"Stand away, Dave!" Max said urgently.

Dave backed away, face pale with fear and anger. "They're supposed to be on our side! What are they doing to her, Max? She's so scared!"

Max didn't bother to finesse the lock open, he just directed the force of his anger at it and it dissolved. He slammed the door open and ran into the room, unprepared for the shock he received. The assistant had Liz strapped down to a table and was trying to connect some type of device to her head. She was struggling soundlessly, totally lost in panic.

With a wordless roar, Max used his power to fling the assistant away from Liz. He rushed over to her, trying to soothe her and release her from the table at the same time. As soon as he touched her she tried to reach out for him. "Max!"

"Liz! I'm here now, no one will hurt you." He struggled only for a second with the straps before losing patience and using his power on them. Released, Liz moved toward him, to be met by his open arms. He swept her up and moved away from where Dave had the assistant pinned against the wall.

Isabel, Michael and the captain entered the room at this point. "What took you so long?" Max demanded.

Michael looked at his friend, his frustration evident. "You took the only elevator that was nearby, Maxwell." He and Isabel positioned themselves between Max and Liz and the rest of the people who were trying to enter the small room, their stance communicating their willingness to defend their friends.

Captain Harris took control of the situation. "All right! Everyone just stop where they are!!" He went to an intercom panel and called for security. He pointed at the group guarding Liz. "Stay there." Then he strode over to Dave and the assistant. "Mr. Parker, I'll thank you not to inflict any more damage on my personnel." Dave glared at him and opened his mouth to speak. "No arguments. We'll get to the bottom of this without violence."

Dave said between gritted teeth, "I haven't hurt him YET. If he gets near my mom again, he'll have more to worry about than a bloody nose."

The security men entered at this point and the captain directed them to either side of the assistant who was looking worse for wear. Blood was streaming from his nose and he had a nasty scrape on his jaw.

The assistant looked around in shock! Why were they restraining him?! He'd only been doing his job when that woman had attacked him. He began to protest his treatment. "Why am I the villain here? I was the one attacked!"

Dave lunged toward the assistant and one of the security men restrained him, not realizing that he was able to stop him only because Dave permitted it. "You were hurting her!! Why were you trying to put that contraption on her head?! Why did you have her strapped to the table!! You're a doctor— you were supposed to be helping her!!"

"Dave, come here." Liz's voice broke through Dave's anger. He gave the assistant one last glare and went to his mother's side. She reached out for his hand and gripped it firmly. **I'm all right now, sweetie. Stay with me and we'll be okay.** She looked up at Max, concerned with the anger she saw so openly displayed there. **Max. Please look at me.** She placed her still trembling hand on his cheek, guiding his eyes down toward her. **I'm safe now, Max.** And whatever else she was going to say was smothered in his fierce embrace.

**Oh god, Liz. Are you sure you're all right? What happened? He didn't hurt you, did he?** He felt Liz send him reassurances and calmed somewhat. He placed Liz on her feet and into Dave's arms, not questioning that he would be there to protect her.

Max strode up to Captain Harris and said, "I believe we're owed an explanation for this assault on my mate." His expression was stern and commanding and the captain met it firmly.

"Let's all go into the waiting room. It's larger and we can sit down." Captain Harris directed the security men to escort the assistant. As they were all finding seats, he noticed that Michael and Isabel hadn't relaxed from their duties as guards; they kept themselves between Liz and his crew. Her son had his arm around her and was glaring at anyone who got too near. And Max was visibly torn between his duties as leader and his instinctive need to hold his mate in his arms. Liz won.

Gregory and the chief medical officer entered the room at this point. Captain Harris indicated that they should remain standing near the door. The room was crowded enough at this point and he wanted to ensure his security men had room to operate if necessary.

Max noticed they were blocking the doorway and 'pathed to Gregory. **Gregory, please don't block the doorway. It makes Liz nervous and she doesn't need any more stress right now.** Gregory looked startled and moved aside, taking the doctor with him.

Captain Harris turned to face Liz. "Ms. Parker, were you harmed?" When Liz shook her head he continued. "If you please, then, tell us what happened."

Liz opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the assistant. "Why are you treating her like she's the victim here? She attacked me!"

"Silence!" The captain's voice was not loud, but it's commanding tone had the proper effect. His stern look softened as he turned back to Liz. "Please continue, Ms. Parker."

"Thank you, Captain." Liz tried to compose herself and not show her distress. Max and Dave were barely under control themselves and she didn't want to be the trigger that set them off. She began in a small voice. "After you all left for the meeting the assistant wanted to examine me. I wasn't comfortable around him and since I knew I wasn't hurt, I'm afraid I wasn't too cooperative. I just wanted a shower and to be alone with my son." She smiled at Dave, looking at his beloved face. It was so good to have him back. "Dave stayed in the waiting room and I went into the examining room. The assistant said there was a shower located there. He followed me into the room and closed the door. I wasn't aware that he'd locked it until later when Dave tried to get in." Liz patted Dave's arm, willing him to stay calm.

"He took me by the arm and tried to make me get onto the examination table. He wouldn't tell me what he was going to do, he just kept insisting that I do what he said." Liz's face paled at the memory but she kept her expression calm.

She took a firm grip on Dave and Max's hands, both for comfort and to keep them from doing something rash. "I felt him trying to force his way into my mind. We struggled. I gave him that bloody nose that is so colorfully decorating his face and uniform and when I turned to run he tripped me. I fell and hit my head. When I came around he had me strapped to the table and was trying to put something over my head. I believe you know the rest."

She 'pathed reassurances to Dave and Max. **I truly am okay. Let's just get finished with this and go home.**

Max's rage was incandescent. "Captain Harris. If this kind of treatment is standard, I'm afraid I seriously misjudged your people."

Both the captain and the chief medical officer objected to this characterization. "Let me assure you, Mr. Evans, if this is what really happened, the assistant will be disciplined harshly."

"Do you doubt her word and the evidence we saw with our own eyes when we had to BREAK THE DOOR DOWN TO SAVE HER FROM BEING MENTALLY RAPED!!?" Max's voice rose until it was a harsh shout when he finished.

**Get a grip, Max!** Michael 'pathed to him. The stress of the mission had forced him to sharpen his telepathy skills; they were almost as reliable as Isabel's now. **We won't let them get away with this, but yelling won't help.**

**Your anger is upsetting Liz.** Isabel knew just the angle to take. Max visibly calmed himself, but his eyes did not lose their intensity. Liz leaned her head against his arm, drawing strength and comfort.

The assistant chose this moment to blurt out more in his own defense. "There was nothing wrong with what I was doing! As a doctor I have to extremely strong telepathic skills. When I touched her arm I couldn't read anything at all from her. The readouts from the scout ship's healing chamber and our main healing chamber clearly revealed her heritage to someone with the intelligence to read them. A mere human shouldn't have an aura like she does nor shields strong enough to keep me out. I was attempting to augment my power with the scanner when I was so rudely and violently interrupted."

He glared self righteously at Max and Dave. "The trauma she went through with the dissidents may have damaged her. She needs treatment."

"Did you stop to consider that what you were trying to force on her was just as much a trauma as what the dissidents put her through?" Gregory's icy voice cut through the stunned silence. The chief medical officer glanced at the captain. "If I may?" At Captain Harris' nod he continued, "Security, please escort this individual to his cabin and see that he stays there."

After the protesting assistant had left he turned to Liz. "Ms. Parker, you were treated abominably and I hope you will not judge all of us by my assistant's behavior. I'm afraid his inappropriate and excessive pride in his mental capabilities led him to do things that were not proper." He looked back at the captain. "He will be dealt with, you have my assurance on the matter."

"May we go now?" Liz asked in a small voice. \\This mere human has had about all she can take.\\

**I heard that, Liz Parker,** Max 'pathed to his mate. **Don't let what that idiot said upset you.**