by Francis, Ron
“No, my love, I’ve already told you, Josiah practically sleeps with this stuff. I was taking a big chance just smuggling out some vid stills. I’m pretty sure they also have some more artifacts that I have yet to see.” She smiled as she looked into his eyes.
“But this is everything, stills of the artifacts and all?” he asked.
“Everything I've seen.” she replied. “We know Garrinoras has some as well, but we obviously do not have access to them.”
“This is a wonderful start, my love, thank you. Now, you better get going; you wouldn’t want your play thing to get suspicious.” He leaned over and kissed her passionately again, and she smiled as she stood to leave.
“Good bye, love,” She smiled a breathtaking smile, gave a wave of the hand, and then she was out the door.
When she was gone, another woman with two men behind her approached the table. “Did she come through for us, Captain?”
“I told you she would; we now have everything Endeavor has.” He smiled as the woman sat down.
“It looks like you two are getting pretty cozy, Captain.”
Joldas Topanar laughed a cruel laugh and replied, “The woman has her charms and she is fun to play with, but do you really think I could ever fall in love with an alien? Now, we have what we came for; let’s begin sorting it all out.”
______
Jesse and Suzy made it back to the suite after dinner and a show, Suzy had loved the show although Jesse had struggled to understand it. He thought it was an ancient love story set in a long forgotten war. The music was spectacular and he really did enjoy himself, not as much as Suzy did, but enough. Now he had tired eyes and he wanted to give in to them. As he was about to fall asleep in an unbelievably comfortable bed, a call came in to his comm.
“Colonel, we have a bit of a situation.” Josiah’s voice was serious but tentative.
“What’s wrong, Jo?”
“Well, we went to a really good restaurant. Then, we visited the exotic arms place and after we dropped off our stuff in our rooms, we decided to check out a club.” Josiah began, obviously trying to choose his words carefully.
“Josiah, I’m really tired, just get to the point.”
“We’re in jail,” he replied, without further preamble.
“All of you!” He replied in disbelief. “What happened?”
“Not all of us, Reece had already left to meet up with Kora. We were at the club, having fun checking things out. Suddenly, these two big guys came over to ask Cassie and Kimi if they would like to dance. When they refused, the men grew insistent. When they still refused, one of the men grew a little violent.”
He could already see where this was headed. “So you, Collin, and Wennagal jumped in to protect the ladies and got yourselves into trouble?”
“Not exactly,” Josiah continued. “One of the men hit Cassie, and then Kimi broke his jaw.”
“But I didn’t even think Kimi liked Cassie.” He replied with genuine surprise in his voice.
“I know,” Josiah agreed. “But that started it. The other man came after Kimi, and Cassie jumped on his back. The man threw her off his back into a group of other dancers, who then tried to take their frustration out on Cassie. That’s when Wennagal, Collin and I jumped in.”
“What’s the damage?”
“Nine people headed to the hospital. There’s twelve thousand chrons damage to the club. They are making us pay for the whole thing, even though those other guys started it. There is also a five thousand chron fine for disturbing the peace.”
“So, let me get this straight, you guys are in jail for getting into a bar fight?” He asked, trying hard not to laugh.
“I know you must be disappointed,” Josiah began.
“Disappointed?" He laughed. "I can’t wait to tell Suzy. Who's bailing who out now?”
“Fine, have your fun, but they are making me end the transmission.” Josiah pleaded.
“Okay, I’m on my way. It’ll take a little while because I don’t have that kind of money on me, so I have to return to Endeavor. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” The transmission ended and he walked over to Suzy’s door with a smile on his face. He was thankful to see her light still on. He gently knocked and she opened the door.
“Josiah and the crew are in jail. They got into a bar fight and I have to go pay their fines and get them released.” He informed her with a smile on his face.
“And this is funny why?” She replied, unsure of why Jesse was so happy about it.
“Think about it, Suzy. How many times have I ever had to bail Josiah out for something like this before?”
“To the best of my knowledge, never.” she replied.
“Exactly, but he has never let me forget about the two times he had to bail me out,” he laughed. “Now I’m the one bailing him out, and I'm gonna make him squirm for a while. Just to, you know... even the score a bit.”
“Men are so strange,” she commented as she was beginning to close her door. “Go have your fun tormenting Josiah and get your crew out of jail.” She added. He turned to leave and she watched with a smile as he left the suite.
______
………… Back on Polisia, Serge Romanov was sure Endeavor had made it into the matter conduit, but he was also sure they had taken some damage. He wasn't exactly sure what that would do to their chances for success and he had spent the last couple of weeks trying to play out all of the possible scenarios not only for his own piece of mind, but Nina's as well. He still had no idea what had caused the explosion that hit the ship as it entered the conduit.
He was suddenly distracted from his dilemma by the sound of his wife yelling at someone in the next room. As he walked into the room, he looked up and saw Admiral Natora’s image on the view screen. Serge could not imagine how someone like Natora had come to be in charge of Earth’s entire space navy. He stood at the edge of the room and watched. He was off screen from what Natora could see as he listened to this man and his wife arguing.
“With Lieutenant Marcos presumed to be in the Kalephi galaxy for the next fourteen months, the military is worried about the stability of Sea Side Enterprises.” Natora was saying coldly, with an amused smile.
“First of all, it is compulsory to address a former service member by their final rank which I believe you know is Colonel, in my brother’s case. Secondly, in my recent briefing with the President, he gave me a letter of his highest confidence in the SSE. His confidence extends even in my brother’s absence as you can plainly see.” Nina waved the letter in front of the screen as she spoke. “This means to me that you are the one that is worried, not the military. This is odd because you, in fact, have stated on numerous occasions that the SSE would be better off without Colonel Marcos. I could replay some of them for you if you’d like. And for the record, I’m worried about the stability of the military with Admiral Bliney in deep space and you in charge here. Now, we can both continue to worry, or you can get to your point, I’m a very busy woman.”
Serge had to give it to Nina, she was always prepared to give an answer, and she never pulled any punches. Especially when speaking with Natora, he must have been boiling after that tongue lashing.
Admiral Natora’s amused smile disappeared shortly after Nina Romanov had begun to speak. Who did this woman think she was, speaking to the highest ranking officer in Earth’s space navy in such a manner? I am the military, he thought. He hated this whole family, and truthfully couldn’t be happier that Jesse was gone, at least for a while. But dealing with his arrogant sister and manipulative cousin were just as bad. He still had no idea how they had managed to get a letter of the President’s confidence, but there was no way around that letter. The only way it could be nullified is if one of the Romanov’s were to be killed or commit treason. Nina Romanov was too smart, and knew the law too well to be successfully framed for treason. This left him only one option, he had to, “hope” for a tragic accident of some sort.
He hated to admit it, but the Coalition s
till needed Sea Side Enterprises. The ships they were building were light years more advanced than anything Earth’s military shipyards were producing. Earth was still producing Battleships, Heavy Cruisers, Frigates and Gun Ships. But even those were all outfitted with SSE weapon and shield modifications. Coalition scientists just could not duplicate the Leviathans or War Hawks of the SSE, and they were the fleet’s most powerful ships. He just couldn’t understand how the Coalition could leave its most powerful military technology in the hands of civilians, especially these civilians. The very thought was unacceptable to him.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and that anger bubbled to the surface as he addressed Nina Romanov. “I care nothing of this letter of confidence or what you and your family think they may have done for Earth in the past. Sooner or later, the Coalition military will have control of Sea Side Enterprise’s military technology. It is only a matter of time. You had just better hope you are not in the way when that time comes.”
“Why, Admiral,” she replied with a smile on her face, “That sounded an awful lot like a threat. I would hate for your patriotic intentions to be misconstrued, so hear me closely. If you do ever successfully manage to get control of my company, you won’t have to worry about SSE’s military technology. Because there will not be any, and then the Coalition military shipyards will have to begin producing three times as many ships as they currently produce. Everyone in the business knows one of ours is worth at least two or three of yours. Good day.” With that, she cut the transmission and reveled at the thought of Natora’s anger being cut off.
Serge approached his wife and just shook his head. “Why must you provoke the man, Nina?”
“He has made no secret about how he feels about our family, Serge. So I feel no need to keep my feelings about him secret, either. He wants this place, Serge, and I fear he’ll stop at nothing to get it. And he doesn’t want it for the Coalition’s benefit, either; he wants it for his own. I swear to you, I will destroy every last blueprint we have. I will also destroy every last ship building facility we have built for our military tech before I let him get his hands on any of it.”
He knew his wife well enough to know she meant it. “Sweetheart, we need to be on the same side. What if the Coalition is attacked again? We will need all of our resources, because I don’t think Jesse’s trick will work again.”
“Forget about earth, if that Neanderthal, Natora gets his hands on our tech, the Coalition will be in serious trouble. I promise you, he does not have the Coalition’s best interest in mind.”
______
Jesse had just arrived at the holding facility and was once again hit by how tired he was. He paid the fine and the damages for his crew’s impromptu bonding session. One of the guards was giving him a hard time, saying they would need to stay for two days, but Jesse was able to find someone in charge with a differing opinion. As he was being led to the cell, he was trying to figure out what he was going to say. He rounded the corner with the guard and almost let out a laugh on the spot. He held it in and hoped the guard hadn’t noticed. He was supposed to be playing the unhappy commanding officer about to punish his crew, so he probably shouldn’t be laughing. The guard would be expecting some kind of verbal tongue lashing, and he had to deliver it. The guards were only releasing them into his care on their commanding officer’s order and the promise they would be dealt with, severely.
He began what he hoped would be a convincing tirade as the guard opened the door to the cell. “I was just about asleep in the most comfortable bed I have ever encountered, and this is the call I get?” The crew looked a little bit shocked as he yelled his impromptu speech. “My first officer and several key members of my crew involved in a bar fight.” his voice was ringing through the whole cell block now, and the guard was smiling. “A bar fight!” He yelled again. “It is unfathomable how any of you could have thought this was a good idea. What part of stay out of trouble did you not understand?" He looked back to the guard and added, "I assure you, Sir, they will be given double duty for the next two weeks, and the next planet we land on, you may rest assured they will be given no liberties. Again, Sir, you have my sincerest apologies for this blatant disrespect of your wonderful city. It will not happen again.” He let the steel hang heavy in his voice for that last sentence. The look of shock on his crew’s face at the speech he had just made sold the bit as the guard opened the door. He wished he had been able to get an image of it to show Suzy. As they filed out of the holding center, no one said a word.
Once they were in an air taxi, he started laughing so hard he could barely move. “You should have seen the look on your faces,” He beamed while trying to catch his breath.
Josiah looked at him and as he tried to comprehend what had just happed, he replied. “You mean that was just an act?”
“Of course it was, pretty good, right?” He had just about settled down as he spoke. “The guard was going to make you stay in there for two more days even after I paid the fine. I had to promise him you would be dealt with in the most severe possible manner before he would agree to let you go. So I had to make it look good. It was just an added bonus that I was able to have so much fun making it look good.”
“You’re not mad?” Kimi sounded relieved.
“No, I’m actually pretty happy. I mean, I’m not happy about being awake right now, but you guys bonded. I'm proud of you guys. Standing side by side, taking on a whole bar and having each other’s backs; what’s to be mad at?”
“Well, we are here to have fun,” Collin joked.
Jesse looked a little more serious as he said, “Well, one of you is getting up early to help Suzy buy her medical supplies, because I’m sleeping in.”
“And, Josiah,” he added with a slightly mischievous grin. “Now we get to talk about the time I bailed you out of jail.” As he continued laughing, Josiah just shook his head, knowing it wasn’t likely to end.
______
Endeavor left Ginderbar the next day, three hours later than planned to begin the search for the next piece of the puzzle. Josiah had gone with Suzy to pick up the medical equipment she wanted to study. Jesse had slept in on his heavenly bed, and Reece and Kora were wondering why most of the crew was bruised. After he woke up, Jesse had taken Collin back to the restaurant for a nice big lunch before they left, much to his delight. He just really wanted another piece of that steak but it was fun spending time with Collin. As the crew was getting ready for takeoff, he noticed that Kimi and Cassie were actually getting along. Their day off hadn’t exactly gone to plan, but they were able to restock. They also picked up some interesting new weapons, and gave SAMMI the time she needed to decipher the next clue.
Collin called out from the bridge, “And the next stop on the galactic tour is Tuleah, a world full of ancient ruins, large creatures, and no people.”
Collin’s good attitude reminded him of the enthusiastic young recruit he had been when he first joined the Space Marines a lifetime ago in another galaxy. No one had taken the death of the Rocket Riders at Polisia harder than he did. Jesse remembered how tight knit a team the Riders were. They had been together for almost eight years before that battle. They had a very successful mission record. During those eight years, they had only lost one man, but not that day, that day they lost six of their ten members to the Pack. Jesse and the Rocket Riders led twelve Special Forces units on what many considered a suicide mission to stop the Pack once and for all. Their successful record made them ideal to lead the mission. The mission had technically been a success, but none of the men and women that survived would classify it that way. One hundred and twenty Special Forces Marines cleared the way for the Army to create a beachhead. They had to make a stand against the Pack incursion. Only twenty-nine of those Marines remained by day’s end. Jesse and Josiah had delivered the death blow while Manny and Collin laid down the cover. Once the Pack leadership was killed, victory came swiftly and easily as they retreated back to wherever they had come from.
<
br /> Jesse smiled as he looked over the bridge. Collin, Josiah, Kimi, Wennagal and Cassie all had the bruises indicating they had been in a scuffle. In spite of his teasing, he knew if he had been with them he would have wound up in jail, too. Then it would have been Suzy making jokes while bailing them out. He hadn’t allowed them to wake Suzy up to put them in the recovery pod because none of them had any serious injuries, and there hadn’t been time this morning. There they were, bruised and battered, but closer for it. Reece and Kora sat laughing as they were listening to Wennagal’s more humorous account of the incident. Apparently, Wennagal was taking some creative liberties with the details of the story. Jesse listened in as Wennagal was recapping.
“And then Captain Reed jumps on the man’s back, and he throws her across the room as if tossing a child…”
“The man was eight feet tall, Wennagal.” Cassie protested.
“So Captain Reed picks up a chair and proceeds to hit the wrong man,” Wennagal continued, a deep laugh erupting from inside him.
“I had blood in my eye, I couldn’t see straight.”
“If I couldn’t see, I might not pick up a chair and start swinging, but that’s just me.” Wennagal was really enjoying this, and the more his friends protested, the more Reece and Kora laughed.
After seven hours in light space, Endeavor arrived at Tuleah. The ship orbited the planet while looking for their landing coordinates and Jesse was struck by how brilliantly white the planet looked from space.
“Looks like we’re going on a hike,” Josiah called out from the sensor controls as Endeavor was preparing to land. “Ten kilometers of dense jungle between our target zone and the nearest clearing big enough for Endeavor,” he continued.
“What about the shuttle?” Jesse asked. “Can the shuttle get us in any closer?”
“Probably, if you’re not piloting.” Josiah joked to the amusement of all but Jesse. Even the new crew members knew by now that he was a terrible pilot, and they all enjoyed reminding him of it.