Chapter 32
Two long distance successive jumps saw them deep into Federation Space. Erik breathed easily for the first time since their capture. Even the guilt at how Charles ran to the bathroom to vomit what little he’d eaten paled in comparison to his relief.
Their first jump had landed them in Shaw’s territory and he’d immediately jumped them to Genosha Prime. He had no idea how many of Shaw’s troops were in on his plan and he wasn’t risking Charles or the baby trying to find out on his own.
They were hailed immediately as he knew they would be. Blind, unannounced jumps into populated systems were reckless in the extreme.
“This is Admiral Lehnsherr reporting for duty.
~~
“You’re both in excellent health, as is your child.” The doctor, a shimmering peach being of nearly seven feet tall assured Charles and Erik in a quavering voice that echoed across Charles’ ears like waves lapping gently against the shore.
He leaned against Erik in relief at her words. “Thank you doctor,” he said happily, a huge weight lifted off his mind.
“It was an honor, consort. I’m requesting a transfer to your quadrant in the hopes of treating other humans, your physiology is most interestingly complex.”
“Thank you. We can always use more help,” he said diplomatically. He was happy the tests were over and that they all had a clean bill of health. Erik’s worry over him and the baby had been more nerve wracking than all the scans he’d submitted to over the long hours since they’d arrived.
The doctor gave a pleased chirp and left them alone in the spacious med bay.
Upon arrival, Erik and Shaw had been immediately taken to be debriefed, though his mate had joined him a little while ago and submitted to his own exam to make sure Shaw hadn’t done him any permanent damage.
“Is everything alright?” Charles asked, feeling Erik’s still reeling emotions.
“Yes. I explained everything to the council, though they’ll want to hear it from you as well.” He hesitated and leaned down to press a kiss to the crown of Charles’ head. “The psyonic council was impressed by your feats of strength and would like you present for Shaw’s interrogation. Apparently they haven’t made even as much headway as you did though he is still unconscious. You won’t be face to face with him and you have the right to refuse-”
“If they think I can help, I’ll be happy to.” Charles interrupted him firmly. Time was of the essence and billions of lives hung in the balance, his choice was made for him.
“Of course you will,” Erik said fondly, eyes shifting to a dark, steel gray.
~~
“They’re back! We found them!” Alex ran into the room shouting happily.
“Charles?” Moira looked up, eyes wide with hope.
“Yes! Azazel just called. They’re at Genosha Prime safe and sound and with Shaw in tow. That’s all confidential but Charles insisted you all know.”
Sean whooped his glee and fist pumped the air before pulling Moira into a tight hug, “I told you he’d be alright! He’s like a bad penny, he always turns up!”
The two laughed and began to talk of debriefing and how soon they’d be able to speak to the other man.
Armando smiled at the description and felt the vice of fear begin to release from his chest. Maybe they weren’t headed to war after all.
Alex frowned as he said it aloud. “Actually it seems like we’re closer than we suspected. We’re putting the fleet into battle formation throughout the quadrant. Admiral Lehnsherr saw a Ragus invasion force on the borders of Shaw’s quadrant,” he said softly, taking him aside. “That’s all I know. Not how they got out there or how Shaw ended up there as well.”
“Are they going to interview him with telepaths?”
“Yes, all of them actually. But it looks like Lady Frost was right.”
“So she is on our side?”
He pursed his lips and inclined his head uncertainly, “we can only hope.”
~~
“Where is Admiral Lehnsherr?” Shaw demanded angrily of the unknown telepath watching him impassively. The little whore wouldn’t be able to read him like Erik’s false mate had managed to do.
He was still baffled by that, but wouldn’t be for long. He hadn’t made it this far without contingency plans in place.
“You’re in no position to be asking such questions, Admiral. You’ve been accused of grievous crimes against the Federation and against nature itself.” The reed thin, amber eyed, male said calmly. “Have you no defense for your actions?”
“I did what any Genoshian would do for my mate and my people,” he sneered.
The male fell silent for a brief moment, likely conferring with the numerous unseen psyonics participating in this session. He was sure they could read his emotions and surface level thoughts, but now that he was conscious, anything deeper would be effectively blocked from them. He hid a smirk at the thought of their frustration.
He hoped Frost was one of them. She deserved to see how well she’d assisted him in the early days of The Resolution. All unwitting of course, but then she’d been a sentimental fool to think she could ever be his fated mate. Not when there was Erik to be had.
“As you say,” the telepath inclined his head formally, not giving away his own thoughts in any way. “Tell me about your relationship to Admiral Lehnsherr.”
Shaw smirked; they were already reaching the end of their rope with him. It was a wonder they hadn’t asked about the Ragus yet. They all sat so smug and secure. So sure of themselves and their ability to protect their beloved Federation. The system that maligned him and kept Erik from his rightful place at his side.
He couldn’t wait to watch it burn and Erik’s false mate along with it. He would bring them all to their knees and they would present Erik to him as a war prize. They would kneel and beg him to deliver them from the scourge of the Ragus.
And he would. But not before they’d purged the galaxy of humans and shifters. He wasn’t taking any chances that their newest acquisitions would actually provide daughters in the coming years. No, with the losses the Federation was sure to sustain, Genoshians would be begging to turn their sons into proper mates for each other. Especially once Lehnsherr, their golden admiral, bore him their first child.
He smiled at the thought of pure Genoshians spreading across the universe as it always should have been.
The telepath sitting with him tilted his head slightly, “Admiral, you’ve been found to be in possession of illegal technology both on your private vessel and within your person. Will you disclose this technology or submit to a search for it?” he asked smoothly.
Shaw took in an even breath, hating that Erik had betrayed him by telling them his findings on the ship. Ah well, they had the long years of their life together to sort out these issues. That said how did they know about his chip? There was no way they had a scanner to detect it as it was placed. Perhaps they were bluffing.
To his horror, he found that they weren’t when two medics stepped into the room and immediately began eyeing his left shoulder. For the first time since waking on Genosha Prime, he fought his restraints.
The Resolution already balanced on a razor thin edge, losing the chip would undoubtedly tip it into failure and he knew exactly who to blame.
He fought sleep as they forcibly sedated him, as they destroyed everything he’d spent the long years of his life working towards. Xavier would burn for this if it was the last thing he ever did.
~~
“Charles?” Emma asked softly, laying a cool diamond hand on the back of his neck comfortingly.
“I’m fine,” he said shakily. “Thank you for guiding me in there.”
She gave him as warm a look as she could manage. “You’ll learn the techniques in time and be quite formidable on your own. You have more raw strength that even I do.”
“I’d give up some strength for your precision,” he admitted tiredly.
“No need for that I assure you, you can have both with time and effort.”
He shook of the unsettling pressure of Shaw’s consciousness with some effort, “what was that in there? It was hard for me to understand what all we were seeing?”
“That’s because it spanned so many years. Far longer than a human lifespan. It is hard for your mind to contain the information in sequential order.” She hesitated in her explanation and he felt a tremble of deep emotion from her, shielded too quickly for him to indentify. “Shaw played me for a fool. I’ve known it for some years, but didn’t know why or to what extent.” She said stiffly.
Charles frowned, “he played you? How?”
“Apparently via some sort of telepathy blocking device implanted into his robotic shoulder joint. Any normal scan would show the complex gears and inner workings of the device not noticing an additional CPU that apparently blocks telepathic influence at deeper levels of consciousness. It’s not noticeable unless you’re delving deep into his mind. I’ve never seen or heard of anything like it.” She admitted tightly.
Charles was horrified by her words, “so he pretended to court you to calibrate the device?”
“It would seem so,” she said with some difficulty. Clearly her feelings during their love affair had been all too real.
“I’m sorry, Emma.” Charles said softly, feeling terribly sad for the younger, happier Emma he’d seen in Shaw’s memories.
She clasped his hand in thanks, but was clearly unable to speak of it further at the moment. “We have Genlen to thank for his suspicions of Shaw’s personal tech and his tireless work combing through Shaw’s files until each item was accounted for. From Shaw’s reaction, I believe he was right in his suspicions. Once it is removed, we’ll have full knowledge of his plans for the future and any deals he made with the Ragus.”
“Hopefully we can end this war before it’s begun.” Charles gripped her cold hand tightly.
“Hopefully,” she echoed softly, turning to look out over the glittering metropolis that covered the surface of Genoshia Prime. Perhaps if she helped undo what she unknowingly helped to create, her traitorous heart would finally be free of its longing for Sebastian to return her affections. “Hopefully.”