By Christina Kamnikar

Part 2 -- Luna

April 15, 2260 [Severed Dreams]
13:46 PM, local time
Sea of Serenity Interstellar Station; Luna

"Have you got it working?" Margo asked, keeping her voice low, glancing around the crowded spaceport nervously.

"I think so. This should give you guys each about two minutes to make a call before they could trace it back, if the connections are being monitored." Wally frowned at the vidphone connection and the trailing wires leading into the portable camera hook-up, then nodded to himself. The three of them --- Margo, Wally, and Kit--- were concealed from prying eyes in one of the public vidphone kiosks, with Wally's equipment (and phone tampering tricks) concealed beneath the eye level of the public. "Go."

Margo punched in her parents' com code, knowing she'd get the machine, but still half-disappointed when the recorded message kicked in. She smiled determinedly, brightly, and completely falsely at the camera hook-up. "Hi Mom, hi Dad. Just wanted to let you know I'm fine, and you won't be hearing from me for a while." She cleared her throat, her mind suddenly going blank. "Ummm... I'm not sure when I'll be back, but in case you're contacted by anyone official, you can just show them this message, so they'll know you haven't a clue where I've gone. Hopefully they won't, though."

There seemed to be too much to say, too many warnings she wanted to give but couldn't, in case NightWatch decided to view the recording later. Her parents would understand, anyway. They always had. They knew what her views were and agreed with them. If they hadn't been on a dig in Amarna, they'd be telling her to disconnect the call before she got caught. "I love you both. I just don't think Earth is a good place for me to be right now. I'll come back as soon as I can.... Take care." Wally hit the cutoff button and Margo leaned against the kiosk walls, her emotional exhaustion starting to catch up with the physical.

Contacts with some fly-by-night shuttle crews that owed her a favor had gotten the three of them off Earth via Copenhagen, with three changes of transport and absolutely no sleep. Currently, all travel to and from Luna Station was being heavily policed, with passage to Mars flatly prohibited. Not that it would have been a safe place to go; the bombing was ongoing. But it would have been better than facing the kind of sanctions that awaited them back in Geneva.

As it was they were stuck on Luna, nearly broke, without more than their portable camera equipment and a weekend's worth of clothing to their names.

Kit had stepped up to the phone, and managed to get through to his girlfriend in Paris as Margo watched wearily. "I'm okay, Ellie... really. I'm fine. I haven't done anything wrong---"

"Nightwatch contacted me, they want to know where you are...." The teary-eyed girl at the other end sniffled, her mascara running down her cheeks. "I said I didn't know. I don't want to know. But I want you to come back! You can explain to them---"

"There's nothing to explain, I didn't do anything, I just don't want to do what they want," Kit said in exasperation. "I'm just going to... take a vacation until this blows over, okay?" His tone softened. "I love you, Elle. I promise, this'll only be for a little while."

"Be careful," his girlfriend whispered, and Kit kissed his fingers and pressed them to the screen as Wally cut the connection, then started packing up the splicing equipment. Margo looked away while the anchorman got himself under control. //He may be a twit, but he's a twit who loves his girlfriend....//

"Isn't there someone you want to call?" Margo asked Wally significantly, stooping down to help him pack up.

"My Aunt Jane. But she doesn't have a vidphone." Wally sighed, avoiding her eyes. "I didn't tell you before... Rikki and I broke up a week before we got the Cannes assignment."

"Ah, jeezz..." She punched her friend lightly on the arm. "I'm sorry." //Well, I'm sorry for you, anyway. I'm *not* sorry you're not still with that snake...//

He shrugged, his face clouded with wistfulness. "It was a long time coming. She's too ambitious for me. She kept seeing this whole Clark mess in terms of how to make it work for her...." The big man's voice trailed off, and he lifted his shoulders in another massive, helpless shrug. "Had to happen. If I don't call her, she'll be that much safer, anyway."

"I guess." They packed up the last of the equipment and exited the kiosk, Margo thoughtful, Wally looking more tired than anything else, and Kit still seemng depressed about saying good-bye to Elle.

"Do we even have any idea what we're going to do next?" Kit asked suddenly, collapsing on one of the benches near the escalators. "At all?"

"Make tourist videos for sightseers?" Wally suggested, sitting down next to him, looking around the starport bemusedly. "I dunno. Maybe if we just keep our heads down long enough, we can go back eventually. After they stop looking for us."

"There has to be another option." Margo began pacing in front of her two colleagues. "If we can make it to Mars, or Io, maybe we can cover the news from there--- and we still have those tapes of the troops in Geneva," she reminded them. "Those have *got* to be broadcast. It'll make a dent in Clark's support, especially when the public sees what happened to the guys who were trying to escape the city...." Her mouth thinned in remembrance. "I don't want him to get away with this. Or with what he did at HQ. We just can't do it from _here_."

"All travel from Luna Colony is restricted." Kit parroted back the ticketing agent's spiel from an hour before in a high-pitched, robotic voice. "Until the current crisis is resolved, citizens are advised to remain on Earth. After martial law is no longer neces---"

"Kit, you're getting on my very last nerve," Margo growled. "No coffee, no sleep, no shower, no chocolate, no money--- There isn't a jury on the planet who'd convict me if I--- "

"As I live and breathe. It's Squeaky, Sluggo and Snarl."

Margo blinked, stared at Wally, whose mouth was agape and starting to turn up in a grin, and Kit, who was groaning and had his hands over his face, then she spun around, feeling the first hint of joy she'd felt in far too long. "Harry!?"

"Gotta watch that ranting, Channing. You're bound to get picked up by starport security if you keep ripping Redfern a new one." The veteran producer hugged Margo, while she sighed in incredulous relief and then started to laugh weakly, but with deep gladness.

"God, I thought you were there when it happened, I knew your team was due back, I'm so glad to *see* you---"

"What, leave Hawaii for Geneva? In the height of luau season? You jest." Harry had grown a beard, and he was wearing shaded glasses, but otherwise he looked the same--- for a guy who *always* looked like a tacky tourist. The Hawaiian shirt might have been a memento of the last trip, or it might have been one he'd had in his wardrobe for years; Margo had never seen him without one. "The short hair suits you, by the way. As well as those... highlights." He squinted at Kit, then smiled ruefully. "A lot better than being a brunette suits Redfern. You look dead, Squeaky."

Kit's face was screwed up in a petulant scowl. "You look like---"

"Shut up, Kit." Margo was far too relieved to see her first boss to let the sniping between him and Kit continue. "Did everyone come with you to Luna? Sophie as well?"

"Yup. All five of us. We were just trying to figure out where we go from here." Harry shook his head, abruptly sobering. "Not helped by the fact that there are warrants out for all ISN employees who haven't reported in to Nightwatch."

Xia drew her legs up to her chest and hugged them, trying not to get nervous that Harry and Drew weren't back yet. //Just because there are warrants out, doesn't mean we're in any *more* danger... yet. Harry said so.// She rocked a little on the hard plastic seat to console herself, watching the surrounding crowds swirl by the ISN Hawaii team's clump of baggage and people. //They don't have our descriptions, they don't have any names yet, they don't know _where_ we are. We're fine. There's nothing to be scared of.//

Xia tilted her head to the right to glance at her two sleeping compatriots, and sighed, envying them their ability to collapse in the hard chairs. Todd hadn't slept in at least 30 hours, which explained how he was able to do it; that, and he was sprawled across Drew's Terran Tourister Luggage and Harry's knapsack. Sophie, though, had slept on the transport, and she was *still* asleep, nearly sitting up in one of the stupid bowl chairs. She claimed to be capable of sleeping anywhere (a remark which inspired a smart-assed remark from Drew about some night they'd "slept together", and it had gotten him a smack on the head). Xia wished that she could imitate the older woman, and put her sunglasses on, lean back, and immediately lose consciousness. It would be a lot better than remembering the situation they were in.

Her parents would freak when they found out. She hugged herself a little tighter. How could she explain this to them? "No, I don't think that reporting for President Clark's flunkies would be good for my career... No, I don't agree with his policies or tactics.... No, I *would* rather risk jail than do something as despicable as collaborate with him."

Her mom would come back with a million practical reasons why she should go along with developments until the political climate changed. Her dad would tell her she was far too young to be throwing away her career before it even got started. They just wouldn't get it. People had been *killed*. People she knew, maybe. There was no way of knowing for sure, but Drew had gone to check a few sources, and see if he could turn up something. Harry had taken off mumbling about passages to Io and Triton, and Xia was trying to have faith in him. After all, he'd gotten them off Earth, right? Right. There had to be a way to get out of reach of Nightwatch. Permanently.

They hadn't even done anything, really. That was what was so unfair. Everyone at ISN, even she, had known that the evidence of President Clark's collusion in in President Santiago's death hadn't been faked. All that ISN had done was leak that story to the public. Told the truth. Because of that, *all* ISN employees were under scrutiny, as well as the other news services. //Guess Clark isn't pretending that anyone's permission matters anymore... he's just going to do what he wants.// No one was stopping him now. He had PsiCorps on his side, and Nightwatch and the Ministry of Peace backing him everywhere else. ISN had been the last real holdout. Now there was no one to criticize him or tell the truth.

Drew and Harry had been vehement in their outrage and disgust at the attack on ISN. The older producer had been especially intense; Xia knew that he had going on 30 years with the Network. Maybe he'd never had a romance with Jane Reeves, but he always seemed to know just about everyone in Geneva, and most of the other reporters at the New York and Sydney offices. With that kind of history, there was no way *he* was going back. Drew hadn't been with ISN nearly as long--- only a few years--- but Xia knew he had no tolerance for Clark's tactics. He was far too laid-back himself to ever approve of anyone else's strong-arm displays.

He'd thought she was joking, the other night when she had asked him about ravishing.... Xia buried her head on her knees again, and groaned internally. Ohhhh, this was why she never drank. Two Hurricanes and she thought she was Mata Hari or something. //"Could you ravish me tomorrow?" Gods, Xia, why didn't you just rip his shirt off?//

Sophie had been briskly reassuring the next day while she fixed Xia and Todd's hangover remedies. Todd had already known about Xia's hopeful infatuation with the on-air commentator, and had actually *encouraged* her in the idea that she could ever make a good impression on Drew.... "Don't worry about what you said to D'Ambow last night; he knows you were joking," Sophie had said in response to her embarrassed groans of dismay when she remembered what she'd done. Forcing Xia to a sitting position before giving her the glass of greenish-grey goo, Sophie had added lightly, "He gets that all the time."

Which didn't really help, but.... //Why am I worrying about my non-existent love life when I'm on the run from Nightwatch?// Xia stretched her legs out, and stared down at her hightops ruefully. //Because you're now on the run *with* him, and gee, there might be opportunities.... Right. If we live through this....// Besides, it kept her mind off how much trouble they were in. If she could pretend this was just another assignment, another mix-up with the travel arrangements, it would almost seem fun, instead of scaring her so much that she longed to be back in her little dorm room at Hong Kong U.

Todd mumbled in his sleep, shifted, then was still except for some light snoring, his pale, thin face looking bland and unfinished without his wire-rimmed glasses. Xia wasn't sure how he felt about all this, except that he seemed convinced he'd be arrested if he went back. Maybe he'd done or said something incriminating that was on record somewhere, although she couldn't imagine what. He was only a year older than her, and they'd graduated at the same time, practically starting work at ISN on the same day. Maybe he thought working for Harry was enough. Maybe it *was*---

//No, no, don't think of that. Remember what Sophie said. It has to blow over soon, but it's better to be out of the line of fire until it does. That's all.// She glanced at the Italian reporter again, and marveled at how relaxed the woman was when she slept, her long black curls spread out around her like a fan, her lean body limp and soft in sleep. //She's like a boneless cat... or one of Ren and Zootie's rubber people. Does she *ever* get tense?// Sophie had been the least visibly upset by Clark's move on ISN, but she hadn't questioned even for a moment Harry's proposal that they leave Earth.

She'd almost seemed more annoyed than anything else; not callous about the people who'd been killed, or approving, but--- Xia got the impression Sophie thought the whole exercise was too stupid to last, and was more irritated at the inconvenience to her personally than anything else. "Clark's incredibly paranoid and totally narcissistic," had been one of her comments. "It's a shame his supporters can't see he's going to shoot himself in the foot eventually."

Which was fine, and maybe even possible, but until then, what were they supposed to do?

Xia stood up to stretch her legs, then squinted down the concourse, spotting Harry approaching them with three other people. She recognized Kit Redfern, one of the junior commentators for the Network, even with the bad dye job and contact lenses. He was looking much scruffier than usual, and not even a little bit happy about it. The other two were unfamiliar: a tall, big man with dark hair, a five o'clock shadow that matched Harry's, and quiet grey eyes that took away any sense of intimidation about his size; and a tall, taut, curvy woman about Sophie's age, with curly red/gold/brown hair that looked as recently dyed as Redfern's, dark aqua eyes, and a warm smile. Both looked as if scruffiness was habitual for them, and not a matter of the current crisis, since both wore photographer's vests with the zillion pockets needed to carry lenses and data crystals, well-worn sneakers, and baseball caps.

"Xia, I want you to meet Wally Salinski and Margo Channing---the best cameraman and one of the best producers in the business," Harry said, grinning when Margo stuck out her tongue at him. "Give me a break Margo, I'm still part of the field in question. And you probably already recognized the Clark Kent impersonator. Squeaky, say hi to Xia Tang."

Redfern made a face, but Margo just grinned at the banter, then smiled sympathetically at Xia. "Nice to meet you, although I wish it were under better circumstances. I think I viewed one of your editing tapes a couple months ago---the refugee story? Great work."

"Thanks." Xia ducked her head, still feeling awkward, then grinned as Harry toed the still-sleeping Todd in the ribs, causing the younger cameraman/editor to roll off Drew's luggage and nearly fall on the floor.

"Harry! Jeeeezzz...." Todd grumbled, staggered to his feet, blinked around at the newcomers, and began patting himself down for his glasses, which he finally extracted from his breast pocket. "What's up?"

The producer ignored him and turned to the dozing commentator. "Sophie my love, it's time to return to the land of the living," Harry caroled, reaching for the other journalist's concealing shades.

She caught his wrist without opening her eyes and intoned, "This is not living. This is being on location. Or on the run. Either way, I'm sleeping every chance I get, until given good reason." Sophie yawned hugely, then peered over her glasses at the newcomers, her lips quirking in welcome. "Oh, hello, Margo. Hi, Wally." Her smile grew evil. "Love the new look, Squeaky."

"You know where you can stick your fashion tips, Sophie---"

"I have an excellent reason for awakening you, my dove," Harry interrupted the threatening argument with a self-satisfied grin. "I got us passage to Io."

"You're kidding." Xia turned to see Drew and three *more* new people; none of whom she recognized, though the tall guy with the ponytail was certainly gorgeous enough to be on the air. Drew (the man of her fantasies, the man of her dreams... the man who she'd almost gotten sick on two nights ago) crossed his arms and cocked as suspicious eyebrow at their boss. "You couldn't have gotten us a berth on any of the commercial liners---"

"Too true. We're flying as cargo, ladies and gentlemen." Harry eyed Drew's companions speculatively, then nodded to one of them and said, "Daniel Marisoto, right? So you've got to be Robin Deane," he added, addressing the tiny, spiky-haired blonde with her arm around the Afriasian guy he'd spoken to. "I'm glad you two were on vacation when the balloon went up. This is turning into a real off-planet ISN convention."

"Yeah, well, we figured now was not the time to stick around," Marisoto replied with a shrug. "We're not exactly on anybody's Christmas list. This is Flynn Allen, by the way," he added, gesturing to the tall guy.

"Dan and I shared an editing room in Sydney for five years. Robin's never forgiven me for parts of our last trip before they became partners," Allen said with a British accent, grinning and easily dodging Robin's attempted kick to his shin. "I've heard a lot about you, Kilroy. Glad to see Dan wasn't exaggerating for once. Do you think there's room for us on your flight out of here?"

"There should be. For you three, too," Harry added, nodding to Wally, Margo and Kit. "No frills, no in-flight service, and we're going to have to change ships a couple times; but we should be able to get to Io, and from there to somewhere out of reach of Nightwatch, within a week. The transport leaves in two hours, but we're going to have to be on it long before that, so grab your gear."

Various expressions of relief left everyone's lips, and Xia could see most of them visibly relaxing. Her own stomach had unclenched, and she gave Harry a hug of gratitude before turning to gather up her stuff. "Drew, what did you find out from your contacts?" Harry asked as they started walking down the concourse.

"Nothing good. More warrants are out for ISN employees," Drew said, shaking his head, then he turned to punch Wally on the arm. "Salinski, what did you do to get on their hit-list?"

"They've got my name up?" The cameraman looked rueful, and slipped a pair of sunglasses on. "Dang. I was hoping they wouldn't figure it out...."

"Figure *what* out?" Margo demanded, looking alarmed.

Wally sighed heavily. "The data crystal from Earthforce that had President Clark admitting to knowledge of President Santiago's imminent death... well, a friend in Earthforce got it to me, and I got it to someone higher up at ISN, and--" Margo groaned, then started laughing as he shrugged guiltily.

"*You're* the link?" Harry chortled. "They've been looking for you for weeks! Niiice work, Salinski! I'm proud of you!" He frowned, looking up at Wally with fresh concern in his eyes. "Let's just hope no one's looking for you on Io yet."

"Yeah," Wally said glumly. Margo slung an arm around his middle and hugged him, her face shadowed, and Drew's expression darkened further.

"One other thing. They had a list of people who've already been arrested---some of them you'd expect, like Jane and Rick, and Edgar---" A low rumble of anger moved through the group as they approached the main terminal. "---but I recognized one other name." He grimaced. "Margo, I'm sorry--- but Jake was one of them."

She whitened; Xia thought she was going to faint. Wally's arm went around her shoulders protectively, and Margo shook her head, her eyes wide and blank. "No. He wasn't--- he's on Triton, I haven't even _thought_ about him, he wasn't here---"

"He got done early. He was at the headquarters, when..." Drew's voice trailed off, and Margo closed her eyes. Whoever Jake was, obviously the news of his arrest was hitting her where she lived. Xia exchanged a sad, embarrassed look with Todd and ducked her head down, studying her shoes as they made their way down the terminal. //Let everyone I care about be okay,// she thought, praying silently. //Don't let Mom and Dad suffer for my running away...//