27: Forbidden Love.

Kori just received an invitation from the notorious Starburst. The telegram was short and brief, but it caught the attention of the curious Kori. He entered the Battalion, and entered the main control room.

Kori walked in. "You are Starburst?"

"Welcome to my ship Lord Kori, isn't it great?"

"Let's get to the point. What do you want?"

"My dear friend, I guess you want to get straight to the point."

"Tell me, why did you invite me here?"

"I want to cooperate with you. Our alliance will be powerful. Jerrell and his colony will not be a match for us."

"You mean working to together? Forget it! I'm better off by myself."

"Oh really? You can't fool me. We've both been defeated by the sayan named Mason before, am I right? I know exactly what happened."

"Grrrr...you're right, but I don't see how we can make things different..."

"I have a plan to destroy the colony once and for all, but all I have is this ship. You control many planets, and with one word, you can have anyone help us."

"So, basically, I have the resources and you're the brains of the operation, right?"

"Precisely. Think about it, you'll never be able to do it alone. Once we succeed we'll share the reward, whatever it is." said Starburst confidently.

"Hmmm. I see no reason why not."

"I knew you'd come to your senses, my friend."

"Whatever." They shook hands and smiled.

Margarita was tossing about in bed, thinking about what happened the other day. She couldn't quite shake the feeling out. Hugging him was an unfamiliar feeling, yet comfortable and warm. She just couldn't stop thinking about it.

Oh yeah, she thought, she has to meet him in the morning. Just the mere thought of it sent a rush of excitement over her, and at the same time, some nervousness.

Mason was walking down the hallway faster than usual and ran into Piper. "Hey what's up?"

"Nothing much. I gotta go."

"Hold on, what's the rush?"

"Uhh, nothing. Really." Mason said, and continued walking down the hall.

"What's with him?"

Leila met up with Piper minutes later. "Have you seen Mason?" she asked.

"Yeah, I just bumped into him. But he looked like he's in a hurry."

"In a hurry? He's been acting very strange lately."

"Yeah, I've noticed too."

"I hope nothing's bothering him."

Piper sighed. "Mason has been through a lot lately. He's discovered that he's a sayan and all. I guess he just needs time to absorb the truth."

"I don't think that's the reason why he's always busy. I think it's something else."

"Something else?"

"Well, ever notice he's acting differently around Margarita? Ever since she woke up?"

"Uhhh, what do you mean?"

"Never mind." Leila said, knowing Piper won't understand. But Leila herself knows that a woman's intuition is rarely wrong.

Mason went into the Garden to meet Margrit. She stood there by the flowers, and he noticed that she looked so angelic, which was quite a contrast compared to when he first met her.

"Margarita…" he said.

She turned around. "Mason…" She wanted to say something, but didn't. She seemed to be at a loss of words. "

They proceeded to sit down at the fountain.

Margrit: "Does anyone know you are here?"

Mason: "No."

Margrit sighed in relief.

"We are supposed to keep this a secret, right? How long are we going to hide it from everyone?"

"As long as it takes. We can't let anyone know, especially Jerrell."

"I just can't go on sneaking like this."

"The colony has rules on these things, Mason. I don't want us to get caught."

"But we can't keep it from them forever."

"Well, what about Burdok? Are you gonna hide the fact that he's your father from everyone?"

"How did you know? You heard it?"

"Of course silly. In the healing chamber, I was unconscious but I could still hear you."

"You can hear me speak to you inside that chamber?"

"Yep. I heard every word. Next time you might wanna think twice before telling a secret to an unconscious person."

Mason smiled. "You're better than I thought."

"Does anyone else know? Other than you and Zorton?"

"No. Just the three of us."

"You only told me? You didn't even tell your best friends?"

Mason sighed. "No. Just you. It will be too complicated if they know too much. It's because…" Now he was at a loss of words. "Because I value more than anyone else."

Margrit just stared at him in shock, then looked away. "Really?"

"Really. This isn't about my friends. It's about you and me."

"Mason, I-"

"I don't think its safe here. Jerrell might see us."

"You're right, let's go somewhere else."

Margrit took him back to her private training room. They thought it still wasn't safe enough. She took him into a small closet filled with files. They hugged and kissed

That's how things have been with them ever since. They always secretly meet together, not letting anyone know.

And they went on and on like that, and didn't get caught. Until one time, when they were in a private room…

Margrit: "I'm so glad to see you."

Mason: "Me too."

"I don't know why, but my heart is beating really, really fast."

"Really? Let me check." He put his head on her chest and listened carefully. Margrit blushed as he did. Her heart was beating fast, just as she said.thud thud thud thud. "You're right. it is. Let me slow it down for you."

Then he kissed her lips, and they put their arms around each other.

The door was slightly ajar, and Jerrell was standing there, and he saw everything.

Margrit and Mason finished the kiss, then saw Jerrell, and they looked like they saw a ghost.

Margrit: "J-Jerrell!"

Mason: "Did…you see everything?"

Margrit: "This is not what it looks like!"

Jerrell: "I see. This is why you're hardly training anymore." He walked away.

Mason: "Damn. We've got to explain this to him."

Margrit: "It's useless. Jerrell will never let us be together! Love is forbidden here, he-"

"I'm sure if tell him how we feel, he'll understand."

"No, he won't! He just won't let us. Especially not me."

"We gotta try."

"It's no use. Nothing will get to that cold mind of his. I'm not allowed to love anyone."

"What a stupid rule! He has no right to watch you that strictly."

"Mason, he has every right, I'm afraid. You see, he's not just my superior, but my brother as well."

"He's your brother?!"

"Yes. I'm sorry I haven't told you before. We thought it'd be better if no one knew."

Everyone has their secrets. But this one is especially shocking, yet when Mason thought about it, it all makes sense. How come Jerrell is number one, and Margarita is second in command? How come Jerrell treats her well? He treats her…like a sister.

Jerrell entered Margrit's room and searched violently. One of the drawers were locked, so he just pulled it right out and broke it. He held the pink book in his hands, the diary of Margarita. He read from the day that Mason came here.

June 4, A.E. 2365

Dear Diary,

Today a very embarrassing thing happened to me. I had lost a fight, and I haven't lost since when I can remember. It seems that every battle is getting more dangerous and Dark Spectre's minions are getting stronger.

But a very special thing happened - Mason came in and saved me! I didn't know what came over me, I cried like I never did before...

...

July 30, A.E. 2365

Dear Diary,

I think I'm in love with Mason. Oh, he be must the most wonderful person I've known in my life! The other day he said I am the most beautiful woman in the galaxy! And he says he's the luckiest man alive.

We are so happy together, we shared almost everything. For the first time I don't feel so lonely anymore, knowing he's always here for me. I'm relieved from the pressure of fighting. I'm forgetting about the outside dangers and it feels great to be so relaxed.

But I still have one fear: what if my brother finds out about us? I just know he'll never let us be together. What would I say? What could I say? I just think it's best for the meantime if we just kept this little secret to ourselves...

Jerrell: "Now I understand everything. That's what Kane was trying to tell me before."

Kane came in. "What are you doing in Margarita's room?"

"Hey, it's my colony. I can do as I wish here."

"Is that…Margarita's diary?"

"Yes is it."

"Don't tell me you're reading it. You have to respect her privacy."

"Kane, I've just discovered that she's in love. With Mason."

"Oh, that's wonderful."

"Look, the evidence is in these entries, read it." He shoved the diary to his face, and Kane tried not to look at it.

"I can't look at it. It's not right to read other's personal things. Especially when they belong to a friend."

Leila was outside in the hall, leaning against the wall. She listened like she was all ears.

Jerrell was by himself in the training room. "Now I understand everything." he said, just as Mason and Margrit came in.

Margrit: "I'm glad you understand."

"And do you understand that we have rules in this colony?!"

"What rules? Rules that deny happiness?!" Mason said, which really pissed Jerrell off.

Jerrell: "What do you know? You're just a sayan from earth." Then he turned to Margrit. "You! I can't believe this! Of all people, it had to be you, Margrit."

Margrit: "Jerrell, please listen."

Jerrell: "Didn't I make it clear already? Didn't I? You can't love anyone here! It weakens you in battle!"

Mason: "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"

"Jerrell!" Tears rolled down her eyes.

Jerrell: "My word is final! You two can't be together! Absolutely not. If you can't accept it, then leave the colony." He walked out of the room.

"Margrit?"

" *Sob* It's not fair! *Sob* "

Mason was pissed. "Damn. Your brother is more stubborn than I thought."

"He's just trying to help me. *Sob*"

"Help?" That word seemed to have offended him. "You know what? I'm going to talk to him alone."

"No!" Margrit said, grabbing his shirt. " *Sob* Look, Jerrell is my brother and he really cares about me."

"Oooh, now I get it. He's trying to help you by separating me and you, which both of us don't want."

"He thinks having feelings for someone harms them. He just doesn't understand how I feel."

"Then I'll make him understand."

"We can't use violence to solve this."

"I'm not going to use violence. I'm going to use reason." Mason left.

Margrit just watched him leave, and she ran down the hall crying. Suddenly, Leila was in front of her. Margrit was embarrassed by her crying, and just walked past her. Leila had a lot that she wanted to say, and she really wanted to comfort her friend, but she just stood there, as Margrit walked past her. Looks like she missed her chance.