(Eighteen)

Henry had watched Kimble and Remy leave for the galley to get Fallen's meal. He turned back to Fallen, a curious look in his eyes. "How long have you known Kimble?"

"I dunno. About three years, maybe a little more."

"Where did you get him?"

Fallen sat up stiffly and rubbed some sleep out of her eyes. "I found him on a dusty shelf in a Clan store room on Nine. I paid the Curator of Files six bottles of vintage Kyrule whiskey for him, but he's been worth every bottle. Why?"

"He had a nightmare and he seemed a little troubled."

"It's probably just stress. He hasn't been out for this long before. It's strange that he's dreaming. I wonder if he dreamed when he was in the system."

Henry shook his blue furry head. "He said he hadn't dreamed since he'd been broken." He looked up at Seth. "What about you? Do you dream?"

Seth laughed and cocked his head in a very Kimble like movement. "I have no idea what dreaming is."

"Do you see pictures in your head while you're sleeping?"

Seth pondered this. "No, I don't think so. I just rest. I mean, I shut down to conserve energy, but that's only for a couple of hours unless there's nothing to do. Most of the time, Kimble and I just play games."

"What about Kimble?"

"I would know if he was dreaming like that. I'd hear it. No way."

"You guys are that close?"

Seth laughed. "Of course. We're brothers. We shared a lot of the same files. He can't really hide anything from me."

"What did he dream then?" Logan broke in.

Seth grew a little wary. He was uncomfortable with Logan's obvious dislike for his brother. "I don't know. We're not connected anymore."

"You know how he got broken?"

"No."

"Right," Logan grunted, his disbelief plain.

"What's your problem with him, anyway?" Seth asked sharply.

"He's a little kid swingin' his big adult fists around, stirrin' up trouble," Wolverine replied arrogantly.

"You're probably not that far off," Fallen interrupted.

"What?" Logan grunted at her.

Fallen smoothed her hair back and rested her chin on her knees. "Let me explain a little something about Kimble, okay? He's what the Siskans call a Courtesan. He's a pleasure program, sure, but he is also a complex and realistic personality, just like Seth." She looked up at Seth briefly before continuing. Seth knew all this already, but she could see he was curious what she was going to say.

"As long as a Courtesan has access to a continuous power supply, they can live to be quite old, as many as two hundred years or so. Their personalities develop slowly, just like our own children. They train for many years before they are actually put into service. It's all in the book I see Henry is reading. Check it yourself if you don't believe me.

"Anyway, I suspect Kimble was very young and only just beginning his training when he was taken by the Dognan. The Dognan tore him away from everything he knew and then shelved him in storehouse. Who knows how long he was there before the Clan found him. I'm sure all of that must have affected him badly. My treatment at the hands of the Dognan certainly didn't do much for me," she said bitterly. "In many ways he is like a child. He has a child's temper and emotions. But at the same time there's a hardness to him like he's gone through some kind of serious trauma he's never really recovered from."

"Has he ever spoken of his past?"

"He says he can't remember it. Most of the original files were damaged or locked away. I have no reason not to believe him. I'm sure he knows more than he says, he's private in much the same way we are. Still, I don't think he would hold back anything I really needed to know."

"Maybe he's scared that you'll shut him down if ya ever found out the truth of what he really is, darlin'," Logan drawled as he leaned against the back wall. "Bruce seems ta think he might be this Zander guy. Zander supposedly went nuts and killed a buncha guys back at Nine."

Fallen laughed. "Who? Kimble? Please! He's just a big kid who likes to run his mouth. He wouldn't hurt anyone. I've never seen him do one violent thing. We fight, yes, but it's me who's always slamming things around."

"I've seen it in his eyes, Fallen," Logan said ominously, quieting her. "I wouldn't put anything past him."

Seth closed his eyes and turned away. The man was so unreasonable.

Fallen cleared her throat and looked up at him with dark and serious eyes. "I won't deny his temper, Logan, but he wouldn't hurt anyone. You know what Kimble does? He takes care of people. He's always looked out for me and he's done a fine job keeping watch on Seth. It makes him feel wanted and loved. That's all he wants. That's all he needs. He would never do anything to jeopardize that.

"Understand, it's been three years since he's been this free. Now he's stuck out here in all of this big mess that I created. His plate is a little full, all right? Just give him a little time. He'll work himself out. Why can't you cut him a little slack? You'd do it for anyone else."

Wolverine was quiet. He couldn't explain what it was about Kimble that rubbed him the wrong way, but it was there nagging at him all the time. He'd trusted his instincts much too long to ignore what he perceived as a disaster waiting to happen. He was about to reply when Remy and Kimble returned with Fallen's meal on a tray.

Kimble crouched and set the tray down with a careful and practiced grace. He'd forgotten nothing. He brought her a steaming bowl of rice with vegetables and some more fruit. He'd selected more than one type to give her a variety to choose from. She had a cup of water, no Rishna. He knew she wouldn't drink it so he didn't bother. He remembered a fork and a napkin. Henry and Logan both got the idea Kimble had done this before. Kimble grabbed some pillows and propped her up so she would be comfortable and tucked the blanket around her. "Watch the rice, it's kinda hot," he mumbled motherly and sat near her as if waiting for more instructions.

"Thanks," Fallen replied and kissed him.

"Anathin' fer you," he said, then looked a little embarrassed when he noticed the others watching him. He backed off and sat against the vanity again.

"Well, we'll leave you to it," Logan said and walked out.

Henry rose to follow him. "Eat well and get some rest," he advised Fallen with a gentle smile.

"I'll be all right."

Henry nodded and left. Remy said good night to Kimble and Fallen and followed him.

Fallen ate and when she was done, Kimble gave her another shot of the Lightening. He could tell she was needing it.

She snuggled up against him. "My head hurts..."

"I knows. I kin feel it." And he could. It was trickling through with her Ristle. "Won't take long fer the medicine ta work. Kin I do sumpthin' fer ya?"

She closed her eyes and pulled his arms closer around her. "Sing for me."

"All right."

Kimble began to gently sing a Siskan lullaby. The sound of it reminded him of another place and another time and it soothed him even though it was his own voice singing it. Seth recognized the song; Kimble had sung it to him many times and he joined in. His voice was as good as Kimble's even though it was pitched a little higher. Kimble laughed a little as he sang, happy just to have Seth and Fallen so close. Fallen relaxed as the Lightening kicked in and let their voices send her off to sleep.

Outside the lav, the X-men listened to the gentle song and soon dropped off to sleep themselves. The Lucky Dragon drifted quietly in space, a tiny speck lost among the great and mighty stars. Drifting towards a most uncertain future.

To be continued in The Hunter.