Excelsior

by Jasper T. Scott

  “Good evening, Minister,” Alexander replied. “I’m told your government wants to talk terms.”

  “What’s left of my government, yes.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “We would like to put an end to the fighting in exchange for amnesty for all our soldiers and all our people, myself and the chancellor included.”

  “So no one gets to pay for their crimes.”

  “The victor will always try to pin the blame on their enemy, but ask yourself—did we do anything that your government did not also do? Did our soldiers take more lives than yours? If we keep score to see who committed the greater evil, I am certain that the Alliance will win.”

  Alexander frowned, unable to argue with that. “Listen, Mr. Wang, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but you’re talking to the wrong man. My government has not given me the authority to negotiate a peace treaty, so anything I agree to isn’t official.”

  “We are giving you that authority by insisting that you be the one to communicate our terms to your new president. When you do so, be sure to remind him that we are giving up our way of life, allowing your government to come in and turn everything upside down—if that is what they think is best—and in exchange, all that we ask is that you do not make us the scapegoats for this war. Both sides have done terrible things, but it is time for humanity to put terrible things aside, yes?”

  “I couldn’t agree more, Minister,” Alexander said, nodding. “I’ll communicate your terms. I sincerely hope my government accepts them. Is there anything else you would like to add?”

  “A word of caution.”

  “And that is?”

  “Our surrender does not guarantee the surrender of all Confederate forces everywhere, or a smooth transition of power. All it means is that you will have created a safe place for as many people as possible to lay down their arms and go on with their lives.”

  Alexander narrowed his eyes at that. “Either you’re double-talking, or your government no longer has the authority to give orders to its troops.”

  “If I were trying to deceive you, I would not warn you ahead of time. As for how much authority still rests with my government—that remains to be seen. If nothing else, having an official treaty in place will give the appearance of unity. That is a step in the right direction, Admiral.”

  “Agreed. I’ll relay your terms to the president.”

  “Good.”

  “How do I reach you again?”

  “I’m not going anywhere, but if you or any of your people try to capture me or harm me in any way, this deal is off the table.”

  “Understood. And how do we know that you have the authority to negotiate for the Chancellor?”

  “Because I am his son.” The camera shifted sideways, and a more familiar face swept into view. Chancellor Wang Ping had been standing there all along, listening to the entire exchange.

  Alexander blinked. “Chancellor…”

  “Take our terms to your government. It’s time to end this war.”

  Alexander nodded. “I’ll be in touch, Chancellor.”

  The chancellor nodded, and both he and his son faded from view as the transmission ended. The viewport became transparent once more, and back was the moonlit water.

  Captain Tristan blew out a breath. “I didn’t see that coming.”

  “Neither did I,” Alexander replied.

  “Let’s hope President Luther goes for it.”

  Alexander nodded, his eyes narrowing on the dark line of the horizon, as if trying to see into tomorrow. “We’ll find out soon enough, Captain. Get me President Luther on the comms.”

  *

  Six Months and One Week Later - September 17th, 2793

  “I’m resigning my commission tomorrow,” Alexander said, setting his briefcase down on the kitchen counter as he walked in.

  Catalina turned from washing carrots in the sink. Her eyes flew wide, and before Alexander knew it, she dropped the carrots and leapt into his arms. He caught her with a grunt and stumbled back a step. She showered him with kisses, and he began to laugh.

  She withdrew, suddenly suspicious. “You’re not joking, are you?”

  He shook his head.

  “I thought you said you had some unfinished business to attend to—that’s why you were staying an extra week.”

  “I did, but that’s all settled now.”

  Catalina smiled, her eyes sparkling, and went back to kissing him. “Someone’s getting lucky tonight,” she murmured against his neck as she unbuttoned his uniform.

  Alexander’s comm band trilled and he caught Caty’s wrists in his hands, stopping her from undressing him. “I need to take this.”

  “Hmmm.”

  “Don’t worry. It won’t take long.”

  “It better not,” she said, climbing off him and wagging a finger in his face. She grabbed his face with one hand, smushing his cheeks together. “You’re mine now.”

  He smiled and nodded. In the distance he heard Dorian crying from his crib. Alexander jerked his chin in that direction. “Sounds like someone’s calling you, too.”

  Catalina went to check on Dorian, and Alexander turned away to answer his call.

  “Admiral de Leon speaking.”

  “Admiral, it’s Stone—sorry to bother you—just checking to see where you’d like to send our new conscript.”

  Alexander considered that for a moment. The war had ended six months ago with the signing of the World Peace Treaty of 2793, which Alexander had personally helped to negotiate, but ironically the Alliance needed soldiers now more than ever. Not everyone was content to stop the fighting, and defending the entire planet against random acts of terror was no small task. The military had effectively been co-opted into a kind of heavily-armed police force, and Alexander didn’t see the need for soldiers diminishing anytime soon.

  “What about Stalingrad?” he said. “Nice and cold, and I hear the Russian reds are even more formidable than the Chinese ones.”

  “Are you sure, sir?”

  Alexander frowned. “Something you’d like to get off your chest, Lieutenant?”

  “He’s your son’s father. If he dies, you might catch some heat from that.”

  “We’re not doing anything illegal, Ryder. He should have thought about the consequences before he decided to cross state lines without a passport. You think it’s fair that he gets a free pass and the rest of us all had to risk life and limb to get here?”

  “No, sir.”

  “Besides, a man who beats a woman is a coward. If he lives out his term of service, at least we can be sure that he won’t be one anymore. It’s about time he picked a fight with someone who could fight back. You have your orders.”

  “Yes, sir. Stalingrad it is.”

  “De Leon out.” Alexander ended the comm call and turned to see his wife facing him, arms crossed over her chest, her blue eyes sad and full of disappointment. He started when he saw her and tried to affect a smile, hoping that she hadn’t overheard much.

  “I hope you know what you’re doing, Alex. Dorian is going to ask about him one day.”

  Alexander felt his expression darken. “Let him ask. I’ll tell him that I obeyed the law and his biological father broke it. Whatever happens, it’s on David’s head, not mine.”

  Catalina shrugged and turned away. “You keep telling yourself that.”

  “Why shouldn’t he pay for what he did?”

  “What he did to me, or by breaking the law?”

  “Both.”

  Caty sighed. “I didn’t say he shouldn’t be punished, just that I didn’t want you to get your hands dirty. I don’t want our son to blame you someday.”

  “He can’t blame me for something he doesn’t know.”

  “Lies have a way of revealing themselves, Alex. Not even silence can keep them. The truth always comes out.”

  Alexander walked up behind his wife as she went back to washing vegetables in the sink. He wrapped his arms around her waist and whi
spered in her ear, “You let me handle that. When the time comes, he’ll understand.”

  “I hope you’re right, Alexander.”

  “I am, but let’s not talk about this anymore,” he said, turning her to face him. “We should be celebrating. I’m done with the navy!”

  Catalina cracked a smile. “We’re done. So now what? What are you going to do for a living? Have you thought about it? Jobs aren’t exactly easy to come by.”

  “I’ll find something. Anything. Teach myself a trade if I have to. The sky’s the limit, Caty.”

  “No it isn’t.”

  Alexander regarded her with a curious look.

  “You of all people should know that. You’ve been to space, so the sky is clearly not the limit.”

  “Ha ha,” Alexander said, smiling wrly at her. “You know what I meant.”

  “Do I?”

  “I meant that we’re only limited by what we can dream or imagine. Anything is possible.”

  Catalina nodded slowly. “After what the Alliance did to you with the Excelsior program, I might actually believe that.”

  Alexander frowned. “When that technology becomes commercially available, we’re going to end up with more virtual worlds than real ones.”

  “Just so long as you don’t trade me for a virtual wife, we’ll be okay.”

  Alexander sent her a lopsided grin and grabbed her face in his hands for another kiss. “Never.”

  He withdrew, allowing a whisper to escape from her lips. “Never is a long time.”

  “But time is an illusion.”

  Caty smiled and kissed him again.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Jasper T. Scott Jasper Scott is the USA Today best-selling author of more than 13 novels written across various genres. He was born and raised in Canada by South African parents, with a British cultural heritage on his mother's side and German on his father's, to which he has now added Latin culture with his wonderful wife.

  Jasper spent years living as a starving artist before finally quitting his various jobs to become a full-time writer. In his spare time he enjoys reading, traveling, going to the gym, and spending time with his family.