by Francis, Ron
She kissed Jesse on the cheek and said, “Thanks, Jess, I’m glad I ran in to you instead of them. Do you mind if I sleep in?”
“Of course not,” he waved his hand. “Sleep as long as you like, I’ll cover for you. What are friends for?”
She changed into her sleeping outfit and then came back out to make a quick snack before she went to sleep. She saw Jesse in the galley making breakfast. He looked up and saw her standing there.
“Would you like me to make you some, too?”
She smiled and replied, “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”
“It’s no trouble at all, pull up a chair,” He was focused on the eggs as he spoke.
She pulled up a chair and asked, “So, Collette seemed friendly. Do you like her?”
“She’s a lot of fun, but with everything going on with Kimi, and what happened with Cassie, I'm not really looking for a relationship with anyone right now. Reece would probably love her, though."
"Who wouldn't Reece love?" She joked.
"True, but I'm sure he likes some more than others." They both laughed for a moment.
"You and Kimi seem to be getting along alright."
"When she'll actually stick around to talk to me. We're trying to get back to the way we were as friends before Cassie happened, but it's slow going."
"Just give it time, she'll come around. She just needs time, Jess, that's all."
"I hope so," he added. He smiled as he handed her a plate of bacon, eggs and toast with a glass of juice.
“What, no coffee?” She replied as she accepted the breakfast.
“I thought you were going to sleep for a while?” He asked. “I could make some.”
“No, no, I forgot, coffee would be bad if I’m going to try to get a few hours sleep.”
They sat in the galley and ate breakfast, and when they were finished, Suzy went to go sleep for a while. As soon as she was gone, Jesse got up and left the ship for another day exploring Hyperia's capital.
______
Princess Rayelle woke up early and looked over at her friend sleeping on the floor. She found it quite odd that a young woman as wealthy as Collette would often choose to sleep on the floor. She called down to her, "How was your time with Colonel Marcos?"
"He was pretty fun and really nice, but he didn't seem interested in me." She replied with a mixture of tiredness and sadness. "I think he has his heart set on another. I do not think she currently feels the same way, but he would not really speak about it."
"That could be why he is not interested in me. Collette, this is good news. Now I can be friendly to him and my father will no longer be angry with me." As she finished that last line, there was a knock on the door. A moment later, the door opened and the King walked in.
Without preamble, the King began. "Your treatment of the Colonel has been unacceptable, Rayelle, I will allow it no more. The Colonel would like to take his crew and visit Trinnus for a couple days. You and Collette are to accompany them and act as their guides. I will send a twelve man protection detail with you as well. I do not want to hear any argument from you on this. It has been a long time since a member of the royal family has been on Trinnus, so this will give you two good opportunities. You will greet the Governor and the people of Trinnus in the name of their king and you will be nice to Colonel Marcos. Do you understand?"
Rayelle's response shocked both her father and her friend. "Yes, father, you are right. I've been horrible to Colonel Marcos and I have no excuse. I will take this opportunity you have so graciously provided to greet your subjects on Trinnus in your name, and apologize to our guest. I am sorry father, my behavior has not been worthy of royalty."
"Well, that was unexpected," he replied. "It's settled then, you will leave tonight."
"Alright, father, Collette and I will begin packing at once."
When the king departed, Collette looked at her friend, "So, now that you know he is not interested, you are ready to make nice?"
"Indeed, and now that my father is no longer angry with me, it is going to be a good day, Collette."
______
Somewhere in the Hyperian Palace, a transmission was sent to Zenith. It was text only and heavily encrypted. It read: ‘The Princess will be on Trinnus for the next three days with only a twelve man protection detail and the crew of Endeavor to accompany her. This is your opportunity to achieve both objectives. Good luck.’
Chapter Six:
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The crew prepared Endeavor for their royal guest and her protection detail. Jesse wasn't sure how this would go. The Princess had been fairly icy towards him and he didn't know why. He had no doubt that it was King Dominus that ordered her to accompany them to Trinnus. Hopefully, they could begin to get on civil terms. At least watching Reece try to interact with Collette would be comic relief for everyone. Josiah had asked the King if Cadet Xanu could come as well; Endeavor's crew had grown quite fond of the young man. Even though it had only been a week, Josiah was beginning to think of him like a younger brother. The twenty-two people going on this trip represented the most that had ever been aboard Endeavor at one time. While she was built to fit twenty-six comfortably, she could handle up to fifty before she became too crowded. They all boarded, and Princess Rayelle was actually nice to everyone including Jesse. He wasn't sure what had changed but it definitely made for a more enjoyable journey. Collette was the last to arrive, and once she was settled, they departed. Endeavor shot up through Hyperia's atmosphere, and once they had cleared the planet, they entered light space.
______
Collette caught up to Jesse in the galley, "So, the Colonel sneaks off the bridge for a late night snack, hmm?" She smiled as she spoke, and her eyes danced around mischievously.
He acted insulted as he replied, "The Colonel didn't sneak anywhere. He was hungry and announced he was leaving the bridge for a late night snack." He looked over at her and smiled again, "Would you like me to prepare something for you, Collette?"
"I would be most honored. Do you not have someone to prepare your food for you?"
"No, we decided on a small crew for this mission. We are all adequate cooks, so we take turns. Suzy and Josiah are actually the best cooks, so their turn comes around a little more often."
"I heard you are one of the wealthiest men in your galaxy, it seems odd that you do not have servants for this sort of thing."
"I didn't grow up wealthy; in fact, my family had very little money, so I've never learned to live extravagantly." He concluded as he slid a plate her way.
She began picking at her snack as she looked back at him and said, "I find you to be a most interesting individual, Colonel. You do not seem to mind getting dirty, but you clean up so nice."
He laughed a little as he replied. "Thank you Collette, you clean up quite nicely yourself."
"Are you implying that you find me attractive?" She asked seductively.
"I'm not implying anything; I'm saying I find you to be quite attractive. Unfortunately, my heart is not ready to move on yet."
"Well, if it means anything, I find you attractive as well. If you would like someone to help you get over this other woman, I would be happy to help the friend of the King." As she said that last line, she smiled flirtatiously and laughed at his reaction.
"Thanks, Collette, that is a most kind and generous offer," he replied awkwardly, "I'm heading back to the bridge now if you would like to accompany me."
"I would be delighted." They left the galley and made their way onto the bridge.
______
The ship came out of light space around Trinnus, and Collin received landing instructions for a prominent birth at the main spaceport. When they opened the landing bay hatch, they noticed a large crowd waiting for them. Princess Rayelle said it was because people as famous as Endeavor's crew rarely came to Trinnus. Jesse suspected it was because everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of the beautiful and famous princess. She looked stunning as her detail surrounded her and they walke
d down the ramp. She was beautiful as she waved to the crowd and smiled for the vid-cams. The Governor of Trinnus was on hand and greeted the Princess in traditional Hyperian fashion. He formally bowed before her, followed by each of them placing one hand on the other's shoulder, and leaning in to briefly touch heads. He then led her to an amplification device and podium set up right there in the spaceport.
"Nothing like putting a guest on the spot," Collin mused.
"Planets the Princess visit find it is the best way to get her to address the people. Once she begins to get into her routine, there may not be time or desire for her make a public statement." Xanu replied.
"I guess it's better to have this than nothing," Josiah added.
The Princess was already walking up to the podium, and to the crew's surprise, the Governor motioned for Jesse to come up as well. Rayelle's detail fanned out in front of the stage and was bolstered by the Governor's larger detail. Trinnus was known for its Moving City and its FTL technology, which is why Collin had been eager to come. Collin wanted to study another drive, and the King had arranged for them to be given the best drive available for their ship's size. They also really wanted to see the city that moved. It technically wasn't the whole city, only the city center, but it was one of the wonders of the galaxy, and the crew couldn't wait to see it.
Princess Rayelle took a breath before she began her short greeting. "People of Trinnus, I would like to greet you in the name of your King. It is my honor and privilege to be here before you. The people of Trinnus are known for their hospitality and generous natures and your King applauds you, as do I. I look forward to a fantastic visit to your amazing world. Thank you." As the Princess finished the brief but moving greeting, the crowd burst into applause. The Governor joined her on the dais and motioned for silence before speaking.
"Thank you, Your Majesty; that was most thoughtful and moving. Now, we have another treat for you: the man that found the Treasure of Ameteo and returned our beloved Sansabar's Hyperia to its rightful place, Colonel Jesse Marcos." The Governor shook Jesse's hand. Another round of applause broke out. He took the amplification device and reluctantly began.
"I'm not very good at speeches, just ask my crew," he joked. "Even if I were a great speaker, it would still be near impossible to follow Princess Rayelle's moving greeting, but I will try. Many people credit me with finding the fabled Treasure of Ameteo. The reality is, I would have never even taken up the hunt, let alone found the prize, if it were not for the greatest crew ever assembled. They deserve all the credit. One thing the treasure has done for us is allow us to travel to fantastic places and meet amazing people like you." He gestured to the crowd as applause broke out again. "I look forward to every minute of the next three days that I get to spend on your beautiful world and hope to meet many of you during my time here. You have an amazing royal family, and they have told me nothing but good things about both Trinnus and her people. Thank you, Governor, for allowing me to greet the people of your world." With that, he stepped back to more applause as the Governor once again stepped forward.
Princess Rayelle leaned over to him and whispered, "I think you make speeches just fine, Colonel," and then smiled as the Governor was dismissing the crowd.
The next day and a half was a whirlwind of activity: visiting important people and locations, picking up the new FTL drive, which made Collin quite happy, and seeing the sights. The best part of the trip was when they were approaching the Moving City by air car. The Moving City featured buildings almost three hundred fifty stories tall, with the tallest being over four hundred at the center. Most of the buildings were connected by walkways every fifty stories, and there were several suspended parks and open air markets hundreds of feet off the ground. It would have all been impressive enough if the entire city center, nearly eleven square kilometers, was not continuously rotating. Jesse couldn't even begin to imagine the power requirements for such a feat. He was told one full rotation took almost three full days. The amazing thing was that no matter where you lived in the Moving City, you always had a different view than the day before. The city was so popular, that more city rose up around it, but the government capped all the buildings outside of the rotating center at fifty stories so as not to obstruct the spectacular views offered at the city center.
Late in the afternoon of the second day, Princess Rayelle took the crew to the famous Market Gardens. According to her description it was a location of fabulous shopping. It also possessed quality dining and featured many parks and fields for children to run or adults to engage in sport. The amazing thing about Market Gardens is that it was ten levels high. Outdoor shops lined suspended walkways, some fields were open air all the way up and others had three stories of air space with another field suspended above it. There was also a beautiful park at the center which was ground level and open air. It was a fairly large park, and the entire ten story structure was built around it. Some of the trees from the park were seven or eight stories tall, and there was a cobblestone dining area in the far corner with plenty of shopping and other establishments overlooking it. The entire structure of Market Gardens was massive, and Jesse mused that Ariel wouldn't mind getting lost in this complex for months before finding her way out.
Once in the complex, Endeavor's crew split up. Collin, Bessa, Kimi and Collette wanted to start at the upper levels and work their way down. Collette had assured them she knew all of the good places. Josiah, Reece and Xanu left to find an establishment Xanu had visited once before with great reviews. Jesse had assumed the Princess would go off with her detail, and was surprised when she stayed with him and Suzy. Jesse saw a group of children kicking a ball around and said, "Look, Suzy, they're kicking a ball around." He immediately ran over to join them.
Suzy was smiling at her friend's playfulness when Princess asked her, "So, how long have you known the Colonel?"
"We met when we were four years old, and have been best friends ever since. My parents died when I was sixteen, and because I had no other family, I was going to have to live in a government-sponsored group home. Jesse wouldn't let that happen, though. I lived with him and his family after that. He and his family are the only family I have. Even as a child, Jesse would do anything for a friend."
"Wow, I had no idea you two shared such a connection. I am sorry I treated him so poorly, I thought he was going to be a suitor and did not want to give him hope his proposal would succeed."
"Well, the two of you seem to be getting along now, that's the important thing," She smiled and handed the Princess a beverage as they watched Jesse play with the children.
Jesse had the ball and it started out as three little boys trying to get it from him. They were laughing and watching in awe as he broke out some of his old soccer tricks like juggling the ball on his knees, hitting it off his head and catching the ball on his feet. Now, however, there were almost fifteen children chasing him, trying to get the ball. He pretended to make a mistake so they could get the ball and then pretended he couldn't get it back as they kicked it to one another. He finally intercepted a pass again and began with more tricks. He had a big smile on his face and his display had drawn quite a crowd. Meanwhile, Suzy and the Princess just watched and laughed.
"This was Jesse's favorite game as a child. We call it soccer or football. When organized, the objective is to kick the ball through a net to score goals. He was always happiest when he was kicking a ball around."
"He does seem quite talented at it."
"He was one of the best in our city." Suzy added as they continued to watch until Jesse shook hands with all of the children and came back over to them smiling.
"It's been a while since I have been able to do that," he said while catching his breath.
"Well, you certainly made some children very happy, Colonel," The Princess motioned at the still excited youngsters explaining his tricks to their happy parents. They could not believe the Princess' guest and famous treasure hunter had taken some time out to play with their children.
While they were still sitting there, a little girl about Kiah's age nervously approached them. "What can I do for you, little one?" Suzy smiled.
"I just wanted to meet the Princess, she's so pretty, and I wanted to meet her."
Rayelle could see how nervous the little girl was and scooped her up into her arms. "Well, what is your name?" She began as the little girl smiled from ear to ear.
"My name is Bea," she replied, "Are you friends with the man who was kicking the ball?"
"Why, yes, I am. Would you like to meet him?" The little girl shook her head yes and the Princess approached Jesse with the girl still in her arms.
"I'm Jesse," he started as he held out his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Bea. What's that by your ear?" He pulled a coin seemingly out of her ear, and she giggled. "What happened to it now?" He asked as he made the coin vanish. "Here it is," he said as he pulled it out of her other ear. He went to give the coin to the girl, and pretended to drop it. "Where did it go?" he asked. The little girl shrugged and he said, "Why don't you check your pocket?"
When she did, she was amazed to find it there; she held it up triumphantly and asked, "How did you do that?"
"Magic," he replied as he fussed her hair.
The Princess put her down and she happily ran to her parents.
"That was very kind of you; you seem to be very good with children."
"So do you. You looked very content holding that child."
"I love children, one of my favorite duties as Princess is to visit children's hospitals and children's homes."
"That is quite noble, Your Majesty."
"I'm getting hungry, would you and Suzy care to join me for a meal?"