Phoenix Penitentiary, Phoenix City, Saraya, Standard year 404

  The cool breeze roused him from something between sleep and unconsciousness. Automatically, James did his best to raise his head in response to the new stimuli. He was still hanging from the ceiling, and the excruciating pain he had felt in his arms was nearly gone. Which implied the nerve damages was now becoming permanent. He felt nearly nothing at all. It was repairable of course, but insofar as James had any plans to escape, he would have to account for the fact that he would not be able to shoot a weapon. For the foreseeable future, he would not be able to use his hands at all.

  “The air conditioning coming on means she’s coming.” Will said, his voice unexpectedly strong.

  James shook his head, doing his best to focus past the pain and exhaustion. There was an odd tone to Will’s voice when he spoke about Lorelai. It made James more convinced than ever that Will Atwater was completely insane. Not that it was particularly relevant. Lorelali was coming, and unlike Will, he felt nothing but dread.

  “Good morning.” Lorelai announced, the piercingly cheerful sing song sound of her voice cutting through his head like a sharp blade. “I’m so glad you’re both still here.” Lorelai smiled, her perfectly heart shaped face nearly glowing with joy. “And look, you have guests.”

  James looked up, and forgot all about his arms and the rest of the pain he was feeling. Because standing just a few feet away from him, chained and bruised, was Henry. Henry nodded to him, nothing but understanding in his eyes. After all, they both knew what they had signed up for. They both turned to see a woman led in, also chained and not nearly as calm as Henry. She was sobbing hysterically, her bruised and tear streaked face a pained caricature of what she must have looked like in everyday life.

  “Do be quiet.” Lorelai said, the slightest frown marring her perfectly flawless face.

  “Zoe.” It was Will’s voice, and there was none of the twisted anticipation James heard earlier. There was nothing but regret. “I’m sorry.” Will said quietly. “I’m so sorry.”

  The woman sobbed harder.

  Pausing momentarily, Lorelai turned around, the soft click of her heels echoing sharply as she walked across the wood floors in the strange room of twisted wood that had been carved out of a giant and ancient tree long dead. “Be. Quiet.” Lorelai said, her voice nearly too soft to be heard over the sobs. Yet somehow, she was heard and the woman grew silent, staring at Lorelai the way prey looks at a predator right before they pounce. Lorelai had that effect on people. “Better.” Lorelai nodded. “As I was saying, we brought company. Regretfully, I must begin with you, James. But don’t worry Will, you’re still my favorite.” Lorelai patted Will on the cheek before walking back towards James.

  James did his best to focus. Theoretically, with Henry in the room, this may be his best opportunity to escape. He was chained by both hands and feet, the chains too tight for him to slip out. Henry was in the same position, his chains now attached to the floor of the room. There were four additional guards, all armed. No matter how many possibilities he considered, there was no opportunity for escape. Amongst all the options, none were viable. Not one was realistic. What if the asteroid hit your ship? Alanna had once jokingly asked him. And he had jokingly come up with a plan to complete his mission objective in spite of the asteroid strike. There had still been options. But even then, he had understood Alanna’s point. What happens when there are no real options? What happens, when there is no way to win, no escape? What then?

  “You left nuclear bombs on my planet, James.” Lorelai said, walking towards him. “Tell me where or we will take Henry apart, piece by piece. And then I’m going to bring in Clara.”

  And that was the first time in his life James felt true terror.

  “Look at me, James.” Lorelai said quietly.

  And he did.

  “Where are the nukes?”

  “I don’t know.” James said.

  “Then we shall begin. That is, unless Henry would care to tell us himself?”

  “Neither of us know.” Henry said, his voice strangely calm. “We cannot tell you what we don’t know.”

  ---

  “Well.” Lorelai said about an hour later, with some annoyance. “It may be that they truly don’t know. But never let it be said that Lorelai Achly is not merciful. I am merciful gentlemen, but also quite busy. And to be frank, you’ve taken up too much of my time already. So, would anyone care to volunteer some information, or are we prepared to part with at least one of your little friends?”

  Silence reigned.

  Lorelei walked across the cell, the click of her heels the only sound in the room. “Anyone at all?” She walked towards Will. “Give me a name, William.” She said quietly. “Just a name. After all, your people can take care of themselves, can they not? Just a name, and Zoe here can go home.”

  “Lorelai will do what she will do.” James said into the silence. “No one is going home. You know that Will.” His words were directed to Will, but he was looking at Henry as he said it. Henry nodded in return, nothing but pain and understanding on his face.

  Pain and exhaustion merged as James looked back into Lorelai’s face, contorted with rage. “You moron!” She shouted. “Do you know who you are helping? You’re dooming the human race with your stupidity!!!”

  “The human race has survived a hell of a lot of stupidity, Lorelai. I’m pretty sure we can handle it.” And then James spit in her face, because just then it occurred to him that there may be one path of escape, either for himself or at least for Henry. The best of the bad choices, James thought. And finally acknowledged that the best of the bad choices may well be death.

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  Everyone in the room froze as very carefully, Lorelai wiped the spit from her face.

  The hoped for burst of rage never came. I have to stop underestimating Lorelai, James thought with regret as she surveyed him with the same icy calm as before. “Shall I bring in Clara now?” Lorelai murmured. “It’s nearly time.”

  “You don’t have her.” James said immediately. After all, what did he have to lose? At the moment, it really was very little. If Lorelai had Clara, he would find out soon enough. And then he smiled slightly, because this time, Lorelai’s response was a hiss of rage.

  “Score one for James Hawk.” Will said quite unexpectedly, with a soft laugh.

  “Zoe will pay for that!” Lorelai screamed.

  “What was it he said?” Will asked softly. “Lorelai will do what Lorelai will do. He’s right. You’re too sadistic to stop, Lorelai. Why should we cooperate?”

  Lorelai raised an eyebrow, her icy calm demeanor regained once again. “Let’s test that, shall we?” She walked back over to James. “I will admit James, I am impressed. Will is not the only interesting man in this room. And you have no idea just how interesting Will Atwater truly is. And yet… and yet you’ve held your own. Impressive, indeed. You are a great loss to your people, James Hawk.” Lorelai shook her head regretfully. “It truly is a tragedy. They should never have let you go. But they did let you go. Didn’t they?” Lorelai waited. “Didn’t they, James?” She repeated.

  James remained silent.

  “Oh. You’ve decided to be difficult. Well that’s all right.” She nodded to one of the guards. “Cut off Henry’s hand unless he answers.”

  “Yes.” James said.

  Lorelai raised an eyebrow. “What was that?” She asked mildly. “I didn’t quite hear.”

  “Yes, they let me go.” James said.

  “Ah. That’s sad.” Lorelai murmured. “Tell me James, is it sad?” She smiled, as her eyes drifted over to Henry’s chained form.

  “Yes, it’s sad.” James said quietly.

  “How sad?”

  “It’s very fucking sad.” James said through gritted teeth.

  “They didn’t think you were valuable enough to hold back.” Lorelai said, walking back towards James. “Not valuable enough to protect. Not valuable enough to keep you safe. Your own father” she shook her head sadly “your own father sent you to your death. Your own father will leave you here, to slowly rot and die. He has the power to save you, did you know? All he has to do is what I want. But he won’t. He won’t, will he James?”

  “No.” James said flatly, looking back at Lorelai in exhaustion. “No, he will not.”

  “And today, Lorelai will do what Lorelai will do. To Henry. And you will watch. Won’t you James?”

  James remained silent.

  “But here’s what I will offer to you. I will stop hurting Henry. Because I am after all, exceptionally merciful.”

  “You’re a goddamn bitch.” James muttered. Her voice was annoying him to no end.

  “There is a relationship of trust we are building here, after all.” Lorelai murmured, ignoring him. “And who knows how long this relationship will last? It could be years. I’m really not a one night stand kind of girl. Now then, I will let Henry rest in peace and all you have to do, Captain Hawk, is say a few words. How’s that?”

  James just looked at her.

  “Are a few words worth all the pain and suffering I can provide? You tell me.”

  “What words?”

  “Oh you know the words, James. You know the words well. They’re very similar to the words you asked your fiancé to say, just a few short weeks ago. How did they start out? Oh yes, ‘I Lieutenant Alanna Summers’. You do remember those words, don’t you?”

  “I remember the words.” James said grimly.

  “Well then, Captain Hawk, what say you? Is Henry worth it?”

  “Don’t.” Henry shook his head, his exhausted eyes on James. “Don’t do it.”

  “It won’t matter.” James said. Lorelai was right. No one was coming. No one was coming for him, and no one was coming for Henry. And there was a chance Lorelai would leave Henry alone, at least for a while. Breaking her word would only work once and she would become powerless. He guessed Lorelai did not enjoy being powerless. There was a good chance she would keep her word. “They’re just words.” He said out loud.

  “Yes.” Lorelai smiled. “Yes, they are just words, aren’t they? Say them.”

  James took a breath. They were recording everything. Everyone in the room knew that. What did it matter? Hell, maybe it would make what would happen next easier for everyone. He took a breath and began. “I Captain James Hawk renounce my loyalty to Tundra. I renounce my loyalty to the Tundran navy. I renounce my loyalty to the planet of Tundra and to her people. I renounce my citizenship and the protections it affords and declare my most heartfelt and sincere loyalty to Madame President Lorelai Achly. Woohoo.” James added with a distinct roll of his eyes.

  Will laughed, making sure the sound of his laughter was loud enough to be clearly overheard during the recording.

  “Try it again, without the woohoo.” Lorelai said sharply.

  “I Captain James Madison Hawk…”

  Will laughed again.

  “…renounce my loyalty to Tundra. I renounce my loyalty to the Tundran navy. I renounce my loyalty to the planet of Tundra and to her people. I renounce my citizenship and the protections it affords and declare my most heartfelt and sincerest…”

  “Shut up, Will.” Lorelai hissed.

  “But the sincerest Lorelai, he really had me at sincerest.” Will’s entire frame shook with laughter.

  “No matter.” Lorelai said with a smile of her own. “We can edit out the end. But what shall I do with the promise I made, given that my dearest friend James Madison Hawk acted in bad faith?”

  “You asked me to renounce. I renounced. Break your word if you want Lorelai.” James said, making an effort to shrug with his mostly paralyzed shoulder muscles. “It will make everything else easier.”

  “Lorelei will be Lorelai.” Will said quietly.

  “Well gentlemen, fortunately for you I have more integrity than that.” Lorelei smiled, baring her sharp teeth. “Please hand me your knife.” She said, turning to one of the guards. The man responded immediately and unquestioningly. That was what he was there for. With a soft smile and a nod, Lorelai walked over to Zoe, who had remained frozen throughout everything, her terrified gaze never leaving Lorelai. With a gentle smile, Lorelai handed Zoe the knife hilt first. “Kill Henry.” She said. “So that he may rest in peace. No more pain. That was what you asked, wasn’t it?” Lorelai raised an eyebrow, turning towards James.

  James stood frozen, for the first time in his life completely unsure of what to do next.

  “It’s all right.” Henry said unexpectedly. “James, it’s all right.” He left the rest unsaid, but it hung between them. It may be for the best.

  “Will?” Zoe asked, looking up at the only person she knew in the room, her eyes wild and lost. “What should I do?” She whispered.

  “It’s your choice.” Will said.

  Hands trembling, Zoe approached Henry. “I don’t… I don’t know how.” She said, the knife hovering uncertainly somewhere in the general vicinity of Henry’s stomach.

  “Not the stomach.” James and Will said nearly in unison.

  Gently, Henry took Zoe’s hands and moved them up to his throat, over the jugular. “Here.” He said. “That’s how.”

  Lorelai stepped aside just in time to avoid the blood. “Well then, that’s taken care of. Oh and Will, you might wonder why I didn’t ask you to renounce your claim for the presidency and declare your loyalty to me. Let me assure you, it was no oversight. It’s simply that no one cares. And now I really must go. Good day, gentlemen.”