Marianne sighed deeply. She knew that Valentine's day was not to far away.

"Bialar hardly knows Earth customs. He hasn't even had the time to let me teach him. Been to busy talking to Scorpius." her thoughts wandered as she pottered around the base. She noticed DK was depressed.

"Hey. What's wrong?" she asked him gently. He sighed and said, "Scorpius wants me to hack into the Scarran's computer system."

"What! That's virtually impossible if you don't have a clue as to what software they're using." She exclaimed.

"Yeah, that's what I told him and his response was and I quote 'You're the best hacker we've got here.' I suppose it all boils down to binary in the long run. It's gonna be a long haul."

"You're the only hacker they have. I'm surprised that they haven't got any home grown ones."

"Seems that the idea that encryptions were breakable had never occurred to them. So, any plans for Valentine's day?" he asked her switching subjects.

"No." she said sighing as she sat down on the couch.

"Man,you two are like..",he stopped when she glared at him.

"I know, I know! I married the most stubborn, moody man." Her voice drifted off as Jon and Kim walked in on their conversation.

"Hey! Sorry to interrupt but I was wondering if the four of us could get together?" Kim asked them.

"Sure! We're not doing anything!" DK said happily.

"Count me out." Marianne said testily, getting up.

"But.." Jon started to protest. He had wanted to spend more time with his Aunt since she arrived.

"Jon, Kim, I'm really not in the mood for partying right now." She said softly and left the room.

"What was that about?" Jon asked DK.

"Well it's about her and Bialar. They haven't gotten along really well after Tauvo's birth." DK explained to the two. Jon and Kim looked at each other in concern.

"I've got a plan! But I need your help." Kim said to DK. DK grinned and rubbed his hands together gleefully.

"Spill the beans!"

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

Two ahns passed and Braca was the lucky person (He'd have said unlucky) chosen to deliver notes to Bialar and Marianne.

"Why did Kim talked me into this I'll never know."

Braca had been easily coerced by her. He found it difficult to deny her any request. Noticing Crais and Scorpius still talking about something, he coughed to get their attention.

"Sir, this is for you." He said to Crais, handing him the note and took off quickly before Scorpius could say him anything. He found Marianne asleep in her quarters. He sighed softly, knowing that she would ask for an explanation of who sent the note if she woke. So he laid the note on the table by her and quietly left the room. He hurried back to DK's lab where all three were discussing on how to handle the situation.

"Mission accomplished!" Braca exclaimed to Kim as he put an arm around her waist. She looked up at him and gave a big grin. Braca felt weak at the knees.

"All right!.phase one is complete. Braca is there anywhere those two can be locked up over night?" Jon asked. Braca concentrated on the layout of the base and broke out in a smile.

"Yes! There's a room that'll be perfect for them. But I insist on telling Scorpius. He should at least know of the plan. Otherwise he might interrupt them!" Braca exclaimed eagerly.

"Sure you can tell him! But not in front of Uncle Bialar! I just hope he goes to the room!" Kim exclaimed, laughing merrily as she remembered writing the notes signing them as secret admirer.

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

Bialar read the note quickly and colored.

"Who could it be?" he thought racking his brain for answers. He was puzzled, to say the least, he was quite content with Marianne, even though she could be difficult to get along with sometimes and failed to understand his utter absorption with the project.

"So, it is agreed then?" Scorpius asked him.

"Umm. What? Sorry, I was thinking about something else. I can't be sure she'll agree without asking her directly. This is our son we're talking about Scorpius. He's just a baby."

Just then Braca appeared again and coughed.

"Sir, I must speak with you."

"It can wait Braca!"

"No Sir, it cannot wait!"

Scorpius sighed resigned to the interruption and Bialar said, "Let me talk it over with her."

"Let me know Crais. Your son will be in danger if the Scarrans find out."

Bialar nodded and left quickly. But instead of heading back to the quarters, he headed toward the room that was mentioned in the note.

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

Marianne read the note quickly as she walked to Jon and Kim's quarters. She realised that she hadn't anything appropriate to wear on an occasion like this. Her curiosity was running riot. She was so infuriated at Bialar's recent behaviour, that she had decided to make the tryst, just to spite him.

"And it might be fun! Who could it be? DK? I know he's still got feelings for me. One of the Peackeeper officers?"

Her thoughts were rudely terminated as she almost collided with Kim in the doorway of her room.

"Aunt Marianne?"

"Oh, sorry Kim! You don't happen to have a dress, I could borrow?" Kim smiled and she picked out something very sexy for her to wear.

"Kim!" Marianne was shocked!

"What? I always wear this when I'm with Braca and he doesn't complain!" she exclaimed to her aunt grinning. Marianne just shook her head and took the dress from her. It was backless, red, halter necked and it barely covered the breasts in the front. There was a large hole in the midriff area.

"I'm sure he doesn't. Could I change in here? I don't want your Uncle to see me in this!" Kim laughed and thought to herself, "Oh but he will!"

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

Scorpius waited patiently for Braca to speak. He was curious to learn what his aide was up to. Braca wasn't renowned for his initiative, and he was a bit curious about the note that he had handed Crais.

"Ermmm,well this will seem a bit awkward." Braca started to say and noticed his chief raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Please continue." Scorpius said enthusiastically. He was intrigued by this turn of events. He sat down, and sipped his brandy.

"Kim devised a plan for helping out her Aunt and Uncle."

Braca looked at Scorpius. His face was inscrutible and Braca's voice drifted off in trepidation. Scorpius's reply was, "Ah! So what was in the note?"

"A diversion to get the two of them together. They don't know who sent the notes and hopefully all will go as planned." Braca said confidently. Scorpius chuckled softly.

"I should like to be able to see Crais's face when he realises that he's been tricked. Almost too good a chance to pass up! Perhaps a small camera?"

"But Sir! Kim specifically told me they needed time to sort out their differences!"

"Yes Crais's mind has not been one hundred percent on the project and Marianne has been extremely hard to get along with these past few weeken. I think Braca, that female, Kim, has you wrapped around her finger!"

Scorpius's face never changed, but his eyes sparkled. He looked straight at Braca who was blushing.

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

Meanwhile Marianne was looking at herself in the mirror. The red dress she was wearing was rather revealing and she had decided to wear her hair in a braid.

"Come on out!" Kim exclaimed excitedly. She was hoping that her Aunt hadn't changed her mind or she thought, "Uncle Bialar will be very disappointed!" She was hoping that the guys got to the room in time to set everything up as planned.

"I just hope this will work out!" Kim thought grinning mischievously as Marianne stepped out.

"I don't know Kim. It's a bit daring!" she started to say and noticed Kim's disapproving look.

"All right, all right I'll try it your way!" Marianne exclaimed finally, holding her hands up in resignation.

"Good! You won't be sorry!" Kim exclaimed, smiling.

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

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

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

Jon and Kim were in the officer's lounge whispering secretively to each other.

"I just hope they'll straightened out their differences. Theyre good for each other and they don't realize that! Mind you Marianne was so infuriated with him that it could go the other way." Kim exclaimed softly to her brother.

"Yeah, but I hope not. Besides I want to see Tauvo! Remember the last time we were on Talyn? Wonder how much bigger he's gotten?"

Scorpius entered the room and noticed the two teenagers talking. He smiled and thought to himself, "So different from Sebaccian youngsters. They could learn from each other."

"Now about this holiday you call Valentine's Day, what is it specifically?" he asked them, sitting on the edge of a table. Kim and Jon looked at each other apprehensively.

"Is is so complicated?" Scorpius asked. "Take your time, be explicit. We have got all night. I posted Braca at the door."

"But I thought you were going to see Crichton?" Kim asked out of curiosity.

"Eventually. But this holiday of yours interests me more. Is it something I could learn from?" Scorpius replied to her with a smile.

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

Bialar paced up and down while Marianne sat on the bed staring at him.

"Bialar, aren't you the lest bit hungry?"

"No!" he growled out angrily. He wanted out and wanted to know why they were locked up! Marianne sighed and thought, "Well, if he isn't going to eat, no sense in letting all this food go to waste!"

She picked the top off and gasped excitedly and thought, "Pizza! Where on earth did they manage to get that?" Bialar walked over to see what she was looking at.

"What is it?" he asked her intrigued by the shape.

"Its pizza, and its good while its hot .Come on! Try some!" she said tempting him with a slice. He took a bite and swallowed it.

"It's good. Better than what we have on board Talyn."

"Talyn does the best he can with the nutrients that are on hand."

He sat down and started to eat some more. Marianne noticed a card on the bed.

"Wonder what this is?" she thought curiously. She opened it up and it was a Valentine's Day card from Jon and Kim addressed to her and Bialar. Glancing at him, she noticed that he was eating a second slice of pizza

"Maybe I'll have a chance to explain this custom to him and he could tell me what's bothering him! Its only fair!" she thought to herself as she put some pizza on a plate and sat down.

"Bialar, haven't the Sebbacians got any customs to encourage lovers?"

He frowned.

"On some Sebbacian colonies, yes. There are rituals. The compatibility serum for one."

"What's that tell me?"

"Crichton would have more idea about that than me. He and the Princess were compatible."

"Princess? Tell me more!"

"I'd rather not."

His taciturn response temporarily floored her and she bit viciously into her pizza.

"Didn't you ever send romantic notes to girls you fancied when you were young?"

"I lived on a farm. We were isolated and worked hard. The Peacekeepers conscripted me when I had sixteen cycles, Tauvo fourteen. After that romance as you describe it was not allowed. Sex was for stress relief only. Attachments were forbidden."

"Yuk! How sterile!"

"It suited me very well. I devoted my life to furthering my career."

"You're trying to tell me that our relationship takes second place to your work?"

"I do enjoy being with you Marianne, my body enjoys yours, but.."

"But?"

"I can't respond emotionally in the way you want."

"You don't love me?"

"I care about you, what happens to you, but I think you want me to be 'in love' with you. A very different matter. And I'm sorry but it's a completely alien concept. One from your planet."

"So I have to either accept or get out."

"No nothing so final. Just accept me when we're together but there's nothing to stop you having others."

"But Bialar I love you."

Marianne was almost in tears.

"That's something you will have to come to terms with."

Marianne shook her head.

"Everything's so different here. I want to go home."

Her distress touched him. He took hold of her hands.

"Look at me Marianne."

She raised a tearful face.

"You have no home to go back to. Your planet will have been totally ravaged by now. That's why I brought you with me. You see I cared enough not to leave you."

She gulped.

"I'm grateful for that. I've been a fool haven't I?"

"No, but you have been through a great deal."

"What about Tauvo? Surely he matters to you?"

He looked at the ceiling.

"Yes Tauvo. That's something else we have to discuss."

"You want to take him from me. Raise him a Peacekeeper."

"No! No. How to break this to you."

"What? Tell me what?"

"Has it ever struck you that the Scarrans and I weren't the first alien visitors your planet has seen?"

"We are told, were told that is impossible. Distances too great."

"I made it, the Scarrans made it."

"Oh hell. Go on."

"Have you noticed Tauvo's nails?"

"They're an bit thick, but that happens sometimes. Something genetic."

"Definitely, but there's a little more to it. There's a groove down the middle."

"Yes, but it never bothered me."

"It bothered Scorpius, believe me."

"Scorpius, what's he got to do with it?"

"Somewhere in your ancestory there's been a alien mating. Possibly a long time ago, but our mating has brought the sleeping gene out. He shows all the characteristics of the Paal Vor."

"What are who are they?"

"Sworn enemies of the Scarrans. The Scarrans have made a point of eradicating them, but there are a few left on Sebbacian planets."

"He's at risk?"

"He is if the Scarrans ever get a foothold in our territories."

"And the nails?"

"A poison dart can be fired down the groove. It's highly lethal to Scarrans!"

"Oh boy!"

"We need to stay together for his sake and yours. You both need Scorpius's protection."

"Me?"

"The Scarrans won't want you to survive either if they ever find out."

"God! Bialar hold me!"

He wrapped his arms gently round her.

"I do care about you more than I really wanted to. Can you accept that?"

"Yes, but I'm going to have to come to terms with what you've told me."

He kissed her gently on the lips and she couldn't help herself but return it .

"Let's agree to make your Valentine's Day the day we found each other."

"On your terms?"

"I can learn too you know Marianne."

She sighed and kissed him again. Round and round in her brain the words of the song kept repeating themselves, "Stupid Cupid, stop pickin' on me!"