by Payne, Jenna
“Glad to see you Ambassador. Now we are getting both of you into the cellar, even if we have to carry you. Move ladies!” he demanded and in a whirl she was rushing down some steps to the cellar with ambassador at her side. They came down into a large open area with several doors around the side. The three guys went around the room to check the doors.
“I am very sorry Melissa dear for what I have put you through. Jones is behind the separatists that are on planet. She managed to contact and involve locals who are not pleased with having aliens living on their planet. It goes back to something that happened on my first off planet assignment. She started threatening me about some things that happened back then as soon as I woke up at the Medical Center. I was disorientated and scared. I had no time to adjust and panicked. Nothing I said to you was warranted. Or you Captain, I am sorry for the words I said at the Med Center.”
He glanced at her and gave her a distracted smile and nod. Melissa was beginning to get more and more nervous.
“Accepted Ambassador. Let’s just keep you two safe and we can worry about everything else later,” he said. There was a rumble and faint weapons fire came from up above.
“Here we go people. Fonte, Cardel, I want you two to barricade the entrance when I go up. Unless you hear from me, or one of your people that you trust, let no one in. Understood?” he asked. They both nodded. Melissa found it a tribute to his command ability that neither had a problem taking orders from him. He looked at them all briefly and then headed out of the cellar.
Just as he was heading up the stairs and out of sight they heard a shot fired quite close. Melissa and Rosanna jumped back with startled cries. The two guys stood in front of them as Captain Lancer fell down the stairs, followed by Sergeant Jones. She held an automatic rifle at her hip and stood at the bottom of the steps, keeping it trained on the captain. He was holding his shoulder and blood was oozing out between his fingers. His face was full of rage as he stared at his former soldier. Melissa felt herself trembling and her heart was thudding in her ears.
“Sorry Captain, but I knew you would bring them down here as soon as danger threatened,” she smiled softly as she looked over at Rosanna and Melissa.
“I got here before you did Ambassador. I knew you would come to this place as soon as you disappeared on me. You were worried about being disgraced, now you have to be dead too. Father would be pleased,” she said tightening her grip on her weapon. Melissa found some courage within her. She stepped in front of the ambassador next to Cardel, who was snarling at the armed woman. Cardel put his arm out to keep her from going further.
“Look, I don’t know why you are doing this Jones. Bitter maybe, washing out. I don’t care. You just said the ambassador had to die. What do you think is going to happen to you? There is no way you will be getting off planet alive even if you kill all of us. You are a dead woman, you walking dumb ass! Has it occurred to you that…” she was cut off.
“You are stalling Assistant Mac. Nothing will stop me from getting revenge for my father and I am glad you will die not knowing. You have disgraced Earth as much as the cowering woman behind you,” she said and her voice had scaled up into what sounded like hysterics. She began raising the gun and they all heard someone shout.
“Have some soup!” A metal pot flew through the air from the stairwell and hit Jones in the back of the head. There was a loud clang and she dropped. Hitting the ground as fast as the pot did. Lenah and Daria walked out of the stair entrance shaking their heads.
“I offered her soup, she is very rude,” Daria said. Melissa felt her knees begin to give way and Cardel quickly put his arm around her to keep her from falling in a faint. It was a close thing.
*****
“So Jones was holding onto that hate for all these years because of her father?” Melissa asked. The captain sighed.
“Yeah. Her old man was on a mission to Eclabar, Rosanna’s first off planet mission. She was credited for stopping a war, and that made her career. Unfortunately, her assistant was doing things he should not have and it was he that had precipitated the hostilities. Rosanna covered it up and it kept Josiah Jones-Stark out of jail, but he lost his career over it. He apparently told his teenage daughter stories and when she got a chance to get on ambassadorial duty she took it. Hoping for a chance at revenge. The whole separatist thing was her way of getting recruits. That all those people, ours and theirs, died over that nonsense is such a waste,” he said sadly.
Melissa knew her friend was feeling guilty that one of his people was behind the whole thing. She poured him some of the Ilona wine.
“It is not your fault Lancer. Everyone acknowledges that. You could not have known. Rosanna did not recognize her and she knew Jones’s father. If you want to worry about something, worry about me! I am out of a job and have no reason to stay on Ilona. What the hell am I going to do? You at least get to stay,” she told him with an intentionally whiney tone to her voice. He smiled slightly and cocked his head at her.
“You don’t have to go anywhere Mac. You have friends here and I am certain finding you something to do will not be hard. Or you could be a lady of leisure. You have several gentlemen who would love to keep you home with them,” he teased her and she blushed slightly.
“He is right you know,” Fonte said coming out to the porch with Cardel. They were followed by Lenah and Daria carrying food.
“I wouldn’t worry about it Melissa. I am still of the opinion that you will be made the next ambassador,” Cardel said. The captain chuckled. He knew as well as she did that would never happen. Not with the way their government worked. They all began eating and she insisted Lenah and Daria join them. Staff members or not, they deserved to have some fun too. She leaned against Cardel as they stood around with plates in their hands, discussing the fallout from two days past.
“So Ambassador Rosanna has taken ship back to the Home Office with Jones, and admitted to all wrong doings recent and past. I expect her career is over. So when do you think they will send another one?” Fonte asked the captain.
“I am told that decision is already made although not who it is. I have been given the opportunity to stay on planet here and continue with guarding the embassy personnel. I discussed it with my people and we all decided to stay. Otherwise our friends died for nothing,” he said and Fonte nodded and patted his shoulder.
Melissa knew Lancer would do well on Ilona. She was trying to enjoy the festivities but her future was still uncertain. Sure, she thought she could stay, in fact she very much wanted to. She just could not fathom being unemployed. She never had been and she only knew how to do one thing. It was the only training she had. She saw Liaison Mistally enter and waved to her. She strode over and stood next to Lancer. Melissa she smiled at the way he looked at her. The woman was good looking to be sure. Bright yellow hair with purple eyes dressed in a purple top that barely restrained her breasts and shorts that covered the same amount of her rear and hips. Her muscular body was tan and she was as tall as the human soldier. Melissa was feeling very native dressed in clothes similar to Mistally’s. She had decided why the hell not. She did have a short skirt over her red shorts, but thought she looked pretty good and her boyfriends seemed to like it too.
“So have I missed anything?” Mistally asked.
“We were discussing how the best bet for Melissa is as the new ambassador. She does not think it will happen. I think the king will want to make that happen,” Lenah said.
“And you would be correct dear Lenah,” said the voice of the king as he walked onto the porch. Melissa froze in shock.
“Unfortunately the Earth Federation Council is not going to do it. It will be thirty days or so before they send another one. They assure me it will happen and our trade people are already in contact with Earth’s. I have another offer for you Melissa. I would imagine you have been worried about your future,” he said with a smile. Everyone got very quiet and it took a moment before she could find her voice.
“Your Majesty?”
was all she could come out with.
“I have decided and been advised that I will need another advisor. We are considering several new alliances and embassies and I will need some input from many people. I would like you to be one of them,” he said with a bow. She remembered making a joke to Lancer about being an advisor to the king. She saw him smirk and knew he remembered it.
“An advisor Your Grace?” she asked.
“Indeed. I will need you to also, between now and when your new Earth ambassador arrives, to becoming fully acquainted with Ilona culture to help them have an easier time adjusting. Also, if you would be so inclined, I will need you to go over several files of information on other worlds and customs. It is so you can advise me and mine on good ways to deal with them. I realize it is not the post you are used to,” he gestured around at the villa, “but it is not an uncomfortable place to call home,” he finished. She stood in surprise. Live here in the villa? Advise the king? Stay on Ilona! With the boys! She felt a smile come over her face and her body relax. Cardel chuckled softly and she elbowed him which caused everyone to laugh.
“I would be honored Your Grace. I will do my best to serve your needs,” the king nodded as Lenah handed him a drink.
“That is how Ilona takes care of each other,” he said and raised his glass.
THE END
Bonus Story 25 of 40
Stormy Love
Prologue
Lizzy walked into the jewelry boutique to cheer herself up. She was going to have to speak to her mother later and that was always a horrible situation. So she figured buying a nice bracelet would lift her spirits. The owner knew her from a month back, the last time she had to speak to her mother.
“Hello, Miss Storm, it is good of you to return. Is there anything I can help you with, a problem with your last purchase?” The salesman asked. She had to search her memory for his name. She smiled.
“I am immensely satisfied with my last purchase, Reginald, and I was wanting to purchase another. I feel the need for a second bracelet,” she told him. He was pleased she remembered his name. Reginald was an older man, stout with grey hair and a three-thousand-dollar suit.
“Well, Miss Storm we have some wonderful new pieces over here you may be interested in. I am happy you enjoy your first purchase with us,” Reginald pulled out a velvet tray of bracelets she was interested in looking at from the many under the glass counter. Then he looked up as another customer came through the door. Lizzy smiled.
“Go see what he needs, Reginald, I am going to be a minute looking at these,” she told him taking off her coat and setting it with her purse on the counter.
He smiled and moved off greeting the new customer. Lizzy looked over the beautiful pieces. She wanted to buy them all, but despite her trust fund she did not like indulging herself that much. One expensive bracelet would work for today. There was a loose silver chain bracelet with amethysts set all around the metal. She shook her head. She was hard on anything with a clasp. Then she looked at a solid, wide bracelet that would slide over her wrist, but was snug enough to not fall off. It was also silver set with two emeralds and a ruby between them. They were good sized stones too. Wearing it, she raised it up and held it in front of her, looking in the mirror. It fit and looked good. As good as her previous purchase that was on her other wrist. Lizzy had a thing for emeralds and rubies so she decided that she would get that one. It matched her dark red hair and bright green eyes.
She saw in the mirror that Reginald was helping a tall man looking at watches. Actually, Reginald was explaining the watch and the man was looking at her. He saw her see him in the mirror and smiled slightly before returning his attention to Reginald. She realized she recognized him from somewhere, she just could not remember where. Boy, was he tall, though, easily six and a half feet, if not more. Making him over a foot taller than she was. Well-proportioned though, and he also had red hair. His clothes looked designer made. Hmm. Nice looking guy in a jewelry store. She wondered if it would be worth the effort to say hello. He glanced over and saw her checking him out and his smile widened. It was her turn to focus her attention back to the jewelry, embarrassed.
Despite what her parents thought, she was not a slut. She did occasional like to have a good time and human contact was important, she believed. She heard the bell on the door ring and as she looked up a voice called out.
“All right everyone, stay where you are!” She saw four men file in wearing ski masks and dark clothes. Her first thought was, how cliché. Then she jumped when she saw they all had big guns. Lizzy put her hands up quietly as did the tall man. Reginald came around from behind the counter.
“What do you think you are doing? You just can’t walk in here and expect—” he was interrupted as one of the gunmen pistol-whipped him and he went down. Lizzy cried out and moved towards Reginald. She could see blood where he slumped on the floor next to the tall man who was bending to the fallen store owner.
“Hold it lady. Forget about him, worry about yourself,” The biggest gunmen said to her with a Midwest accent. She kept moving.
“He is injured and needs help,” she told him softly. The big man grabbed her arm and swung at her, she sidestepped with old practice at avoiding someone swinging at her face, so his punch landed on her shoulder. She gasped and staggered. The guy was strong! Using his grip on her arm he spun her around. She heard someone shout not to hurt her as she flew into the jewelry case she had been looking at moments before. Lizzy had brought her arm up as she was thrown and as she was slammed over the case her forearm shattered the glass and she cried out, in pain this time. He jerked her up by the hair and as she was spun around she saw the tall man with a gun to his temple frozen in a half crouch next to Reginald. She caught his eyes and she could see the regret that he couldn’t do anything for her. There was a struggle showing clearly on his face. He was on the edge of doing something stupid.
“You need a lesson in how to keep to your place!” The big gunman shouted in her face and then punched her in the stomach. She bent over gasping and gagging then her leg was kicked out from under her. She rolled into a ball with her back against the counter in case he was going to start kicking her more, cradling her slashed right arm. She received a kick in the leg and held back her cry of pain, waiting for the next one.
“Come on man, time for us to go before the cops come!” She felt another kick in the leg and held back a scream of pain, tears beginning to run down her cheeks. She did not want to give him the satisfaction.
“The authorities are on their way. I triggered the alarm when you walked in,” she heard Reginald’s voice. He sounded weak. Lizzy slowly uncurled painfully and saw the three of the four men gathering up last handfuls of jewelry before heading out the door. The fourth man waited until they were at the door before he removed his gun from the back of the tall man’s neck. She heard him say, “Sorry man,” as he backed away and then went out the door. Lizzy straitened herself up against the counter and tried to slowly straiten the leg he had kicked. He had connected with the side of her knee and she gasped as she straightened it out. That was going to hurt even more in the morning.,
*****
“Look mom, you know I am recording this for posterity don’t you?” Lizzy asked her mother over the phone, rubbing her temple. She looked around her condo. Police report on the table, her arm wrapped and her leg in a brace. Her wounds were throbbing, but after the initial painkillers the doctors had given her she refused anymore. She did not trust pills.
“I don’t care Elizabeth Ann Storm you have no right to do this to us,” her mother told her harshly.
“This isn’t what I wanted to talk to you about…”
“I don’t care!” She interrupted Lizzy. “You cannot treat us this way, it is our money and you just can’t do this!”
“According to the contract Dad made us all sign, I can. As long as I am currently enrolled in school, and working towards my degree it is my money. I am enrolled and almost done with my degree. I will
be happily graduating from NYU next year and I will never have to deal with you people again!” Lizzy finished and then internally cursed herself. She had sworn she would not get herself sucked into this conversation again.
“After everything we have done for you!” Her mom continued. That did it.
“Do you mean being knocked around by you and Dad? Or is it being called a slut and whore from puberty when I developed early? That was so helpful!” She said to her mother.
“That was to teach you Elizabeth. We had to teach you!” She told her sadly.
“Forget it Mom. If you are trying to show compassion, I am not buying it. Now let’s stop this and let me tell you why I needed to call, it was courtesy call really,” she told her trying to get control of the conversation again. She had attended enough therapy that she should not allow herself to get dragged into this again. Her mom remained silent for a change.
“Okay then, today or tomorrow you will be getting a certified letter stating my intentions. It is a no contact order and restraining order preventing you from coming near me or talking to me. Any and all contact from this call forward will go through my lawyer, not yours. His number will be on the forms. Goodbye Mom,” she finished and hung up. Then she shut off her phone.
“Now I can have a drink,” she said to herself out loud.
Lizzy levered herself up and with a cane hobbled over to the bar to pour a weak spiced rum and coke. She took a sip and sighed, feeling the tension from the conversation draining out of her. Her arm and leg stopped throbbing so bad too.
It was done, she told herself. The restraining order had been overkill; her parents had never left the tri-county area of Kansas she grew up in their whole lives. She had felt it necessary to make her point though. Her dad was going to flip. She was glad that prospect did not bring her joy, Lizzy did not need that level of hatred. She had managed to lose those horrible feelings and wanted to live a life of her own, happy and stress free. Now she just had to avoid being beat up in a robbery. Then she remembered a final thing she had to do.