Author's disclaimer: They don't belong to me. Never did, never will. But just try and find me--cue evil cackle!

Author's notes: This is an alternate universe set in the Andromeda universe. I fell in love with the Nietzschean society. In short, they are a society where genetic excellence is strived for and social Darwinism is practised. I made my characters a little more "touchie-feelie" than the cold bastards found on the Andromeda series, but that's my prerogative. And I have made some of the stuff up because the series hasn't been on that long to develop a lot of background information. For more information on the Andromeda universe and the Nietzscheans, check out: http://www.allsystems.org/ and http://www.andromedatv.com All you need to remember is a Nietzschean will do anything to win and pass on their genetics to another generation. Applicable side bar, Caiman means alligator and a double helix is an armband signifying a man is a husband and father.

ALPHA TACTICS

Written By Creed Cascade

His breath wanted to explode from his chest in heavy gasps, but Blair focused on controlling his body. With every echoing footstep along the medal corridor, his enemies stocked closer. He crouched behind the bulkhead waiting for the just the right moment to enact his plan. As the leather boots became properly aligned, he pulled on the tripwire. A split second later he exploded onto the fallen body. Finding an opening, the spikes on his fore arm tore at the exposed flesh. Hearing the approaching reinforcements, Blair grabbed the stunned man's weapon and opened fire. If he was going to die, he had every intention of eliminating as many of the bastards from the gene pool as possible. To his gratification he saw two addition figures fall before his world went dark.

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The assembly gathered around the great open room glared at the stranger. Blair ignored them and searched the enemy stronghold for any evidence of escape. His survival instincts and intelligence would never give up until he was utterly dead. The hushed tones around him stopped when drummers began to beat out a steady rhythm. A beast of man gradually strode onto the podium. This man was a superb physical specimen; even by high Nietzschean standards. The pulsating of the drums stopped when the great man raised his hand.

"What happened out there, Menault?" his voice boomed over the gathered crowd. The guard standing next to Blair nervously shifted from foot to foot, keeping his eyes on the ground. He was the leader of the scout party that accosted Blair.

"There was a minor problem, sir," he answered.

"I don't call getting my oldest son nearly killed a minor problem!"

"Of course, sir."

"Tell me now how a simple salvage mission turned dire."

"Like I said, sir, there was a minor problem."

The great man looked at the guard with indignation. He then turned and made eye contact with Blair. "This--", he waved his hand at Blair, "I assume, was the minor problem?"

"It was merely a cowardly trick--"

"As I understand the situation," the enemy leader hissed, "--this weakling Nietzschean took down three of my warriors."

Looking up defiantly, Blair interjected, "I am no weakling Nietzschean. I outwitted and outmanoeuvred three of your warriors--unarmed." He was backhanded across the face by the guard. Blair merely licked his bleeding lip and smiled.

"Menault! Step away!" the larger man moved forward, "You are the coward here. Hitting a bound man nearly half your size in conjunction with your incompetence today makes your worth highly suspect. At this rate you will never attract a wife."

The enemy leader eyed Blair with distain. Blair was familiar with the look from Nietzscheans who considered him inferior because of his small stature. He looked Blair directly in the eye again, "I am Simon Banks, alpha male of the Caiman Pride. I have every reason to kill you."

"I die with honour," Blair retorted.

Simon rumbled with laughter at Blair's comment. "Such bravado from such a diminutive man. I see you do not wear a double helix. Perhaps by killing you, we will free the world of inferior genes." Dismissing Blair's importance, the leader turned to address his pride. "According to tradition, I ask will any pride member speak for you?"

This tradition was merely a formality before the execution. From the platform, an impressive man stepped forward and looked at Simon for recognition. Blair looked at the man he assumed would be his executioner.

He was surprised when the man spoke, "It would not be wise to execute this man, Simon."

"Jim, do you speak for this stranger?" Simon questioned in an icy tone.

"Hear me out. Didn't it make you wonder how someone managed to conceal themselves on a supposedly abandoned Than fighter? I checked the logs on board and confirmed the fighter was stolen from a Than hive. It also happened to be laden with some particularly spectacular stolen cargo in the hold. It appears to me that this man managed to sneak into an active Than hive and escape with a fighter full of booty. Doesn't that scenario sound familiar, Simon? I believe he is of the Timber Wolf Pride."

Simon hissed in recognition. "Is this true?"

Blair stated with satisfaction, "Yes--I am Blair Sandburg of the Timber Wolf Pride."

The Timber Wolfe Pride was known throughout Nietzschean society for their high intelligence. While their members where considered short changed in the muscle department, they made up for it by producing a great number of geniuses. This particular pride often pulled off brilliant, undetectable missions with accomplished criminals and assassins among its ranks.

"Simon, I speak for Blair Sandburg of the Timber Wolf Pride. We cannot afford a dispute with his pride. He proved his worthiness in a battle of three against one, but no one was killed. We should consider this a learning experience. The pride does not have to claim vengeance. If he is willing to submit, I will claim him in an allegiance bond."

Blair looked at the man who was willing to claim a stranger. He had the impressive physique typical of the Caiman Pride. His chiselled features spoke of first-rate genes, but the man's blue eyes drew Blair. These blue eyes shimmered with a sharp intelligence. Either this man was foolishly brave or had a plan--Blair was inclined to believe the latter. Under the terms of an allegiance bond, Blair would become Jim's possession. An allegiance bond was a tradition rarely evoked because the new "possession" had the tendency to kill his bond mate and escape. Loyalty only exists for a Nietzschean if it served his individual purposes. In this case, the alternative for Blair was death. The survival instincts screamed within Blair.

"I submit," he said.

Simon's gaze between shifted between Jim and Blair. His lips were drawn thin and his brow crinkled with concentration. The leader of the Caiman Pride was considering the implications of this new development.

"Jim Ellison of the Caiman Pride, you have claimed Blair Sandburg of the Timber Wolf Pride in an allegiance bond. I do not approve of this, but I do not have the right to dispute tradition. Step forward," Simon spoke in a powerful monotone.

Jim stepped off the platform towards his pride leader. Simon grabbed the captive by the shoulders and shoved him harshly at Jim. Blair was unable to get his balance with his hands tied behind his back and landed against a solid chest. As his world spun momentarily off axis, he felt an arm move across his body to steady him. Blair closed his eyes and pressed his head against the bare chest.

"He is your worry now, Jim. You know the rules. As a member of the Caiman Pride you are responsible for his behaviour while this stranger remains in our territory. If you truly do this for the welfare of the pride to avoid warfare with his pride, I suggest you get rid of this outsider as soon as possible. Now get him out of my sight before I forfeit tradition." Blair felt himself turned and Jim's hand moved to his neck to direct his movement. They took a few steps forward, but Blair stopped when Jim's hand tightened on his neck. Jim turned when he heard his leader call his name, almost as an afterthought.

"--oh, Jim--"

"Yes, sir."

"Don't forget that man almost killed my Daryl. Keep your possession away from my wives and children. It would be regrettable if something bad--accidentally--happened to him."

"Of course, sir. Don't worry. I will keep him under control," he answered calmly.

Blair was in a haze as he felt the hand on his neck tighten and his body propelled forward. He had been in some messes during his life, but this was truly the worst. As long as he stayed in Caiman territory, he belonged to this man who was ushering him down numerous corridors. Blair's mind struggled trying to think of a solution, but he could not think of a solution until he knew the motivation behind this man's action. He was shocked out his temporary stupor when they turned abruptly, doors opened and they moved into a smaller room away from the main corridor.

Blair barely had a time look around before he was pushed face down onto the sleeping platform. He quickly turned his body so he could see the man standing, staring at him. He eyed his opponent more closely. This man was tall, well built and could easily physically dominate Blair. He wore common Nietzschean attire and weaponry. Jim's chest and arms were bare, his torso covered partially by a sleeveless, floor-length leather coat and he wore leather pants with a knife strapped to his upper thigh. Dressed completely in black, he was every inch a prime example of an alpha Nietzschean male. This particular male was eyeing him like a Nietzschean child given a new weapon to play with. He had a slight smile plastered on his face. Blair met the dancing azure eyes with a look of contempt. Jim's smile only deepened in response.

"You think too much, Timber Wolf."

"At least I have a brain to think with," Blair retorted.

"Put that brain of yours to rest for now. You will not escape, little man. You are in the depths of the Caiman stronghold and of course, I will not let you escape."

"You. Won't. Let. Me. Escape. Easy words to say to a man with his arms tied behind his back," Blair spat.

Jim smiled again. Blair was really beginning to hate that smile. Jim paced over to the sleeping platform, in the middle of the sparse room and loomed over Blair. He quickly removed the knife strapped to his thigh and held it against Blair's throat.

"You have such a big mouth. Maybe I should slice your throat to shut you up?"

Blair narrowed is eyes in defiance, but didn't dare respond this time. The bite of the knife at his tender throat reminded him how much he wanted to survive.

"Good, I see you can learn. Remember who's in charge around here--me. I could very easily disembowel you and send the Timber Wolf Pride your intestines to spite them."

The knife moved away from his throat and began to move through Blair's shoulder length auburn curls. Its path then moved down his shoulder, chest and lurked just above his nipple ring.

"You really are quite pretty. More attractive than some women I know." "What do you want from me?" Blair whispered.

Before the last syllable was spoken, Jim swiftly propelled Blair face down onto the bed. As he straddled his thighs, Blair felt the knife slowly move up his lower back.

"Good question, little man."

The blade of the knife slipped into the bonds restraining Blair's wrists. The cords fell loose, but before he could stretch his tense muscles, he felt his wrist clasped in a sharp grip. Jim threw the dagger and it landed solidly in a nearby wall. Blair started to struggle in vain. His body's momentum was used against him as Jim flipped the smaller man onto his back. Blair's legs were pinned between Jim's stronger thighs and his arms pulled over his head. He looked up to see Jim's feral grin and blazing eyes. His brain flashed a warning that he was now the plaything of this surreal man.

Jim reached over with his free hand and collected the scattered binding rope. His movements were agile as he retied Blair's outstretched hands to a corner bedpost. After testing the binding's security with a quick tug, he hovered over the prone body. He looked directly into Blair's eyes, as if searching for something. Blair tried to meet his gaze openly, but gave into his embarrassment, turning his head to the side with closed eyes. He felt Jim's palm brush against the side of his cheek moving to play with some stray strands of hair.

His certainty was shattered when he felt hot breath on his neck, followed by a soft nuzzle. Blair's common sense screamed that this should not be happening. His captor was giving all the signals of someone wanting mate. His brain denied everything, grasping at the fact that the Nietzscheans had supposedly breed out the gene for homosexuality generations ago. However, the fact could not be denied that there was a very active alpha male plastered to his body at this exact moment. The adept lips drew him back to reality as they trailed down his neck, stopping only to nip and suck at the hollow of his shoulder blade.

"No," Blair panted in denial.

The lips moved away from his shoulder. He felt fingertips caressing and soothing the residual bite mark. His eyes remained shut, shielding him from the truth. A moment later, he felt a tongue trailing over his lips. A large hand travelled up and down his chest enraging his sensitive nerve cells. When a thumb grazed his nipple, Blair involuntarily gasped. Immediately, his mouth was covered and the able tongue worked its way home. It was a gentle, sensuously slow kiss. As his mouth was leisurely ravaged, Jim's hands roved all over his body. When a hand rubbed against his hard bulge, Blair froze in distress.

"No."

He began to writhe beneath the heavier body. He was fighting the bonds that held him and also the allure of forbidden pleasure. Jim merely gripped him harder, massaging through his leather pants. A delicious moan escaped Blair's swollen lips. The fingers moved up and down, making the smaller man delirious. The sensations were so intense they drove his body and mind to new levels of ecstasy. Soft groans testified to the deep desire surfacing from this delightful assault. The heat and strength of the body pressed against him was oddly satisfying. His hips undulated slowly, with intensity, against the compelling power of the man above him. Moments before he reached the brink of satisfaction, the warmth moved away from his groin.

"No," he whimpered in disbelief.

Blair's eyes flew open to look at the man who now sat on his heels, staring down at his plundered body. Both men were breathing hard, fighting the flow of interrupted lust.

"What do you want?" Jim whispered sensually.

"You. I want you," he gasped.

Jim grinned in satisfaction and extended the triple claws on his right forearm. A moment of fear flashed across Blair's face. Jim leaned over, and slashed the bindings restraining his arms. The larger man licked the mistreated flesh of each wrist. Fluidly, he moved with determination and Blair could only anticipate the fast coming delight. Blair gazed at his seducer as he undid his pants, shivering when large hands moved over his hips to slide the material off. He watched as Jim, in turn, revealed his own throbbing cock. In one swift move, the bodies were again joined groin to groin. Blair ran his hands down the exotic, muscled back of the larger man and threw back his head in ecstasy. Jim slowly began to move against Blair. Their fluids combined and the sweet friction was driving both men beyond agony.

Jim leaned over and growled, "Mine. You are mine, aren't you, beta?" He emphasised each syllable with a hard thrust.

"Yes," Blair groaned in response as he reached completion.

Jim's nostrils flared, taking in the scent. He growled with pleasure and collapsed, depleted onto his new mate. Jim rolled over and pulled the satiated body beneath him to his chest. Blair sighed and moved closer to the unfamiliar, yet welcoming presence. He drifted off encased in this strong embrace.

Blair stirred out of the post-coital bliss when he felt Jim licking the evidence of their passion off of his stomach. On intuition, he reached down and caressed the spiky head of his seducer. He was rewarded when the larger man looked up at him and smiled. Blair decided that maybe that smile wasn't so bad after all.

"Close your eyes," Jim asked sweetly.

Blair wondered why, but he closed his eyes against his better judgement. Jim clasped Blair's hips, holding him still. Blair shuddered just imaging the possibilities this superb man brought to his mind. His eyes snapped open when he felt a sharp pain emanate from his lower stomach. He looked down to see Jim lapping at a small trickle of blood where his claws had punctured the skin.

"What the fuck?!" Blair yelped as he leapt away.

Jim sat up and licked the blood off his lips. The infamous grin was plastered on his face.

"What did you do that for?" Blair demanded.

"Because I needed to."

"What kind of weird ass answer is that? You cut me?!"

"It was only a small cut. And like I said, it was necessary--" Jim stopped momentarily to lick the blood off his claws, "--it was necessary to complete the bonding."

Blair skittered farther away from Jim and looked around nervously. Blair extended the claws embedded in his own forearms, in a natural Nietzschean response to a threat.

"What bonding? You already claimed me. Why did you claim me in the first place?" Blair anxiously fired questions.

"I wanted you, so I took you. It is as simple as that," Jim responded calmly.

Blair looked around the room and his eyes paused at the door. He bolted off the bed, only to be caught and propelled onto his back. Jim loomed over him with a scowl on his face.

"That was very stupid, beta. You cannot escape. Now that the bonding is complete, I can track you anywhere. I have imprinted myself on you. I know your smell and taste. I can even hear your heart pounding against your ribcage."

Blair looked up at Jim in shock. Jim reached over and brushed the back of his knuckles against Blair's cheek in a comforting caress.

"Don't worry, I will take care of you from now on. We will do great things together, my beta."

End Part 1.