Imperial Sentinel #2 Guiding Principles

by Stormwolf Dawn

Okay here it is, the next part of the Imperial Sentinel series. I am really enjoying this series, and I hope I can keep up with it. This probably won't be as long as the first one, but we'll see.

SUMMARY: Sentinel and Guide return to Orion IV for Blair to continue his education, but a serial murderer test their bond.

Usual Disclaimers, I don't own them(sigh)Pet Fly does. No money, just entertainment. Warning: The following story portrays the Sentinel in a different light that might offend some readers. It contains non-sexual corporal punishment. Note: There are no slash elements in this story, only heavy smarm.

Imperial Sentinel #2 Guiding Principles

by Stormwolf Dawn

Sentinel Jim Ellison opened his eyes as the shifting of the soft mattress beneath him stopped. Through thin gauzy hangings, Jim saw his Guide, Blair Sandburg sprawled in the bed sheltered in a windowed alcove. The window showed a myriad of stars that twinkled against the ominious backdrop of dark space. Turning his attention back to the alcove's occupant, Jim could hear with his enhanced ears his guide's calm heartbeat, and the slow breathing of a deep sleep. He smiled as he saw how Blair was sleeping, his arms and legs spread out all over the alcove's bed, sheets in a tangled mess around the kid's legs.

Jim himself lay stretched out on his stomach, soft pillow beneath his head, across the foot of the massive four postered bed belonging to the Empress of the Elium Empire. The Empress had been the cause for the mattress's earlier movements. Awake, the most powerful person in the known universe, had been crawling out of her own bed in an attempt to get ready for the long day ahead.

Jim's line of sight to his guide was obscured when the Empress, dressed in a pale violet nightgown and thin robe walked in front of him. He felt her hand absently pet his head before she moved out of the way and headed into her own bathroom. Two servants followed in her wake.

Yawning and stretching like a big jungle cat, Jim got up and walked into the other bathroom that was for his guide and himself. After performing his morning ritual, Jim then walked over to the alcove, and gently shook Blair's shoulder saying, "Come on, Chief. Time to wake up."

"Just a few more minutes, Mom." Blair grumbled still mostly asleep.

Jim grinned, "I don't think so, Chief. Wake up."

A few more grumbles, and a quick turn onto his side proceeded Blair's awakening into the world. Blair blinked a few times, then yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Oooh, man." Blair whined, then slowly rose from his bed and padded into the bathroom. Jim shook his head, and waited.

The sound of running water told Jim that Blair was ready for him. With an inward sigh, Jim walked into the bathroom. Blair sat on the edge of the large tub looking as if he was about to fall asleep any minute. He was wearing his grey robe, now, and was watching the tub fill up with pure water.

Without Blair saying anything, Jim removed his boxers, and slipped into the tub.

The bond between Sentinel and Guide was fairly new, and still strained to its limits by the early seperation caused by Jim's escape from the Sentinel Compound. The strained bond was showing in the fact that Jim zoned on the least thing, and his senses would go haywire at new stimuli. To heal the bond, Sentinel and Guide performed time honored rituals that allowed the sentinel to ground his senses on his guide, creating a firm foundation for his sanity and senses.

The daily grooming rituals, which included the guide bathing the sentinel, as well as combing or brushing their hair, or massaging the sentinel's body was a part of that healing. The Empress was as adamant as Corrins was that the Sentinel and Guide performed these rituals every morning to strengthen and heal the bond.

Jim had not even bothered to protest. He was outnumbered, and even if he weren't, he knew what his place was suppossed to be. Jim couldn't forget, not with the constant weight aound his neck that was a reminder of his position, or the soft clink every time he moved coming from the tag that hung from his collar.

So Jim just tried to relax as his Guide softly and carefully soaped up his Sentinel's body, and shampooed Jim's short brown hair. He stood stoically when Blair dried off his muscular body with a soft towel made from annuia fibers. Then Blair handed Jim a clean pair of black boxers, and a black jumpsuit, and waited while the sentinel dressed himself. Jim walked out of the bathroom, while Blair emptied the tub and prepared to take his own shower.

Back in the bedroom, Jim seated himself on the floor, his back against Blair's alcove bed as he waited for Blair to finish. The Empress came into the room a few minutes later wearing a deep violet dress made of a material similiar to silk, but even more expensive and rare. The Imperial crown was nestled on her head, and her deep blue almost black hair fell past her waist. Behind the Empress, two of her servants, one human female, one an Elium female stood waiting wearing the purple livery with its emblem etched on the left breast. The same emblem that Jim wore around his neck. The Empress looked at Jim with her large dark eyes, then walked over to the alcove bed, and seated herself to await the Guide. A slim long fingered hand reached out and idly petted Jim's head. Like Deneron, the rogue lord who had held him for a time, the Empress treated him like a pet. Unlike Deneron, she was not cruel. She did not beat him for slight infractions.

Once Blair was completely dressed in his gray jumpsuit and with his gray boots, the Empress smiled and stood up. It was Court day, the one day a week were the assembled nobles would hear the petitions of the planetary ambassadors. Alot of it was done via link, but some of them were done in person. Court usually lasted all day long with a few hours taken out for each meal. As part of the pomp of the ceremonies, the Empress required the presence of her Sentinel and his Guide.

One good thing about being a pet, Jim reflected, he could nap through the whole ceremony and no one would even notice or care. The first time he had been at Court, Jim had been seated at the Empress's right on the dias where throw pillows made from annuai fibers and stuffed with etono feathers lay on the floor for his comfort. An hour into the ceremony Jim had fallen asleep and was awakened a few hours later when the Court had broke for lunch. He had been slightly embarrassed until he realised that no one had cared, not even the Empress.

Blair was not so lucky. A cushioned chair of the left side of the throne was were Blair sat for hours half listening to the petitioners, and the Empress's orders, one eye on the sleeping sentinel inwardly wishing he could join Jim in peaceful oblivion. Blair strolled over to the alcove and opened one of the drawers there. He pulled out a coiled gold leash from the drawer. Jim lifted his chin a bit so that Blair could attach the leash to his collar. Blair then handed the other end of the leash to the Empress who took it in her right hand. The Empress had set a punishment for Jim because of his escape, and part of that punishment was that outside the Empress' room, Jim was required to wear the leash for a period of two months. He could not leave the room unless either the Empress or Blair was holding his leash, or someone designated to do so by the Empress herself. Though he was sorely tempted to protest, Jim knew that it would do him no good. Even when he was a regular Citizen, Jim obeyed orders, most especially orders from the Empress. He treated his new situation as he would treat being in the military. He just happened to be of the lowest rank possible. Once the leash was in place, the Empress glided across the room toward the exit. The doors swished open, and Jim and Blair followed the Empress out of the room where two guards stood on either side of the door. The guards fell in behind them, and followed the group to the dining hall two floors down. The dining hall was the second largest room on the ship, with a horseshoe shaped table taking up most of the space. Around the table stood the Royal Court which consisted of the Imperial Senate, the Empress's advisors, several visiting Nobles, and ambassadorial dignitaries. At the arch of of the table were six empty seats. The chair in the middle was a replica of the throne that awaited them in the Throne Room. When they had first walked in, it had taken all of Jim's willpower not to freeze up. Standing between two powerful Nobles was General Ellison, Jim's father. However, it was not the sight of William Ellison who had Jim shaken. After all his father had been at every Court function that Jim had been to with the Empress. It was the tall graceful woman standing beside William Ellison that gave Jim a start. Grace Ellison had more grey in her hair than she had had when Jim had seen her last, which had been a month before the shuttle accident. Her sparkling blue eyes were dimmer as well, and for the first time Jim saw his mother as old, and frail. It sent a shock down into the marrow of his bones. Jim swallowed, and had to force himself to breath. A hand on his arm brought him back to reality.

Blair realeased his sentinel's arm when he saw that Jim had begun breathing again. The Empress, aware of the sentinel's distress, had waited until she was sure that Jim could walk before heading over to her seat. The waiting had only lasted a few seconds, and only two among them were aware of what had caused the delay. The others had assumed that the Empress had been judging the mood of the court members. When the Empress seated herself, Blair followed suit, and only then did the rest of the Court take their seats. Jim seated himself on the floor beside the Empress' chair. Once the entire court was seated, it became the signal for the servers to appear. Servants and slaves carried into the room silver covered trays for each person in the room. The Empress was served first. The human servant placed the covered tray in front of the Empress, then removed the cover. Breakfast that day consisted of etono eggs which were twice the size of chicken eggs and dikruru meat strips. Fresh baked bread along with rare jams and jellies such as kuloria, mentock, and strawberry were brought separatly in large bowls. Honey from hive farms on Earth and Taurus 7 also helped complement the bread. Their drinks consisted of kuloria fruit juice, water, and dikruru milk. Blair was served second because of the absence of the Consort and the children. Jim had been served the same time as Blair, but no one had really noticed, since his tray had been set on the ground in front of him along with a quick pat on the head by the Enerian servant who had brought it. The food was then served to the rest of the Court, and only after the Empress had taken her first bite did anyone else begin to eat. The Empress herself had waited for Jim to begin eating before she herself ate. His sentinel senses would have picked up any poison, and Jim would not have eaten the food if he even slightly suspected the food was tampered with. Jim ate his food methodically. Even though it all tasted good, Jim didn't bother to really "taste" it by turning up the dials.

Conversation around the table was light and only slight gossipping. The nobles and courtiers were not stupid, they knew Jim could hear them no matter how softly they talked. It was the only sign that they did not ignore his presence entirely. With a regular sentinel, the courtiers could talk in code, but Jim used to be covert ops. He understood most codes used by the Royal Houses, as well as the various Guilds.

When breakfast was done, servants cleared off the tables while the courtiers sipped assorted coffees, teas and juice from small cups. Jim also had a cup of coffee which he enjoyed immensly. It had been too long since he had had anything but the freeze dried stuff in the military. When the Empress took the leash from where she had wrapped it around the arm of her chair, it was the signal for Blair to stand and pull out the Empress' chair. When Blair stood everyone else at the table stood as well. The Empress then stood up and walked out of the room. Jim stood up on bare feet and followed at her heels with Blair at her side. It was only a short walk down the corridor to the throne room. The Empress seated herself on the throne attaching the leash to the handrest. Blair took his seat on the Empress' left as the courtiers, and assembled noblemen filed into the room. Rows of cushioned benches provided the courtiers with seats. Once the courtiers and nobles were seated, the Elium herald began to announce petitioners and ambassadors forward. Court had begun.

Jim lounged on his stomach with a pillow tucked beneath his chest, arms folded over the pillow, chin resting on his forearms as he watched and listened to the proceedings. As the Empress listened carefully to each petitioner or ambassador, she would pet Jim's head, neck and upper shoulders absently. The petting kept the Empress awake and alert, but the soothing feel of light fingers brushing down his head all the way to his back between his shoulder blades eventually had Jim closing his eyes, completely relaxed. Even while he slept, the Empress continued the light petting, her full attention on the petitioners.

Guide Blair Sandburg sat in his cushioned chair and glanced at his sleeping sentinel. Court was always boring, and Blair was glad that it was only once a week. Not that the council sessions were any better, but the Empress didn't always take them to the Council meetings and even then they only lasted a few hours. Blair was discovering that being Guide to the Empress' personal sentinel was mostly boring. The food, however, was excellant. Blair had never eaten that good in his entire life. He was glad that the servants and cooks knew what foods were "sentinel safe" and never allowed Jim anything that wasn't. The servants, like everyone else except Blair, treated Jim like a pet. People were constantly talking over Jim's head, and Blair knew that it bothered Jim a bit. Having his own mother see him like this had spooked Jim quite a bit, though he knew his sentinel would never admit that.

Six hours after court began, they broke for lunch. They ate in the dining hall just as they had for breakfast. Lunch was a meat and vegetable soup, along with some more freshly baked bread. They had another four hours of court after the two hour lunch break. Blair sighed in resignation at the thought.

"Bored already?" The Empress asked with a smile.

Blair had already learned that the Empress wanted Blair to talk to her as he would anyone else.

"Kinda, your Highness. Its not unlike classes, just not as interesting." Blair answered.

"Yes, I remember sitting through a few of those classes at Rainier when I was a child. My father had said that if I wanted a sentinel, I first needed to know how to take care of one."

"Sounds like your father didn't spoil you any."

Oh believe me, Blair I am spoiled rotten." She answered with a secretive smile. Blair tried hard not to laugh. the Empress was also having trouble in that area.

The next four hours of court were no more interesting than the first six. Jim managed to stay awake, and Blair watched the sentinel cock his head slightly, listening to something only he could hear.

When court was adjourned, the Empress along with her entourage went back to her spacious quarters. Once inside, Jim's leash was removed, and the Empress had servants attending her.

They filled her tub with warm water, herbal oils, and bubbles. As she relaxed in the large tub, servants washing her hair and body with herbal scented soaps, she nibbled from a tray of fine chocalates that lay at her tubside.

While the Empress bathed in her personal bathroom, Blair took off his boots and sat down in front of his computer. Jim took the opportunity to get in a little excercise by performing push-ups and sit-ups. He pushed himself until his muscles felt tired and he was covered in a sheen of sweat. On regular days, Blair was able to take Jim to one of the gyms on the ship. There he could run several miles and do some weight lifting. Sometimes Blair and Jim would play null-gee ball, other times Blair would just work on his computer. Blair had never graduated from Rainier and therefor two Observors had stayed on the Jewel to finish Sandburg's education. One of the Observors was Corrins. While Jim was excercising, the door opened to admit the Consort, E'Kia'Raib, who had been on Euphrades 3 for the past three days. Blair looked up from the computer screen to see who had entered, saw who it was, then returned to his studies after a nod of acknowledgement. The Consort nodded to Blair, then walked into the bathroom to surprise his wife.

Jim had not even stopped excercising having known who it was before the Consort had walked in. When Jim was done excercising, he stood up breathing hard from exertion, covered in sweat. By this time the Empress had finished her bath, was dressed in a simple nightgown with robe, and the Consort had finished his bath. The Empress and the Consort were seated on the couch going over the estimated costs of the rebuilding project on Euphraides. Blair having finished his studying, turned the computer off and walked into their bathroom. Jim followed Blair silently.

As he had that morning, Blair bathed Jim in the bathtub using non-scented sentinel safe soap and shampoo. The water was pure with no chemicals or minerals. After he rinsed off his sentinel's body, Jim stood up and Blair toweled him dry. Wrapping the towel around Jim's waist, he then dug into a drawer at the sink while Jim walked into the bedroom and lay face down over the foot of the Empress' bed. Blair came out of the bathroom with a bottle of naturally scented massage oil.

Sentinels, most especially personal pets of any of the Thousand Houses, were pampered, usually by their guides, but mostly by their owners. The massage, used to help strengthen their bond, also served the purpose of relaxing the sentinel, keeping his muscles from being overtaxed, and helped in control of the senses.

Using oil that smell faintly only to a sentinel of rose hips, Blair deep massaged Jim's shoulders, neck, back and legs. Every so often Blair would trace the thin white scars across Jim's broad back, evidence of the cruelty he had suffered from the hands of a roguelord, remembering the promise that he had kept even by defying the Empress to her face. The Empress had relented when Blair explained the promise. She had, however, only relented in ordering Blair to do it.

The other part of Jim's punishment for running away had come across to Blair as being too close to what Deneron had done. When he had said so, the Empress' eyes had gone cold.

"No, Blair. That was cruelty. Corporal punishment and abuse are not the same. There is a fine line that no member of an honorable Elium House would dare to cross. I was taught that by my father and it was reinforced by the training I recieved at the University. In fact Blair, I am going to require that you take this class when Corrins says you are ready." She had said.

"Class?" He had asked.

"Yes. Sentinel Training and Discipline. Its a fourth year class."

"I can't do that, Your Highness. I can't do that to him."

"No. I can see that you can't. You haven't been taught the difference. Did your mother ever spank you as a child, Blair?"

"No, she didn't believe in it."

The Empress had nodded at that then said, "You are a Guide. In all things concerning Jimmy I will listen to your advice, but in the end I decide what will happen."

Blair had closed his eyes and nodded.

Sometime later, Blair had ended up kneeling on the Empress' bed stroking and petting Jim's head while the Empress used a paddle made of wood on the sentinel's bare butt. The paddle left no permanent marks, but it stung like a sonofabitch. Thirteen strikes. When she was done, the Empress had sat upon the bed and joined Blair in petting Jim's head, neck and shoulders murmuring words in a soothing tone. Blair had kept his promise.

When the massage was done, Blair took the towel and wiped his hands with it. He handed Jim a pair of black boxers, who put them on. Jim layed back down, head resting on his pillow. Blair covered his sentinel in a light quilt, then dimmed the lights.

Blair took his own long hot bath. A servant gave him a massage on the table in the bathroom. Wrapping up in a grey robe, Blair walked into the sitting room. The Empress looked up at Blair with a small smile on her lips, then turned her attention back to the Consort's detailed reports. Blair returned to the computer. He sent an s-mail(subspace mail)to his mother, and some to his friends back on Orion 4 after reading the messages that they had sent him. When he was done, Blair stifled a yawn and trudged into the bedroom. He looked over at Jim as he removed his robe. A servant had already pulled down Blair's blankets and fluffed his pillow. Jim's eyes were open and watching Blair, his pupils dilated large gathering in the light, sentinel sight allowing him to see color were others saw grey. Blair layed his robe at the foot of his alcove bed, then crawled beneath the covers. A few minutes later, Blair was fast asleep. When the Empress and Consort went to bed later that evening, Jim only followed their movements with his hearing until they were settled in the large bed that Jim slept on the foot of like a good pet. When they were settled beneath the covers, Jim allowed himself to fall back to sleep.

8 days later...

Blair sat at his computer and turned it on. He had several s-mails, when he noticed that one of them was from the Observor Coucil. Suddenly nervous though not understanding why, Blair opened the message.

"WHAT!!!" He yelled as he read the message. At the yell, Corrins looked up from were he was seated on the sofa reading.

"What's wrong, Blair?" Corrins asked.

"This can't be right!" Blair continued as if Corrins hadn't said anything. "It hasn't even been three months."

Corrins put down the book and walked over to where Blair was having a fit.

They were the only two in the room. The Empress had left to meet the shuttle that had brought the Heir and her other two children back from their school on Pegasus 2 taking Jim with her. Blair had still been in class with Corrins, so the Empress had not taken him as well.

Corrins read over Blair's shoulder. When he was done reading, he lowered his head squeezing his eyes shut.

"How can they do this?" Blair asked.

"They didn't Blair. He belongs to the Empress. Her personal pet, therefor she is in control of everything concerning him."

"Then why..."

"Because he is the Empress' personal sentinel. This makes him more valuable than any other Sentinel. It doesn't matter that he is wildborn or that he went rogue. Look at the price. The nobles are willing to pay that high a fee because of the prestige and honor it would bring." Corrins explained.

"But its only been two months! He's not ready for this."

"Look the date's in a couple of weeks. It'll give us time to prepare him for this."

Oh man, I'm not sure how he is going to react." Blair mumbled.

"Hopefully not to violently, " Corrins answered only half joking. Blair couldn't even force a half-hearted smile.

A few minutes later the door opened to admit the Empress. Her youngest daughter ran past the Empress into the room and jumped onto the couch. The Heir walked in behind his mother, left hand gripping Jim's leash, his head held high knowing the honor it held. Behind him, Jim walked with his eyes straight ahead. Beside the Heir was his younger brother, who was grinning. Once the door closed, the Heir reached up and unsnapped the leash from Jim's collar. Once free, Jim went over to the large rug and pile of pillows that was next to the large white sofa. He layed down, situating the pillows so that they propped him into a lounging position. The Heir handed the leash to Blair, who took it wordlessly placing it in his pocket. The Heir then seated himself beside his hyperactive sister on the sofa, their brother joining them. The Empress sat in a cushioned chair and began to ask her children how their studies were going. Blair and Corrins returned to the computer half listening to the conversation. The Heir, L'dnin, was the Elium equivalent of a thirteen year old adolescant. His brother was three years younger, and their sister was about seven. The children answered their mother's questions respectfully and asked their own.

"L'dnin, in a few weeks, I will be sending Guide Blair and my sentinel to Orion 4. I want you to go with them. Blair will be taking a particular class and I wish for you to take it as well." the Empress said after a short silence.

"As you wish. Mother." L'dnin answered.

Upon hearing that he was going to Orion 4, Jim focused his attention to the conversation. If Blair is going there to take a class, then what the hell am I needed there for, Jim thought. Suddenly his hearing picked up on Blair's racing heartbeat, and wondered if maybe there was a reason other than the class that they were going to Orion 4. At that moment Jim felt a small hand on his head. Lifting his eyes, he saw the Empress' daughter, Tyleen, leaning over the couch to pet him.

One of the first rules Jim had learned was that any one of the Royal Household, including servants, and slaves, were allowed to pet him, and he was required to let them. Anyone else had to ask permission of the Empress or Blair. It was considered a high honor to pet the Empress' sentinel and among the Royal Househould it was a part of their privileges. So each day, Jim endured being petted by at least a dozen different hands. However, if anyone injured or hurt him in any way, it was an immediate death sentence unless that person was under the age of thirteen. Administering Docile was not considered harming a sentinel, but yet again only someone trained to administer Docile could do so, except in extreme emergencies. In all situations the person had to justify their use of the drug, unless directly ordered to administer the drug by the Empress or Blair. All Guides and Observors wear on their belt a case that contains vials of Docile, as well as syringes. So far Jim had only been injured once on purpose and twice by accident beyond his punishment. The time it had been on purpose, a slave, tired of Jim's special treatment, had cut the sentinel with a knife while everyone but servants had been out. Jim had been napping on his nest near the sofa. Use to the slaves and servant's movements around him, he didn't recognize the danger until the knife had sliced through his shoulder. Instinctively, Jim had struck out at his assailant. The blow snapped back the slave's head breaking his neck instantly. Two other servants had seen the incident and had rushed over to help. Jim, hurt, and angry, had snarled at them, and they kept their distance. One of them contacted the guards outside, who immediatly called Blair and the Empress via ship com. Blair had shown up first and managed to calm Jim down before the Empress showed up. The Empress had taken one look at the situation and ordered the slave's body to be spaced. One of the two guards, under the Empress' command, had gently picked up Jim, who at first wanted to struggle but rejected the idea, and carried him to sickbay. There the cut was taken care of, and he was given a small amount of Docile for pain, even though he protested. The Empress gave him a withering look and Jim clamped his jaw shut allowing the injection. Jim was then carried back to the room and layed on the bed in his usual spot. Jim had given into the Docile and fallen asleep in the guard's arms. The other two times had been accidents. Jim had twisted his ankle playing null-gee ball with Blair, and had broken his left wrist taking out an assassin who had tried to kill the Empress. Each time Jim had been cossetted to the point of making him sick.

Later that night

"Fuck!" Jim shouted. Blair looked at Corrins who seemed in shock of Jim's behavior.

Jim sat down heavily on the Empress' bed, hands held to his forehead rubbing his temples. "I forgot about that part." he whispered dispairingly.

Blair sat down beside his sentinel placing a hand on the bigger man's shoulder.

"I wish I could do something to stop it or at least delay it, but this is out of my hands." Blair said.

"I know, Chief. Its out of both of our hands. Gods, just when I thought this pet thing couldn't get much worse..." He trailed off shaking his head.

Corrins was having a hard time not saying anything about Jim's behavior. He's not your sentinel. He's Blair's responsibility. He thought

"I am really, really regretting running off, " Jim mumbled. I also regret not getting away completely. Yet Jim knew he would not try to run away again. too much was at stake.

"How many?" Jim asked in a hoarse whisper.

Blair lowered his head, "Six." he mumbled.

"Six!" Jim's eyes widened, "How long are we going to be there?"

"About five weeks."

Jim couldn't take it anymore. He stood up and raced into the bathroom to empty his stomach. Blair followed quickly. As Jim vomited, Blair rubbed a hand on the sentinel's broad back, trying not to let unshed tears fall.

When Jim was done, Blair took a wet washcloth and cleaned his sentinel's face. Jim sat passively under Blair ministrations. Corrins watched from the doorway, glad to see the bond between Sentinel and Guide growing stronger.

Blair helped his sentinel back to bed. Stripping off the jumpsuit, Blair undressed his sentinel, then layed him gently across the bed. Placing a light coverlet over the physically drained sentinel, Blair seated himself at Jim's head. One hand stroking the sentinel's head in a soothing petting motion, Blair stayed with Jim until the older man fell asleep.

Two weeks later...

Jim stood quietly in the shuttlebay as the Empress spoke to her son who was holding Jim's leash. Beside the Heir was Blair and Corrins. The shuttle was waiting behind them to take the group to Orion 4. The youngest royal child, Taleen, had begged her mother to let her go with L'dnin, and the Empress had relented. Now the child stood beside her brother, pack in her hands, beaming happily.

"Mind your brother, Taleen." The Empress told her only daughter.

"Yes, Mother." Taleen answered respectfully.

"Take care and study hard my son."

"Of course, Mother." the Heir answered, and with that he turned and strolled over to the shuttle and up the ramp with Taleen at his side, and Jim at his heels. Blair and Corrins followed them inside the shuttle where servants showed them to their spacious quarters. As with the Empress, Blair and Jim stayed in the Heir's quarters that consisted of three bedrooms, two baths, and a sitting room. Taleen taking one room, while Blair took the other. Jim would of course sleep at the foot of the Heir's bed. Corrins recieved his own quarters. Once inside the room, the Heir removed the leash, handing it over to Blair. It would take three days for the shuttle to reach Orion 4.

The Heir dismissed the servants and slaves, then seated himself in a large cushioned chair pulling out a leather bound book to read. Blair lounged on the sofa to study up for some of his classes he took with Corrins. Taleen unpacked her dolls and played quietly on the floor. Jim, knowing what he was supposed to do, sat down on the floor beside the chair, leaning his shoulder against it and placing his head on the armrest. While he read, the Heir would absently pet Jim's head. Jim just closed his eyes and endured it stoically, dialing down his sense of touch to make it easier to ignore the pleasure the petting brought.

Sometime later, the Heir stood up and went to take a shower. Jim quickly used the time to go into Blair's room to get some excercise done. That morning he had run a few laps around the gym while Blair had swum in the Olympic sized pool. Now he stretched his muscles, then performed sit-up, and push-ups. While he was doing push-ups, his sensitive hearing caught the light footsteps of Taleen.

Taleen laughed at seeing the sentinel doing push-ups, "I like this game." She said, then walked over to Jim, and sat astride the sentinel's strong back. The added weight did not phase the sentinel and he continued the push-ups as Taleen laughed and giggled at being lifted up and down.

When the Heir walked out of his bathroom and heard his sister laughing, he immediatly went into Blair's room. In his robe, the Heir watched his sister riding on the sentinels back as he did push-ups. He knew Taleen had sat on the sentinel's back because when the Heir did push-ups himself he allowed his sister to ride his back like that. Smiling, he walked over and picked up Taleen. She laughed and hugged her brother.

"Its bedtime, Taleen." The Heir said as he carried his sister into her bedroom.

"Alright."

When they left the room, Jim snorted derisively and continued his excercise.

Three days later the shuttle landed in Cascade on Orion 4. The Heir's entourage was met by a group of IP's, Observors, and Sentinel/Guide pairs. The Heir greeted the IP Captain, whom Blair remembered from when Jim had escaped. As the Heir moved through the crowd of dignitaries that had come to greet him, Jim followed at his heels, the leash held in the Heir's left hand. When the greeting was done, the entourage rode a tube car to the University/Compound. With them were two Observors and three Sentinel/Guide pairs. Inside the car, the others seated themselves on the cushioned bench that lined the wall of the car. The sentinels sat on the floor, backs touching their guides' right knee, except Jim, who sat in front of the Heir. The other three sentinels were owned by the IP's according to the tags dangling from their collars. Though essentially they belonged to the Throne, they were working sentinels specifically trained for a certain job function. They were still pets, and followed nearly the same rules as regular sentinels. The sentinels began to talk among themsleves, and Jim had to bow his head to hide a smile. The sentinel's were talking so low that only another sentinel would be able to hear them. They all had their heads bowed as if to hide this fact from the others. Nor did they look at each other. The guide's hands reached out and was petting their sentinel's heads as the sentinels talked. Then, they included Jim into the conversation.

"So what's your name?" the blonde female asked.

"Jim, " Ellison answered in a low voice.

"Hi, Jim. I'm Samantha."

"I'm Paul." the sandy haired sentinel male said.

Damien, " the other male was dark haired.

"Do they know we talk like this?" Jim asked.

"Only the guides and Observors." Damien asnswered.

"Its something to do while we wait around. We're not supposed to talk when others are around, unless to answer a question. Some guides will punish us if we talk like this in front of others. Ours don't, I hope your guide doesn't."

"I don't know. This is the first time I've been around other sentinels." Jim answered. At least not ones that weren't hunting me, he thought.

"Yeah, I remember hearing about you. Your that sentinel that escaped from the compound. The ones who hunted you told us the story. They were still kind of embarrassed about being caught in those traps." Samantha said.

Jim smiled at that. "I hope they weren't hurt."

"Just their pride." Paul answered.

"Your wildborn, right?" Damien asked.

"Yeah."

I heard rumors you were a Ranger, is that true?" Paul asked.

Jim couldn't believe it. A sentinel gossip line. Still it felt good to talk to someone, even he was whispering.

"Yeah, I was a Ranger."

"I don't suppose you would be able to tell us a few good ranger stories." Samantha asked with a bit of enthusiaism in her voice.

"I don't think we have time.' Jim said.

"Its too bad you can't come to the sentinel park later."

"Sentinel park?"

Damien answered, "Yeah its a park just for sentinels-bonded only, but I can tell your on leash punishment, so you wouldn't be able to go."

"Yeah, I'm on leash punishment for the next few weeks for running off like I did."

"I bet that's not all you got." Samantha said knowingly, with a slight trace of humor.

Jim bowed his head lower to hide the blush on his cheeks, "Oh yeah."

"Sometimes it hard for even Compound born sentinels to follow rules. Sometimes I wish I had been born free, but I wouldn't want to be a mundane."

"Mundane. We actually have a derogatory name for regular humans." Jim asked trying not to chuckle. The Heir's hand suddenly began to pet Jim's head, and neck accidently bumping his collar.

"Must be difficult for you. letting them pet you and punish you after having been a Citizen."

"Yeah, its been pretty weird, but its not as if I have a choice."

The conversation stopped as the tube car reached its destination. The people filed out of the car. The Observors showed the Heir and Blair to their rooms. They were regular rooms for visiting guides. The Heir did not want any special treatment while taking the class. Taleen stayed with her brother, but Jim was in Sandburg's room, which surprised him.

"You mean I'm not going to have to sleep at the foot of His Highness' bed." Jim said sarcastically when he and Blair were alone.

Blair gave him a withering look.

"No. the Heir is now just another student, and I'm your guide. I'll need to be close in case any problems come up. While I am at class you'll have to stay here. Right over there, " Blair pointed at a panel on the wall near the bathroom door, " is a panic button. If something happens, or you need help just push it. Observors will be sent over here, and I'll be contacted."

Jim nodded in understanding.

"The first session is in three days. Are you alright?"

"Not really, but what does it matter?"

"It matters to me." Blair answered

"Thanks, Chief. That means alot."

Blair smiled placing a comforting hand on the sentinel's broad shoulder. Glancing over at the chronometer on the wall, Blair said, "Its chow time. We'll go over to the cafeteria. There will be other pairs there, as well as students."

Jim nodded.

Blair took the gold leash out of his pocket and snapped it into Jim's collar. It magnetically locked into the hole designed for it. Only an Observor or Blair could remove it since it requires the correct DNA match. The other end Blair attached to his Guide band. Together, the sentinel and guide walked out of their room into the hallway of Guide Hall. They left the building and went to the cafeteria. Inside the cafeteria were several students in one area, and pairs in another. Blair got into the serving line. The server behind the line gave him a tray with a plate of the day's meal, and a covered plate. Blair carried the tray and headed over to the Pairs section when a familiar voice called out to him.

"Hey Blair!" Blair turned and saw his old roomate Blake Anderson waving to him from a student table. Knowing that the segregation of pairs and students was not a real rule, just tradition, Blair immediatly walked over to the table that Blake was seated at. With him was his old study group. When he got there he realised there was two empty seats, but they were on either side of the table. Mathew Evans, who was seated beside one of the empty seats immediatly stood up, and took the other seat smiling. Dawn rolled her eyes since that empty seat had been next to her. Blair smiled at the two of them as he sat down in Mathew's old seat. Jim sat down at Blair's left. On Blair's right was Philip Chaney, and on Jim's left was Blake. Blake's girlfriend Susan Reinhardt was seated at the end of the table. Blair took the covered plate off his tray and placed it in front of Jim along with a spork, and a milk container and juice. The covered plate was a sentinel safe meal that didn't have a a lot of sugar in it, nor did it have chemicals that would adversely affect a sentinel. Jim silently ate his food only half listening to the conversation around him.

"So how's royal life treating you?" Blake asked.

"Alright. How's your classes coming. Your last s-mail said you were having a hard time with one of them?" Blair answered after swallowing the bite of chicken.

"Yeah that Basic Sentinel Medicine and Fist Aid is hard. Or it was until Susan helped me out." Blake looked at Susan with a wink, "She let me play doctor."

Susan blushed as the others laughed.

"You guys have a study group tonight?" Blair asked after the laughter had died down.

"Yeah I need to brush up on my 'doctoring' skills." Blake answered. Susan slapped Blake's arm as she blushed some more.

"So what are you doing back here?" Mathew asked.

"I've got to finish up my fourth year classes."

"Whoa, you are going to let us in some of those secrets, aren't you. " Philip laughed.

Blair rolled his eyes.

As the students talked, Jim just listened as he continued to eat his meal. Suddenly, an unfamiliar hand touched his back between his shoulder blades moving in a petting motion as an unfamiliar scent filled his nostrils. Instinctively, Jim jerked away violently knocking over the table.

"What the..." Blair yelped as the table fell over knocking food and trays everywhere. The students on the other side of the table had managed to avoid most of the flying food. The one who had touched Jim looked startled. Jim was visibly shaken. Blair rested a hand on Jim's arm talking in his guide voice.

"What happened, Jim?" Blair asked soothingly.

"He touched me." Jim snarled still shaken, "His scent and touch were unfamiliar, alien. It startled me." He shuddered.

Blake looked at the student, "Who are you." He sounded angry.

"D-David, " He stuttered.

Susan practically screamed at him, "Didn't you know that you never touch a sentinel without his guide's permission?"

The student shook his head frantically.

"If he's injured, you could be in serious trouble." Blake added in an angry tone.

While his friends handled the student, Blair checked Jim for injury.

The sentinel had calmed down under his guide's ministrations. "I'm sorry, Chief. I didn't mean to knock over the table."

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Blair asked as he ran a hand down the sentinel's back in a calming gesture.

Jim shook his head slightly.

"Its alright. He had no right to touch you. No one here is mad at you, just him."

Blair turned to the student, "He's alright, which is a good thing for you. You need to understand. Never touch another guide's sentinel. He didn't recognize your scent or touch. You are very lucky he didn't strike out at you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Guide." The man said still frightened. At that moment a few Observors showed up. Sandburg told them what had happened. The student was sent away with an appointment to see the Dean. The group recieved new trays and finished them at a different table.

After the meal, Blair took Jim back to their room. After a bath, an effort to soothe the agitated sentinel, Jim curled up on the bed and fell into a deep sleep with Blair's hand carressing his head and neck. Knowing Jim would be alright, Blair left the room, locking it behind him, and went to the Library to meet up with his old friends.

Jim jerked awake, his breath coming in quick short gasps, heart pounding in his ears. The dream had been so vivid. At the end, Jim had felt the jackal's jaws around his own throat, the pain of the wolf's death shattering in his heart. Shaking himself to clear his head, Jim stood up and went to the bathroom. Once done in the bathroom, Jim came back and layed back down on the bed. Laying on his back, Jim stared up at the ceiling trying to understand the strange dream. Shaking his head, he dismissed the dream as a fanciful creation of his mind, and tried to go back to sleep.

Blair walked up the steps to the top floor of the Library. His friends were waiting for them in their old study corner.

"Hey, guys." Blair said as he sat down.

"Hey, Blair. do me a favor. Show me how to make a splint." Blake asked. Blair laughed and proceeded to do just that.

As Blair showed Blake the splint technique using Philip as the guinea pig, they gossipped. Blair told them what the Imperial ship was like, his adventures in Rogueworld. He even talked about his short relationship with one of the guides he had met on board the ship. Then his friends spoke about their adventures at the University, their classes, and relationships.

Night fell, and as the students were leaving the Library they noticed the red and blue flashing lights of IP vehicles. They walked over tho the area, curiousity getting the better of them. Blair saw the IP captain.

"Guide Sandburg, what are you doing out here?"

"I was at the Library. What's going on?"

"The IP captain looked at him. "A body. It appears to be a guide." Blair was the Empress' guide, therefore he had the authority and the clearance to know the details.

"Damn. Have you IDed the body?"

The Ip captain shook his head, "Not yet. We have an Obsrvor on his way. He should be able to identify who it was." Blair looked over at the crime scene. He saw one of the Pairs that worked for the IP's looking for any clues. Sentinels were very useful for forensic work.

Observor Powell, the Dean of Students, came forward. He identified the body as Guide Julian.

"Where's Julian's Sentinel?" Blair asked.

"Not here. This is the only body. But both of them turned up missing a few days ago." Guide Powell said.

"If the sentinel's body turns up, we'll contact you." No one ever hinted that the sentinel might be alive. His guide was dead. If whoever killed the guide hadn't killed the sentinel, then the sentinel would end it himself.

Blair went back to his room. When he came in, Jim opened his eyes and looked at Blair. When he recognized his guide's scent and face, he layed back down and closed his eyes. Blair took a shower, then climbed into the large bed, pulling the covers over his head trying to rid himself of the glimpse he had gotten of the body. The guide band with its flying falcons stayed in his head until he felt Jim snuggle up beside him in the sentinel's sleep, trying to get closer to that familiar heartbeat. The closeness of his sentinel allowed his mind to forget the images, and concentrate on sleeping.

The sentinel's body turned up the next day. Blair headed down to the station with Jim, and the Heir to get the details on the investigation. The Empress had sent a s-mail to her son, giving him authorization to work as her liason with the IP's. Whoever it was who had killed a Guide and sentinel was not going to be given the chance to do so again. The Empress wanted the details of the crime and how the investigation was going.

The coroner, a guide herself, pulled back the sheet to reveal the sentinel. The collar with depictions of bears was still around the sentinel's neck. There was no tag to indicate what his job function had been or who his owner was. That meant that he was still a Compound Sentinel, no doubt still in training for whatever job he had been chosen for.

"Whoever held him had chained him using the collar. There are bruises on his neck beneath the collar indicating that he had struggled. There are bruises on his back and buttocks that looks as if they had been made by a riding crop." Guide-Doctor Bernstein said. She walked over to the other slab. She pulled back the sheets to reveal the guide, Julian. "He died from drowning. There was water in his lungs, chlorine water. There are marks on his wrists and ankles from having been secured with some kind of rope. We're still running test to indicate what kind. The worst thing is, the sentinel had been sexually assaulted, but the guide had not been. I'm not sure what that means. We have some kind of sick killer on this planet."

As the coroner spoke, Jim looked over at her sentinel, who was seated on the floor.

"What can you tell me?" Jim asked in a low voice only another sentinel could hear.

"Not much more than you've already heard."

"Why would the killer rape the sentinel. Most people think that its close to beastiality." He mused out loud, at least out loud to only a sentinel's hearing.

"Derry...Derry said that Julian did that." The coroner's sentinel said.

"You mean his guide...raped him."

"No, not rape. Julian was careful not to hurt Derry. Derry said he didn't like it at first, but eventually he got use to it."

"Interesting." Jim had heard that even though that it was an uncommon practice, there were a few guides who used the bond to force their sentinel into having sex. Jim was extremely glad that Blair wasn't one of those. It was rare, and frowned upon. However, no one would come between a guide and his sentinel. Not unless there was blatant abuse. He had never heard of a case of sentinel abuse. At least by the guide. The owner was a different story, altogether. There had been a few cases where an owner had abused his sentinel. They had recieved the death penalty for that transgression.

Jim looked at the bodies as Blair listened to the Coronor's report.

"Your sure about that?" Jim asked the female sentinel in "sentinel speak".

"Derry said it was happening. He used to cry in my arms when it got to be to much for him. I couldn't help him, so I just held him." She looked at the point of crying herself. Jim wondered if he should tell Sandburg this bit of information. Shaking his head, Jim decided against it. He didn't think that Blair would believe that it was happening.

After they got the whole report from the coronor, the Captain updated them on what they knew so far. They had yet to find the place of the murder, nor where the two had been held. The sentinel had been bathed and cleaned after death, so there was little evidence coming from that direction. Semen from the body did not get back a DNA match, but not everyone had their DNA on file. They knew the perp was human, and male, and that was the extent of their knowledge. Even with the sophisticated equipment that they had access to, there was only so much that could be found.

They left the police department, and headed back to the Campus. Blair left Jim in the room as he had to go to the first day of the class. Taleen was sent to a daycare where she would play with other children, since her brother had to go to the class as well.

Jim was laying on the bed thinking about what the female sentinel had told him. He wondered if that information had anything to do with the killer's treatment of the sentinel, Derry. While he thought about, his mind was veered off course when he heard the lock on the door engaged. Wondering who that could be, since the heartbeat was definitly not Blair's, Jim sat up on the bed. Walking into the room was a heavily built man with blonde hair wearing a white jumpsuit. Jim looked at him.

"What do you want, Observor?" Jim asked not at all respectfully, glad that an Observor could not punish another Guide's sentinel.

"Your guide sent me to come get you." The man said apparently ignoring Jim's tone since he didn't even lecture Jim, which was something that Observors did do. Quite frequently, in fact.

The man came closer to the bed pulling out a syringe from his pocket as he did.

"Oh, come on. I'll come, no need for that." Jim practically whined. He was getting damn tired of that drug. The man said nothing, as he grabbed the sentinel's arm roughly and injected the drug. It was at that moment that Jim realised the problem. He yanked back his arm, and punched the guy's face. The blow broke the man's jaw, knocking him down. Jim scrambled over to the panic button. The man grabbed the sentinel's leg and tried to pull him back. Jim lashed out with his foot as he felt the effects of the Docile begin to settle in. He reached out and hit the panic button just as his foot connected with the man's head. The guy fell to the ground unconscious, and Jim curled up against the wall trying to fight the effects of the Docile, knowing that he had to stay awake or the Observors would think the worst about the situation.

At that moment, three Observors came inside the room. They saw their fellow Observor lying unconscious on the ground, and the sentinel against the wall.

"By the gods. That sentinel has gone completely mad." One of the Observors said, shocked that a sentinel could attack an Observor. Jim shook his head, and mumbled a no, still trying to fight off the effects. One of the Observors leaned down beside Jim, carefully. Jim looked up and saw that it was Corrins.

"Jim. Jim, you have to tell me what happened. This looks really bad. Jim?"

"Said that Blair sent him. Didn't realise till after he injected me."

"Jim, if an Observor comes for you, you know you have to follow. Why did..." He was cut off when Jim growled angrily.

"Your not listening. If Blair sent him, ask him where is the leash." And with that Jim lost the fight to the Docile and fell asleep. Corrins looked at Jim. He saw the bruise on the Sentinel's arm that looked exactly like fingers. He looked at the sentinel's slack face, and suddenly it hit him. Turning to look at the Observors who were getting ready to take the rogue sentinel into custody, he saw that the man was slowly awakening.

"He's not an Observor." Corrins said.

"What?" One of the other Observors, Edwards, said.

"Jim said that the man had told him that Blair had sent him. If Blair had, though, the man would have Jim's leash." The others still looked confused.

"Jim is on leash punishment." Corrins continued. He saw realization hit the Observors. Quickly they subdued the attacker, and called for the IP's via their comlink. The IP's arrived at the same time Blair did. Blair went immediatly to his sentinel's side, as Corrins gave up his place to make room for Blair.

Turning to the IP's Corrins told them to arrest the man for attempted theft, and damge to Imperial property.

"What happened?" Blair asked as he watched the IP's take the man who was dressed like an Observor away in cuffs.

"He impersonated an Observor, and tried to steal Jim. He managed to give Jim a dose of Docile before Jim figured it out and fought back. Luckily Jim was able to tell me what happened before he slipped into unconsciousness. It was Jim who clued me as to why there was suspicion. He didn't have Jim's leash." Corrins explained while Blair checked out his sentinel. There were bruises on Jim's arm from when the man had grabbed him, and on Jim's leg as well.

"He'll be alright. Help me get him into bed." Together Blair, and Corrins managed to lift the heavy sentinel and place him on the bed. They undressed the sleeping sentinel and tucked him in beneath the covers. At that moment, the Heir came into the room.

"I heard what happened. I called Mother. She is absolutly furious. Why did he try to take the sentinel?"

"I don't know. Who is he anyway?" Blair asked.

Corrins shrugged, "Maybe the IP's have identified him."

Blair nodded and walked over to the telecom. He called the IP station. Captain Shadowhawk answered.

"Aaah, Guide Sandburg. I was waiting for your call."

"I hope that means you have some information for me." Blair said.

"Yes. The thief is a man by the name of Ian Mouser. He is a known pirate, and his backer is a roguelord by the name of Kit Dahlai."

"A roguelord. Dammit! Why the hell is another roguelord after Jim."

"I don't have that information for you, Guide Sandburg. Perhaps, after a bit of interrogation, I will."

"I am sure the Empress would appreciate it. Thank you, Captain. Blair out." The telecom blinked off, and Blair turned to look at his sentinel.

"Jim, when you wake up, we are going to have a long talk." He said.

Eight hours later....

On the bed in Blair's room, Jim began to groan as the Docile wore off and the sentinel slowly regained consciousness. Blair looked up from where he had been reading a book at the small table in the room. Suddenly, Jim jerked awake as memory hit. Blair immediatly went to Jim's side.

"Easy, big guy. Its alright. Your safe." Blair crooned reaching out to lay his hand on the sentinel's bare shoulder.

Jim looked at Blair with a bit of confusion in his icy blue eyes.

"Why did..." Jim tried to ask, but trailed off at the strange look coming from his Guide.

"His name was Ian Mouser. He works for a roguelord by the name of Kit Dahlai." Blair answered in a strange tone.

"Shit." Jim whispered, but Blair still heard the curse.

"Jim who is Kit Dahlai?" Blair asked. Jim looked over at Corrins who was seated at the table Blair had vacated.

"Its classified, Chief." Jim mumbled. He noticed Corrins face go dark, angry that Jim had not answered a direct question from his guide.

"Well, Jim. That doesn't matter. I have the highest fucking security clearance you can get without being a member of the Royal Family. I am also your guide, and right now I am kind of pissed off at you because I have the feeling this has something to do with what happened on Rogueworld when you were held by Deneron." Blair said in a tight low tone. Jim flinched when Blair mentioned Deneron's name. "Well? Does it?"

"Sorta." Jim said.

Blair exploded, "What do you mean sorta! Either it did or didn't! There is no sorta!"

Jim dialed down his hearing as Blair's volume increased. When Blair was done venting, Jim said quietly, "Its complicated, Chief. When I was with the Rangers I went undercover on Rogueworld. I was one of Deiniera's bodyguards, and boy toy."

Blair stared at him, eyes going wide with shock. "Who is Deiniera?"

"She was a powerful Roguelord. Even more powerful than Deneron. Kit Dahlai was one of her clients, so to speak. Like Deneron, she was into drugs, weapons and flesh. Unlike Deneron, she didn't buy them, she acquired them, and sold them. The ONLY thing she bought was men. I was under for eight months, before I got everything we needed to shut her operation down for good. Somehow, Kit Dahlai managed to squirm his way out of the line of fire. I'm still not sure how he did. He did lose alot of money and business when we took Deiniera down. While I was Deneron's pet, he took me over to Dahlai's place because the fat Darsian's pirates had stole one of Deneron's shipment of drugs."

"Dahlai is a Darsian?" Blair asked in surprise.

"Yeah. You know about Darsian's right?"

"Only a little. Just, you know, what everyone else hears." Blair was a little embarrassed.

"You mean about them being sex fiends, and such."

Blair nodded.

"Some of its true. Most Darsians don't have that bad of a sex drive, and most stick with female Darsian's because they aren't cruel or sadistic. But Kit Dahlai is as sadistic as they come. He keeps male and female slaves, and not just Darsians, for his pleasure."

"Then its true, Darsians are..." Blair couldn't say it.

"Well endowed?" Jim suggested.

Blair nodded.

"Yeah, well its true. Its just part of their physiology. But Darsian females can handle it, and so can the males, but a human..."

Blair shivered.

"So this Darsian wants revenge." Corrins spoke up suddenly.

Jim looked at him, "Yeah. Deneron ended up having to let Kit keep the shipment, or Kit was going to have his guards take me. Deneron didn't want to lose me to anyone, and most especially not to Kit. He was so pissed about it that he punished me when we got back to his place. In a way I was lucky that Deneron had gotten a hold of me. Otherwise, I'd either be dead or a broken sentinel with very little mind left. Kit Dahlai is not the only roguelord that would love to get his hands on me for a little revenge torture. But most roguelords aren't stupid enough to kidnap a sentinel, especially one that is the Empress' personel pet. However, no one ever accussed Kit of having any brains."

Blair stood up from where he had been sitting on the bed. Jim watched him, judging his emotions with his sentinel senses. Blair's heartrate was a little fast, but otherwise he didn't seem too agitated. The anger from before had left him.

"So, now what?" Jim asked.

"Im going to call the Empress and tell her what's going on. I'll let her decide what she wants done." Blair answered walking over to the comlink.

Two hours later, Blair took his shower after bathing Jim. the Empress' solution had been to call the IP's and have them put a guard on the door when Jim was left alone in the room. Outside the room Jim would be with his guide, so therefore would be able to keep his senses up without fear of zoning.

When Blair came out of the shower he saw that Jim was already asleep. Blair had missed the first day of the class, but that was no big deal. He could easily catch up. Blair slipped in under the covers, fluffed his pillow a bit, then closed his eyes. Sleep caught up with him a few minutes later.

The next day, Blair took Jim to the cafeteria to have breakfast. They sat with only Philip and Susan, the others were at a class. They chatted a bit, then Susan and Philip walked back with them to Blair's room. The IP guard was waiting for them when they got there. Blair gave the guard his instructions. No one but Blair was allowed to go inside, unless the panic button had been pushed, then the guard was to go inside as well and protect the sentinel at all cost. The guard understood his instructions. Blair walked inside with Jim following. He unsnapped the leash, and placed it in his pocket. Jim sat down on the edge of the bed, and when Blair left, he began his excercise routine.

Blair left the guard at the door, and Susan and Philip walked him to the building that held fourth years classes. They said their goodbyes and Blair went in. Inside the class, Blair sat down next to a blonde haired woman whose guide band depicted foxes. She smiled at him and introduced herself as Reyna. Blair smiled, introduced himself, and made a date all within five minutes. The Observor-Professor came in and the class quieted down. On the computer board, the professor wrote with a laser pen the word discipline. He than began to explain the importance of discipline. He started out with child discipline, and how it helped a child learn to grow into a healthy adult. Blair disagreed mentally since his mother never disciplined him and he turned out just fine. Then the professor said that not all discipline was about spanking. In fact just the tone of your voice, the disapproval that one can inflect in that tone was sometimes enough discipline for some infractions. Other punishments included time-outs, where the child sat quietly in a corner and thought about what he or she had done wrong. Grounding was also a discipline, and one that could be incorporated in the training and discipline of their sentinels. Blair listened after that, realising that all those times that Naomi had sent him to his room, or made him hoe weeds was her way of disciplining Blair. He had never thought of him Mother as a disciplinarian.

The professor ended the day's lecture by saying that part of training and disciplining was knowing what type of discipline was required for the level of the infraction. A spanking for instance, was too harsh for say talking without permission. Then again, a talking to was not enough for say runnning off. At that the Observor had looked at Blair significantly, but only for a fraction of a second. Blair was glad that no one saw that look. He took notes, however, and figured out a few questions he would like to discuss with Corrins later.

When the class was over, an IP officer found him in the halls. Blair was frantic until the guard reassured him it wasn't about his sentinel. The Captain wanted to talk to him

At the IP station in Cascade, Blair was shown to Captain Shadowhawk's office.

The captain motioned for him to take a seat. "Guide sandburg.." He began.

"Please, call me Blair, Captain."

"Thankyou Blair. It seems another Pair has dissapeared. We're fairly sure that the killer has taken them. Unless we find them, I believe another set of bodies will appear. Unfortunatly, we still don't know where the murders took place. "

"Who is the Pair that is missing?"

The captain looked at the datapad in his hand, "Guide Aaron Greyjoy, and the sentinel's name is Peter. As the Empress' liason, I am duty bound to inform you that they are missing."

"Thankyou, Captain. If you find them, I am sure you will contact me."

"Of course. Good day, Blair." The captain held out his hand and Blair shook it.

Leaving the IP station, Blair checked his chronometer, and found that it was a few hours before his date with Reyna. He walked over to a restaurant, and ordered a plate of enchiladas, Spanish Rice, refried beans, and three tacos to go. After placing his thumb on the pad, the computer took the money from his personal account, and the waitress handed him the covered plate. Blair took the tube car back to the University, and walked directly to his room, the bag with the food in his left hand. The guard at the door greeted him with a nod, recogninzing Blair from the holo cube he had no doubt been given. The door's system recognized his guide band, and opened quickly for him.

Blair stepped inside the room the door closing swiftly behind him to find Jim seated on the bed, his back against the wall, and one of Blair's "adventure" novels in his hands. Blair could tell Jim was more than half way through the novel. The sentinel suddenly looked up. So engrossed in the novel he had been, that Jim had not even heard his guide approaching, much less coming in. He sat up straighter, and quickly placed the novel on the bed beside him. He knew that he wasn't supposed to read anything, but he hadn't gotten bored. Sentinels weren't taught to read or write.

Blair waved it off, "Its okay. I don't care if you read, just don't let anybody but me catch you at it. Especially the Empress."

"I know I'm not supposed to..." Jim said as he picked up the book and replaced it on the shelf.

"But it gets boring, huh. I'm sorry about that. If your weren't on leash punishment, you could go anywhere you wanted. Here I brought you some dinner." Blair said as he unpacked the food, and opened the sealed containers. The smell of the food filled the room, and Jim's stomach growled appreciatively. Blair laughed when he heard it.

"Guess you were getting hungry. Did you eat lunch?" Blair asked.

"Yeah, that damn dispenser gave me a ham salad sandwich, and a glass of milk at precicely noon. Stupid thing refused to give me anything else. But this smells good. I miss this kind of food. That shit on the ship is just too damn rich."

"Yeah, I am getting tired of it myself." Blair placed the plate on the table as Jim sat down in front of it. The sentinel dug into the enchiladas, for once his sense of taste actually above a two on the dial, savoring the taste.

"Why didn't you get you something?" Jim asked puzzled.

"I have a date tonight."

Jim made a show of looking at the chronometer on the wall, "Damn, Chief, you work fast. Another Guide?"

"Yep. She's going to bring her sentinel over here, while we're out. Keep you from getting bored, unless her sentinel is a real dog."

Jim laughed, then took a bite of his enchiladas.

"I gotta get ready." Blair said, then went into the bathroom. A few seconds later, Jim heard the water running. He continued to eat his meal, while Blair showered, then dressed. Instead of the usual grey uniforms of the guides, Blair was wearing civilian clothes. A pair of tight fitting blue denim jeans, a long green shirt, and a pair of hiking boots. His hair, usually held in a pony tail, was down, and framed his face. He had also placed two earrings in his left ear, and other than the guide band, was his only jewelry.

Jim whistled, "Whoa, Chief, I don't know what kind of impression your trying to make, but I thought that style went out about twenty years ago."

"Very funny." Blair said. Jim laughed.

The door chime went off, and Blair went to answer it. On the other side of the door was Reyna wearing a pair of tight fitting jeans, and a short white shirt that showed the ring in her belly button. Beside her, and slightly behind was a taller brown haired woman wearing a sentinel collar with owls. Reyna smiled at Blair.

"You ready to go?" Reyna asked.

"You bet. Come on in." Reyna and her sentinel walked into the room. Jim watched them as he ate.

"Blair this is my sentinel, Talia. " She said placing a hand on Talia's head.

Placing a hand on Jim's head Blair said, "This is my sentinel, Jim."

By tradition, neither Guide had to acknowledge the sentinel that was introduced by saying anything. There were several ways of introducing a sentinel. By placing her hand on her sentinel's hand, Reyna had introduced her sentinel, and had said that no acknowledgement was required. If she had placed her hand on the sentinel's shoulder then Blair could have petted her sentinel. However, that was reserved only for close friends, not mere acquaintances. Reyna didn't know Blair well, yet. However, introductions of sentinels was not to take place in public, only in private, and only between guides. A sentinel was never introduced to a non-guide.

Jim ignored everyone, and continued his meal. He was not required to do anything when introduced, except to let it happen.

"I figured we could eat at that Old Style Mexican food place. That's were I got Jim's food at."

"Mmmm...it smells pretty good. Sounds great to me. Talia had some spaghetti, and garlic bread that I got her from that Italian restaurant. But Mexican sounds good."

Reyna left no last minute instructions with Talia, after all Talia had been a sentinel all her life. Blair thought about it, but decided Jim wouldn't need any either. With a last touch on his sentinel's neck and back, Blair left with Reyna.

Jim looked at Talia. "They're gone, you can sit down now if you want."

Talia smiled sheepishly, "Yeah, I guess your right." And with a childish whim, she plopped down on the bed. Jim finished off his tacos, and scraped up the last of the enchiladas and beans, then took the empty plate over to the dispenser. Jim then went back to his seat at the table.

Talia looked at him, "So been climbing the walls, yet?" She asked.

"Excuse me?" Jim didn't understand the question.

"You know, dying of boredom, going stir crazy maybe?"

"Oh, yeah, actually I have. I'm not used to being inactive."

"Oh man, don't I know it. When your a child at the Compound, your allowed to run around. As we get older our regular training begins, then after we bond, we're supposed to go through specialised training, unless we're chosen to be gifts or something. Always something to do, you know."

Jim shrugged, "I wouldn't know. I wasn't born at the Compound."

"Which makes it even worse for you, I bet. I am so glad I wasn't born a Citizen."

"You like being a pet?" Jim asked.

"No, I don't. I can't think of one single sentinel that likes being a pet. I just wouldn't want to have been born a Citizen, then sometime later have my senses come out on me. I can tell you though, I also can't think of a single sentinel that would willingly give up their senses. I know I wouldn't."

"They're...interesting, but I would willingly give them up."

"I guess I understand why, sort of. You would rather go back to being a Citizen. A Ranger, right."

"Yeah. Yeah, I would. I am fucking bored to death, and I've had it up to here with this pet thing. Sometimes I think if someone else lays a hand on me, I will snap their necks."

"Your guide doesn't...." she trailed off not sure how to ask.

Jim knew what she was asking, "No. Thank the gods he doesn't. I couldn't handle THAT on top of everything else."

"I'm glad he doesn't."

"Did you know Derry?" He asked suddenly.

Talia nodded. "I did. He was a good friend. We met about five years ago. I was still unbonded, and he was here for the breeding season. We met for the first time in the breeding chambers."

"They bred you unbonded?" Jim asked.

"Yes. I was a little "wild" and they thought being pregnant would settle me down."

"Did it?"

She smiled, "No. I birthed a son, nursed him for the first three years, then..." She trailed off, but Jim knew the rest of it. At three years of age sentinel children are sent to nursery's at the Compound, where Observors cared for them, and trained them in the use of their gifts. Sentinels did not get to know their parents, but meticulous records were kept on every sentinel's sire and dam so that there was no danger of inbreeding.

Their guides had left them alone, but there was no chance of either one of them having sex. Even if they did, both of them were given injections of a specific birth control drug. The drug was fool proof, and worked only on sentinels. As a male Jim was given a daily injection, but Talia as a female was only given a weekly injection. Blair had started Jim on the injections three weeks ago. Two days before the first session, Blair would be required to stop the injections to insure that Jim would not be impotent. "Are you going to be..." Jim couldn't ask.

"Yes. Its the breeding season after all. And its been two years." She said significantly.

Jim nodded. Non-working sentinel females were bred every two years after their twenty-first birthday, until their fortieth birthday unless a health issue came up. Males were used every year, unless they were working during the breeding season, from the time of their eighteenth birthday until their forty-fifth birthday unless health problems came up, or they were tagged for castration. Sentinel males were never castrated unless it was a medical reason or if the sentinel became to violent or impossible to control. Male sentinels that remain unbonded to their thirtieth year would become violent, and dangerous, and were usually castrated. Drugs made to inhibit the sex drive were considered anethma to the Eliums, therefore surgical castration did the job needed. Jim shuddered. They had considered castrating him because he was thirty-four, but had decided against it hoping to bond him. The idea came up again when he remained unbonded after all their attempts to bond him. He had not known it at the time. Corrins had told Blair when he thought Jim was asleep. Blair had been horrified by the thought.

Blair and Reyna had taken the tube car to town, and went to the Old Style Mexican Restaurant in Cascade. Blair had ordered enchiladas for himself, and Reyna had a Chille Relleno, and two tacos. They drank red wine with their meal, and talked a bit about their classes, and their childhoods. Reyna had grown up on Earth, her parents had been aqua-farmers. She had passed the Guide exam on her first try, and her parents had been thrilled. Blair wished he had been so lucky. Blair's mother had been against Blair going to the Rainier Guide University. Tao 7 was the home of several descendants of Native Americans, gypsies, and hippies. Blair's father had been an Apache/Cherokee mix who had owned a small sheep ranch. His mother was a free spirited type, who had settled down after having Blair. Blair had two sisters and a little brother back on Tao 7. The Empress had promised him some time off to go to Tao 7 after he passed the class, and the best part was that he would be taking Jim with him.

"I can't believe these murders. Who would do that to a Guide? And that poor sentinel." Reyna said.

"I don't know. Some really sick people out there."

"Makes me scared to be out by myself at night."

Blair nodded.

"So what are you training in?" Blair asked.

"I'm going to be a forensics specialists. I find it so fascinating. I've already taken some of the classes. Talia is getting really good at using her senses to spot things that a sensor sweep would miss. How about you?"

"Well, I was studying to be an anthropologist. Still am in fact, its just looks like it might be nothing more than a hobby now."

"Will Her Highness allow you to go on any digs?"

"She says she will. I'm not sure how receptive Jim is going to be to training, though. He's better at thwarting assassins, and ticking Corrins off than finding ancient artifacts."

Reyna laughed, "Observor Corrins?"

Blair nodded, and Reyna laughed harder.

"Oh, now that would be something to see. I'd pay money to see that."

"He's gotten pretty good at it, and I'm not even sure he's trying hard. I think it comes naturally. Lucky for him, Corrins can't do nothing about it but complain to me. And its all I can do to keep a straight face sometimes. Its really hard to be stern, when your trying not to laugh. I think what pisses Corrins off most is that Jim doesn't seem in the least apologetic about it."

Reyna laughed, "Oh, how do you deal with it."

"Usually a lecture will get Jim to calm down a bit. He hates listening to lectures. He'll roll his eyes at me and try to tune me out. He's learned though that he can't tune out his guide. Annoys the hell out of him."

"I bet. How long do your lectures usually last?"

"The shortest one was a little over two hours."

Reyna nearly fell off the chair laughing, "Oh gods, no wonder he hates them. Two hours!"

"Well it wouldn't last that long if he'd quit interupting with his own comments. Usually, 'breathe Sandburg'."

Reyna laughed some more, and the two continued their conversation as they finished their meal. After dinner they went to the Glass Cage, a dance club, and had some drinks and danced to a combination of old earth music, and new Imperial music.

When they got to Blair's place they found the two sentinels asleep on the bed, their backs against each other. Reyna woke Talia, and the two of them left after Blair gave Reyna a goodbye kiss. Then Blair got ready for bed, and snuggled up under the covers, while Jim slept on top of the covers with only a light coverlet over him. Blair was always too cold, and Jim found covers to be too hot and confining.

(AUTHOR"S NOTE: Warning. Some readers may be offended by the following. Note: I do not know anything about medicine, or health stuff. So you doctors out there don't get mad because I am wrong about a few things. Just keep in mind that this is in the future, and ignore the small mistakes in accuracy. Thanks.)

Blair paced nervously in the waiting room, taking three brisk steps in each direction. Jim sat watching the impatient Guide in one of the corners of the room, back against the wall, the other end of his leash secured to the floor. The only other occupant was Corrins, seated in one of the cushioned chairs.

"Chief, you're making me dizzy," Jim said. "I don't know why YOU should be nervous."

"I don't either, but I can't seem to stop." Blair answered as he plopped down in the chair beside Jim. He reached out with one hand placing it on Jim's shoulder. He lightly massaged the shoulder with gentle squeezing fingers.

The door into the back area opened, and a Nurse-Observor stepped into the waiting room.

"We're ready for you now, Guide Sandburg." She said with a smile.

Blair let out a breath, then stood up. He bent over and unhooked the leash from the floor. At that, Jim scrambled to his feet, and followed Blair through the door. The Nurse-Observor showed them to an exam room.

Jim's leash was removed, and he stripped off his clothes. The Nurse-Observor motioned for him to lay on the exam table. When he did, the nurse layed a light sheet over up to his waist. Then she ran a scanner over Jim's collar, and the computer identified the sentinel by the code on the collar. His complete medical record then appeared on the small viewscreen that hung over the counter in one side of the room. The nurse smiled and said that the doctor would be with them in a minute. She took a blood sample from the sentinel's arm, then left.

Blair stood by the exam table, keeping one hand on Jim's upper arm. Jim lay quietly, eyes focused on the ceiling.

A few minutes of silence, then the Observor-Doctor came into the room.

"Good morning, Guide Sandburg." The Observor-Doctor was a tall gray-haired man with light brown eyes, and a handsome smile. "My name is Dr. Loyd." He held out his hand and Blair shook it, then replaced the hand onto Jim's head.

"This is my sentinel, Jim." Blair said.

"And how are you, Jim?"

"Did he just ask ME how I feel?" Jim asked sarcastically. Blair rolled his eyes, but the doctor only chuckled.

"Corrins warned me abot you." Dr. Loyd said as he went over to the vid screen to read Jim's medical records.

"I see he's been innoculated for just about everything. Typical for a Ranger. No known medical problems that would keep him from siring children." Satisfied, the doctor walked back over to the exam table.

Jim tried not to sigh. He had been regulated back to near non-existance.

From beside the table, the doctor brought out a scanner arm and positioned it over Jim's chest. The scanner could only read the functions of the organs, and could only detect irregularities. It could not diagnos what the problem was exactly.

Dr. Loyd studied the readouts, "Heart and lungs look good." He said to no one in particular. The nurse walked in and handed the Dr. a datapad. He studied it, "Blood test indicates all the sentollin has been metabolised." Sentollin was the sentinel birth control for males. Sentorin was for females. "The sperm count is high. Good."

Blair had had to bring with them a sample of Jim's sperm. When Blair had handed Jim the sample container, Jim had looked at him and said, "I can handle this mission on my own, " and had walked into the bathroom shutting the door behind him.

Dr. Loyd placed the datapad on the counter and continued his scan replacing it over Jim's abdomen.

"Kindneys...liver....looks good." He had regulated to a low mumbling nodding to himself.

Proficiently, the doctor folded the sheet back to Jim's knees, then moved the scanner over the sentinel's genitals. The doctor studied the readings on the scanner nodding to himself. He frowned once, then moved the scanner back beside the exam table and went over to the counter. He placed a pair of gloves, not latex, but something similiar that was less likely to tear, and moved a wheeled cart over to the exam table. On the cart was a tray with a few instruments.

"Now I am going to physically check for any subermal growths, or abdormalities." He told them, though he looked directly at Sandburg when he did. "Now I need you, Jim, to lift your arms above your head." Blair released Jim's shoulder, as the sentinel complied. With his hands, he pressed on and around Jim's nipples and chest area.

The doctor finished his exam of Jim's pectorials, then moved to Jim's abdomen. "Tell me if there's any pain. Move your pain dial to about five."

Jim did as he was told, and the doctor used two fingers to press all over Jim's abdomen. At no time did Jim feel even the slightest pain.

The doctor nodded his head, satisfied as to the results. He then moved lower checking the area around Jim's genitals, as well as his testicles and penis. Finding no deformities, or signs of disease, the doctor removed the gloves and tossed them in the dispenser. He then replaced them with another pair of gloves.

"Alright, Mr. Sandburg. I am going to check Jim's prostate, but first I need to get a urine sample. I recieved some odd readings from his bladder, and I need a sample to see what's up."

Blair placed his hand back on Jim's shoulder giving it a slight reassuring squeeze while nodding to the doctor.

"I need you to turn him on his side facing me." The doctor ordered, and Blair helped Jim comply.

The doctor used a catheter to drain some urine, the placed the sample on the counter and pushed a button. The nurse walked in and took the sample to have it analyzed.

"Alright, I need him to turn over and face you, now." The doctor said as he replaced his gloves with new ones.

Jim complied. The doctor then placed a hand on Jim's thigh on his top leg, and manuevered it gently to bend at the knee. He lubricated his gloved finger, then reached the other hand over Jim's body pressing against his lower abdomen above his genitals, then placed his finger inside Jim and located the prostate. Jim clenched his jaw tight, and Blair couldn't understand why he didn't hear the sentinel's teeth grinding.

When that was done, the doctor removed the gloves, and replaced them again with new ones.

"One last sample to take. I will need spinal fluid. Have him lay on his stomach."

When Jim was on his stomach, the doctor used a local anethesia on his lower back with properties similair to Docile. Dr. Loyd then inserted a needle, and retrieved the spinal fluid.

The nurse came back in as the doctor was finishing up giving him the results of the urine sample.

"Just as I suspected, " the doctor said. "The beginnings of a urinary tract infection. I will order some antibiotics that should take care of it within sixteen hours." The nurse took the spinal fluid and after the doctor gave her the name of the antibiotic he needed, left the room.

She returned with a bottle and a syringe. The doctor filled the syringe with the antibiotic and pressed the needle into Jim's right buttock cheek. He injected the antibiotic into the sentinel, then removed the needle tossing the syringe into the dispenser.

"He can dress now. The antibiotic will take care of the infection, and he will be cleared for tomorrow. Have a nice day, Guide Sandburg." the doctor then left the room to take care of his other patients.

The sentinel dressed quietly, and Blair replaced the leash. The two of them left without any words between them. Corrins raised his head when the two exited the back area. He raised a brow at their quietness, but said nothing, and just followed them out of the Compound's Clinic.

The group walked to the University. Corrins had gone to another part of the Compound mumbling something about paperwork. Upon returning to their quarters, Jim went directly into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him, and started the shower. Blair stared at the bathroom door for a long time. Deciding that his sentinel needed some privacy,he sat down at the table pulling out his books so that he could study. A few minutes later Jim came out of the bathroom clad in a clean pair of black boxers, and layed down on the bed, hands clasped behind his head.

A beep from the conn system interrupted what Blair had been about to say. He stood up and answered the comm.

Captain Shadowhawk appeared on the viewscreen, "Guide Sandburg. The body of the missing guide has turned up. I would like you to come down to the morgue if you would please."

"Of course, Captain. I'll be there as quick as I can."

"Thankyou."

Sandburg turned off the comm, and turned to find Jim getting dressed. Not understanding why Jim wanted to go, Blair said nothing. He wasn't sure what he could say. No? After this morning, Blair didn't have the heart to force his sentinel to do anything right now. Instead, he waited for Jim to finish getting dressed then snapped the leash to Jim's collar.

Together they rode a tube car with four other passengers. Silence remained between them. Only the hand on Jim's shoulder was the communication that sentinel and guide needed at the moment.

The ME pulled back the sheet to reveal the red-haired guide, Aaron Greyjoy.

"Its the same as before. Drowned. The water in the lungs has a high amount of chlorine. Ligature marks on wrists and ankles. The same kind of restraints were used. Leather braided rope. No signs of sexual assault." Guide-Doctor Bernstein explained.

"A serial killer?" Blair suggested. "Other than the fact they were both guides, is there anything else that connects them?"

Captain Shadowhawk answered,"We've checked their backgrounds. Guide Julian was in training to be a archeologist, and his sentinel was being trained to assist. Guide Aaron is a Doctor of Psychiatry. Nothing seems to connect from their past either. We are going under the premise that the killer targets guides specifically."

"Which means all guides are in danger." Blair finished.

The captain nodded.

"I still don't know why he sexually assaulted the sentinel." Blair thought out loud, "Perhaps when Peter's body shows up, we'll have a few more answers."

"Hopefully enough answers to stop this killer." The captain said.

Blair nodded in agreement.

Do you smell that?" the ME's sentinel asked Jim in a sentinel low voice.

Jim looked over at her. Like him, she was seated on the floor of the room out of everyone's way. Unlike him, she was not leashed to said floor. "On the body? Yeah. I smelled the same thing on the other bodies. I don't know what it is but somehow its familiar." He answered just as low.

"I don't recognize it either. My guide suggested that it might be the killer's scent."

"Possibly. So she knows about the scent."

"Yes. I wanted to see of you could smell it too, so I know that I am not imagining it."

"No. Your not imagining it. Its a sick decaying smell. I can't describe it any better than that."

"That is as close as I can come too. "

"It will be on the sentinel stronger, like with Derry."

"Do you think that Peter will have been..." She hesitated, and in an even lower voice added, "raped?"

"I'd almost bet on it, but its not a sure thing. Did Peter's guide force him, like Derry's did?"

No. Peter never said that it happened, and I don't think it did."

"We'll have to wait and see."

*

Blair and Jim left the morgue. The IP captain gave Sandburg a written report that Blair looked over, then sent to the Empress in the captain's ofice.

Blair looked at his wrist chronometer, "Its lunch time. How about we eat at a restaurant here in the city." He smiled, humor filling his bright blue eyes, "My treat."

Jim laughed, "Well I guess if its your treat...sounds good, Chief."

Blair laughed with Jim, "There's a good Italian place. Reyna was telling me about it."

"Italian sounds good. I would kill for a decent lasagna."

"Italian it is!"

The two of them walked over to Antonio's Vintage Earth Italian Restaurant. The maitre'de welcomed them, or at least Blair, and showed them to a table in a special dining hall for Pairs. They weren't the only Pair, four other pairs sat at the tables eating their meals. Blair sat first, locking the leash to the arm of his chair. Jim sat beside him. The maitr'de placed one menu in front of Blair.

"Your waiter wil be T'Nar and our special is a chicken fettuccini. Have a pleasant meal."

Blair studied the menu as an Angosian male clopped over. The centaur-like Angosian with his cloven hooves, the ivory spiraled horn jutting from the top of his long head, reminded humans of unicorn legends. The Angosian smiled, revealing small sharp teeth, as he set down on the table two glasses of water.

"Are you ready to order, sir." The Angosian asked in Standard.

Yes, I would like an order of the lasagna and an order of the chicken fettucini. Red wine for myself, and a side order of garlic bread."

Of course, sir." The Angosian wrote down the order, and then trotted toward the kitchen.

"So how was your date last night?" Jim asked.

"It was fun. We're going out again day after tomorrow."

Jim nodded and drained his glass of water. The Angosian came back and placed a basket of breadsticks on the table and refilled Jim's water. Jim reached over and plucked a warm breadstick from the basket. Tearing it in half, he dipped one end in the spaghetti sauce, then took a bite. The combination of spices transformed into a sensory party on Jim's tongue and the sentinel reveled in the sensations.

Blair took one of the breadsticks and layed it on a plate the Angosian had set before them. Taking the cup of sauce, he used a spoon to pour some over the breadstick, then replaced the cup back near the basket. Using a fork he cut a bite of the sauce covered breadstick and stuck it in his mouth. Jim just dipped his halved breadstick into the sauce again and finished it off.

A few minutes later the Angosian brought their plates. He placed the chicken fetuccini in front of Blair and at Blair's direction placed the lasagna in front of Jim. The Angosian then poured red wine from a bottle into Blair's wine glass then placed the bottle on the table.

Jim ate the lasagna, using a halved breadstick to help scoop it onto his fork. Blair ate his food. Neither spoke for awhile.

When dinner was done, the Angosian came over and asked Blair if they would like dessert. Blair declined, and the Angosian handed the guide a datapad. The price of the meal including the 10% tip was on the pad's screen. Blair checked the price, then placed his thumb on the screen. The screen scanned his thumb, then transferred the amount from his account to the resturaunts'. The Angosian thanked them and began to clear the table while Blair unhooked the leash from his chair and rehooked it to his guide band.

Checking the chronometer, Blair nodded, noting he had plenty of time before the class started. They rode the tubecar back to the University. At Blair's quarters, the guide took off Jim's leash and the sentinel took off his boots, then layed on the bed. Blair got his books together and the door chimed. Blair answered it to find Reyna on the other side with Talia.

"Hey, Blair. Would it be alright if I left Talia here and walk with you to class?" Reyna asked.

"Sounds fine to me." Blair answered as he placed his backpack over his shoulder. The IP guard was there now,s standing just beside the door. "Come on in."

Reyna and Talia came inside. Reyna was in uniform now, with her own backpack over her shoulder, and her hair done in a french braid.

"Alright, I'm ready." Blair said as he pulled his long curly hair back into a pony tail.

The two guides left, shutting the door behind them.

Talia smiled a secretive smile and Jim looked at her suspiciously. Suddenly Talia pounced, grabbing Jim's leg trying to pull him off the bed, laughing.

"What the..." Jim suddenly broke into laughter as Talia began to tickle his sides. "Crazy sentinel" he said between bouts of laughter.

Then Jim turned the tables, grabbing Talia and flipping her onto her back. He began to tickle her sides and she laughed trying to push him off. They continued to wrestle, both trying to get the upper hand. They weren't paying attention, though, to the location of the bed's edge, and the next rolling sent them over the side onto the floor.

"Ooooh....that hurt." Jim said to Talia who was sprawled on top of him.

"Hey! I don't weigh that much!" She said indignatley with a touch of humor.

"Maybe for an elephant..."

"Why you!" She began to tickle him again, and Jim struggled to get away, laughing.

Eventually the tickling and wrestling winded down and the two of them ended up back on the bed. Talia ran her hand underneath the pillow and pulled out the book Jim had hidden under there.

"why is this under the pillow?" Talia asked.

"Its Blair's, I've been reading it." "Of course, I forgot you can read." She flipped through the book. "Must be fun to read. I remember that the Observors used to read stories to us when we were kids."

Jim nodded. Talia turned to him handing over the book, "Read to me, please?" she asked. Jim could see the excitement in her eyes. "I promise I won't tell anyone that you did. Please?"

"Alright." Jim opened the book to the first page and began to read, "'Dark spruce forests frowned on either side of the frozen waterway...'"

Talia listened enraptured as Jim read Jack London's "White Fang". She never interrupted, nor did her attention waver.

About halfway through the book, Jim stopped suddenly lifting his head.

"They're coming." He said quickly hiding the book beneath the pillow. He looked around and saw that the bed covers were still on the floor from their tickling match.

"Shit!" he hissed. Together they tried to remake the bed, but the door opened to reveal Blair and Reyna.

The two guides looked at the two sentinels that were in the middle of making the bed. Blair raised an eyebrow in inquiry, and Reyna crossed her arms beneath her breasts.

"I hope your not in trouble." Jim whispered in sentinel speak.

"No. I don't think so. I think they think we had sex." Talia answered just as quietly.

Reyna turned to Blair as the sentinels finished making the bed. "I had fun, Blair. I'll see you later. We still on day after tomorrow?"

"Of course." Blair answered, and they kissed. Reyna then motioned to Talia.

"Thanks Jim." Talia said softly gripping Jim's forearm and squeezing it gently.

"Your welcome, Talia."

She released his arm and followed Reyna out of the door. Jim fluffed the pillows under Blair's watchful eye.

"We didn't, Chief.' Jim said.

"I didn't think you did, but why was the bed messed up?"

We werewrestling." Jim mumbled.

Excuse me?"

"We were wrestling." he repeated.

"Wrestling?" Blair wasn't sure he heard correctly. <P."YES,

"Horseplaying. Ooooookay." Blair had a strange look on his face, but said nothing more. Instead he went into the bathroom to take a shower. Jim sat down at the table and waited. A few minutes later Blair came out of the shower wrapping his white robe around him. He walked over to the food dispenser and programmed their dinner. The dispenser materialised two plates of baked catfish, hush puppies, tartar sauce and corn on the cob. He took their plates over to the table and set them down. Sentinel and Guide ate in silence.

Afterwards, Jim took another shower and got ready for bed. Blair was already beneathe the covers, eyes closed when Jim layed down on his side, however, sleep was a long time coming.

The next morning, Blair was up before Jim. Blair's movements woke the sentinel, however. They both took their showers and ate breakfast.

"Last day, Jim." Blair said as he attached Jim's leash.

"Good." Was all Jim said, though he was glad as hell that the leash punishment was nearly over.

They walked over to the Compound. They were met there by Corrins who handed Blair a datapad.

"Here's the file on the first female." Corrins said. "She's already had two children, both healthy with no complications during birth. She did, however, scratch up the last male she was with, so you might want to be on guard for that." Corrins explained as they walked through the halls of the Breeding Center.

"It says here she belongs to Lord K' neough. Doesn't he trains sentinels for hunting?"

"Corrins nodded, "He's heavy into big game hunting. Its legal. Hell, the Consort does some hunting as well. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't take you and Jim next time he goes."

"I don't like hunting." Blair said. "I hope he doesn't expect me to kill anything"

"I doubt it. All you'll be required to do is take care of Jim."

That he CAN do." Jim said.

Blair laughed.

They walked into the waiting room where two Observors were waiting for them.

Are we ready?" Corrins asked the other two Observors.

"Yes, the female is in the other room. Her guide is in the Observation room. "One of the Observors, a dark haired man said. "Guide Blair if you would hand the leash to Corrins, I will show you to the Observation Room."

Blair nodded and handed Jim's leash to Corrins, then followed the Observor out of the waiting room.

The other Observor, a female whose red hair was streaked with grey looked at Jim. "Alright, Jimmy. You need to strip down." She had a stethescope around her neck.

Jim hated the name, "Jimmy" but he ignored it and did as he was told trying not to show his embarrasment. Once he was completely nude, the woman came forward placing the earpieces in her ears. She listened to Jim's heart and lungs, then nodded.

"We're good to go." She said. Corrins handed the leash to the woman Observor, who took it then turned to Jim. "Alright Jimmy, since this is your first time here, and unlike other sentinels you haven't been taught about this I'm going to explain."

Jim nodded.

"We are going to put you in a short hallway. When the other door opens you need to go through into the room immediatly. If you hesitate and she doesn't she may become territorial. If that happens she'll probably hurt you. Don't hesitate. The longer you hesitate, the more territorial she'll get."

Jim nodded in understanding.

"Good, Jimmy." she said patting his arm. Jim tried not to growl. "Let's go."

Jim followed her through a door into the small hallway. At the other end some three feet was another door. The Observor removed the leash and left. A few minutes later the door opened adn Jim stepped through into the padded breeding room. On the other side a dark haired female growled at him and he growled back.

Blair watched from his seat in the Observation room. The other guide, Meiria, watched as well.

Blair tried not to watch any of it. From a scientific perspective it was interesting. The female was younger than Jim, but because she was female, and had had children already, she was dominant over Jim, and JIm locked in sentinel sexual instincts was submitting to her dominance.

As of yet no one knew why male sentinels were submissive to female sentinels especially during mating. In fact some nursing female sentinels have been known to attack a male sentinel that comes near them. Because of that, nursing females were kept together and isolated from males.

During one of his classes, Blair had watched a video of a mating in whch the male had hesitated in coming into the room, and the female had claimed the room as her territory. When the male had finally come in, the female had nearly torn the male to pieces while mating. The male had been injured so bad before the guides could get in and seperate them, that he had lost both testicles. Ever since that incident, guides were required to monitor the matings.

So Blair watched, trying not to watch, while fighting embarrasment. The other guide watched intently, seemingly unembarrassed.

Blair winced when the female scratched Jim's chest leaving four bleeding parallel marks across his right nipple. So far though, there didn't seem to be any danger to either sentinel. Jim, laying on his back, had yet to mark the female with any scratches. A few bruises and bites on her neck were the only marks the female bore. Jim had scratches on his chest, neck and thighs, as well as bites and bruises on his neck and groin.

During the session Jim came to orgasm three times, and the female about five times. Why am I counting? Blair thought. After two hours, the sentinels, exhausted, fell into a deep sleep. Jim lay on his back covered in a sheen of sweat, the female draped over him, her head tucked beneathe his chin.

Blair and Meiria stood up and walked into the room. Several Observors came in as well with stretchers. The sentinels were placed on the stretchers and carried to seperate padded rooms.

Once Jim was settle down on the padded floor, Blair kneeled down beside him. Corrins handed Blair a basin of warm water, a washclothe, and a first aid kit. Blair washed his sentinel using the washclothe, healed the scratches and bites with the first aid kit. Jim didn't even move. When Blair was finished, he covered Jim with a light blanket. Then, after he petted Jim's head, moving a stray strand of hair from his forehead, he stood up taking the basin and first aid kit with him and left the room locking the door and turning down the lights.

Corrins met him outside the door. "Come on Blair. I'll take you to lunch."

Blair nodded. Corrins took Blair to a small cafeteria at the Compound. They sat and ate in silence.

After lunch, Blair checked on Jim, who was still asleep. The sentinel had, however, moved onto his left side in his sleep.

Blair had to go to class, and since Jim was alright, he left the sentinel in the "grey" cell. The Observors would take care of him when he woke up and make sure he ate. Jim was going to be very hungry when he wakes up.

After class, Blair went back to the Breeding Center. In the "grey" cell, Jim was awake, fully dressed, and pacing. He stopped when Blair came into the room.

"Ready to go?" Blair asked with a smile. p>"Hell yes." Jim growled, "I hate these damn cells. Too fucking boring."

"I can tell by the ditch you dug in the floor." Blair laughed and took out the leash. Jim lifted his chin, and Blair snapped it on the collar.

They made their way back to their quarters. Once inside, Blair released Jim, who immediatly layed down on the bed. Digging underneath the pillows, he came out with "White Fang". Opening it to the bookmarked page he had been on, Jim leaned back into the pillows and read. Blair looked at him for a second, then pulled out his book for the class, and began to study for the test that was scheduled for the next day.

Blair was startled out of his thoughts by Jim suddenly sitting up and shoving the book beneath the pillow. Blair knew that that meant someone was coming to the door.

"Who is it?" Blair asked his sentinel.

"Corrins." Jim answered as he lay back down, and curled up pretending to sleep.

The chime rang, and Blair told the door to open. It did admitting Corrins.

"The sentinel's body showed up." Corrins said without preamble.

"Michael, did, I mean had the sentinel been..." Blair couldn't finish his question.

Michael Corrins nodded sadly.

"I wasn't expecting that." Jim said sitting up. He was confused by the report.

Michael gave him a withering look, Jim ignored it.

"What do you mean?" Blair asked.

Jim hadn't meant to speak out loud. Damn, he thought.

"The ME's sentinel told me that Derry's guide was forcing him to have sex." JIm said and waited for the outbursts.

"What!" Corrins roared, "Damn sentinel gossip! We should have nipped that in the bud years ago. Julian would never do that!"

"Oh right. Like all guides are fucking saints or something! Well fuck you, Corrins. Its the fucking truth. I can tell when someone's lying to me, and so can any other sentinel."

Corrins turned white with shock. Jim had stood up and yelled in his face.

Blair lost his temper, "Jim, sit down!" He yelled pointing toward the bed.

Jim obeyed, his arms crossed in anger at Corrins.

"H-how dare he..." Corrins was so angry he couldn't speak. "Michael, calm down. We need to think about this rationally." Blair said placing a hand on Michael's shoulder.

Corrins took several deep breathes in an attempt to do as Blair asked.

"If its true, and we both know it happens, then maybe that's why the killer raped the sentinels." Blair sumised.

"Problem with that theory, Chief, is that Peter's guide wasn't like Julian." Jim put in.

"Are you sure?" Blair asked.

"Mostly sure, Chief. All the sentinels I've talked to say that Aaron never raped Peter."

Blair nodded, taking a seat at the table. Michael took a seat as well across from Blair.

"That does destroy that theory." Blair said.

"Maybe, Chief, whoever the killer is thinks that all Guides have sex with their sentinels. Maybe whoever it is wants to be a guide, but for some reason can't. An Observor, maybe, who used to rape his sentinel." Jim suggested looking at Corrins covertly.

Corrins on his part turned red with anger, but before he could blow up at the sentinel, Blair rested an hand on Michael's arm, and gave Jim a look that said, 'Stop it'. "Possibly, " Blair continued, "Or maybe a washed out guide trainee. Or someone who couldn't pass the entry exam. There are alot of possibilities."

"I'll tell the IP captain what we suspect, and let their detectives work out the angles. Perhaps with the information, they will be able to stop this killer. Blair, be careful. All bonded guides are in danger from this madman. We have no idea how he chooses his next victims." The last was said with Corrins hand on his shoulder.

Blair nodded, and Corrins stood up. "I'll see you tomorrow, Blair." With that Corrins left the room. Once the door shut, Blair turned his gaze to his sentinel. Jim looked back with a level gaze.

"And what the hell was that all about. Jeez, you jumped into his face. I think he thought you were going to hit him." Blair said in an exasperated tone.

"As if I could. He just pissed me off, Chief. Blatantly dismissing what I said. Why is that so hard to believe. Regular Citizens believed it happens all the time. Hell, my brother sure thinks its happening to me."

"How do you know."

"He has always believed thats what happens in a Pairing. Don't ask me why he does, because I haven't a clue."

"Your parents?" Blair asked.

"They know better. Hell, my father's worked around sentinels/guides most of his life. My mother's sister was a guide, as was my grandmother on my mother's side. Their both dead, though. My aunt died a few years ago, and my grandmother when I was ten."

Blair nodded thoughtfully, relieved to know that Jim's parents didn't think that Blair was...raping their son. God, its impossible to even contemplate it. He couldn't understand why any guide would hurt his sentinel like that. It was the ultimate betrayal, at least in Blair's mind.

But why was the killer doing it?Blair considered the question for the rest of the night.

The next day after breakfast, Blair told Jim he was going to the library with Reyna and the Heir to study for his test. Jim was off leash punishment which meant that barring any appointments or commitments that his guide or owner needed him to attend, Jim was free to do what he wished until lunch time.

Some places on both the ships and on the planets had restricted access for sentinels. There were two kinds, one restriction put the place as completely off limits to sentinels. Usually because the area was toxic, or some part of the enviroment was harmful to sentinels, but didn't affect regular humans. Other restricted places such as resturants were leash restricted. They required that the guide at least be present, and the sentinel did not have to be leashed, but could not roam around in the place on their own. On the restricted places the automatic doors would identify a sentinel by their collar, and refuse entrance. If the sentinel persisted, then a call was quickly sent to the sentinel's guide or owner. If it is only leash restricted, the doors would only open if they detected the guide band.

After lunch, Jim would be free as well until curfew, which was usually thirty minutes before dusk. Sentinels were not allowed out by themselves at night.

The computer in the room would register wether or not Jim returned at noon, even if Blair didn't show. And if he returned late, once inside the computer would have instructions to lock him inside the room. Jim knew those weren't instructions left by Blair. It was standard for all guide rooms.

After breakfast was consumed, the door chime rang, and Blair told the door to open. The Heir stepped into the room, his backpack over his shoulder.

"Are you ready to go, Blair?" The Heir asked.

"Yep." Blair said enthusiastically hefting his own backpack to his shoulder. The Heir smiled and much to Jim's annoyment reached out to the sentinel who was seated at the table, and ruffled his head ending with a petting stroke down Jim's neck, and a light pat on his back between his shoulder blades.

Blair placed a hand on Jim's shoulder and whispered sentinel soft, "Be careful." in a decidedly worried tone. Jim nodded slightly in acknowledgement. The guide and the Heir left the room. They were going to meet Reyna at the Library.

Ten minutes after Blair left, Jim walked out of their room. Waiting for him was Talia. The guard at the door had been canceled. Now that Jim was off leash punishment, he could avoid any attempted kidnappings himself. Besides, if the rumors Jim had heard were true, which he believed they were, then Kit Dahlai wasn't around to regret trying to have Jim kidnapped.

"Come on, " Talia said grabbing his hand excitingly and pulling him down the paved sidewalk.

"Where are we going?" He asked giving her one of his rare smiles.

"The sentinel park." She answered releasing his hand after she felt he would follow her.

"I've heard of it. What are we going to do there?"

"Usually, we tell stories, play games, relax a bit. Some OTHER stuff usually goes on, but fortunatly in secluded areas. The cool thing is that guides rarely come into the park, and Observors even less."

They walked over to the Compound and Talia led the way to the sentinel park.

The park was huge, and surrounded by a high fence. Parts of the park were shaded by trees, while others were open. There was a waterfall and a small lagoon where some sentinels swam naked unabashed.

Talai led Jim over to a large tree where at the base sat some twelve sentinels of different ages, and sex.

Talia introduced him to the group, and Jim tried to learn their names. Sitting down among them, Jim and Talia got comfortable. One of the setninels continued with the story he had been telling. The man, Damion, was a Bounty Hunter's sentinel, and was regaling them of a hunt for an escaped Thonian. Jim listened as did the others, and laughed when the sentinel told them the ending where the Thonian had been found in a bog, stuck but still alive, and screaming for all he was worth because a eighty foot snake like creature called a nipian was headed for him. Nipians of course were completely harmless, but obviously the Thonian hadn't known that.

Jacob, a young sentinel about twenty, asked Jim for some Ranger stories. Jim complied and told them of the time he and Rafe had gone undercover as strippers to stop a minor roguelord. He had the other sentinels listening to him in rapt fascination. He omitted the information that was still considered secret, like the name of the roguelord, or the planet they had been on. If they noticed the ommision, they did not voice it.

Sometime later, Eileen, an older female, suggested a game of tag, and several of the younger ones agreed. Jim watched them chase each other around, playing like children. Talia tried to talk him into playing, but Jim just shook his head saying he was to old for a game of tag. Even if they were all playing blindfolded. Jim had no doubt that that particular game of tag was taught to them as children as a 'fun' way of teaching them to use their gifts. He wondered idly how many more games the Observors had invented for just that purpose. However, the next part of their little tag game probably wasn't invented by the Observors. The sentinels quickly stripped out of their clothes, and raced around naked, completely oblivious to the fact. Talia tried to entice him some more, but Jim merely shook his head. He wasn't THAT comfortable with his body. The game of tag eventually moved to the lagoon, where no doubt they were headed for in the first place. The heat and combined activity made a bit of water sport inevitable.

"Come on, Jim. It will be fun." Talia said. She pulled him by his arm to the lagoon, then began to strip herself.

The sentinel were like young otters, and the lagoon had been built for such fun. There was five different water slides tht looked completely natural, but were manmade. A rope tied to a tree limb allowed them to swing out into the water, and there were two smaller pools with bubbling hot water. The sentinels were sliding, splashing, laughing and basically having a good time.

Jim sighed, and stripped off his own uniform. From a flt rock, he dived into the pool. Swimming like a dophin beneath the water he come up underneath the waterfall right beside Talia. Hidden behind the curtain from any but sentinel eyes, Jim's body brushed up against Talia's. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders taking his mouth with hers in a deep kiss. Jim deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth with his tongue.

After what seemed an eternity, they pulled back and looked into each other's eyes.

"Mmmm...that was nice." Talia said.

"Yeah, you taste good."

"Is this the first time you've kissed anyone since your senses came online?" She asked stroking the back of his head sensously.

"Yes. At least, that I can remember."

Talia nodded in understanding.

"I'm sorry, Jim. But we can't...my guide said your not being given the injections, and without both of getting them..." She trailed off.

"She doesn't want you getting pregnant. I understand. But kissing, despite what my grandmother said, does not make a woman pregnant."

She laughed at the remark, then kissed him again. Pulling back, she smiled then dove beneathe the water and swam toward the shore. After a moment's hesitation, he followed.

When they reached the shore, they layed down in the soft grass and sun bathed. Other sentinels joined them on the grass, allowing the sun to dry their nude bodies.

Jim was awakened by a bell tolling. He sat up quickly to find Talia waking up as well. They weren't the only ones who had fallen asleep. The tolling bell announced that it was twenty minutes till lunch time.

"Time to get home, " Jim said bitterly. For a few moments in time he had forgotten what he was, even with the weight of the collar around his neck. He had been enjoying the moment too much, and reality crashed in on him.

Talia rubbed his back soothingly, hearing the bitterness in his voice. Jim sighed, and began to put on his clothes. Talia did the same, and together they left the sentinel park.

Jim made it back to the room with minutes to spare to find Blair was not there. A voice message on the computer had been left to say Blair was eating lunch with Reyna and the Heir. Jim's own lunch, a ham and cheese sandwich and a bowl of vegetable soup materialised on the food dispenser. Jim took the tray and sat down at the table to eat.

When he was done eating, and the computer registered that he had eaten everything, the door unlocked to allow him to leave. Jim however remained inside the room, and some minutes later Talia came over. They layed down on the bed, and Jim pulled out the book from beneath the pillow and continued to read to Talia, who listened in apt fasciantion.

Jim closed the book a few minutes before Blair, Reyna and the Heir showed up at the room. The book was back in its hiding place, and the two of them were lying on the bed talking when the three entered.

Talia immediatly stood up, and Reyna gave Blair a goodbye kiss, a verbal farewell to the Heir and left with Talia.

The Heir seated himself on the edge of the bed, and reached out with a hand placing it on the top of Jim's head. The sentinel had moved to lay with his head next to the Heir, lying on his stomach, head resting in the crook of his crossed arms. The Heir then began to pet Jim's head, neck and back as he watched Blair.

"You going to stick around here for supper?" Blair asked.

"Sounds good. The servant is bringing my sister over. They took her over to the Compound to take a look at all the sentinels. She was looking forward to today." the Heir said not ceasing his petting of the sentinel.

A few minutes later, the door chimed, and opened to reveal the Heir's sister, who immediatly went in and plopped down on the other side of Jim and patted his back, then petted his back, while the Heir petted his head and neck. Blair kept an eye on Jim hoping that the setninel wouldn't zone on the touch of their hands. He knew that despite Jim's animosity toward being petted that for a sentinel, petting was very pleasurable, not sexually so, but it helped a sentinel relax and calmed them especially if they were agitated. Which Blair knew Jim probably was.

Blair, himself, didn't pet Jim. He used touch to help the sentinel focus when using his senses, and massages to help relax him after a workout, but idle petting made him feel as if he were treating Jim like a real pet, which he was trying hard not to do. Occasionally he slipped, and would have to call himself on it.

Blair went to the dispenser and ordered dinner. Pot roast, potatoes, steamed brocilli, and corn appeared on four seperate plates. Two glasses of a deep red chardonnay, a glass of milk and a glass of water shimmered into existence as well.

With on elast pat on Jim's back between the sentinel's shoulder blades, the Heir stood up and helped Blair place the plates on the table. Once the table was set, all four of them sat down to eat.

L'dnin and Blair spoke about their class, the test they had taken while they ate. Jim ignored the conversation. He didn't want to know anything about that class. L'dnin then asked Taleen about her day at the Compound. She happily talked about the sentinel children she ahd seen at the Compound's nursery, the sentinel newborns, and the adult sentinels as yet unbonded. To Jim's shock, she spoke of actually watching a sentinel mating. He nearly choked on his water.

When dinner was done, Blair and L'dnin took out their books and began to study. Taleen went to the computer ans surfed the net. Jim layed down ont he bed and took a nap.

Sometime later L'dnin and his sister left, and Blair woke Jim so the sentinel could take his shower. When Jim was done, he crawled back into bed and pulled out the hidden book and continued to read while Blair took his shower.

When Blair crawled into bed, he turned off the lights, and tried to sleep. Jim, however, used the low light filtering in through the windows to continue reading.

An hour later, Blair sat up and plucked the book of Jim's hands and placed it on the nightstand.

"Go to sleep." Blair ordered , then layed back down.

Jim frowned at being ordred to sleep like a child, but he had no choice but to comply. Laying his head back down on his pillow, Jim allowed the sound of his guide's heartbeat and the falling rain outside to lull him to sleep.

Blair opened his eyes clowly coming to full awakefullness feeling very warm. Morning found Blair lying on his back with 200+ pounds of sentinel sprawled over him. Jim lay with his head on Blair's chest, right ear pressed above the place were his heart beat steadily, left arm over Blair's stomach, and left leg over Blair's legs.

Corrins had told him that the idea of a killer who was murdering guides would have Jim's protective instincts coming to the surface, thereofre it would be a nightly occurence for Jim's subconscious to search for that familiar heartbeat that meant the guide was safe.

A few minutes later Jim woke up. Finding himself sprawled voer his guide, the setninel just rolled off of Blair onto his back. Blair climbed out of bed with a yawn and went into the bathroom.

When Blair finished his morning ritual and came out of the bathroom, Jim went inside.

Breakfast consisted of three stacked buttermilk pancakes, a tall glass of milk, sausage, and maple syrup.

In the middle of breakfast, Jim tilted his head toward the door a few minutes before the door chimed.

the door opeend upon command to admit Corrins who looked decidingly pale.

"Blair, I'm sorry." Corrins began.

"Michael, what's wrong?" Blair asked becoming worried.

"Reyna, its Reyna."

"What's wrong with Reyna. Michael tell me." Blair was getting scared now.

"She's missing Blair. Her and her sentienl."

"Oh gods...the killer?" Blair whispered.

Suddenly JIm stood up and raced out the door.

"Jim!" Blair yelled. Together guide and Observor chased after the sentinel.

They found him sitting with his back against a tree trunk on the grounds of the University.

"Jim? Jim are you okay?" Blair asked as they came upon the setninel.

I was tracking her." Jim said, "But its too old, too washed out by the rain last night."

"Tracking who?"

"Talia."

"Reyna's sentinel?" Corrins seemed confused.

"They were her last night. We came in from study group and Talia and Jim were lying on the bed, talking I guess." Blair explained. "They've become really good friends."

"She's dead, Chief. That bastard will murder Reyna, and Talia will kill herself. I tried, I tried to track her, to find that damn scent, but its useless. These damn senses are fucking useless."

Blair knelt down beside his sentinel placing a hand on Jim's shoulder.

"Its not your fault, Jim." Blair said, "The rain washed away the scent. No sentinel could follow what not there. Its no one's fault but the killers. They'll figure out who it is."

"Not in time. Oh gods, Chief, I think I was falling love with her."

Blair pulled Jim to his chest and stroked his head as the sentinel sobbed into Blair's shirt.

Wisely, Michael Corrins walked back from the scene, allowing the guide and sentinel privacy. Finally the sentinel was releasing all the pent up emotions that had threatened to tear him apart. Sadly it had taken the sure knowledge of another sentinel's death to collapse the dam that had held back those emotions.

Blair held Jim for several minutes, then Jim pulled back.

"Shit." Jim whispered embarrassed and angry at his outburst.

"Its alright. You needed to" Blair said. "You've been holding it in far to long. You needed to release it."

"I haven't cried since I was five."

Then you're definitly overdue."

Jim just shook his head.

"I guess we need to get back. I have another...session today." He said.

Blair nodded and the two of them stood.

Michael was waiting for them back at Blair's quarters.

Blair contacted the Empress while Jim layed down on the bed. Telling the Empress everything, Blair waited for her response.

In a gesture of compassion, the Empress told Blair that she would postpone the session for that day. She suggested that Blair also skip class and stay with Jim. Blair nodded. He had planned to do just that. She also said that she would be sending the IP's some more staff and equipmetn to try and help them solve the case and stop the murderer. Blair hoped that it would work, but he knew that they would not get there in time.

After Blair finished his talk with the Empress, Michael left after giving Blair a conforting squeeze of his shoulder.

When Michael was gone, Blair walked over to the bed. Jim wasn't asleep, but his eyes were closed and his breathing even. Blair sat down on the edge of the bed, and placed a hand gently on the sentinel's back.

Sometime later, Blair and Jim ended up fast asleep in the bed, with Jim curled up next to Blair, head resting on his guide's chest, tear tracks marring both of their faces.

They spent most of the day sleeping, talking, and crying, with time out for food. Blair felt closer to Jim than at any other time in their relationship. The bond was strong and secure.

The next evening, Reyna's body appeared. Like the others she had been drowned, her body showing signs of having been tied up. No sign of sexual assault.

Blair did not go and see the body. He did not want his last memory of Reyna to be of a cold lifeless body.

The morning after Reyna's body was found, Talia's body turned up. Like the others, she had been chained by her collar, sexually assaulted, and had died choking herself to death by the very chain meant to imprison her.

The IP's were still basically clueless. The only thing they had to go on was the scent that was being picked up by the sentinels. They had narrowed the places were the bodies were being drowned to five different locations, yet they could not be specific because the chlorine content changed from .05 % to .08 % depending upon the amount of rain.

Reyna and Talia were buried together in the Guide/Sentinel Cemetery.

Jim stood beside and a little behind Blair watching as the double sized casket was lowered into the single large grave. If a sentinel and guide died together, then they were buried together in a single casket, lain side by side. If one died beofre the other, they were buried in two graves dug side by side.

Using his enhanced vision, Jim traced the carved foxes and owls that covered the wooden casket.

When the last words were said, Blair stepped forward with the others to toss in a handful of earth. Jim, because of the leash that connected him to his guide(part of ceremonial dress)stepped foward as well. If he could have, Jim would have tossed in a handful of dirt as well, or thrown in a flower of some sort. Instead, he looked at the casket, and in a sentinel soft voice whispered his goodbyes. They walked out of the cemetery without a word.

Later that day, Jim came back to find the grave covered with fresh dirt, and covered in a bouquet of roses. Reaching into his uniform, Jim pulled out the book he had been reading to Talia against every rule that had been set down for sentinels for two hundred years. Opening the book to the bookmarked page, Jim recalled what Talia had told him before Blair, Reyna and the Heir had walked in.

"Well, White Fang was a wolf born in the wild, but forced by circumstance to become domesticated. He finally accepted his lot in life though when he found a loving master, but even domesticated, he's still wild inside. Just like you." She had said smiling.

Jim remembered smiling back, then they had been interrupted.

Using his senses, he determined that he was alone in the cemetery. He knew that if he was caught, Blair would have no choice but to punish him. But he thought it was worth any punishment.

Finding were he left off, Jim began to read to whatever ghosts or spirits might be listening.

"'White Fang allowed all the members of the family to pet him and make much of him;but he never gave to them what he gave to the master. No caress of theirs could put the love-croon into his throat, and, try as they would, they could never persuade him into snuggling against them. This expression of abandon and surrender, of absolute trust, he reserved for the master alone...'" And Jim continued to read. He read to the end where White Fang after having suffered to protect his master and all his master loved, was able to make that slow journey to see the pups he had sired. "'The other puppies came sprawling toward him, to Collie's great disgust;and he gravely permitted them to clamber and tumble over him. At first, amid the applause of the gods, he betrayed a trifle of his old self-consciousness and awkwardness. This passed away as the puppies' antics and mauling continued, and he lay with half-shut, patient eyes, drowsing in the sun.'"

As the last words were read, Jim closed the book, and tucked it away inside his uniform. Laying a hand on the fresh earth, he whispered a goodbye, and said, "I hope you like the story. And you were right. You were definitly right." and with that Jim stood and left the cemetery.

Jim was several feet from the high brick wall that he had climbed to get inside the cemetery when an authorative voice halted him.

"Stop, sentinel!" The voice said. Jim turned to see an Observor guard running over to his location. He considered running, but dismissed the idea. It would just make everything worse.

The Observor Guard stopped in front of Jim.

"What are doing in here. Where's your guide?" The man asked.

Jim said nothing. The guard shook his head at Jim's stubborness, and reached into his pocket to pull out a leash. Observor Guards, identified by the black armband they wore on their upper left arm, where like old fashioned dog catchers. At least in Jim's opinion. A sentinel out by himself in a restricted area was fair game. There were always Observor Guards in sentinel restricted areas for just such purposes.

The man snapped the leash onto Jim's collar, and Jim had no choice but to follow the Observor through the gates. Blair is definitly going to be mad. Jim thought.

The Observor took Jim to a building at the Compound that Jim had yet to see. The other sentinels called it the Pound, and Jim agreed with their opinion.

Inside Jim was handed over to another Observor, who took him into the back room. Inside the room was apparently a medical examination room. Much to his disgust, Jim was stripped of his clothes, while a Observor Doctor came into the room. The book was found and confiscated. Jim was forced to lay on a table. A scanner over his collar revealed his name, and guide's name, even though the Observors had recognized the Imperial tag on his collar. The other Observor went to contact Blair, while the doctor gave him a full medical exam including bloodwork.

Since Jim was healthy, he was taken, still nude, to a grey cell, and placed inside to await his guide's arrival. Jim sat in a corner and waited.

Blair was in class when he recieved a summons. The Observor Proffessor let him go, and Blair was met outside the classroom by Corrins.

"What's going on?" Blair asked apprehension beggining to set in.

"Jim was found wondering around the grounds of the cemetery. He was taken by an Observor Guard." Michael answered.

"Oh shit." Blair hissed.

Michael nodded in agreement.

They made it to the pound where Blair had to talk to a judge via the intercomn. The judge set a fine for Blair to pay. However, before he could get Jim, Blair had to contact the owner, which in this case was the Empress.

"I understand his reasons for going there. However, his method leaves much to be desired. He could have easily waited for you to take him." the Empress sighed, then seemingly off topic asked, "Blair how is the class?"

Confused, Blair answered, "Fine, Your Highness."

"Is it helping you to understand?"

You mean about the difference between discipline and cruelty?"

"That, and why it is necessary. Do you understand why it is?"

Blair nodded, "Yeah, I think so. If a sentinel can't obey simple commands, then when it is important or life threatening then he could hesitate." Blair said repeating something his instructors had once said. He didn't really understand it. When it came to important stuff, Jim knew when to do what Blair said.

"Mmmhm. I remember that phrase. Blair I know that Jimmy is different from other sentinels in that he has vast more experience to be able to make informed decisions, but that's the problem. He should not be making any decisions about what orders he should obey, and the ones he shouldn't. I can only allow him so much leeway, before he gets away from us completely. You don't want that. Believe me. You are the guide, you lead, he follows. You order, he obeys. It is necessary. And I KNOW that you know why that is."

Blair looked at her in shock. Did she mean what I think she means?Blair wondered.

"Now is a good time as any for you and him to learn. This is what I want done." And with that the Empress gave her orders.

When she was finished, Blair swallowed around a suddenly tight throat, and agreed to her orders. He then paid the fine, and went to pick up Jim.

Blair walked into the grey cell, and tossed down Jim's clothes. "Get dressed." He ordered curtly, and Jim knew that the guide was pissed.

Jim dressed quickly, while Blair stood there arms crossed over his chest. When he was finished, Blair came forward and attached a leash to Jim's collar, then attached the other end to his guide band. The sentinel followed his guide out of the grey cell.

During the walk back to the room, Blair's thoughts raced. I can't do it, I just can't do it...oh gods. Walking beside him, Corrins would glance every so often at the guide knowing that the young man was simmering.

Back at Blair's quarters, the guide removed the leash from his guide band, then reattached it to a hook in the wall. Jim just leaned back agains the wall and waited. He knew Blair had no doubt contacted the Empress, and he knew the woman had set a punishment. Jim wondered what it was.

He didn't have to wait long however, because Blair came out of the bathroom carrying a wooden paddle that was two feet long, with a half a foot long handle. The guide layed it on the bed, then walked over and removed the leash from the wall. Jim noticed that Blair's hands were trembling, and the sentinel knew that his guide did not want to punish Jim, but like Jim, Blair had no choice.

As part of the punishment, Blair unzipped Jim's uniform and removed the black jumpsuit after removing the sentinel's boots. Using the leash he guided the sentinel over toward the bed where Blair sat down at the edge. Blair used the leash to pull Jim who was only in his black boxers over the guide's lap. From his seated place at the table, Michael Corrins watched per the Empress' instructions. When Jim's groin was firmly in Blair's lap, the guide took a deep breath and picked up the paddle. His hands were shaking, and Jim could hear Blair's heartrate skyrocketing.

When he had the paddle firmyl gripped in his shaking left hand, Blair used his right hand to pull Jim's boxers down exposing the sentinel's firm buttocks to the room. He then switched the paddle to his right hand. Laying his left hand on Jim's back between the sentinel's shoulder blades, Blair raised his right hand high, then brought the large paddle across Jim's butt with a loud SMACK! The sentinel jumped, but did not try to escape from his guide. Blair counted off "One." Then brought his arm back and forward. Jim managed not to jump, but he hissed in pain. The paddle had already left his butt cheeks red. "Two." Then he did it again. And again. When Blair finally reached twenty, the sentinel was sobbing from the pain on his butt and the pain inside. There was no feeling of betrayal, no feeling of pity, instead Jim felt the wrong he had done his guide. He had broken a rule, and therefore broken the trust between sentinel and guide. He had forced his guide to punish him.

Blair also wept unabashed. His tears fell down his face in streaks as he cried for the pain he felt inside. He had failed his sentinel and had been forced to punish him.

When it was done, Blair eased the sentinel onto the bed. Once Jim was settled on his stomach on the bed, Blair went into the bathroom and came out with a bottle of lotion. He gently rubbed the lotion onto Jim's bruised and reddened ass cheeks, then sat down beside Jim, and while rubbing his hand on Jim's head, neck and arm, he murmured soothing words in his best guide tone. Eventually the sentinel fell asleep, and Blair layed down beside Jim, and joined the sentinel in sleep. Michael Corrins left the room.

Morning came, and Blair woke up first. He yawned, rubbing his eyes as he sat up in bed. He looked over at Jim, who was still fast asleep. Gently pushing back the covers, Blair checked Jim. There were some bruises, and Jim was going to find it very hard to sit comfortably for awhile, but there was no breakage of the skin. Recovering his sentinel, Blair crawled out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

While Blair was showering, Jim slowly came awake. Unforgetting at first, Jim rolled over on his back. Or at least he attempted to do so. When his bruised buttocks came in contact with the bed, he winced, and rolled back onto his stomach. That definitly wasn't a good idea, Jim thought to himself. Instead he layed on his stomach and listened to Blair in the shower.

Blair walked out of the bathroom wearing his grey robe, and looked over at Jim. Jim took one look and knew that Blair, though upset over having to punish Jim, was still a bit mad about the reason for doing so. Okay,Jim thought, This is my fault. Blair was mourning Reyna, and didn't need me to cause any trouble. He swore to himself that he would try and remember to think about his actions and how they would also affect Blair. He knew that Blair had not wanted to punish Jim, but had been forced to do so, just as Jim had been forced to accept it. Guides who broke the law, and disobeying orders from the Empress was against the law, were imprisoned, or executed depending upon the crime. However, the first thing that happened was the guide was forced to inject his sentinel with a combination of Docile, and a quick acting poison. It was considered cruelty to keep a sentinel alive while his guide was in prison, or was executed. Instead the sentinel was 'put to sleep' by his guide.

Disobeying an Imperial order could be considered treason. The penalty for treason was spacing. A horrible painful death. It was also the penalty for murder, and some other higher crimes. The prisoner was placed, nude, in a escape hatch without a pod, and the hatch door was blown. The prisoner would be sucked out into space to die from either his lungs imploding, or his body freezing to death in the space of a few seconds, depending wether or not the prisoner tried to take a breath.

Jim definitly didn't want that to happen to Blair while he himself would die peacefully. Going to sleep and never waking up. That was the reason he had not fought Blair the night before, and why he would obey from now on. Jim knew that it hurt Blair to much to have to punish his sentinel.

Jim started to crawl out of bed, when Blair suddenly put a hand on his back, and said, "No."

Jim looked at Blair in confusion.

"Sorry, Jim, but the Empress also said that you are on bed restriction for the next five days." Blair said removing his hand from Jim's back.

Jim looked at him in confusion.

Blair slapped his own forehead with his hand, "Oh, sorry. Duh, I keep forgetting you don't know what other sentinels are taught from practically birth. Bed restriction menas you can't leave your bed except on a leash. That means for everything."

Jim groaned at the implication. Before this year was done he would have no modesty left. He just knew.

"Yeah, like this is going to be a picnic for me. Oh, and why I am at class, Corrins will be here. Don't give him any trouble."

Jim groaned again at that. Blair just shook his head, and retrieved the leash from the table.

When Jim was done with his shower, Blair led him back to the bed. Once Jim was once again laying on his stomach on the bed, he removed the leash, and went back over to the table. Using the computer, he uploaded the reports sent to him by Captain Shadowhawk about the murders. He didn't want to read the reports about Reyna and Talia, didn't want to know how they died, but he did anyway, hoping against hope he could find something to tell him that they hadn't suffered, that their deaths had been quick. He knew he was reaching.

"toxicology reports came back." Blair said absently. Finally, he thought, took them long enough.. "Trichloral ethynol? What the hell is that?"

"What did you say, Chief?" Jim mumbled.

"The killer used trichloral ethynol to subdue his victims. That's how he was able to drown the guides."

"And then the sentinels killed themselves using their own collars and the chain or whatever the killer used to hold them. Where the guides killed before or after the sentinels were raped?" Jim asked. "After. The killers raped the sentinel while their guides were still alive, at least according to the times frames that forensics set up." "My guess is that the killer wants to be a guide. For some reason or other he can't be one. Either he's already been a guide, or couldn't pass the tests to become one."

"That's what you said before. I told Captain Shadowhawk your theory. I had to tell him it was mine or he wouldn't listen. He said they would look into the possibility."

"What reasons would someone not be able to graduate. Besides flunking classes."

Blair shrugged trying to think, "Psych exam, maybe. Every year we take a psych exam until we graduate. If we don't pass, then we're booted out. Uuummm, disciplinarys. If we have to many marks on our record we could also be dismissed."

"That's an idea. Have Shadowhawk take a look at the University's records. Check for any guides that have been dismissed in the past year for disciplinary reasons." Jim said.

"Alright. I have a meeting with him after class."

"Chief, if it at all possible..." He trailed off. Dammit, I have to ask to go anywhere. He thought angrily at himself.

"Yeah, I'll come by and pick you up." Blair said knowing what Jim was trying and failing to ask.

Jim nodded.

Breakfast was served on the bed, for Jim at least. Blair ate while studying his reports. Instead of waiting, however, for the meeting. Blair called Shadowhawk, and told him about Jim's idea to look into the records while making it seem like his idea. Jim may have been a Ranger, and may have more experience that Shadowhawk, but to the IP captain Jim was nothing more than another sentinel. Imperial propery to be protected, and guarded from all danger including this crazed serial killer, but not to be listened to for theories on said serial killer.

The Captain had nodded and said he would do just that, then thanked Blair for his help.

An hour after breakfast, Blair pulled out his books for his class and began to work on his term paper. Jim was watching the IPN news. Apparently the relief project on Euphredies was well underway, and the Imperial Jewel was enroute to Earth.

About lunch time, Corrins made an appearence. The Observor ate lunch with them, and when they were through, Blair left for class with L'dnin.

Corrins used the computer to work on reports, and grade papers on some classes he was helping out with. Jim just ignored the Observor, answering with a curt, "No." to the question of wether or not he needed to go to the bathroom. Corrins would just shake his head slightly, then return to his reports, and papers.

Blair came a few hours later. Corrins went with them as they rode the tube car to Cascade. Jim, of course, was on his leash.

Captain Shadowhawk had taken Blair's or really Jim's idea to heart. They had gotten permission from a judge to look into the University's records. The detectives on the case were in the process of questioning some of the students, as well as the ex-students who were still on Orion 4.

When the meeting was done, Corrins left them to go proctor a class. Blair decided to eat in Cascade and he and Jim went to a Chinese restaurant.

They walked out of the restaurant, and headed for the tubes. Night was falling, and Blair was ready to get home for a long shower. At the tube car entrance, they waited for the doors to open. When they did they stepped onto the car. Before the door could shut, however, another human stepped into the near empty car. A strange sickening smell wafted to Jim, and the sentinel looked at the man he stood before them with a blaster pointed right at them.

Jim moaned as pain radiated across his body. The blaster had been set to stun, but to a sentinel it was pretty painful. He lifted his head, and heard a chain scraping across concrete, and felt the constant weight around his neck had increased. Sentinel eyes searched through the dim light and found Blair not far from him. The guide was laying out of arm's reach, hands secured behind his back, ankles bound. At first he feared his guide was already dead, but then he heard the distinctive heartbeat of his guide. The stun gun's effects were shaken off easily by a sentinel, but Blair was just a normal human. He would be out a bit longer. Footsteps made Jim turn his head, and saw the killer walking across the concrete floor over to Blair. The man had long dirty blonde hair, which he allowed to fall over his face. He ws wearing a grey uniform of a guide, but Jim could not see a band around his wrist. Not an Observor then. The sickening smell he had scented on the bodies was coming from the killer. When the man bent down to touch Blair, Jim growled deep in his throat and charged the man only to be brought up short by the chain attached to his collar, and an iron ring embedded in the floor. His throat hurt, but Jim shook it off, and stared angrily at the killer. He raped and killed Talia Was Jim's first thought. He has my guide. Was his second as the instintual sentinel came to the fore. And Jim lunged again, brought up short by the chain. The killer turned to look at him, and the face tickled at his memory. Suddenly it came to him.

"David." the sentinel growled. The student who had touched his back at the cafeteria. He knew that smell had been familiar. Why hadn't he remembered! Jim cursed himself inside for not recognizing the scent.

David stood up and walked over to the sentinel. "Be quiet. I have not given you permission to talk, Jimmy." David said. He was smart enough to stay out of Jim's reach.

"You shut up, you worthless piece of shit! You pathetic looser!" Blair cried from behind the killer.

Jim rolled his eyes. Good one, Chief. Make him angry enough to hit you.

David turned to the guide, who was desperatly trying to sit up.

"SHUT UP SHUT UP!" David cried holding his hands to his ears.

"Your pathetic. Your no guide. Your nothing but a wanna be loser." Blair shouted at the man who was gradually losing what sanity he had left.

David stalked over and slapped Blair across the face. "I am too. I am his guide!" David shouted. "And I'll prove it!"

Oh gods, what I have I done. Blair thought. I wanted him to focus on me, not Jim. Oh gods! Blair struggled usessly to free his wrists. He felt blood dripping down his hands, and incredible pain, but he continued to struggle. All the while he watched helplessly as David filled a syringe with Docile. He only put in a few cc's, but it would be enough to keep Jim compliant and under control.

David then walked carefully over to Jim, who looked ready to snap the man's neck if the killer got any closer. Instead, David took from his pocket a whistle, and placed it between his lips and blew. Blair heard nothing, but Jim clapped his hands over his ears in pain, and David took the opportunity to inject the sentinel with the Docile. David stepped back quickly as Jim recovered from the blast to his ears, and tried to grab at David.

"Fight it Jim." Blair said in his guide tone as he saw Jim begin to feel the effects of the Docile. "You need to fight it."

Jim bit down on the inside of his lips, and tasted blood. He tried to feel the pain of it, but the Docile was seeping in. He felt David's hands on his body, and wanted to strike out at the killer. His muscles were ignoring the orders from his brain, and his brain was wanting to shut down. The Docile lived up to its name, and Jim suddenly slumped to the ground, not unconscious. He was aware of his body, aware of what was happening as David removed the black uniform Jim wore as the killer sucked and licked at Jim's neck. He tried to shake the killer of him, but it wasn't working. He heard Blair telling him to fight, and he tried to obey. His body didn't cooperate. He shuddered in his mind as he felt David's hands all over him, and Jim knew deep in his mind that he was about to be raped. He heard Blair sobbing, and looked at his guide. He saw the tears in Blair's eyes, and the struggles of his guide to free himself. He tasted the blood in his mouth, and bit down harder on his lip. He tried to concentrate on the pain, tried to ignore the mouth on his neck, and back, the feel of a hard cock against his buttocks, the smell of arousal. He ignored all of it to concentrate on the pain, to move past the affects of the Docile. Protect the Guide went over and over in his mind. He didn't feel the hard cock that was trying to push its way inside him, he no longer smelled the arousal and the sickening smell of the killer, nor could hear the grunts and groans of pleasure. He saw only his guide, smelled only his guide's sweet scent, heard only the gentle voice that urged him to fight, and could only feel the pain from his mouth, and the taste of his own blood. With a roar like a jungle cat, the primitve sentinel slammed to the surface. Blair watched as Jim suddenly roared, and surged upwards dislodging his rapist and knocking the man to the ground. With quick speed and animal like growls, Jim reached over to the killer sprawled on the ground, who whimpered in terror. A quick movement of the wrists, and the killer's neck snapped like a twig. The sentinel dropped the body, breathing heavily, growling deep in throat.

"Jim." the voice was soft, tender, and familiar. It drilled through the instinct fog and reached the man inside. Jim Ellison turned to see his guide, still trussed like a lamb to the slaughter, and saw the tears glinting in the bright blue eyes. He tried to go to his guide, but was brought up short by the chain. Kneeling down, Jim went through the dead man's pockets and found the keys to the padlock.

The nurses and patients in the ER of the Cascade Hospital gasped in shock when they saw the man walking through the doors.

Jim held his guide tightly in his arms. The stun gun had left his guide weak, and his muscles refused to do anything but convulse. It was a side effect of a blaster shot on full stun. It usually required treatment of a anti-convulsant, except in cases of sentinels. Their body produced the correct chemicals to keep away the convulsions, and to fight the effects of a stun.

Jim limped into the ER of the hospital, holding his guide. He watched the nurses and other patients stare at him in shock sumise. One of the nurses quickly recovered, and immediatly called for a Doctor Loyd. The name seemed vaguely familiar to Jim, and when the Observor Doctor came into the room, he recognized the man from his physical. The Observor Doctor walked carefully up to Jim in an attempt not to alarm the sentinel.

"Please, " Jim said. "Help him."

"Don't worry. We will. Bring him into the back. Its alright, we'll take care of him." Dr. Loyd said. He knew that the sentinel was injured also from the blood at the corner of his mouth, but the sentinel would not let anyone care for him until his guide was seen to.

Dr. Loyd called for a regular doctor as he led Jim to the back and into an exam room. Dr. Loyd patted the exam table telling Jim to lay his guide there. Jim put his convulsing guide on the table.

"What happened to him?" Dr. Loyd asked. It wasn't procedure to ask questions of a sentinel, but Dr. Loyd knew this was an extreme case.

"Blaster on full stun. I don't know how long ago." Jim answered.

Dr. Loyd nodded. He quickly had the nurse retrieve an anti-convulsant, and injected it into the guide. A few minutes later the convulsing stopped, and Blair fell into a deep slumber.

"He's going to be alright." Dr. Loyd said. He tried to pat Jim's shoulder, but the sentinel flinched from the touch. Dr. Loyd frowned, but not in anger. He looked at the sentinel, and noticed the pale skin, and glazed over eyes.

"What happened?" Dr. Loyd asked in his guide voice.

"The killer." Jim said.

"The one that has been killing the guides?" Dr. Loyd asked.

Jim nodded.

Dr. Loyd paled. Now he knew what was wrong with the sentinel.

"Jim, " Dr. Loyd remmebered the sentinel's name, "Have you been injected with something?"

"Jim nodded, "Docile." Was all he got out before his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he fell over like a felled tree. Dr. Loyd was able to catch the unconscious sentinel and lower him to the ground gently.

Blair opened his eyes slowly. He felt groggy, and tired. His looked over toward his left, and saw Michael Corrins standing over him.

"Michael?" Blair was confused, then memory hit him like a ton of bricks, "Jim!" He tried to sit up.

Corrins placed a hand on Blair's shoulder, "Easy, Blair. Jim's alright, he's right there beside you."

Blair looked over to his right. The hospital bed he was in was designed specifically with Pairs in mind. Jim lay on a bed that was connected to Blair's bed. It could be maneuvered to be beside the guide's bed like it was now, or underneath the guide's bed. Since Jim was also injured, it was beside him. If Blair had been the only one injured, then the sentinel's bed would be beneath his where the doctors and nurses could get to the guide without having a sentinel in the way, and the sentinel could stay with his guide.

Blair reached down and layed a hand on Jim's back. The sentinel was asleep on his stomach, a sheet covering his naked body up to the middle of his back. His face was turned away from Blair toward the door.

"Physically, he'll be fine, Blair. A few bruises, cuts. His throat beneathe the collar is bruised colorfully, but he didn't do any damage to his larynx. The penetration was only minimal. I don't think the killer got in very far before Jim killed him." Corrins said.

Tears fell down Blair's face as he idly petted his sentinel's head, running his fingers through the short brown hair.

"Its my fault. I shouldn't have taunted the killer. I was trying to buy some time, hoping Jim could find away to get us free. It only made him want to prove to me he was a guide."

"Easy Blair." Michael said as he held the guide's shoulders in a hug. "The killer would have done it anyway. You saw the autopsy reports. Its not your fault. Its no one's fault but the killer's. And he's dead."

"Who was he?" Blair asked.

"An ex-student named David Lash. How he passed the first psych exam is beyond me. We had a sentinel follow Jim's scent back to the hideout. It was an old building on the outskirts of Cascade. We found his body."

"He looked familair, but I can't place him."

"Do you remmeber the student that startled Jim that day in the cafeteria?"

"Oh gods, that was him!" Blair said in surpise, "Oh gods!"

"Easy Blair. You need to keep your heartrate down. Jim won't rest easy if your heartrate starts skyrocketing."

"Has the Empress been contacted?" Blair asked.

"Yes. She's on her way right now." Corrins said.

"What?" Blair thought he had heard that wrong.

"She's coming here. The Imperial Jewel is making its way to Orion 4 as we speak. She'll be here in two days."

"She told me that she canceled all of Jim's sessions, and returned the fees to the owners."

Blair just nodded. It shouldn't have surprised him that the Empress was coming to Orion 4, or that she had canceled the sessions. She may just see Jim as a sentinel, but she cared for him. She cared for them both. Blair knew that. It wasn't just because Jim was her sentinel. She may not recognize Jim as anything but a sentinel, but she cared about Jim as Jim. Blair knew it confused Jim. Hell, it confused Blair too. He was a pet, but he was Jim, the pet. Not the pet, or the sentinel, but Jim, or Jimmy as she called him. Sometime later, Corrins left.

Under his hand, Jim began to stir. Instead of jerking away, however, the sentinel was enjoying the caress from Blair's hand. His body, even after such a violation, recognized Blair's touch. Blair used his voice to guide Jim into awakening. When the sentinel opened his eyes, he looked at Blair with relief.

"How are you doing, Chief?" Jim asked Blair who was leaned over Jim.

"I'm fine. Are you alright?" Blair asked with concern.

"I'm fine, chief. Throat hurts a bit, but otherwise..." He shrugged.

"Jim, " Blair said, "Don't withhold anything. How are you, and not just physically?"

"I know it happened, Chief, but I really don't remember it. Between the Docile, and I don't know what to call it. Some kind of primitive mind or beast was in control of me. I'm grateful, though, it helped me fight the Docile and save you."

"Just don't draw away from me, okay, Jim. If you need to talk or cry or anything, just some to me. Okay."

"Okay, Chief." Jim said.

"Alright, now for the good news. The Empress is coming here. She'll be here in two days."

"Oh, yeah, terrific news." Jim said heavy on the sarcasm.

"You knew you would have to face her sooner or later." lair said.

"Yeah, I was just hoping for later. Much later."

"She canceled the sessions, and gave back the fees."

"She did what...man, and here I thought she would have us stay here longer and finish the sessions."

"You don't give her any credit for compassion, do you?"

"Kinda hard to think she has compassion when your a sentinel, Chief."

"Jim, man, they, the Emperors and Empress I mean, had no choice. You know the reason. Circumstance forced their hands. I'm not justifying their actions, I am just saying that..."

"Yeah, Chief. You are. To save billions, they sacrificed the freedom of hundreds. Its the kind of life and death choices that all rulers and leaders must make eventually. They made the choice, and they stuck with it. The consequences otherwise were to horrible to contemplate."

"You can say that. You, a sentinel, whose had to live with those choices."

"Yes, I can. I was a Captain. I know the responsibiltiy of command. I don't have to like. No one said I had to like it, but I have to live with it. No choice, not for me."

"She's knows." Blair whispered.

"Knows what?" Jim asked.

"That we know the reason. I don't know how she knows, but she does."

"How do you...never mind I believe you. Does it change anything?"

"No. I thinks she's known for awhile now. She knows we are not going to tell anyone, she trusts us not to."

Jim nodded. Telling people wouldn't change anything, except maybe to cause some panic. Panic which might induce some to kill sentinels to protect themselves.

The next day, Jim and Blair were released from the hospital. They returned to Blair's dorm room, where Blair immediatly began to pack their stuff. The Empress would be coming the next day, and no doubt, he and Jim would be leaving with her. Jim lay on the bed, watching Blair as the guide packed. He would have helped, but he wasn't allowed off the bed. The doctors had healed the bruises and scrapes on Jim's body. Only a soreness in the muscles indicated that Jim had been injured at all.

When Blair was done packing, he ordered two trays from the food dispenser, and handed one of the trays to Jim. Jim sat on the bed, ignoring the small pain from the only bruises they hadn't healed, the ones he had recieved for his punishment, and placed the tray in his lap.

Blair managed to take one bite before the door chimed.

"Come, " BLair said, and the door opened to admit L'dnin and his sister Taleen.

"Blair, how are you doing." L' dnin asked. He had visited Blair in the hospital the day before.

"Better, L'dnin. Much better." Blair answered. L'dnin moved to sit at the table, but moved to scoop up Taleen who looked as if she had planned to crawl onto the bed. Taleen pouted a bit at that, but L'dnin ignored it as he sat on a chair at the table settling his sister in his lap. Taleen squirmed a bit, but settled down quickly with a stern gaze from her brother.

"Mother says that we will be coming back next year to finish the class."

Blair nodded through a mouthful of salad.

"Mother also wanted me to inform you that she will have it announced through the household that petting Jimmy is off limits for awhile, including us."

Blair's mouth gaped in shock, "She's really going to do that. I thought it was one of the household's privileges."

"It is, but though she's made it clear its not a punishment to the household, she has ordered it by penalty of death."

"Damn." Blair breathed.

"Only you and Mother are allowed to touch him. Except of course for any doctor's in cases of emergencey, or medical reasons."

"I think that it will be really helpfull in letting him heal." Blair said numbly. He was still surprised by the order.

On the bed, Jim just continued eating, only half listening to the conversation that was going on above his head. Having everyone talk about him over his head was another thing he hated on his ever growing list of things he hated about being a sentinel. Though, he was a bit glad about not having to put up with everyone petting him when he got back to the ship, he also hated the thought that everyone just assumed that what happened was going to affect him so badly. I don't remember what happened. why can't they believe that. Its the truth for the gods' sakes.Jim thought. And it was the truth. The only thing Jim remembered was the scent of fear flowing from his guide, the white hot rage that engulfed him at that scent, and the feel of the man's neck between his hands as the delicated bones broke beneath his sensitive fingers. The instinctive drive that had come to the fore at the scent of his guide's fear had overwhelmed him, taken control of his mind and body, and had allowed him to save his guide from the madman. Later, he remembered gathering his guide into his arms, the body trembling from the effects of the stun blaster, the heart beating erratically at the tremors, and the scent of his enemy's death filling his nostrils. He had then walked from the warehouse, ignoring his own hurts, to the city of Cascade, inside the hospital. Once inside the hospital, he had followed the instructions of the Observor Doctor. His last image had been of Blair on the exam table before everything had gone black. No matter how hard he tried to break through that thick barrier that seperated him from his memories, he could not tear down the wall. The pure instinct driven sentinel had erected that wall, seperating the two beings, and the memories associated with it. And Jim ellison was grateful for that. He didn't want those memories.

The shuttle that held the Empress landed lightly on the platform. The Honor Guard that had arrived before the Empress' shuttle arranged themselves on either side of the dark blood red carpet that led from the shuttle's exit to the waiting crowd.

Blair along with L'dnin, Taleen and Jim waited at the end of the red carpet. Blair held the end of Jim's leash tightly, without even realising it. Jim could hear his guide's heartbeat pumping quickly in Blair's chest. Beside Blair L'dnin wore his best clothes, purple trousers, puffy sleeved shirt, knee high boots, black and shiny in the Orion sun. Taleen was dressd in a lavender colored dress, her hair done in a long braid down her back.

The shuttle door hissed open, and the Empress stepped out onto the top of the stairs. She was also dressed in her finest gown, the Imperial Star Crown on her head, hair also in a braid. Beside her, the Consort was equally donned up in his dark purple trousers, and light lavender shirt. Horns trumpeted, and the Empress and the Consort began their walk down the stairs and to the end of the carpet.

When the Empress stood before Blair and his small contingent, the young guide, with only a slightly trembling hand, handed over his sentinel's leash to the Empress, who took it with a solemn face. Immediatly Jim moved to his hands and knees beside the Empress, while Blair, L'dnin, bowed, and Taleen curtseyed. The Empress made the motion for them to arrise, which they did. Only Jim did not move, staying on his hands and knees, shoulder brushing the Empress' long billowing dress. The Empress placed a hand on the sentinel's head. Jim flinched only a bit. His mind might not remember what happened, but his body apparently wasn't likely to forget. The Empress was not angered by the flinch, but instead of removing her hand, she moved her hand in a petting motion down the sentinel's head. Jim endured it stoically.

As she petted the sentinel, the Empress looked over the guide, her son and daughter. She seemed satisfied by what she saw, because she nodded her head and turned back to the shuttle. The guide, Heir and Empress' daughter followed the Empress and Consort back to the shuttle. The sentinel had moved swiftly at the Empress' frist step he had gone from his hands and knees to his feet in one motion, and now followed behind her. All together they moved back up the stairs and into the shuttle. The shuttle then powered up its engines and lifted off. Everyone watched until it dissapeared from sight.

The people gathered there had seen a glimpse of their ruler, and they disperesed to their homes with that sight of her still fresh in their minds. Though all races there had been conquored by the Elium's, they knew in their hearts that they were being ruled by perhaps not the compassion that thier own race knew and understood, but a compassion of a different sort, tempered by wisdom, and honor. And they left the platform to return to their daily lives with the sure knowledge that they were being guided toward thier future by an Empress they could love and trust.

The End

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