Say Something

By:  M. J. Cogburn and C. E. Krawiec

rate the story!

print the story!

Mara waited for the man to look her in the eye before she spoke.  "Go into the Bathing Room for a deep medicated bath - twenty minutes, no less - then you can dress and go on about your business, Mr. Fitzpatrick."

"Yes, ma'am," Inmon responded softly, wincing as the nerve endings in his abused flesh shrieked with even the small twitch.  Nodding to the TM once more, Inmon stepped around her and, carrying his clothing, taking care not to let any of it touch his bleeding body, he glanced around and, seeing a sign that said, "Bathing Room - All correctees must have a medicated bath before leaving the area", affixed to a corner.  Following the sign, he made his way to the Bathing Room and within a couple of minutes, was in a tub, submerged to his neck in warm medicated water.  As he cursed and endured it, Inmon determined to make his first order of business once out of the correctional area, to go and find Johanna Royden to apologize and beg her forgiveness.  That is, if she would talk to him at all after this.

PART ONE

After Inmon maneuvered back to his quarters from being in the medicated baths, he carefully and gingerly sat down on his couch, still naked.  Putting his head in his hands, he silently wondered how he was going to face Johanna after what he had done to her.  He hoped, prayed that she'd forgive him for his carelessness and yet even be understanding as he explained why it had happened in the first place.

Even as he rubbed his face hard with both hands, Johanna's vision appeared in his mind's eye and he couldn't help but smile.  His body hurt all over because of this woman and yet, the thought of her brightened his countenance.

Inmon shook his head softly in wonder when Lothos' voice filled the room startling him.  "Mr. Fitzpatrick," Lothos stated plainly.  "Dress and report to the Control Center .  Your assistance is required."

Inmon knew from the moment that he heard Lothos’ voice that he'd regret having to get his clothes back on.  Nevertheless, he nodded, even as he answered softly, "Yes, Lothos."

It took Inmon a few moments to get up from the couch then move into his bedroom.  Looking into his closet, he grabbed out a clean uniform, dressing as quickly as he could.  He gasped and panted, having to stop on several times to get used to the material on his already tender skin.  By the time that he was finally dressed  and was walking rather stiffly out of his quarters, he was sure that Lothos was going to have his head on a stick.  "Forgive me Lothos for my tardiness," he said simply as he walked down the hall.

“Not to worry, Mr. Fitzpatrick,” Lothos replied through his implants. “I note that you were doing your best.”

Inmon bowed his head in acknowledgement of Lothos’ words as he approached the elevator.  As the doors opened, Inmon wondered about Lothos' change of mood from before.  Letting the question fade, another came in its stead.  Why did Lothos want him down in Central Control?  What on earth was so important down there that he had to come and help out with?

Pressing the button to begin the elevator's descent, Inmon took a quick breath and let it out slowly to help alleviate his pain.  Inmon Fitzpatrick, then and there vowed that from this moment on, whatever it was that Lothos wanted, he would do.  Never again did he ever want to find himself staring at anyone who held the other end of a whip. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Letting any woman get to you like Ms. Royden obviously has done with you, is not conducive to a long career as a leaper."  Seeing the leaper's dark eyes begin to smolder at the deliberate egging, Gillis pushed the envelope.  "She's your partner but if you're smart, Vaughn, that's all you'll allow her to be to you.  That and an occasionally bed partner. Otherwise, the next time Lothos calls me out of retirement maybe to step into your boots because you couldn't keep your mind on your job."

"Another word out of your mouth, Gillis," Vaughn gritted the words through almost clenched teeth, "and you'll never know one way or the other."

Gillis was about to retort again but held his tongue when an unheard voice in his head overruled him.  Without giving away what he'd just been told he abruptly said, "Speaking of doing your job, Mr. Rickar, why don't you take two more steps and get into the conference room.  I don't know about you, but keeping Lothos waiting doesn't look good on anybody's record.  And, since mine is impeccable, I'd like to keep it that way."

Vaughn glared heatedly at Gillis as various scenarios ran through his mind about how to kill the man before him.  Clenching his teeth, Vaughn gave the older man a full sweeping glance, turned and within three steps entered the conference room door.

Gillis Woods couldn't help but grin slightly at the man stalking away.  He took a step toward Johanna Royden and met her gaze.  Hesitating slightly, Gillis let his grin widen a bit more as he winked at her then entered the conference room, letting the door slide down behind him.

While his focus on the three-way briefing discussion was going on amongst himself, Lothos and Vaughn Rickar, Gillis Woods' thoughts kept turning back to the moment when he'd made eye contact with Johanna Royden.  It was sheer dumb luck that his temporary partner hadn't turned around to find her standing a few feet from the door into Central Control.  While young Rickar, in spite of, or perhaps because of, his bull-headed stubborn determination, would, he suspected, go on to be one of Lothos' finest Chief Leapers, the younger man had his weak point. Namely, Johanna Royden and the very personal feelings for that he had allowed to creep into his mindset.

'Who knows,' Gillis observed silently to himself as he and Vaughn listened to Lothos reiterating a particular aspect that he had determined was one of the key elements for success in the extended leap that the leaper was about to undertake. 'Perhaps in spite of your want of her, you can get past it and succeed....and survive longer than your predecessor, Mr. Rickar.  Love is nice, but as a leaper, you better learn that more times than not, it will get you killed faster than anything else.'

Gillis refocused his attention back on the topic at hand as Lothos ended his update on what the leap would entail.

"Do you understand why this leap is so utterly important?" Lothos asked carefully.

"Yes, sir, I fully understand and I will do my utmost to accomplish what you require of me, Lothos,” Vaughn said simply as he respectfully bowed his head.

Lothos remained quiet for a moment as he looked at his chief leaper, wondering how he was going to adjust for the additional pressure that was going to come down on him.  "Very well," he stated.  “Gillis?”

"Yes sir?" Gillis said as he straightened minutely in his chair.

"Do you understand the importance that you will have with Vaughn during this leap?  With all the pawns that we have in place over at Project Quantum Leap, he will need your guidance.  Are you prepared for the responsibility about to be handed to you?"

Gillis smiled confidently.  "I am."  Casting a glance over to the leaper who was eyeing him Gillis' lips twitched.  "As always, Lothos."

Lothos observed the two men without comment even as he reviewed every word that had been said in the hour-long meeting.  While eager to get the plan into motion, there was another matter to bring to a pressure point.  He noted, as Gillis responded, "As always, Lothos," that the two other aspects required were either in position or quickly approaching.  He allowed another half-minute to pass before he set it in motion.

"Very well, gentlemen," he told them. "You are dismissed. Mr. Rickar," he said as the leaper and observer rose from the conference table.

"Yes, Lothos?" Vaughn responded, pausing as he closed the folder before him on the table.

"Be prepared for anything.  Be ever watchful and vigilant."

Vaughn picked up the folder and started toward the door throwing a very satisfied look at Gillis Woods as he did so.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In the moment he observed his Chief Observer, Lothos considered what he had just said to her.  He also re-examined the tone he had used and determined that it presented weakly even if in the subtlest of ways.  Lothos rectified that when he resumed speaking.

"Ms. Royden," Lothos' tone was again all business, no sign whatsoever of the gentleness that had crept in a few moments past. "Caring for your working partner on the personal level which you have just confessed is not always a detriment to that partnership.  While a business attitude on all levels is best, there will be times when a more intimate relationship between two people can serve and, on occasion, enhance the performance of the duties required."  Lothos observed Johanna Royden's face with utmost closeness, seeing the fleeting bright flicker of relief in her eyes that just as quickly vanished.

"Keep your relationship on the highest level of professionalism.  However, if a situation should ever present itself that would be furthered to success by some aspect of your personal relationship with Mr. Rickar, let that aspect guide you and not your emotions."

Johanna carefully processed the information Lothos had just said to her.  Her declaration of love to Vaughn Rickar seemed to her more detrimental than helpful, but as Lothos had just stated, there could be a time when it was more than justified.

Keeping a relationship - their working relationship at a professional level was going to be difficult, Johanna knew that.  However, considering how Vaughn had recently been treating her, it now occurred to her that perhaps it was his way of being more professional.

A frown passed over her features as she thought of how Vaughn had been treating her.  It wasn't professional.  It had been down right rude.  Ignoring her, not coming around to see her -- the whole thing made her feel dirty, used, like a one night stand and nothing more.

"Johanna?" Lothos called to her knowing from the faraway look on her features that she had drifted into a pensive mood.

"Yes?" she responded automatically to her name, however, her focus wasn't on him.

"Ms. Royden."

Her last name called a bit more forcefully made Johanna blink and tilt her head upward toward the red orb.  "Yes Lothos?"

"Other than to report your status, is there anything else you need to discuss with me?" Lothos questioned.

Johanna frowned, and then nodded.  "Yes sir.  There is one.  I didn't see who had knocked me over in the hallway.  May I know of who it was?"

Lothos hid the humor that he found in her question as he responded, "Inmon Fitzpatrick."  Seeing her mouth drop open, clearly surprised at his answer, he said, "If there isn't anything further, you are dismissed, Ms. Royden.  A security guard is coming to escort you back to your quarters."

Johanna nodded and gave a small bow to her master then started toward the door, her mind a mass of questions.

PART TWO

Inmon Fitzpatrick slowly moved down the hallway toward Central Control and turned the corner only to come to a sudden halt when Johanna Royden stepped out of Central Control.  He noticed how she, too, had come to a stop, regarding him as he was her.

He licked his lips and started to call her name, to tell her he was sorry for knocking her down earlier in the day.  He blinked, watching her standing so still, looking so beautiful.  He swallowed, blinked, licked his lips then took a breath and he barely got out the first syllable of her name, “Jo...” when he stopped.

When Johanna stepped out and looked down at the floor as her mind wrapped around who had tossed her so recklessly to the floor, she wondered why.  Inmon Fitzpatrick?  In?  The one who had held her so softly?  The one who had kissed her?  Her protector?  She shook her head not liking what it was coming up with as she took another step, lifting her head  as she heard footsteps in the hall.

Finding her protector and assailant at the same time stopped her from taking another step. She couldn't help but wonder why he was down here until Lothos' words echoed in her mind.  'A security guard is coming to escort you back to your quarters.' 

Knowing she couldn't change Lothos' commands, she stood her ground for a moment regarding the man before her.   She saw him raise his hand, read the look on his face and instantly knew he was apologetic.  She just knew.  He didn't have to say anything.  Johanna took a hesitant step forward when she and Inmon both heard the door to the conference room slide up.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As he observed from his omnipresent position of being able to see everywhere in his complex at once, Lothos watched with heightened interest as the encounter he had orchestrated with deliberate design moved with seeming flawlessness to its crescendo.

From one angle in the hallway, he observed Inmon Fitzpatrick making steady if somewhat stiff progress toward the only juncture in the hall, the turn that led straight to Central Control.  Another angle -from that juncture looking toward Central Control - revealed Johanna Royden's thoughtful expression as she mulled over the brief interview she had requested with him.  Yet, in spite of his anticipation of observing each of their reactions upon seeing one another, even more was the arrogant super-hybrid parallel computer's keen readiness for the man who was the crux of the grouping to enter into the mix.  Through Gillis Woods’ implants he instructed, "Allow Mr. Rickar to exit the room first."  He noted the subtle nod the trusted man gave.  Without another consideration, Lothos readied his viewing from at least a half dozen different angles in the hallway.  The scene about to unfold would, he knew, be one to be taken out in the future for a moment's pleasure over the ease of handling his humans.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Obeying his master's command, Gillis slowed his steps, even making a show of stepping aside to allow the younger man to go before him.  "After you," he said with a smirk and a wave of his hand.

Vaughn paused a few steps from the conference room door to glance back, shooting a withering scowl at his temporary partner.  "And you're telling me to get serious about my job?  Looks to me like you've slipped on your senility, Mr. Woods."

Gillis' only response was the widening of his grin as he shrugged as shoulders and ambled toward the leaper.  "You going to just stand there and take up space so neither of us gets out of here, Vaughn?"  The impish gleam in his blue eyes was meant solely and only to egg the leaper on.

There were at least a half dozen choice epithets that Vaughn Rickar wanted to spit at Gillis Woods in response to snide comment; he bit his tongue instead.  Settling for a filthy glare at the older man, he turned and went to the door.. Better to channel his aggravation and annoyance at Gillis' needling into accomplishing his mission with perfection and in short order.  The briefing just finished had given him a very clear picture and orders of what he was to accomplish.  Beyond confident in his skills, and if Lady Luck would hang close to him on this leap, Vaughn was already looking forward to rubbing his success in his temporary Observer’s arrogant, aggravating face.

Pressing a button on the panel beside the door, Vaughn waited for the door to slide open then strode out into the hall, making a quarter turn to face the open conference room door.  Lifting his arm, Vaughn pointed his index finger at the observer still standing just inside the doorway, a smartass smirk on his lips.

"Remember who's the Chief Leaper around here now, Mr. Woods," Vaughn snapped, his dark eyes flashing. "You're just the Observer… the temporary Observer.  Whatever it is that Lothos wants done, is my job; I am the leaper.  Do your job and we won't have any problems."

Inside the conference room, Gillis didn't need any prompting from Lothos at this point.  Shifting his stance to lean against the doorframe, he folded his arms across his chest.  He didn't miss a beat as he met the leaper's hot gaze.  "And if I do the unthinkable and drop the ball.... Mister Rickar?"

Vaughn's jaw line tightened as he ground his back teeth together a moment before taking one step, closing a bit of the brief distance between them.  "Don't get in my way, Mr. Woods," he warned, staring into the other man's eyes. "There is only room in this complex for one Chief Leaper and that's me.  Anybody...anybody who gets between me and my goal or my job....when I get finished with them, there won't be enough left to pick up with tweezers."

Gillis taunted the younger man with a maddening quirk of his eyebrows as he parroted a single word. "Any one?"

Vaughn now stepped into the door and leaned slightly toward the observer until their noses were a few centimeters apart. He wanted to be sure that if Gillis Woods' hearing wasn't so hot, that with such close proximity that he would be able to read lips.

"Any-body," he snarled, "male or female that tries to get in my way and they'll wish to God they'd never laid eyes on me. Did you understand that, Mr. Woods?  Did I say it clearly enough?"

Gillis didn't blink as he murmured softly, "Clear as crystal."

Vaughn's temper was bubbling as he held the glare at his observer then stepped back and swung around to leave.  The sooner he got away from Gillis Woods, the more likely it was that the aggravating bastard wouldn't end up with the imprint of the leaper's fist on one of his jaws.  "Remember what I said, Woods," he snapped, flinging one last glare back over his shoulder at the man in the still open doorway then faced forward to continue down the hall...and came to a halt in his steps.  At the end of the hall stood Inmon Fitzpatrick who, by the way he was standing, had spent some time in a cell recently.  However, that wasn't what grabbed his attention; what did was the startled expression on his friend's face.

Inwardly, Vaughn cursed; he hadn't expected there to be anyone else around this area at this time of day.  He didn't know how much Inmon had heard, and frankly, he didn't much give a damn.

"What are you doing here, Inmon?"  When the security guard didn't respond quickly enough, Vaughn roared, "I asked you a question, mister. I better get an answer and right now!"  The only answer, if it could be called that, was when Inmon broke gazes with him, his glance shifting to look at something behind him.  Figuring that it was Gillis moving into the hall, Vaughn's already hot temper blew the top off the thermometer.  Spinning around, expecting to find the aggravating observer at his back, he roared, "Dammit, Woods, I told you...don't get in my way..."  Whatever else had been about to spew out of his mouth vanished into thin air as Vaughn Rickar froze in his steps, his eyes widening in disbelief at the sight of Johanna Royden standing barely ten feet away from him, in front of the door into Central Control.  The stunned expression on her face and the disbelief in her eyes stripped him of the ability to think let alone speak.

Silence, massive and overpowering, flooded the hallway that led to Central Control.  Inside that protected inner sanctum, Lothos watched, waiting to see which of the four people in the hall would break that silence.