Chapter Four

"Kate! Kate! Wait up!" Keith yelled.

Kate just kept on going, stalking out towards the woods behind the castle.

.....Oh boy, she's really mad! That meeting didn't set well at all with her!! Keith thought, running to catch up with her.

"Kate, dammit..stop!" Keith finally caught up to her and grabbed her arm, making her stop.

Kate's eyes blazed fire. "What the hell do you want, Keith?"

Keith looked at her furious face and said, "I want to know what set you off at that meeting, Kate. You don't storm out on Coran like that!"

Kate jerked her arm out of Keith's grasp and folded her arms. You don't care what I think, Keith. You're just going to follow Coran's meek little waiting game until Zarkon strikes. You don't know him -I do."

Keith shook his head, "Look, Coran is between a rock and a hard place, Kate. With the princess in hiding with Zarkon's son-"

Kate interrupted him. You mean D'aa-ah-I mean Prince Lotor?"

Keith nodded. "Yeah, he's the one. Anyway, he's actually hiding the princess from his father who "married" her in the old Drule tradition - dammit, Kate, you know that! "

Kate frowned. "Yeah, I know about that particular family traditon. It's still legal. It needs to be outlawed."

Keith thought, I think she's trying to change the subject on me...

"Kate-out with it.." Kate looked at him, her eyes blazing emeralds.

.she's beautiful...Keith thought appreciatively.

Kate interrupted. "Keith, we should attack Doom...get rid of him once and for all! He's a monster, Keith, If we get rid of him, Lotor can take over."

"Lotor? He's as bad as Zarkon-or worse! Keith exclaimed, "Kate, you don't know what you're talking about-I mean, you haven't been here that long. You may be his relative-but Lotor is worse than his father. I mean, he took over before and-"

Kate cut him off. "No! You don't know what you're talking about, Keith! Lotor is not as bad as his father.I know." she shuddered.

Keith put his arm around her."Kate..."

She tossed her head. "Don't patronize me, Keith...you don't know the family I come from...you really don't. Z'aale Zarkon uses people, planets, anything for his own good pleasure. If he gets Allura, he'll use her too-I guarantee it. You heard Coran-we haven't heard from our spies on Doom in over a week...you know that's not good. Dammit, Keith, we don't need to sit here and wait for Zarkon to come rolling in here!"

She started walking off again, but Keith grabbed her arm. She whirled around.

"What!?" she yelled.

Keith sighed and said, "Kate...if you hadn't of stomped out of the meeting like that, you would heard what Coran was going to say next.."

Kate tossed her head disdainfully. "What, Keith? We're going to have a tea party for him when he gets here?"

Keith shook his head." Noo...we're going to send an undercover person to Doom to check out what happened to silence our network and get the lay of the land...so to speak."

Kate's eyes widened. "Really? Who's going to be the victim? "

Uh oh...Keith thought...knew she'd ask that.

He replied, "Well, I volunteered. Coran didn't want me to go because of what I went though there recently, but I told him since I've been to Doom before-I'm the only one able to infiltrate our network. I know all the spots."

Kate smiled.

Uh oh...Keith thought again.

"Want a partner?"

Keith shook his head. "Uh uh, Kate, this is a one person job. It will be dangerous..."

Kate put her hands on her hips and said, "Well, DUH, Keith! You forget I fought in the Battle of Tri'son-now that was dangerous!"

Keith knew he was in trouble. Once Kate had an idea in her mind, she hung on to it like a bulldog.

"Kate, forget it, you're not going.:"

Kate pleaded-a big thing for her. "Please, Keith? Look, I've got the features of a Drule.I could be a guard or something. I hate sitting on my fanny here! I want to do something to help bring down that sick bastard!"

Keith looked at her. She really hates him...I guess cause she's related..but I'll have to put my foot down on this.I don't want to lose her like Allura.

"No, Kate, and that's final. You may be a Lt. Commander and a hero of Tri'son, but I'm still your superior officer and I'm telling you no. You're needed here anyway."

Keith heard Kate grumble under her breath:

"..yeah, like I'm really needed to be a glorified operator like a damned ensign!" Kate turned away from Keith, plainly disappointed.

Keith did something unlike him, he came and put his arm around her and said gently, "Kate.I'm sorry, it's just I've come to really enjoy your company-and not just on duty....I don't want to see anything happen to you like..." he trailed off.

Kate knew who he was referring to and was touched that he cared enough to tell her.

...It must be really hard for him to say that-funny, Jake never did that and he was supposed to have loved me.

Kate was suprised that he was still holding her close. There was a spell over them, it seemed. She didn't want to break it by saying anything. She turned to face him and nestled her head on his chest.

Keith wrapped his arms around her waist. He thought, she always seems so strong, but she really is just as vulnerable as anyone - maybe even more so. I just want to able to protect her, I don't know why. You'd think I was in love with her. Me?

Kate just happened to look into his eyes at that very moment. Keith could not resist. He kissed her upturned face gently. Kate didn't say anything. She just smiled at him.

Swimming With The Sharks Interlude

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