My Brother's Keeper, part 2

[Admiral Hart]

Hart rushed to the deck, calling out to Cook as the other crewman bolted to their seats.

"Cook, what's the situation?" She asked. The main viewscreen then displayed it well enough.

The Heart Breaker was only a few miles away from Plunder's Heart, looming ominously in the ether. Surprisingly, it was making no sign of attack.

"She came out of nowhere, ma'am." Cook replied. "No sign of an attack, though."

The instant he said that, the viewscreen shifted to Annabelle LeValle. "Your ship is in posession of a fugititive from United Earth Law. You will turn him over for his trial and execution immediately, or I will begin firing."

"Hey Annie, sorry to keep you waiting." Hart replied sarcastically. "Do we really need to keep doing this? You're not getting any of my crew."

"I don't want your crew, Josetta. Anton Hart is wanted for three counts of conspiracy to commit murder. When is found guilty, he will be spaced in accordance with UE law." Annabelle replied, and then lifted her glowing white hook, the datapad still impaled on it. "Evidence has come to light, Josetta. My mother, my father, even a plan for me. Anton LeValle will be brough to justice and it will be me that does it."

Jo stared at the viewscreen, uncomprehending for a moment before she said. "Alright. Send a transport over here in half an hour and Anton LeValle will be there for you. Leave your pet Snake on the ship. Hart, out."

The viewscreen went dark, and the crew looked to her expectantly.

"So, Jo, what's the plan? Duck under them and gun it?" Jane asked.

"Jumping the boarders? I'll get my team ready..." Dane began.

"No. We're going to give them Anton." Josetta replied. "And then we're going to watch Annabelle space him."

"....Jo, no. We can't trust Annabelle." Morgan said. "She's not going to kill Anton."

"I don't want Anton on my ship." Jo said coldly. "I don't want to look at him. I don't want Clara to look at him, and I don't want the Orphans to look at him. I want to see him brought to justice and his reputation ruined officially. I want to see the poor, unstable sister he molded into his attack dog open that airlock." The Captain then stepped off the bridge.

Right in front of her was a scowling Clara. "No. No, I get to kill him. I have to end him."

"Sweetie, no. This is the best way." Jo replied. "Trust me."

"He tortured and drugged and tested me for sixteen years! Retribution will be mine and nothing you can do can stop me, Mother." The tiger girl hissed, eyes glowing very brightly.

"If you kill him now, he can be spun as a martyr. No one will ever look into his affairs too deeply, and nothing will save the other freighters that, no doubt, have similar cargoes to this one." Jo said calmly. "If he's killed by UE, they'll do a full inquisition. Project Savage will be investigated. Publically."

Clara blinked, as if all of this had never occurred to her.

"Change requires more than just a few strategic deaths, hon." Jo said softly. "And Anton LeValle and his legacy will never hurt anyone again this way."

Clara said nothing, but moved off by herself, Tina, who was nearby, running after her.

Josetta Hart walked to her room and poured herself a stiff drink, trying to calm her rage and remind herself that, yes, this was the best way.

[Cassiopeia Reyes-Hart]

Cassi had waved away any apologies that came her way from her mother or the rest of the contrite crew, for Anton LeValle having unintentionally ruined her birthday party. It had still been a blast, what little there was of it, and all the gifts she had gotten had been wonderful. Even Clara's unexpected kiss, as odd as it had been, as Cassi was able to take it for the nod of friendship that it was.

All of them had gotten somewhat overshadowed by the puppy, however. Cassi hadn't let him go since she'd gotten him, and sat now in her room trying on different scarfs and bandannas.

She finished tying on a jaunty red one around his tiny neck, then sat back. 'Jolly Roger' as she had begun to call him, sat up tall and seemed to strike a pose, as if he knew he was being admired. Cassi laughed. "That one's the best so far, Rog," she commended, holding up a small mirror. "There, whatcha think?"

Roger pranced forward toward his reflection, tiny tail wagging. He pawed at the glass, letting out a few sharp yips of excitement. Cassi just giggled, scooping him up then and nuzzling his face. To which he began licking her nose and chin vigorously.

Her door opened a minute later, and Beau stepped inside, laughing at the affection taking place on her bed. "Hey now, cut that out or I'm gonna start to get jealous," he teased, the door sliding shut behind him.

Cassi just chuckled as the tall teen came to sit beside her on the bed. She cuddled readily back against his chest as he wrapped one of his arms low around her waist, then grinned when he reached around with the other to scratch at Roger's fluffy ears. Which the puppy ate up eagerly, yipping and alternating between licking and biting at his fingers.

He sighed after a moment. "Sucks that your party got ruined," he heaved, but Cassi shrugged.

"It's alright. I'm just glad that evil man is gone for good," she pronounced. Her silver eyes hardened. "He can't hurt any more of my people again. That's like the best birthday gift ever."

Beau's eyebrow lifted. "Your people?" he parroted. Cassi blanched a little at her choice of wording, then shrugged it off with a laugh.

"Guess Clara's starting to wear off on me."

Beau started at her for a moment longer, then dismissed it himself. They sat talking for a little while longer, with Cassi playing with Roger in her lap.

She bit her lip when Beau started trailing his fingers up and down the back of her neck, her breath catching. When he started kissing and biting at her neck below one of her ears, she swallowed hard, Roger hopping out of her suddenly nerveless fingers to go investigate one of Andromeda's shoes.

"B-Beau," she murmured, voice trembling a little. Then she let out a small, yelping moan when he suddenly bit at the lobe of her ear, and then trailed his lips along the edge of it to the pointed tip.

Her ears were really, really, really sensitive.

"It's alright baby," he murmured, tone soft and husky. "I got you."

Cassiopeia was torn between painful uncertainty, acute pleasure and then a very odd sensation she couldn't quite put a name to while Beau continued to nibble at her ear, one of his hands slowly sliding up her ribcage underneath her top, to near her now-heaving breasts. Cassi panted a little, fists clenching in her skirt, trying to think coherently and failing. When his hand finally cupped her breast she jerked, that unnamable sensation suddenly drowning out the others. Cassi squirmed out of his hold, blushing.

"No, Beau," she murmured, her eyes falling away, feeling somewhat ashamed and not quite sure why. "I-I'm sorry," the elfin teen continued miserably.

Beau sighed heavily, looking torn between frustration and disappointment before he sighed and gave her a small smile. "It's alright, Cassi. I should be the one to apologize. I shouldn't have pushed." He bent a little, nuzzling her cheek. "Forgive me?"

Cassiopeia gave a shaky chuckle, curling her arms around him and nodding before accepting the gentle kisses he pressed against her mouth. A few minutes later she saw him out, and then fell back against the door with a heavy sigh, silver eyes troubled. She had finally been able to put a name to that emotion she had been feeling, but it didn't make a bit of sense and stirred up all sorts of confusion and angst.

After all, one wasn't supposed to be feeling like they were doing something wrong when they fooled around with their boyfriend, as if they were making out the wrong guy.