by John Short
“I remember this one.” She told him as she held it up to show him while she put the same smile on her face now as was on it then. “Only I remember there being more to it.”
“Yes, well, you didn't really think I'd have all of the picture sitting there for anyone to see, did you? The missing part is for me to remember and anyone else never to know.” Jon smiled back at her. “I always liked that smile on your face, so I learned how to cut away the parts I thought you'd rather have hidden from the public view. According to the human textbook I studied back at the house on Haven, I’ve done what was once called cropping the image.”
“You did a very good thing my giant. The face is for all to see, but the rest is only for you. Maybe also a Healer should the need arise.”
Jon dressed quickly, changing out of his everyday tunic and putting on the special formal tunic he always wore when he was going out in his persona as The Butcher. He pulled on his knee high combat boots and worked to straighten his tunic until Satrina came over to help him. His tunic in place, he strapped on the belt that carried the Dragon's Breath sword on one side and a hand weapon on the other. He tied the cape in place at his neck and flipping the hood over his head asked, “Do you think I look scary enough to chase death away from our brother?” Jon asked Satrina.
“Maybe not death, but the Palace Guards will surely fall with fright.” she told him.
“That's good, because I want there to be plenty of news vids of what we're about to do. Today my tiny tigress, we are going to take the Palace as it has never been taken in all its long history on three different planets. Come my heart. We need to go.”
Hurrying to the landing bays, Jon made sure that Healer Hukor had everything he thought he might need on the planet. Once at his Dragon Ship, he strapped everyone into seats including his heart-mother, Tiaz and the medical team with their gear. Leading Rina forward, he placed her in the copilot's chair and made sure she was securely fastened in before he took his own chair and started the engines. Calling Jarrieal on the com he said, “Jackal, when we get the word from Wrenches, we get down as quickly as possible. Your team is to stay with me and the people with me. The rest fan out to guard the shuttles and keep our escape open. Try not to get anyone killed today.”
“I got it Dragon! I wouldn't want to get in Jelio's way today. I've never seen her so riled up on a mission before. She's insisting that she go into the Palace with us.”
“ATTENTION ALL CREWS, JUMPING IN 3, 2, 1! JUMPING NOW!” Phillie's voice came across and they all felt the slight shift as Leviathan jumped from their spot far out in uncharted space to within a few million miles of Lexon II in under a second. Even though Jon had ordered her to jump in beyond the system's most distant planets, the bright flash of the massive ship returning to normal space was seen like a small nova on the daylight side of Lexon II.
“Get ready everyone.” Jarrieal said over the com. “Phillie, check for obstacles please. Try not to run over any planets on the way down.” Jar lightheartedly requested.
“You're good Jackal. Bring him back in one piece.” Phillie replied. Either she was too busy to notice Jackal's joking, or she was setting him up for something later.
“Confirmed. Let's go teams!” All four shuttles slowly exited Leviathan's hanger and sped off toward Lexon II as Leviathan carefully picked her way into the inner system.
“Data to Dragon. Message sent! Sir!”
“Thank you Data.” Jon told them. “Now we'll see if that buys us enough time for the news vids to draw a big enough crowd.”
Leviathan's arrival went practically unnoticed as the news vids were all showing the aftermath of the Sanctuary bombing and talking about how the Princess had gone into mourning over the loss of her brother.
“Its a terrible event. Do we know yet how many of the mourners were there when the attack came?” asked the station anchor.
“No, details are very light. We do know that there are very few survivors and that the Princess was confirmed to be among the dead.” The station's person on scene said “We are being told that it was some massive ship that has never been seen before that came in suddenly to end the attack and that the ship sent in ground troops to look for survivors. They helped the locals organize burial details and took many of the more seriously injured into space with them before simply winking away. Here is a vid feed from one of the orbiting security stations in place over the planet.”
The feed showed a group of pirate ships attacking and a Destroyer standing off while throwing some kind of missiles down at the planet. Then a huge ship with a red, white, and blue banner painted on its bow suddenly appeared in a blinding flash of light and scooped up the Destroyer while discharging several attack shuttles and a Destroyer of its own. Once the battle had ended, the massive ship once more emitted a blinding flash of light and was gone. The destroyer waited for the shuttles to return from the surface before it also just blinked away in a bright flash of light. “That's all we have right now”
“Archive footage has identified the huge ship as the same one that was involved in reunification.” One of the announcers said, “That was over two hundred cycles ago. It can't possibly be the same ship, but there is no doubt that is the same banner.”
“HOLD ON! A message has just been broadcast across planet wide com. It’s addressed to the King's Regent. It says just two words. 'I KNOW!' and it’s signed by The Butcher of Canari Prime! What does he know?” The station anchor sounded more excited than he should considering the cycles of bad food, no exercise and daily stress that came with his job. His mate was always worrying about his health, but days like this were career makers. He could not slow down, not today. First an attack on a holy site, then the appearance of a mysterious ship possibly from the distant past, now this message from a person who hasn't had a confirmed sighting in over a cycle! No way he could slow down today!
Another of the newsroom workers handed him a new message that he quickly read. “OH GODDESS! The same mysterious ship that was last seen in the battle over Sancturary just appeared over the Palace! Its been driving in from the outer system for the last several minutes and now just sits there. We're sending cameras to the Palace now. I'm told that several attack shuttles have landed on the Palace grounds and troopers wearing silver and black armor have taken up positions around them while more have entered the Palace with some kind of hover cart, two females and at least six heavily armed warriors. One of them was wearing the same black cape as The Butcher was known to wear and had a huge dragon image floating in the air at his back! Stay with us folks as we expect to have cameras in position in just a minute. There, you can see the shuttles now... is that what it looks like? It is, males and females, that is one of the Dragon Ships spoken of in the ancient Umin legends!”
Quickly checking another note that had been handed to him he continued, “That multicolored Dragon Ship was last seen being flown by the male responsible for reuniting the Lexonian people. That ship, its colors, and now I'm told even the Silver and Black armor all belong to House Connell of the Haven humans!” Another note was quickly passed to him and he scanned its message before he looked into the camera with his mouth agape. "Males and females, I've just been reminded that the person known as the Butcher of Canari Prime is indeed Jon Connell of Haven. He is a direct blood relation to the legendary Jon Connell who not only saved King Koheml's life, but also brought about the reunitifcation of the Lexonian peoples!" Taking a second to wipe the sweat from his brow, the announcer continued. "He is the male who was just seend entering the palace!"
Once they had touched down, Jon idled back the engines on his ship and hurried everyone off. Then he led his team of healers, warriors and two very small Lexonian females in the colors of house Connell into the Palace without stopping. If any of the Palace Guard tried to get in his way he simply pushed them aside as he followed Satrina's directions to the chamber where her brother lay in his bed with tubes running into his arms and liquids dripping into his blood stream. Healer Hukor q
uickly ran a scanner over the Prince's body and took careful measurements of his vital readings before instructing his assistants to stop the flow of liquids and get the Prince loaded onto the strecher. Turning to Jon he said, “He's almost gone. We need to get him into the tubes as soon as possible.”
“Stay with us my Prince.” Jelio cried with real tears in her eyes as she grasped Zeprik's hand in her own. “Please don't leave us.”
“Get him onto the stretcher and out to my ship. We'll take him up right now. I'll get us there as fast as I can Jelio. After that its up to the Healers.” Jon assured his teammate.
“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!!!” came the bellowing bark of a male's voice. “HOW DARE YOU COME IN HERE! SATRINA, WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? WHAT ARE YOU WEARING DAUGHTER?”
“Father, these males are my mates faithful guards. I am wearing my house colors. We are trying to save the life of my brother!”
“What do you mean your house colors? Your house color is the Royal scarlet. MATE?!?! What mate?!?!?!”
“Her mate you silly child. Now get out of the way and let my son save your son.” Gala flatly told the King.
Looking at her first with that haughty air that the Royalty have perfected over the eons and then with recognition coming into his eyes, the King called out, “SISTER! How is this possible? Our brother told me you had died giving birth to your human's offspring.”
“It seems that there have been a great many lies and half truths told in this Palace. Come up to the ship with us and you will know everything.” Gala told her brother.
Healer Hukor and his assistants had Zeprik loaded onto the hover stretcher and were getting ready to leave when another angry male voice screamed out. “Where are you going with the Prince!” Hukor took that time to run his scanner over the King. There was something wrong with the color of the male's eyes that the Healer didn't like.
Jelio reacted by drawing her sword and blocking this latest male from getting in the way of the healers pushing the Prince's stretcher ahead of them.
“Regent,” Satrina said, “let me introduce you to my mate. The Butcher of Canari Prime and his most trusted warriors! He knows it all now uncle as do I and soon my father will also know.”
“He knows nothing!” the Regent screamed.
Jon made a big show of performing a proper bow to the King. “Please Your Majesty, you are welcome to accompany us to my ship to watch over your son as my Healers bring him back to you. I assure you that on my ship, you and your offspring are safe. As for your brother, I insist that he come also. However, I make no promises on his health when this day is done. Jackal, take him. When we get home, lock him up with his friends.”
“Yes sir! Let's go Regent, your shuttle is waiting right outside.” Jarrieal grabbed the Regent by the back of his collar and propelled him outside and into the waiting shuttle. Everyone else calmly followed Jon out to his Dragon Ship where the Healers already had Zeprik loaded, and the liquids that were dripping into his arm replaced with different ones when Jon arrived with his mate, his heart-mother, Jelio, and the King in tow. Last to enter were Jon's grub team who had each won the lots to be on his team for this flight. Carefully lifting off from the Palace grounds he commed up to Phillie, “Wrenches, we're on the way sister.”
“Better hurry Dragon. I think we're about to have company. There are a bunch of news vid ships and some TansCo. vessels coming in fast.” Phillie warned him.
“See if you can capture the first of the news people to get there. I feel the need for an exclusive documentary.” Jon suggested.
“Can do Dragon. Still hurry up. We really do need to get out of here.” Phillie told him. “The Peacekeepers are starting to make nasty comments about unauthorized ships in illegal orbits. You know how those people can be.”
“Wait until they figure out we have the King with us.” Jon kidded her. “Coming inside now Phillie, begin the close up and jump us out.” Jon managed to get his ship settled and locked in place just as Phillie called out the order to jump the Leviathan away from Lexon II.
“OK everybody, we're home. Healer, take the Prince directly to the tubes and begin the process of reversing whatever his uncle has done to him. Your Majesty, I'm sure you'll have lots of questions, but first if you'd rather stay with your son, by all means, follow the Healers, just don't get in their way.”
“By all means Your Majesty. Please do come to medical.” Hukor suggested. “I need to talk to you about your health.”
“Come brother, I'll show you the way. The Leviathan has many great and wonderful things hidden within her hull.” Gala told the King while she led him away following the Healers and the cart carrying the sleeping Prince. Groups of mechanics, technicians, and inspectors swarmed around each of the shuttles and in the midst of all kinds of activity, Jon and Satrina found themselves completely alone.
“Let's get out of the way so these people can work.” Jon suggested.
“Are you hungry?” Satrina asked. “I could eat an entire feast by myself.”
“Let me help you.” Jon said as he swooped her up into his arms and carried her to the mess room where she devoured enough food for three people.
Three days later as Jon and Rina were toweling each other off after their morning shower the Healer commed them.
“Admiral, I need you to come down here immediately!”
“Is something wrong with Zeprik?” he asked.
“No sir, the Prince is fine. In fact he should be waking up in another hour.”
“Have you cleared the King?”
“Oh yes sir! The amount of poison in the King's system was still small enough that all he needed was a simple injection to clear his blood.” Hukor told him. “Its your cat! The darn thing refuses to move away from the Princes' tube!”
“I'll be right down Healer Hukor.” Jon promised.
“What was that about?” Satrina asked.
“The Healer says Talga won't leave the tubes. Its not like him to get in the way. Usually he goes off to hide or to roam the ship and scare people. I swear that tiger thinks scaring the wits from people is a game.”
“He tries to scare me you know. But Phillie taught me a trick. She says that your scent is so heavy on him that she always knows he is around whenever she smells you, but knows you are not near. She taught me how to tell the subtle difference between my mate and his tiger. It works. Poor Talga has not been able to scare me again. He has to settle for Gala. He loves to jump out at her. Of course she just kicks him. Never very hard though.”
“That's their game. From the time he was a tiny kitten, he would jump out at her and she would push him with her foot. Neither one would ever hurt the other. She will never admit it, but she loves that overgrown house cat. I think that as much as any wild creature can, he loves her too.”
“Let's go see what has the Healer so upset. I'd like to give Talga a hug myself. I've missed him almost as much as I missed you.” Satrina told Jon.
Down in the small room that was being used to keep both of the King males and now also the Regent secure, there was about to be a fist fight as Boss King grew more and more angry with Regent U'Lanto.
“You listen to me you over blown Sand Worm! You promised us a promotion and a home on Lexon II. You better keep your promise or I tell them everything you've done since I've known you. I'll expose every lie, every murder, every dirty trick you pulled to make sure the pleasure houses had a steady supply of beautiful young Lexie females. I'll be sure your brother knows that you are half owner of that farm on Canari where the Lustro Drug is grown and processed. How many underage females have you gotten hooked on that drug? Fifty, Sixty? More? How many did you use yourself before turning them over to the houses? I know of at least ten. Then there was that one who overdosed and died at the Summer Palace while you were still in her. I had to not only clean up the mess, but dispose of the body.
Was that why you wanted your own niece to be drugged and sent to a specific house? So you could have her? Your brother will be very
happy to know that his Regent wanted to take his daughter to bed. You better remember your pledge to give us an alibi for anything that they might try to accuse us of doing. Last time you even came close to doing that was the crash we arranged to kill the Queen! Even then, we still had to pay a huge fine for providing a bad wheel on the monorail coach. You made us promises for doing that job and I still haven't seen them fulfilled.”
“You say a single word about any of our dealings and I'll make sure you never leave this ship alive! You forget your place.” U'Lanto yelled back, “You came to me begging me for a promotion in the household and I offered to provide you one if you did certain jobs for me. I even helped you to get a fleet of ships, which now all belong to this human and are providing me with no income because you're offspring was too stupid to put them to work properly.
After the first one, you should have blown him out of the sky on sight, not traded cannon fire with him. He is a trained pilot while your offspring was little more than a sneak and supply station guard. Now he has not only all of TransCo.'s ships, but this huge beast of a ship too!
Under whose orders did you attack Sanctuary? What were you thinking? If you had done your job correctly, I'd have both my niece and my sister stashed away in my private pleasure house drugged out of their minds and usable as my personal toys. I could have used them to get others to agree with my rule. Those two would have made perfect pleasure females given the right training and enough of the Lustor to keep them craving more. Instead they are back under the protection of that human giant! I would start everything over from the beginning just to find intelligent helpers and not have to deal with the King family!