Authors: Steven L. Hawk
Son of Justice (36 page)
The award was appropriate. After they met on the ridge above the spaceport, he and the colonel had discussed next steps and settled on a plan. She had taken her force and moved to help the Telgorans, while Eli and his company of rangers had moved toward the building where Drah was still holed up with his most loyal supporters.
Next in line was Free. The young Telgoran who had worked so hard at becoming a ranger had been assigned to help Colonel Conway’s attack against the Minith. He had been instrumental as a guide into the underground tunnels and at communicating with his people to help locate, outmaneuver, and ultimately defeat the Minith force that was successfully rampaging through the Telgoran homelands. For his efforts, he was also awarded a Silver Agsel. He had also, from what Eli had been told by Titan, been universally accepted back into the Family that had once shunned him as being “Alone.” He was still alone, but he was now a hero among his people.
After Free received his medal, the three individuals who were presenting the awards stepped up to Aank. Eli couldn’t see the trio very well. Twigg stood between them, and the first sergeant’s bulk blocked much of the scene. But he listened as they presented the Waa engineer a Silver Agsel for his efforts at figuring out how the portals worked and for his translation services aboard the Zrthn ships. Besides Eli, only two others knew just how important the diminutive engineer’s services had been to repelling the invasion and defeating the rebellion. If his abilities hadn’t been a secret, he would be receiving a Golden Agsel, not Silver.
The Silver is more appropriate to my contributions, Eli.
Really, Aank? Even here?
Blink. Blink.
Eli smiled and sent a feeling of thanks and appreciation toward the Waa.
You are welcome, Eli. And congratulations.
Eli didn’t have a chance to question why he was being congratulated. Aank sent a mental vision of a smiling Adrienne Tenney, accompanied by a sense of excited well-being and eager anticipation, into Eli’s thought stream. Eli knew the feelings well. Those same emotions filled his body every time she entered a room, or smiled in his direction. The feelings were followed up with a sense of mirth and knowing that let Eli know he had no secrets from the little green alien.
Flock you, Aank
, Eli replied, and tried to suppress a grin.
When the presenters moved on to Twigg, Eli got his first good look at the three. Titan, the human emissary to the Telgoran people, held a large tray where the medals lay, waiting to be handed out. Beside him, General Treel, the newly appointed Minith general in charge of the defense forces on Telgora, read out the verbiage that went along with each award. The third individual, General Grant Justice, the supreme commander of the Alliance Defense Forces—and his father—was doing the actual pinning of the awards.
This was the first time in more than six months Eli had seen his father, but he turned his attention forward, and focused on the ceremony taking place beside him. General Treel’s low, gravelly voice recited the first sergeant’s accomplishments.
Twigg was awarded the Golden Agsel, the Alliance’s highest military award.
Twigg was credited with turning the vast majority of the Minith who refused to choose sides back toward the Alliance. He was also recognized as the Alliance soldier who captured Colonel Drah. Eli noted there was no mention of the fact that Twigg had badly beaten his former superior when he found Drah trying to make his escape to the Zrthn battle carrier. Apparently, Drah did not realize how low his standing had fallen with Oinoo, or he might not have run in that direction. Not that it mattered. His return to a Zrthn ship was a foregone conclusion.
As a point in their negotiations, Eli had permitted Oinoo to retain one of the captivity ships. His reasons for doing so were clear and well considered. He expected the Zrthns to remove every rebellious Minith that could be identified from Telgora. That especially included Colonel Drah. No one in the Alliance gave much thought to where the Zrthns planned on taking the traitors, or what they intended to do with them, but it was assumed they would not be well treated. Eli hadn’t known until recently, but apparently the Zrthns were known for capturing their enemies and negotiating their eventual release through completion of lengthy labor contracts.
Suddenly, as if by magic, the trio appeared in front of Eli. His father turned to retrieve the medal from the platter that Titan held, then stepped forward. The two men, meeting as soldiers in the same army for the very first time, looked into each other’s eyes. Eli couldn’t help but note how much his father seemed to have aged in the six months they had been apart. Eli understood how that was possible. Leading men, sending them into situations where they might be killed was one of the most difficult things he had ever done—and his father had been doing exactly that for most of his life. A twinge of doubt crossed his thoughts.
Can I be a good soldier, a good leader? Can I send soldiers into battle, and if I do, can I live with the consequences?
His internal struggle was interrupted by his dad reaching out to grip his right hand. The handshake was strong, and the look in the older Justice’s eyes seemed as controlled and resolute as ever. That was good, Eli thought. Those things should never change.
The younger Justice shook off his reservations as he released the handshake.
He was vaguely aware of Treel’s voice as the details of his award were recited, but he didn’t hear the words.
He didn’t need to hear them.
The pride he saw in his father’s eyes as the Golden Agsel was affixed to his chest was more than enough.
The End
If you’ve made it this far, the book probably held at least a tiny bit of appeal. If it didn’t, I’m not sure what you’re doing all the way back here, but allow me to offer my apologies. I did my best. Ideally, I hope you enjoyed the hell out of it. If you did, I urge you to take a few moments and tell others how you feel about the book by leaving a review on Amazon. In addition to helping a struggling writer (that would be me), your review will also help other readers like yourself.
It is important to name some of the key contributors to
Son of Justice
. This book took more than two years to write and it’s not an endeavor I could have completed on my own. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a team to build a book. Some of the key team members for this book include my Kindle Scout editor, Ty Johnson, my pre-Kindle Scout editor,
Laura Kingsley
; my cover artist,
Keri Knutson
; and my wife and best friend,
Juanita
. Thanks to all of you for your support, encouragement, and hard work.
I also had the help and support of some very important folks . . . my beta readers. This group worked with me in advance of submitting the final draft to the editor. The book is a better product than it would have been without their wise counsel and support. In no particular order, they include: Dave Jenks, Dennis Riggs, Michael Porkchop, Chris Cefalu, Robert Allison, Roy Hawksley, and of course, my wife, Juanita, and my brother, M.L. Hawk. Thank you all for your help, support and guidance!
Finally, I want to thank you, the reader. You’ve been very good to me over the past four books. Your continued support and encouragement are what keep me going. I love you all!
Take care, and happy reading!
Steve Hawk
January 17, 2016
Steven L. Hawk spent six years as a Military Intelligence Specialist with the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division before joining the ranks of corporate America. He has a B.S. in Business Management from Western Governor's University and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). He has traveled extensively across the United States and, at various times, has lived in Georgia, North Carolina, West Virginia, Massachusetts, California and Idaho.
He currently resides in Boise, Idaho with his wife, Juanita. Together, they have a blended family of five sons and two Chihuahuas.
This is his fifth published novel. For more information, you can follow him via the following channels:
Website:
www.SteveHawk.com
Linkedin:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenhawk
Twitter:
@stevenhawk