Shadows moving on the wall. Footsteps behind her.

Scorpina halted and wheeled about. Zedd stood there, silhouetted against the stars in a window frame.

“In the Dragon’s name!” Scorpina growled, this becoming all too common an experience.

He took a couple of almighty leaps, then bounded before her, covering her mouth with his hand and pinning her to the wall with the other; “Silence…” he hissed, his voice, as ever, smooth as silk.

He waited for her to calm a little before he withdrew his hand from her maw; “Anything new?”

She shook her head, “No, my lord…”

“She still bleeds?”

“Yes, my lord…”

“Shit…”

Scorpina frowned, watching him slowly recoil; “There’s no need for that tongue, my lord…”

“Don’t be arrogant,” he snarled running a hand back over his exposed mind, “I’m running out of time.”

“You got yourself into this mess…”

“Yes, I know… things aren’t exactly going as planned.”

“I never thought they would.”

“Hey, what did I just tell you?” he growled, turning back toward her.

Scorpina shook her head, ignoring him, “You’re both as tenacious as each other. Neither of you will get what you want.”

“Then what can I do, Scorpina? I’m weakening by the day as it is… if I don’t have an heir…”

“Why are you so paranoid about this? You don’t need an heir right now - you’re not old! You still have time!”

“No, I don’t… I’m not old, but I’ not exactly in good condition, am I, my sweet?”

She looked away, hinting to the Emperor as to where her feelings on the matter lay.

He nodded, “And the time is growing increasingly risky. I could die any day the way this war is going…”

She shook her head, “If you’d just not married Rita! If you’d been intelligent!”

“It was all planned out at the time,” he snarled.

“It was wrong, and you know it.”

“Enough.” He looked out across the cosmos, “And me… what’s wrong with me? Why can’t I get a child on her?” He slowly turned his eyes back toward her, watching how she tried to evade them; “Am I impotent? Is my line dead before I am?”

She tried to look up at him, “Surely not, my lord…”

He walked right up to her, “How much are you betting on that?”

Scorpina shook her head again, “Perhaps it’s Rita?”

“Rita?” he snorted, “Why would she be the problem?”

“Some women are born that way.”

“Are you? You and Goldy don’t seem to be getting anywhere fast.”

“You would have me bring a child into the world in this war?”

“So you don’t want children?”

“I don’t know…”

“Or is this about Goldar?”

“He’s… a bit aloof at the moment.”

“Is he, now?”

“He’s still shifty over your marriage, and over me…”

“Why?”

She shrugged, “We’ve grown apart a bit recently.”

She felt Zedd’s hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him, trying to see through the visor; “I’m still here.”

Her brow furrowed, “Meaning?”

He made another shrug, “You do the math.”

“You’re supposed to be focusing on Rita - not me.”

He scoffed sarcastically, “Oh, the competition…”

She laughed a little, rubbing his arm in an affectionate gesture, “Go on…get moving. I’ll report when I have something.”

He held her by the wall, “No good bye kiss?”

“Zedd, I’m not your wife.”

He stroked her face, “But I still have feelings for you…”

She shook her head, “You silly boy,” she whispered, before reaching up on her tiptoes and planting a gentle kiss on his visor.

He nodded, “That’s better,” he smirked, giving her arm a stroke before turning and going on his way.

In the distance, Finster turned and went on his way…

“He needs to be watched,” the Clayobian insisted, looking between Rito, Rita and the holographic transmission of Master Vile, “He is getting too close to Scorpina.”

“The little bitch,” Rita hissed.

...