Red Planet: The Rebel War (Tamarians Book 3)

by Snow, Jessica

  “For months now, I've been on the run, trying to avoid the thugs and evil, corrupt reaches of my son's crooked government. I had hoped that he would tire, but I must now risk myself for the good of Tamaria. Therefore, I will come out of hiding, pledging to lead the forces of honorable, good Tamarians against the crooked masses of those Tauren calls his allies. But, I need your help. Return me to the throne, and I promise to restore economic prosperity to Tamaria, to right the wrongs Tauren has inflicted on you in his mad grab for power and dictatorial control. I will restore your rights, and make Tamaria great once more. In the coming days, I will release details on how this will happen. Keep the faith, my good Tamarians. This is your true Queen, Tauria.”

  The video dissolves again and I hand the flexi back to Reilly, shaking my head. “Off the record, what a load of lies and bullshit. First off, she was the one who had an active plan to Q-bomb the capital. Second, if she wants to call Tauren crooked, she only needs to look in the mirror to find a perfect example of crooked. I was a slave in Neyilla's service for too many years to even find her comment amusing.”

  Reilly nods, swallowing. “I understand, Highness. If I can share my opinion, I agree with you. I only released the first story because I figured that whoever dropped the data off with me did it other places too. I tried to at least make it sound like rumor and innuendo, tabloid trash. But the gravity of it... I'm sorry.”

  “You did your best, and I will appreciate it. As for Tauria, I have no official word for you, I'll let Tauren handle that. Thank you, Reilly. If you'd like, please visit us again here at the palace.”

  * * *

  Jensen comes to the palace after dinner, a tense affair that left Tauren not saying even a dozen words before he leaves, saying he is going to see what progress Mogar is making with tracking down whoever leaked the audio. He gives me a kiss as he goes, but I can tell it was just for form's sake. Tauren's enraged. While he had known, this was a possible consequence of his plan, that doesn't mean he's happy about it. Needing someone to talk to, I called Jensen, hoping that maybe my big brother can give me some insight.

  When Jensen arrives, his face is grim, but he still greets me with a hug in the garden where I'm watching the moon. “Hey, sis. When Kelbara said that you asked me to come by, I figured you must be having an even worse day than I thought. Tauren looked like he was on the edge when he heard about the report over lunch out with the Rangers. Then when I got here I find he's already flown out to Mogar's to talk with the Games master, I knew he's having a bad day. How're you holding up?”

  I hug Jensen back, realizing it's been a long time since it was just the two of us sitting down and talking. Even before I took the crown, in the Resistance, I didn't have a lot of one on one time with my brother, and I treasure it. We missed too many years when I didn't even know he existed, and I was just a childhood memory to him. “I've had better days, honestly. How was training?”

  “Tough and nasty, just like the Rangers like it. You'd be impressed with Kelbara, she shot four people today, and didn't get shot once herself.”

  I chuckle, leaning into Jensen's hug. “You should tell Gwyndolen that before you go. She's both worried and intrigued by her daughter's exploits.”

  Jensen nods, sitting with me for a moment silently before speaking. “Audra, I don't want to step where I'm not supposed to, but what I saw on the news today... it worries me. I mean, I was worried when I heard about it from Mogar, but for the Council chamber to be leaked... that worries me more.”

  “What worries you, Jensen?” I ask, wanting to hear his mind. “I mean, more than what you knew before.”

  Jensen shakes his head. “A couple of things, really. First, the effect on the people. We've had the general support of the people up until now, and you know my point of view, we need the people to be able to win this thing. It was my entire strategy during the Resistance, after all, make the people sympathize with us. What they heard today, though... and then what Tauria released. You and I know it's total bullshit. She's a self-centered psychopath who would do the same or worse if she were in charge. But it's the sort of easy lie that could attract enough supporters that she can plunge everything into chaos.”

  “I've had the same thoughts,” I admit. “I just... I have faith in Tauren. I know his heart better than you, Jensen, as you'd guess.”

  Jensen nods, sighing deeply. “Which brings me to my third point, and what worries me the most, Audra. Tauren said what he did without talking to me, without talking to Kelbara, and that hurts. I thought that Tauren and I had a more trusting relationship than that. I'm putting my ass on the line, and Kelbara's ass on the line, because I trust him. Even if he was frustrated about the videos from the Rangers raids, he should have talked about it with me. That's what I'm here for, right? A sounding board and he didn't trust me enough to talk with me. Right now, that worries me.”

  I gulp, wanting to tell Jensen the whole truth, that the deception was one that Tauren felt he had to do, and that he isn't on the edge of being truly unhinged. But I promised Tauren, and I can't betray that, even to Jensen. Instead, I swallow my nerves and hug my brother. “Jensen, I'm not saying it's easy. Just... I need my brother and my husband right now. Please.”

  Jensen sighs, hugging me back. “I'm doing my best, Audra. I will stand by you no matter what. You're my sister, and I won't ever lose faith in you. Listen, tomorrow morning I have a workout planned with Tauren, maybe it'll be a chance for us to air some grievances, work some stress off. Tauren's like me, sometimes the most honest communication isn't made with our mouths.”

  I nod, reassured slightly. “Okay. Would you like me to give you some privacy for that? You know, so you guys can indulge in your latent repressed homoerotic attraction for each other?”

  Jensen laughs, his good humor restored. “You wish, Audra. You'd like it if two hot, sweaty guys started getting it on in front of you.”

  I laugh, feeling better than I have all day. “Yeah, yeah, enough on that, I'd just make Kelbara angry at me. She's very protective of you.”

  “She protects me, I protect her, you protect Tauren, and we all protect you. Throw Gwyndolen and Mogar in the mix, and we've got enough people protecting each other that I still trust things will work themselves out, Audra. We'll get past this together.”

  I sigh happily, walking with him through the garden. “So... can you stay for a while longer and just walk in the garden with me?”

  “Sure. Audra, uh, I had a question. I could use your advice, but it has to stay just between us,” Jensen says, slightly nervous. “Kelbara wants to get some... play toys.”

  “Oh? She wants to whip your ass?” I tease, and Jensen shakes his head, laughing.

  “No, my ass is safe,” he replies before pursing his lips and wrinkling his forehead. “I think. Maybe. But.... she wants to be bound up.”

  I'm touched that Jensen would turn to me with such an intimate question, and I step away, taking his hand. “Jensen, I don't know how it normally is between you and Kelbara intimately. But if she says she wants to be bound, be very careful and go slow. Some people freak out at being restrained, and it happens quickly. So, she might like it when you hold her tight, she might like it when you control her or hold her hands, restraining her with your body, but would freak out if you use ropes or binders. Go slow, and listen to what she says. It's something that... well, I can never do it again. Not after Neyilla. But if you want someone who can give you better advice, talk with Justine.”

  “I've thought of that. I think Kelbara might want to. But while I care for Justine, this is the sort of thing... well, I only felt right asking you about it.”

  I smile, touched even more. “Aww. I love you too, big brother.”

  Chapter 12

  Jensen

  Grav pods are both a blessing and a curse when it comes to exercise, in my opinion. On one hand, I can move naturally, doing a lot more than I can with old fashioned weights. Like right now, as Tauren and I bear walk across the grass, there's no
thing unnatural about it, except that my muscles think that I weigh about twice my normal body weight. When we finish and do lunge walks back to where we started, the same thing. My muscles strain and my heart is racing, but there's nothing unnatural about any of the movements.

  On the other hand, the straps on the different little pods chafe my skin, and I sometimes miss the feeling of having a bar or something external in my hands for exercise. That'll be later, though, and right now I have five more meters of lunges to complete.

  “Water break,” Tauren huffs, wiping at his forehead. He's pushing himself hard today, harder than normal and I think he's probably still trying to work off the frustration from yesterday's news.

  “Good for me,” I reply, shutting off the pods and taking a drink. “Are you feeling okay?”

  “The left side of my back is a little tight, but it started to loosen up that last set of bear walks,” Tauren says, pointedly ignoring my real meaning. “I'll watch it for dips, though.”

  “Tauren...” I reply, knowing I'm about to walk onto dangerous ground, “I mean after yesterday's news.”

  Tauren nods, taking a swig of water. “It's not what I wanted, but it at least showed me the truth about the leak on the Council.”

  I'm surprised and confused. “Wait... what you wanted? Tauren, clue me in because I'm a little lost here. I thought you had a bit of a rant and vented some frustration, but right now you sound different like you planned this.”

  Tauren shrugs, setting his bottle down. “It was all a ruse, Jensen. I intentionally went off on Mogar because he thought, and I suspected as well, that there was a leak somewhere. It was the only way to explain how and why Tauria's could get the jump on us so often. So... we put on a little act.”

  “You what?” I ask, shocked. “Tauren, are you out of your fucking mind?”

  Tauren blinks, surprised. “Jensen, I did it when I did because I knew I couldn't lie in front of you. It was hard enough doing it with Audra in the room, even though she was in on it. And I had to see if the leak was on the Council.”

  I feel like I've been slapped in the face, and I turn, walking away from Tauren and trying to control my anger. “You... you had my sister lie to me? You lied to me? What the fuck, Tauren? Why in the heaven and stars would you do that? Did you think I was the fucking leak?”

  “No!” Tauren yells, frustrated. “Heaven and stars, Jensen! I did it because I want this war to end, and I knew that there was a leak somewhere! If it hadn't been the Council, it had to have been in the military, and I had a plan for deceiving them if I had to. Don't give me that fucking look, Jensen!”

  “What look?” I ask, my fist balling.

  “The look that says you've been betrayed! You don't fucking think I know that! You don't think that it sucked, knowing that I was lying to my brother-in-law and perhaps the only man on this entire fucking planet I can call my friend! But I had to!” Tauren yells before slamming his water bottle onto the ground. “I HAD TO!”

  “Why?” I ask, my voice going soft and a smile starting on my face. I can feel it, and it chills me. Because it isn't my friendly smile, it's my gladiator smile. It's the smile I tend to let out right before I start beating someone's ass, “Why'd you lie to me, Tauren? Did you think I couldn't be trusted?!”

  “NO!” Tauren says, turning and squaring up with me. “I did it... I did it because I knew the rule. The more people that are in on a secret or a conspiracy, the greater the chance of it being blown out into the open. And I can't even be sure if everyone in my own fucking home is loyal. I trusted two other people, Audra because she's my wife and Mogar because I needed his help in setting up the scene. That's it. I didn't even let my own fucking father in on the plan!”

  I shake my head, hurt deeper than I can let on. My friend and my mentor, both keeping secrets from me? “You lied to me, Tauren. You had my sister lie to me, lie to my face practically about what was going on. You can talk all you want about it being keeping secrets, or security, or whatever. You. Lied. To. ME!”

  “I had to,” Tauren says, stepping forward. “Sometimes being King means doing the hard thing.”

  I step closer, staring into his eyes. “The hard thing? Still the wrong thing, Tauren. You, me... we built this from trust. I trusted you when I didn't have your ass shot as a prisoner of the Resistance. I trusted you when I let you roam free, and I took you at your word that you wanted to do things differently, that you were on our side. I trusted you when I found out about you and Audra, and then you and the baby. I trusted you... and you lied to me.”

  “I lied because I had to, Jensen,” Tauren growls. We're nearly nose to nose, and I'm pissed. He didn't have to lie to me, I could have kept the secret. Maybe he thought that we'd blab to Gwyndolen, or to the Rangers, but we wouldn't. I could have kept the secret, and Kelbara could have as well.

  “Bullshit, Tauren. You fucked up, and the only good thing to come out of it is that Tauria was stupid enough to make a public statement about it.”

  It is the one positive about this. Although it could take a while to chase down the source of the transmission, if Tauria's trying to play the PR game, she can be tracked. She must become public again. It's not worth it to me, though.

  “Step off, Jensen,” Tauren threatens, his fists balling up. “I don't want to go there with you, but I won't let you get in my face like this.”

  “Or what?” I whisper, smiling again. “You'll have the Royal Lancers drag me away? That sounds an awfully lot like how Joren and Tauria ran things, all lies, deception, and ego. Running shit their way... how'd that work out for them, anyhow?”

  Tauren growls again, shoving me in the chest as hard as he can. I take three steps back, bringing my hands up, ready to fight, and this time no rules. Tauren's lip quivers, but he shakes his head. “No, I don't do things that way. No Lancers, I'll kick your ass myself. But not today. You have a mission to get ready for, Commander.”

  “And if I tell you to fuck off?” I growl, lowering my hands slowly. I'm pissed, I'm hurt.... but Tauren is still my brother-in-law. “If I tell you to go sit on a powerlance no lube style?”

  Tauren ignores my comment, taking a step back himself and picking up his water bottle. “I want your Rangers causing hell, Jensen. I want them putting enough pressure on the Rebels that it flushes Tauria out. And when that happens, I want you there to capture or take her out. Jensen, I did this to bring this war to an end. It might make me look like a bad guy, but I'll take looking like a bad guy in charge of a good planet than being a good guy whose world is torn apart by war. Make me the villain, that's part of what being the King is. So long as the people are at peace and my son isn't born to war.”

  I shake my head, sighing. “I'll do it, Tauren. But after this war is over.. we might need to talk about things. Including if I'm going to serve a villain. But I don't want my nephew born to war either. I think I'm going to go, I've got a mission to prepare for, and I hope... I hope there's a way out of this. Because I love Audra, and I love you too, Tauren. I can't love what you're doing right now and what you might become because of this, though.”

  * * *

  The mission is perhaps the most dangerous we've done, but at the same time, the most straightforward the Rangers have undertaken yet. No slave camp, no factories, no humans at all that military intelligence has discovered. Just a straight up fight, the Rangers against a group of Lancers who have switched sides.

  It should be simple, but now, five hours before we launch our assault, I can't focus. Kelbara and I sit inside one of the shuttles that we're going to use, chewing our rations tastelessly while we take our final break. Kelbara watches me carefully, knowing I'm upset. “Jensen... talk with me.”

  “Kind of hard to do right now,” I admit. “Kel, he lied to me. He had my sister lie to me. That's hard to swallow right now.”

  “Even worse than these rations?” Kelbara asks, but I don't even smile at her attempt at a little bit of humor. “Jensen, I'm not saying he was right, but in some ways, I
understand. Right now, I know that I can't tell Mom. Audra may like her, I love her, but the fact is that she's from an area close to the Rebels, and she hasn't earned Tauren's trust enough yet for something like this. That stress, it isn't something I'm looking forward to handling the next time she and I get together.”

  I nod, taking another tasteless bite of eggs just for the nutrients. “I get that. Still... I'm worried, Kel. Tauren wants to put an end to the war quickly, and I get that, but if in doing so he loses the support of the people, he's toast. And this won't be the only crisis that he's going to face. What happens... what happens if he compromises his good side a little bit more next time? And next time? And the time after that? At what point, does he sell himself out enough that the people don't trust him, and he finds himself facing a distrustful population that is ready to rebel against him again, this time with nobody to back him up?”

  Kelbara nods and takes the last bite of her rations. “I know what you mean. I lived that. I'm the product of that sort of compromising, remember? So, I did some thinking last night after you told me what happened between the two of you. I decided... I'm with you, Jensen. I'm always going to be by your side.”

  I nod, moved. “Kel.... thank you. You're amazing, and I promise, I'll always trust and be honest with you.”

  “I know,” Kelbara says, smiling. “So... how was your ration?”

  I take the bait this time, chuckling. “You just had to get me a number eleven, didn't you?”

  Kelbara nods, laughing. “We both did. I make sure of it when we need to eat the packaged rations. You know, one of those little things to let the Rangers know we love them. The entire collection of smelly, half civilized, cocksure, mostly brain dead fools. And that's their good points.”

  After our rations, we complete our final preparations and head out for our mission. The camp is big and could hold up to five hundred Rebel troops, but satellite photos show that the Rebel Lancers are the only ones currently there. Thankfully, they're not armored troops either, the Rangers are a light fighting unit, smash and grab.