THE PACH
A "Fairy" Story
Author: Jennie McGrath
Jennieemcg@aol.comNotes: originally published in THE BIG B7 ZINE (1993)
The Pach (A "Fairy" Story)
By Jennie McGrath
Thus many trickes, I, Pach, can doe,
But to the good I ne'ere was foe:
The bad I hate and will doe ever,
Till they from ill themselves doe sever.
To help the good Ile run and goe,
The bad no good from me shall know.
A violent shudder wracked the Liberator as the Federation plasma bolt found its target--again. Shakily, the crew picked themselves up and returned to their assigned battled stations.
Except Avon. He moved to stand in front of Blake, the light of a different, more personal battle in his dark eyes. "It's over, you fool. They have us." Eyes snapping with anger he stepped closer yet--funny how he seemed to have no regard for the larger man's personal space. "One more hit like that last one and even Liberator will be destroyed. As things stand now Zen will need at least two weeks--with my assistance--to repair the damage inflicted thus far." Brown eyes challenged Blake to accept the hopelessness of the situation. "We both know we cannot escape this time, not while surrounded by seven Federation battle cruisers." One hand held Blake's jaw, forcing him to meet that intense gaze when the rebel would have shifted his eyes to the forward screen, while the scorn-filled voice continued. "Your luck has run out, fearless leader."
"No!" Breaking free of Avon's bruising hold, Blake turned to face the screen. "We must break free. There has to be a way, there's always a way."
Silently, Vila rose from his seat at weapons and crossed to the comm station. Cally moved aside without a murmur after one look at the grimly determined set of the thief's mouth. Agile fingers flew swiftly over the keys, punching in a complicated code.
"Indicating our surrender, Vila?" Avon sneered.
"Shut up, Avon," Vila mumbled absently as he continued to enter an indecipherably coded string of commands.
"Why you little--"
"Leave him." Blake's voice, that tone of command to which even Avon responded, left no room for argument.
In unison, the two Alphas turned to view the forward screen. The cruisers still sent a constant volley of plasma bolts, but strangely, they appeared to be firing blindly. As if their sensors could no longer locate the target sitting helplessly in their midst.
"What the hell?" So preoccupied was the crew, no one even noticed the uncharacteristic words coming from Avon in an unusually muted voice.
"Blake!"
All eyes turned at Cally's amazed yelp. Following the direction of her fascinated gaze, they stared at the man rising from the seat so recently occupied by Vila.
In his place was a stranger...an extremely familiar stranger. If not for the white-blonde hair, the startling green eyes, and the tips--tips?--of its ears peeking through strands of silken hair, it bore a striking resemblance to their thief.
But it couldn't be. Could it?
"Who or what the hell are you?" Avon growled, stepping forward to confront the stranger.
"Hush now," Vila's familiar voice spoke from the unfamiliar face, green eyes sparkling humorously. "I can get us out of this mess, but you'll have to let me do it my own way."
Avon groaned aloud. "As I said, it's over."
Blake placed one hand on Avon's shoulder in a placating manner, "Let him try." Brown eyes met brown, fought a silent battle, then Avon sighed and moved away to face the forward screen.
He froze when he saw the man watching him curiously from the screen. "I suppose," Avon said in a long-suffering tone directed at the being claiming to be Vila, "that this is your long lost brother, uncle, or cousin?"
For the watcher had the same brightly glimmering green eyes, blonde hair and pointed ears. He stared at Avon for a moment then swept his eyes over the two women, pausing to view Cally with undisguised curiosity before moving on to Blake.
Vila rose and crossed to Blake's side. "Ah," said the stranger in a musical voice, "'twas your signal I received." Vila nodded confirmation. "Perhaps you'll be so kind as to explain."
Straightening from his usual slouch, Vila spoke clearly, "I am Vila ap Terra, Pach of the Delta Sidh."
"And the Gwydion?" asked the stranger, indicating Blake with a nod.
Confused, Blake shifted uncomfortably under the green-eyed scrutiny. "My name is Blake. Roj Blake, not Gwydion."
Vila smiled a secret smile. "He is the reason I have left my court. One of the reasons," he qualified, indicating Avon's quietly menacing figure with the wave of a hand. "This wizard is the other reason. When I found myself scheduled for transport to a penal colony on the same ship with a bard and a wizard, neither of whom had the vaguest idea of his power...well it seemed best to accompany them."
The stranger nodded in understanding, "And, of course you've not told them of your own gifts, eh?"
"Keep it simple," Vila said with a smile. "That's my motto."
Smiling openly now, the stranger introduced himself, "I am Midar, Seneschal to the High King, Nuala, of The Seelie Court."
"Nuala?" Vila repeated in a surprised tone, "I have heard stories of him. We of the Delta Sidh had thought his court destroyed by the Federation long ago."
"We saw the trap being set and arranged an escape." Sadness clouded the green eyes at the memory. "We lost many during the move, our Bard among them."
"What is this?" Avon asked impatiently. "Where are we, why has the Federation lost sight of us when we sit in plain view and who are you?" With typical Avon arrogance, the tech placed his hands on slim hips waiting for his explanation.
"I imagine this one has caused you no small amount of trouble," the stranger, Midar, commented to Vila. "He has no knowledge of his power, you say."
Avon frowned. He did not like being ignored. He did not like Vila's physical transformation. And he particularly did not care for being discussed, by two men with pointed ears, as if he were not present. "What are you?" he directed the question pointedly at Vila.
The smaller man grinned, turning to meet Avon's obstinate gaze squarely. "I am an elf, as is Midar and, I should imagine, the other inhabitants of his planet."
"You expect us to believe--" Avon's sarcastic comment broke off as Vila transformed back to his usual appearance. Right before their eyes, the silver-haired, green-eyed, pointy—eared creature altered itself into the sandy-haired, brown-eyed, round-eared Delta male most commonly known as Vila Restal.
Avon glared at him suspiciously.
Curious, Midar spoke to Vila, "With all available to you, why do you choose such a...plain facade?"
"Would you remember this face?" Vila asked with a wicked grin. "It's the best way to disappear in a crowd, looking so average."
"But why—" Midar started, then grinned back at Vila. "I see," he said. "Well then," the elf spoke to the entire bridge crew, "you're all welcome to the hospitality of our little haven for as long as needed. We've already extended the glamourie concealing our planet to hide your ship as well. Will you be needing any help establishing orbit?"
"I expect we will," Vila answered, as none of the others seemed capable of speech at the moment. "We've sustained quite a bit of damage. Can you pull us in?"
Avon growled, quite audibly, and stepped in Vila's direction. Or, what he thought was in Vila's direction. Not a soul stood there now. Blinking, Avon turned to find the thief safely hidden behind Blake. "Don't think you can hide from me, you little...whatever you are."
Blake decided that the time for intervention had arrived. With an arm about Vila's shoulders, he faced the irate tech. "Now Avon, just because Vila has kept some secrets from us, there is no reason for—"
"No reason!" Avon sputtered.
:You know. Both of you. Look inside yourselves, you'll see, you've always known:
Vila's voice speaking inside their heads while his mouth did not move brought Avon's frustrated anger, if not to an end, at least under control; Blake merely looked befuddled, then accepting.
"I," Avon announced with all the dignity he could muster, "will be on the lower decks helping Zen with repairs." With that he retreated rather hastily from the flight deck. He found himself more than a little disturbed that Vila was correct. He knew, just as the voice in his head had said. He'd always known.
"Your entire crew," Midar spoke to Blake, "is welcome to visit our world while repairs are being made. We have little contact with outsiders and would appreciate the opportunity to catch up on what's been going on in the galaxy."
#
Their time on the planet had passed far too quickly. The day of departure had, unfortunately, arrived.
"Remember," Midar spoke quietly in Blake's ear, "you'll always find safe haven with us."
"Thank you, my friend, I will bear it in mind."
"I have a feeling," Vila piped up, "Blake will return here. At that time, you must teach him, Midar. There are too few Bards born these days, we cannot afford to leave this one in ignorance."
Two sets of green eyes met in silent accord. Midar nodded, then reached to embrace the thief-turned-elf. :I will keep him safe for you, when the time comes, little brother.:
:'twill be some time yet, Midar.: Vila's green eyes clouded over at his foreknowledge. :He will need you though. And I...I must stay with Avon.:
"Just exactly what are you two plotting over there?" Blake's eyes twinkled merrily. This short break had been good for him.
"Just making our farewells in the customary elvin manner," Vila casually answered.
"What is the hold up?" Avon's impatient question chased all merriment from their faces. "Are you ready for teleport, or not?"
With a heavy sigh, Blake brought his bracelet to his lips, "Ready, Avon."
As the familiarly uncomfortable feeling of having his molecules scrambled came over Vila, Midar spoke to him once again, :We will be there when you need us. Try not to fret so over your wizard; he will recover after it happens. You will all recover.:
Vila frowned, he knew what would happen in the end. He also knew who would not be present.
:I, also, am aware of the fates of these two females. I refer to the survival of those who will be with you at Gauda Prime.:
The last thing he heard, as he rematerialized on board the Liberator, was Midar slyly whispering in his mind, :You will have met your one true love by then, he will be with you soon. But,: Vila "heard" a distinct air of amusement in Midar's thoughts, :you will not recognize your feelings for him until you return here, to the Court of Nuala.:
Vila blanched. He?
Nope, it couldn't be. Not that arrogant young pilot they'd be picking up soon. As an Elf, Vila knew himself to be virtually immortal...but, from the vague visions he'd had of the new pilot--he suspected that this might just be the death of him.
Besides, he'd always considered himself to be quite the ladies' man. Not that he had anything against male-male sex. It was just that he'd always pictured himself settled down with a wife and children someday.
:Now, now, young one,: Midar's mental voice grew more faint as Liberator left orbit and headed away from the hidden planet, :we must accept love in whatever form it takes. You and yours will be very happy together here, for many, many years. As will Blake and Avon, though they also will take some time yet to recognize their feelings for each other.:
Now there was a mental picture to keep a smile on his face for quite a while to come.
"What are you smirking about, idiot?"
Vila's grin widened at Avon's question. "Nothing you'd wish to hear about, my friend." Avon frowned at the familiarity of Vila's comment. Vila ignored it and smiled ever so sweetly. "You'll find out in good time, Avon. Believe me, you don't want to know before time."
Strangely, as he watched Vila exit the teleport chamber, Avon did not doubt his words. He knew more than enough already.
the end