Jewels stared at her reflection and sighed. "I hate this base," she muttered. "No, not the base, but him. I can't stand him."
Despite their misgivings, she and Jeremy were temporarily assigned to Fort Blackwater in the Southern Panhandle of the North Continent. Though she loved the ocean, the commanding officer, Brigadier General Maussey, was another story. She detested his demeanor and condescending attitude toward her and her partner.
Jewels knew why. While on a previous assignment two years ago, during a Psi-Ops sting of the Far Eastern HQ, Maussey was caught accepting bribes from smugglers. She had been the agent that found evidence of his guilt. He was demoted from General to Colonel for a short time and had hated her ever since.
The two knocks in quick succession followed by a pause and one hard knock, signaled Jeremy's arrival at her door. Her nerves were beginning to bother her and she automatically reached out mentally seeking the solace of Jeremy's mind and calm.
::Jewels, easy, Kid. This is like any other op. You can do this. I will be with you like always,:: Jeremy stated soothingly.
::I know, but it won't be the same. They're separating us on purpose. We're missing a piece of this puzzle and I don't like it. If there is trouble, you won't be close enough to help.::
::I will not let you be harmed. Trust me. I won't let you fall, Kid.::
::I'm glad one of us is sure.:: She opened the door and smiled tightly. She looked down the hall and seeing no one, flung herself into his arms.
He caught her easily and stroked her hair while she clung to him. ::I don't want to do this. I feel wrong. It feels wrong.::
::I know, I have that same gut instinct. We can't disobey orders, Jewels. You know what they'll do to us, and to you, if we defy them. I don't want to end up like your partner Lenny.::
She grimaced. Lenny had been her third anchor partner and a very secretive man. It wasn't until they'd been paired for a year that his true nature surfaced. Cruel and murderous, he had wanted to assassinate the UPO Council and the President by using psionics and their powers. She was very young, only ten at the time, and her caretakers had ignored her warnings. She'd almost died at Lenny's hands before Psi-Ops intervened.
Punishment was swift and so harsh, that when it was over, Lenny had the mind of a toddler. Being wiped was a constant fear for any psionic, especially those employed by the government and military.
Jewels had been disciplined too, though her staunchest supporter, Dr. Elenora Cosmit, advised the Military Disciplinary Committee, against it. They ignored the doctor and used Jewels' vulnerability as punishment. They locked her up for two days and kept her bereft of an anchor's touch. It was mental hell for her and she learned quickly after that to be more vocal if her partner behaved strangely.
::Better now?:: Jeremy stroked her back once more.
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. ::I'm being a wuss, aren't I?::
::No, just cautious. There's a difference. C'mon, Kid. We have to go. Don't want to give the good General leverage to use against us.::
::Yes, let's not,:: Jewels agreed and stepped back. She did a quick check of her uniform. "I'm good."
She closed her door and followed Jeremy to the command center. On the way he grilled her about the aliens.
"Jewels, one more time, list the eight major bloodlines."
"Jeremy, you're driving me crazy."
"Do it, please. I need to know that you have them straight. We cannot afford any missteps."
She sighed and began reciting what she'd learned from the mission dossier. "The High Ruling family is the Onugra bloodline. Next comes the Farsemi, Loporfir, Rieyad, Posaima, Mezalik, Eirarju and the Vasdji. They also have three minor houses: the Zakei, Eyriel and Hiesaro."
"Good. Now how do you tell them apart?"
"Well, they look like Earth felines," she retorted, intentionally misconstruing his question.
"Jewels," Jeremy growled in warning.
"Lighten up, Jeremy. Sheesh. I shouldn't say they are these types of felines. Rather, they resemble their Earth counterparts."
"Yes, and don't ever forget that or let it lull you into a false sense of superiority," Jeremy admonished.
Jewels snorted. "As if you'd ever let me feel superior."
He laughed and she managed a small grin. The moment of levity was broken by the returning feeling that something was going to go wrong.
The closer they got to the command center, the worse it got. This op was going to tank. She'd not had vibes this strong in years. And ignoring her gut went against her better judgment. Even Jeremy's reassuring mental touches could not quell her misgivings.
"Ah, my two favorite people." Dr. Elenora Cosmit smiled and pushed her glasses up her nose. The lovely doctor appeared anxious. "Don't stand there being glum. The aliens will be landing in twenty minutes and you both need to be ready. Jewels, go with Bella and get your sensors attached. Colonel, come with me."
Jewels sighed. Bella was always very nervous around her and that bothered Jewels. Meekly, she followed the woman and wondered what else would happen.
Elenora waited until Jewels was gone before speaking to Jeremy. "The test results are in."
He grimaced. "And?"
"Same as before. You have to face facts. The others are being brought in and the Choosing will start in four days." She beckoned for him to walk with her.
Jeremy sat in the chair she pointed to and removed his shirt. Elenora admired his chiseled chest. She never got enough of it. Grinning, she picked up a sensor, removed the adhesive cover and applied it right above his heart, the one part of him she couldn't touch. They'd become lovers two years ago, but she always felt left out. Jeremy was attentive, romantic and made her laugh, but Elenora knew that Jewels came first.
It was ridiculous, being jealous of the younger woman. Jewels couldn't help her mental condition. She had watched the telepath grow from a solemn four-year-old to a stunning young lady. And that was the root of Elenora's problem. If Jewels wasn't so beautiful, Elenora wouldn't feel like she was competing for Jeremy's affections.
She came out of her thoughts when Jeremy touched her hand in concern. "Doc?"
She laughed, embarrassed at her lack of concentration. "Sorry, wool-gathering." Quickly she applied the remaining sensors, one on each side of his head to monitor brain waves and telepathic activity. The other four were strategically placed on his back and chest to track his vitals. Jewels was being outfitted in a similar manner. "All right Colonel, the chair awaits."
Jeremy frowned, opened his mouth to speak, but his eyes went unfocused and he nodded instead. "Lead on."
Elenora led the way to the center console where Jeremy would track his partner during the ops. She smiled, but inside was hurt. He was in telepathic communication again! She knew the signs. "What's wrong?" Her words came out more curt than she meant them to.
Jeremy stopped and turned to her. He leaned in, keeping his words too low for listening ears to hear. "Elenora, maybe I should ask you that." His brown eyes searched her blue ones.
"Nothing is wrong. Everyone is tense. Brigadier General Maussey is one of Psi-Ops biggest critics. It is imperative this mission succeed."
"I know that, and so does Jewels. You have to admit, this is the biggest op ever for either of us. The Kid is a bundle of nerves. I need her to settle down. Her emotions are running high, too. Jewels can do it. She's got us." Jeremy took Elenora's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Now, time to work."
Elenora stepped away as he sat in the chair. The consoles near him lit up with live footage of the landing area. Already base personnel were headed for the designated landing spot. He put on the comm piece.
"Everyone, let's make our skeptics eat crow," Jeremy stated and grinned at the cheers.
Elenora reluctantly chuckled. I love you, she mouthed and went to the medic station to keep track of her lover and his partner.