Pancake Night 14: Merrily We Cruise Along

by Seven


Disclaimer:  Earth: Final Conflict and its characters are copyrighted by Tribune Entertainment Company.  All rights reserved.



Note from Author:      After I wrote this, all I could think of was "WAAAAYYYY too much sugar." I'm sorry if the explanation is lame, it's the only one I could come up with.



***********



Liam stopped, twisting his arms in the straitjacket. His wrists twinged as he strained to twist his hands to face outwards. That does it, he thought, biting his lips. I cannot take another moment of this. I don't care if I do blast a hole through my chest...

His brow creased as his shakarava flashed, then blasted straight through the orange material, leaving it in a tattered wreck about his shoulders.

"Yes!" he exclaimed. Then he winced and pressed his thumbs against his palms. "And ow..."

****

"Sandoval!"

Sandoval had been reclining in a deck chair, a magazine pulled over his face, arms outspread. He emitted a faint groan as Liam shot around the corner. "Sandoval, they're here!" he gasped, doubling over.

"Mrmh?"

"Take that off, please," Liam said, plucking the magazine from Sandoval's face.

Sandoval groaned and squinted at the sudden burst of light assaulting his eyes. He rubbed them, blinked, then stared at the burned, shredded straitjacket that no longer bound the younger man. "What happened?"

Liam glanced down at himself, opened and closed his mouth, then shrugged and commented quietly, "Power tools."

Sandoval stared at him, then decided not to pursue the subject further.

****

Zo'or and Da'an were forced to share a stateroom, but thankfully Zo'or had not said much since they had arrived. Da'an watched the younger Taelon from the desk as he sat on one of the beds, sawing at the buttons of the Hawaiian shirt with a steak knife. It had been, Da'an thought, interesting when he had requested it from a passing waiter.

A furious hammering at the door. Zo'or stripped off the shirt and stepped back, as Da'an rose, walked to the door, and glanced through the peephole. "Da'an, open the door!" shouted a muffled voice.

Da'an fumbled with the lock for a moment, then pulled it open. It pulled taut at the end of the chain. He hurriedly unchained it, then let a very rumpled Liam Kincaid into the room.

"Major, why have come?" Zo'or asked briskly.

Liam gasped, "Taelonists... on the ship. Don't know how they got on. Sandoval's getting a lifeboat ready."

"Is it prudent to set out in such a small craft?" Da'an asked worriedly.

"Well, it's a worse idea to stay here," Liam panted.

"Not really," a deep voice behind Liam announced. Liam sighed and covered his eyes. "Don't tell me," he said quietly. "I think I already know."

****

"So you invaded the Taelon embassy and chased us all over this great country to invite Da'an to a MUSIC CONCERT?" Liam asked, slumping back in the deck chair.

The Taelonist, whose name was apparently Kevin, nodded soberly and folded his hands into his sleeves. "But not just ANY musical concert," he said solemnly. "The first ever sponsored in honor of the Taelons, in Strandhill."

"I need a drink," Liam groaned, rolling sideways.

"We would be honored to come," Da'an said, inclining his head to one side, touching fingertips to his chest.

"Quite," Zo'or agreed, with a slightly fake-looking smile on his pale face.

****

"You're kidding," Sandoval said, perched inside the lifeboat.

"No, I am not. That's really why they were chasing us."

For a moment, Sandoval just looked haunted. Then he hopped out of the lifeboat, and staggered into his cabin. Liam paused, then knocked on the door. "Sandoval? You okay?"

A anguished moan was all the reply he received. Liam smiled, shook his head, and wandered away.

****

The party was in full-swing.

The deck was dark, except for the colored strobe lights from the stage where the Taelonists were performing some pop song with pseudo-Taelon lyrics. People were dancing to it in their bathing suits and shorts, as Da'an and Zo'or watched. Da'an watched with a faint smile, Zo'or with an expression of dismay.

Newly-showered Liam stood by the railing, flanked by a brunette and a blonde. Both were, he thought, VERY attractive. The problem was, he couldn't decide which one to dance with.

"So, what have you been doing for the past few weeks?" blonde Kimmy asked.

"Oh, running around North America in a straitjacket," Liam said jokingly, downing another margarita. "We even hijacked some mules."

Janice giggled, pressing one hand over her lips. "You're really funny, Liam."

Her hand, draped over one shoulder, gave his shirt a subtle tug. Kimmy noticed, and the smile drained from her pretty face. "Oh boy," Liam mumbled. He turned and shouted, "Hey, Sandoval!"

The now-groomed Sandoval emerged from the crowd, the couples who were now slow-dancing to a melodious, soft tune played on something like a violin.

"Wow," Kimmy muttered.

"Hands off, he's mine," Janice replied, lowering her eyes and smiling at Sandoval. He saw the look, and began to back away. Liam stared at the three in mingled consternation and amusement.

As the two girls approached the increasingly alarmed Sandoval, Liam grinned and tossed the glass over the edge of the liner. When they reached Japan, he thought, things would be more normal... he hoped.