However, Jean was the woman he loved. She didn’t need to be a leader, just Jean Dukes.
Friend.
Partner.
Lover.
The one who would come up behind him, slip an arm around his waist, and kiss him gently. Tell him she needed his arms around her and settle into that big comfy man-chest and purr like a happy kitten.
When she did that? Hell, he would happily keep his cock-blocking socks off the floor, whistling the whole damned time.
Bethany Anne had put them together, and Jean understood Bethany Anne would fight anyone—including herself—who tried to tear them apart.
It had allowed Jean to eventually realize she could have a child or two—or ten—with this man. So far it had been one daughter, and now a grandchild as well.
John’s genes were evident in their daughter Lillian Marlene, but they had flared up something fierce in their granddaughter Meredith Nicole. That little girl was as obstinate as the day was long already, with a chip on her shoulder that seemed to grow an inch larger each year she was alive.
The front door opened, and Jean peeked out of the kitchen.
“’Lo, honey,” John called.
She blew him a kiss. “Hey, sweetheart!” Jean ducked back into the kitchen. “Dinner will be ready soon, so you have time to move all that junk you just put on the front couch to the proper place.”
She shook her head as he grumbled, but the subsequent noises made it obvious he was moving everything.
By the time he came into the kitchen, she had finished the potatoes and was pulling a baked fish out of the oven. “Yollin redfish?” John asked, leaning over to smell the goodness.
“Don’t make me spill this on your face!” Jean told him, lifting the pan onto the top of the counter.
John had moved aside. “You’d have to hit me with it.” He shook his head. “I still don’t know how I married someone so violent.”
“You thought it an endearing trait once upon a time,” Jean told him. She lifted the two slices of fish with a spatula and placed them on the plates. “Dish the potatoes for me?” she asked as she put down the spatula and swept the two plates to the table.
She was sitting down, their drinks already poured, when John came up beside her. “How much?”
He held a large spoon, ready to serve her. “Three spoons, please. The rest is yours.”
John placed three large spoonfuls near her fish and turned to his side of the table. His portion of fish covered the plate, so Jean always put out another plate for his sides. This time they had the potatoes and a green vegetable—which John wasn’t fond of, but he always took one small bite to let her know he appreciated the effort.
Even if he couldn’t stand the food.
Soon, they were eating and sharing their day.
Jean started on her vegetables. “Who has coverage for Bethany Anne tonight?”
“Scott and a Guardian,” John answered. “Now that we are all getting used to the idea of her not being Empress, Bethany Anne is having a fit about always having two of us around her. She thinks one is enough.”
“You would think after the Baba Yaga episode you guys would be on her like flies on honey.”
“Now there’s a phrase I haven’t heard in a while.” John cut into his fish and took a bite. “Not that we have flies in space.”
“Not anymore,” Jean countered. “Meredith went on a spree to kill them that first decade, remember?”
John chuckled. “Yes, she singlehandedly elevated the R&D research efforts for your team to create the tiny drones we used to kill the flies—”
“And keep out the spies,” Jean nodded. “Funny how that worked out for us.”
“How’s Lillian?” John asked.
Jean snorted. “Doing well, and thinking she is going nuts because Nickie is giving her so much trouble.”
John shrugged. “Determined Grimes child.” He scratched his cheek. “If she would challenge the child more and demand absolute obedience less, it might help.”
“You realize, Doctor Hypocrisy, that was exactly how you raised Lillian?” Jean asked and took a drink of water. “Are you getting soft in your elder years?”
“Hardly.” He shook his head. “Lillian responded to that parenting style, but Nickie isn’t. Not every child reacts the same way. Lillian loved technology and what it could do so much, that if you took it away, it hurt her. It was easy to navigate her. Nickie is about doing what she wants to do.”
“She doesn’t want to work out with you guys.”
“Not a choice,” John replied. “I set it up so that when she passes, she is let out. It’s binary, but not optional.”
“She seems to dislike seeing your face.” Jean leaned in. “Don’t you worry she will hate you?”
John smiled. “Oh, she will hate me for a while, but eventually she will have grudging respect for what I’m teaching her. If she survives a couple of fights, she will eventually appreciate what I’ve done.”
He pursed his lips and considered the future before shrugging his shoulders. “She will only love me if she learns to forgive me for making her go through it.”
“And you are ok with that?” Jean asked. “I’m just an old softie, then.”
“No, you are her favorite grandmother, who lets her come play and watch how you guys make cool stuff happen. I think your lab is the only school she’s going to enjoy.”
“Not much longer, though.” Jean sighed. “R2D2 is moving to God-knows-where. The superdreadnoughts are either going with Bethany Anne or being hidden. Half the ships are having to power down because everyone is so scared of our technology.”
John shook his head. “There is no way Bethany Anne will give them our tech, so we’ll hide what we can while pretending to destroy it, and actually destroy some of the rest. However, that is for another group to deal with.” John looked at Jean. “Remember, we get to go have some fun now, although… Does it hurt to shut down the pistols area?”
“I’ll have another one built on the ArchAngel. We have to legitimately destroy this one.” She shrugged. “Nickie isn’t old enough for me to make a set for her.”
John grinned, and Jean realized what it was about him that had caused her to grab him as soon as she could—his hot ass, and his heart-melting grin.
She continued her line of thinking. “Are we wrong to leave with Bethany Anne?”
“You want to be running from spies, lying, or stuck in a hidden base somewhere?” John asked, eyeing his wife.
“No.” Jean shook her head. “Bethany Anne has promised me that lab on the ArchAngel and a permanent lab with robotics on her planet for testing and manufacturing when I need it. We will come back and see the family from time to time.”
John took a drink. “The Guardians still watching over them?”
“Yes, just not as obviously,” Jean replied. “It’s a shame Lillian loves tech so much. She would have been a badass.”
“She did enjoy fighting,” John agreed. “It was just exercise for her, though.”
Jean raised an eyebrow. “Nickie already trying to beat you?”
John chuckled. “Yup. That’s why I know she will have it in for me for a long time.” He shrugged. “Not all love is hugs and kisses, not for those you want to protect.”
Jean stole a glance at John. He had let his guard down, and the pain of his decision was evident, but then the mask went back up and he was John Grimes once more.
Man against the Universe.
He looked over his shoulder into the kitchen. “We have any chocolate ice cream?”
QBBS Meredith Reynolds
Lance nodded to the guard at the bottom of the stairs, then bypassed the rope and started up the stairs to the room that was known across systems.
Often imitated, never duplicated.
The full glass wall of All Guns Blazing.
The area was usually full of buzz and the clinking of dishes, with a dozen alien races in attendance creating laughter and merriment.
And much Coke-drinking.
Early this morning the Empress had asked for some alone time, and Lance had been woken by ADAM.
Lance had decided to wear his dad pants. He got out of bed, told Patricia where he was going, and went to the bar.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Bethany Anne’s voice was almost too quiet for his ears to catch as he walked up to her. She was looking out at space.
“It is,” he agreed. “What’s on your mind, honey?”
“Sometimes you have to do everything wrong to make everything right.”
Lance stood next to her for a while, then broke the silence. “Ok, I’ve got nothing.”
She smiled. “Can’t read my thoughts?”
“I don’t have that ability, thank God.” He went on, “And you are a female and my daughter, which means there is no chance I will ever know what you are truly thinking. However,” he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, wishing he had a cigar to chew on, “I’m guessing it bugs you to lie about everything we are doing?”
“Yes, I guess that is close enough,” she agreed. “I’ll admit my ego is still bruised because it had to look like we failed to move the Annex Gate. Hiding our ships and pretending we destroyed them chaps my ass.”
“You realize,” Lance glanced at his daughter before turning his attention back to stargazing, “even your size sevens wouldn’t have been big enough to take on everyone if we had continued our military buildup?”
“TOM could have made my feet bigger,” she countered. “But even size eight-and-a-halfs wouldn’t have done it.”
“Why not size nines?”
Bethany Anne looked at her dad, mouth open. “Are you kidding me?” She glanced down. “And mess up this symmetry?”
He shook his head. “Daughter mine, sometimes you are so vain.”
She barked a laugh. “Only sometimes?” She laid her head on her dad’s shoulder, and he put an arm around hers. “I’m always vain.”
“Not hardly,” Lance corrected. “Sure, occasionally, but without trying to sound sexist, I notice that a lot in women.” He thought about it for a moment. “And some men.”
“Mirrors should never have been brought into existence.” Bethany Anne put her arm around Lance’s waist, enjoying the moment. “And thank you for lying. I’m too vain by half.”
“Whatever.” Lance chuckled. “Fine, you’re the vainest Empress I know, barely able to see others in your attempt to outshine everyone with your beauty.”
She sniffed. “It doesn’t sound so great when you put it that way.”
“Because it isn’t. You’re having a moment of doubt,” he told her. “Happens to all the great leaders.”
“You keep trying to tell me that,” she agreed. “It doesn’t seem to take.”
“It passes,” he replied. “Take heed of wise counsel, which I have to admit I think you do, and have the fortitude to continue with the best course of action to accomplish what you want. You want to make sure the humans on this side of the Gate have the best chance of fitting in with the other races, create a stronger government that can work out the differences, and be ready for a future where other races might attack us. You have to forge those relationships early.”
“It’s like Earth all over again,” she said. “Except this time the Chinese are represented by foxes who stand on two legs and are whiplash-fast.”
“I’m not sure the Chinese would appreciate being associated with the Noel-ni.”
“Zhyn?”
“No.”
“So my whole concept that this is Earth with aliens isn’t working?”
“Not suggesting we don’t understand the dynamics, but the last time I checked, the Chinese were very interested in staying Chinese.”
“Ok, I’ll stop trying to make heads or tails of the aliens.” She thought for a moment. “Can I keep the Torcellens as the French?”
“No,” he shot back. “That isn’t even accurate.”
“Damn,” she huffed. “You can be a right bastard, Dad.”
“I’m here for you, honey.” He chuckled, then they were quiet a moment. “Think of all this as an exercise in subterfuge.”
“Not a challenge,” she told him, “because it is.”
“Exactly,” Lance agreed. “Now imagine you were setting up the cosmos’ most elaborate and effective security and protection operations. One part offensive, which will be you, and two parts defensive, which will be us. With Devon…”
“I’m changing that planet’s name, so don’t get used to it.”
“That’s nice, honey. The planet-that-has-yet-to-be-named-again will give us teeth to bite back if it becomes needed. Otherwise we will fight back from the shadows,” he finished.
She lifted her head off his shoulder. “Are you ok with all this?” She gestured vaguely. “I’ve dumped so much on your lap.”
Lance looked at her and grinned, then pressed his lips together. “Daughter mine,” he turned to look at the stars, “I’m a Reynolds. I was built to do this.”
13
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Dock G-110
Richard and Samuel entered the tiny dock and looked around. “Gabrielle?”
Her voice came back, “Other side of the Pod.”
The two men walked around to find Gabrielle suited up, pistols on her hips and a sword over her shoulder.
“Oh, this is a working meeting?” Richard asked. “Good, I was bored.”
Gabrielle pointed to two piles. “Armor and secondary weapons. I’m assuming you have your primaries?”
“Wouldn’t be alive without my Dukes,” Samuel answered, going to the first pile. “Mine?”
“Yes,” she confirmed.
“What’s the plan?” Richard asked as he stripped off his shirt and donned the chest armor.
“There’s an arms dealer trying to set up on Yoll. Quick in, quick assessment, neutralize, and exit,” she told them. “Then you guys will have paid me back, and all has been forgiven and forgotten forever.”
Samuel smiled a moment, then winced as he adjusted the armor. “Man, this pulls the hairs.”
Gabrielle smirked. “There is an under-armor shirt in the pile.”
“Fuuuckking helllll!” Richard grimaced as he ripped off the armor. “Now you tell us!” He searched through the pile and found the shirt.
“It’s standard equipment, Richard!” Gabrielle shook her head, exasperated. “You guys are so used to being the Two Amigos that you don’t pay attention to the teams, do you?”
“Nope,” Samuel agreed. “Although my manly man-nipples are regretting the hell out of that right now,” he said as he tenderly touched the tip of each. “Oh…tender meat!” He grimaced.
Gabrielle smirked as she watched the two of them don the standard equipment. Once they finished, she checked them both.
Richard, surprised that she was checking all his armor, looked at Samuel, who gave a small shrug. Next she went over Samuel’s armor. “You two are good to go,” she told them. “Let’s do this.”
“What exactly is this?” Samuel asked. The two of them jumped into the back of the four-person Pod, and Gabrielle took the pilot’s chair.
The Pod slowly lifted off the deck and flew out of the docking area, gaining speed as it went under the Meredith Reynolds. She took them outside the standard lanes the ships used around the large base and accelerated toward the planet in the distance.
“We are about to explain to an upstart that even if the rumors of the Empress’ stepping down are true, their night can still be fucking ruined.”
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Bethany Anne’s Suite
Nathan handed a water to Ecaterina and sat beside her drinking a Pepsi. He lifted his drink in Bethany Anne’s direction. “Thank you.”
“It’s the least I can do after the whole Baba Yaga debacle,” Bethany Anne admitted.
“Water under the bridge,” Nathan replied. “What’s on the agenda for the evening?”
“Work first,” she replied. “Then we ha
ve some time to catch up, and I have a couple of gifts for you two.”
Ecaterina opened her eyes. “We didn’t get you anything.”
“Your friendship through all this is enough,” Bethany Anne replied. “However, as always, I have a couple of favors to ask. The first is your advice about keeping Earth out of sight.”
“The Annex Gate is hidden and a minimal number of people know about it, correct?” Nathan asked. Ecaterina snagged his drink and sniffed it.
She looked at Bethany Anne, surprised. “This is the good stuff.”
Bethany Anne put her nose up just a touch and affected an English accent. “One doesn’t apologize with poor Pepsi,” she answered, then grinned. “I asked All Guns Blazing to do a special batch for you guys.”
Nathan narrowed his eyes. “You are up to something.”
“Me?” Bethany Anne replied, shrugging her shoulders. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“When is the other shoe going to drop?” he asked, leaning back to look behind the couch. “Is there a video team about to jump out?”
Chuckling, Bethany Anne shook her head. “No! And…” she put her drink down on the stand next to her, “I’ve lifted the Coke-only requirement, so there’s now Pepsi everywhere!”
Ecaterina leaned over to Nathan, her eyes tracking Bethany Anne. “She is playing us somehow, my dear.”
Nathan slowly nodded his agreement. “I don’t know how yet,” he whispered as Bethany Anne watched the two of them, “but she is certainly up to something.”
“Seriously, you two?” Bethany Anne rolled her eyes. “I can’t just let bygones be bygones and we move forward in peace and harmony?”
“NO!” they shouted in unison.
Nathan continued, “That isn’t how you work.”
“Everyone can turn over a new leaf,” Bethany Anne replied. “Anyway, your theatrics aside, the Gate is hidden, and only a few people know about it. I need you guys to keep your ears to the ground and squash any efforts to find it you come across.”
“By hook or crook?” Ecaterina asked.
Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Set Three: Books 15-21, Never Submit, Never Surrender, Forever Defend, Might Makes Right, Ahead Full, Capture Death, Life Goes On (Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Sets Book 3) Page 151