Surrender

AUTHOR's NOTE: This is lovely I have two new reviewers, thanks to Elie and Madlodger for your responses. And to the best cheerleaders I've had in the history of my time on this site, Lisa and Lilac, you two rock!

Now for the story, Anata really is dead, and she won't be coming back. =( In this chapter you get to see the tie-in with Spontaneous. I didn't want to harp too much on the shape-shifting process, that is not at the heart of this story. But it is important as it reveals how they are able to procreate as two men. With that said, here's Chapter 13. Feel free to point out typos and other errors to me, I am working without a beta.


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When Devo first heard Arabel’s scream he feared the worst. He glanced across to see that Medaq had in fact murdered Anata before his eyes. He was so distracted by the scene before him that had Stafon and Woen not arrived at that moment, Sesan would have been able to inflict serious harm upon him.

Devo noticed when Stafon moved to attack Medaq while Woen went after Sesan. He took this opportunity to teleport to Arabel’s side. His heart thudded in his chest as he quickly felt for a pulse, it was weak but it was still there. He hadn’t been certain himself what would happen should one of the twins died. He knew the truth now but at great cost. He realized that Medaq had been attempting to turn the tide of the fight with his actions. It may have succeeded had Devo’s friends not arrived when they did.

Suddenly, both Medaq and Sesan teleported from the hall. Stafon used this opportunity to shadow-step to Anata’s side to verify what they all already knew to be true. Her eyes were still open, staring up at them in a death mask. Using his fingers he gently closed them before speaking into his communicator. “It’s now or never Kenlan, beam us out of here.”

“There’s a problem,” Kenlan’s voice came through the communicator located on Stafon’s wrist. “The shields have been raised once more; I’m going to attempt to make another run at the fortress.”

“We may not have time for that, we need to make our own exit from in here.” Devo walked up to them holding Arabel’s unconscious form close to him.

“Leaving so soon when you’ve only just joined the party,” General Hetite’s words filtered towards the rescue team as he entered the hall. Dozens of soldiers filed in behind him, including several Scryers and Mediators. Medaq was strangely absent.

“Tell the person who is flying your ship to surrender now, for as soon as he drops his cloak to fire at us, he will be destroyed,” Hetite stated.

Devo knew that Kenlan could hear what was being said, and figured that he’d leave it up to the mystic to decide what to do.

“Cease them!” Hetite ordered.

Sesan and Vonus teleported toward them, weapons raised preparing to attack as a horde of soldiers also began to run towards them.

The rescuers braced for attack. Woen summoned spinning daggers at the ready and Stafon adopted a battle stance. But suddenly, everything came to a standstill. All movement ceased and everyone in the room except for the rescue team stood still. Devo knew instantly who was responsible. “Kenlan’s done it, come on let’s get out of here; bring her.” He motioned towards Anata’s body and saw as Woen lifted her in his arms. Devo would have loved to have stopped to deal with Medaq but knew there was no time.

They quickly ran through the halls and encountered other enemies that were also frozen in time. Once they were near the facility’s outer walls, Stafon prepared a fire spell and blasted a hole in the structure. They heard the agitated yells of many Tolatrian guards before they actually saw them and knew that the freeze spell had ended.

“Kenlan get us out of here.” There was urgency in Devo’s voice as the soldiers grew closer; it was likely that once they found them so would the scryers and mediators. He realized that Kenlan would be severely weakened with the use of the freeze spell, but had it left him unable to activate their beaming technology? A group of soldiers turned the corner and raised their blasters to fire at them. Stafon created a barrier that deflected the blasts away. The onslaught soon ceased and Devo knew there had to be a reason for this. He saw when Sesan and Vonus along with at least half a dozen other scryers he did not know appeared before them and began to attack Stafon’s barrier with high intensity energy beams. It didn’t take long before the shield began to crack. Just as Devo was about to believe they’d have to set the Cresh’s aside to fight once more, they began to disintegrate from view.

They arrived back onboard the ship to find Kenlan on his hand and knees with one finger pressing the button to activate the ship’s teleportation system. Mischa was fast asleep in a chair.

Woen set Anata’s body on a nearby couch before moving to Kenlan’s side. “Father, are you alright?”

“Not exactly,” Kenlan began as his breathing had grown labored. “Get us out of here – and into hyperspace.”

Woen nodded and accessed the ships control panel to do just that. He noticed when his father seemed to slip into half faint and reassured himself that he would be alright. Freezing time and space was no simple feat.

Stafon had begun to radiate a healing spell throughout Arabel. The boy’s bruised and battered body soon faded away to reveal smooth, dusky skin in place. “We need to get him back to Atika as soon as possible, so that Dascos can heal any internal injuries I may have missed.”

“Why isn’t he waking up?” Devo wanted to know.

Stafon glanced back at the dusky-skinned young man he held in his arms. His breathing was even and the heal spell should have revived him. He quickly discerned the issue. “He seems to have fallen into some type of coma.” At Devo’s startled reaction he quickly added, “It doesn’t appear life-threatening. You said they were twins and physically linked, perhaps this is simply a reaction to Anata’s death.”

There was a slight jolt as they entered hyperspace. Having set the ship on a course, Woen rejoined his team. “Father appears to be asleep.” He informed them.

Devo glanced over at the mystic responsible for saving their lives and saw that he was indeed laying on a couch opposite Anata, the even rise and fall of his chest indicated normal breathing. He would be alright. However, his thoughts were still centered on Arabel, all he wanted to see was his love open his eyes and look at him.

“I’ll take Arabel to the medical ward and get him comfortable.” Stafon stood up and lifted the light weighted young man in his arms.

“I’m coming with you, but Woen can you do me a favor,” Devo glanced down at Anata’s ghostly pale form. “Can you take Anata to a stasis pod; we need to preserve her until Arabel can – until he can decide on funeral arrangements.”

Woen nodded his understanding. It was not outside the realm of possibility that Anata could have been revived, perhaps if Dascos were there and had gotten to her in time. Kenlan’s mate was one of the most skilled healers in all of Atika. As it was, with his father currently taxed to the limit he could not open a portal back to Atika post haste; thus sealing Anata’s death sentence.

After Woen left the deck with Anata’s body; Stafon teleported with Arabel to the medical ward. He laid the younger man on medical table and pulled the sheets over him. There was something strange about this coma he had slipped into; but where he failed he was certain that Dascos would succeed. He saw when Devo shadow-stepped to his side and continued to gaze at Arabel solemnly. Stafon could almost feel his nephew’s great sorrow radiating through him. He witnessed an intimate moment when Devo brushed the back of his hand against Arabel’s cheek. He felt some reassuring words were needed. //Devo, he’ll be alright, I’m certain of it.//

//No he won’t.// Devo’s gaze left Arabel long enough to glance at his Uncle. //Anata is dead.//

//It’s never easy loosing a loved one, but he’ll have you to help him get through this.//

Devo returned his gaze to Arabel. His eyes became curiously glossy as he observed the man he’d fallen so hard for. //I’m afraid it won’t be enough.//

~*~

Devo’s reunion with his parents was not what he had envisioned. He’d been hoping to return with Arabel smiling at his side as he officially introduced the younger man to them. But instead, he returned with Arabel's unconscious form and his sister’s dead body. Stafon had sent his report on ahead; therefore the King and Queen already knew what their son was suffering.

Gillian held Devo in her arms, holding him close. “I am so pleased you have returned to me safely.” She saw the unshed tears in Devo’s eyes and knew that although he had survived, he was still in a great deal of pain. “I sense that Dascos is working on Arabel as we speak, shall we join them?”

Devo nodded, he paused to hug D’ken before all three of them headed to the large medical ward located on the third floor of the Suvian fortress.

Devo recognized Dascos immediately; he had short cropped silver hair and was dressed in a white medical robe as he stood at Arabel’s bedside with his hands hovering over the Talion’s chest. Devo moved to Dascos’s side. “What have you learned?”

“Stafon was right; he appears to be in some self-induced coma. I should be able to revive him without causing injury.” Dascos closed his eyes and concentrated his healing ability once more.

The look of great sadness on Devo’s face was not lost on Gillian. She felt his pain and anxiety as he wrestled with the fact that Arabel would soon be unimaginable pain himself. She had to find a way to make this a happy reunion. Although it would be practically impossible, Anata was dead and there would be no changing that.

Devo saw as Arabel’s aqua eyes opened and took focus. He glanced around the room at all the people gathered there. There was a look of confusion in those beautiful eyes which Devo supposed should be expected. Last thing he would remember before Anata’s tragic end was being a slave of the Tolatrians who they certainly did not resemble in the slightest. However, Arabel’s first words to them stopped his heart cold.

“Who are you people?” Arabel asked as he looked from Dascos to Devo to the King and Queen.

“You, you don’t remember who you are?” Devo asked fearing the worst.

Arabel eyed the one who had spoken suspiciously. “Of course I do I’m Arabel Cresh, my parents are international diplomats of Talion.”

It quickly dawned on Devo what had happened here. Arabel’s recent trauma had caused him to block out at least the last few years. He appeared to be suffering from some type of short term memory loss.

“I’ll ask again, who are you people and what am I doing here?”

Devo was at a loss for words, but Gillian decided to step in and save him.

“You are acting diplomat for your people to mine. You suffered a recent injury and it seems your short term memory may have been altered. You are currently on Atika, home planet of the Suvian race in the Tagasus galaxy.”

“I’m – in another galaxy?” Arabel sat up as the sheets fell down revealing the white cotton pajamas he wore beneath them. A hand flew involuntarily to his head. “Maybe…maybe that’s why I can’t sense Anata. She’s my sister, and generally we have an unbreakable link.”

Devo lowered his gaze and glanced away. He was afraid that if Arabel got one good look at the guilt written all over his face, then the gig would be up.

“This is most likely true; our galaxies are trillions of miles apart.” Gillian smiled at him. “You can’t know how pleased we are to have you here to share your people’s culture with us.”

Arabel was confused, the last time his parents had sent him on a diplomatic mission he’d botched it terribly and they hadn’t sent him on any since. Had they perhaps changed their minds and given him a second chance to redeem himself. He wished he could remember exactly what had happened. However, the fact that he was representing Talion in another galaxy meant that the scope of this mission was huge. Why would he be trusted with such an important task?

“We’ll leave you to rest up, and hopefully you’ll be able to join us for some dinner later.” Gillian smiled once more before leading the way out of the room. D’ken and Dascos followed her but Devo remained.

Arabel turned to look at the last person left in the room and was taken aback by his extreme good looks. His mostly black hair was streaked with golden high-lights and those amber eyes seemed to look directly into his soul. “I’m sorry I don’t remember you but, was there something else you wanted?”

“Only to ascertain that you’re truly feeling better,” Devo eyes held Arabel’s gaze unwaveringly. There was indeed no recognition there. The trauma he had suffered as a result of witnessing Anata’s death had changed him completely.

“I feel fine, if there’s something physically wrong with me; I can’t sense it.”

Devo nodded, “I’ll see you at dinner then.” Upon leaving the room he found Gillian waiting for him.

//I want you to know that I had no intention of misleading him. But if his mind has blocked out the recent trauma he’s been through, there is a reason for that. I fear revealing the truth now would be far more damaging to him than we realize//

//I understand what you did mother, and I don’t blame you. It’s just that – he doesn’t remember me. I’m virtually a stranger to him.//

Gillian understood exactly what Devo was going through. The man he had fallen in love with didn’t know him from the next stranger. They would have to get to know each other all over again. //Did Arabel ever tell you how he felt about you?//

//No, but Anata confirmed that he did care very deeply for me.//

//Then you have nothing to fear. If he fell in love with you once, he will again. Just give him the chance to get to know. You must see this memory loss as an opportunity to cement your relationship. And when he does remember what happened and learns of Anata’s fate, he will turn to you for support instead of self-destructing.//

//I’m not sure if I share your confidence mother; Anata meant everything to him.//

//And so do you; he just doesn’t know it yet.// Gillian squeezed Devo’s arm reassuringly. //Take heart my son, everything will be alright.//

Devo watched his mother walk away, hoping against hope that she was right. A part of him wanted to return to Tolatria and give Medaq what he deserved. However, at the moment it was best to leave things as they were. If one day Arabel wished revenge on the Scryer, Devo would be only too happy to oblige.

~*~

“The council wishes to know how I let three men infiltrate my headquarters and steal away with two of my slaves. Care to explain to me why I am in this situation?” Hetite had called a meeting with his head military officials once more.

“We knew we were dealing with a highly advanced race,” Medaq spoke up.

“You said yourself Medaq that this Devo could not deny that their Queen was no longer with them.” Soton stated.

“Perhaps that is what he wanted me to believe, for clearly someone else with great power was still with them.”

“Yes, but unfortunately none of them got a chance to kill me, that is what you were hoping, isn’t it Medaq?” Jubek had been sitting in a chair nursing a bruise on his forehead with a cold compress.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Medaq denied.

“Really? Then can you explain why calls for back-up were not answered. Ulan is still recovering from his injuries as a result,” Jubek stated.

“Really Jubek, yours or Ulan’s incompetence has absolutely nothing to do with me. Besides, it was my actions that summoned all three enemies to the great hall where we were able to surround them. And we would have captured them as a result if not for these unseen circumstances.”

“I don’t care what you say, I know the truth,” Jubek stated.

Medaq grinned deviously. “Would you now care to retract your earlier words on the status of this enemy’s strength?”

Jubek was silent for a moment, it had been clear that the men he fought were holding back, but then again so was he. Had the blond man fully released his strength there was no way for Jubek to know if he would have been victorious.

“There is no time for the blame game. In order to outlive this failure I must appear to have a plan of counterattack. Scryers, have you located where they went?” Hetite asked.

“Their ship no doubt jumped into hyperspace before they opened a portal back to their galaxy. There would be no way to track them,” Medaq said.

“Your incompetence never ceases to amaze me, Medaq.” Jubek began. “We’ve had the Talion’s for over a week. I took it upon myself to have a specific drug be injected in their food. Since the woman is dead I will review the tracker on the boy, and it should take less than a day to locate the galaxy where he was taken.”

“Excellent work Jubek,” Hetite began. “In the meantime I’ll be ordering several of our fleets back to base as we prepare to engage in an intergalactic war. These people will learn that they can not make fools of the Tolatrians and get away with it.”

~*~

Arabel had a lot of questions running through his head. As he was escorted to the royal dining hall by one who had introduced himself as Stafon. First off, he wasn’t wearing the traditional Talion attire of his people, and the quarters he had been taken to after his short stint in the medical ward held absolutely no traces of home. If he were here on a diplomatic mission why would he have come so ill-prepared? Something wasn’t adding up. He attempted to question his current escort about this but the man shut him down and told him to retain his questions for the royal family.

The rest of the short trek from his guest quarters to an elevator continued in silence. From what little Arabel had seen of this fortress it was quite impressive indeed. His personal quarters were huge; complete with a parlor, a large bedroom and bath chamber. The hallways were made of a brick and marble material and green, leafy plants along with bright fluorescent lights illuminated the area. Upon arrival in the dining hall, Arabel was once again stunned into silence. This particular dining hall was located on the top floor, and Arabel later learned there were many such halls scattered throughout the many floors of the fortress. The high ceiling was decorated with stained-glass in a multitude of colors which glowed brilliantly in the light of the setting sun. Golden tapestries adorned the side hallways and a large polished table stretching from one end of the hall to the next sat in the center. There was also a stage at the end of the hall no doubt used during large parties for musicians or speeches.

Arabel noted when the King and Queen he’d met earlier emerged from one of the side halls. He took notice of their attire. The Queen was dressed in a red gown that clung in the right places to her hour-glass figure. The sleeves were over-sized and flowed across her slender arms. Her golden hair cascaded in a layer of curls down her back. The King was holding her arm in his which prompted Arabel to take a look at him. D’ken’s black hair was slicked back and his long sleeved white shirt was open at the collar. A pair of black pants and gleaming matching boots completed his attire.

Arabel wasn’t sure what he was expecting. They were a sharp looking couple, but there was no over-adornment of jewelry or fancy trappings. They were the appointed royal leaders of this great civilization, yet there was no sign of a crown on either of them. Were they this down to earth and informal with everyone they met with? Regardless of which, Arabel did his part and bowed low in greeting once they were in close range.

“Greetings Arabel, I’m glad you were feeling well enough to join us,” Gillian said with a bright smile.

Gillian’s smile was infectious and Arabel couldn’t help responding with one of his own. “I’m grateful that you would have me.” He saw as Gillian was released from her mate’s hold and she moved towards him and took his arm. She guided him towards an open balcony where a smaller, much cozier table had been set for them.

“I’m sure there are questions you seek answers to, and given your recent memory loss that is to be expected,” Gillian stated.

“Yes I tried asking my escort on the way here, but he didn’t have much to say,” Arabel replied.

“I will be happy to answer all your questions.” Gillian smiled once more.

D’ken stood back as his wife spoke animatedly to Arabel on the balcony. He hadn’t been observing them for more than a minute when Devo arrived at his side. //Are you feeling well my son?// When Devo didn’t reply but continued to stare at his mother and Arabel as if he were about to bore a hole right through them, D’ken continued. //If you keep this up, Arabel will know something is wrong. Your mother is working too hard to make this situation work. Don’t botch that up.//

Devo ignored his father and continued to stare at Arabel. The younger man was wearing a loose fitting V-neck shirt that seemed to highlight the color of his eyes. Black pants and ankle boots completed his attire. Devo noticed when Gillian said something that made Arabel smile. A smile – something he wouldn’t have seen any time soon on Arabel’s face had the younger man been told the truth. This was an opportunity to get to know the person Arabel was before his race was conquered and he became a brothel whore. It was something he’d always wondered about, he’d only had what Anata and Arabel had told him of their past to go on. But Devo wanted to know so much more, what was Arabel’s favorite food, what sort of music did he like. What were his dreams and aspirations? Obviously all he could think about for the past couple years was trying to survive and eventually escaping the brothel. There had been so much more to his life before the collapse of his society, and Devo was hungry to learn all about it.

Arabel had been listening to the Queen intently as she explained the circumstances of his arrival. Apparently there was some type of solar storm that occasionally affected portal travel to this galaxy. Arabel had been injured upon arrival resulting in his memory loss as well as the loss of all his belongings. Arabel knew such things were possible in this vast universe but had never heard of any of his people encountering one of these solar storms before. However, as far as he knew they had never used portals to travel between galaxies that often. So perhaps there was much they still did not know when it came to the dangers of portal travel. The first thing on his mind was making sure that his family knew he was alright. “Is there anyway to open a portal back to Talion? I wish to inform everyone that I made it in one piece.”

“Unfortunately no,” Gillian began. “The solar storm seems centered on Andrenon’s portal pathways and at this point it would be very dangerous to attempt to re-open a portal anywhere for that matter.”

“Well, I just wanted to send a message,” Arabel interjected.

Gillian shook her head. “The solar storm’s electric interference would prevent any message from getting through. Take heart, we only expect it to last for at least another month.”

Arabel’s mouth fell open as he stared at Gillian. “One – month?”

“Yes, would you find our company so dull that you’d wish to return sooner?” Gillian asked.

“Uh – no, not at all; I’m certain I will enjoy my stay here.” Arabel forced a smile.
“One month, okay no problem.” He’d been so enthralled by Gillian and her explanations that he hadn’t noticed that the King stood at the balcony entrance with another man. It was the same one who had lingered in his healing chamber. The man was staring at him with such intensity that it startled him.

Gillian noticed where Arabel’s attention now lay. She moved forward and gestured to Devo. “I don’t believe you’ve officially met my son. This is Prince Devo Sventos, heir to the Suvian throne.”

Arabel lowered his gaze and honored Devo with a bow. When he straightened and chanced another glance at the handsome Prince, he noticed that Devo’s expression now appeared bored. He wondered what he’d done to cause the drastic change.

“Devo will be your guide during your stay on Atika. You will have access to our great libraries so you may learn about the history of our people. You will also be given a tour of this facility as well as the entire planet which we only settled less than twenty-five years ago,” Gillian explained.

Arabel nodded his understanding. He was feeling more at ease with Gillian’s explanations so decided he was comfortable enough to ask a question. “What about trade, will the Suvian’s be willing to trade with my people?”

Gillian paused, and wasn’t surprised when Devo suddenly walked away from the conversation, leaving her and D’ken alone with Arabel.

There was a confused expression on Arabel’s face. “Did I – say something wrong?”

Gillian gave Arabel a reassuring smile. “Certainly not, Devo simply has a lot on his mind – a personal issue.”

Arabel nodded his understanding. “If I rub him the wrong way, perhaps we should not spend too much time together.”

“Nonsense, he is your guide and he will not shirk this responsibility,” Gillian stated.

“Yes but if I make him uncomfortable, I would rather not be the cause of his distress.” Arabel lowered his head as he wondered just what it was about him that seemed to cause the Prince dislike him.

Gillian grasped Arabel’s chin and turned his head to meet her gaze. “I can tell right away that I’m going to like you very much. Now don’t worry about my son – we can continue this discussion over dinner.”

The next hour passed without incident, except that Devo had left the dinning hall and didn’t return. Arabel tried to force himself to concentrate on the food and the light conversation between Gillian and D’ken. However, he couldn’t help thinking of the mysterious Prince Devo who seemed to have some problem with him, and Arabel wished to the gods he knew what it was.

After dinner, Gillian offered to take Arabel on a tour of the palace gardens which were quite a sight to behold even in the evening. The lawn lamps illuminated the lush foliage as if it were daytime. Arabel would have jumped at the opportunity at any other time but after being shunned by Devo he decided it best to retire for the night.

Arabel returned to his empty guest quarters, took a bath then prepared for bed. He’d intended to go to sleep and then worry about his situation in the morning. However, sleep did not come easy for him. He lay awake for most of the night, a part of him hoping that Devo would come to see him and they would become fast friends. When he wasn’t thinking about the handsome Prince his thoughts would return to his family. His not being able to sense Anata left him with an uneasy feeling. Most likely she was alright, for their physical link would alert him if she were in any extreme pain. He felt nothing, a feeling that should have reassured him but it didn’t. He would have to wait a month before he could speak to his family and ascertain that they were alright. He knew one thing for sure; it was going to be one of the most harrowing months he’d ever been through.

~*~

The following morning, Gillian found Devo at the small lake that trickled through the multi-colored forest which surrounded the fortress. He was sitting on a mound of grass throwing pebbles into the clear water. She noticed that he stopped what he was doing when he sensed her presence but did not turn to look at her.

“Do you regret the decisions I have made concerning Arabel?” Gillian asked.

“Mother you know I do not. This truly was the best course of action, I am simply having more difficulty dealing with it than I had anticipated,” Devo replied as he ran a frustrated hand through his gold streaked tresses.

“We have one month before he will begin to suspect that we have withheld the truth – you must use this time wisely.”

Devo stood up and turned to face Gillian. “What am I supposed to do Mother? Smile and nod understandingly when he tells me of his people and how much he misses and can’t wait to see them again? What do I do when he tells me of his sister, Anata and what a great woman she is? Do I agree that she is wonderful and support the illusion that he will one day see her again?”

“Instead ask yourself what will you do if Arabel learns the truth and quickly implodes? His mind can easily dissolve into insanity if all that he has been through comes to light before he is ready to handle it. What we are doing is a necessary evil, you have to know that.”

“That doesn’t make this any easier to deal with.” Devo rubbed his eyes against the sting there.

Gillian felt her heart ache as she glimpsed the unshed tears in Devo’s eyes. Her son was in pain, and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it. Gillian found she began to fight tears herself as she thought frantically for another solution. “We can um – confine him to a room and tell him the truth. Then summon our best psychologists to help deal with the aftermath…”

“If that was a plausible solution you would have suggested it earlier.” Devo glanced over at her and knew exactly what she was doing. She was trying to ease his pain in any way possible, but there was no help for it. “Mother, I simply need a few more days – and then we’ll proceed with your original plan.” He allowed her to close the distance between them encase him in a warm hug. He closed his eyes and thought of a time when things were a lot simpler.

~*~

It had been three days and Arabel had not seen Devo since that night in the dining hall. He had been given Woen as a stand in guide and had been shown every single level of the fortress as well as given the run of the place. He found Woen humorous and far better to get along with than Devo. However, he longed to find out what it was about him that seemed to rub the Prince the wrong way. He didn’t dare ask anyone else for then he’d be acknowledging that there was indeed a problem.

At the moment he’d been summoned to the library on the second floor. Arabel had been given his own hand-held personal global positioning system that also worked within the fortress and guided him to whichever location he needed to find. Once he entered the library he saw dozens of aisle’s stacked high with not only books but other historical documents. He strode in purposefully and glanced at the large table in the center which held various computer models and a few stacks of books. That’s when he heard quiet talking coming from the direction of one aisle on his right. “Is anybody there?” He called out. The talking ceased, and it wasn’t long before Gillian and Devo came into view.

Arabel was stunned to see the Prince but was glad that he had returned. He bowed in respect before realizing that something else was weighing on his mind. “I – I thought I heard two men speaking.”

Gillian looked at Arabel and smiled mysteriously. “You most likely did. I’ll leave you in Devo’s hands.”

She didn’t give Arabel a chance to protest as she immediately teleported from the room. Once he was alone with Devo, he fought against his nervousness and concentrated on being civil. “Welcome back, Prince Sventos.”

Devo paused and simply looked at him for a few seconds before replying. “Thank you.”

“I must admit that I was floored to find your mother here, I really could have sworn I heard two men.”

Devo tapped his fingers against the top of a flat screen monitor. “You’ve been here for a few days yet you are still unaware of the basics of Suvian anatomy?”

“The Queen opted for more exploration of my first three days, and this is my first visit to the library.” Arabel was becoming more confused as to just what exactly Devo was getting at.

Devo glanced up at Arabel and once again held his aqua gaze with his own. “We Suvians are shape-shifters; we have the ability to spontaneously transform from male to female.”

Arabel’s jaw fell open as he stared at Devo in awe. “Are you saying that the Queen was – just now…”

“Yes, she was in her male form. She had just come from seeing my father, he enjoys the company of both her forms,” Devo explained.

“Why – how …” Arabel was really confused but couldn’t seem to form a definitive question. He was grateful that Devo noticed his dilemma and decided to elaborate.

“The Suvian race was created by our sacred deity known as the One. The One does not recognize with either sex, male or female. It exists as a dual being. Thus we were created with the ability to change sex.” Devo removed his fingers from the computer and placed both hands behind his back as he prepared to continue his explanation. “Most of my people maintain the sex we were born with, thus my mother was born a female and I was born a male.”

Arabel couldn’t help the blush that heated his face as he thought of Devo transforming into a woman. He was drop-dead gorgeous as a man, he would be a knock-out as a woman. He could probably even give Anata a run for her money. “Have you … well I suppose you would have transformed into your female half before now.”

“No I haven’t.” At the surprised expression on Arabel’s face, Devo continued. “My father is a human, thus I am only half Suvian. My abilities are limited greatly as a result. I will transform into a female but once in my lifetime – when I choose a mate. If this mate happens to be male, then I will need this process to conceive children.”

Realization dawned on Arabel. He’d known same sex couples in the past whose only option had been mainly adoption. But it seems the Suvian’s were built to find a way around the problem – simply amazing. However, the image of Devo as a devastatingly beautiful woman carrying a man’s child caused another blush to stain his cheeks. He was grateful Devo had no idea what he was thinking.

“Take my cousin Woen for example; his parents are Dascos and Kenlan. Dascos is a full blooded Suvian; he can change sex at will. However, he was born a male; therefore he only assumed female form to conceive Woen. Thus my cousin has two fathers.”

Arabel smiled his understanding. He was grateful that they were speaking and that it seemed the Prince no longer had a problem with him. He’d had enough to worry about especially the welfare of his people without adding his situation with Devo to the mix.

“Any other questions?” Devo asked.

Arabel was thrilled that the Prince seemed this open to being his personal well of information. He was pleased with this. “As they come to me, I won’t hesitate to ask them.”

Devo nodded then glanced around the room briefly. “My mother intended for us to spend most of the day within this stuffy library. I think we can opt for something better instead.”

Arabel regarded him curiously. “What did you have in mind?”

“Come with me.”

Moment’s later they arrived in a ship hanger located on the 11th floor. There were large Suvian vessels mixed with smaller ones. Devo had guided them to one the size of a family conveyance vehicle. It was sleek and silver all over, and appeared built to break through space at devastating speeds. Once they were inside and seated comfortably in large chairs, Devo suggested that he buckle his seatbelt.

Arabel glanced over at Devo and found that he was looking at him with a hint of a smile on his handsome face which caused Arabel’s heart to swell with joy. It seemed he truly was no longer the cause of Devo’s distress. He quickly obeyed and fastened his seatbelt into place. He saw when Devo did the same.

“This vessel is capable of space flight, but we’ll be staying on the planet. I won’t be activating the inertial dampeners, thus we’ll need seatbelts. It may get a little bumpy.” Devo explained.

Arabel saw when a wheel like device emerged from the dashboard in front of Devo and Prince wrapped both hands around it. Most space ship controls consisted of a push of a button to maneuver but it seemed that Devo intended to take a hands-on approach with the control of this vessel.

“Hang on to your lunch,” Devo stated.

“I haven’t had lunch yet,” Arabel replied.

“Good.” They had just been cleared for departure and without wasting any more time, Devo put the ship in gear and they shot out of the flight terminal. The ship quickly descended the side of the fortress, going down about 8 levels before instantly righting itself.

Arabel had become slightly alarmed and his breathing had picked up as a result. When they began to ascend at breakneck speeds, he fought to calm himself. They had made it into the planet’s stratosphere before Devo once again took the ship in a nose dive. This descent was even more harrowing than the one out of the fortress for Arabel was certain they were approaching speeds of 200 miles per hour.

“Prince Sventos, I fear that perhaps – you should slow down.”

“Trust me Arabel.” Devo’s lips curved in a half smile as he continued the rapid descent. They were fast approaching a river below.

They were so close to the surface now that Arabel could make out the colorful birds perched in the trees along the river bank. He closed one eye bracing for impact, but it never came. Devo had immediately leveled out the craft so that it skimmed the water’s surface. Then he’d slowed the ship down considerably as it continued to follow the river’s path. Arabel noticed when he pressed a button and the wheel retracted meaning the ship was now on auto pilot.

“I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Devo gave Arabel his full attention.

“No, it was exhilarating. I’m simply not used to that sort of thing,” Arabel explained.

“Then you won’t mind trying it with me again sometime?”

Arabel noticed that Devo’s intense gaze was back. However, there seemed to be a longing in those softly glowing golden eyes. It almost led Arabel to wonder if he’d had some type of relationship with Devo before his short-term memory loss. “Yes, I’d like that.” He noticed when Devo’s gaze fell to his lips for a brief moment and then he glanced away. There was no mistaking that. Arabel was unsure what to do or say, so he too stared out the window taking in their surroundings.

Arabel found he liked this multi-colored forest, and apparently this wasn’t a seasonal change. The leaves of the foliage bloomed in these colors all year long. The planet was predominately warm with very little in the changes of seasons. This was very similar to Talion that experienced warm weather for the majority of the year.

Arabel noticed when the water’s current began to speed up and soon realized why, there was a waterfall up ahead. He could only see the airy mist that rose from the gallons of quickly descending water. The ship flew easily over the side of the river and down the cascading water giving the occupants inside a breathtaking view. Once they were at the base of the falls, the ship moved to rest on the bank and then came to an immediate halt. The doors opened and Devo removed his seatbelt and got out, Arabel did the same.

The air was very moist here, due to the spray and mist created at the base of the falls. Arabel could even make out a rainbow that had half formed in the misty air. “It’s so beautiful,” He commented.

“Yes.”

Arabel heard Devo agree with him and turned to glance at his companion. He found that Devo wasn’t looking at the falls or his surroundings, but instead seemed to have eyes only for him. There was a slight flutter in his chest as Arabel realized that Devo’s intense stare affected him on a deep level. He decided that it was now or never if he was to learn the truth. “Prince Sventos, I must ask you a question.”

“Please, call me Devo.”

Arabel nodded his acquiescence then continued. “Devo, was there something between us before my memory loss?”

Devo was unsure how to answer this. He’d taken three days away from Arabel and their current situation to get his head in order. He’d found at the end of his isolation that all he really wanted was to be with Arabel again regardless of the current situation. “Why would you ask that?”

Arabel blinked quickly before replying. “Forgive me if I’ve offended you. It was not my intention. We can simply drop this subject.”

“Its fine, I’m not offended.”

Arabel lowered his gaze to examine a bright green mound of grass below him. “Perhaps we should be getting back.” When Devo grasped his chin and turned him to face him. Arabel felt his heart begin to pound in his chest.

“Do I make you uncomfortable?”

That intense gaze was back, the one that left Arabel hopelessly weak in the knees. He felt as Devo’s fingers moved from his chin to caress the side of his face. “I … I…” Before he knew it, Devo was kissing him and he eagerly returned the kiss. His lips parted, allowing Devo’s tongue access should he seek it. However, the Prince seemed content to allow the kiss to remain on the surface. But it felt so wonderful to feel those soft lips against his own that Arabel’s toes curled in his boots. An involuntary moan escaped his lips and that seemed to snap Devo back to reality, he quickly pulled away.

Devo stepped back from Arabel and moved to the waters edge, running a hand through his soft tresses. He shouldn’t have done that. He was moving to fast. But one look at Arabel standing there, looking so innocent and so utterly kissable, that he’d lost himself. “I’m sorry.”

“Why?”

Devo turned around to look at Arabel and could see clearly in those aqua eyes that he had managed to arouse his passion. “You’re a diplomat, this would be considered improper.”

“You’re right; this is unlike me as well. I was almost certain that this reaction we are feeling is not instant. You would tell me if there had been something between us wouldn’t you?” When Devo didn’t respond to Arabel’s question right away, another thought dawned on him. Perhaps the reason Devo was being so quiet about the whole thing was because whatever they had shared had been unpleasant. That thought was horrifying; they seemed to have such passion for each other. But could Arabel have done something to permanently cause them both pain? “It’s me isn’t it? I did something.”

“NO!” Devo turned to look at him his golden eyes blazing. “It wasn’t you, never believe that.”

Arabel was stunned by Devo’s forceful response that left him even more confused. He found himself grasping Devo’s arm as he closed the distance between them. “Please, tell me what it is then? What happened between us?”

Devo saw the pleading in Arabel’s glossy eyes and couldn’t deny what he’d been feeling anymore. “This.” He grabbed Arabel by the waist and crushed him against him before claiming his lips in a deep, passionate kiss. His tongue sought entrance and began to explore the inside of Arabel’s warm mouth, inch by inch. He felt as Arabel responded to him ardently, his own tongue coming to do battle with Devo’s.

Before Devo knew it, he was laying Arabel on the soft grass and quickly undressing him. His shirt flew away, followed by his pants and boots. Devo continued to kiss him as he peeled off his own black vest and unbuttoned his pants. He felt as Arabel wrapped his arms around his neck pulling him closer. His legs also mimicked his arms as they too curled around Devo’s waist, opening himself to him. Once his penis was freed from its restraints, Devo wasted no more time and entered him. He felt the pleasure-filled, breathy moan against his lips as he filled Arabel completely. His Suvian anatomy that allowed for a self-lubricating cock eased the pain of penetration. As he began to move in short, controlled strokes, he found he could not get enough of Arabel’s sweet taste. He delighted in the feel of their tongues clashing together, of their bodies engaged in the ultimate act of intimacy. Devo desperately wanted this man to be his partner for life. He longed to wake up next to him each morning to make love and bring each other to the peaks of ecstasy. He hoped to one day conceive a child and for them to raise that child together. That was Devo’s ultimate desire, to have a normal life with the man he had fallen in love with.

Arabel was in heaven, the feel of Devo stroking in and out of him as well as the languid kiss left him feeling like a million credits. His own cock rubbed against Devo’s flat stomach leaving him with a raging hard-on ready to blow at any minute. He too couldn’t get enough of Devo’s sweet kisses. Was this passion they now shared part of what he had lost along with his memory? Arabel couldn’t be certain, but when he heard Devo begin to moan his release which also brought him to his crescendo, he knew that what they were engaging in could not be more right.

Arabel’s breathing had barely evened out before he felt himself being lifted and taken into the cool waters of the river. The warm leavings Devo had deposited between his thighs were quickly washed away. He felt himself encased in Devo’s muscular embrace as those golden eyes locked with his own. “We’ve done this before,” Arabel stated.

“Stared at each other while bathing naked in a river?” There was a hint of a smile on Devo’s handsome face.

Arabel grinned as he observed his lover. The golden highlights of his now wet hair had taken on a bronzed color. If possible it made him look even more appealing. “Besides that, I meant we’ve made love before. I may not remember it, but there was no mistaking the way our bodies moved as one, there was a familiarity there.”

“I applaud your intuition.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Arabel wanted to know. “You spent three days away from me and all I could think was that I had done something wrong. Was it because I couldn’t remember about us?”

Devo realized that Arabel was only half right. He had stayed away due to the issues he was experiencing dealing with this new Arabel that did not remember him or the trauma he had recently suffered through. However, it wasn’t solely because Arabel had forgotten about their relationship. His part in the web of lies that now surrounded Arabel was also very difficult to deal with.

“Is there no way, with all the magical abilities your people possess, that someone can help me remember?” Arabel asked.

“Some things – should be remembered on their own.”

“But I want to remember now; I want to know how we met and what it was like when we first made love.” Arabel touched Devo’s cheek with tentative fingers. He saw when Devo’s bronzed palm came to cover his slightly smaller fingers.

Devo grasped Arabel’s hand and brought it to his lips placing a brief kiss there. “Sometimes it’s best not to dwell on the past, instead – we should concentrate on the future.”

Arabel was not quite convinced but when Devo kissed him, he quickly forgot about his worries and melted in the Prince’s warm embrace.

~*~

Tayon Hones was a simple farmer minding his own business tending to his vegetable garden. However, when a bright light appeared before him and a strange man walked through it, he wasn’t quite certain what to think. Of all his years living on this sleepy planet of Karlon he’d never seen anything like it. The man had purple hair and lavender colored eyes, nothing that occurred naturally as far as he knew.

Tayon stood up to greet the man and that was when he noticed the stranger was holding a jagged spiked staff. He began to suspect that the man might be dangerous but his concerns arose a little too late.

Upon spotting the farmer, Medaq brought Spark around and impaled the middle-aged man through the eye with the tip of the staff. The sound of the man’s screams was music to his ears as his body convulsed, suspended on his staff. Eventually the screams waned and Medaq tossed the farmer away as if he were yesterday’s trash.

Medaq glanced down at the lifeless body now minus one eye and smiled. “What was that you said? Oh, welcome to the Tagasus galaxy. Why thank you – you’ve had the honor of being my first kill here, but I can assure you that you won’t be the last.” Medaq began to chuckle as he walked away. He was now in Devo's home galaxy, and certainly intended that it would never be the same once he was through.