“Love can be a cage.” Heaven Langley.

They sat in the general quarters' lounge. Heaven occupied the seat facing the entrance, waiting for Sam to collect his wits and return. Ben and the twins sat in seats near the shower room. They spoke in tones of hush and awe.

Aggi said to Affe as she leaned into his embrace, “That's one scary-looking man.”

Affe replied, “Yeah. Did you see the scar on his face?”

Ben spoke with a pleasant voice. “He looks like a pirate.”

From her seat by the entrance, Heaven said, “He was a pirate.”

Wide-eyed, Aggi held a finger to her lips and whispered to Affe, “She can hear us.”

Heaven responded, “I can hear you whispering, too.”

Ben asked Heaven, “Is he helping us?”

“Yes,” answered Heaven. “You three have nothing to worry about. He's angry, but not at you.”

Aggi asked Heaven, sitting straight, “Is he your boyfriend?”

Heaven answered, “We're breaking up.” Ben smiled to himself at the news.

Affe turned to Ben and asked purely for the sake of conversation, “So, Ben, have you remembered anything?”

Ben answered, “I can't tell the difference between memories and dreams, but I think I had a dream.”

“Tell us,” prompted Aggi.

“I was following a beautiful woman in a white jumpsuit. I wanted to touch her but I felt guilty.” Ben waited for an answer.

Affe said in a cavalier tone, “You should have taken a handful.” Aggi punched Affe in the chest to show her disapproval.

Ben responded, “I wanted to but I felt like I didn't deserve to, like I had no right.”

Heaven knew Ben had a memory and not a dream. She remembered the borrowed jumpsuit. Both pleased and irritated, she stood and walked back to Ben, “Like she might have broken your hot little hands,” she said.

Feeling the barb in her voice, Ben averted his eyes. Affe gaped up at the Constable, and Aggi turned to Ben with a question. “So, do you think you had a girlfriend in your previous life?”

Ben answered carefully, “I think so. I feel like she was the loveliest woman I had ever seen, but I can't recall a face. I'm pretty sure that her first and middle names were the same.”

All talk ended when Sam marched into the lounge. He came to a stop before Heaven with a sullen glower. “Alright,” he said. “Forget that I found you with another man in your arms. Forget about me. What about King Albert? You promised to bring his uncle home. You gave me the impression Besh was with you. Heaven, don't make me ask the obvious.”

Heaven sighed, then snapped her fingers, bringing Ben to her side. “Ben,” she said. “This is the Captain of the Co'Hwaul. He is also the King of Orlain. Introduce yourself.”

Ben quickly closed a gaping mouth and bowed at the waist. “Your Majesty,” said Ben, presenting himself timid before royalty. “I'm Ben Shuller.”

The twins watched the King's reaction with rapt interest. The King looked uncertainly between Heaven and Ben, he reddened, then brought his dismay under control. He took a deep breath and released it slowly.

Heaven introduced the twins. “These are Affe and Aggi Berg.”

Sam razed them with steely eyes. “From the Thornburg. I remember.” He spoke to the group. “If you three will be patient, I must speak with Heaven alone.”

Sam took Heaven by the arm and walked away. Ben, Aggi, and Affe stood quietly watching as the King and the Constable left the lounge. Aggi wrapped her arm in her brother's arm and drew close. “Still scary,” she said.

Ben turned to the twins with a smile. “Really nice for a pirate,” he said. Then, he asked thoughtfully, “Does that mean he's a pirate King?”

Sam stopped short on the bridge and called to navigation, speaking in Orlainese. Heaven only knew a few of their words, but she needed no interpretation for the name, Pendragon. She felt ill at ease, knowing the difficulty of the approaching confrontation. Ben, she could explain, but somehow, she needed to muster the courage to make the break.

She sipped the drink he had poured once they were alone in his private room; she sipped and waited for Sam to read the alien missive. She felt a bit more at ease as Sam pressed a hand against his forehead and dropped the letter to his leg. He studied Heaven as if his eyes could not focus. Finally, he spoke.

He leaned forward in his seat and asked, “Is it really Besh?”

Heaven held the liquor beneath her nose and nodded. Sam sat back and thought; Heaven watched him assimilate the information. He leaned toward her a second time, his brow furrowed.

“Does he still have the pirini?” asked Sam.

Heaven kept it simple. “I think so.”

Sam folded the missive and handed it back. He took a sip of his drink as he thought through the matter. “I knew the Jjarans were good,” he said, “but I had no idea they could do that.”

“Imagine my surprise,” said Heaven.

“And you have to get him to this place, Htohmar Har? But, why so distant?” asked Sam. “I can help.”

Heaven answered. “You're kind of dense, Sam. I've been trying to break up with you for more than a month.”

Sam's scarred face went dark. “But,” he uttered and fell silent.

“I've committed myself to this task,” said Heaven. “I must do it alone. Just me and Ben. The smaller the footprint, the better the odds.”

Sam's eyes turned cold. “So, you've taken a bite of the golden apple.”

Heaven set her drink aside. “Sam! How dare you!”

Sam jumped from his seat; his manner seemed threatening. “Damn it, Heaven!” He turned away from her with a grunt.

Heaven rarely saw Sam so angry. She tensed. He had never used bad language in her presence. She wondered how it would end. She hoped it would not be messy. Maybe she should have softened the blow, she thought, but Sam spun around to face her with wounded eyes.

“I love you,” said Sam. “You know how I feel.”

Heaven answered, “I feel the same way, but I also feel smothered. Love can be a cage. I need to fly.”

Sam turned and threw up his hands. His head lowered and his shoulders slumped. Then, with an effort, Sam straightened and faced Heaven. He walked from behind his chair and stood close, face to face. “We're still going to Pendragon. I promised Albert.”

Ben stood in the entrance looking toward the lift at the end of the hall. “They've been together for a long time.” His voice was heavy with alarm.

In the long seat behind Ben, Aggi sat in Affe's embrace. They laughed at Ben's concern. “Are you jealous?” asked Aggi.

“Are you in love?” asked Affe.

Ben spun to face them. He was on the verge of an angry retort but could think of nothing with which to respond. “Excuse me,” he said and marched stiffly into the shower room.

With a laugh in his words, Affe spoke to Ben's retreat. “Love is a piece treaty.”

Aggi replied in kind. “Love is a piece offering.”

They rose from their seat when they heard the lift open at the end of the hall. Shi'nese, in a lavender jumpsuit and cap, entered the lounge rolling a cart. She wore her long hair tied in the back, and her broad easy smile was contagious.

“I'm Cadet Shi'nese,” said she, continuing to the central couches. She moved between them and placed trays of food on the table. “I bring food, towels, and a change of clothing.”

Affe asked, “So, you're an alien? Wow!”

Aggi hit Affe with the back of her hand. “No wows aloud.” She reached to shake Shi'nese's hand. “I'm Aggi, and this is my husband, Affe.”

When Heaven entered the lounge, she saw Ben and Shi'nese sitting way too close. She saw Ben smiling way too much. Shi'nese cut the steak and handed the fork to Ben as if feeding a child.

“And this is the finest meat in the galactic arm; grown only on Orlain,” said Shi'nese with a syrupy smile.

Heaven walked to the table and pulled Shi'nese to her feet, turned her, and took her place beside Ben. “Off limits,” she stated. “You may leave.”

“But,” said Shi'nese, confused.

“Ben is under my care.” Heaven gave an emphatic nod toward the entrance. Shi'nese wheeled and walked away in stiff anger. Heaven turned to Ben with a smoldering fire behind her eyes. “And you. You just can't smile at every female you see. No more smiling.” Heaven crossed her arms and turned to face the entrance.

Ben asked, “What did you and the King talk about?”

“We broke up,” she answered. Ben smiled to himself. Heaven said, “You're smiling. What did I just say about smiling?”

Aggi and Affe stopped holding their breath and resumed chewing their food. Ben said, “I missed you.”

Heaven replied, “Eat your meal, then get cleaned up. We're going to Pendragon to meet your nephew, King Albert.”

They stood at the center point along the red carpet. Ben and the twins strained their necks to see the vaulted ceiling of the throne room. “Whoa!” said Ben. “Wow!” said Affe. Aggi marveled at the large stained-glass windows while Heaven stood at attention awaiting the entrance of the two Kings.

Albert ran from behind the throne, joyful, calling, “Uncle Ben?” He stopped in front of Heaven looking past her for his uncle, looking suddenly confused. Sam caught up just as Albert looked into the eyes of Constable Langley. “Heaven,” he said. “At ease. Is my uncle not here?”

Heaven turned and drew Ben up beside her. She said to the wide-eyed youth, “Introduce yourself to the King of Pendragon.”

Ben stepped forward and bowed at the waist. As he raised himself to meet the widening eyes of the King, Ben said, “Ben Shuller at your command.”

Albert gave a strained laugh as he looked between the fixed expressions of Sam, a fellow King, and Heaven, a Constable known and respected for her pragmatism. He looked back at the young man. He studied the facial features. The ears were the same. He circled the man and came back around. The eyes and nose were the same. It was a younger version of his uncle. Finally, Albert's mouth dropped open. He covered it with his hands as he inhaled deeply.

Albert fell without warning on the neck of the young man and hugged him. “Uncle!” he called out to Ben's dismay. “Uncle Ben! I've missed you so much; you've no idea. We thought you dead.”

Ben struggled. “I can't breathe.”

Sam and Albert strode through a parting sea of functionaries, Heaven between them. Ben followed with Aggi and Affe beside him. Guards in plain clothes flanked them as they walked to the private tarmac behind the palace.

Albert turned a happy face to Heaven and said, “We should tell the elite. I'm sure they would...”

Heaven cut him off. “No, your majesty. I would rather you not. I want Lieutenant Colonel Driscoll nowhere near Ben.”

Sam laughed and spoke around Heaven to Albert. “It's an interesting story. I'll have to tell you.”

Heaven turned to Sam with rebuke in her voice. “Sam, no!”

Albert laughed. “Now, I absolutely must hear. I got in touch with Dad and he's beside himself. Mom was away at the market.”

They passed from the building into bright sunshine. The royal transport was just ahead with guards at attention by the ramp. They were ushered inside and took seats, Albert near Ben with a wide smile. Ben returned the smile but would rather have been seated by Heaven. The vehicle lifted smoothly amid cockpit and control chatter.

Ben did not know what to expect, but the country home was bright and cheery. A lanky white-haired man with a cane limped quickly from the front door and took Ben in a pressing hug. “My old friend,” said the former King. “Come in. Elisabeth will be back soon.”

Those around Ben conversed happily. He understood that these people knew him when he was an older person, but behind his smile and plausible responses, Ben simply did not remember them. The twins remained quiet on the sofa while Kings and former Kings spoke. Albert brought refreshments from the kitchen. Ben had taken a bite of a butter cookie when the front door opened and all stood.

A beautiful elderly woman looked about from face to face with a genuinely regal smile. When she looked at Ben, she gasped and dropped her bag of fruit. To David's dismay, Elisabeth walked to Ben and took his hands into hers. “Is it really you?” she asked. “You look exactly like you did when...” She let the sentence trail and a shadow of guilt passed over her face.

Ben stood straight and stiff, looking to Heaven for help. She offered none but sat in her seat with a thoughtful and perplexed expression ruling her features. Elisabeth dropped Ben's hands and turned to David.

“I suppose I should explain,” she said to David. The room quietly awaited her words. “I know not what has transpired, but if this is truly Besh, I will tell you a secret I've kept for years.” Taking David's hands, she inhaled and sighed. “Besh was my boyfriend previous to meeting you. It was a mutual agreement between us because you loved me so dearly. He gave me over because he loved you as much as I.” She took a breath and continued bravely, smiling between her husband and the younger Besh. “He wrote for a while after we parted. I could tell his letters from yours because he called me Elizabeth, with a 'z' but you used my middle name, Elisabeth, with an 's'.”

All eyes were on Ben, but he only cared for the eyes of Heaven, stunned, perplexed, meeting his own with a changing estimation.