Realms of Eden: B4 - First Battle

He rubbed a hand across his bandage before he continued. "He watched me and he couldn't get to me fast enough!" His eyes were bright with unshed tears. Wendy remembered how he and Sydney had cried on each other the previous night and realised that she now knew the reason for Sydney's apology.

The three sat quietly for a moment then Paul suggested he better get fixed up before the doctor came so he could get out of this place. The two nurses quickly had him naked face down on the bed applying the soothing gel all over his back and bottom. They got him to turn over and playfully anointed the marks on his abdomen while Jo insisted on checking whether her assistant had ensured that Paul's "eggs" were properly treated.

The two women giggled delightfully as they fussed over Paul and his heart sang a happy thumpety thump as the lightness of their play pushed further away the darkness threatening in the back of his mind. He was dressed by the time the doctor arrived. When Paul asked about going home the doctor's eyes twinkled before he said, "I am afraid Sergeant Keane that I cannot let you go back to your quarters."

Paul and Wendy's faces were incredulous as they stared at the doctor. He raised his hands in surrender, "I can, however, allow you to leave the hospital if you promise me that you will take a six month holiday on a boat out in the Solomon Islands."

Paul sputtered and Wendy's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Jo exclaimed astonished "Who the hell is going to arrange that Doctor Wilson?"

"I am," came a soft voice from the doorway. All of them turned to the grinning Sydney Douglas who lounged lazily against the doorway. "However, there are a couple of conditions." The smile disappeared from his face as he straightened up before walking slowly into the room.

Sydney thrust his hands in his pockets and stared down at his feet. "Number 1 you all have to come. Number 2 Big Suzy has to cook and Number 3, Paul you have to teach me to SCUBA dive."

Paul leapt from the bed and grabbed his big friend up in a bear hug laughing as he swung him off his feet. He kissed him firmly on the lips. "SCUBA diving! I will have you an expert in six months!" he cried then he let him go and stepped back. "But I can't go," he sighed and slumped back onto the bed.

"Why not?" asked Jo confused at the turmoil of emotions within her friends. She looked at Sydney and saw in her lover's eyes the look of a man who thought he had all bases covered. She turned to Paul, who sat like a man waiting for the axe to fall and then Wendy, whose face had gone from joy to sorrow in the space of two heartbeats.

"Because," Paul started.

"He is waiting to be arrested," finished Sydney.

Paul nodded as both Wendy and Jo suddenly comprehended Paul's concern.

"But," began Jo and Sydney's quick glance told her to be quiet. Paul's head remained bowed as Wendy's hands stroked the back of his neck as she looked to Sydney hopefully.

"Paul," Sydney began. "Paul, look at me!" he commanded sharply as his friend's head came up quickly in obedience.

"Do you regret your actions regarding the death of Mrs Compton?" Sydney asked softly.

Paul's head shook in denial. "The only thing I regret about it was that I should have fired first so that she didn't have those bastards' blood on her hands when she goes to meet her judgement."

Gently he removed Wendy's hands from his neck and stood to attention in front of Sydney. "I am ready to go now Sir."

Sydney raised himself to his full height looking at his friend and quietly asked him to hold out his hands.

Paul held out his hands fully expecting them to be cuffed in readiness for his removal from the building and was surprised when a set of keys and an envelope addressed to Sergeant Paul Keane was placed in them.

"You're driving the boat Skipper!" laughed Sydney.

Paul looked hard at him then at the envelope in his hand, "Pardon," he said in disbelief.

Jo grabbed Wendy just as Sydney's impish grin, then "How did you guess?" caused Wendy's senses to overload and she fainted into her friend's arms.

"Syddy can we come in now, please!" whined a little girl's voice from the corridor. Suddenly the room filled with bright and cheerful faces as Thelma, Kelsey and Jenny erupted into the room.

Jenny flew up into Paul's arms and he barely had time to catch her before he fell back on the bed laughing so hard that he barely noticed the pain in his head as it hit the pillow with the little girl holding onto him fiercely.

Kelsey and Thelma sorted out the bodies tangled on the bed and soon some sort of order was established with chattering voices and tickles and kisses being shared all around. Sydney watched delightedly as the most important people in his life rejoiced at the freedom he had been able to arrange on the spur of the moment with Thelma after they left the President last night.

He turned to walk with the doctor out of the door thanking the man for his assistance. As he returned to the room he was overwhelmed by the hug and kiss that met him from Wendy.

She held him so tight and kissed him so hotly that he quite forgot to breathe for a moment and lost himself in the pleasure of this wonderful woman. When she broke from him he saw her eyes filling with tears and he immediately placed his fingers against her cheek. "And Number 4 no more fucking tears!"

He was hit in the head by the pillow from the bed expertly thrown by a teary eyed Kelsey. "Fuck you!" she cried.

"Oh we intend to!" came the chorus of voices around the room including much to everyone's surprise Jenny's high pitched affirmation and giggle as she drew the eyes of all in the room to her.

"Well in spirit anyway," she laughed.

Chapter 3 - High seas

Within hours the group was in motion, although Wendy was in a daze as she and her man were whisked off to the marina at Townsville accompanied by Jenny who was babbling non-stop all the way. Her joyful innocent laughter removed any lingering thoughts of sadness or concern from the two adults.

Again Wendy marvelled at how this little pocket dynamo could make anyone believe anything around her. Soon she was talking excitedly about whales, seals, dolphins and shopping as animatedly as the little girl.

Paul sat back, a little gingerly, in the padded chair of the limo-hover when a small scrunch in his back pocket reminded him of the envelope Sydney had given him he retrieved and opened it.

It was a letter from the President of Oceania address to him as Sergeant Paul Andrew Keane:

Dear Paul,

In regard to the actions taken by you in the courtrooms of the High Court of Oceania. Please be advised that in consultation with the Judges, the prosecutors, the parliamentary advisory committee and the leaders of the military, in conjunction with the remaining families of the young girls and women affected by the despicable acts of the so-called Project BF, it has been decided that no criminal charges will be pressed against you.

All of us share in your grief for the victims of these atrocities and you have shown the compassion, courage and humility of a man who, in all likelihood, understood the needs of a fellow human being and acted without hesitation to ease their suffering in a way that many of us would not have. For that I salute you and wish you all of the fullness and richness of life that comes to those who carry out heroic deeds.

However, I must advise you that your time in the military has been terminated and your benefits and entitlements held awaiting your instructions for their disbursement. I apologise if this seems to be unfair but it would seem unlikely that the placement of yourself back into military ranks would be in the best interest of yourself or the military command. I wish you well in any future endeavour you wish to undertake and assure you that should you require it, the office of the president will be available to you to assist in any way possible.

Yours faithfully

Gregory John Weir

President of Oceania

Paul handed the letter over to Wendy and watched her read it quickly before she folded it placed it back in the envelope and put it in her bag. She smiled at him and said, "It appears that we are all on holiday for the next 6 months anyway and if I know Sydney he has made sure that none of us are going to do too much work anyway."

Paul laughed, "I think I have a job as a skipper and diving instructor anyway."

Jenny looked at them both and with a cheeky grin said, "Might be more than that yet!" She looked out the window then told them that they were here.

Paul unloaded his and Wendy's bag and looked around the marina as the hover sped off out of the docking area. There appeared to be quite a number of boats in and as Sydney hadn't given him a name or docking station of the boat he wasn't sure about which one to look at closely.

A large, tall woman in bright pink overalls exited a building to the left of the main jetty. Looking towards them she called out, "You the Keane's?" She hurried over to them as Paul nodded. "Lissa," she said holding out her hand to him.

He was surprised at her firm handshake. "Paul."

"This way," she directed and loaded them onto a small hover skip. Telling them to hang on she gunned the little floater out into the channel behind several of the bigger cruisers moored at the end of the jetty.

Wendy saw it first. "Oh my goodness!" she breathed and pointed to the gaily coloured cruiser that sat bobbing gently on its anchor some 5-600 metres out from the marina's entrance marker buoys.

The craft easily measured over 100 metres from stem to stern. As Lissa did a circuit of the boat Paul's eyes widened at the five story craft that appeared to be absurdly luxurious for a few people to spend a holiday on, even if it was going to be for six months. He noted the name across the stern on the lower deck, Majestic, and breathed to himself it certainly was that.

Lissa laughed at their expressions and asked Paul, "You know how to drive one of these?" Paul shook his head holding up the keys that Sydney had given him earlier.

The big woman gave him a toothy grin and said, "Piece of cake really!" She deftly set the little skiff up in the air and onto the landing deck at the back of the boat halting the craft just past the edge of the wide, open stern deck.

The party alighted quickly moving off the deck as a previously unseen power skip honked its horn indicating that is was coming into land on the deck as well. Lissa grinned as her twin sister touched the skip down with barely a bump and the two big girls embraced heartily before Lissa introduced her sister as Lucy.

Another, almost as large, lady jumped from the side board of the skip and gave both the girls a huge hug which both reciprocated eagerly. Paul's face showed confusion as he looked at all three women on the deck chattering and guffawing and he looked to his wife for explanation. "Beats me!" she said and then Jo and another woman that they didn't know walked down the steps from the skiff.

Jenny squealed in delight as she pulled from Wendy's grasp and immediately raced to the delicate woman that emerged from the skiff after Jo and her companion. The startled woman stopped in mid-stride down the steps and was barely able to stop the little red-headed she devil that rushed into her arms from knocking her over the edge and into the water.

Wendy ran after Jenny but Jo beat her there. Both stood gobsmacked as Jenny and the little woman held each other tightly with tears streaming down both their faces. "Well I never," commented Jo as she watched the two girls and turned to Wendy who simply shrugged.

Little Suzy looked up through her tears at Jo and the other woman who stood beside her. She tried to speak but words failed her and she simply held the crying girl in her arms tighter. Jenny broke the crushing hug and kissing the woman softly on the lips turned to the other two and said, "This is my little sister."

A deafening roar sounded at the back of the boat as a powerful launch boat eased into position at the rear boarding platform. Kelsey, Thelma, Bonnie, Mrs Kelleher and Sydney stepped onto the deck. Sydney waved for help as the others moved to their location and quickly established a passing chain as packages and suitcases were expertly and efficiently passed from the hold of the launch and up to the waiting hands on board. Soon a sizeable pile of equipment and gear was stashed in the area just forward of the two skiffs and the launch roared off the way it had come.

Sydney was all smiles and singing merrily as he organised people off to rooms and set about exploring the boat with Big Suzy, Paul, Lissa and Lucy.

Paul was relieved to find that Lissa and Lucy were on the boat as part of the crew and that all knew how to drive the big vessel. Not, apparently, that it needed much driving as the same sort of computer systems that controlled the hovers and the skiffs was present. There was more allowance for being able to take manual control for little journeys and sight seeing when it was required, which according to Sydney and the large ladies there was going to be plenty of.

The whole atmosphere of the party was one of looking for fun and adventure and a devil may care attitude was flowing from the three ladies that Paul found infectious. When he found them crowding him into the pilot's cockpit with plenty of unnecessary instructions, touching and 'helping' hands guiding his over controls and switches he found himself quite mesmerised by the women. Having large breasts in his back, ears, face and sometimes seemingly snuggled into his large hands by accident he laughed joyously along with them all.

Jo and Wendy observing this activity from the top deck, where they had found the bar and were engaged in mixing drinks, sniggered uncontrollably as they watched the playfulness of the big girls and the relaxed way in which Sydney and Paul teased them back. "I always told them that they were going to have to start fulfilling the promises they kept making," quipped Jo.

Wendy smiled. "I will be making sure that they do too!" Both looked at each other and burst into laughter as both imagined the men pinned beneath the larger women as they ensured their promises were lived up to.

Wendy found the communicator panel and spoke into it, "All hands on dick, I mean deck!" her voice broke with laughter.

Jo continued, "Top deck please ladies and gentlemen, one minute!"

A chorus of "Righto's" and "On our ways" came back. In short order the holiday makers were seated or lounged around the deck with Sydney tending the bar. Kelsey took up centre position to survey, what she called her extended family. "And that includes you too Mrs Kelleher even though you are older than me," she gave the woman a bright smile.

Sydney's housekeeper said, "Please everyone call me Ronnie as I am on holidays too so I have been told," as she fixed her employer a firm stare.

Sydney shrugged. "For the next 6 months everyone is on holidays, except me."

This was met with boos and cat calls and Sydney grinned and held up his hands. "I am sorry everyone, but we have 5 one-dayers against the Solomon's, plus 3 tests and a series of one-dayers against Fiji. So I still have to practice and work." He gave a melodramatic sigh and everyone clapped and cheered. They had forgotten that Sydney had been picked to play in the matches despite the successes he had had in the recent series against New Zealand and the outstanding season he had had the year before.

"Now," said Kelsey eyeing everyone around her, "we have to have some rules."

Grins broke out as well as a few concerned faces. "Rule number 1 -- No means No. Number 2 - you all make your own beds and I don't care whose bed it is you sleep in but no-one is going to come around and make them for you." At this she gave Ronnie Kelleher a warning glare.

"Please ladies and gentlemen there is an automatic laundry on board so please use them for the sheets when needed."

Lissa and Lucy cackled at her rules and Kelsey gave them a little wink before she continued. "Rule number 3 -- no more than 3 to a bed!" At Jenny's high pitched giggle Kelsey turned mock sternly to her daughter and said, "No one in your bed Missy!" she waved a threatening finger at her.

The new members in the party were a little puzzled, as Jenny was only 9!

Jenny shrugged, slowly she walked to her mother and gave her a hug, "I promise."

Stepping back a single pace she allowed her ethereal persona to emerge as she turned to face them all. "But soon I can!" The image dissolved with fits of laughter from the little girl and she retreated into the waiting arms of Little Suzy who wrapped the girl up in a big hug and rolled giggling with her on the floor.

Big Suzy recovered first. "Who, or what, the hell was that?" she asked in her booming voice.

Sydney laughed from behind the bar and walked out with a six-pack of beers handing one to each of the Big Suzy's daughters, Anne-Marie, Ronnie Kelleher and then Big Suzy herself. "That is my wife to be," he stated to their incredulous faces and softly he filled them in on the events that had taken place over the past 7 years.

By the end the twins were exhausted. Their emotions had been obvious to everyone on board as all had sat and listened quietly to Sydney's story. The women had been angry and threatened dire consequences should they ever run into Sydney's other family. Then they had been proud of him, his growth and his love for the women around him.

He did not hold anything back from them telling them of the horrors of the Project BF that he and Thelma had uncovered and the plight of the 10,000 or so girls and women that had been kidnapped and used.

Their rage against the exiled mutants was evident. They had even clapped at the death of Hawkings though Ronnie expressed a little misgiving that he had been forced to kill someone and felt that she needed to be a little bit more protective of him in future.

She told the surprised listeners that she carried a gun with her all the time to protect her Syddy as she had taken to calling him in her mind. Jenny reached out and touched the woman's arm and her knowing smile set Ronnie back a little as she realised that the little girl knew all about the side arm she had stored in her carry bag at all times.

Sydney smiled at the pair. His eyes caught the mesmerised stare of Paul Keane's and he lifted his eyebrows in query. "You never told me you killed someone Syddy," he croaked.

Wendy's and Jo's arms came around him quickly to steady him as his emotions threatened to overwhelm him. "How can you stand there and not feel as I do about taking someone else's life?"

"Because he acted as a warrior not as the man," came Thelma's cool voice from the lounge that she was reclining on with Bonnie. "He did what he had to do as part of his job not because he wanted to or because he felt it was the right thing to do.

"Paul you did something that was the hardest for any person to do but it was the most humane and caring thing that you could do. You showed the greatest love for anyone and that is why it hurts you so much and doesn't affect Sydney."

Paul nodded in understanding, after all he too was a warrior, he had had to kill faceless and nameless enemies in his short time in the military then he turned his eyes back to Sydney. "Sorry man I didn't realise."

Sydney nodded back to him and stood in the middle of the group and allowed himself a small grin as he felt himself change into the harsh and terrifying persona of the Warrior. A cold eyed, armoured giant that held a shield and a brightly glowing sword. He was the epitome of the God of War.

Paul sat down heavily dragging the two women with him and looked up into the ageless eyes of the warrior now confronting him. He was terrified and yet strangely accepting of the being that stared down at him coldly and without pity.