Cosmic Kiss

In a strange way, Moira was relieved. The day had finally arrived and no one was worse for the wear. She pushed all concerns about the induction ceremony and what it held aside. The most important item on her docket was seeing Charles and Armando alive and well.

If they weren’t at the ceremony of if they were in any way harmed…well she’d have to figure something out.

“Settle down, Sean.” She said to the frowning young man. “After today we’ll finally know where we stand once and for all. We can worry after we know their plans for our future.”

“I don’t like this. Why haven’t we heard from them in so long? We have no idea what this ceremony is even about,” he insisted hotly. Fidgeting with his tie.

Moira sighed, “I know. But we have to take things one at a time. We need to stay on high alert, you know Stryker hasn’t given up on freeing Earth from the Federation, I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries something today." Sean nodded his agreement. "If we get the chance and something goes down, stick to the plan.”

“Assist in evacuating all civilians and non military personnel,” he parroted dryly.

She grasped his arm in a firm grip, catching his eye in a hard stare. “All civilians and non military personnel. Understood?”

Sean swallowed nervously, “You can’t mean…”

“Look, Stryker is a fruit loop and I’m not on his side but Charles and Armando are citizens of the United States and of Earth. I will not leave them to be harmed in any way shape of form. We took an oath, Sean. We will uphold it with our lives.”

He nodded grimly, lips a pale line.

“I’m not saying it will come to that. But if it does I need you on my side and I need you to be prepared,” she said firmly.

She reached into her desk and handed him his assigned side arm and holster. He shucked his suit coat and donned the holster. When he pulled his jacket back on, his weapon was entirely concealed.

“Where did you even get these, and why are we carrying? They’re useless as long as the energy field is up,” he reminded her with a frown as he watched her check her weapon and slip it into a thigh holster. He averted his gaze from her shapely legs. Now was not the time to let those thoughts get out of hand.

“I have clearance to access our weapons at any time and I’d rather have it and not need it…” she let the words fade out as the PA system called them all to their assigned posts for the ceremony.

“It’s like an inauguration times 10,” Sean had said of the security measures and surveillance in place around the capital. He was sure other nations had taken the same precautions. but that didn't make any of this less surreal.

“Let’s head out.”

“After you.”

~~

Armando was eager to head down to Earth and let the world governments know all he’d learned about the Federation in his few days away. He supposed it was easier for him to compartmentalize as a trained federal agent than it was for poor Charles.

Alex was watching him with a worried pinch to his features. He’d been playing it very cool with the other man since finding out that they were mates. When he woke from their night of binge drinking alien wine, Alex had proceeded to attempt to coddle and pamper him into a better mood, he was clearly trying to bring back their earlier closeness, but Armando wasn’t falling for it.

He didn’t have time to dwell on the mistakes he’d made or the fact that he was apparently mated to a ‘plasma burner.’ If there was any way this information could be useful for the protection of Earth then he would use it.

He wasn’t happy with Alex, but he knew enough to play the game. He adjusted his tie once more and turned to face Alex who was dressed as he had been the day of the surrender. He looked dashing in his neatly pressed dress uniform and the warm look in his eyes when he gazed at Armando was enough to heat his blood.

He pushed those thoughts aside and reminded himself of all that was at stake. He could only hope that Charles was doing the same and that Earth had some sort of plan of action. He feared that once Earth was inducted, there was no way out of the Federation alive.

Alex gave him a sharp smile, “Are you ready?”

Armando returned the smile, hoping the other man couldn’t read the tension in his body language, “Yes. Let’s head down. I would like to check in with my team before the ceremony begins if that’s alright.”

Alex eyed him for a long moment that had him holding his breath. “Alright. That will be fine as long as I’m your escort.”

He cursed violently in his mind, no matter. He’d just have to figure out a way to get a message to Moira. She could handle the rest. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you,” he said with eerie sincerity. “Come on, we don’t want to be late.”

~No, we don’t~ Armando thought grimly.

~~

“Have him wait on the bridge,” Erik told the ship, referring to Admiral Shaw who was waiting just outside the door.

Charles was glaring at him. He’d never seen a human go so long without blinking. He wasn't a foolish enough to think that was a good sign.

“I didn’t lie to you. My mother’s people are Derrian. They hail from a water logged planet with less visible land than Earth. They can control the elements of their world the same way I can control magnetism.

Each mating couple only ever has one child. Having more than one is a death sentence for the mother. Female in their case. She gives roughly half her life force to the child she gestates.” He paused here for emphasis, so Charles would understand fully what he meant.

Charles was stunned by this information. He turned and sank into a seat at the conference table without saying a word.

Erik pressed on. “Of course other species can have multiple children. Much like humans and your ‘siblings.’ Such as the Summers brothers.”

Charles nodded his understanding, but stayed quiet. This was the most he’d ever heard about Erik’s family but he had the feeling a dark secret awaited.

“Among the Federation, a slang term for having a mother from the same species is ‘brother.’ I never lied to you, Charles. Not about my parents.” He held perfectly still, not breathing, unblinking, willing Charles to believe him.

Charles sighed; he could almost feel Erik’s sincerity pressing against him like an embrace. Against all reason he trusted him. “I believe you, Erik. I don’t know why- maybe it’s our bond playing me for a fool but I trust you. At least in this,” he equivocated.

Erik felt a wave of relief shudder through him. He could have left it there but…

Charles cocked his head to one side and caught his eye, “There’s something else. What is it?”

“Shaw is an aberration.” He said bluntly.

Charles flinched at the word but Erik hurried to add, “I don’t say that to be cruel. By all accounts his parents had a good bond. His mother was a willing partner to his father.”

Charles nodded a feeling of dread building in his gut the longer Erik spoke. “His father was a preeminent scientist in the Federation. The top of his field, which was gene therapy through internal manipulation.”

Charles frowned and nodded his understanding.

“He… thought himself a god. He thought he could…mimic the way our bond changes our mates to suit us. But even with all our knowledge, certain parts of the process are still not understood.”  He faded out, lips a thin line, eyebrows raised higher than Charles had ever seen them.

He felt something akin to panic set his hands trembling, “Erik. What happened?” he asked in a hushed tone.

“He broke the natural law. Shaw is a second born child. His mother died of course. He had to be cut from her body.” Erik said with the air of a man speaking of a great tragedy.

Perhaps mothers rarely died in childbirth in the Federation, and that’s why Erik was so upset. “I’m sorry to hear that…” he began shakily but Erik walked to his side and pressed his fingertips to his lips in a gentle hush.

“His father was locked away for his crimes. Both sons were placed into federal care.” He sighed, “my mother always told me that it was terrible luck to have a second child.”

Charles could see why if it spelled certain death for the mother.

“Not just for that,” Erik said eyes darkening to a deep steel gray. “There is something wrong with the child. Like a piece of his soul is missing. My parents had the option of taking him and his elder brother in. We see it as very important to keep the mother’s heritage alive through teaching,” he added as an afterthought. “My mother refused. Shaw and his brother were adopted by another Genoshian family that had room to spare.”

Charles felt a chill creep down his spine and was almost afraid to ask what happened next.

Erik locked eyes with him and griped him firmly by the shoulder. “Other Derrians can sense that something of off about his energy. The energy of any second child I’m told, but he’s the only one I’ve ever had the misfortune of meeting.

I can feel it, my mother feels ill around him. Other species- including pure Genoshians-don’t seem to notice a difference. My father changed enough to be able to…see it somehow and agreed to keep us apart as children.”

He hesitated for a pulse, “I don’t trust him, Charles. I don’t like him and I’m asking you not to be alone with him.”

“The rest of the military sees us as having a healthy rivalry, but there is nothing healthy about his jealousy and obsession with me. I fear to think what he would do to you.”

Charles felt Erik’s words echo through his bones. “Alright. I can do that.” He agreed shakily. He wondered if he would feel odd around Shaw.

On one hand he hoped not. He pitied the man who had been rejected by his mothers’ people and abandoned by his parents through imprisonment and death.

On the other hand, he felt sick just thinking about the man and never wanted to be in the same room with him, much less alone. He knew enough about himself to realize that the feeling-the entire thought process didn’t line up with his personal views. He looked up at Erik, but didn’t know how to ask about it.

The taller man looked so relieved that Charles couldn’t help giving him a small smile and covering the hand he’d laid on his shoulder with his own. They could talk more later. He felt immeasurably relieved that Erik was keeping his word about transparency in their relationship.

Both their tablets chimed, it was past time for them to head down for the ceremony. “Shall we?” Charles asked, hoping his voice wasn’t shaking with bravado.

Erik nodded and offered his arm. Charles stepped to his side and took it, realizing as he did that this would be the image of him all Earthlings held from now on. Seemingly firmly on the side of the invaders.

He wondered if his intentions mattered at all. He frowned to himself. It seemed his place was at Erik’s side for better or for worse.