The Sunfire (30 page)

“Okay. On a count of three,” Jonas said.

“One,” Jonas said, reaching down and lifting up the palm of
one of the dead guards.

“Two,” he said, laying the palm against the scanner
positioned next to the door.

“Three,” he mouthed to Jackson as the door quietly slid
open.

Jackson smoothly pulled the pins from the two grenades
before rolling them through the now open door. Simultaneously Jonas hit the
close button, reversing the direction of the door. Hurrying down the corridor
both Marines were several meters away from the control room when it erupted
into a flaming ball of smoke and debris. The two Marines could feel the force
of the compression wave as it rushed down the corridor, overtaking their
fleeing forms.

“Scratch one control room,” Jonas muttered.

*****

As Jon approached Sejanus’ personal quarters he could tell
right away he was at the correct place as, forewarned by the young executive,
it was the only door in this section with two guards stationed in front of it.
He approached the entrance with long, easy strides that quickly ate up the
distance, while at the same time making it appear he had every right to be
there.

Jon did not recognise either of the guards stationed at the
door. Obviously the ones he had met earlier, apart from the ones he had already
killed, were now elsewhere. With surprised expressions on their faces, one was
just about to open his mouth in exclamation, when Jon held up his hand to
forestall him.

“Commander Radec to see Sejanus,” he blurted out, before
they could demand his identity.

Not seeing any other guards escorting him, and doubtful he
would just be walking around this section of the complex without permission,
the first guard enquired, “Do you have an appointment?”

Jon gave them both a broad smile, flashing his teeth. “I
most certainly do.”

“Well unfortunately he is not here at the moment, he got
called off for important business,” the other guard replied, giving a knowing
smirk at the other.

Meanwhile Jon could hear muffled noises from inside the
room, as if a scuffle was taking place (he could well imagine what was actually
taking place). Therefore giving both men a hard look he replied. “That's no
problem, I’ll show myself in then.”

He shot both guards before they had a chance to blink and
was only slightly disappointed the energy pistol seemed to be set to stun only.

Marching forward he grabbed the wrist of the guard closest
to the access panel and placed the palm of his hand firmly against it, causing
the door to slide smoothly open. Releasing the sword at his waist, Jon stepped
silently inside the room.

*****

“You bitch!” The bleeding guard cursed loudly, once again
sending Miranda crashing to the floor, as the back of his hand struck her
forcefully across the cheek. For the second time within the space of half an
hour Miranda saw stars. Shaking her head, trying to clear her vision, she
wondered what it was about men who slapped women around with the back of their
hand.

Is there some school they all attend where they are
trained to do just that?
Miranda thought groggily.

Somehow she bet Jon and Paul had flunked that class, as she
could not imagine either of them ever raising a hand to a woman. Come to think
of it, the back of Jon’s hand was particularly soft as he ran it delicately
down her body, causing her to tremble in pleasure. Shaking her head again to
try to focus, she stared hatefully up at her attacker and was just trying to
summon the energy to spit at him when a very strange expression came over his
face.

Shock, surprise and disbelief. He looked down in horror at
the blade that had suddenly erupted from the centre of his chest.

“Why don’t you see how you like it?” Jon hissed furiously
from behind. “When somebody sticks something that doesn’t belong in them in you
for a change.” The guard slowly toppled over, motionless. Pushing him off the
blade, Jon hurriedly stepped closer to Miranda, hoping that he was not too
late. Leaning forward he gently touched her red cheek with the back of his
hand, relived when Miranda leaned into his delicate caress.

“You definitely flunked that class,” Miranda sighed aloud
softly.

“Sorry?”

“Never mind, just a stray thought that crossed my mind for a
moment back there.”

“Okay.”

“Jon?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for coming.”

“No problem,” he replied, offering her his hand to help her
to stand and placing another under her arm when she stumbled.

Meanwhile a memory was stirring deep in Miranda’s
consciousness, something she needed to tell Jon. Something important
—
The Princess.

“Jon,” Miranda gasped suddenly. “The Princess, Sofia. She is
here in this complex. I heard Sejanus and that guard talking.”

Jon did not say anything in response for a moment, but
Miranda could feel his body stiffen, as he helped support her weight and they
stepped through the door. “I know,” he replied eventually. “I saw Sejanus with
her. I guess he was taking her to see her father.”

Shocked that Jon knew, Miranda stumbled to a halt, looking
up at him in surprise. “You knew?” She gasped. “And yet you still came here, to
get me?”

Jon gave her a slight tug, indicating to continue walking.
“I gave you my word I wouldn’t let anything happen to you,” he replied.

Miranda could not understand the sudden sense of warmth that
spread through her body at his soft declaration.

*****

Heading down the corridor in the direction of the apartments
assigned to them, in the hope of meeting Gunny and his team, Jon and Miranda
were almost knocked over by the burly Marines, who were hurrying in the
opposite direction. Fortunately, the Marines recognised the Commander in his
white navy uniform, which stood out so starkly from the black of the Tyrell
Corporation, that they didn’t open fire.

As the two groups converged, Gunny pushed to the front, eyes
flickering quickly in Miranda’s direction before turning back to Jon
questioningly.

Jon slowly shook his head, answering the unvoiced question.
He was relieved to see the relief in the old Marine Sergeant’s eyes. While he
was as tough as they came, Jon knew he had a soft spot for Miranda ever since
she challenged him to an arm wrestling match on the flight deck soon after
arriving on the station.

“We were just heading to secure the hangar bay Commander,”
Gunny reported briefly. “Paul and the
Sunfire
should be arriving in the
system at any minute, assuming they will be here.”

“They will be here,” Jon reassured him. “Take Miranda with
you and prep a ship for our departure. I’ll go and rescue the family and meet
you there.”

Gunny took one look at the injured Miranda and flinched. He
did not react well with injured women. Fortunately Jason pushed to the front
and took Miranda, saying in a quiet voice, “I’ll take care of her.”

Passing Jon a datapad, Jason explained, “I managed to
download a plan of the complex onto this device, hopefully this will help you
find Marcus. Did you manage to plant the tracking device on Sejanus?”

“Easily,” Jon replied with a smirk. “He was so busy gloating
in satisfaction at beating me he never even noticed me slipping it into his
pocket.”

“Very well. Then I have also calibrated this device to pick
up the signal emitted by the tracker,” Jason concluded, continuing to support
Miranda. Jason then whispered something softly to her that made her smile and
place her head against his chest, wrapped firmly in his embrace.

Jon was secretly pleased, but did not let it show. It looked
as if there was hope for the boy after all and he did not spend all his life
with his head glued to his computer. “I’ll meet you in the hangar bay,” Jon
exclaimed in farewell, referring to the datapad in his hand. He set off,
following the moving dot on the display, which he knew to be Sejanus’ location.

As the Commander turned a corner, disappearing out of sight,
Gunny mouthed to Jason,
“Family?”
Jason only shrugged his shoulders, not
understanding the comment either.

At this movement, Miranda looked up and exclaimed, “Where is
Jon?”

“He’s gone to get Marcus, he will meet us there,” Jason
explained reassuringly.

“By himself?” Miranda exclaimed in disbelief.

“I wouldn’t worry about the Commander,” Gunny replied
softly. “The last time that I saw
that
expression on his face was after
he massacred a ship of slavers, when he found out they had raped a little girl.
The only reason for sending somebody with him would be to try and restrain
him–some hope of that. Let’s move it people. You heard the Commander, we have a
ship to secure.”

*****

The explosion shook the complex so violently that were it
not for Sejanus’ tight hold on Sofia’s arm, she would have gone sprawling on
the floor. The entire group froze, but after a while it became apparent there
weren’t going to be any further detonations, so Sejanus turned to the guards,
snapping, “Find out what the hell that was.”

The guards turned to glance at Sofia doubtfully.

“I can handle one brash girl and an old man. Now find out
what is going on and report back to me immediately.”

With a quick salute, the guards hurried off down a side
corridor, in the direction of the sound of the explosion.

“Problems?” Sofia smiled, immediately picking up on the
sudden tension in the group.

“Nothing for you to worry about,” Sejanus hissed back at
her. Grabbing a fistful of her hair and yanking on it sharply. “Now move. After
all I promised you your first wedding present and we do not want to keep the
old man waiting.”

Old man?
Miranda wondered, unsure whom Sejanus was
referring to. However, she was soon to find out as they came to another door.

Sejanus looked around surprised, as if he was expecting
somebody else to be present, then shrugging his shoulders, pressed his hand
against the doorplate. The door slid open and Sejanus pushed Sofia into the
well-furnished apartment. Stumbling on the thick carpet, she fell to the floor
on her hands and knees.

Looking up slowly, she noticed a pair of legs dangling in
front of her. Following them with her eyes, she observed they were encased in
pair of comfortable slacks, the owner perched on the edge of a wide sofa. Her
eyes followed the body up along a broad torso, to an angular but pale face,
before coming to rest on a pair of emerald green eyes, wide-open in
astonishment.

His eyes are exactly the same shade of green as mine,
Sofia thought in astonishment, before blinking, finally bringing into focus the
face of the person whose eyes she was staring into.

“Father?” She asked timidly, as if afraid that if she voiced
the thought out loud, the mirage would waver before her, then disappear and be
gone forever.

“Sofia?” Her father replied stunned. “But what are you doing
here?” However, whatever else he was going to say next was forgotten, as his
daughter threw herself into his arms.

Suddenly it seemed to Sofia as if no time had passed at all
and her father was holding her safely in his arms, just as he used to do when
she was a child. She could not believe it and hugged him tighter, as if to
reassure herself he was real, because for so long she had assumed him to be
dead. She could still clearly remember the moment on the
Eternal Light
Harkov had so solemnly informed her of his death. At that moment her world had
come crashing down around her, as ever since her mother died her father had
been her bedrock, the cornerstone of her very existence. If Jon had not been
there at her side, to catch her, both physically and figuratively… The thought
of Jon brought further tears to her eyes. All she wanted to do was hold her
father tightly and tell him all her fears and worries, just like she used to do
as a child.

With a strong jerk of her hair Sejanus pulled her away from
him. “Family reunions, aren’t they so touching?” Sejanus said sarcastically.
“Kneel,” he ordered when once again Sofia moved towards her father. Angrily, he
pulled her away again and when it became obvious she was not going to remain
still, he unsheathed his sword, putting it inches in front of her neck.
“Kneel!” He ordered again, pushing her to her knees a few feet away from her
father. “That's much better,” he chortled. “A dutiful daughter kneeling before
her father.”

“Sofia,” her father said, finally finding his voice. “But
what are you doing here? You should be safely on Eden Prime protected by the
Commander. Where is he?” Marcus asked, confused.

“He left me!” Sofia cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“He didn’t want me, all he wanted was an Imperial Princess, not me. Not Sofia.
He found what he was looking for in the arms of another woman.”

Marcus could only stare at his daughter in shock, in
disbelief, unable to believe what he was hearing. Surprise and shock all
competing for his attention. Marcus wondered how he could have been so wrong.
Not once, but twice. His eyes turned to Sejanus. After Sejanus he had been so
careful, he couldn’t believe he had misjudged the Commander so badly.

He had been so sure
.

The look of love on the Commander’s face as his eyes had
lingered on Sophia, astonished life had been gracious enough to offer him such
a priceless gift. For Marcus had immediately recognised that expression. It was
the same way he had looked at his wife, during the short time they were
together. Wondering what he did right in an earlier life to be so blessed in
this one. Marcus was speechless, and several times he tried to open his mouth
to say something, but the words would just not come out.

In the end it was Sejanus who recovered first and with an
equally astonished look on his face, started to laugh. “Oh this is perfect, the
great Praetorian Commander. The defender of the weak, poor, downtrodden and
helpless. Abandoning his charge, his sworn duty to defend and protect and for
what? Another woman. So much for your replacement Marcus. Anyhow as much as I
would like to reminisce further, time waits for no-man and I have a destiny to
fulfil. So this is what is going to happen next. As promised, Sofia is going to
marry me immediately.”