Copyright: This story is copyrighted to the author Ó 1999 by T.Novan. Do not use any part of this story without my written permission. I may be contacted at TNOVAN@aol.com

Sex: This story contains scenes of two women making love. <smile> If this offends you, please don’t read my story. There are plenty of other wonderful stories out there.

Violence: There are scene of violence in this piece. If that offends please move on.

Comments: As always welcomed at TNOVAN@aol.com

By T.Novan

LOG TWENTY-NINE

As Marra made her way up the front stairs of the house the door opened immediately. Judith ushered her in then two guards used the weight of their own bodies to slam the door against the storm.

"My Lady you are soaked!" She stripped the cloak away, draping the garment over her arm. "Let’s get you out of those wet things."

"Lord Kurrathian is…"

The pounding on the door interrupted her comment.

Judith smiled. "At the door?"

Marra cocked a brow. "Sounds like her."

The door opened. A bolt flashed, lighting up the tall figure as she stumbled inside. Ford actually found herself on her hands and knees at Marra’s feet, having been blown from her own by the storm. She rose to her knees and looked up with a grin, her dark hair matted to her face, rain dripped off her nose. "Hello beautiful."

Marra let out a healthy laugh, running her hands over Ford’s face, pushing her hair back. "You look like a drowned catala."

"Nah, I’m much cuter and not nearly as wild when I’m wet."

Marra let a multitude of comments go. This was no place to say them.

"Lord and Lady Kurrathian, I must insist that we get you into dry, warm clothing." Judith reminded them, as she retrieved towels from a servant and draped them over the two soaked women.

Ford got to her feet, then used the towel to push more water from her long hair. "What a nasty storm. By the time I got to the corral, Phoenix and Neyta had already taken shelter in the stables. Phoenix kicked the door in to get them inside."

"Protecting his family?"

"Apparently." She chuckled. "Now we’re going to have to repair the door to the stable. But for the time being they are safe, warm and dry."

"That’s more than I can say for us." Marra gestured to their sopping clothes that were now clinging to their bodies, leaving puddles on the floor where they stood.

"True." Ford wiggled her toes in her boots. "My socks are squishy."

"Yuck." Marra wrinkled her nose. "That’s not good. Let’s go get you some dry ones."

"Or just out of these." Ford looked down at her boots, wiggling her feet. "It’s not a pleasant sensation. I hate wet socks and boots." She sighed. "They remind me of combat. I hate it when my feet get cold."

Marra took Ford’s hand and tugged her toward the large, spiral staircase of their home. "Judith, would you please prepare a very hot bath for Lord Kurrathian?"

"Of course, My Lady."

"Make that for two!" Ford called, without looking back. She kept her focus solidly on the movement of the wet clothing and the backside it covered.

"Of course, Lord Kurrathian." Judith shook her head, smiling and trying to keep the dripping cloak from leaving a trail on the polished floors of the house as she went to do their bidding.

* * *

While Marra finished in the bathing chamber, Ford pulled the mattress from the bed and drug it over by the fireplace. Then she proceeded to pile it full of thick, warm blankets and fluffy pillows. She was spreading the coverings when Marra emerged.

Ford gave her a rather embarrassed grin. "I thought it might be romantic to sleep over here tonight."

"Very." Marra nodded, making her way across the room, dropping her robe and then dropping her body on top of the covers.

Ford just shook her head, staring down at her spouse. "Boy, when you learn something you really learn it."

"Now what’s that suppose to mean?" The blonde purred, rolling around on the covers and giving Ford a very innocent look.

"Oh please." Ford rolled her eyes, lowering herself down to the bed she rolled her playful spouse over, straddling her, holding her hands above her head. Meeting her nose to nose she grinned. "You’re a tease."

"I am no such thing Ford! I never do anything I don’t mean to do."

"Then you mean to tease me?"

"Ummm…" Marra couldn’t quite figure a way around Ford’s logic on that one. So she kissed her. "No, but I meant to do that." She whispered in Ford’s ear, giving the lobe a little nibble too. "And that." She wrapped her hands, in dark hair, pulling an expanse of neck closer for biting. "And that."

Ford groaned.

"Are your feet warm?" Marra chuckled, remembering her spouse’s complaints about her cold socks.

"My feet, among other things. You know, for Capri’s chosen, you are a wicked woman." Ford managed to struggle the words past her lips even as Marra continued to nuzzle and nip her neck.

"You must have me confused with someone else."

"No. No one has ever made me feel the way you make me feel." She pulled back from the delightful lips pressed against her skin, to look into Marra’s eyes. She slowly allowed her fingers to trail over the blonde’s cheek, down her jaw. "Alive." Her thumb trailed over Marra’s lips. "Truly alive."

The kiss that followed was long and passionate. The passion that followed the kiss was long and exhausting.

***

Ford rubbed her temple. Her head hurt. If one more thing problem arose for her this morning she was going to scream. Long and loud. Then she was going to find something or someone to kill.

She opened her eyes and looked at the vid link. "I will not go on this mission on an unarmed ship."

The council member on the other end of the link sat back in her chair. "Lord Kurrathian, this is a diplomatic mission."

"Yes, but I am going through a war zone in the process. To ask me to take an unarmed ship you are asking me to commit suicide." Ford leaned in on her desk. "Or is that the plan? Why don’t you just ask me to fall on my blade? It would be quicker."

"Lord Kurrathian the mere concept is ridiculous. The council and the Chancellor only want you to have a safe and prosperous journey."

"Then outfit me with what I need to do so. A ship with only my diplomatic banner to protect me is a signed, sealed and delivered death warrant."

"Ford," The council member leaned forward. "I have long been a supporter of you and your house. I wish no harm to you and yours. I will see to it that you have what you need to complete this mission safely."

"Thank you. It’s nice to know at least one person is looking out for me."

"Lots of people are looking out for you Ford. The question is, do they have your best interest at heart?"

"Well, I hope you do." Ford quirked a brow.

"I assure you. I do." The nod, as the response, was somber.

"Your sincerity is astounding. Ford out." She tapped the link ending the session. Then she leaned beck in her chair and closed her eyes. She dropped her head briefly to her desk when someone knocked. Taking a deep breath she sat back in her chair and called, "Come in."

Garron Richards entered the room. He gave her a polite nod, then took a position at the front of her desk standing at attention. "Lord Kurrathian."

"Relax Rick. I’m so very not in the mood for protocol today. So what did you find?"

He grinned. "That ship is truly amazing. It has things on it I’ve never seen before. It may take our scientists years to figure it all out."

"Guess that depends on how things go for us as our new assignment develops. I’ll tell you more about that later though. You said our men found something interesting aboard?"

Rick dug in his pocket and tossed four chips down on the table. "Thought these might interest you."

Ford leaned forward, picking up one of the chips she examined it, letting her fingers travel to the base of her skull. "Termination chips?"

"Yes. They were removed from us when we were captured."

Dark brows drew together in complete confusion. "We’re only suppose to have one. Why did we have two?"

"We didn’t. You did. The one you’re holding is mine. These two are yours." Rick pushed two aside and picked up the fourth. "This one is Lady Kurrathian’s."

"Marra? She’s not a soldier. She never should have had a termination chip."

"A soldier no." Rick pulled a small data chip from his pocket and placed it on Ford’s desk. "I had a friend of mine analyze the chip. These are his findings."

"You want to give me the short version or should I read this?" Ford lifted the chip and placed it in the data reader.

"The short version is that Lady Kurrathian is or was, prior to that chip being removed, an assassin. There’s a phrase buried deep in that chip designed to trigger her training. After her mission was complete she would have been terminated automatically."

Ford drew a deep breath. "Her target?"

"You and then Chancellor Trella."

Ford nodded. "Somehow, I knew you were going to say that."

"Lord Kurrathian in light of this information, maybe…."

Ford was on her feet, leaning across the desk growling at her commander. "Don’t! Don’t even suggest it! Don’t say anything that will give me reason to cut your throat. I’d rather not ruin that rug you’re standing on. It’s been in my family for a long time."

"I’m only thinking of your safety Lord Kurrathian."

"Rick, if Marra were going to kill me don’t you think she’s had more than enough opportunity to do so? She’s had me at my absolute most vulnerable. She could have killed me in my sleep dozens of times."

"It’s possible the trigger phrase was never said."

"True." Ford conceded with a nod. "I seriously doubt anything I’ve whispered, groaned or yelled in the privacy of our bed chamber was designed to have her kill me." She leered. "Torture me endlessly, but not kill me."

Rick shifted a bit. "I meant no disrespect Lord Kurrathian. It’s just that my duty is to serve and protect you from everything."

"Even my wife?"

"Even your wife."

Ford moved around her desk and met the young man eye to eye. "The very same woman you have made overtures to? The very same woman you have hoped would show you attention and affection? You could hurt her?"

"If she tried to do you harm, of course I could."

"Then you don’t love her as much as you think you do."

"Perhaps you love her too much."

Ford drew her hand back, slapping the man down to the floor. He brought his hand to his busted lip, turning to face her, but not trying to get to his feet. She bent over him, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and hauling him to his feet. "Don’t you ever," She shook him hard, so hard the blood pouring from his mouth splattered them both. "Ever, tell me I love my wife too much!"

She shoved him back. The young man stumbled, but maintained his footing and stayed on his feet. "I meant no disrespect."

"Get out! Get out before I decide to kill you!" She turned her back to him giving him time to make a hasty exit. When she heard the door open and close she returned to her seat. Scooping up the chips, she dropped them to the floor and crushed them under them heel of her boot.

TBC…