Compromises
by YEN
version (11/19/99)


Hyuga watched as Yui moaned, scratched her nose and turned sleepily in his arms. ... So trusting... Her limbs bumped against his legs, and a small smile curved her lips. She snuggled against him, one leg slipping between his, the other winding playfully around his thigh.

He groaned, trembling when her hands moved down to caress and fondle him boldly. He hissed as one soft hand held him firmly, the other rubbing up and down slowly. Muscles tensing, he instinctively moved against her hands. Suddenly, she released him and turned away to sleep on her other side.

... Witch! Hyuga glared at her back, soon losing his irritation as his eyes longingly traced the delicate line of her spine from the curve of her nape down to the small of her back, the rest of the bewitching sight hidden by the folds of the bed sheets. He closed his eyes, sighing. ... Even while she sleeps, she seduces me so easily... I have never met anyone like her.

Smiling, he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him. She completes me...


He frowned, standing in front of the dorm suite belonging to his instructor. What was wrong? He was quite worried. Still so new in Jugend, he tried his best to be a model student. He had done nothing wrong, at least nothing he could recall.

He held up his palm to the door sensor and announced his name.


Yui ran swiftly, eyes alert and jumping over and clearing obstacles in her path. Reflection from something shiny and metallic flashed into her eyes, and she instinctively leaped aside just as a bullet whizzed by. She landed and rolled away as more projectiles hit the ground beside her. Reaching the relative safety of a waist-high boulder, she crouched and pressed her back against the rock, breathing hard from physical exertion.

Sliding her sword from its sheath, she stealthfully peaked over the boulder and ducked back down. An instant later, bullets struck the top of the rock. Two of them, About 50 paces away and 20 apart.


Hyuga watched as Yui flung an object and quickly lowered his head. There was a bright flash and when he looked at the monitor again, the two Sandmen had already been cut down, and Yui was running again.

"Ouch... That hurt." He glanced to Ishmael who was rubbing his eyes. He and at least half the class had not shielded their eyes when the flash bomb ignited.

"Ha!" Caleb smirked. "Serves you right. You should have paid attention."

"I was!"

"Silence!" Both fell silent when Azuire glared at them reprimandingly. Upon their automatic compliance, the senior noble nodded, satisfied and turned back to the training screen. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly when he noticed Hyuga watching him.

He frowned thoughtfully as he looked back to the monitor as well. Yui was already three-fourths into the simulation and still going strong. Hmm... this training course is as difficult as the ones in Jugend...

"Do you think she can do it?" He heard a woman ask her companion.

"Could be," her escort replied, "She still has more than half of her time left, and she's almost at the finish."

"No one has managed to finish it within the time limit yet."

"She's the best in our batch."

"Well, I think it's because she and sensei are close."

His jaw clenched at the woman's careless statement. What is it exactly between the two of them? ... His frown deepened.


"Congratulations, Yui!" She smiled as she was surrounded by well-wishers. Ishmael suddenly hugged her, and a brawl almost started when Caleb tackled him. Azuire blew his top when they crashed straight into him, knocking him hard to the floor.

"Ishmael! Caleb!" The two disappeared quickly enough at his roar and so did the rest of the class. Their teacher's anger was not something to be trifled with lightly.

Yui giggled as she helped him to his feet. "Are you all right, sensei?" She asked teasingly. Azuire glared at her then relaxed as he rearranged his robes. "Quite well," he replied, tossing back his hair carelessly. He suddenly grinned. "I am rather intimidating, aren't I?"

She nodded, smiling back. "Do you think you can teach me how to do that angry face of yours? It will be quite useful."

"You mean to drive away your many admirers. I'm sorry, little one, but nothing smaller than a gear can discourage those idiots."

"How about a jealous lover?"

Yui's eyes widened as Hyuga entered the room. What is he doing here?! Azuire's eyebrow lifted, and he turned around to him. "It depends," he said calmly, "Some men would consider that a challenge."

"Do you?"

"Hyu-" Yui's angry cry was cut off when Azuire lifted his hand, commanding her to be silent. Reluctantly, she kept quiet, heeding her elder's will as the two men faced eachother off. Why is he doing this?!


... He knows. Hyuga stared at Azuire, his eyes meeting icy ones levelly. They were about the same height, but the other man's frame was more massive. Age attesting to the extra bulk. However, he was still in fine physical trim, and he held the staff in his hand loosely. He had little doubt that it was a weapon. ... She cares for him... This will not be easy.

Azuire's eyes suddenly narrowed. "Yui, please leave us," he said commandingly. Yui glanced at him in shock, and Azuire jerked his head towards the exit. She frowned but obeyed and walked out the room. A few seconds later, the door slammed shut, and the room shimmered and turned into the lush interior of a tropical jungle.

Hyuga's eyes widened, then narrowed when Azuire chuckled. "Do you recognize where we are?"

He smiled grimly. "The environment resembles that of an ecosystem, which exist only on the archipelago south of Ignas."

"Very good," The other man nodded approvingly, "It is best to be familiar with your surroundings." He held up his staff. "Care to spar with me?"

He shrugged. "I have no weapon." Yui had not yet returned his katana to him nor had he asked it back from her.

"That's all right." Azuire toss the staff aside. "I prefer fisticuffs anyway." He smiled challengingly at him. "Let's make believe we are fighting for a lady's honor, shall we?"

"Certainly."


Yui fought the urge to bite her fingernails as two of the most important people to her had it out in the simulation room. She wanted to go back in, but once the program started, the room couldn't be opened until it was finished.

... He planned this! Yui glared at Azuire as he blocked one of Hyuga's attacks and tossed the lighter man neatly over his shoulder. Somehow, he knew Hyuga would come here and pre-programmed the computer in advance.

She watched as Hyuga easily regained his balance and knocked Azuire off his feet with a low swipe. However, a moment later, he also went down when his opponent scissor kicked him around the ankles.

What is he up to?!


"So you were the one who sent the invitation to come here, not Yui."

"That is correct, Solarian. I want to settle things now, not later."

"Why the hurry?"

"I have other work to do, and I want to make certain that Yui is safe."

"..."

"What can I offer to persuade you to change sides?"

"... You are bribing me?"

"Hardly. Anything that I can possibly offer is nothing to what Solaris possess. No, I am appealing to what is right."

"... The concepts of good and evil are quite outdated, Lord Azuire. Are you saying that Shevat is on the side of good?"

"... There is no clear line in between, just shades of gray. I do my part as you do yours. I serve the lesser of two evils. ... Shevat has already betrayed her."

"..."

"That is your gear in the hanger, is it not? The Fenrir, I believe."

"..."

"It was picked up last night by the late-shift crew. No pilot, just remote control, and direct orders from the Council to have it serviced, fueled and kept ready for take-off."

"You were not supposed to know."

"There are few things that can be kept secret from me."

"So you are like Yui, a telepath."

"I possess the same ability, and I warn you now, I will not let you take her back to your masters."

"... Do you know the reason why we want her?"

"For laboratory experiments, no doubt."

"... You also do know that Shevat would never agree to this without a fair exchange?"

"... Balthasar..."

"Two for one, Lord Azuire. Your associates couldn't resist the bargain."

"I see..."

"It is also to make certain that Solaris does not receive dead subjects."

"... So you had the upper hand all along, didn't you?"

"My masters do not like to lose."

"... You care for her."

"..."

"I see it in your eyes. You have feelings for her..."

"Are you reading my mind?"

"Even a blind man can see what is so obvious. Besides, if you didn't care an iota for her, you would have at least tried to leave with her last night."

"..."

"... I see... You plan to exchange me for her. Tricky... you chance to lost Yui either way."

"..."

"But I will help you, Solarian. I acquiese to this exchange, and I will even make certain that you will have no further part in this mess."

?

"The only thing I ask in return is that you make her happy."


Author's note:

Tell me, did you see that coming or not?

Yen
alex@gsilink.com

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Rebuilding
Worlds Collide