She gazed at him, swallowed hard, nodded her head, and swept her long brown hair off her shoulders.
“So,” Boone asked. “That means you’ll drop it?”
“No, it means… I hear what you are saying. I’m convinced this man can tell us a lot. I’m just trying to find some confidence. I can’t stop remembering you rolling off the cargo ramp and laying stretched out on that moon.” She wiped another tear. “I knew you were dead… after that.”
“Lorin,” Boone uttered. “I…”
She continued, “Then they laughed about it,” she mumbled as she dried another tear. “They made a joke about being food for those yapha beats. Boone…” she said as she wiped many tears. “I can’t get those awful images out my head.”
Boone then remembered the trauma she felt on Isoter after Ko'Sak was killed and how it nearly caused her a seizure – an emotional mind-reading seizure. He thought she might be headed toward another episode.
“Lorin, don’t,” he said. “Everything is great right now! OK?”
Phia couldn’t resist getting a word in, though she had no idea about Lorin’s amazing ability and what the ability was doing to her.
“Ma’am!” she exclaimed. Boone and Lorin were surprised. “I would, uh, that is, if I were you and I was having a problem interrogating someone, I’d get mad! Get very angry! Ma’am! Kind of like a revenge thing,” she said.
Lorin and Boone looked at her. Boone was nodding, no but Lorin was actually considering it.
“I know for a fact, Boone, I must interrogate him.” She looked at Phia. “I think I will consider that, Phia. I realize right now, I am very angry! I should turn my hurt and pain into anger.”
“Lorin,” Boone uttered. “What will that do to you and your, your knack for getting to the truth? Know what I mean?”
“Yes. I know what you mean. I’ve been trying to read you all this time, Boone. Thank you for your concern. Phia, I think I will try your suggestion. Thank you.”
Phia smiled and leaned back in the cockpit chair feeling satisfied. She placed a leg over her other knee and began rocking it, expressing her joy.
“Boone, now tell me you’ll come back and see me when your mission is over. Understand?”
Boone reached over, “Uh, Lorin, you there? You’re breaking up.”
Lorin and Phia laughed. “Nice try,” Lorin said. “Make me that promise.”
“If you can do me a favor, I would.”
“OK,” she answered. “What is it?”
“The court gave me the mission to retrieve the device, and to do it ‘my way.’ Commander Dowey, Commander Jackey, and Commander J’Dar hate me.”
Phia immediately reacted. She tried to not let her concern show but when Commander J'Dar was mentioned, a flood of mixed emotions came upon her.
She still had not reported to him concerning her findings about Boone and his father on Kova. Things got in the way of communicating with him. She also did not realize how much tension existed between the two and why Boone was hated. Phia desperately wanted to know the whole story but she just began to realize she hardly knew anything about Boone Nova and Commander J'Dar’s animosity. She listened intently.
“I’m sure they don’t ‘hate’ you,” Lorin said.
“What? Didn’t you read…? I mean, didn’t you see him when we were aboard the Sim-Sa Gale?”
Phia thought, “He was aboard the Sim-Sa Gale with the Commander? What? Why?”
“I didn’t see hate. I saw something else. Boone, that is beside the point. I will have my father remind them what the court said and tell them to cooperate with you. But, Boone, you also have to cooperate with them. OK?”
“Lorin, where was your father when the court interviewed me? Why wasn’t he there?”
“He was in the Command Center watching the Sim-Sa Gale and the Ambulas and those pods. I will have him watch the interview. OK? He will talk to the commanders. Agreed?”
Boone frowned. “Yeah. I’ve got to go,” he muttered.
“You’re coming back to see me. Right?”
Boone just continued to look at her expressionless. He reached over to turn off the hologram. Phia grabbed his arm.
“Are you going to answer her?” she gasped. “She’s the prime’s daughter. She deserves that respect! Ma’am, I will bring him back. I promise!”
Boone glared at Phia as Lorin smiled. Boone uttered, “Lila, end COM.” The COM went off and the hologram of Lorin vanished.
“There is something wrong with you,” Phia blared.
Boone nodded.
“She is a beautiful woman and very…”
“Lorin is good looking, she’s not ‘beautiful!’ You, Phia, are… well, you are beautiful, on the outside, and you probably know that but Lorin is not, well, sometimes she is beautiful.”
Phia grimaced at his reasoning and exclaimed, “Boone! She is in love with you! Don’t you see that? I don’t understand you. You treat her like she’s a nuisance or something. What is your problem? You already have a girlfriend or a woman?”
Boone didn’t answer. He stood up and slowly headed for the corridor.
“I am going to bring you back to her when we’re done.”
He turned toward her and replied, “You have no idea. Do you? Phia!” he yelled. She immediately cowered. “We have to live through this mission first! We just might not ‘come back’ at all!” he yelled as he waved his arms in disgust. “I can’t make any promises! Not like that!” Phia bowed her head because of his anger. She had to look away. He continued, “That’s not even what bothers me.” He softened his tone. “Look at me. Look at her. Lorin, she is a… princess or queen! A dignitary! I’m a junk dealer! I transport people!” he blared again in disgust. “Are you crazy? I don’t have a chance with someone like her! She couldn’t live with someone like me!”
Phia began to wonder if he was disgusted with her for suggesting it or if he was disgusted with the fact that he was unqualified to be with Lorin.
“My life is on this ship. You think she’ll leave her… her pristine palace for this? Are you insane? Because if you think I’d give up this ship or this life, you are insane!”
“You call this a life? Boone, it’s a ship! Like a million other ships. And I would never compare a life with someone to what you’re describing as… a life or an occupation. Yes, you are crazy.” She blared back at him, “And stop yelling at me! I know the danger!”
Phia turned and looked out of the cockpit. She gazed upon Pryce’s ranch and pouted. Boone took a step back and turned away from her, disgusted with himself. He came face to face with a bulkhead and let his head rest on the cold steel. He sighed.
“Phia,” he uttered. “I have a problem. OK? I’m sorry. But, I have a serious problem.” She turned toward him and listened. “It’s an anger problem.” He turned around and leaned against the bulkhead. He wiped his face with both of his hands then he looked at her. “I want you to have a talk with Terra. OK? As soon as you can. And I want you to have it with her all alone. She understands it.” He wiped his face again. “I can’t even talk about it right now because… because it’s all happening again. I’m trying to deal with this anger.” He gazed at her as she listened.
She was beautiful. Her long blond hair was neatly resting on her shoulders, her slim figure that nestled within the cockpit chair told him she was agile and healthy, and her bright blue eyes penetrated deep into his mind and soul. He was momentarily mesmerized by her and very concerned for her safety.
“I’m putting a lot of people in danger, including you, and I’m angered by it. And I’m angered by all of the drama. It never seems to end, for me. I’m sorry again.”
She nodded, “OK. I will talk to Terra. But, I have a question. Are you angry with Lorin because she loves you? Or are you angry with yourself because you love her?”
Boone glared at her and gaped.
…
Brock and his three companions scurried up the mountainous landscape, navigating through dense timber a
nd bushes. They decided to reach the ridge and follow it north then descend and steal a ship. They had hopes of killing what enemies they ran into along the way. They were tracking northward fifty yards apart, following the ridge.
Kola’s team and Lincoln’s team were far behind them searching the forest. Jona led his team straight up the mountain in an effort to box them in.
“We need to split up,” Jona said as Mace, Chopak, and Gunner followed.
Gunner answered, “Lincoln said to stay together.”
Jona, not slowing down and huffing as they steadied their pace toward the top, said, “That’s not good.” He stopped and noticed they were breathing heavily. He pointed to the ridge, “See that?” They looked. “I’m going there to cut them off. That’s what I would do. They might try going south but that’s on Lincoln, Terra, and Pryce! We all can’t cover the mountain by staying together. Right?”
Mace finally caught his breath, “He’s right. I’ll stay here in case they come this way. You guys keep going and someone else sets a watch. Between the four of us, we should be able to box them in.”
“That’s my plan,” Jona said. “Then, in five minutes we start moving in on them.”
They all nodded. Jona led Chopak and Gunner up higher and set Chopak a hundred yards higher than Mace. Gunner did the same and Jona reached the ridge. Just as he reached the ridge everyone heard a voice in their COM.
“This is Jona, I’m on top of the ridge. Someone is coming. Stand by.”
Lincoln’s and Kola’s teams heard Jona’s COM and realized Brock and his men were headed north. They all quickened their pace and tried to converge. Jona was standing behind a large tree with a stick in his hand. He made sure the area around the tree was free from obstacles such as branches, bushes, or anything that he might trip over or make noise. He stood silent and listened carefully. Jona heard one man walking as quiet as he could. There was no talking and no other footsteps. He assumed the man was alone. As the footsteps approached, Jona turned toward the tree and began to slip around it as the man passed by. Jona peeked and saw a boot walking. Nothing else. The man passed by, Jona threw a large stick to the man’s right, he looked down the mountain and Jona grabbed his throat and squeezed. It was Brock.
Brock’s gun fell to the ground with a thud as he reached for his neck and found fingers twice the size of his own. With both hands, he could not pull one of Jona’s fingers from his neck. Brock struggled for breath as Jona nonchalantly turned southward, looking for more men. He saw movement in the distance. Jona acted quickly. He didn’t want to make added noise by shooting him with his phase pistol so he let go of Brock and punched his face. Brock fell down unconscious.
“This is Jona. Brock is knocked out. Someone’s coming.”
Jona spied another large tree. He quietly scurried toward the man approaching in the distance and hid behind it. He carefully listened. One man, no talking, “Why are they not walking together… stupid guardsmen… I’d say. Bad training.” He turned toward the tree and began to slip around it as the man passed. Then the man stopped.
“Brock!”
The man looked in every direction as Jona peeked and saw his boot. The man was looking down the mountain, not moving from his place, and not checking on his friend.
Jona’s large hand formed a tight grip around the man’s neck. He reached for Jona’s fingers with one hand and pointed his gun at Jona with the other.
Jona laughed, “Ha, ha, ha. This one has some sense about him. Jona grabbed the arm that held the gun and squeezed. The man let out a loud scream and the gun fell to the ground.
Jona punched him in the face and said, “Quiet!” He fell to the ground unconscious. “Dumb mistake, Jona,” he muttered to himself.
“Yes, it was,” said a big man pointing his gun at him from a short distance.
Jona replied, “Amazing! One of you is really smarter than these two. And,” he chuckled, “you’re a big one.”
“Yes, I am. Not as big as you,” he said as he straightened his arm to shoot him. “But I’ve beaten men your size. No problem!”
“I doubt that,” Jona replied.
Then Jona, with a gentle motion of both hands, summoned the big man to a fight. The big man smiled then Jona smiled. The big man lowered his gun and a phaser blast zipped by Jona and landed on the big man’s chest. He was immediately knocked to the ground.
Jona turned and said to Gunner, “Stop! What are you doing?” Jona walked over to him and grabbed his gun in anger. Chopak arrived and saw what was going on.
“Sorry!” Gunner said. “But why are you mad at me?”
Jona, angered, answered, “I was having fun! We were gonna fight! Hand-to-hand! You ruined it for me!”
Gunner and Chopak smiled and shook their heads in disbelief. They all started chuckling. Just then Mace showed up, completely out of breath from running up the mountain. He saw them chuckling.
“What?” he gasped for breath, “did I,” he held up his hand asking for a moment, “miss?”
Jona answered, “I was having me some fun and these two, well, they kind of ruined it for me.”
Gunner said, “Jona, I’m real sorry about that. I wish I had known.”
“Yeah,” Chopak added. “I’d pay to see that!”
Gunner and Chopak laughed but Jona’s expression suddenly turned distant. Jona stared at them and slowly walked away detached.
Gunner and Chopak wondered why and looked at Mace. Mace motioned with his hand for them to be quiet. Jona walked over to the big man and checked on his status.
“Guys, that brings up a painful past with him. OK? No talk about fighting for money. OK?”
They nodded to him and wondered.
“Hey!” someone shouted as a fourth guardsman appeared with his arms behind his back, followed by Kola’s team. “Look who we found?”
They marched the guardsmen down the mountain and Lincoln began to interrogate them. He did facial scans and discovered Brock’s friends were not guardsmen but imposters. No information was given and Brock, who seemed to be in charge of them, never answered a word. Lincoln contacted Tanner who dispatched a special team to retrieve them. Everyone became concerned about the spies in their midst. Mace and Terra launched and headed for Pryce’s ranch.
Chapter 18
Boone sat inside the spacious and elegant conservatory. Beautiful gardens surrounded the royal annex as dozens of large windows gave views to the many gardens, nearby woodland, and a host of beautiful rare flowers.
Royal attendants were standing at attention near every entrance of the royal annex, waiting to be summoned into service. That was something he was not accustomed to nor was he happy about it. Boone sat in a very plush regal chair. As he sat waiting, he noticed many other elegant pieces of furniture placed about the many sections of the conservatory which he assumed were for long and diplomatic conversations while enjoying the scenery just outside.
Boone nodded and smiled at a nearby servant but she did not respond. Then he heard a distant familiar cadence - royal dress shoes were echoing from a long hallway a short distance from where he sat. He sensed someone was coming to greet him. He recognized the steady quick pace of clicking and clacking shoes – Lorin.
As he gazed at the corner to the hallway, Lorin appeared. She stopped and her eyes fell on him. A tear came as she immediately smiled a wide and happy grin, as though a long lost love had just returned home from a difficult journey. Boone stood and gazed at her beautiful appearance.
Her wavy dark brown hair was neatly resting on her shoulders. She wore a blue dress which had purple and orange floral patterns flowing from her bosom and gracefully meandering its way down her slim torso then ending with a larger display of flowers at the hemline. Bright tiny orange and purple flower designs were sewn into the white-laced hems of her sleeves, collar, and lower hem. Boone could only gaze at her, speechless, as she gleamed at him.
She quickly approached him and came face to face. She put her soft arm around his neck and pulle
d him closer. She chuckled. Quickly glancing around, she noticed the onlookers. She chuckled again.
She grabbed his hand and headed for the hallway, pulling him along at a quick pace. Boone was nearly running as he tried to keep up with her. He was speechless as she laughed joyfully, playfully, fingers tightly intertwined. She made a quick left, Boone was pulled down another short hallway. Then she quickly turned right, into a deep alcove with a table sitting at the end. On the table, a pot of flowers sat with an old painting resting on the wall just above it – a painting of a distant leaning barn amidst the backdrop of tall green grass and grazing cattle.
Boone noticed a door on one side as Lorin chuckled again. She gently pushed him against it and placed a hand on his chest. He stiffened as his back rested against the door. Lorin placed her other hand behind his neck; he trembled. She pulled herself closer then slowly and gently kissed him. Boone’s defenses quickly melted away as his hands slipped around her waist and he pulled her even closer. He was captivated by her gentle touch and tender kiss. She slowly pulled away then she chuckled again. She opened the door, put both of her hands on his chest, and gently pushed him into the room. He stepped into the room backward. She stepped backward into the hallway, laughed, and closed the door, leaving him inside the room - alone.
Puzzled, Boone turned around then horror flooded over him. He saw the large glass-walled holo-lab with Dr. Weimar, Dr. Vensin, and several nurses working on a patient. Boone immediately found himself strapped to the gurney, lying face down, with the stretchy white material tightly preventing any movement whatsoever.
“Now!” Dr. Vensin screamed. “It’s entering the brain matter!”
“I’m trying!” Dr. Weimar explained. “It’s moving too fast!”
Boone screamed at the top of his lungs, “Stop! No! No! Stop!”
He desperately tried to move or squirm but the white material was too strong. He noticed a reflection and saw the glow of the hologram above him – Nanos attempting to enter his brain; doctors Vensin and Weimar holding long large needles.
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