Lunar Affair (LGBT - Sci-Fi - Romance)

Chapter 11

Alexander's instinct was to rush over to see if Evans was alive, but he made himself wait. Silently he moved back and then sideways so that he was no longer on the trail. He crawled forward through the scrub seeking a vantage point, his eyes scanning the surrounds in case Fraser was still outside. It only took him a second to send a quick alarm through to Tazi from his wrist com. The last thing he wanted was for the flier to approach the target area in full sight.

When he was as certain as he could be that Fraser was not lying in ambush, at least not in the area outside the cave, he moved towards the cave entrance, keeping as close to the rock face as he could. He cast a searching glance back at Evans, still lying motionless in the middle of the small clearing. Then he just caught the rise and fall of his chest. He was breathing, thank-you-god!

He pointed his heat seeking device at the mouth of the cave and was unsurprised to see it register a man's presence inside. Although useful as confirmation, it did not help him to identify the rest of his surroundings, whether he was in line of sight or behind a rock. The Lieutenant took a small canister from his weapons belt, activated the detonator and rolled it gently into the cave mouth. A cloud of smoke and gas instantly filled the cave in front of him and he moved quickly inside, his face mask protecting him from the effects, his stunner fanning the area in front of him. For all he knew, Fraser might have protection too.

He was upon the flier almost before he realised. A foot lashed out suddenly at him from an opening in the machine, catching him in the elbow and sending the stunner spinning. Fraser was actually inside the flier. Alexander grabbed the foot with lightning reflexes, ignoring the loss of the stunner. He pulled as hard as he could.

Fraser fell out on top of him, and both men rolled on the ground, each struggling to get the advantage, the smoke and gas still billowing around them. Alexander dodged a painful knee to the groin and jerked upwards, head butting Fraser in the face. The blow dislodged both their face masks as he had gambled. The Lieutenant just had time to hope Tazi and his team wouldn't take too long to get there, before he slipped into unconsciousness, a second before Fraser.

~~~

Lieutenant Alexander woke to find himself in the Lunar's infirmary. Chief Medic Roy was hovering over him. "How are you feeling, Lieutenant? You had a nasty reaction to that gas."

"Still a bit queasy, sir," replied the patient, feeling as if someone had jumped energetically on his stomach. "Did we get Fraser?"

"Yes we did, thanks to you and Evans," the new voice came from Major Pattisson, who appeared at his side. "Captain Tazi got there while both of you were still unconscious. He has Fraser locked up safely down on Beledi - Morgan too." He smiled in satisfaction.

"How is Evans, sir?" Alexander asked anxiously.

"Fine. He's in better shape than you actually, he was just stunned. I suppose I should thank Fraser for that at least." He glanced at Roy, then back at Alexander. "Do you feel up to telling me what happened?"

"Of course, sir, it won't take long." He filled the Major in, while the Chief Medic kept a close eye on him.

"Okay, that's enough talking for now, you need to rest," Roy announced firmly when he saw Alexander starting to look a bit white.

"I'll be here for the next few days," said Pattisson. "I'm trying to arrange for Fraser to be transported back to Capella Station for questioning. If it all works out he'll travel with us on the Lunar, in the secured section." He was suddenly uncomfortable as he remembered that the last person he had put there had been Alexander.

"Uh, I'll drop in again tomorrow." He finished awkwardly, looking a bit flushed. The Lieutenant wondered if he was also remembering the simulated pass he had made at him. He smiled to himself, he had secretly rather enjoyed that; it wasn't often he got to disconcert a Major, especially one who'd been giving him a hard time.

Marc visited him again the next day - the first time he had called on him apparently, he'd been unconscious - eager to hear all about the operation on Mayia. Although Marc was no longer confined to the ship, he told him he was in no hurry to return to Beledi. He was still comfortable with his self imposed celibacy. The only cloud on his horizon was the fact that Major Pattisson had yet to decide whether to lay any charges against him for his part in the affair. "I'm hoping Pattisson will be more inclined to forgive me, now that he's got Fraser," he told Jack.