you're up for this Corporal?" Tom asked as he led Ren towards the Colonel who couldn't be in a good mood after this morning. Although he had calmed down somewhat from the news that the MACO's would now be referred to Starfleet Marines, he wondered if Gabe's disposition had improved any. Perhaps saying hello to a good looking corporal might take the bite out of the old dog's temper. Christ’ knows the booze up at the Beasts had done little for the man. Tom had never believed he would live to see the day Colonel Gabriel Hayes was beaten and yet seeing it gave him no joy. Almost as bad as hearing his beloved MACOs were now to be Starfleet Marines was seeing someone who had always been invincible toppled. It was not a good feeling.

"As I'll ever be..." Ren returned, searching for Gabe as the Captain led her through the ballroom towards the Colonel, now Governor. Ren was still trying to decide if this was a good idea but she wanted to see him, wanted to say something to him to make him feel better even if it was highly unlikely that he would appreciate the gesture. He might just tell her to go away but Ren wanted to try. The man up there had bleeding from unfair cuts and yet he had put on a brave face for his men, Ren never respected him more.

He hadn't bothered changing at all today.

Gabriel kept seven lines of various award boards on his upper left chest. The new Legion medal pinned near the others. It looked like a bad advertisement close up to civilians but Hayes had always worn his uniform proud. Even tonight. When his fatigue greys were going to be stripped from their proper symbol of MACO.

Who was he kidding? He'd never see combat or wear fatigue greys again.

Damn that Mesu. Damn that Archer. Damn everyone who had a hand in this decision to ship him planet side and.....

Gabriel sighed and turned his back to the room to pretend to look out the window. This simply was not his night. Not at all. So much uncertainty intermixed with having all control and knowledge stripped from him. Without his right hand man by his side, Hayes felt, dare he admit it? Lost.

Alone. Lost. No hum of the NX's sweet hull to soothe his stretched nerves. The kicker of it all was in his new position, everyone and their mother were coming over to introduce themselves to him. Their daughters. Their sons. Their brothers who served under him so many years ago, hell if he could remember. There were two females who would be here tonight that Gabriel had no intention of running into also, so as he turned from the window to be greeted by a councilman, he wondered what made people think he'd want to met their obviously bored children.

"It's a pleasure to met you Councilman Banks. Ms. Councilman." Gabriel shook Thomas' Banks hand and made a joke to the man's wife. Going through the motions, smiling and talking about God only knew what of significance, Colonel or Governor Hayes made people feel like they were talking to a real hero. As if he were important here tonight beyond the obvious stationary head. The family began asking him questions, with the youngest daughter asked him a question about space travel mixed with battle theory. Theory. What a topic after today.

Seeing Captain Merrick approach behind one of the true politicians in the room, Gabriel stifled the curse to God and Duty because the last thing he was in the mood for was Tom bringing over Ren Richards. He saw them both near, knowing the Corporal in an instant due to having already memorized her form from across the room at Beasts. How could one not, given the situation?

He took a deep breath and braced himself for the impact, all the while wondering why Tom was bringing her over here to him. The man had shown sincerity at the tavern and now exploited the very thing Gabriel fought hard to forget. Did everyone and their inbred relatives know he fucked one of his own men?

Pulling his eyes from Corporal Renee Richards, onto the family, Colonel Hayes decided he'd like to answer that question after all and began to go into a rather lengthily explanation on how military theory had progressed since the last Xindi attack and how now, more than ever, forming relations with alien alliances was important. The significant role each race had to play and equated it with the twentieth century attacks from Hitler.

The mini-speech was accepted with much praise from the Councilman.

Christ the man looked utterly miserable.

This thought, ironically enough, came from both Renee Richards and Tom Merrick at the exact same time.

Even though he was talking it up with some politician, there was no doubt in Ren’s mind that he wished to be somewhere else. Seeing him this way, she began to understand why he had been in such a foul mood the night before. He wasn’t a politician, he was a fucking MACO…fuck…Marine…whatever, he was the Iron Colonel and he was too good to have his wings clipped like this. Watching him with new eyes, Ren’s affection for him actually deepened, realizing what it was that had been dragging him down like a ten ton weight.

For Tom Merrick, he came to the conclusion that before they ever did something like that to him, he’d retire first and raise cows. He could imagine nothing worst than playing the part that Hayes was now trapped in, even though there was some comfort in knowing the security of Gaia was in his hands. Tom had sincerely meant what he had said at the Beasts but he just felt sorry because this was a living death to the Colonel.

“Colonel..I’m sorry Governor,” Tom spoke when there was a pause and winced inwardly, hoping Gabe didn’t take too much offense. “Didn’t have a chance to say this at the Beasts, but congratulations.”

Jesus Gabe, I’m sorry. Tom’s eyes said without words.

In trying to get away from one disaster to join another, Gabriel announced, "Thank you Councilman, we'll speak later." He couldn't bring himself to say, 'call my office' for many reasons including two large firsts: 1) Gabriel could never say that with a straight face and be sincere. 2) He had no idea where in the hell his new office was. Merrick and Richards being here certainly didn't help matters and when Tom stumbled all over his new title, Gabriel felt his body stiffen.

This is not what he wanted from this entire mess and sucked it up, saying nothing. His eyes were not happy with either of them and tried to take the Captain's words for what they were meant to be. Like Beasts before. "Thank you Captain." Pity. He read near pity in Merrick's eyes. A glance at the Corporal, Gabriel figured if the cat was out of the drowning bag, he wanted to know. "And who do we have here?"

"I figured you might want some company that wasn't civilian," Tom spoke up, feeling years of hostility dissolve for some reason. He didn't so much feel sorry for Gabe as he felt for the man. They had come in the ranks together, he knew Gabe as lieutenant and yet, never did he care about the man until he saw that look on his face of utter hopelessness, that this was his life now. This could be him, well not governor, but put out to pasture and Tom whose life was just as much the military as Gabe’s couldn’t imagine how terrible that must be.

He thought he might have aggression, but the day was long and Gabriel found himself looking right at Renee and saying, "Corporal Richards? Didn't I award a medal to you today?" He only had memorized her file once he left the ceremony area.

"Congratulations Corporal." He couldn't bring himself to say anything else.

“Than you Sir,” she said trying not to eyeball him because her conditioning that he was an officer was on a collision course with the fact she had slept with him last night. “And yes you did award me a medal.”

“Yeah she cleans up pretty well and apparently less mouthy too,” Tom gave her a wry smirk. “Don’t let her fool you Colonel, Ren’s one of my best.”

God, would he just shut up? Ren thought to herself wondering if Captain Merrick was trying to cause a murder in the middle of the ballroom.

A nod, not wanting to be here to have this conversation, Gabriel said light, "I'm sure she is." He offered a fake smile and glanced at Tom, waiting for the punch line to fall or something to happen that would make sense. Of course, Hayes had been waiting for this ever since he broke the clearly self-defined line back in his office. Sloane. How could he stand seeing her here tonight? "Pretty fucked up deal, isn't it Merrick?" He couldn't look at Ren anymore and felt like she could read his mind. Knew the lies he lived with.

"I don't think any Shark is too happy tonight," Tom said honestly. "I can't believe the Admiral just buggered us over like that." Tom wanted to say more but it wasn't appropriate to do so in front of an enlisted. "Anyway, it was good that you were at the Beasts tonight. The men really appreciated the visit. I mean that’s the only thing about this that is any kind of consolation, that you’ll be planet side…” Tom's voice trailed when he saw Derick coming their way and suddenly, Tom saw Gabe's day taking a south turn that would end them all in hell. "Excuse me for a minute Colonel..I think I see a situation."

Without giving Gabe a chance to respond, Tom heading off, he hope Ren could distract the man from noticing Derick.. He wasn't sure what the situation between the colonel and McRae was but Tom wouldn't underestimate the Colonel in that he might know about Derick.

Gabriel's eyes trailed to where Tom had gone but only to the point where his gaze crossed with Renee. Stopping there, tight jawed, he informed her, "You shouldn't be here." Not what he meant, Gabriel clarified, "Standing here. Now. In front of me." Sad words were on his lips but he couldn't state them here. Not here. It would be easier to not think, fight through this and become mad.

"I didn't mean to cause you any embarrassment," she said quietly, "I just wanted to talk to you, see if you were okay."

"That's kind." He was trying to be distant but not pulling it off well, so he had to look over her. To look away. "A civilian artist was going to meet me after this event back at Outpost. I don't think she's able to attend, but perhaps I can make a new meeting. Outside. Not here. If she's available to still met at the Outpost that is." Tactical as always, the Colonel did his best to make his intentions to wish to talk clear, without ever getting to the point.

"I think she can manage,” Ren said trying not to smile. It pleased her though, to see him again.

He didn't look back at her but across the way to see dancing of his ex-workmates on the NX. "You better go."

"Alright," she said picking up the skirt of the blue sheath gown and turning to go when she remembered. "You should dismiss me?"

A regal nod, he played his role once more, "Dismissed." He turned and went across the room to where the Mayor flagged him like the lap dog he became. What sort of day this was, where he would end it breaking off the one spark that allowed him to forget.


******

Meanwhile...

Intercepting Derrick before he could approach Hayes, Tom started to make an excuse when he saw Shane Riley dancing with McRae. Fuck. He knew exactly how Riley felt about ‘MacHayes’. The fucker had spoken about it enough times in the past during his drinking days and this would probably be a wanking moment when he could have his pound of flesh with Sloane. “Oy, keep my woman company would you, I think I need to go rescue yours from Major Riley.”

"Yeah...." Derick's back was up slightly over Riley's... dance. Mostly because it couldn't be him. Stifling it, he turned to Alex.

"So does this mean we can bond now?"

“Not until we sit through Beaches together Ground Pounder,” Alex winked.

Narrowing his eyes, Derick leaned over to her, a twinkle of mischeif in his eye. "So who are you really and what have you done with the real Tom Merrick... " he teased.

"I've fucked his brains out and made him a slave." She chuckled completely unrepentant.

And that was pretty close to the truth as well.

******

It was one thing to work alongside Starfleet. Quite another to be forced into becoming its Marine branch.

It was one thing to lose your boss and closest colleague to a transfer off-ship. Quite another to lose your best friend along with it.

Don't mix business and pleasure, the civvies sayeth. In the military they had the frat rules to protect everyone from the pitfalls caused by that very mix. What had Mac and Hayes done? Well, not the deed most MACOs had accused them of over the years but close enough. Enough in fact to have the same result on their working relationship. Start off with fuzzy feelings of trust and love, and end up with disappointment, betrayal, loss, jealousy and hate. Bottom line was MacHayes could no longer work together even if they had never really gotten together. It was as sad as that and, sitting here at the bar while Starfleet folk milled about, Sloane laughed dejectedly at their situation. The lines had blurred and they might as well had done the dirty. At least they'd be taking something home with them for their trouble.

Pacing herself with her drinking tonight, Sloane alternated between alcoholic colourful girlie mixes and plain, inoffensive sodas. It was that or another splitting headache later. She had arrived before Merrick, it turned out, and seeing him with his lady at his arm she realised why. Cmdr. Styles had a speedy recovery though the woman probably thought the opposite since she still needed the aid of a cane to move about. Rickman soon followed his friend and slowly some "Marines" from the Slain Beasts made an appearance as well.

That's all that was expected of her too, making an appearance, and that was all they would get. Debonair, she was smiling and chatty outwardly even if her eyes were on the clock, her mind assessing how long she was required to stay to be both polite and out of trouble with the brass.

While Sloane spoke on and off with the barman or a few MACOs here and there, she looked on Gabe's reflection in the mirror behind the bar and couldn't help hurting despite promising herself she wouldn't allow for it. But he was there behind her, hurting too, and he wouldn't even look her way. To think how tight they had been just a few days before was doing her head in. How he could just walk away like that... it all made her believe she hadn't counted for as much as he'd said. If she could turn back the clock to that night in his office, there were a few things Sloane would do differently, things she wouldn't say and others she would probably risk saying. But at the end of it all, would she change her answer? She didn't think so. But as she watched Rickman with that corporal again, Sloane began to wonder if she had been too loyal to him when exclusivity hadn't been a subject they had even discussed.

"No one should be allowed to look that miserable."

Expecting to find Brennan there though the voice was all wrong, Sloane did a double-take when she turned and saw Maj. Riley instead, toeing her stool. Rolling her eyes, she berated herself for her lapse and letting her feelings be so transparent, especially to him. Leave it to Shane Riley to see a chink in that façade and go for it like a dog on a bone.

"Who are you calling miserable?" Sloane retorted, trying to save herself some explaining.

"McRae, you're putting on a brave face but when you think no one's looking, you look like your dog just died." Shane smiled knowingly.

As if he knew, Sloane snorted.

"Look, I'm sorry if I can't be all that happy to become a Marine," she said, masking the real reason for her crappy mood and hoping he'd leave it at that. "I didn't expect you to take it that well either," she added. "Weren't you a Ranger back on Earth?"

"All labels," Shane said, nonchalant, though he was far from believing his own words. "We'll still be doing the same job, working for the same people. Except for you, that is..."

"Thanks for pointing that out," Sloane said, turning back to her drink. And leave it to him to point out the obvious. Anything to take a shot at her and Hayes. Of all people here tonight she had to put up with bloody Riley. Like him approaching her at the medal ceremony hadn't been enough. "And you can drop the official line, Riley, I'm not one of your men."

As expected, McRae had seen right through his bullshit.

"Right..." Looking her up and down, Shane had to admit that she looked pretty hot in an evening dress. "Can't say any of Excelsior's MACOs clean up as good as Hayes' lackey," he teased just to get her going.

"Ex-lackey," she returned with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I'm now running the show on Enterprise." That retort got the wanted reaction out of Riley, who never thought her worthy of playing second fiddle to Hayes let alone have a command of her own, but it also made Sloane realise that with all the shit happening she hadn't really thought about it much... like not as a permanent thing. Damn.

"Touché," Shane conceded, eyes flashing at her smart mouth. "Come on, give the loser a dance."

Why Riley never seemed content with his post on the Excelsior, Sloane didn't know but she damn wished he would ask for the NX-01 command since he seemed to have been after it for as long as she could remember. Though she would step up now and fill the Colonel's shoes, Sloane had never really had her sights on that job to begin with so it wouldn't be much of a loss.

"I didn't think you'd care to. I must be dreaming." But looking at him, she realised he was really asking for a dance and not just taking the mickey. "Alright," Sloane said, a little taken aback.

She slid off her stool and Shane led her to the dance floor.

"A really nice dress," he said, appreciative of how it moved when he made Sloane twirl once in front of him before bringing her to him to start dancing proper. "Didn't think you had it in you to show that side in front of the men. Feminine and-"

"And what? Vulnerable?" Sloane snapped, eyes narrowing on his. "I didn't think a chauvinist like you could dance. Now, can you just leave my skirt alone, Major?"

"Aye." Shane smiled, loving to irk the woman.

"You know, you're not bad yourself when you shut up," Sloane added, commenting on his dress uniform and how he wore it, which was rather well. She would actually find him quite the handsome sort if he wasn't such an asshole every time that mouth of his opened.

"Ouch." And for that Shane took her for a spectacular spin across the dance floor before stopping and dipping her backwards, long and slow, one hand holding her lower back and the other caressing her cheek as he gazed at her face. He did so just because he could. Just because he could get away with it without a right hook meeting his jaw due to everyone there. Because watching McRae's nostrils flare and her eyes turn a steely grey was damn amusing not to mention that the whole thing would add to the rumour mill and make tongues waggle even more. Bringing her back up to resume the dance, smoothly falling back into step with the music, Shane smiled, pleased as Punch.

"Right when I was going to offer you a swap," Sloane let out in retaliation, letting him stew on that for a bit.

Shane's back tensed ever so slightly. "A swap?"

"Yeah, but it's no longer on the table. Hope you like life on Regula."

Ah. Shane looked at her, eyes scrutinising that mask she wore, one worthy of Hayes himself. Nah, she wouldn't have seriously considered it, he decided. She was just toying with him like he toyed with her.

But Sloane really had. Swapping commands would have put even more distance between her and Hayes and for that alone it was worth considering. A change of scenery also. She had heard Claybourne wasn't a bad captain even if she would have missed Tucker. Well, she was still going to miss him since the Enterprise captaincy had passed back to Archer. But at least Tucker was still onboard, and Brennan, T'Pol and all the others she had grown close to despite trying not to. Hell, and even Kemper. Better the devil you know, wasn't it what they said?

"So what's the story?"

"Sorry?" Lost in thought Sloane had missed the question and Riley squeezed her hand to bring her back to Gaia.

"What's the story?"

"What do you mean?"

"Look, who are you calling stupid?" Shane glanced at Hayes as they passed nearby, as close as the dance floor would allow. "He's been decorated, he's been promoted, he's moving off ship, pushed into a desk job, relegated. He also took a major blow today, as most of us, in front of all, and yet here you are and there he is."

Shane's chin jutted out, indicating the Colonel-turned-Governor when he faced him in a passing turn and in that movement's follow-through, it was Sloane who faced him briefly. Averting her eyes quickly, they fell on Riley's, which held her gaze long enough for him to be certain he had hit pay dirt.

"Ha."

"It's not what you think," Sloane defended a bit too quick. Wasn't it though?

"So what is it?" Shane dipped his head to try and catch her eyes again.

What was he tonight? MACO Relief?

Tom walked casually to Riley and Sloane on the dance floor and caught them after a perilous dip. “Mind if I cut in Major?” Major Arse, he almost said.

Talk about fucking timing. He had her, he was sure. Turning to Merrick, Shane smiled pleasantly. "Can't you wait for the next song, man?"

Oh, please no, Sloane's eyes telegraphed to Tom. I really want to dance with you right now.

Either Sloane wanted him, which was a statistical improbability and both Hayes AND Derick would kill him, or Riley was being an even bigger fuckwit than Tom originally imagined. "Come on, Major, you're going to begrudge me a dance with the prettiest bird in the place? You've had her long enough; my turn."

Bird? Sloane's eyes narrowed on Tom. Oh, the bastard would be milking that one for all it was worth.

"Alright, Captain," Shane relented, taking a step back to hand McRae to the other man. "Might as well go for it while she's still standing." He just had to take a shot at the way she had been drinking the previous night.

"Ta, mate," Tom said with a smug smile and took his place as Sloane's partner. His hand in hers and on her waist, in a chaste and respectable manner, he started moving her away from Riley who appeared non too happy about the intrusion.

"Prick trying to piss you off?" he asked.

"Something like that." But it wasn't, was it? The prick had been digging a little too close to home. Eyes still on Riley for a second longer, Sloane didn't miss what the man's stance spelled out: This wasn't the end of it.

"Thanks, Tom. It was either this or I would have had to make a scene and chin the bugger."

"Better yet," he grinned, "scream rape. That will keep him 200 meters away from you at all times." He winked at her.

"That's an idea," Sloane let out with a chuckle. "I'll try and remember that for next time." Her mind fretted about that next time and Sloane found herself wishing for Enterprise to have to leave for deep space in a near future. "That bastard always had it in for me and I really can't think what I did to warrant it," she said with a sigh, turning to Tom.

"He's just an arsehole." Tom shrugged, casting a look at Riley who had gone off and gotten himself a drink before facing her again. "So you want to tell me what's up between you and the old bastard or are you going to make me guess?" He gave her a knowing look, that said he knew everything so don't even bother to deny it.

Sloane raised an eyebrow. "A bit presumptuous, no?" There was no way in hell Hayes would have told Merrick anything. She suspected the two had talked at some point, cleared the air and even touched on her a bit, but this, what MacHayes was going through, no way in hell. A quick glance to Gabe playing politician and Sloane smirked, eyes back on Tom. "I didn't know you could dance so well. My, my, Tom. I would have let you rock my world a long time ago if I'd known..."

"Alright, don't tell me." He looked at her with a sigh. "You two and your bloody games. For years I've watched you two dance around each other, clearly hung up. Now, you've moved on with my best mate, I might add, which while I'm happy for Derick, I wonder what you were drinking that night. Now, the old bastard is sent down here and I know this isn't voluntary for him, even for you. All I want out of you is whether he knows about Derick. We both know Gabe, we know he likes to keep the upper hand and even if he can't have you, he'll grind into the dirt because he fucking can, especially now when he's miserable as all fuck about this promotion."

Sloane's jaw ticked nervously. There were moments when she preferred Merrick drunk as a skunk and this was one of those.

"He knows," she said simply, a response that would hopefully save her from getting into anything else about what was up between her and Hayes.

"Shit." Tom nodded, unsurprised but hearing it from her made him glance in Derick's direction. "I'll make sure the old man keeps off his back... somehow. I don't think Gabe's one to play his cards out in the open but he's just... I feel sorry for him." He met her eyes and laughed. "I saw him at the Beasts today and fuck, I thought I'd seen miserable but he was barely holding it together."

This wasn't something Sloane needed to hear. Not at all. She had seen it for herself, learning how to read Gabe so well in their years together on the job that not much escaped her - except, apparently and bloody ironically, how he had really felt about her all this time. She had seen him at Beasts too, read his body language and saw through the mask. Tensing, Sloane swallowed with difficulty. Tom had the miserable part right but the cause of it wrong. Though the promotion was part of it, Sloane knew what the real reason was and it was her.

"What do you want me to say? Y'think it's a fucking field trip for me?" So much was left unspoken as telling Tom anything felt like the ultimate betrayal of Gabe... well, after her refusing him. "Don't worry about Derick. He won't touch him." Sloane was sure of it. Going after Rickman would be breaking the rules and Hayes was all about those damn rules.

"You're probably right," Tom said quietly and saw all the uncertainty in her eyes. God, he loved this woman in his own way, the unattainable Major McRae, too good for him, certainly too good for Derick and now Tom was starting to think that she had always been out of Hayes' orbit as well. "Let him go, Sloane," he offered his last bit of advice. "It's time."

"I have... why do you think we're here?" At this juncture... in this clusterfuck...

"Have you really?" He looked at her, she wore him all over her face and didn't even know it.

Sloane snorted. Tom didn't have a clue, did he? What she had turned down, what she had said no to... A life with Hayes, a family... the man down on his knee asking for her hand, offering her all he had... all he was. Tom may not know but Sloane did and though Gabe had some hurt coming for taking his fucking time in getting around to asking, it broke Sloane's heart to deny him and to deny herself what she had dreamt about for a bloody long time.

She remained quiet, her head finding her own hand on Tom's shoulder, and let him sway her to the music. After a long moment, she cleared her throat, chin on her hand, looking in the distance. "Tom, you don't approve of me and Derick, do you?" After all, he was pretty clear about thinking her crazy the night she followed his best mate home.

How to answer this? "I'm happy you decided to move on," he said first and foremost. "I've never seen the big bloke so happy.. ever. I can tell you with absolute honest to goodness truth, that I've been listening to him moan about you since he was a fucking corporal. He loved you before you even decided to give him a tumble. I don't want to see him hurt but I don't want you settling either because Gabe couldn't get his shit together." That was the most sincere answer he could give.

Nope, Tom obviously didn't know.

"It was never my intention to hurt Derick... hell," Sloane paused, pulling her head back a bit so Tom could see in her face that she really meant that. "I didn't even know it would mean anything more than a 'tumble'. We're talking about the Gunny here. He's bedded half the colony. The female half anyway..."

Sloane still painfully remembered the twins.

Derick loved her?! "I had no idea he felt... this way for me... look," Sloane shook her head, this little titbit of information only strengthening her resolve, "I'm not settling. Not with Hayes, not with Der. I've been trying to find the right time to tell him this but it's been one thing after another."

Tom wasn't happy to hear impending heartache for Derick but this thing was new between them, the kid had reservations, doubts about his worthiness, that was the trouble with finding the perfect woman. Tom had similar misgivings about Alex. If Sloane did this now, it would hurt, Tom had no doubt of it but the damage would not be irreparable to Derick. "Well, you should do it soon," he glanced at Derick and found himself the one place he hadn't wanted to be when Derick first told him about Sloane. "Before he gets used to the idea and starts picking out china." The joke felt flat but that was Tom's coping mechanism.

Her eyes followed Tom's and she too glanced at Derick. In fact, she did more than glance. She lingered. "I like him," Sloane admitted. "A lot." She wondered if Tom should be told just how much.

"Look," Tom said with a little smirk. "If you like him... a lot," he mimicked her pause. "Give it a go, what have you got to lose? I can tell you that he'll never keep anything inside or play games or put the job before you or any of the other shit you've had to put up with the last few years. Regs wise, he's not in your direct chain of command. You're on Enterprise, he's here, take it slow and see where it goes?"

Sloane wasn't sure how to explain that, least of all to a man, and Tom to boot. "It would still feel like I'm cheating on him. On top of putting his career at risk... direct chain of command or not, officers and enlisted are a no-no."

"That's his choice to make, Sloane," Tom retorted automatically. In the background, he could hear the set coming to a close. "He's not a child. He knows what he's getting into with the regs. As for the cheating..." he let out a heavy sigh. "I don't think you are cheating. I told that stupid bastard two years ago, to get off his arse and do something. He couldn't and now it's too late. That's not your fault and you shouldn't feel obligated because he couldn't make up his mind."

Aw hell. "But that's just it; he did." It came out before she could think and suddenly, eyes large as saucers, Sloane clamped her mouth shut.

"You're shitting me," Tom almost exclaimed and then fell silent. "Because of the promotion?" It would be just like the fucker too, to make the gesture cause he was going to be leaving the ship.

Sloane shook her head no, still too mortified to utter another word.

What could possibly engender Gabe to do that if it wasn't the promotion? He looked around the room as the music stopped, staying where he was in case Riley chose to come back. He searched for the man in the crowd and saw Derick instead with Alex. It hit him in a flash of insight and he cursed. "Because he knew about you and Derick?" he said quietly, his expression hardening into granite because now it was clear as fucking crystal. Well, that cured him of his momentary lapse of judgement in feeling sorry for the bastard.

"My guess also..." Sloane said, her voice small and her tone flat. "He asked me to marry him, Tom..." Eyes sad, she looked up at Tom before glancing away.

"You said no," Tom realised with a nod. So she bloody should. What was it about his gender that could behave like such fucking assholes? Did it require being an alcoholic and rehab counsellor to get some common sense. "You were right to then," he said, not bullshitting her about this. "When someone decides to marry you, McRae, when someone decides to brave the battle bitch with a fucking tank and propose, it should be because he loves you and not because he rather not see you with anyone else."

"Hmm," Sloane sighed, still tongue-tied but more due to emotions than because she had let out the big bad secret. She had forgotten about where she and Tom stood, merely noticing the lack of music. "There was a bit of that, but mostly... mostly I did because of Derick," she admitted. "But that doesn't mean I don't feel anything for Gabe anymore," she added quickly, thus explaining her reason for wanting to back away from Derick also.

"You can't just turn it off," he said with a nod and was grateful that the band began playing again because they were getting conspicuous. "I get that. Look, Sloane..." He met her eyes. "I'm your friend and I think you ought to do what's right for you. You probably will always feel something for Gabe, hell would it surprise you to hear that I'll always feel something for you even though it's never been anything more than a bit of fancy? But that woman over there..." He glanced at Alex. "I'm mad for her but that doesn't mean that I won't always think that you and me could have been interesting. There's always something left behind, choices not made, decision bad or good, you just got to take a chance of what you want from the gut and if you did turn Gabe down mostly because of Derick, you owe it to yourself to find out where it goes."

Shaking her head, Sloane looked at Tom like he had grown an extra head and the tension she felt slowly vanished. That seriousness on her features did too and she started to chuckle. "When in hell did you become a fucking shrink, Tom?" But her smile and the gratefulness in her eyes took the sting out of her words.

"Psychology for Dummies." He grinned. "When you're used to spending most of your nights face down in a puddle of booze or vomit, sobriety put a lot of time in your hands. There's only so much Godzilla I could watch," he said, pleased to see her smiling.

Sloane nodded slowly. "I'm happy you found Alex. You two make a lovely couple... as lovely as your mog allows," she quipped. "I know I probably don't have to ask but whatever happens with Rickman, can this," Sloane moved her hand between them, "stay between us?" She hadn't quite made up her mind yet but talking it over with Tom had helped.

"Do you even have to ask?" He gave her a look. "'Course it will stay between you and this mog." She seemed in better spirits and Tom hoped that he hadn't torpedoed Derick's shot at Sloane but if that's how the lady decided, that's the way it was going to be.

"Thanks, Tom. I guess you earned that medal after all." Giving him a lascivious smile, Sloane kissed his cheek and gave him a wink. "For the road not taken. Now waltz me near to your table and go keep your lady company. I'll be heading for the bar myself."

"You're breaking my heart, luv," he said, moving towards the table, grateful that through all this talking, he hadn't stepped on her feet. Tom Merrick wasn't known for his dancing, at least not sober.

"I know," Sloane replied with a straight face. "Seems to be my game lately. Go on. Don't keep her waiting. I can see she's about to shoot Derick and that could be an unbearable loss." Sloane joked and smirked like there was nothing wrong but she was still undecided. She saw more clearly but was still wavering.

Tom waved and walked back to his table and Sloane, catching Alex Styles looking her way, nodded before turning to head back to that stool at the bar.

[Scribe]

Gabriel had been standing in the shadows, hiding like a criminal, when he saw her in the distance. 'She's still wearing that dress,' he thought, finding that played chip hard to ignore. Coughing into his hand, on purpose like some crazed call sign, he took a few steps forward so she could see him. The overhead light shining down on his head with the rim causing his face to remain in darkness. The gold embroidery allowed her to see that the hat he was wearing was Fleet and despite the situation could not help but smirk. Stepping into the darkness with him, she all but paused a second before she did what she had wanted to do since seeing him make that speech at the Beast.

Unseen, unrepentant and in-sane, Ren's opening words to Gabe the first time alone, since last night, was a deep and searching kiss. Taken back, his response was cold and surprised, not reacting to her at first. At first. He'd have to be a mannequin to not respond soon enough, his hands finding the small exposed flesh of her back. The smell of her perfume, hair, and female products that were strict civilian and not the MACO he had begun to accuse her of. For Gabriel, it was going back in time as if God himself turned back the clock twenty-four hours ago and allowed a hurting Colonel some pleasure. Some pleasure.

She pulled back long enough to catch her breath and whisper softly, "one more night Gabe," she said in a wisp of her voice. "One more night, let's just be Ren and Gabe. Tomorrow, none of this will have mattered. Tomorrow, we face reality." She responded and kissed him again, as if trying to convince him.

He was delirious, or so caught up in the day that he couldn't think proper. For a man who often made decisions without second guessing himself, even the hard ones that cost his men’s' lives, Gabriel was lost. Everything whirled about in the judgmental book of right and wrong, so as they molested each others mouths, he dared to knowingly cross that line. Pulling back, his wet lips dragging against her own as his cast pressed into the back of her neck, Hayes' voice was heavy, "We can't go back in here. Everybody knows me." A fact he hated. Not about to suggest 'her place', for he really was trying to hold onto the civilian idea for one more night, he suggested, "My flat. It's in Earth Quarters....." Looking down into her green eyes, Gabriel yearned for the soft comfort that looked up at him and he moved in to ravish her lips once more.

He said yes and it made Ren smile through his kisses. Since seeing him up there, seeing so defeated and wounded in front of all his men, she had wanted to do this, had wanted to take away some of his sadness for the simple reason that she could. Last night, he had been happy, even briefly, with her and when she saw how he tried to hide from his men for their benefit, his despair at being turned into something he could not have possibly consented to, Ren wanted to make him feel that again. "Where," she pulled him closer, her arms snaked embraced him to her, "where in Earth Quarters?" She managed to say.

Who cared where he lived? The thought went like lightening through his mind and Gabriel's good hand came down to snake in-between her fingers. "Come with me. I'll show you," without further word, he began to drag her away from the Outpost, reaching up to push the rim of his hat down closer to shield his face. A sinner of all MACO rules.

She followed him, saying not a word and for a while under the darkness of night, bathed in the glow of moonlight, the day seemed very far away. All her anxieties evaporated as her hand rested in his. Why was she doing this? She should walk away but something about how he looked at the Beasts beckoned a memory of her own, deep in the past, where she had felt so despaired and no one had cared. This man, even if they were not broaching the big black abyss that was the rule they were breaking, had been inspiration not just to her but many of the people she served with. He was their paragon, their leader, the voice in their heads that told them, they were the best. They would succeed. A MACO could not be without Gabriel Loman Hayes' drive reminding them of who they were.

Captain Merrick was right about that. And yet when she saw him tonight, she felt outraged at what they had done to him and she wanted nothing more than to make him feel good like she had the night before. She hadn't yet worked out of if it was just her MACO sensibilities or her own personal feelings for the man that made her feel so much for him but Ren knew, whatever happened, would happen.

Like a hunted fox, he slunk in his path to cross the colony by keeping his tracks close to buildings, hugging shelter and bringing the beautiful artist with him. Even if she wasn't an artist that no longer mattered and it wasn't long before he had them in his apartment on the fourth floor, reaching up to rid himself of the blasphemous disguise of hat. This wasn't love and he doubted it was lust for this man knew lust. For nine long, cold showered years he knew lust and this wasn't it. It was a new breath and a chance to continue to survive.

"Thank god," she laughed as he discarded the hat and then pressed into his again, giving him no chance to reconsider. She wanted him, not the Colonel, not the Governor, the man she had made happy last night. She wanted him to feel that again. It was with real affection that Ren wrapped her arms around Gabriel Hayes and kissed his mouth, his face, his neck, until she was dizzy with pleasure and excitement.

He didn't know what he did in life to deserve this day, both the good and the horrible, but the man did not protest or stop the red-headed vixen. There were soft sounds escaping from his throat and Gabriel tried to not remember that she was a Corporal in this man's military. The last thing he wanted was for some rumor based on truth to circulate that the Colonel was a fucking old man in the bedroom who made stupid noises. God, why was he even thinking like this. A hand was placed on her exposed arm and he pulled away from Renee, lifting his cast so he could use that as a small barrier that allowed him to take a step back.

"What's wrong?" She asked, even though she knew the answer.

Lowering his arm, keeping fingers light on her arm, he swallowed light and whispered, "You're very beautiful. In that dress."

"I didn't know I was going to be wearing it for you," she said honestly, a little smile on her face. "But I'm glad I did."

Finding her wrist, Gabriel walked backwards, letting his eyes wander in a royal manner as he took her in and led her to the living room. There was no need to make excuses for the unpacked boxes, the stale scent of alcohol or the mess he had left on what would eventually become his mini bar some day. The lack of furniture never mattered in the dark and he sat down on the unmade bed; inviting her to come be with him.

She smiled and followed, her eyes dancing in pleasure at the invitation. "Gabe," she said softly. "I want you to know, this is about you. Nothing else. Just you, the guy I met last night." She didn't know why but it felt important to say, especially when she knew who he was. The Colonel. She still respected him as the Colonel, worshipped him a little because of what he had done for his men. Took all their applause and praise while he was dying in front of her eyes.

"Thank you," If it was pity she offered, he drank it in like life's blood. Putting a hand up to her face, touching her cheek, he had to wonder if God was delivering him a survival angle or if the Devil was tempting him towards damnation. Burn in hell or live in grace, Gabriel leaned in and picked up where they left off outside the Outpost and began to thoroughly kiss Renee Richards.

It was hard to forget that she was a Corporal in the MACOs. One of his men. If he played his cards right, he might be able to trick his mind into thinking she was that innocent civilian again and to aid in the mirage, Gabriel emptied his glass. Setting it down on a box, he used both hands to hold her face and went back for more kisses. She was here tonight, which meant she wanted to be with him and despite all warnings in his head, he decided he wanted to be with her too. One more night wouldn't hurt anything, as what had already been done was done.

There was a part of Ren that was very afraid of Gabriel Loman Hayes but for none of the reasons he expected. When he took her in his arms like he was doing now, she was revisited by all the pleasures of that night and this new encounter was no less devastating. She had been giddy the next day, positively walking on air, for an encounter she knew would never come again. What would she be like tomorrow, now that she knew who he was, now that she had a name to put to the face. She could fall in love with him and she knew it even though it was most likely she was just a temporary convenience. On so many levels, this was breaking all the important rules, not the MACO ones but her own rules about men and self-preservation.

But God help her, she couldn't walk away just yet and so she was damned.

Slowly he lowered his hand, gently dragging it down her arm and to her hand where the shot glass still awaited. Playing with her fingers, he pried loose the empty glassware and tossed it near an open box when it rolled and clunked inside. Hayes still continued to kiss her and brought her hand around his back where he began to tug in an attempt to untuck his own shirt. Meanwhile, he never once stopped those lust filled kisses while touching her face.

Ren started to get more comfortable the more insistent his kisses became and it was damned hard not to become lost in that lustful mouth plundering hers. She allowed him to guide her until she felt the fabric against her skin and then she remembered herself, remembered that she wasn't some shy virgin and untucked his shirt before her hands and nails scrape lightly up the muscle of his back. Oh god, he was incredible to feel as her lips parted wider, giving him more access to her mouth.

Soft, appreciative noises rumbled from his throat and Gabriel dove deeper, pressing his tongue down and round in her mouth. His hands began to meet at her waist and he was quick to squeeze the bottom of her ribs on each side, tugging her closer to him. Pressing against that little fabric dress she wore. Her fingers exploring his back only encouraged Hayes and he was quick to slowly back her into a nearby wall.

With Gabe trapping her against a wall, Ren had no illusions as to how much he wanted her. She could feel him pressing up against her body, the flesh beneath his trousers growing harder and more rigid the more he kissed her. Once again she felt herself falling over into that abyss of dark pleasure, her leg slowly moving between his. She raised her knee to press against him, raking her nails hard across his bareback, adding new scratches to the one she had already left behind.

He gave a cry into her mouth, both from her knee and claw. Dangerous territory for beasts that enjoyed living dangerously. Breaking from her mouth, he caught his breath and nodded, looking at her with a sly smirk. "You definitely have my number." Gabriel admitted to her that the actions Ren took on were forcing him over the brink. The small pause was also an older man's way of buying time for pacing was everything where enjoyment was concerned. His large hands lifted under the back of her dress where he began to press and gently rake with his short nails. Gabe might not be well versed in communicating with words to a woman, but his many years had him ranked up with experience in bedroom matters. She wanted to be pleased, as well as to please, and he was meeting that high standard.

"Oh god Gabe," she whispered in his ear as his nails dug into her flesh reminding her why she had been so sore the next day even if it was a pain she could do happily with over and over again. She dipped her head away from his mouth when he spoke, taking opportunity to nibble from his neck to his collarbone, her lips moving past the fabric of his shirt until she reached a shoulder and put teeth into it, remembering the other thing he liked from that heated night.

A soft whimper escaped his throat and had he been in a place to be rational, Gabriel would have wondered how he could have let her go tonight. Impossible to even think on, the way she was making him feel with her nails and teeth. A guilty pleasure of the Colonel had always been these pain induced couplings and he tried to remember when this had happened that first night; where it came out that he liked them. He never usually tried anything of this nature until a few times in and even then, he did not try it with all his conquests. Only a small handful of women knew of the give and receive. Gabriel refused to mark any female beyond light biting and scratches. Their bodies were far too delicate in his mind for such cruel acts. He gave up trying to remember, and revelled in the fact that it was present with Ren. "You're going to drive me crazy," he breathed, "Treating me so well." Again, he had to take a brief time out and both of them had yet to be undressed.

"Well now that I know who you are I guess I had better," she teased, biting down again before capturing his mouth and torturing his lower lips as her hands slid from around his back to his front, still under his shirt, her nails raked across his chest and nipples, grazing the delicate flesh before she removed them completely and started tearing at the buttons of his shirt, desperate to unclothe him.

His thick voice half laughed, "Oh my god. No rank, remember? Just Gabe." Gabriel didn't want to remember who he was or who she was. Either he was easy to read or they happened to be lucky that first night in how to please each other. Joining her, his hands lifted up the dress, ready to rid it and any underclothing across the room. "Oh god these are great." His hands made a pit stop on the lacy thong, playing with it for a moment before returning to a mad frenzy of trying to remove everything from her body all at once.

"Well I wore them on the off chance I lost my mind completely and we found ourselves in this place again," she joked before lifting up her hands so he could take the dress of her body. She lifted her knee again, caressed the hard flesh now straining against his trousers, until she could see the pronounced bulge that begged touch by her hands, her lips and her moist insides.

His hands immediately went to explore her freshly exposed body. "Yes. You've lost your mind." Gabriel took one of her wrists gently and guided her hand down to his belt before returning his palm to round flesh. "Now help me before I lose mine." Hayes had leaned slightly into her knee, the touch and desire driving him beyond no longer thinking, because if he was thinking, Colonel Hayes would have put a lock down to this primal behaviour and lust. Instead, Gabe leaned in and kissed Ren.

Allowing his mouth to capture hers while he fondled her breasts, Ren let out a satisfied moan of pleasure before she fumbled with his belt buckle, freeing him quickly before she dipped her hand past the fabric of his briefs and enclosed his aching erection. She felt him in her hand for a few seconds, stroking him languidly as his mouth did incredible things to her own and his hand squeezed and raked across her breasts until she was whimpering.

Everything this woman did, Gabriel liked. The only problem, of course, was the fact that he was fully dressed and she was not. A minor technicality, as Hayes pulled back from the intense kisses for a moment, gently wiping his lips against hers as his mind took in her touch. Aching he was, and for more than the simple stroke of fingers. Trying to distract her, he returned once more to his tongue play and began to press himself into her, bending his knees slightly for better angle and hoping to lose the hand. Colonel Hayes had long left the building and all that remained was the man that needed to feel her around him. Needed the release.

Sloane McRae a distant memory. For now.

Ren felt his length pushing against her and immediately reacted by pulling down the pants she had partially undone down his hips, exposing him to her. It was hard to concentrate when his mouth was torturing hers and his hands were running over her body so torturously. However, the gentle thrust of his hips was becoming urgent now and Ren knew she needed to feel him. She wanted him inside of her.

"Guide me." Gabriel coached, moving himself to tease against her in a sigh. He had trapped her against his wall, mindful of the many boxes in the room so as not to fall over them. Damp and ready, he held his breath as he slid inside Ren and slowly rocked back and forth with her body, trying to find a better angle so he might push himself in further

Her body remembered how he felt if the slick way he slid into her was any indication, Ren thought distantly as her mind froze in reaction to his penetration. Closing her eyes as she felt him every inch of the way, her nails dug into his back as Ren's head rested against the wall as she pushed in and instinctively, she raised a leg over his hip, trying to give him as much access as possible. Her lips parted with pleasure, Ren could feel herself on her toes as she arched to accommodate him.

Gabriel Hayes shuffled his feet forward, pants around his ankles, reaching behind him to help Ren support her leg. "Oh yes." He whispered, lustfully licking he cheek and ear before dissolving that action into kisses. In a way, she was riding him with Gabe making sure he was under and supportive. A lover was not a lover if all he did was take. She had to enjoy it too.

It was difficult to say what she enjoyed more, what he was doing to her as he thrusted into her body or that sinful mouth, kissing her. His kisses had power, she wondered if he knew. Duelling wetly with his tongue inside her mouth, it invaded her almost as delightfully as his length impaling her. She could feel her back rubbing against the wall each time he pushed up, a delicious friction to go with the incredible sensation of him inside her. Her inner muscles clenched instinctively, unwilling to let him go each time he impaled her. She was moaning into his mouth after awhile, her nails raking harder across his back.

Joining her with a moanful growl, Gabriel let his mind go and thought on nothing. Simply pleasing her while feeling great as he drilled ferally inside. It was a slow motion, meant to last. Unknown to his conscious mind her quick will earlier to let him go was the very action that caused him to take his time with the love making. Fear of loss, rejection or humiliation was subconsciously being combated with each stroke and pulse against her body. Leaving her mouth, Hayes leaned over and gently took her shoulder in his jaws. Holding for a moment before releasing and finding her ear.

"Oh god Gabe," she whimpered as he pumped into her with those slow yet hard strokes. The sensation building inside her, generated by his expert lovemaking was making it hard for her to think of anything but what he was doing to her. Thoughts about insanity was almost non-existent, how could she even think about letting him go as her nails scratched at his back, through his hair in growing frenzy. "Oh please don't stop Gabe," she started to word mindlessly, "oh god please don't stop fucking me..."

"I won't. I promise I won't." The hand holding her leg shifted and he gave a bit of an upward jump to push her up higher. A better angle for him. Hopefully more comfortable for her, as Ren had been slipping. In response to her nails in his hair, he gasped. So crazy. So rough. Badly Gabriel needed to forget his life and the drought in his heart was flooded by this animal mating. This mindless fucking.

Just to incite him even more, she lowered her lips to his shoulder and bit down hard again, wanting him to feel just as pleasured as he was making her feel. His voice in her ear, had sent chills of delight up her spine, so filled with husky male need, so savage and gentle at the same time. A predator claiming his prize and she was grateful to play the part for him.

He held back as much as his body was able, and finally even Colonel Hayes had to give in. It might have been the shoulder bite that got the best of him, or simply their continuation of feel-good humping. The speed in which Gabriel rocked increased and soon he was pressing most of her body flat against the wall, the muscles in his hips and legs working in unison at that frenzied pace. The man began the long, throating moan of loosing the battle.

Oh my, she thought as she felt him snap and found herself starting to lose the battle to keep her control intact, like she had any to begin with. The heat he caused when he slipped into that animalistic fucking was more than she could bear. Throwing her head back against the wall, she started to cry out unrestrained as he pounded into her. She could feel her orgasm coming and it was going to be so good. Her insides were on fire and as she gripped him harder, all she could do was take him and thank god for it. "Ohhhhgod yes Gabe...ohgodohgod!"

"OhGod." Gabe echoed, her voice in his ear urging him onward. Loosing it completely, he banged the last of himself into her and the wall before the meek, vulnerable praise of God left is lips. When the last of him had been handed over, Hayes rested his head against the wall, concentrating completely on remaining upright and holding her to him. The MACO commander was weak and fought to be strong. The lovemaking simply zapped the last of his initial strength.

They came together though he probably didn't notice it she thought with a smile as she clenched around him when he finally reached completion inside her. She held onto him, savouring the musk of his sweat-drenched skin, the heavy aroma of their lovemaking and kissed gently his neck to his bruised shoulder, trying to soothe the injury she had left there. She didn't want this to end and yet had no idea how to keep him. Yet instinctively, she knew he belonged to something else and he was never hers to begin with.

******

When it was all said and done, with their clothes lying on the floor, while they lay against each other in a sweaty tangle of pleasured and sated flesh, Ren wondered what had possessed her to be so forward with the man whose heart she could feel beating as she lay against his chest. The smell of him, the taste and feel was branded on her psyche and Ren could not deny that it was as good as the night before. He felt so good, too good in fact for her to believe this was Colonel Gabriel ‘Iron Bastard’ Hayes.

When she had seen him up there tonight, making that soul crushing speech and knowing just what it cost him to put up a brave face, her heart had gone out to the man she met last night, not the soldier before her, the polite, somewhat uncertain man who sought to charm a younger woman with all the insecurities that went with it. She had really liked that man and it hurt her to see him so wounded. Now the truth she had asked him to forget was sneaking back like a thief in the night and cold tendrils of reality was snaking itself around her body.

"Are you awake?" His voice cut the silence for he had been lying there for well over half an hour holding her and thinking. Thinking like a Colonel and not all at the same time. Gabriel went from the highest point of feeling happy to the lowest of waiting for her to say good-bye.

"No," she lifted her chin and rested it on his chest, watching his eyes. "Awake and strangely satisfied." A small smile crooked the corner of her lips. She studied him now, studied him like it was terribly precious thing she was allowed to do, examining his face and trying to find in it, the cocksure Major whose picture was on display at the barn. That man looked invulnerable; almost untouchable...this one looked surprisingly human, sensitive almost.

He thought she was teasing him at first but when she added to the question Gabriel let out a soft laugh. "Thank you." Light fingers ran up and down her soft flesh. A few times his mouth opened to say something but he didn't allow any words to come forth. When he did decide what he would allow himself to say, it came out almost sad, "I had a nice time too."

Ren remembered what she had decided tonight and that voice stabbed at her, tugged at her heart. It wasn't pity she felt for him, no it wasn't that at all. It was compassion. It was knowing that in all the universe, she alone meant something to someone that no one else could be. Fleeting as it might be, she felt in a sense needed and that, added to what he had engendered in her the night before, was quite potent indeed. "You need me," she said simply.

His body tenses a bit, hearing her say that and while he didn't respond at first, Hayes eventually commented, "Why do you say that?"

"You just do," she said without flinching, "you need me to be forget you're down here, to be happy even for a little bit."

The truth was not easy to hear and Gabriel debated which stance to take: The stoic Colonel or the truth. Sloane's words echoed in his head and his hard hardened. "I'm not a very happy man."

"I know," she said nodding. "You shouldn't be here on Gaia. As much as we love to have you here on Gaia, you shouldn't be here. You're not a politician, you're our colonel and that's where you should be. I hate that they've done this to you and I love that you stood up there tonight and hid it...because of us."

"There was no other choice. It's what I always do." Hayes sighed and managed, "I shouldn't be telling you this."

"You're human Gabe," she said stroking his chest lightly, "in here with me. You're human and I rather like knowing that. You can tell me anything. We're just Ren and Gabe in here."

"I don't talk like this. To anyone." Not in a long time but that was his decision and he stood by it. Now, his spoken words echoed in his head. 'I know more about Chef then I do you Gabe!' "What would you want to know?"

"Anything you want to tell me," she said honestly. "Look Gabe," she sighed. "I like being with you. If you like being with me like this, we can try seeing each other. When you say its over, its over or if I say the same, we walk away and that will be that. But while we're here, we tell each anything we want to and we don't make demands? If you can live by that, then I'd like to keep seeing you."

"You're one of my men..." The protest came but it was not very stern nor really wanted. What she proposed was very tempting and Gabriel didn't want to be alone. Alone meant thinking and thinking meant obsessing on killing a young cub.

"I am one of your men but let's talk about regs here. You are not my direct superior and I am so far below you in the chain of command it can even possibly be considered a conflict. Secondly, you're governor and that does change things quite a bit and finally," she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips, "no has to know but us."

There were people who knew her secret but Ren was satisfied that they would go to their graves before revealing it.

Taking the kiss, he countered, "And because I'm so above in that command, that makes it even worse on my part." In his mind he was fighting her but he found himself seeking out her mouth.

"That's up to you to decide," Ren said. "I can't make that choice for you. I know I care about you, I enjoy being with you. I haven't enjoyed being with anyone as much in so long that I'm reluctant to let you go but I will accept if that is what you want."

"I don't know what I want," he wanted Sloane but she was now far off the charts. She had stopped kissing him so Gabriel halted his perusal. "Everything's wrong down here on Gaia and. While. I appreciate. What you're saying..." Hayes lifted his cast and rested it above his head. "You just met me. Last night."

"I know," she said as she continued to study him, taking in his features as if it were some work of art not appreciated previously. There were stories in the lines of his face, the sadness in his eyes, even the words he spoke. "I'm a quick study and I like you, which in itself says quite a bit. I liked you before I knew who you were and this changes nothing about those feelings, it just complicates things."

He closed his eyes and admitted, "I'm really at the end of my rope these days on complicated." His free hand lifted up and touched the side of her body as it rest against him. Mixed signals for he spoke the truth yet Gabriel did not wish to be alone.

"I sort of guessed that," she said planting soft kisses on his chest as she spoke. "I can't say anything that makes this less complicated. I know how I feel and sometimes, in the face of all doubt and anxieties, I go with my gut. My gut says you need me and its nice to be needed."

For a few minutes he lay still, feeling her gentle touch which sent his lonely soul spinning. All Gabriel could do was to keep it together as she kissed and spoke her kind words. When the Colonel regrouped himself, he whispered, "Thank you."

"Thank you?" Her brow crooked in question. "What for? I'm getting as much out of this as you. I enjoy your company Gabe; you make me feel good about myself, about my worth."

Not a scholar in situations such as these, Gabriel nodded and swallowed while running his hand up to take a small hold of her shoulder. A soft tug at her to move upward. "Come here?"

She slinked up his body, still astounded at how well he kept his age. He looked like a thirty year old, even though his eyes were older than time itself. Looking at his face, she smiled faintly. "Take a trip on the wild side with me Colonel," she winked. "Nothing soothes a battered soul than a fling with a sexy red head made for sin."

Beaten down, injured, rejected and grounded, Gabriel had nothing left in which to counter her offer. He lifted his hand and ran it along her face starting down at her jaw, moving up her cheek and pressing up into crisp curls of bed-ridden hair. "Alright." The man leaned up, seeking out her mouth for warmth and her pity for comfort.

"I promise you Gabe," she said lowering to capture his mouth, "if nothing else, we'll have a good time."

All in all, letting go of sorrow in exchange for meaningless sex, Renee Richards occupied his mind and kept him busy where he would allow her to make good on that promise.

[do]

Back at the Pansy Ball...

When no giant lightening bolt blazed from the heavens to strike Ren down when she entered the ballroom, Derick took that as a sign that things might turn out ok.

Might. Now if he could just get a word with another certain MACO female.

Sloane was near the bar and how she could even think of alcohol after last night, Derick wasn't sure... but it just showed how tough she was. Standing off towards the end of the bar, he watched her... with green eyes that were remembering every naked inch of the woman; not the MACO. Not the Major. Of Sloane, the woman. Long, thick dark hair and a firm body that was round and soft in all the right places. Maybe she was more toned than a lot of women but neither was Sloane bulky or unfeminine. As she said something to the bartender, Derick took advantage of his now-empty bottle and moved in beside her.

"Another one, please," he said, setting the bottle on the counter. "Major." The knowing smirk and twinkle in his eye said what he could not and Derick offered Sloane a quick wink when the bartender gave them his back.

"Gunny," Sloane let out, pleasantly surprised. Between a residual hangover, lack of sleep, headache and the need to drink though her liver told her not to, Sloane wasn't all there and hadn't even seen him approaching. "Let me get that," she said, nodding to the barkeep to add it to her tab. "All these heroes around and I'm only buying mineral water. It's getting rather embarrassing." Some general chitchat instead of saying what she really wanted to. Why? Well because telling Rickman to ask her to dance at such an event would be also asking for trouble. Still, she was wearing that evening gown instead of her dress uniform and that empire style number with train was asking for a spin on the dance floor. By someone other than Riley or Merrick.

"Well, if it helps, you had enough last night for tonight too," Derick teased, watching her. Sloane didn't look much worse for the wear so he gathered she'd gotten some sleep today. That was a good thing. "Thanks for the drink." The bartender moved away and Derick flashed her a grin that said he was definitely up to no good. "Trying to get me drunk and take advantage of me?" he asked, voice low as he surveyed.. well, tried to make it look like he wasn't checking out the line of her shoulders or how perfect that cleavage was in her dress.

Her smile widened, dangerously starting to look like one of a teenage girl. Why every time she saw him she forgot about Hayes? Or forgot what would be the right thing to do? And that uniform on him, well, let's just say it didn't help.

"Something like that," Sloane replied, looking away casually as to not attract attention to them but not before her eyes let Derick know she was well aware the booze was optional. He did not need to be drunk. So would he come to her tonight or was it her turn to go to him? "How's Julian?"

That look... damn, it warmed him up inside. "He's good, playing proud brother to everyone who will listen," Derick chuckled, easing onto one of the stools at the bar, ready to not worry about Ren for the time being. Her scent, something sweet and soft, yet entirely Sloane drifted up to him and the urge to touch her, to do something nagged at him, burned until Derick was quite sure the heat was in his eyes. "So are you planning on staying long?" he asked, voice once again low, letting his eyes make promises for him.

Her eyes had drifted back to him as he spoke and Sloane suddenly needed to clear her throat... or needed something far more stronger than bloody fizzy water. "No," was the simple and plain answer. Not when Derick put it that way, and also not when the MACOs were, as of 0000hrs, becoming a Starfleet entity. It gave this whole do a very bad name and Sloane was sure it would leave a bad taste in the mouth of each and every MACO she knew so there was no point sticking around long.

"You?" Her voice low and breathy all of a sudden, Sloane felt she needed to kick herself for allowing this meltdown in public... but his eyes.. well... she sighed in defeat before giving him a wicked grin Hayes would pop a vein over if he ever saw it.

"No." His answer was short and succinct, quite sure it said a lot as did his eyes and the slight curl of a smile at one side of his mouth. Part of Derick didn't want to ring out MACO and welcome in this Starfleet Marines business... he preferred them being two separate units and no doubt Tom was thinking the same thing. Another part of Derick was itching to be alone with Sloane. It had been a while and in this case, the old adage was true. Absence made his heart grow fonder of this incredible woman.

Yep, whatever resolution Sloane had come up with (like being honest and telling Derick, sorry can't be with you because you're not the only one I have feelings for) went out the window when he looked at her that way. It took her in wanna-be-selfish territory and she wanted to keep him to herself despite not being 100% true to him. His hands, that mouth... his touch. She remembered it all too well but still needed another taste. Craved it. And if his body language was any indication, so did he.

Well, if he wasn't going to verbalise it, she would. His smile held her captive for a moment too long and she felt she better push off that bar before someone zeroed on them both. The world had enough of one half of MacHayes acting weird around an enlisted. She finished her water and left the glass on the bar, smearing the nice wooden surface with condensation.

Brushing past Gunny Rickman, because she just had to, because she could, she said, "I'm giving it another hour." Sloane was sure Derick would understand the subtext.

"An hour..." Derick remained absolutely where he was as she moved by him; whereas someone not in the mood he was in would have moved, out of respect for the Major's rank. The thought of catching her arm, holding her there was tempting... awfully tempting but they were still in public.

Dammit.

Watching her go, Derick grinned to himself, more predatory as his male senses were attuned to the fact a woman.. his woman... had just rubbed up against him. An hour, at least....

***

At least until he arrived at Sloane's house about 30 minutes after she'd left the ballroom. Of course, Tom had given him a knowing look and seen right through Derick's innocent yawn-going-home line and he'd only grinned at his friend and left.

There was a light or two on in Sloane's house as he approached it and Derick paused for a moment, wondering if he should keep to the back door (as much as he didn't want to). In the end, it was the option he chose, if anything to keep this thing secret. A secret... god, she'd looked good tonight. Moving towards the back of the house, Derick tapped on the back door with a knuckle.

Sloane hadn't been home long. Leaving the ball her feet took her to Ruby's. Sullivan looked to be itching to write about this new Starfleet Marine Corps get-up and chances were he was already in the middle of writing an editorial piece for the Rumblings. After a quick drink with the man - after all he was ex-Starfleet and ought to have been invited to the ball - Sloane headed home with a bottle of Port in hand. Or what came to pass as the closest thing out here in the Tau Ceti system.

She had barely the time to put some music on and get two glasses out when she heard the rap on the door. The back door. Smiling, for she knew who had the habit of showing up there, Sloane went to let a certain gunnery sergeant in, her fingers working hard to pull those damn pins out of her hair to free it.

When the door opened, Derick paused for a moment, almost.. not believing that he was here again with Sloane. And that dress. For the moment he stood in the doorway, eyes travelling up the length of her legs, a flat, toned stomach (or what he knew to be), breasts that were... in a very male term.. just right. To Sloane's eyes. Pretty and dark, twinkling at him, even as she fiddled with her hair, drawing him to her. Hair, how women managed to do their hair was still a mystery to him. After a moment, he realized he was standing somewhere he shouldn't be and that had to be fixed.

By moving inside.

"Hey..." Derick said after a moment, waiting until the door shut. They hadn't had much chance to be together, just the two of them, Sloane and Derick and not Major McRae and Gunny Rickman. For a brief moment, Derick let a niggling thought loose; that maybe that was by design and it froze him for a minute - a minute in which he wanted her all the more.

His dress uniform. Slightly different from an officer's but no less flattering. Sloane was admiring the lines, that high collar just below that jawbone, when she noted Derick's hesitation. It wasn't much but she caught that shadow in his blue eyes and there was also the fact that once inside the door he stopped in his track.

"Hey yourself. You're planning on spending the night there," Sloane finally said softly, a come-hither smile on her face.

Something broke, whatever was holding him back, holding there in that spot and Derick stepped forward, into Sloane's space, one hand snagging her elbow to pull her close. Derick was silent, his delight in finally seeing Sloane - finally having her here within reach, out of sight... Leaning forward, Derick kissed Sloane, lightly for the first one, slowly. Savouring the way her perfume glided about her and just how damn soft her lips were.

Her eyes closed, Sloane leaned in for the kiss and let him steal that little sigh out of her, like he always managed to do. It felt good, right... and Sloane wondered why she kept on trying to fight it. It was clear her and Hayes would never be so why worry about it? Why hang on to something that shouldn't matter anymore? She liked Derick. Hell, she liked him a lot. This was where she wanted to be.

"Missed you," she let out in another sigh, arms going up to join behind his neck.

As one arm went about Sloane's waist, Derick smiled against her lips as she tucked against him, warm.. and live. She hadn't dissolved the instant he'd touched her. Nibbling at Sloane's lower lip, he didn't say much. Just a simple, whispered "I missed you..." before he claimed her mouth again, as the rest of him realized that he was alone with Sloane, just the two of them. Derick pulled Sloane against him, his hand drifting south to caress that incredible ass. "God, I missed you..." he whispered finally in her ear, having kissed his way along the strong line of her jaw.

After being so easily discarded by another, the words warmed her up on a scale she did not expect... like his actions, his body against hers weren't telling her as much. His hot breath in her ear made her shiver and pulling her head back slightly, she looked at him.

"You okay?" It had been quite a day, more for some than others, but the Starfleet Marine Corps bullshit was a form of equalizer, hitting everybody.

"Yeah," Derick grinned in return, cupping her rear easily as he leaned in for another kiss. "Just.. having to watch you and not being able..." He kissed her again. "To touch you..." Something was humming at the back of his brain, something ages old and the kiss got deeper as his other hand found Sloane's waist. A flash raced over his skin under the uniform and when Derick looked at Sloane again, there was heat in his eyes, something he felt barely able to control as he walked her backwards, to the counter and held Sloane there, his hips pushing against her. "God, you're beautiful, Sloane," he growled in her ear.

Well, if that didn't turn on Sloane instantly, nothing would. Pushing back into him, she sashayed against his body, liking the way the silky material moved against her skin. Something radically different for a MACO woman who only owned one frock.

"I take it you like the dress?" Sloane stole a wet, demanding kiss. "You're not bad yourself." Understatement. She too had struggled all evening - hell, since seeing him in the morning despite everything else - with watching him move about but unable to go to him. Her finger followed the line of his coat from collar to chest teasingly before she started to undo the buttons. Great uniform but she needed to feel him without that many layers in between.

Letting her work the buttons, Derick grinned and dropped a kiss to her bare shoulder. "I like it. Though really, it wouldn't look very good on me," he chuckled against the pulse in her throat, savouring the feel against his tongue. Life. "You looked beautiful tonight," he whispered, kissing Sloane's chin next as he settled both hands on the counter behind her, holding her against it with his body, groin pressing against her, giving into the heat he could feel through his uniform.

"Thanks..." She had tried. For him. Yeah, mostly for him. But also for the men as MACOs weren't usually invited to balls such as this one in such a number. It would have been a great event had it not been for Mesu's decision of axing the Sharks. And also, if she didn't kid herself, she had dressed up to the nines to stick it to Gabe.

But Gabe was far from her mind right now.

Hissing at the contact, at that hardness against her, Sloane wanted that dress out of the way. She liked it when Derick was pushy. She liked that he knew what he wanted and went for it. In fact, it drove her pretty wild. She parted his coat open and pushed it past his shoulders and down his arms. Eyes sparkling with mischief (there had been enough restraint expected of her in one day), she attacked his dress shirt next, that was, grabbed hold of it and pulled it apart, sending buttons flying and rolling on her kitchen floor. Her mouth found skin while her hands went to her dress to shimmy it up to her waist.

"Derick," she breathed her request before her mouth closed on a nipple.

Sighing, in relief-born pleasure, Derick shrugged out his jacket and let it fall to the floor and brought his hands up, burying them in Sloane's hair, stroking until he twined his fingers into the ends, pulling, to bring her head back so he could claim her delicious, sinful mouth, show her how much of a man she made him feel like. With one hand still holding her hair, the other reached for a leg, pulling it up towards his hip as his knees bent, pushing up and against her, twice and again... Derick could feel his cock swell, tight and the heat against him caused a growl as he felt smooth, toned muscle under his hand. "So what's your pleasure, Sloane?" Derick whispered against Sloane's lips, a grin curling up before he forcefully kissed her again. Damn, couldn't get enough.

She had it right here. Derick, in her house, her kitchen and hopefully shortly insi... in her bed. A moan escaped her as he moved in close, one warm hand caressing her thigh. "You, slow... all night," she replied when he next allowed her to come up for air. "Yours?"

"You," Derick whispered, his hand sliding around her hip to brush against warmed silk. He leaned down long enough for a kiss before pulling back, watching her reaction as his fingers slid under panties that would no doubt be coming off soon. Brushing against downy curls, Derick let his hands do the rest of the talking, his thumb finding Sloane's centre and nub warm.

Sloane's eyes flashed as she tried to hold his gaze. It was as if he dared her to. Her breath quickened and her hands found his shoulders to hold onto but she kept on those blue eyes while her hips rocked gently to his touch.

"You like that?" Teasing, Derick caught Sloane's mouth again as he pushed two fingers in past her folds, not giving her any mercy in the double assault. She was wet, slick... and it was all his. "Hmm?" he practically growled, ignoring his wants for the moment. His pants were tight in the groin area but not yet, he told himself.

"Aye," Sloane replied with a quick breath, her Welsh accent on her tongue thicker than usual.

Pushing her forehead against Derick's, she concentrated on letting go, on living in the moment only. This moment. And wound up so tight already, she didn't see it coming. One second she was slowly climbing to that elusive summit, letting his fingers pleasure her but not believing he would let her reach it just yet, and the next her orgasm was washing over her, leaving her twitching and digging fingers into Derick's back.

The warmth that greeted his hand was not lost on Derick and he grinned to himself against her lips. His fingers rode the sensation, responding to each quickening of slick walls and timed with them. "Mmm... someone's happy to see me," he teased quietly, nipping along Sloane's neck even as he braced his arm, holding her tight. A show of manliness yes but she seemed... surprised at this orgasm.

"Smug bastard," Sloane replied sharply but feeling quite boneless in contrast. Hell, how to make a man's head so big it won't fit through a door? Get there on their watch in a minute flat. (Yeah, yeah, works for both heads for anyone who's wondering though only other men would claim that head can get that big...) Catching her breath, she tried to relax against his shoulder, now hypersensitive to his every touch. "Gimme a sec," she asked, despite knowing that would only make him prance about like a peacock even more.

"Yeah," Derick replied, his Marsi accent a little more pronounced in the tension of his own body. Damn, that was hot, listening to her, watching her face... feeling soft warmth coat his fingers. Sliding his fingers out, he licked them, throwing her a wink and offering a soft kiss to even softer lips.

Shaking her head in disbelief though she knew she shouldn't be surprised at all, Sloane watched him intently, her breath quickening again. The thought of that tongue somewhere else... She kissed him back, tasting herself on that sexy mouth, her hands finding his pants. Cupping a feel, she smiled against his lips as what her hand held there was really hard to miss. "I think you liked it too..." It was her turn to tease though there was probably nothing more exciting than finding out your partner tied his own pleasure to yours.

"Want some help?" Fingers were already unbuttoning and opening his fly, her need to feel him probably just as great as his for release.

"Mmmm.. " Derick growled in Sloane's ear, both hands on the counter on either side of her and he bit gently along her neck. "I did like it," he whispered roughly, his hips moving against her hand and groin. "You're beautiful, Sloane..." he breathed, groaning again as her hands started showing off their skill.

"Am I?" she whispered in his ear. "Hmm?" Free from the confines of his trousers, Sloane's hands caressed and teased Derick's erection. "Why don't you make love to me then?" Her fingers wrapped around him moved up and down for emphasis. "Or are you hoping for something else to start with...? What do you want, Derick?" Sloane asked in a breathy, flirty voice.

What did he want... focusing, because for a moment there, he'd revelled in having Sloane's expert hands working at him so wonderfully, lost in the burr that rode her words. "I want..." His voice was low, throaty and he leaned for another kiss, one arm settling around Sloane's waist. "I want you an' me. Make love to you..." Trailing off, Derick took another heated kiss and pulled her from the counter.

Melting against him, Sloane found it hard to pull away. Even momentarily. "Good..." she cooed, biting his earlobe and then following down his neck to his shoulder. "This way."

Grabbing both his forearms, Sloane turned away from the counter and started to walk backwards, pulling him with her to her bedroom. She was way too rundown for acrobatics tonight.

Following her, Derick grinned and kissed her chin and caught that perfect mouth again, letting her guide even as he pulled her closer, his arm around her waist. "I like this way," he murmured, moving to her neck, inhaling the soft scent there.

Sloane returned the grin just before she bumped into the corner of a wall, having attempted to turn a bit too fast into the hallway. "You're too distracting," she moaned but didn't stop him. Pressed against him, she chuckled and felt behind her with a hand. "Let's try this again..." This time backing down the hall, avoiding any other hurdle.

"Distracting... or distracted," Derick chuckled against her mouth. "This one?" he said, indicating a room and tried to turn her into it.

"Like you don't know." Her hands found his hips and she pulled him closer against her so she could feel him. That Cheshire grin was back and she considered falling down to her knees right there, even before they made it to the bedroom.

Growling, Derick smoothed his hand down across Sloane's rear, pushing her into him. "Hold up right here for a second," he said, one arm catching up on the sill to stop them and caught Sloane's mouth. "God, you taste good..." he said.

"As I recall, you do too..." Sloane let out, talking about a different taste. She kissed him again, hard, before pulling back to look at him. Stormy blue eyes looked right back and made her shiver despite all that heat. A smirk and she leaned in again to catch his bottom lip for a nibble and then slowly moved to his chin, his throat... that hollow spot. She kissed his chest, teasing a nipple with her fingers, before she looked down at the cock pressing against her belly.

"Not sure I actually remember all that well." A glance up and down on him she went, a hand wrapping around the shaft while she sucked the head into her mouth.

Moaning in appreciative happiness, Derick watched her, eyes burning with this... and how sweet it was. "... Sloane..." Pushing against her, matching the rhythm, Derick stroked her hair as she worked him. "God, you're beautiful... "

"Hmmm," was all she bothered replying with, agreeing that something was indeed beautiful. Focused on her task, that of pleasing her lover, the one she had decided to stick with and see where it would lead, Sloane applied herself. She licked and sucked and caressed and teased, revelling in Derick's reactions, into his body's responses. One hand splayed on his strong thigh, she used the other to feel his ass up, grabbing a handful of cheek to keep him in place.

Groaning, Derick let his head fall back, fingers flexing into the sill. His knees were losing focus down there and he groaned again. "Ahh.. Sloane..." he said, voice a little less controlled than he'd like but damn, she was bringing him close.

She could taste it. He was close and Sloane lapped at the drops of precum before swirling her tongue around the head. "Yeah, you taste good," she said teasingly before taking him in again, one hand now stroking the base of his cock up and down.

Whether it was her voice... or hell, her talent... Derick wasn't sure.. didn't care to be sure. "Damn.. Sloane... " Her name came out through gritted teeth as he held on against his body's reaction. With a growl, Derick slammed his hand against the door sill... and let go, let go of his spine, his knees, his legs... everything as he called her name, voice cracking huskily as he came, hips thrusting against her. Riding out everything she could give him...Derick moaned in masculine release. "... ahSloane... mmm..."

Sloane rode the wave with him in the knowledge that he had surrendered to her. She swallowed his essence then licked him clean. It was his turn to feel boneless, his body still twitching in response to her every touch. A soothing hand on his hip, Sloane kissed his belly.

"Mmm.. " Letting his eyes close, Derick willed his fingers to let go of the sill. He could feel her touch, her encouragement. As one hand left the sill, Derick delicately stroked Sloane's hair, as if she'd disappear, eyes burning with desire. "I think I need to sit down...." he said impishly, with a half grin.

Finding her feet again, Sloane straightened up in front of him, her body sliding along his where possible. "That good, huh?" She smiled and winked, her hands grabbing one of his to pull him into the bedroom and to the bed. "Come then. Don't want you to hit the deck from that high..."

Chuckling, Derick caught her up, burying his face in her neck. "That was good..." he said, licking against her neck and sucking at an ear lobe. "So is it my turn now?" he grinned, caressing a soft breast covered in silk. "Mm..?"

Sloane pulled him to her, one hand sinking in his hair. "You already got me there, remember?" In three seconds flat.

"Oh, I remember," he growled, hands finding the enclosure of the dress. "My tongue remembers." Grinning, Derick tugged the zipper down, enough to loosen the bodice of the dress. "I want to get you there again..."

Shivers covered her body just hearing him talk about it. Hell, Sloane wasn't sure she wanted to go down that road again. She remembered all too well their first time and how relentless he had been until she capitulated. Who was she kidding? It had been damn good. The best lay she'd had in a long, long while. Rough, fun, playful, competitive. It wouldn't be much of a fight this time...

"I'd like you to," she found herself answering before taking a step back to get out of her clothes.

"Mmm-hnn..." Keeping his hands on her, Derick smiled and kissed the top of a perfect round of breast. "Let me... " he said, tugging at the dress.

"You sure your manly hands can cope?" Smartass smile greeted him before she pulled him to her by the waistband of his trousers. They still hung low on his hips and Sloane wanted to remedy that.

"Mm.hmm.. " Involuntarily, his stomach muscles flexed against her touch as Derick freed a breast and he kissed it, suckling it into his mouth to pay attention to it.

"A man of many wor-," she started saying, teasing him for his Mmms and Hmms, when it suddenly turned into a hiss. Her breath caught at his touch and she arched her back in response.

"You were saying?" Kissing along her chest, Derick worked the other breast, his hands sliding the fabric off her, never lifting from their caress over each curve. Putting a bit of pressure, so she'd step out of the dress pooled at her feet, Derick grinned and kept her walking towards the bed.

"Naw.. nothing," she breathed out, enjoying the moment. Her hands guided his trousers down but his walking impeded on them falling to the ground. Never mind, she could still touch him and feel skin and so she teased, trying to rouse a certain part of his anatomy.

"Frisky, huh?" Derick chuckled, neatly flipping Sloane to her back. Going down with her, Derick caught himself on one arm above her. His other hand slid down her side, caressing a well toned thigh as he pulled it up to his hip. "God, I've missed you," he growled playfully, nipping along her shoulder.

"Really?" Sloane smiled, settling beneath him. She loved his weight on her. "We've seen each other more in two days than we have in two months..." But she knew what he meant. To be together, without having to behave and keep their hands to each other. Looking at him above her like this, Sloane didn't think they could ever settle for a platonic relationship. There were way too many sparks.

"Really." Settling between her legs, Derick let out a soft groan of pleasure at the heat against his cock. Not quite ready but willing to go again, he grinned and licked up to Sloane's ear, kissing it, his hips already pushing gently against Sloane's.

Damn if this didn't feel like home. "Missed you too," she spoke quietly into his neck. "Missed this as well." She pushed back against him in response, her legs opening wider apart before wrapping around his.

"Oh, I especially missed this." Teasing, Derick kissed Sloane's chin, her neck.. everywhere he could reach. "Me growing boy... " he chuckled. "Need sex....mmmm... " His cock hardened tightly, sort of a jump in awareness and he could feel it right to his balls.

"My, so it's true. You blokes really revert to that primal, ape-ish brain." But she let him kiss her, even stretched her head back into the pillows to give him better access.

Working his way across her neck, Derick grinned and licked her chin, feeling soft warmth envelope his cock... barely, beckoning...as he stayed between Sloane's legs. Brushing her hair from her eyes, Derick kept his eyes on Sloane, wanting to see the expression on her face as he filled her, pushed into all that delicious flesh.

"You need a written invitation?" Sloane strained to keep still, to keep her hips where they were instead of lifting off the mattress to seek him out. And then he was there, sliding in, stretching her so beautifully. Eyes on his, her breath hitched at first to see all the desire in them but she soon blinked when a long, ragged sigh left her. Relief, recognition but also a build up of emotions and lusty need.

Staying perfectly still for a moment, Derick relished the feeling, sinking into her so deeply. His hand found hers and lacing long fingers into his, he pinned it over Sloane's head. "You feel... " Thrusting, needing her so badly that he couldn't wait, Derick kept his pace up. "You feel... so good..." he groaned.

"Jeez-" Don't you go all religious on him, she thought as she moved with him, already meeting his thrust with a near desperate need. "Hell, Derick..."

Her free hand caressed him, the length of his back, his shoulder... it gripped his bicep, felt down his side to his hip. Panting, her mouth chasing his with abandon, Sloane slid that hand between them to where they met, fingers feeling the base of his cock as he pumped it in and out of her. He made her feel so good, it was almost as if she needed to feel it from outside. Hot and wet, wildly aroused, she pinched her clit lightly, making her muscles squeeze him tight in response. It brought her closer, only accentuating that burning need for release.

"Der," she hissed, her hand now grabbing for his ass. He was sliding in deep but in a slow pace that was near driving her insane. Wasn't it what she had asked, long and slow? Hell, she didn't remember. With Derick that close, buried inside her, Sloane no longer knew which way was up. She was only after his pleasure... hers... his touch, his taste and scent... she was only striving to merge with him, be as one for that elusive moment when nothing else mattered.

Ever so acutely, Derick could feel the shift in Sloane's body, her hand between them and just the imagination of what she might be doing was... damn... his hips almost jerked into her, thrusting harder that time because this, god he wanted her to come all over his cock. All over. "Jesus, Sloane," he breathed, capturing her mouth a bit roughly that time, going for harder and picking up his pace. "Voussen, god, voussen bon," he whispered hoarsely, strained.

"Pash, bashu," Sloane moaned, arching her back. Her body increasingly taut, her pelvis gyrated, taking him deeply. Taking all he was willing to give. He was beautiful like this, walking a line between wild and... and reverence? Was Tom right? Right about Derick fancying her for that long? Derick Rickman made her feel precious but without ever taking any shit from her, and that fact... that fact transcended even through his lovemaking.

God, she thought too much.

Locking on his blue eyes, Sloane caressed his face, her thumb passing over his lips. "No, *you* feel good, bashu."

Catching her thumb, Derick pulled it into his mouth, barely able to concentrate on anything but reaching a wonderful, wonderful end to this session. Canting his head down, he caught Sloane's mouth again, melting into the feel of soft lips, that were so hungry for him. Something grabbed at his spine and Derick groaned, losing all focus for a moment and regaining it by sheer will. "Sloane... pash... " he breathed, closer now, wanting her to join him.

Relentless this rhythm and Sloane's senses danced to it, climbing inexorably. She moved with him, exhilarated and panting. He was close and she was right alongside. Grabbing onto him tightly, she could feel it. Coiled tight, about to unravel. On the edge, vacillating, she screamed his name and she came, a low growl and her voice broke.

There.. oh god there she was...and Derick went right over the edge with her,

descending into a pleasure filled groan as he thrust into all that wetness and warmth exploding around him. He groaned again, enthralled, with each thrust into Sloane, each powerful, cum filled pulse of his cock, deep within her. ".. jesussloane..aww yes..." he snarled against her lovely ear, never missing how she reacted to him, how she made him so horny by all the little body movements.

It was at that point, when it all collided and met, the circle finally closing, that Sloane's eyes welled up. The mess with Hayes, all that crap of the last couple of days, the stress, the guilt trips, the booze, the hangover... shit, she was tired. She was tired and she was emotional, and Derick, right then and there, was her anchor.

".. Sloane?" Raising his head, Derick frowned, kissing at an escaping tear before it could run down her temple. She wasn't shoving him away, wasn't like that and he stilled the momentary panic that somehow, he'd hurt her. Looking at her now, his thumb caught the tears on the other side. This was no orgasm cry, no, she'd been holding something in. Cradling her to him, he managed to shift so he was on his side, holding her, stroking all that gorgeous dark hair.

"S'bon...mi bon," she said, her voice hoarse, before burying her face in his neck. "You're just too good," she said after a moment, trying to move this show along with humour. She wasn't even sure where the hell that had come from. She couldn't just open up like this with him every time they ended up in the sack. That wouldn't do. In his embrace, she let out a deep sigh. Relief, satisfaction, comfort. One arm snaking around him to return the cuddle, Sloane kissed a path along his throat in thanks. But somehow, he made her feel safe and, without any warning, it seemed he could go through her defences just like that... make her lose that precious control.

Chuckling softly, Derick warmly kissed Sloane's temple, one hand gently belying his strength to push back dark locks sticking to her face. Taking a deep breath, he let it out a sigh, letting his free hand trace over Sloane's body, as if to reacquaint with the smooth tone and curves. She was.. incredible... just incredible and once again Derick was worried that if he blinked, Sloane would disappear. "C'mon..." he said, voice slurring with his native accent. "Let's curl in bed, instead of right here," he said, eyes flashing as he grinned. "I want skin."

Relaxed against him, she returned a smile. Sloane would use the need to move under the covers as an opportunity to shake herself from her 'moment', the strong emotions now ebbing away.

"Then you shall have skin..." Sitting up, she scooted up the bed, hands gripping the sheet and duvet underneath her to pull them free. Feet dug under and pushed the covers further down, inviting Derick to come join her.

Stripping off the rest of his clothes with a grin, Derick joined her, opening an arm for her as he settled in. "Now come here, before I be rude and fall asleep on you.." Exhausted, boneless, Derick leaned back into all the pillows.

In a split second, head against his shoulder, Sloane pressed into his side, one leg sliding across his. "Wouldn't want that..." Truth was, she would probably drift off any minute now. His heart was beating against her palm and she closed her eyes. They could have three more nights of this. Hell, three more days even. They were both on leave. Would he stay? Did he have other plans? She found she wished he didn't. "Der?"

Settling to accommodate her, Derick had let his eyes drift shut until she called his name. "Yeah?" he asked, cracking open one blue eye. He smiled at her sleepily and kissed her forehead.

"Stay...?" It would be nice if for once neither had to sneak away at the break of dawn. But he didn't have to, and she shouldn't expect it. And usually, Sloane never would. But... but she wanted it anyway. This once. Some normalcy. A little more than an illicit quickie before one of them at to take off again.

Not wanting to pressure him either way, hell she was the one who had nearly broke it off earlier, Sloane found herself waiting, quiet and still, for his answer nonetheless, a little like it would make or break her.

Stay.... Derick blinked sleepily in the dark, his hand tightening on her arm, bringing her closer to him. Stay with Sloane. Wake up to her... for once, the two of them, waking when their bodies allowed it. Nowhere to be in the morning. Just the two of them.

God, he had no idea how bad he wanted that with Sloane until just now.

Kissing her forehead again, Derick smiled. "Don't set the alarm clock..." he said, his smile leaking into his tone. "The only thing I want to wake up to is you..."

...