Deep Space Endeavor 3 Death Match

by Ron Francis

  He laughed at how protective his doctor was over him. “I’m fine, Suzy. I know you’re worried about me, but I promise I’m fine. I will let you know if anything at all feels out of sorts. My leg is still giving me a little trouble; I’m walking with a slight limp, but I think it will be fine in a few days. My shoulder still hurts as well. I will say this, after these last eight months, I think I’m ready to retire, at least from dangerous field work. When we get back to Earth, remind me to hire some people to do the dangerous stuff for me.” Everyone was looking at him and smiling, thinking he had been joking. The truth was, he was only half joking. He really did want to at least take a long break from the dangerous missions.

  After a couple hours of talking and reminiscing, Cassie and her crew stood to leave. Everyone said their goodbyes and then Jesse left for his dinner meeting. It was a casual meeting, but he was sure there would be a debrief period and probably a pitch of some sort. Even so, he was excited about seeing his friends in person, and the steak he was going to order. He also found out that while he was sleeping, the election took place and Tarrick was now Governor Valinor. That made him smile as well.

  ______

  Jesse was greeted at the entrance to Sector Steaks by a waiting Enosal. He was dressed in a military cut civilian tunic and flanked by a four person protective detail.

  “Greetings, Colonel Marcos,” He called. “Now that I am the recognized leader of Ginderbar, I cannot go anywhere by myself anymore.” He greeted Jesse with an embrace as he added, “Governor Valinor will be here momentarily; shall we go find our table?”

  “We don’t have to wait to be seated?”

  “Of course not, we have a reservation. It would not do to have the hero of the Lawless Sector loitering about, would it?” He gestured at the people waiting to enter the restaurant and they all nodded enthusiastically. As they were escorted to their table, they could hear the people waiting to be seated remarking.

  “Well done on Chawanas, Colonel Marcos,” Called a middle-aged man waiting with his wife.

  “Colonel Marcos? Where? I missed him?” Asked a confused university student.

  “We love you, Colonel Marcos,” Shouted a small group of teenage girls followed by some hearty giggling.

  “Are you seeing anyone, Colonel?” Queried a vid news reporter with his cam operator behind him recording the encounter.

  Jesse just nodded politely and waved as he and his associates took their seats at a hardwood table that was mostly square, but had rounded corners. Governor Valinor arrived a few short minutes later, and Jesse stood in greeting. After exchanging pleasantries, the men sat down and a young waitress arrived to take their drink orders. She was very attractive but clearly nervous as she introduced herself, “Hello, my name is Dazi; I’ll be your server for the evening.” She fidgeted as she waited for the leader of the planet and one of the most famous people in the galaxy to order.

  Governor Valinor ordered first, “I’ll have a Sollonian Brady, young lady.”

  “I will have a pint of Ginder Ale,” Enosal added as he and the waitress looked to Jesse.

  He looked at the waitress and she blushed slightly as he addressed her, “What do you suggest, Dazi? Do you have a favorite?”

  The waitress couldn’t believe Colonel Jesse Marcos was asking her opinion for a drink order. She looked to the Chief of State as if to ask for help, only to find him looking at her expectantly. She stuttered as she replied, “I…um I really like the Julanii Black Lager.”

  “And that’s the beverage you would recommend to go with one of your fine steaks?” He asked while looking at the menu.

  “Y…yes, sir,” came the nervous reply.”

  He looked directly at her, smiled and said, “Great, I’ll have that then. Thank you, Dazi.”

  She smiled and retreated to go ready the beverages for the three most important guests she had ever served.

  “Well, that certainly wasn’t nice of you, putting that girl on the spot like that,” Governor Valinor chided. “The poor girl looked like she was about to have a panic attack.” He laughed as he spoke.

  Enosal began to laugh as well, “I didn’t know you had a mischievous side, Jesse.”

  “I wasn’t teasing the girl,” He replied defensively, “On Earth, it’s customary to ask the server’s opinion when you are unfamiliar with the menu. It lets them know you trust their opinion. I meant no disrespect.” They both gave him a dubious look to which he countered, “I really wasn’t trying to tease the girl.” Just then she arrived back with the beverages and he looked at her as she worked and said, “Dazi, my apologies, I didn’t mean to put you on the spot. On my planet, it is common practice to ask a waiter or waitress’ opinion when one is having trouble deciding what to order. If I have offended you, I am deeply sorry.”

  “It’s no trouble at all, Colonel; in fact, I am quite flattered that you asked.”

  “Are you sure? Because I feel terrible now that my friends have so gently reminded me that I am not actually on Earth. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”

  She gathered her courage and replied, “Might I be able to get a vid still taken with you?”

  “Absolutely, Dazi, it would be my honor.”

  A big smile crossed her face as she turned to Enosal and began to take his order. When she had finished taking the orders, she disappeared into the restaurant kitchen and her guests continued their conversation.

  “I’m really happy that I had a chance to sit down with two of the galaxy’s greatest leaders, and two men I consider friends before I begin my exploration of the Federation. I wish I could spend more time here with you, getting to know your planets and your cultures without fighting for my life on an almost daily basis.”

  “You could stay,” Governor Valinor suggested. “Every planet in our alliance could use a man like you advising them, I know Kaldor can.”

  “Thank you, Tarrick, that’s kind of you to say.”

  “He’s not just saying it,” Enosal interrupted. “I feel the same way, as do all of the planetary leaders we have met with over the last few weeks. The way you handled the situation on Chawanas, in spite of how badly the odds were stacked against you, showed not only a ferocity rarely seen in the humans of our sector, but also an incredible intelligence and poise. People would rally around you. The Federation is already in the process of making several vid dramas chronicling your exploits since you arrived in our galaxy.”

  “Wow, now I actually wish I was going home,” he joked. “I really wouldn’t mind staying, and I will come back before I go back to Earth, that is a promise.”

  “Must you return to Earth when the conduit opens back up, Jesse?”

  “Yes, but I’m not sure if I’m going to stay, I really like it here. I have narrowed a return trip down to a four and a half month journey, so once I get my affairs in order, I just might return to this galaxy. After all, it is the galaxy of my ancestors. Any of my friends and family that would like to come are welcome to join me. Until then, however, I must return to make sure my sister, my cousin and my company are safe and taken care of.”

  “Are they not safe now?” Enosal asked, concern evident in his voice.

  “They will be safe as long as I return on time, so I must return for them. Our leader is a great man, but there are powerful elements within our government that would rip the company my sister and I have built away from her under the guise of planetary security, by any means necessary. If I don’t return when I’m supposed to, they will have that opportunity, and these men are not above hurting my family.”

  “Why is your company so important to your government?” Enosal added, interested to know what it was Jesse was going home to.

  “My company is called Sea Side Enterprises. It is a technology company started by myself and my brother-in-law, Serge. My sister, Nina, came on board about two years in to take care of the finances and with her running that half of the compa
ny, we went from being kind of rich, to being unbelievably wealthy. We now have the largest tech company in our entire thirty-two planet coalition. We design and invent new technologies. We do medical, entertainment, construction, and most importantly, military. Our ships are the most powerful ships in the galaxy and our weapons are used by all of the Coalition’s military forces.”

  “So there are more ships like Endeavor in your galaxy?”

  “No, not quite. The war ships we build are all much larger, and far more powerful than Endeavor. That’s what my enemy Admiral Natora wants so badly to control. We build four to six ship fleet groups headed by our Leviathan Battle Carriers, our largest warships, which are capable of carrying forty assault shuttles we call Eagles and two hundred forty of our starfighters called Vipers. Each Leviathan is supported by either three or five War Hawk frigates, and each frigate carries twenty-four Vipers and four Eagles. What makes our fleet groups so effective are the powerful weapons on the ships combined with the sheer numbers of Eagles and Vipers in each fleet group. If you attack one fleet group, you can expect up to three hundred sixty Vipers. Not only that, but our Eagles are almost as powerful as a gunship, and each fleet group carries up to sixty of them. So you can see how valuable the production of these ships might be to someone with nefarious intentions. Our planet’s military still builds their own ships, but they also buy ours, as fast as we can make them. The reality is they need to produce at least three of theirs for every one of ours.”

  “That is most impressive, and you believe this, Admiral Natora, would harm your family to confiscate your production facilities.” Enosal asked as he was thinking about the ships Jesse had described.

  “I know he would, and he might not wait the entire fourteen months, either. That’s why I have to get home, to make sure they stay safe, but I would really like to come back. Whether it is the four and a half month trip or a substantially quicker trip, I feel like my place is in this galaxy. I am now convinced that this is the birthplace of Earth’s ancestors. I have already begun research into the conduit that brought us here, and it is my hope to create a galaxy drive for our ships. It would be an intergalactic light drive, capable of propelling a ship across galaxies much more quickly. It would make our four and a half month trip a weeklong trip or even quicker. It’s just an idea at this point, but one I plan to pursue.”

  “I have no doubt that if it can be done, that you will be the one to do it.” Tarrick added as the food arrived.

  “Well, I’m sure I’ll need Serge, Collin and a couple more of my top people. I’m hoping that between us, we’ll be able to cobble something together, just like Collin and I did to make getting home a reality if we miss our window.”

  “Even that is a most impressive accomplishment; so you are sure there is nothing I can offer you to get you to stay?” Enosal asked in a last ditch effort as he took a bite of his dinner.

  “I’m sorry, but no. I do make you this promise, if I come to stay, we will always be allies.” With that, he began to eat his own dinner, savoring every bite of his delicious steak. The mouth-watering barbeque sauce complimented the flavoring of the steak in such a way that Jesse wanted to savor every bite he took. This was not the type of meal you ate quickly.

  They continued to eat, talk and laugh for another hour and a half before they finally had to part company. Tarrick had to go back to Kaldor, Enosal had to address an urgent matter and Jesse was ready to explore the Federation. They said their goodbyes, all swearing this would not be the last time they met, and then they were gone. Jesse decided to walk back to the ship and along the way he was stopped several times by well-wishers. People wanted to take vids with him and young women proclaimed their love for him. He finally had to get in an aircar because it was getting late, and he was getting tired.

  Chapter nine

  ______

  Jesse caught up with Kimi when he returned from his dinner. He hadn’t had the chance to speak to her about the battle at the arena yet. He knew she was upset about losing a friend, this may be the first real friend she has ever lost in battle, he thought. He briefly wondered if now would be a good time to bring up their situation. After that kiss, how can I not? It may have been quick, but I know it had meaning; I can’t just leave it out there. He sat down on the couch next to her and began. “Kimi, how are you doing? I know we haven’t had a chance to speak much since I woke up from my injuries in the death match.”

  “I don’t know to be honest. Seeing Ogen lying there when it should have been me still hurts a bit. Knowing he did it because he loved me and that I didn’t share his feelings somehow hurts more. I almost feel like he was giving his life for nothing.”

  “Kimi, please, don’t think that. Ogen was an outstanding man and he would have done it for you whether he liked you or not. I’m sure of it. His niece was also there, too. He really did it for both of you, and it was not for nothing.”

  “I miss him, Jesse.”

  “I’m sorry, I should have been able to get there,” he slowly averted his eyes.

  “What? No, you were barely conscious after two straight days of beatings.” She gently turned his chin back towards her and she could see the pain in his eyes. She wasn’t sure if it was for her, Ogen, or the abuse his body had taken, maybe all of it. “No one wanted you in the line of fire, especially me. This galaxy has not been kind to you, Jesse. And you have taken more than your share of punishment for others. All we wanted to do was get you safely back to the ship.”

  “Kimi, I don’t know what I would have done had anything happened to you. I know it was brief, but that kiss sustained me out there. It represented everything I want in life and I hope it meant as much to you as it did to me. I want you in my life, Kimi, as more than a friend, more than a teammate. I will mourn Sandstorm, but I am so thankful you’re still with us, with me.” A look crossed her face and Jesse couldn’t tell if she were about to cry or about to kiss him. She had been waiting to hear him say those words for so long and she was over the drama, almost losing him again made her see just how badly she needed him. While she was considering his words, he began again. “Kimi, I’m in love with you. Can we put the past behind us? We’ve both said all there is to say, several times. All of the apologies have been made and we’ve been dancing around this for far too long. This may not be the best time to talk about it, but I can’t wait any longer. Can we finally be together?”

  The sadness began to ease from her face and she put her arms around the man she loved. For the first time she put her arms around him as more than a friend as she thought. I have been waiting for this since the night I first tried to kiss him almost seven years ago, it has finally happened. She embraced him so tightly he didn’t think she would ever let go, and he didn’t mind. She leaned back, looked into his eyes and kissed him. “Jesse, I have never wanted anything more.” She continued to embrace him as she leaned into his chest and held him tight and continued sadly, “Jess, I was going to tell Ogen I couldn’t be with him because I was in love with you. I’m sorry I told you the window had closed on us. I was upset and hurt and I don’t think I knew what I was doing, but when I saw the punishment you were taking.” She paused as the images flooded back into her mind and she continued with a look of shame in her eyes, “the punishment that we pushed you into, I decided that I wasn’t going to let another opportunity pass us by.”

  A look Kimi had never seen crossed Jesse’s face; it puzzled her as he leaned in and kissed her again. Then she realized, it is a look of contentment. He has been searching for contentment for a long time, as long as I have known him, and now he has found it here with me. She fought back the tears of joy, knowing that for the first time in her life she had found true happiness.

  “I want you to know, I don’t blame you, or any of the crew for talking me into the match. It needed to be done and I might have been the only one who could do it.” He looked her right in the eyes as he replied, and she knew he was sincere. She embraced him again
, thankful that they had both made it through the battle and anxious to see where this new season in their lives would take them. She took him by the hand and sat with him. They sat in silence, enjoying each other’s company.

  After a while she got up,” I am going to prepare something to eat, would you like something?”

  “Maybe just some water, but you really don’t have to do that, you know?”

  “I know, it is just that you look so tired. Do not worry; I will not let you get used to it.” A look of mischief crossed her face as she disappeared into the galley.

  ______

  Suzy caught up to Jesse while he was resting in the common room. He looked absolutely drained. He was still limping slightly and she could see him wince a little when he moved his arm a certain way. The recovery pod is losing its effectiveness on him because he has gone through too much in a short period of time. It’s quite possible that he has begun building an immunity to the healing powers of the machine. As those worries filled her mind, she sadly realized that no one had really spoken to Jesse yet about how he felt after the death match. Now that all of the fanfare had died down, all of the guests were gone from the ship, and all of the meetings had been attended, she wondered how Jesse felt about it all. She sat down next to him on the couch and placed her hand on his arm. He looked up and smiled at her. It was a tired smile, a weary smile, but there was something else there as well: contentment.