New Fic: Into the Stars

[justin]

This is a very good story.



I'm curious as to why Willow was chosen for this mission.



I'm also looking forward to when Willow and Tara meet for the first time.

Anya in a wimple...I'd pay full admission for that. Gods Served And Abandoned - by Antigone Unbound


You know the worst thing about people in a relationship? The fact that they're in a relationship. - Hilda Spellman

[Spot]

Hey!

Wow absolutely LOVED that chapter. Very cool story you have so far.

Also enjoyed the Alex-Mala interaction, made me grin

Ooo and Tara’s coming into the story now too, yay!

Very interesting, cant wait to see where you take this!

-michelle

[bluewillowwitch]

bluemote ,

Loved the update! on a top secrt mission to collect and her belongings. This could get interesting fast. Can't wait to more. Update soon, please?





Grace

------------------------------------------

"Fate keeps on happening."--Anita Loos

Edited by: bluewillowwitch  at: 11/14/03 7:52 pm

[shuyaku]

I found this fic on Artemis' Through the Looking-glass site and followed it over to pens I just have to say - I'm totally loving it! You have done a great job of pulling me into your AU. I loved child Willow and it's nice to see some other familiar faces making appearances as well. Can't wait for her to pick up Tara. For some reason I see some serious magick training in Willow's future



-shuyaku

------------------------------------

"Oh God, Willow—you’re giving me the gift of Karen Carpenter. Just when I think I grasp the full extent of your love." - Tara

"Why do birds suddenly appear? It’s because, you are queer…" - Willow (Gods Served and Abandoned by AntigoneUnbound)

[bluemote]

Title: Into the Stars

Author name: bluemote

Email Address: check my ezboard profile, the rest of the stuff may be out of date, but my email is, um, fresh (?)

Rating: Possibly R for violence later, but at the moment PG, I’ll let you know if and when things change.

Disclaimer: I acknowledge that ME and JW own the characters of Willow and Tara. However, this is very AU, so, yeah, well, any silliness is mine… No spoilers for episodes although I may swipe some dialogue in later chapters…

Feedback: Yes, yes, yes. Please and thank you.

Summary: A very AU fic, set in a kind of sci-fi universe currently focused around the ‘Base’, where Willow has grown up. She is an apprentice pilot and has been sent to pick up a mysterious passenger who has been an important ally in the war that the people of the Base are involved in.



NoteThanks everyone for your thoughts on this, i'm very glad you're enjoying. And even more glad that you're all lovely enough to take the time to let me know! Hope you keep enjoying, and I'll post some proper feedback to your feedback before the next part (hmmm that's getting confusing even for me. i'll go to my lab class now....)





Part 7: The Passenger



Willow had docked the ship without thinking, not even excited at the smoothness of the landing and the power behind the Q-ship. A soldier was waiting for her when she left the ship, a tall thin woman with the proud markings of a fifth level fighter woven into her tunic. She introduced herself as Neeshan, but didn’t talk further as she helped Willow load packages into the back of the ship. The soldier left as soon as she was satisfied that the parcels were secure, indicating that Willow should wait for her passenger.



Willow noticed that security protocols were very strict– the soldier had been scanned before leaving the room, when usually a high ranking soldier would be free to move as she pleased. Willow herself had submitted to an eye scan from the soldier, all in silence, before moving the packages.



And now she was just waiting.



Waiting on a rusty box that served for a bench and was, Willow noticed with some dismay, leaving red marks on her boots. Willow had been kitted out by Mala before leaving Base-1, been given a new tunic and trousers and made to clean her worn boots. At the time, Willow had not even considered the change, thinking only that she would probably have to give the new clothes back, that they probably belonged to someone else, and that it was a shame because the cloth was warm and heavy and soft, unlike most of her own patched together gear.



And now, just as she was about to meet this brave woman, now that she had a smart tunic with nice weaving, her boots were all red and scuffed. ‘That’s going to look terrible, especially with the red hair and everything’, Willow thought to herself. Immediately, she reached up to feel her bobbed hair tangled as ever, not to mention probably full of engine grease, and frowned. It was unusual for Willow to worry about how she looked, and it made her uncomfortable, although she tried to rub the rust stains from her boots nevertheless.



Once the rubbing was completed, she attempted to smooth down some of her hair, and to remove some of the more obvious grease stains from her hands. She straightened her clothes and adjusted the buckles on her boots. She stood up, sat down again, tried to look older and to think of a formal but friendly greeting. She re-checked the packages in the Q-ship’s hold, made sure the front passenger seat was secure, found the ships’ store of drinking water in case her passenger was thirsty.

Staring helplessly at the door, Willow continued her burst of activity – checking her flight plan for the return journey, fiddling with fuel rod locks on the Q-ship, confirming her radio codes. She was desperate to appear prepared for her passenger, to project herself as an experienced pilot despite the obvious lack of rank on her tunic.



Finally she sat back down on the box. She felt young, she felt unready for her task, even though she knew it was a mundane one. Or at least fairly straightforward.



‘Well’, Willow considered, ‘straightforward in a war hero against the conglomerate, saved my life at least twice, mystery passenger lady kind of way’.



Willow’s thoughts ran ahead of her, trying to unravel why she was so nervous and, more importantly to her at that moment, what she should do so that her passenger didn’t think of her as some kid with a Q-ship.



A door hissed and closed, with the faint approving beep of a scanning system heralding the arrival of a new person in the room.



Willow felt the magic in the air before she saw the other woman. She felt magic in her skin, in her mind, in her soul.



Willow’s eyes looked up. There was a long dark skirt in her line of sight, then pale ringed hands holding a scuffed book. Further up and there was a grey-blue cloak, arms in front. A fine coloured bracelet, a silver clasp and burnt gold hair.



Then, without warning, dark blue eyes were meeting hers, bright with fire.



They were deep, dark, night blue. Willow thought of constellations, of galaxies moving fast away from her and spinning without rules to place them the right way up. ‘There isn’t a right way up, it’s relative’, her logical brain told her, ‘ there are no straight lines, no mechanical forces here’.



‘I don’t care about how the crow flies in space’, Willow argued, and she wished for a wormhole, a tiny curled up fern of a path that she could run through to bring her closer to those eyes that held stars.





Her wish had been granted. She was shrinking. She was tiny, minute and twisted, looking up to an impossible sight, pinned down in all directions by gravity but spinning forward fast. ‘Up, up, I am looking up into the sky and falling into the sea’, Willow’s mind scrambled for an action as she looked at the beautiful woman standing above her.

[sabina]

Hi there



Hum... I had lost sight of this fic

But I can't really figure out why... My bad



Oh well, I found it again now and I have to say to you that I'm loving your story

The way you presented Willow's background was really touching... You truly have a way with words



I'm really curious to see how will this story progress...

What have Tara suffered when they found out that she was a spy?



Why was it Willow the one specifically chosen to go and meet Tara?



Questions, questions... I guess I'll have to wait to know the answers...



More soon?

---

"I know I was born and I know that I'll die.

The in between is mine.

I am mine!" - Pearl Jam

[WintersDreamer]

Sweet!



Great description of Love at first sight!



Please update soon!

[Grimlock72]

Well she is a talented kid with a Q-ship Her attempts to keep busy were adoring to observe, she still has to much energy to sit still I guess :-)



It still worries me that Willow has no significant pilot experience though. For some reason I suspect she might run into an ambush of sorts. Why does Tara need to be brought to base-1 anyway ?? So soon after her flight from the conglomerate I would recommend hiding a bit more. Let people come to you, much safer.



Ah well, this way she does meet Willow... thats worth something as well .



Grimmy

--
"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine

[bluewillowwitch]

bluemote ,

I love this fic! I the fist meeting. was so taken by . I have a feeling that this may take a little while to bring them together but I hope not too long. Can't wait to more. Update soon, please?





Grace

-----------------------------------------

"Fate keeps on happening."--Anita Loos

Edited by: bluewillowwitch  at: 11/14/03 7:53 pm

[BytrSuite]

Hee, that's some serious love at first sight. I hope Willow doesn't hurt herself if she faints.

Quote:

---

‘Up, up, I am looking up into the sky and falling into the sea’

---

That's a beautiful line.





Can't wait for the next part!

________
"Oh, good! I was hoping to add theft, endangerment and insanity to my list of things I did today."
"Ah! You, too?"
(Stitch laughs delightedly)

[SaraBiga]

sooo sweet and well written... You've made me realise I do miss some science fiction reading... but why look for some in book shops when I can read a WT sf romance... wow!

So, yeah, I fear for an ambush as well, but I'm sure our Willow is a better pilot than Luke Skywalker...

If she doesn't faint in front of Tara's... tara-ness of course!



P-L-E-A-S-E update soon?

____________________________



"Don't piss off the redhead with the weird powers" -Willow-



"I'm not weird, I'm talented." -Sara Biga-

[bluemote]

Into the Stars



Hi guys, if any of you are still reading this after my lame delays in posting new parts and feedback. *grovels* I’m very sorry, decide on a punishment and it shall be done.



Apologies for the delay – part real life and part trouble with Willow/Tara interaction (and here was me thinking that would be the easy part!) As for the real life, well I’m a graduate student, and it’s the end of term and…(I will be organised one day…)



More importantly, thanks so much to everyone who took the trouble to leave feedback – it’s great to hear what you all think, and you are all, just… lovely. I’m so glad you’re enjoying… I really hope you like the next part, and feel free (please!) to leave suggestions… (me? stuck? well maybe a little…)



So, the next part is in the next post, and feedback for all you lovely kittens below. I think it should contain replies to most of the notes about the story, so have a peek if you’re interested.



And sorry again about taking so long…………….



Grimmy! Wow! Thanks so much for all your feedback. If you keep coming up with such good musings as to the story, I might need to see if you can co-write…I feel terrible about the delay when you guys are reading and giving me such good feedback.



I would say that Tobias let Willow know Tara’s real name because he trusts her, and Tara trusts the people of the base a great deal. Plus, Willow is much more caught up in the war with the conglomerate than she knows…(I’m trying to sound mysterious - is it working?)



Willow’s pilot skills are (fortunately) great. It’s part gift and part magic. Willow is an exceptional person on the base, although this has been downplayed by Tobias and Alide in the hope of avoiding what dangerous fate is in store for Willow.



Oh, and I haven’t really explained about the different bases. Base-7 is just kind of an outpost for receiving goods – if anyone was trying to find out who was entering they would look at Base-1 first as it’s the hub of the operation. ‘The Base’ encompasses the whole area, or planet really… At the moment, the conglomerate doesn’t know its location, or the power of the people there.



sizzlersister I’m really glad you are enjoying the set-up. I think you’re right about the loneliness of Willow, and that’s really what I was hoping for. The Base would be a pretty rough (ok, very rough) place to grow up in, and Willow has worked hard to be where she is. I’d like to go more into the workings of the Base, but I just get distracted…and seeing as I’m finding it hard to write the Willow/Tara thread of the story, I don’t want to go off on a tangent. Thanks again, and sorry sorry sorry for the delay…



justin Thanks for your feedback, I’m glad you like. There are (big) reasons for why Willow was chosen, but they might take a little while to reveal themselves (I’m trying for the mystery again – if it’s not working I’m counting on you guys to tell me I hope you like this next part too, and sorry for the delay to your lovely feedback.



spot/michelle sorry, wasn’t sure which name was better… thanks so much for the feedback, and I’m glad you’re enjoying. Mala as a character kind of popped up out of nowhere and seems to be made to harass Alex. He could probably use a little kick in certain places sometimes though…. Anyways, I’m sorry for the delay in posting, and I hope you like the next part too.



bluewillowitch Thanks for your encouragement. I hope things will get very interesting very soon… sorry also about the delay in posting and replying, I have punished myself severely, if that helps…. Hope you like the next part, and thanks again.



shuyaku sorry about the delay, and thanks for the comments. I’m glad you liked Willow as a kid - for some reason I just kept thinking of this little flying ball of red hair and elbows… As for the other familiar faces, well Alex and Anna are just too fun to leave out… hope you enjoy the rest…(oh! And I love your quotes )



sabina thanks so much for your feedback, I’m so pleased that people take the time to write something nice *happy dances*. I don’t know how much I’m going to go into what happened to Tara previously, the angst factor might increase, but suffice to say it wasn’t pleasant. But at the moment there are much more happy things happening, and they involve people named after trees. Sorry for my heinous delay in replying, but I hope you like the next parts… *stops happy dancing for fear of breaking glasses*



Wintersdreamer Thanks! I was afflicted with love at first sight, and I felt like I was falling into a pool-I could taste the bubbles. Anyways, my apologies for the lateness of this reply, and I really hope you enjoy the rest of the story.



BytrSuite I’m so glad you’re liking, and very please you’re letting me know. I think Willow could probably knock herself out and not care after seeing Tara. I know I wouldn’t care…. I’m glad you liked the description of love at first sight (see the above comment), I was worried about being to cheesy but I have decided to let the cheese flow like…well, melty cheese. Ok, I’m stopping rambling now *steps away from the keyboard*. Thanks! Enjoy the next part (please)



SaraBiga Aww, if only all sci-fi had pretty ladies in love, well, no, then I’d never do any uni work, but I’m glad your enjoying this. Also, with the fainting, see the knocking out comment above! As for the ambush, well, the base is perfectly safe at the moment – the conglomerate are not aware of it’s position or its power, although they’s like to be…. Anyhow, thanks again –sorry for the delay *ashamed*, but I hope you like the rest.

[bluemote]

Part 8: A Journey



previously: Willow’s eyes looked up. There was a long dark skirt in her line of sight, then pale ringed hands holding a scuffed book. Further up and there was a grey-blue cloak, arms in front. A fine coloured bracelet, a silver clasp and burnt gold hair.



Then, without warning, dark blue eyes were meeting hers, bright with fire.



They were deep, dark, night blue. Willow thought of constellations, of galaxies moving fast away from her and spinning without rules to place them the right way up. ‘There isn’t a right way up, it’s relative’, her logical brain told her, ‘ there are no straight lines, no mechanical forces here’.



‘I don’t care about how the crow flies in space’, Willow argued, and she wished for a wormhole, a tiny curled up fern of a path that she could run through to bring her closer to those eyes that held stars.



Her wish had been granted. She was shrinking. She was tiny, minute and twisted, looking up to an impossible sight, pinned down in all directions by gravity but spinning forward fast. ‘Up, up, I am looking up into the sky and falling into the sea’, Willow’s mind scrambled for an action as she looked at the beautiful woman standing above her.



***********************************



Finally, some braveness bubbled inside her and Willow’s fall slowed enough for her to smile up to the woman.



A low voice slammed her mind to a quick stop.



“Hello,” the voice said, a small smile coming to its owner’s face.



The woman’s voice was deep but soft, it trickled from Willow’s ears down the back of her neck, tingling all the way to her toes. It made her tummy hurt, it made her mind buzz. Willow’s voice was lost from the fall, her throat dry. She didn’t know what to do.



She kept grinning.



The other woman bowed gently before speaking “You are taking me to the base?”



Willow’s mind finally began to work. She jumped up from her seat, straightened her tunic and returned the bow.



“Yes sir, I’m Willow, here to take you to see Alide and Tobias and the base and…” she slowed, remembering the formality of her duties.



“We are honoured to have you here.” Willow heard the nervous whistle in her voice as she strained for more appropriate words. She bowed again before turning towards the Q-ship.



“Please could you come this way while I check your, um, your clearance,” Willow asked as she fiddled desperately with the buttons on the Q-ship’s door that would run the security scan.



“If you could just stand there,” the redhead asked, “that’s right. Now, um, just turn around…” the ship’s scanner let out a satisfied beeping as Willow’s passenger followed her instructions… Willow pressed her thumb into a sensor and the noise stopped.



“You’re cleared!” Willow exclaimed, once again loosing her formality, “So, um, just come this way, this is the…”



She was interrupted by the other woman’s soft voice “Would you mind if I checked my packages first?”



“Of course, sir”, Willow kicked herself and showed the blonde to the cargo hold of the Q-ship before hurrying over to the containers to demonstrate their safety.



“All fine and dandy here, yup, safe and sound indeed. Snug as a b…” Willow forced her ramblings to quiet, trying to remember her responsibility and ignore the wild excitement that had taken over her mouth.



“Follow me please,” she said, and escorted the other woman back to the doors of the ship. With a great effort she showed the blonde her seat and assisted her in strapping in.



Finally, Willow was in the pilot’s seat and adjusting her own restraints. She quickly keyed in the remaining security codes for departure and confirmed her clearance with the radio operator.



“Ready to go?” Willow asked, once her frantic preparations were complete. Her passenger nodded, giving Willow a reassuring and stunning half smile.



The young pilot was left motionless in her chair, once again lost in the beauty of the blonde.



The beautiful woman was looking at her expectantly. Willow took a deep breath. ‘Ok Willow, get over it. Come on. Turn on the screen, key in the codes, fly the ship. Don’t get lost in the pretty smile. No, not pretty, beautiful. She is beautiful. Tobias should’ve put beautiful in his file, ‘cos how else am I supposed to concentrate? At least if I’d known beforehand I could have prepared…’



Willow steadied herself. Tearing her gaze away from the other woman, she placed her hands on the controls of the Q-ship and forced her mind to concentrate. Luckily, manoeuvring such a powerful ship without any auto-guidance was an absorbing task and it was only the bang of the Base-7 door behind them that shook Willow from her concentration.



“You made that look effortless,” her passenger spoke with praise. Willow noticed the blonde searching for insignia on her tunic.



“Thanks. I mean, thank you sir. I… um… I’m not ranked yet, but it’s ok, I mean, Tobias sent me here and really, it’s fine. Usually you just put the ship on auto-pilot, but Tobias wanted me to…”



The blonde interrupted Willow’s excuses.



“It’s alright,” she smiled gently at the young pilot, “I was impressed. Obviously I’m in safe hands. Willow’s hands right? ”



“Yes sir. That’s me” Willow nodded in delight.



“Oh, you don’t have to call me sir,” the passenger replied, “I’m…I’m Tara.”



Willow noted the slight tinge of uneasiness in the greeting, the flash of sadness in the blonde’s eyes. Tara was obviously nervous about her journey, was anxious to remain safe. Willow nodded reassuringly.



“Tobias told me about your, um, struggle to get here. I…I won’t let anyone know if you don’t want me to…” Willow tried to make herself clear, while containing her pleasure at hearing Tara’s name.



The blonde relaxed a little in her seat and spoke politely. “Thank you Willow. Sorry if I seem a little nervous. It’s been a long journey”.



Willow nodded in reply, it was clear that Tara was tired, her whole body was heavy with weariness. She pushed down the rabble of questions that she wanted to ask, as well as the fierce spark of anger that was quickly building up at the sight of such a brave woman made so sad.



Focusing on the needs of her passenger Willow spoke softly, “If you want to rest, it’s about an hour back to the Base-1.” She continued on instinct, watching the blonde nod at her suggestion. “There’s nothing to worry about, I’ll get you back safe just before nightfall.”



“Thank you Willow, that sounds wonderful. I…I could use some rest”, Tara spoke softly, before closing her eyes and leaning back as far as her restraints would let her.



“I’ll let you know when we’re approaching the base,” Willow whispered.



Tara’s features softened as she relaxed and Willow could barely drag her eyes away to watch the Q-ship’s controls or the darkening landscape.



‘Well, at least she feels safe Willow reflected, feeling the surge of emotions in her chest return as she watched the other woman.



The forest beneath her sped past dark and deep, and Willow felt a shift in her path, a leap of fate sparking in her mind. The woman in the seat next to her was incredible, magical, important. Willow knew that whatever happened next at the Base, or in the war, or anywhere, she was ready to fight to keep Tara safe, she was ready to do anything for her.

[SuperMandy13]

I keep forgetting to give feedback for your wonderful story, and I am definitely very sorry for that. I've been reading it ever since you posted the first chapter, and the story you're weaving has completely entranced me. The way you write and the flow of the story is just so beautiful to read. And the setting is fascinating, and I can't wait to read more about how Willow and Tara fit into everything.



So, yeah, just wanted to give a big 'whoo-hoo' for another new chapter. No worries about the delays. I totally understand.



-Mandy

[Marilda]

Wow. I just read through all that you've posted so far. This is a great story and really well-written. Hope to read more soon.

[shuyaku]

Babbling Willow is always good You write wonderfully. Once you find your W/T niche, I'm sure the story will just flow from your fingertips...



-shuyaku

Oh God, Willow—you’re giving me the gift of Karen Carpenter. Just when I think I grasp the full extent of your love." - Tara

"Why do birds suddenly appear? It’s because, you are queer…" - Willow (Gods Served and Abandoned by AntigoneUnbound)

[sabina]

Hi there



It was so great to see an update of this fic... I felt like doing a happy dance



I think you handled their interaction very well



Willow's nervousness and her failed atempts to behave in a strickly professional manner made me smile



More soon?

---

"I know I was born and I know that I'll die.

The in between is mine.

I am mine!" - Pearl Jam

[bluewillowwitch]

bluemote ,

I love the fic! YAY! finally got to meet . They seem to have sparks. Wonder what will happen next? Can't wait to more. Update soon, please?





Grace

-----------------------------------------

"Fate keeps on happening."--Anita Loos

[Grimlock72]

Oh an update.... yes yes yes... gooood....



Heh, Willow must have made some impression Well meaning but a bit clumsy, good thing she steered that Q-ship out of base nice and easy. Goes to show she's a good pilot. Funny how she kept calling Tara 'sir', I would have expect "ma'm" or something like that. Clearly Tara is female :-)



About your late updates, you've done sufficient grovelling for now... you may now resume writing more updates . But seriously, I was indeed waiting for updates on this one. The story is so much AU and interesting that I easily remember it (if that makes sense). As such I did wonder when this story would be updated, but I tend to wait in silence... don't want to be all with the pushyness (I leave that to other kittens, heh).



Your attempts at being mysterious are succesfull in that we still don't know much but want to know more . Willow being a good pilot without much training and her being special sounds somewhat familiar. I'll let you suprise me though :-)



Nice to read Willow being all protective off Tara already. Willow herself didn't have a fun childhood either, a bit of mutual love and friendship would be good for both of them. ( <---- hint :-)



I like stories with lots of setup and AU's have that by definition so I'll keep reading this one for a while



Grimmy

--
"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine

[SaraBiga]

YAY!!!!!! YOU'RE BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!



You know well enough that I love your fiction and above all the way you write, so I won't be repetitive... for this post at least!

Glad you're back, your update is one of those I wait more eagerly for, so now I'm an almost happy kitten. Almost, because that was a little short update... it's ok like that but I hope school tests and real life will let us have a little more of your writing soon!

You know, I made a friend of mine read the first chapters of some of the best fics from kittenboard, and she chose yours to keep on reading it. That should mean something, right?

So, I'm gonna stop with the ego boost now and let you... write.



Eh eh. Willow's soo sweet and bubbling. And Tara's all tired and weary, poor gal!

____________________________



"Don't piss off the redhead with the weird powers" -Willow-



"I'm not weird, I'm talented." -Sara Biga-

Edited by: SaraBiga at: 12/7/03 9:10 am

[bluemote]

hi guys!, sorry for all my delays - i'm in a whole different country on my college/uni break, so i'm using that as an excuse... anyways, i'll reply to you all tomorrow, now that i have a (melodramatic) internet connection.



thanks so much for your replies for the last part, it's great to have feedback, and it really helps when i've got huuuage blocks......anyways, thanks, and i'll be more in touch soon.....



Into the stars: Hope



Later



Willow crashed through the scrubby land separating the woods from the hangar she was working in, her face dark with anger and confusion. Mala had spent the whole of their evening break making jokes about how Willow had accidentally wired the doors of the scout ship she was working on incorrectly and locked herself inside. Normally, Willow wouldn’t mind… normally, the sharp banter of the Base was what kept them all going, but…



‘Well, normally, I don’t make mistakes!’ Willow scolded herself.



She was distraught.



It had been two days since she had arrived with Tara. Their journey in the small bright haven of the Q-ship was cut short the second that Willow had landed the craft. Contrary to his brief, Tobias had met the ship immediately on landing, accompanied by several of the highest-ranking soldiers on the base. They had swept Tara and her packages away, with barely the briefest of nods to Willow as she busied herself securing the Q-ship.



‘And she tried to say thank-you and they... they wouldn’t even let her stop!’ Willow replayed the actions in her mind for the hundredth time.



Tara had turned to say goodbye or thank you, or at least appeared to be about to say something kind but the soldiers had led her away before she could speak, with Tobias hurrying them all through the security gates. Willow had a second to herself as she watched them go, but was then immediately swamped by Mala who had insisted on a minutely detailed description of everything about flying the Q-ship. Mala then demanded Willow’s newly acquired clothes be returned and sent Willow to her quarters.



‘On orders! Like I’ve ever needed to be ordered…I just flew a Q-ship single-handedly and she sends me to my room like a kid!’



Willow confronted the hangar door and glared angrily at her tools lying scattered around where Mala had used them to pry open the doors of the ship inside and release her.



‘And now she leaves my kit all over the ground, like…like it’s special rustproof metal that I haven’t spent years begging from all the cruddy full pilots with their dumb ranks and pretty tunics and stupid escorting war hero duties…’ Willow continued to mumble to herself as she circled the ship and collected her tools.



‘And I escorted a war hero and I don’t even get a nod or a thanks or a smile…well, I got a smile from Tara…’ Willow smiled gently to herself as she remembered the lopsided smile of her passenger, before sitting to check her tools. The redhead’s anger dimmed as she carefully wiped and oiled her equipment.



‘Her eyes…’ Willow’s stomach dropped as she reminded herself of the wonder of Tara’s eyes. Bubbles flew merrily around her body. Her slight smile grew to a sure grin as she packed tools into a worn wood and leather case.



Suddenly Willow ran outside the hangar to look at the evening sky. ‘That’s the colour…’ Willow watched the edge of the sky opposite the setting sun where the blue was turning dark and deep. ‘That’s the colour of her eyes, just where the stars are beginning to burn through…’



Smiling at the sight, the young pilot turned back to the hangar, her anger gone. She gathered her tools and secured the structure with a quick grace before heading through the inky forest to her home.



Back in her quarters, Willow’s mood was still lifted. It had taken some years, but she finally had her own room – even if it was a little cramped. She had built or borrowed most of the contents, and the result was cluttered but imaginative.



A large desk took up most of one thin wall, crammed with electronics and diagrams. Bright pots of coloured pencils and tools weighed down maps and blueprints. Above the desk was a slightly more organised shelf that contained stacks of thick mystical books and manuscripts.



The opposite wall was also set with shelves containing patched clothes, flying equipment, and tools. There were coils of wire, pots and pans, a shovel, rope, and assorted boxes of computing components.



Willow’s bedroll rested against the bottom of the shelves, it’s faded and patched blankets folded neatly nearby. With the bed unrolled, there wasn’t even room to sit at the desk, although if necessary, Willow could nest her bedroll into a hammock and sling it between the hooks she had bolted onto the far walls.



It was unusual that she had free time at the end of the day – usually Mala would leave her some plans to examine, or she would be needed to help patrol or clean communal areas of the Base. Willow checked the rota pinned by her door and felt her mood lift even more as she realised she was indeed free from any tasks on the base.



And Mala isn’t getting any help from me after all those jokes! Willow thought to herself, although with much better cheer. Well…. I guess it was kinda funny me stuck in there all covered in soot from the wiring fault… Willow acknowledged the previous incident before turning back to her desk.



There was plenty of studying she could do – Alide was forever making her learn magick rules and laws, or translate basic spells. Willow studied some of the titles on her shelves dreamily, but was not inspired.



Magicks enthralled her when she could see what was happening, but Willow found it difficult to interpret the spells herself. Sometimes she would struggle for hours over a basic transfiguration translation, yet she could calculate flight vectors in seconds without difficulty.



But Tobias said Tara was strong with magick, so maybe I should brush up, I mean, what if she wants to talk about magick and all I can do is nod and wish that I had read mystical primer number 4 properly and then she thinks I’m stupid and all engineery and… Willow’s thoughts made the decision, and she grabbed the tome that Alide had been encouraging her to study.



The first few pages were ok, but soon Willow was struggling. The book was describing a kind of philosophy of magicks, focusing on a type of old magick that Alide had thought may have been related to those on Willow’s home planet. There were different colours for different ‘types’ of the magick and they were all dependant on the original spirit of use. It was the origins that were defeating Willow, the huge context of history and language behind each type was hard to decode without more knowledge.





Finally, Willow looked up and gave in to the huge stretch building inside her. She felt her back crunch as she leant back over her rough chair, tipping the legs and letting her head fall backwards to see an open door and…



And there’s someone in my doorway. Someone! Not just anyone! Tara! Tara’s in my doorway looking at me upside down. No, I’m upside down and she’s the right way up and…



The inevitable balance failed and Willow crashed backwards onto the floor, scattering papers and heavy magick books as her boots caught and tools rang loud in metal protest



Edited because my ezcode skills are rubbish, sorry...

Edited by: bluemote at: 12/21/03 9:54 pm

[sabina]

Hi bluemote



It's great to see an update on this story



I love this fic



I felt sorry for Willow, she brought Tara back to the base and nobody even said "thanks" or "good job" to her... But well, since Tara tried maybe it wasn't so bad



I'm really curious to see what will happen next... you left that poor redhead in an uncomfortable position

---

"I know I was born and I know that I'll die.

The in between is mine.

I am mine!" - Pearl Jam

[Grimlock72]

Ouch! I hope Willow is alright from the crash-landing



As for Willow being upset about making mistakes, well she should get used to that. She's bound to make more mistakes in her life, can't have a fit over everyone :-) No doubt Mala took full advantage of Willow's rather obvious mistake... which isn't all THAT nice or smart but survivable.



Look on the bright side, Willow didn't make any mistakes when transporting Tara . The ending of that flight was odd, why the sudden rush off ?? Surely Tobias must realize thats not a very smart thing to do, doesn't earn you much cooperation the next time around nor does it make Willow like him very much. Well Tara is standing at her doorstep now... should improve her mood quite a lot :-)



I liked the description of Willow's room, sounds awfully cramped though. Lots of techy-stuff, yep... thats Willow all right. She'll probably be emberassed to death of Tara seeing her room and the mess in it though :-)



Grimmy

--
"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine

[SaraBiga]

Yay! This new update from you is just a nice Christmas present for me!

I love the way you describe little things, you make me feel like being all absorbed in your world, and it rocks!

The only thing is, I'm as usual a little disturbed by the spelling 'magick' instead of 'magic', but that's just me, you know.

Eh, sure Willow couldn't appear more goofy to our sweet Tara!

Poor Red, she has to live in a tough world, she really deserves someone to show her affection.

I'm looking forward to hear some deep dialogue between them next time!

...and as usual Tara go looking for Willow's room... how sweet...

Keep up the good work, hope to read from you soon!

____________________________



"Don't piss off the redhead with the weird powers" -Willow-



"I'm not weird, I'm talented." -Sara Biga-

[bluewillowwitch]

bluemote ,

I love this fic! :bnow Poor Here she is with this huge crush and what does she do when shows up? She falls out of her chair. Can't wait to more. Update soon, please?





Grace

------------------------------------------

"Fate keeps on happening."--Anita Loos



"I'm here without you baby/But your still with me in my dreams/And tonight girl, it's only you and me."--3 Doors Down--Here Without You----Mine and My Baby's song.

[lipkandy]

so, I thought I had already left feedback for this lovely fic, but apparently...not.

anyway, I think it's wonderfully done. you've created a very real and compelling AU while keeping W/T perfectly intact. I'm a stickler for characterization and you've nailed it. they're so utterly themselves even as they move through a completely alien world without any of the BTVS landmarks (Buffy, Xander, vampires) to anchor them.



also, I'm a sucker for fics that depict Tara as a hero, yet maintain her quiet, soft presence and once again, you've done a wonderful job.



plus, upside-down Willow falling out of her chair at the sight of upside-down Tara...LOL!!



again, thank you for a beautiful read.



xomel

[TemperedCynic]

As I mentioned in Chat, I find this fic to be amazing and I'm unsure how I managed to miss it. The atmosphere is so unique. Nothing I've read is it's equal. Please continue with this idea, because the action is about to get interesting!

---

More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly. Woody Allen (1935 - )

[bluemote]

hello everyone,



hope you've all been having a lovely time



Thanks to you all for the amazing feedback, I'm very glad you're all enjoying



Sorry for my lack of response, but my compter access is limited over my uni vacation. I will reply to you all as soon as I can get back, your comments are lovely and I'm very grateful



Also thought I should let you know that I will have Chapter 10 up in a few weeks rather than sooner as I am going on holiday for a week....



I know, yet more lame excuses, but please accept my grovels, and I hope that the next parts are better... my block has unblocked and the willow/tara interaction is moving along much better *cough cough*



take care, thank you, and hope you dont mind waiting for the rest...



xox

bluemote

[Grimlock72]

Not to worry, I'll wait for this fic some more :-) I like the AU you've created, definitly want to see where it goes. Besides which, I like long stories



Now get back to Uni. and update already



Grimmy (ducking)

--
"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine

[bluemote]

Hello all you kittens out there



I'm continuing on with this even thought I know I must grovel for my lateness once again. I will have feedback to all your lovely replies up by Monday I hope and, once again, I'm very grateful for all you comments, they are marvelous



All previous disclaimers apply



*******************************

Chapter 10: A dark message



Previously



Finally, Willow looked up and gave in to the huge stretch building inside her. She felt her back crunch as she leant back over her rough chair, tipping the legs and letting her head fall backwards to see an open door and…



And there’s someone in my doorway. Someone! Tara! Tara’s in my doorway looking at me upside down. No, I’m upside down and she’s the right way up and…



The inevitable balance failed and Willow crashed backwards onto the floor, scattering papers and the large magick book as her boots caught the de



***************************





Tara hesitated as she neared the door to Willow’s quarters, listening carefully to see if the young pilot was alone. Creeping closer, the blonde peered subtly around the open door to confirm her hope that Willow didn’t have any company. The chaotic quarters were distracting, but Tara’s concentration was solely fixed on the slight, hunched figure of Willow at her rough desk.



Tara’s days at the Base so far had been full – a whirl of meetings, council, debate and introductions. Tara had to remember everything she could about her time with the Conglomerate, her work and her escape. The only thing she wanted to do was forget, but it was too late for that now. Every piece of information she could provide would help in the fight, and although Alide and Tobias were attempting to make it easy for her, she knew time was important. Tara’s fear during her escape had crashed into exhaustion and confusion, a swirl of information that Tobias and Alide needed to interpret.



The only respite had been the brief trip in the Q-ship with the young redhead currently reading a few feet away. Tara knew there was something special about Willow the second she met her, a knowledge confirmed swiftly by Tobias and Alide. Willow was as mixed up in the fate of the war as Tara was, except she didn’t know it yet.



Tara leaned into the doorframe, immediately feeling the magick around Willow crackle in her blood. There was a connection here, that was obvious, but she was unsure what Willow knew about it. Tobias and Alide had sheltered Willow, Tara could understand why considering Willow’s past, but that left them with little knowledge of what Willow could do, or even what she knew about her abilities.



‘Well, we’ll all find out soon enough’, Tara thought heavily as she watched Willow work. The redhead was oblivious to her presence and Tara was glad to be able to watch her for a little while, just to be near her before she had to tell her story and throw them both into a dangerous tumbled future.



Suddenly, Willow pushed back from her desk, stretching away from her reading. Tara felt herself smile despite her surprise as Willow noticed her in the doorway. She felt a warm fizz in her chest from the delight on Willow’s inverted face. ‘ Her eyes, they’re so…’



Then the tip and crash of Willow’s fall was happening fast and the green eyes were gone and the redhead was tangled on the floor as papers landed fluttering around her.



Tara’s stomach lurched at the fall, a deep worry stabbing inside her. Quickly, she reached to help, but was pushed back by Willow’s cry.



‘I’m… I’m fine, I’m fine! No need to help, um, I’m fine, I mean…’ Willow struggled to right herself in the cramped room. ‘Are you fine? I hope so, you know, I should have listened when people say don’t lean in chairs, but you know I never and well…’ Willow’s voice trailed into an embarrassed whistle as she frantically picked up her papers.



‘It’s just, I um, didn’t see you there, and you know you kinda took me by surprise. I mean, not a bad surprise, you know, a good one, but one that made me surprised and fall over, but I’m quite clumsy – but hey now you know that and…’ Willow paused suddenly trying not to cry as she processed the shame of her fall in front of Tara.



Back in the doorway, Tara felt her breath catch as she stood silent and Willow finally finished her panicked speech. Willow’s eyes were damp with tears, but Tara felt the great spark behind them and it made her pulse quicken. Those eyes were a forest, a deep, cool wood full of shade and sun and life. Those eyes were trying to tell her a story, trying to pull her in, trying to sing to her.





Without thinking, she moved forward to be nearer Willow.



‘It’s ok’, Tara said gently, ‘Well, it’s ok if you’re ok. Are you alright? Your head, when you fell?’ Before she could register the movement, her hand was reaching to smooth Willow’s hair away from her face.



Willow nodded, stunned as Tara’s hand gently took a lock of red hair and pushed it behind her ear, fingers burning softly on her skin for a tiny second. The small touch told Tara all it needed too – that Willow was fine, unhurt by her fall.



Tara smiled back, the worry leaving her eyes as her healer’s hands finished their job. ‘Good’, she spoke softly – the single word breathing her relief. ‘Sorry for startling you Willow, I should have knocked.’



Willow regained her breath and smiled back, the sight of Tara smiling and the brief touch of Tara’s long fingers focused her thoughts enough to restrain a flurry of needless words.



‘That’s ok, you know, you can come here anytime. You’re always welcome.’



The clarity in the reply was clear to Tara, the truth and sincerity of Willow’s welcome a first step into a cool forest.



She spoke lightly, ‘Sorry I didn’t get to thank you for the trip back to base the other day. I was so tired, and then things were so hectic when Tobias arrived to collect me…’



Willow nodded in return, happy to have the blonde near her, never mind their abrupt separation a few days before. A bright grin splayed across her features, uncontrollable and shining for Tara.



‘Oh, that’s fine, I didn’t…’ Willow halted her denial before she could protest her indifference to the blonde’s swift exit. There was no point in lying to herself, and certainly no point in lying to Tara. She continued along more truthful lines, ‘I understand, I know what Tobias can be like when he has a mission. You should see him when he’s hungry and waiting in a lunch line…’



Tara nodded in answer, glad that Willow was making her feel comfortable. Distracted for these few moments the heaviness of her message had lightened, but as she watched the other woman its full weight returned. She should tell Willow now before things became light, before Willow asked her to sit, brought her tea, joked and showed her books and wires and complicated drawings as Tara knew she would.



Tara threw the easy images from her mind and concentrated on her speech. The words were strong, but Tobias had instructed her to emphasise the serious nature of the situation. Tara knew only too well what dark paths they were all preparing to take.



‘Willow’ she said formally, ‘Alide and Tobias require your company in the magick rooms. I am to accompany you for they wish to talk with both of us about grave matters. We shall be busy with them for some days, Mala has been notified that you will not be reporting for duty and has deactivated your ship access codes.’



Willow stared open-mouthed at the sudden change in atmosphere. Tara’s eyes had gone from soft to hard, their blue lightening to near grey as she spoke. As the message digested, the redhead reminded herself that Tara was a hero, a rebel against the Conglomerate, and that she had fought dark things, been in dark places. Willow could only follow.