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His opinion of the security company, a branch of Datasafe, had momentarily gone up when he skimmed the surface of their digital building an encountered so much security it would take him on of Tristan's computers to go through them, and then went back down when they hadn't even bothered shielding the incoming transmissions from the security systems in the compound where the equipment was stored.

He constructed three interception points where the camera and sensor feeds would be manipulated, then went over everything to ensure one of the corporations hadn't brought in a different company. Once satisfied this aspect of the job was covered he came back out and ran a hand over his face.

He frowned at the nutrient pack. That hadn't been there when he began. He turned and Jacoby was back, looking over four datapads on the table. Alex checked his pocket, his wasn't where it should be.

"Did you put that there?" he asked Jacoby.

The man glanced up. "No. I'm going to guess you didn't do this." He indicated the datapads.

Alex checked them. One contained a list of construction equipment with some of them highlighted with words he didn't quite understand next to them, some of them might be Samalian. At least one was one of the ingredients in an explosive. Another indicated multiple access point with notes next to each, again, with words in varying languages mixed together. Was Tristan losing his language skills?

He shook his head. "I was in the system since you left."

"Then I'm going to guess it's Tech, trying to help."

"His name is Tristan. And really, who else could it be?" Jacoby threw him an annoyed look to wish Alex stared back at.

"In his state he can't really think clearly, very little of those make sense, except for this." He brought up a schematic of the compound. "I can't read any of it, and I think his aim is off, since all the marks are actually next to the columns and not on them, but as best as I can tell, those are the structural points. We bring these down and the entire building collapse in on itself." He zoomed out to show the whole building. "That's fourteen floors. Burying everything. Even if that doesn't destroy everything it's going to make it impossible to get anything out of there. At least until the corporations bring in more equipment, and then things just pick up as before. She has to realize this is a delaying tactic at best, right?"

"Not our problem." Alex counted the points. "She made destroying this, the price, not keeping the corporation from ever starting up again." Sixteen columns. "This more spots than I'd calculated. Considering his state, how valid is this? You mentioned you had experience in explosive."

Jacoby studied the schematic again. "The advantage with going for all of them is that even if a few don't immediately come down, the added stress on their weakened structure as the building comes down will break them."

"But will that be enough?" Alex nodded to the packs.

"I didn't recognize all the brands, but I'm guessing Tech--"

"Tristan."

"I'm guessing he got you in the habit of only using the best."

"Unfortunately Jofdelbiro's selection didn't have what I wanted. We got the best he had on hand."

"Then we'll have to focus on these twelve columns, put only enough on the other four to weaken them."

Alex nodded and picked up the fourth datapad. He thought Tristan had destroyed the extra ones. "Where did this one come from?" Had he gone out? Stolen it? He rushed to the room and opened the door. Inside it was a mass. The bed had been shoved out of the way. Tristan was putting things in his pack, his Azeru and tools. As he watched the Samalian dumped the pack on the bed and looked through it.

He noticed Alex with a start and just shoved things in. "I'll be ready. Don't worry I'll keep up." He looked to Alex's left. "I said I would. Can you stop it with the nagging?"

Alex looked at the empty chair Tristan addressed. Was this getting worse? "Tristan, when did you sleep last?"

"Sleep?" Fear filled his eyes. "I haven't. I don't want to. There's dreams there."

The med-bed had kept him sedated until his system had been cleaned of drugs, then put him in cryo. Neither of which was restful. Add to that the stress of the station, and the crowd on the way to the temple, then the priestess. If he hadn't slept, how come he looked awake, almost manic?

He saw the injector on the bed, among the tools knives and guns. Tristan followed his gaze, but for once Alex was faster. He grabbed the injector and took the cartridge out. The writing was Samalian, but he recognized the universal symbol for stimulants. Two doses had been used.

"What are you doing putting drugs into you again?" Alex's voice was so loud it surprised him. Tristan backed away, looking for a way around him and to the door. Alex moved to block it. "Answer me!"

"I don't want the dreams."

"And you think this is a good idea?" he waved the injector at Tristan. "Where did you even get this?"

"It's mine," Tristan answered, indignant. "I didn't steal it."

"Then where did you get it? It's Samalian."

"Of course it's Samalian, you think human stuff is strong enough for me? I got it on the ship."

"Tristan," Alex warned.

"I did. I stored them there before going under cryo."

The would have been when they'd taken over Katherine's ship. Alex had gone under cryo first, as usual. Tristan must have used the cabin. Which meant he would have put the stimulants there. They'd gone through the rest of the storage compartment when preparing for his rescue, but other than storing the case there, Alex hadn't thought to go through them. He hadn't cared to know what Katherine might have stored in her cabin.

"You need to heal, that means rest. That means not putting stress on yourself and talking to people who aren't there."

"He's right there!" Tristan pointed to the chair. "Oh don't look so smug."

"Tristan, there's no one there." Alex groped for whatever self-control he had left and reigned in his temper. "You need sleep."

"There's dreams there." Tristan's voice was soft, weak. For an instant he sounded like a child, afraid of the dark.

Part of Alex screamed that he should do everything he could to take Tristan's pain away, give him whatever he wanted, offer any comfort he could, but he buried that under anger. His Tristan didn't need comfort, his Tristan was hard and strong. This wasn't him, and he wasn't going to coddle whoever that was. But he did need him functional.

"Stay there." He waited until Tristan reluctantly nodded. He closed the door and grabbed the other two packs and went through them.

"Tell me you have some powerful sedatives in your pack." He whispered to Jacoby.

"I threw a Samalian emergency kit in yours. That might have some. What's wrong with--him? Other than talking to himself I mean?"

"He pumped himself with stims." He found the box and rummaged through it. "Yes," he hissed. He switched cartridges. "You might as well settle in for a while. We're not moving until he's had a proper sleep."

"If you're going to dose him we can do the job while he sleeps."

"No. I don't trust this to keep him under as long as it says, he has a strong tolerance to drugs. If I'm not here when he wakes up, there's no telling the kind of damage he's going to do." He pulled the door open, expecting Tristan to be there, listening in, but he'd stayed on the other side of the room as instructed. He closed the door.

Tristan eyed him warily. Noticed the injector and avarice seeped in.

Alex moved to him and Tristan backed until he was against the wall. "This is going to help you." He indicated the injector.

"What's in it?"

"A stimulant."

"You really think I'm stupid? You took away the stimulant. What's in it."

"It's a different kind. It's better. It's going to keep you awake without making you manic."

"I'm not manic."

"Fine. It's still better. Come here."

"No. I don't trust you."

"Tristan, do as you're told!"

Tristan stiffened, and after glancing at the chair he moved close enough to Alex he could inject him.

"You lied to me," Tristan said as soon as Alex took the injector away.

"You didn't give me any choice. You need to rest. I can't have you seeing whoever you've been talking to."

"My father. He warned me that you'd lie, but I wanted to trust you Alex." Tristan staggered and Alex caught him. "I never lied to you."

"I really wish you had sometimes." He guided the Samalian toward the bed.

"I'd never do that to you. I would never hurt you that way." He sat.

"No, you just hurt me any other ways you could think of." He laid Tristan on the bed and moved to step away, but he was holding his hand.

"Don't leave, please."

He wanted to wrench his hand out. This wasn't his Tristan. He wouldn't ask he'd tell him. But how long had he wanted to just be next to him? And he needed rest too. So he might as well sleep here, instead of on the floor. He laid next to the Samalian, who was already unconscious.

He hesitated, but then rested his head on Tristan's shoulder, placed a hand on his chest, feeling it move in time with his breathing. He felt the emotion come and shredded it. He wouldn't feel that. He was doing this to get his Tristan back. He wouldn't waste time feeling something now that he'd never feel again. Affection was a dream the old Alex had had. Something unrealistic. He'd traded it for companionship. He'd rather have the reality of someone at his side than the dream of someone caring for him.

He closed his eyes and fought against the desire of being held.

* * * * *

"How sure are you about this?" Jacoby asked. He was looking at the entrance through binoculars.

"I've coerced the cameras and sensors. They aren't going to see us. I inserted myself in the authorized personnel list, under a different name," he added at the look Jacoby gave him. "So the door will open for me. The guards are the only thing we have to worry about, and once we're inside, it isn't like they follow a regular pattern. If any of them get in our way Tristan can kill them."

Tristan had been sullen ever since waking up, but he hadn't given any indications he was seeing his father, or anyone else. He'd packed his things in the methodical way that was normal for him and had followed them.

They moved closer and when the coast was clear ran to the door and inside the building. The inside was brighter than he'd expected. But there was so much equipment, machines, tools, and crates set about that it wasn't a problem.

They encountered their first guard within minutes, and Tristan was on him before Alex said anything. A hand on his mouth to keep him silent and a wrench of the neck to snap it. It was so efficient that Alex thought his Tristan was back, but then he turned and dropped the body at his feet looking smug.

His Tristan wouldn't bother being smug. He'd just ready himself for the next kill. They placed the first explosive on the column to Tristan's grunts and pointed to the vehicle next to the column.

"We want to bring the whole thing down," Jacoby said, "not just destroy one thing." He patted the column. "So this is what we need to destroy."

Tristan did have a plan. Alex knew him, and the Samalian was looking at him pleadingly. His Tristan's plan would have been simple, and efficient. It would probably make use of what was already here, maybe even the vehicle in question.

But this wasn't his Tristan. "We're doing it this way." He saw the Samalian ground his teeth, but he didn't argue.

Two guards on the way to the next column, two more dead at Tristan's hand, this time one bled out from a ripped out throat. Tristan was working out the anger of not being in charge, Alex thought.

At the column Tristan pointed to the large machine next to the column.

"No," Alex said as he handed Jacoby the explosive.

One more dead on the way to the next column. This one with his brain caved in on the floor, while Tristan glared at Alex. When they reached the column Tristan grabbed and explosive from the pack and tried to attach it to the vehicle next to it.

"Damn it Tristan, we're destroying the building, not the equipment." Alex took it out of his hand and handed it to Jacoby. "Your job is to vent your anger on the guards."

Tristan didn't say anything, but he growled.

"Don't growl at me. All this is to make you better."

The Samalian let out a huff of exasperation turned his back to him.

Three guards on the way to the next column. And this time Alex had to throw a knife in the back of the one who tried to run off when two of them showed up at the same time. When they reached the column, Alex sighed and turned to preemptively tell Tristan that no, they weren't destroying whatever it was he wanted to blow up, but the Samalian wasn't there.