Planet Tarsus, Dr. David Hawkin's Underground Medicial Complex:
Zarkon marveled at how easy it had been to leave Garrison territory. Amalgamus was very generous in allowing him the time to go to his many speaking engagements. Oh yes. Very simple, very easy. It paid to know your boss - inside and out.
Tarsus was a planet that was beyond the boondocks - as the Terrans would say. It was still on the starcharts but there were no flashy tourist attractions and no settlements of any kind - not for centuries anyway. No, the only attraction Tarsus had was his son. He was rather curious to see how he was doing anyway.
Zarkon came alone on a whim. Perhaps it was a bit foolhardy, but the less anyone knew about it the better.
He landed under shields and cloak not far from the rubble of some old buildings. One building remained standing and it didn't look like it would hold out much longer.
Zarkon headed for the ruins, his weapon at the ready, when he heard a yell and a animal-like scream.
He spun quickly and saw a man - a human go down, a creature at his throat. Zarkon peered at the creature. It looked familar.
~Tarsus..we dumped some slaves here once..failed experiments of Hagars..this must be one of them.
Zarkon shot the creature square in the back and it howled in pain as it collasped upon the human. Zarkon knew it was dead as he pulled it off the man.
Yes. He was right. The human was Hawkins. There was no denying the features.
However the creature had wounded him severely. He would take him back to the princess. He knew she'd be waiting on him, and sure enough she was.
Why he even got to act the part of a gallant knight and saved the maiden in distress.
Inside the Complex:
Allura frowned as she led Zarkon to the inner part of the cave. He carried David with ease through the passageway and when the steel door shut on them and locked, Allura could not help but shudder. She was basically alone with her father's murderer.
"Set him down here." she said simply and Zarkon did so.
Allura frowned in concentration as she examined his wounds. She was no doctor but she knew first aid and basic techniques. The herbs that David collected would also be of help now since they could help numerous wounds on his body. The worst one was on his head and Allura applied a pressure bandage upon it to staunch the bleeding. She then treated his other wounds as best she could, debating on putting David into another tank like Lotor's. She decided not to at the moment but instead gave him an anti-botic hypo that was a pre-measured dose. As she worked around David, she tried to ignore the fact that Zarkon was in the room, but her hackles stood on edge anyway.
"My.." Zarkon commented. "You ARE a capable nurse. If I were injured I'd certainly leave myself in your hands, Princess."
~If you were in my hands, I'd choke the life out of you...~~ Allura thought angrily. She knew why he was here, but she never expected him to come himself. She busied herself with David and then she checked on Lotor, giving him his scheduled dose. Zarkon, to her distress, came over to see what she was doing.
"He looks well." Zarkon commented.
~No thanks to you. Allura remained silent.
"No words to say, princess? You always were a talkative one - even as a child."
How dare he bring that up! Zarkon had been a frequent visitor to the Castle of Lions - the days of the "honeymoon" her father called it. Those were the days when he had tried every way to bring Arus into his empire. When that did not work then he started to use force.
"I have nothing to say to you." she said flatly.
"You could be civil my dear. After all we are on the same side now. There is no need for hostilities. After all you ARE treating my son..risking your own freedom to do so."
He stood behind her, peering over her shoulder. As she remembered, he loomed over her, making her nervous and angry.
She turned to face him. "And just what does that mean?"
"You know very well what I mean, princess. You took my son - a known war criminal - no THE war criminal of the Galaxy and you took him from a Garrison facility. That is punishable by interstellar law - aiding and abetting a criminal. You are fortunate that Amalgamus has been lenient upon you. No one
knows that you have taken Lotor - yet, although these media - well you know how they spread rumors about.."
"I don't take kindly to threats, Zarkon." she said lowly.
He held out his hands - a gesture of innocence. He smiled. "Threats? Me? I have no reason to threaten, princess. Neither does Amalagamus. Perhaps it is a guilty conscience? No, I only want my son to be well, to face what he has done and perhaps someday became a part of proper society. He will have you to thank for it, my dear."
Allura simply hated the way he said, "my dear." It had always grated on her ears. She said nothing. He was right. He did not need to threaten. She knew quite possibly that she would be prosecuted for taking Lotor out of Garrison hands but she hadn't thought of it at the time, only that he needed to get
out of there before he was made into something horrible. Now she was stuck in a room with a monster and she couldn't get rid of him unless he left with Lotor!
"Zarkon, you have my word I will take him back to face trial." she said flatly. She did not dare turn her back on him. The old suspicions were still alive.
"I believe you, princess. Far be it for me to disparage the word of a lovely lady such as yourself." He smiled and the smile sickened Allura. It was the same smile he had the night he threatened her parents.
"Your flattery might work on the crowds, Zarkon, but it won't work on me. You have my word now please go. I can handle things here."
"Now I can't do that, my dear. For one thing, you have two wounded men here and for another thing it's pitch dark by now. You wouldn't throw me out to those creatures now would you?"
"It's tempting.." Allura said, eyeing him warily.
Zarkon smirked. He loved seeing her discomfort and her anger. It almost reminded him of the good old days except in those days he would have comanded fear as well. This game with words was fun though. It had it's merits.
Allura sighed. "All right Zarkon. You can stay - there is an sleeping area
over there...Facilities are towards the back and if you try anything - anything to harm Lotor or David, I will personally kill you." she said lowly.
To her consternation, Zarkon only chuckled. "At least the war has not sapped you of your spirit, my dear princess. Don't worry I am as harmless as a lamb."
And as sneaky as a snake!Allura thought. She was going to sleep - if she could sleep - with her gun at the ready tonight.
Blind Faith - Chapter Fourteen
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