by Mike Smith
The time that he spent with Miranda had not helped, as she had a strength of character he envied, a deep-seated conviction to do the right thing, irrespective of the cost. Yet he could not find the courage to do likewise. Jon Radec’s own words, as spoken by Sofia, continually haunted him day and night.
His own actions shamed him, just as much as Jon Radec’s inaction condemned him. Even worst was Sofia’s vociferous defence of the man. Even though it might have been through his inaction that her father was now dead. What if she was correct? What if Jon Radec had indeed done everything in his power to stop the attack? The thought was enough to cause him sleepless nights. He had always considered himself a man of the highest integrity and it shook him to the core to think that he might be nothing of the sort, but instead more like his mother, continually pushing his own personal desires to the fore, and simply making excuses to justify them.
He was continually drawn to that moment in time, seemingly frozen for eternity, back in the officer’s lounge of the Imperial Star. With Jon Radec standing over him, his deadly blade hovering inches from his throat. His life hanging in the balance, with Sofia and the rest looking on, unable or unwilling to intervene. He could still feel the burning humiliation at the back of his throat and the tears in his eyes.
Robert’s eyes shot open, as if that blade had suddenly been thrust forward, slipping between his ribs. Was that why he was continuing to hold Sofia in isolation? As punishment to Jon Radec for that humiliation? To make him suffer, just as he suffered as he had knelt before him, waiting for his decision as to whether he lived or died?
No.
He was doing this to protect Sofia, to protect her from a man who simply used her to get what he wanted and now had so easily discarded her. His eyes flickered towards the communication console on his desk. It would be easy enough to check. One call to Jon Radec and he would know. He could prove to himself that he was doing this for her, and not his own selfish desire to keep her for himself. With his fingers hovering over the desk, barely a hair’s breadth from the surface of the console, he wavered.
Closing his eyes, he remembered Miranda’s words that she had loved Jon enough to step aside. If she could have the courage to do that, then so could he.
Taking a deep breath he touched the control, opening his eyes as the view-screen above his desk came to life—
“Senator?” Robert gasped in surprise, for the man on the screen was certainly not Jonathan Radec. Instead he was far older, with grey hair, a sagging jawline and a clearly visible expanding waistline. He was richly attired, clearly displaying his considerable wealth, a wealth that was only just eclipsed by his intellect. As one of the most powerful politicians in the Confederation, he sat on many of the oversight committees, and when he spoke the Confederation listened. However it was his eyes that captured Robert’s attention; glacial slate grey that looked as old as time and as sharp as ice. They had an intensity that was unnerving. Almost laser-like in their focus, as if they would burn through him if he looked him in the eye long enough.
But what took Robert most by surprise was that the rest of the Confederation thought this man dead. Therefore the sight of him left Robert feeling cold all over, as he could think of only one reason why he would take such a risk calling.
“I have been informed that you have a new guest?” the Senator inquired, his voice deep and grating, eyes boring into him suspiciously.
“Guest?” Robert replied casually. He had spent his childhood in the company of his mother, and if he had learnt nothing else, it was how to lie convincingly. “You mean the representatives from Emperor Radec?” Robert easily managed to insert just the right amount of disdain into his voice. “They arrived unannounced a few weeks back—”
“Not them,” the Senator snarled. “Sofia Aurelius. You have Marcus’s daughter? She is still alive.” It was pronounced as an obvious statement, not a question.
Robert didn’t even blink although inside he was seething. Only a very select few of his inner circle knew about Sofia, which meant that one of them was a spy, as he had ensured that no electronic records existed detailing her presence. “I was not aware that you had any interest in the woman,” Robert cautiously replied. “I was planning on using her as a bargaining chip against Radec, in the event that he ever moved against us.”
“Marcus’s daughter,” the Senator breathed out in elation. “How many years I spent trying to obtain her, but she was always too well guarded. Marcus would rarely let her out of his sight; even then she was constantly surrounded by his Praetorians. I could never get near to her, although I tried on many occasions. She was Marcus’s only weakness. I commanded both Harkov and Sejanus to bring her to me, but both failed spectacularly. At every turn I found myself blocked by Radec. How I cursed his name, almost as much as I did Marcus’s. I thought that I had finally succeeded in separating the two of them when they first arrived on Eden Prime, but still the man casts a long shadow. Eventually I succeeded, or so I had thought, finally removing the last stain of the Aurelius bloodline from the galaxy forever.
“But you, you succeeded where everybody else before had failed. For you spirited away Marcus’s daughter from right under their very noses, and for that you will be justly rewarded. Now give her to me.”
“What do you plan to do with her?” Robert inquired, trying to buy some time, his thoughts racing ahead, trying to think of a plausible reason to deny the request, and avoid the wrath, and swift retribution from this man. “Marcus is dead. Radec is now in power, he no longer has any need of Marcus’s daughter.”
“I care little for Radec. I could’ve had him killed at any time, but I found his posturing amusing. Now he’s becoming too big a thorn in my side. Now that I have Marcus’s daughter there is no reason to let him live. I have a spy in his trusted inner circle, somebody who Radec trusts implicitly and would never suspect. He can join his beloved Marcus in hell and both can watch from there as I violate what they both love most.”
“But I don’t understand,” Robert said, confused. “I thought that all that Radec wanted was wealth and power? What does he care now that he has finally obtained both?”
For the first time the Senator looked truly shocked, before he laughed out loud. “Radec has always been a fool, a troublesome fool I grant you that, but he shares the same weakness as all the others, he is blinded by love. You never realised the true value of whom you hold. For you have in your possession the one thing that Radec values more than his own life, or Marcus’s. The woman that he loves. And that makes you more powerful than the Emperor himself.”
Robert was stunned, as the Senator had just confirmed his own doubts and fears that he had been wrong all along, and Sofia and Miranda had indeed been correct. While he could not change the mistakes he had made in the past, he could put right what he had done wrong. In a flash of inspiration an idea came to him. “Unfortunately Senator I’m not in a position to move Marcus’s daughter at the moment. As you know I currently have a Confederation taskforce in orbit above us. They are inspecting all arriving and departing ships.” Which was not a complete fabrication, since it just so happened that with the Confederation under military jurisdiction there had not been any arriving or departing ships. “What do you think Radec is going to do if he finds out that his wife is alive and well, hidden right under his very nose?” Robert smirked, knowing he had an unassailable position.
“Very well, if you cannot bring her to me. I will come to you.”
“What?” Robert said dumbstruck. “But you’re dead. If Radec even suspects that you’re alive, he’s going to know who was behind the attack.”
“Which is why I will send my son instead. He is totally inept and a grave disappointment to me, but unfortunately he is all that I’ve got. Surely he should at least be able to control one woman? He can meet his future bride-to-be.” The Senator shrugged. “Who knows, perhaps I will have better luck with my grandchildren.”
“What about Radec?” Robert asked dismayed.
“Leave Radec to me. The princess will shortly be grieving for her newly deceased husband. My son will arrive shortly.” With that the Senator obviously cut the channel, as his image vanished.
Robert just stared once again into the now dark room, his headache back with a vengeance. He now knew that he had made a terrible mistake, one that he desperately needed to correct. However, as his hand once again reached for the communication console, he wavered. Not this time for fear of what Radec would do, but forewarned with the knowledge that he had a spy in his inner circle. Almost certainly the communication system would have been compromised. Robert cursed, wondering what else could possibly go wrong, before he was reminded of the Senator’s son’s imminent arrival.
“Shit,” he cursed again. He had promised Sofia he would remain neutral, that he would refuse to take sides and, most importantly, keep her safe. But how could he keep those promises now? Sofia’s words, that he would eventually have to take sides, came back to haunt him.
It looked like the decision had already been made for him.
*****
Caught up in trying to determine who the traitor might be, time passed quickly and, before he knew it, a tall man appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. His hair, coloured a mousy blond, was wet and matted, as if he had just stepped out of a shower. He had silvery eyes, the palest shade of grey Robert had ever seen, and a strong, aristocratic nose. His lips, meanwhile, were compressed into a frown of deep irritation.
“You’re Robert Calis?” he demanded impatiently.
Considering his own mother, Robert was more than willing to give the man the benefit of the doubt but, based on his tone of voice and condescending stare, Robert promptly filed him under his do not like category.
“Yes, and you’re the Senator’s son I was told to expect?” Robert asked calmly. If nothing else the eye colour matched.
“Captain Benson,” he replied haughtily. The expression on Robert’s face must have betrayed his thoughts, as the Captain added, “I don’t share the same name as my father. We find it more…convenient…to not announce our relationship to the entire Confederation, as my father is well known.”
Privately Robert thought it far more likely that the Senator simply had no wish to be any more closely associated with his son, especially considering his disparaging remarks about him earlier.
“So you’re a Captain in the 12th fleet, under Admiral Sterling?” Robert inquired politely, recognising the insignia on his uniform, making small talk as he directed the man in the direction of his personal apartments.
“I should be Fleet Captain by now,” Benson fumed. “But I was screwed over by Sterling.”
Robert did not know Admiral Sterling well, but the man had a reputation as a fine Admiral and a good judge of character. If he passed this man over for promotion he must have had good reasons.
“But I finally had my revenge. You could almost say that I screwed him back,” Benson added scornfully, with a chilling laugh.
Robert did not understand what he meant by that comment, but did not like the insinuation and promised himself that he was not going to leave him alone with Sofia. That option quickly disappeared, however, when on arriving at her quarters, Benson stuck out his arm halting their progress.
“These are her quarters?” he demanded. When Robert nodded hesitantly, Benson took a step forward, curtly ordering, “Then wait here, as the last thing I need is a chaperone. I want to meet with her alone.”
Robert cursed as the door effortlessly slid open at their approach. Benson stepped forward and the door slid shut behind him. While Robert had no plans to enter, he was going to remain very close by.
*****
Sofia looked up in surprise as the door slid open, unannounced, to permit entry to a sandy-haired young man, who she did not recognise. From his uniform he was clearly a senior ranking officer in the Confederation Navy—but what was he doing here, alone? Somehow Sofia doubted Robert would permit just anybody to breeze into her personal quarters unannounced. A hint of unease passed through her, as she realised something was very wrong with this situation. Giving the man the benefit of the doubt, she stood as he approached, a pleasant smile on her face.
“Princess, my name is Captain Benson of the Confederation Navy. I was pleased to hear that you were alive and unharmed following the attack.”
“I am indebted to Robert—Mr Calis for saving me,” Sofia agreed. “Although I was shocked to learn that so many others had lost their lives.”
“The others were of little consequence,” Benson dismissed their deaths nonchalantly. “Far more important that you survived, as you still have an important role in the future, by my side.”
Sofia was slightly taken aback at his indifferent attitude, but assumed that he must have seen a lot of death and destruction and had become somewhat immune to it. “So Captain, I don’t suppose that you’re here to rescue me from my jail?”
“Not yet, but soon, Princess,” Benson reassured her. “I promise you that it won’t be much longer.”
“And what of my husband; your Lord?” Sofia asked suspiciously, for nothing made sense. Why would a Confederation Captain be here? If he knew about her, why didn’t Jon know? She knew with absolute certainty that if Jon knew her to be alive he would be at her side in an instant.
“Do not concern yourself with your husband,” Benson replied dismissively. Completely misunderstanding her intent, instead he tried to reassure her. “I will take great satisfaction in personally releasing you from your current marriage. My father has promised you to me, and I will readily take you as my wife, just as soon as Radec is dead.”
Sofia stared in disbelief at the impetuous Captain standing before her, unable to believe what she was hearing. She considered the man in front of her for a minute, wondering if this was the man that so intimidated Robert. Just as quickly she dismissed the idea as absurd, for this man was an arrogant, conceited fool. That was clear from the dreamy, vacant expression in his eyes, and his overly inflated ego when he assumed she would fall at his feet and worship him simply because he had offered to release her from her marriage to Jon. Jon would be similarly likely to dismiss him, before killing him for even daring to think of stealing her from him.
“You are not the first to stand before me and making such promises. Many others, far greater than you, have claimed as such, but still my husband lives, and they do not. Twice he has died before, but each time he has returned from the dead. I think you’ll find Jon much harder to kill than you think.”
Benson looked surprised at her response, before laughing. “Do not concern yourself with him. For his death will come at the hands of somebody close to him, somebody who he trusts and least suspects.”
Sofia meanwhile was starting to get annoyed by this vain man who so boastfully stood before her, threatening the man she loved. Therefore she took a step closer to Benson, a dangerous glint in her eye, which he totally misinterpreted.
“Do you know what the difference between you and Jon is?” she inquired in a sugary tone of voice.
“That he has nothing to offer you, while I have everything. Riches, power and prestige—dazzling clothes, the most glittering diamonds, endless balls and parties, extravagance beyond your wildest imaginings,” Benson replied, confidently. Reaching out as she drew closer, he put an arm around her waist and pulled her against his body, pleased beyond measure when she did not resist.
“No,” Sofia disagreed with a small shake of her head. “For I never wanted any of that. Jon is a good man, neither vain nor conceited. You would try and talk a man to death. Jon? He is just going to kill you.” Cocking her head to one side, observing Benson’s stunned expression at her words, she added. “As to your marriage proposal—” She kneed him hard in the groin, watching with barely concealed pleasure as he doubled over in pain, his hands going to the junction between his legs. He therefore failed to notice as Sofia balled her hand into a fist, which she promptly slammed into his jaw.
Benson crumpled to th
e floor, whimpering, curling up into a foetal ball.
“That’s my answer to your marriage proposal. Now consider yourself lucky that I am not my husband, as I don’t approve of killing in general. He would have just cut off your head. Now get out!” She roared, nursing her bruised knuckles.
“You whore,” Benson groaned, pain emanating in waves from his groin and jaw. “Wait until my father hears about this.” He quickly shied back as Sofia took another threatening step closer.
“Is everything okay in here?” Robert inquired, sticking his head into the apartment. “I heard shouting and wanted to make sure—” he trailed off in surprise at the scene facing him.
“Captain Benson was just leaving,” Sofia insisted.
“I’ll show him out,” Robert reassured her.
“I can find my own way,” Benson said stumbling to his feet, rubbing his sore jaw. “I won’t forget that,” he insisted, turning to look at Sofia. “Once Radec is dead I’ll be back and you’ll pay for this humiliation. You’ll pay many, many times over. You’ll soon be wishing you were as dead as him.”
“That is enough,” Robert interrupted before Sofia could pummel the captain again. Robert focused his angry gaze on Benson. “The princess is my guest, and while she is here she is under my protection. Now, you heard her, get out.”
“Not for much longer,” Benson disagreed with a furious glare, before storming from the room.
“I’m sorry about that,” Robert said with a sigh. “Are you okay?”
“Nice friend you’ve got there,” Sofia retorted, nursing her torn knuckles. “I think I preferred it when you left me alone.”
“Not my friends,” Robert said looking away. “I’m just trying to do the right thing. The best thing, for everyone.”