It had been two days since she had stepped out of her quarters and she was beginning to feel twitchy and irritable.
          "Ye might'n well na pace like tis. Ye'll wear'n out yeself." Jammer addressed the captain who was circling the room like a caged and angry cat.
          She threw him a look. It had been his duty to confine her to quarters. He had been ordered to put her in the brig but he couldn't do it and instead settled on this. He knew she could have walked out at any time, she had the loyalty of the crew who were still angry with him for putting their captain under house arrest. He had no choice. Orders were orders. And Rinnah had agreed with him. But he now had news that would drastically change the complexion of their situation.
          Jammer sat down in one of the two chairs in the room. That stopped Rinnah in her tracks. Jammer just didn't sit unless invited too. In fact, from the expression on his face, he looked like he had lost his best friend. Without thought, she lowered herself into the other chair.
          He looked up at her, his eyes saddened, "Ye've been 'anded tuh dem. De Antresslans, for war crimes." Shocked, she could only stare. That was a little over the top in discipline didn't they think? She hadn't expected that but with the rising feeling of wanting to placate their new allies and the promised exchange of technology for life extension she shouldn't have been too surprised. But whatever happened to demotions or a good old fashioned court martial? This was beyond suspicious. She frowned trying to unravel the mess.
          "Rin, there's something more." She looked up surprised and quickly searched the room. She could have sworn someone else was in the room speaking. Then she realized that it was Jammer's voice. She turned inquiring eyes to him; she had never heard Jammer speak without an accent.
          He didn't explain but said, "Your sister, Rellyn, is coming aboard. They have sent a delegation team to reclaim you. Of course, it's really a contingent of armed soldiers and science lords." Rinnah barely heard that part.
          "Say again?" As she wobbled white-faced in her chair.
          She saw that Jammer was speaking but she couldn't hear what he was saying. Her mind was still back on the overwhelming question of her sister, Rellyn. Her twin? Alive? Why hadn't she felt her all this time, why hadn't Rels tried to contact her years ago? Why had she let her go on living thinking that her twin was dead? Something wasn't right here. Maybe it was a clone or an android.
          She gagged out, "Rellyn? My Rellyn?" Still unbelieving she gaped at Jammer. He nodded patiently as he watched her trying to absorb the shock.
          Then she felt it. Her twin dropping into the link that had been established from conception. That warm presence she had known for most of her life, the presence that completed her other half... and she slammed the door shut on it.
          She knew the truth now. The missing puzzle piece that had eluded her for so many years fell into place. Black anger rolled across her mind and it was all she could do to control the power she had been learning to tap into from exploding out of her. With slow breaths she forced herself to think calmly. Time to employ her back door. Then she remembered and looked at Jammer with deep suspicion.
          He saw the look and got off his chair and came to kneel down beside her. He took one of her hands in his. She had been in close proximity to Jammer many times before but for some uncomfortable reason he felt too close, she wanted to back away from him. She was baffled by this response. He and Selwyn were her best friends. She trusted them as she had trusted no other. She looked at his face feeling trapped and that was an unusual feeling for her to be experiencing. What was going on behind those hazel orbs? Such an intensity in them. She kept herself from flinching or dropping her gaze but couldn't stop herself from leaning back a bit.
          "Rin, there's something you need to know. I am not a South Eirian. I grew up on the colony of High Rift. I was assigned to you in college by the Shadow Security."
          Oh great. It made sense now. They hadn't trusted her even back then.
          "In fact, when you tripped and fell it was a set up so that we could meet and they hoped we could become friends. " He gave a rueful grin, "And it worked, but the thing is Rin, I really did become your friend. And I did resign, I don't work for them anymore."
          Rinnah hoped this was the last shocking thing he had to tell her because she didn't think she could handle any more surprises. She shoved her chair away from him, giving her the space needed as a cushion between them, although he still had a hold of her hand. She eased it out of his grasp, keeping her eyes on his.
          There was just too much to absorb. She put a hand to her head feeling her thoughts whirl. Her whole world was tilting without warning. Dad, Jammer, given to the Antresslans like a dog being given a bone, and Rellyn, here! Jammer without a brogue. She shook her head slightly, this just couldn't be happening. All this time her best friend had worked for the dreaded Shadow Security. Oh yeah. What next? Her parents had been agents as well?
          "Rin...."
          Rinnah shook her head and started to hold up both hands toward him in a blocking motion. She didn't want to know what he was going to tell her next. He reached up and took both of her hands and held them with increasing pressure as she tried to pull them away.
          "Rin, just one more thing..." Oh of course there was more. There was always just one more damn thing. She turned her head away. What was he going to say, that he and Rellyn had been lovers all this time?
          ".... I have loved you since I first helped you to your feet that day and looked into your beautiful blue eyes. You have been and are my heart's desire. I want to make you happy. I want to help you get away and be free..."
          She was wrong. She wouldn't have seen this coming in a million light years. She decided right then and there that she was a bad judge of character. She always thought of herself as being somewhat astute and pretty good at reading people. In the last ten minutes she was proven wrong. She revised her estimation of her people skills. None, absolutely none. A flea-infested one-eyed gibbon with hemorrhoids could have done better than she had. I suck at reading people.
          Jammer was still talking.... "....and I am asking you to leave with me. I have a hideaway no one knows about. I have been preparing this for years. You will be safe there and I can take care of you."
          HUH? She frowned at him. "You have been preparing for years? You knew this was going to be happening? You knew my sister was alive, didn't you!" She accused, her voice rose as she connected the dots. She saw the look on his face, yes, he had! Damn him! She couldn't believe how incredibly sharp the pain of betrayal felt. Tears came to her eyes and she willed them back. Now was not the time.
          Realizing he was losing her he pleaded, "I swear Rin, and I won't let anyone hurt you again."
          "Too late Jammer, you already have!" He went on speaking as if she hadn't said anything. "I know this has all come as a shock to you. And I'm not asking you to love me back, only come with me and give us a chance."
          She felt her face hardening and jerked her hands out his and crossed her arms in front of her. She closed her eyes and thought about what she had just learned. Rellyn alive. Rellyn gone to the plants, siding with the Antresslans. Rellyn in charge of the science team that wanted to take her back and study her and what else? Oh yeah. Jammer not South Eirian. Jammer without an accent!
          Rinnah had another revelation burst in on her awareness demanding her attention. He had been working for Rellyn all these years! So that's why Rellyn was here at this point in time! To her it was if the spider in the middle of the web had finally been exposed to the light of day. Jammer had somehow informed Rellyn about Rinnah's wings! She looked at him as he stood to his feet. He saw the look on her face and shifted his gaze away.
          In a strangled voice she accused, "So among the many secrets you told me, you weren't going to tell me that you told Rellyn about my wings or that you reported to her." In disgust she went on, "I don't know you Jammer. I guess I never did now that I think about it. I thought I knew who you were and I loved who I thought you were. How stupid was I? Well, you can leave now, stranger." And pointed to the door.
          He held out his hands to her beseechingly. "Rin... I'm sorry. I never meant for it to come to this. I love you, I do. I don't want anything to happen to you now either."
          Oh yes, she remembered, Jammer in love with her?! Rinnah knew she didn't have a curvy, drop-dead figure. The only thing she had thought were attractive were her light blue eyes, huge and vivid in an otherwise thin face with a pointy chin. She knew she wasn't the soft, feminine gorgeous, eye-fluttering helpless sort that some men drooled over. What she had plenty of was enough creeping insecurities about her looks to keep her on the couch of a therapist for years. Or just another woman dissatisfied with her many imperfections. But "in love" with HER! That didn't make sense. She knew that at no time had she ever encouraged him in any way. At least she thought she hadn't. She quickly wracked her brain going over an inventory of memories at the speed of light. No, not from her perspective.
          "Jammer?"
          He looked at her expectantly, hopefully.
          She felt a little guilty at first, but put it aside. Dammit, she hadn't asked for this! "I am not in love with you and I won't be either, not ever. You are..." she swallowed the growing lump in her throat and tried to talk around it, "you were my friend, and that is as close as it would ever have gotten."
          Rinnah looked at him knowing she had killed a dream, no an illusion. As she had not known the truth about him being kept in the dark intentionally, he had done the same to himself. Jammer had let himself hope in a fantasy without any foundation in reality or truth. If he had said something at any time over the years, brought that dark thing out into the light of reality, she would have been able to set him straight. She didn't know whom it was that he thought he loved, but she as pretty sure it wasn't herself. How could he delude himself into thinking that she needed to be hidden away somewhere, pampered and protected? If they went off like he was suggesting, she knew she would go stark raving mad within days. The only one she would have let protect her was her father and he had known her well enough to know that Rinnah Blackfire wouldn't let anyone shove her in a corner and put her under glass.
          "Rin, you don't know that you don't. You haven't given yourself a chance, you haven't given us a chance." Rinnah looked at him feeling an unusual stab of loathing overcome her. He must have seen something in her face because he became still as his eyes searched hers. He found his answer and said,
          "Okay Rin. I see how it is. You are too honest a person. I know you couldn't and wouldn't pretend to something you don't honestly feel. Well then, I tried. You are on your own now and even though you don't want me to I feel sorry for you. Your sister is not a nice person."
          And then in a quick movement, he reached over and hauled her out of her chair and pulled her to him. Her eyes flew open and she gaped at him. Whaaa? He leaned his head down, caught her lips with his and kissed her with an intensity and passion she had never known before. Of course she hadn't, who had ever kissed her? No one. She tried to pull away and his arms tightened around her. She felt a panicky feeling of being trapped. She hadn't known Jammer was this strong prior to this, heck, she never had any reason to. So she had never been kissed but one thing she knew about this kiss, she didn't like it. It was too possessive, too demanding and dammit, he was bending her over backwards! Finally, he was through and let her go to stumble backwards.
          Throwing out an arm she caught the edge of the chair and regained her balance. Rising to her feet, furious and sputtering, she couldn't decide what she wanted to do, attack him herself or throw something at him. She was still looking around the room trying to decide when he exited her room. Nearly shaking with rage she clenched a fist. Damn him!
          She waited a moment, trying to breathe calmly though it came out in ragged breaths. She lowered her hand, searching for the edge of her bed and found it. She sat down heavily and looked over at her pillow. It looked so very inviting. She laid her head on it and all of a sudden the denied pain came flooding upwards. Sobbing in a way she hadn't since she had lost her mother, she curled herself into a fetal position feeling slightly ashamed at not being able to control the weeping and moans that came up. Some great battle captain you are! She accused herself. Look at yourself! Crying like a baby! But she let the tears come and continue to flow out of her until her pillow was soaked, her sinuses throbbing, and her eyeballs felt swollen and sore. She curled up and just let the pain flow over her and wondered if she would be able to find a way to survive this horrid day.
          An hour later, after washing her face, Rinnah was at her desk determinedly tapping in commands while at the same time speaking code into the ship's computer system. She was grateful that she hadn't been shut out, but knew that it would only be a matter of time. She may not have seen Rellyn in years, but she knew her sister like no one else did. Well, it didn't matter, her additions to programs in place for years, was about finished. She hadn't had to do much really. If you have to be paranoid at least make it work for you. For years she had codes and commands deeply imbedded ready for her voice to call them forth to life. Rinnah never thought she would use them. She had them ready in case her ship was ever taken over by the enemy. Well, the enemy had walked behind her in the shadow of her memories. All these years she had been unaware. The hybrid captain winced, feeling the anger and hurt of betrayal flooding her again before stuffing it down; it was distracting her from her work.
          Rinnah was almost ready, she only had one more string of commands to enter when she felt the equivalent to a mental knock at her link. Ah, there she was again. Over the past hour she had felt Rellyn trying to gain access to her through their link. And each time it was more insistent. Rinnah felt the awesome power brooding within her sister's presence and felt the first stirrings of fear. Her twin was strong. She didn't know how it happened or when it happened but her sister was a powerhouse to be reckoned with. Rinnah doubted that with her own just realized powers she could take her on and win. She also didn't think she could keep Rellyn out or deny her if they were face to face. Besides, it would break her heart to finally see her mirror twin face to face and know without a doubt she was on the Antresslan side. She did wonder why Rellyn didn't just come down to see her but was grateful she hadn't.
          And something else,... something dark. She turned Rellyn away again.
          Rinnah leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms over her head just as the chime to her door sounded, startling her. She hurriedly whispered the hide command and commanded the screen to stop projecting. She turned in her chair and spoke, "Come in." She hoped it wasn't Jammer returning or Rellyn for that matter. She let her face freeze in a mask just in case.
          She was surprised to see Selwyn enter and stop a few feet in the door. Selwyn glanced over her shoulder waiting for the doors to slide shut behind her before speaking.
          "Rinnah, I have a confession to make."
          Rinnah nearly groaned. Did she look like a priest? Selwyn saw the look and one corner of her mouth lifted along with one eyebrow.
          Legs slightly apart and hands clasped in front of her, she spoke, "First, I have been watching over you for years, since I first became your doctor..."
          Of course, why not? Rinnah wondered if there was even one person aboard the ship who didn't work for Shadow Security or her sister?
          "Wait," Interrupted Rinnah as a thought occurred to her, "Not since the academy?" She had met Selwyn then too. They only had a couple of classes together since they were on different career tracks, but they had lived on the same floor several doors down from each other.
          Selwyn grinned, "No, not then. But I did transfer there when requested to." She held up a hand as a frowning Rinnah opened her mouth to ask more questions.
          "Second, we are relatives." She waited as Rinnah snapped her mouth shut in surprise. Rinnah studied her, suspicion warring with the desire to trust her old friend, but she had just learned a painful lesson with Jammer, her other old friend.
          Rinnah studied Rachel's face as she continued, "I wish we had more time for us to talk. I had been asking your father for permission to tell you all this and I think I was getting close to getting it. I transferred to your academy at his request. He didn't ask me to keep an eye on you then, just to be in the area just in case you needed some help. He sort of recruited me to start watching you after you made captain. He always said you were in danger but never told me from who or why. Obviously, he knew something that he was keeping from the both of us. Apparently he must have had some spy source of his own. Anyway, the reason I first came aboard is that I am your father's third cousin's granddaughter. He trusted me, and asked me to watch over you and help you if you should happen to need it. He didn't think you would and for the most part he was right. He also knew that Rellyn was alive, and no, I don't know how he knew, I just received an encoded note a couple of days ago informing me. He must have sent it within hours before his murder. He knew she had turned and he was worried about you. He always thought the best and loyal friends were family, even as they could also be the worst of traitors. No one else knows we are family."
          She stopped to take a breath as Rinnah considered all the new information. This day could take the Olympic gold medal for heart-stopping revelations.
          "Cousin..., I am here to help you escape."
          Huh? Oh, yeah. Escape; but she had to know a couple of things first. "You knew about Jammer?" Asked Rinnah, one eyebrow climbing upward. She realized the reason why Selwyn had always seemed familiar to her. It was some of the family quirks that popped out every now and again. And she had been too dense to put two and two together! The DUH factor was hitting her between the eyes with a really big brick. She was embarrassed she hadn't seen this before.
          I give up.
          Crap.
          Seeing her expression and guessing correctly, Rachel titled her head sympathetically.
          "Don't feel bad Rin. I take after my Dad and Grandfather's side of the family rather than the Blackstock's. Hence my light brown hair and brown eyes. You couldn't have known. And yes, I did know about Jammer but not until just recently. Your father said that Rellyn was getting secret information about you but he couldn't trace it and asked me to follow up on it. Of course, he has never been aboard any of your ships so wouldn't know. I knew at once that it had to be Jammer. There are only two people that knew about your wings and your growing abilities. I was hoping to put together proof because I know you. You are loyal to your friends and wouldn't just take my word for it that he was dealing you dirty." Rinnah nodded. She wouldn't have. "Besides, he seemed to be acting stranger of late than usual." Rinnah pounded her forehead with her fist. Slow, slow, slow! She heard Selwyn chuckle.
          "Okay, you're star dim. All of us are blind in one area or another some of the time, heck, some are all of the time!" She walked over and sat in the chair opposite Rinnah, her demeanor shifting suddenly. "Look. You are in danger here, we have to get you off this ship as soon as possible. And whether you want to hear this or not, your sister is going to try and turn you against the human race."
          Rinnah nodded. She had suspected something like that since she had felt Rellyn first try to engage the link between them. Personally she didn't think it was possible, but she didn't know what kind of brainwashing techniques they had. Funny how things turned out. She never thought she would feel this way about her precious Black Heart, but she had an almost aching need to be off her ship.
          "I have crew loyal to you, which is everybody but Jammer I might add, ready to look the other way and distract others also. The security cameras will be looking in different directions no matter where you are or which hall you take. Your personal flyer is prepped and on standby ready to go at a moment's notice." Rachel stopped and looked down at her belt pouch. If Rinnah had held any doubts about her veracity they melted as Selwyn held out a small white-gold band towards her.
          "Rachel, where did you get this? I haven't seen it in years." Stupid question. She had seen on a chain around her father's neck a couple of years ago so she knew the one who had given it to her, but when?
          "Your father, star dim! Several years ago we met on a colony world and he gave that to me to give to you at the opportune time. I think this is a good time, don't you?" Rinnah could barely nod. Her throat felt thick and ached with a fresh supply of unshed tears. She slowly reached out her palm and Selwyn gently placed Rinnah's mother's wedding ring in the center.
          "Thank you Rachel." She whispered, eyes still taking in the gleaming shine of the ring in the middle of her palm. She closed her fingers around it and shut her eyes. She was almost certain, for just that moment in time, she could detect a trace of her mother's delicate perfume in the room, and almost, the sweet tone of her voice. She squeezed her eyes tighter. Damn tears. Always trying to burst out at the most inopportune times! But a gentle touch brushed lightly over her heart and she found herself whispering, "I miss you Mom."
          She slipped the ring onto her right hand and gazed at it for moment before looking back up to Selwyn.
          "Is there anything else I need to know Rachel?"
          "No, I think that's about it."
          "No declarations of undying love?" She said more bitterly than she had intended.
          Selwyn started. "Oh, he told you did he?" She looked Rinnah over, "Ah, and I take it that it didn't go well?"
          Rinnah made a face, "What do you think? And did you know about that too?" She asked rising from her place.
          Selwyn nodded also rising. "It's pretty obvious for any one to see." That made Rinnah feel oh so much more dense for having missed it!
          Still feeling the bite, she added, "Did you know he doesn't have a brogue? That he's not South Eiran at all!"
          "You're kidding!" Finally, Rachel was looking as shocked and indignant as Rinnah felt and as illogical as that was, it did make her feel better.
          "Well, Rin we don't have much time to play with, but one last thing." Rachel pulled out a bottle from her pouch and held it out to her hybrid friend. Rinnah stared at it as she gingerly took it in her hand. Eyes bounced up to her friends face questioningly. Rachel smiled, "Pills. To help keep your... um, little problem at bay for a couple of months." Then, turning serious, "You will need to do something about this though. It's not like you can treat this like a disease!"
          Rinnah grimaced, "It is to me."
          "Okay then, that's all I have for you. Now, we need to get you to your ship." And turned to face Rinnah only having a split second to register surprise as she got a glimpse of knuckles flying at her face before connecting with her chin.
          Rinnah leaped forward and caught her newfound relative as she started to sag to the floor. She lifted her to the bed and hurriedly tied her up.
          "I'm sorry Rachel," she addressed the groggy doctor. "But I want to make sure you live and this way it will put you in the clear making it look like I jumped you, which technically speaking, I did."
          She took a second to study Rachel's face. Now that she knew, she could see a little of her father's family around the doctor's eyes and brows, but she was right, she didn't much take after the Blackstock half of the family. That should save her life. If Rellyn suspected she might have her killed.
          She exhaled while running a hand through her black hair. She glanced up at the ceiling.
          "Holy Hybrid, it's me Rinnah again. Be kind to me for my enemy's hand is turned against me. Be with me now and hide me from the eyes of my enemies."
          Finishing that, she went over to her lock box and entered the code to open it. She waited as a door recessed and was sucked upwards and reached in to pull out a vial and a grey cube both of which she placed in her own belt pouch. She looked around her quarters.
          One last thing.
          She turned to the newly discovered relative and held up her palm in front of her. Rinnah reached in and touched the well source of her power and grabbed it to bleed off just a tendril of it and pulled it forth up to her palm. She felt a tingling sensation and watched as a sparkling white primary feather grew in the center. Once finished, she took it in her fingers, leaned over Selwyn and placed the feather in her belt pouch. "For you cousin, to remember me by." And turned and walked out the door.