Total Betrayal (Deep Space Endeavor) (12 page)

             
"The power requirements must be enormous," Serge added with a nod.

             
"I'm sure, which is one of the reasons I designed two separate machines. We can power each one separately instead of trying to create an even more powerful energy source than we already have."

             
"Jesse, I must say, if this works you will go down in history as the smartest man in Coalition history."

             
"I don't know about that, Serge. I'm actually more interested in having an escape route should we need it. Either way, I'm going back."

             
"Is this King you met really building a city for you?"

             
"He said he was and he has always kept his word to me."

             
"Good, I am wanting to leave this galaxy as well. When the people you spend your whole life serving and helping turn on you without warning and without reason, it makes you rethink where you wish to spend your time."

             
Jesse could see the bitterness in his brother-in-law’s eyes as he sadly shook his head. This past year had not been easy on Serge. "I understand and agree with you, Serge. At first, I was gonna use this device as a way back and forth, but now I'm just gonna use it to leave. We'll begin building it as soon as Collin and Jason get back from their mission." After a few more minutes, he was out the door to meet up with Kimi. He didn't want her to be alone for too long, and for the first time, he understood the measures Nina, Ariel and Suzy had taken with him after Rebecca had been killed.

______

              Supreme Commander Lucien was at it again. He was all over the news vid calling for the arrest of the Marcos family and anyone they knew. He was telling lie after lie, but the part that pushed Jesse over the edge was when he said that Marcos people senselessly attacked Coalition forces on Pythos in order to steal classified technology. Jesse got on the feed that Jason had hacked to defend the actions of his people. He began by showing the vid of how it began, with Coalition forces clearly firing the first shot in front of several cargo ships marked with the crest of Sea Side Enterprises. When the vid had been played, Jesse began to speak.

             
"This is how it begins, people. Misinformation and outright lies. His goons attacked my people while they were legally retrieving my property. Flight plans had been filed and everything. I will never understand for the life of me how you can put up with our government's Enclave guests. They have done nothing for you except make demands and promise to keep you safe. Well, let me explain something to you, the only people that have taken down any of those aliens that murdered over sixteen million Coalition citizens reside on Polisia, not with the rest of the Coalition, and certainly not with little Lucien."

             
Jesse's comment immediately stirred Lucien to anger. "That's Supreme Commander Lucien, you pathetic dog. Those ships belong to us by direct order of your government, or have you forgotten. We will have you in custody soon enough, and then Polisia will give in and rejoin their brethren in the Coalition."

             
"Saying my ships now belong to you doesn't mean they belong to you. Our government does not possess the authority to unilaterally take a citizen's property until proof that a crime has been committed and a trial by jury has occurred. Neither of those things has occurred, so your claim is null and void. Not to mention that you're not even part of our government, so I don't care what you think. You may have that spineless coward Rhodes wrapped around your finger somehow, but sooner or later, the rest of our government is gonna wake up, and then you'll be in trouble." Jesse smiled as he could see the anger building in Lucien. This man truly believed he had the right to take anything he wanted, and he became legitimately angry when faced with the prospect that his wishes might not be fulfilled. Jesse planned to use that against him if it came down to it.

             
Lucien was soon replaced on the news vids by Rhodes, who was demanding Polisia to turn Marcos over and rejoin the Coalition. Councilor Jim Dana, the leader of Polisia's ruling council, responded to President Rhodes’ demands on a live transmission.

             
"Dana, enough of this nonsense, is Jesse Marcos really worth losing all of Polisia over?"

             
"If not for Colonel Marcos and his people, there wouldn't even be any Polisia, so yes, yes he is."

             
"Let's be reasonable, think about what's in the best interest of Polisia."

             
"Alright, Mister President, answer any these questions to my satisfaction and I will consider your request. How many ships did you send to defend Stamdall, Geshern and Triton? How many ships did you send to defend Polisia? How much money in aid has the Coalition given us to help settle the survivors of those travesties? How many refugees did the Coalition save off of the three doomed worlds? If the answer was more than zero to any of those questions, I might be inclined to believe you have Polisia's best interest in mind. I already know Colonel Marcos’ answer to those questions, because he has interacted with us every step of the way. It is his machines that build settlements for the refugees. Machines you would have rather destroyed than seen used to help us. It is his money that fuels our recovery, his ships that protect us and his friends and family that serve us, friends and family that you sent assassins after. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a funeral to attend; it would seem one of your assassins found his mark." Jesse decided right then that Councilor Dana was his new favorite politician.

             
Jesse was almost ready to leave for the funeral when he received a transmission from Admiral Bliney. "Hello, old friend," he began. "It would seem we find ourselves on different sides of a conflict that may destroy the Coalition."

             
"Are we, Admiral? Are we still friends?" He couldn't understand why his long-time friend had done nothing to help his family, his people or Polisia.

             
"Of course we are. I would be with you now, but I cannot abandon the Coalition I have dedicated my entire life to, no matter what the idiot in charge might be doing to destroy it. I could use you with me on this. We still have five alien races to worry about."

             
"It would seem that Polisia is the only planet that has dealt this Syndicate a setback. Why has this Enclave done nothing to try and stop them?"

             
"The Enclave is apparently still trying to judge whether or not we are a worthy ally."

             
"What, giving them our most powerful ships hasn't convinced them?"

             
"Another thing I have disagreed with the President on. Please, Jesse, at least come in to discuss an end to hostilities. Maybe you can convince the President to kick the Enclave out if they won't help us."

             
"I don't know, Admiral, I don't think I can trust them to not take me prisoner."

             
"I will personally assure your safety. Come in under a Banner of Peace. They cannot detain you then. Come in under the banner, and you will have my protection. If they still try to apprehend you, I will defect with you. You trusted me with the fate of the Coalition once before, please, trust me again."

             
"I'll talk it over with my people and get back to you, Admiral. Thank you for reaching out. If you'll excuse me, I have a funeral to go to." The transmission ended and he decided he had a lot to discuss with Nina and his team.

             
Tara's funeral was a moving tribute to a dedicated mother. Sun sat through the whole service holding Kimi's hand and fighting back tears. She made it right up until the casket went into the ground and then she was inconsolable. Lana and Raina took her by the hand and comforted her while Jesse comforted Kimi. All of their friends had come by to support her, and Kimi was moved. If not for Jesse, she would have never had friends, and if not for Jesse, her mother and sister would have been dead over seven years ago. Knowing that she had gotten to spend seven years more with her mom helped ease her pain, as did knowing she still had her sister. By the time the meal was over and all of the guests had gone, Jesse was still there holding the woman he loved. He didn't leave until after they had both fallen asleep. When he arrived home, Lana was holding her sleeping pup Soldier as she cried.

             
"Lana, what's wrong?" Jesse asked, concern etched in his voice. He sat down next to her and put his arm around her.

             
"I was just thinking about...You know, with Kimi and Sun losing their mom it made me think of..."

             
"I didn't even realize. It's okay, Lana, you can say you miss your mom. Why shouldn't you? It was just you and her your whole life. That must have been really tough on you."

             
"It was, but I know when I talk about my mom, you start thinking about... It's just that what she did to you was so wrong, and then never telling you..."

             
"Lana, she was your mom, and what she did may not have been right, but ultimately, she gave me you, and I can never be mad about that. The one thing I know about your mom is that she absolutely loved you more than anything, and it's okay for you to miss her. It won't make me sad or uncomfortable. In fact, I want you to promise me that you'll never forget her, and that you'll tell me a little about her whenever you really miss her."

             
"Really?" She had not expected that, she knew missing her life really bothered him and her mom was to blame, but he was still encouraging her to think about her mom and talk about her mom. It was really kind of him, and it made her smile through her tears. "Thanks, Dad." She leaned on her dad as Soldier woke up and licked her hand.

             
"Let's get this little one to bed, I bet Commando guards them while they sleep."

             
"He does, Dad, it's so funny. He's like their protector."

             
"That's what he's best at. How's the flying coming along, by the way?"

             
"I'm the number one ranked cadet in the entire fleet. Aunt Ariel estimates that out of the entire fleet, there may only be a dozen pilots better than me, but she's not sure about the Kalephi pilots because she hasn't seen many of them fly."

             
"Number one? Lana, that's fantastic, I'm so proud of you." He gave her a great big hug and kissed her forehead.

             
"Thanks, Dad, it really means a lot to me to hear you say that." That was an understatement; she had waited her whole life to hear her dad say that.

             
The next four weeks were spent in a daily routine; meeting with his military council in the morning, followed by a meeting with Nina, Ariel and Councilor Dana. He would then spend a couple hours with Serge, Collin, Jason and Irina working on the galaxy drive followed by some time with Kimi and Sun and then home to train the pups with Lana and Commando. He would actually come home for about an hour in between each of his other engagements to train the pups as well, because it was very important they be properly trained early. The training was coming along very well and he made sure Lana remembered to continuously reinforce what the pups have learned every day for the next three months to make sure the training has taken root. He had been speaking more with Admiral Bliney and let Lana know he may have to go to Earth for a few days to try and put an end to the hostilities between the Coalition and Polisia. He reminded her that the pups know Josiah very well and he can help her for a few days.

             
After saying a tearful goodbye to his daughter, it was on to meet with his team. They all thought it was a good idea except Nina and Ariel. Still, they understood why he had to try. Before he left, he asked to speak to Manny.

             
"Manny, something has been eating at me for several weeks now."

             
"What's up, Jess?"

             
"The assassination of the Enclave members, it seems like Maria's work, but I don't know who hired her."

             
"Um," he paused and looked up to the ceiling out of the corner of his eye. "It was me, Jess, I couldn't stand to see them continuously hurting your family, and I felt I had to protect them. When they tried to kill Lana that was the last straw. I'm sorry if it has caused any problems." He put his hands in his pockets as he finished.

             
"Manny, that's the first time you've lied to me in a long time. I might have believed Jason, definitely would have believed Carmine, but I don't believe you."

             
"What do you mean, I told you what happened."

             
"I believe that's what happened, but you didn't take out the hit; you're covering for someone. I know because every time you lie, you pause, glance at the ceiling, say the word ‘um,’ and put your hands in your pocket when you're done. You, my friend, have many tells. Who was it?"