After two days, Princess wasready to return home. John decided he had to try to speak to Bela one lasttime before leaving. He took his original landing party and transported down.
Bela held out her arms to herdaughter. Still holding Dunlop’s hand, Princess stepped forward. She turnedback and looked up at him. He knelt down to her level. Without warning, shethrew her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. His arms cradled thelittle body against his chest; one hand went to the back of her head andstroked her hair. Just as quickly, she pulled away and flew into her mother’s arms. He didn’t miss the smile that was meant only for him.
Twole was standing beside McReidyand whispered in her ear. “This is love?”
“Sort of,” McReidy whisperedback.
“I did not think a man capable ofaffection with no reward.”
McReidy smiled to herself. Itlooked like she had changed someone’s thinking.
Bela hugged her daughter andspoke quickly to her. Princess nodded and happily left the room with twoaides.
John figured there wasn’t goingto be a better time. “I –” he began stepping forward.
Bela stepped straight past him toDunlop, effectively cutting John off. “Thank you, Doctor. If there’s anythingI can do to repay you?”
“It was my pleasure,” heanswered.
John grabbed Bela’s arm, pullingher around to face him. Before he could say anything, she started on him.
“Let go of my arm!”
“We still have a treaty todiscuss.”
“I have nothing to discuss withyou!”
His temper peaked. “Then itlooks like we’ll have to do this the hard way!”
He slung her over his shoulderand marched through the nearest doorway, slamming the door shut behind him withhis foot.
The Bismarck crew suddenly foundthemselves surrounded by angry women. The Senate Councillors lounging in thefoyer were on their feet, armed with phasers taken from beneath their robes. Two aides rushed to open the door, but it was locked and they couldn’t get in. Nothing could stop the sense of panic that filled the foyer. John had justbroken every rule in the book.
Even Twole turned on McReidy, asmall weapon pointed at her chest. “Your men are not so different. They stilltake whatever they want. If he hurts her, we will kill you.”
“Everyone calm down and take iteasy.” McReidy’s focus lifted from the weapon. She was furious, but somethinginside her told her to trust John. She had seen the affect Bela had had onhim, the way he had felt when she left him cold. Surely he had more sense thanto let that rule his judgement.
“And he was worried about mebehaving myself,” Giacomo burst out.
“I think we’ll just have to waitand see what happens,” Gillespie reasoned. “And hope like mad he knows whathe’s doing.”
*
John cringed as he realised theywere in Bela’s bedroom. He didn’t have time to focus on the repercussions ashe dumped her unceremoniously onto her bed. He followed her down, his forearmacross her shoulders pinning her to the bed. For a moment, he saw genuine fearin her eyes.
“You really are beautiful,” hetold her softly.
Her eyes turned warm, trying todistract him. He felt himself wanting her. The closeness of her body sent hisblood boiling. His heart pounded, his breathing became heavier. He closed hiseyes, gritting his teeth.
“Don’t do that!”
She stopped and he shivered. Shecould turn off her desire as quickly as she could turn it on.
“That’s not what I came here for.” He slowly opened his eyes. “That’s not what any of us came here for.”
“Then why did you come?” He hadpiqued her curiosity and she was willing to talk seriously to him. Not thatshe was in a position to do much else. “Your treaty?”
“Yes… But you asked for help.”
“Without encouragement –”
“I would have come anyway,” heinterrupted. One look in his eyes showed he was telling the truth. What hewas offering was genuine friendship. “All children have the right to live. Doctor Dunlop’s pleasure in seeing your daughter well again is reward enoughfor him. You don’t have to behave like this.”
“It is our way.”
“It doesn’t have to be.” Herolled away from her and sat up. She slid herself up and sat beside him.
“You are different from mostmen.”
He half smiled. “Where I comefrom, men have treated women this way for thousands of years. Things arebetter now, but many still think that way. I believe it’s wrong. Everyone hasthe right to be accepted for who and what they are.” He turned his head tolook at her. “And be free to make their own decisions.”
His eyes followed her as she layback down. Her hand slid around to her neck, flicking her long hair away andresting on the sheet near her head. “Then you have your free will,” she toldhim. “To make your decision.”
His eyes ran approvingly over herbody, taking in every curve. They rested on her heaving breasts before he torethem away and looked into her eyes.
“As beautiful as you are,” hebegan, regretting every word he was saying. “I must say no. I need more thanphysical attraction.”
She understood.
She stood up and moved to thewindow, staring out into the sunshine. He stood up, if only to get off thebed. He had no intention of joining her at the window.
“Your treaty?” her voice drifted.
“There’s a war going on outthere?”
“There are always wars.”
“They’re taking out everythingand they’re coming this way.”
She turned back to him, her voiceand demeanour full of assurance. “We will handle them as we have alwayshandled them.”
“And what if they send females?”
She stopped and looked at him asthough that thought had never occurred to her.
“You might charm every man inthis galaxy, but you have no affect on a woman.”
He reached inside his jacket pocketand pulled out a disk. “Will you at least look at it?”
She stared at the disk.
“I’m not asking you to make adecision right now. And if you don’t want to negotiate with me, that’s fine. But you can’t let your people get wiped out for nothing.” He’d be more thanhappy to hand her over to Command and let someone back home deal with her. “Please.”
“We have no warships.”
“The treaty is not asking anyoneto fight.”
She looked into his eyes, lookingfor
