Euthara (21 page)

“Kelly and I want your permission to get married,” Bill said.

Jon stopped in his tracks and stared at Bill and then at Kelly. “Congratulations, though I think you’re both old enough to make that choice.”

“He’s a bit slow isn’t he?” Kelly said.

“Sometimes,” Bill said a grin spreading on his face.

“What?” Jon said.

“As their Commanding Officer they need your permission to marry since they both are under your command,” Dalliana said. “That way you know and give approval if you think there’s no conflict of interest.”

“Oh,” Jon said as his cheeks colored slightly. He made an ‘O’ with his mouth.

“Well?” Bill said.

“I don’t know,” Jon said. “I need to think about it for awhile.”

Bill looked at Kelly as she blinked at Jon in surprise.

“How long Sir?” Kelly said.

“I have so many things going on it might be a few months,” Jon said as he raised a finger and laid it on his cheek.

“How long is a ‘few’?” Bill said.

“Four or five?” Jon said.

“Four or five!” Bill said.

“Ok, four,” Jon said.

“What!” Bill said.

“Alright, since Kelly called me ‘Sir’ I’ll make it two. But, that’s really pushing it,” Jon said.

“You’re insane,” Bill said.

Bill turned to Kelly and said, “He’s insane, how hard is it to decide if someone can get married or not.”

Bill turned back to Jon and said, “Did you fall and bump your head or something?”

Jon couldn’t hold it any longer and busted out laughing.

Bill and Kelly just stared at Jon as if he had lost all his marbles.

Once Jon calmed down he said, “Of course you two can get married. I love you both; you know that. I’ve been waiting for this for a while.”

Bill reached down and grabbed Kelly’s hand as he said, “Good, because you’re performing the marriage.”

“Oh, no I’m not,” a suddenly sober Jon said.

But it was already too late as Bill and Kelly disappeared down a side corridor and Dalliana waved as she disappeared just as fast.

“Not funny!” Jon said.

Jon started for his quarters once again as he muttered to himself.

Ten minutes later Jon settled behind his desk in his small office connected to his quarters. He ran his hands through his hair as he prepared to confront the King. He reached up and opened the com channel.

The Kings face filled the screen and he frowned when he saw Jon, “Commander Hunter I’m not accustomed to waiting on people,” the King said.

“I’m not accustomed to having to defend a planet without the support of the people who live there,” Jon said. “I think that makes us even as I have a mess to deal with up here.”

“Of your own making,” the King said.

“They weren’t after us,” Jon said. He wasn’t ready for how fast the discussion had elevated and he attempted to diffuse it and put the King off balance. “How is my bond mate?” Jon knew this question would irk the King and that’s why he asked it the way he did.

The Kings face reddened at the barb but managed to keep his composure as he responded, “Deatra, my daughter, is fine. The Bond thing is yet to be determined as you know.”

“And you know it’s legit,” Jon said. He tapped the side of his head as he continued. “If you pull anything sneaky I’ll know and I promise you that the results won’t be pleasant.”

“If, and that’s a big if, it’s legit then nothing will happen. If I find out it isn’t then I can make the same promise,” the King said.

“Oh, since you look so worried, Duke Andara is fine,” Jon said. “Pleasant man actually, reminds me a lot of you in ways.”

“Good,” the King said. “I assume he’ll be returned shortly as he has duties.”

“Yes, he’s just waiting on the arrival of Deatra. It’s been so long since they've seen each other he’s hesitant to leave before seeing her,” Jon said.

“He can see her here at the palace,” the King said.

“I don’t think it would be safe for him to travel right now. My medical officer says he has a slight concussion. He slipped and ran into a door jamb, twice,” Jon said. “For a graceful man he can be quite clumsy at times. By the time Deatra gets back he should be well enough to travel.”

“Heard you have a missing pilot,” the King said.

Jon didn’t miss a beat as he answered, “Yeah, seems there was a brush up with some Eutharan forces over my Embassy grounds. A few of our pilots went down when we attempted to defend our air space. When we tried to rescue all the pilots, Eutharan and Human, Eutharan ground troops hindered us. We captured several Eutharans in the brief fight that erupted. Would you like me to release your people back to you?”

“They’re not my people,” the King said without missing the meaning or a beat. “They’re most likely rebels. You can do whatever you want with them.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you have a rebel problem,” Jon said. “Now, I’m really worried about moving such an important man as the Duke.” Jon kept backing the King in a corner and thought he had him where he wanted him.

“Were all your pilots recovered?” the King said.

“One is still missing,” Jon said. “We’re searching for her right now.”

“Female?” the King said.

Jon paled as he tried to keep his composure and barely got the words out, “Yes, the pilot is a female.”

“I’ll keep an eye out for any reports and if we find her I’ll send her back to you,” the King said.

Jon let out a small sigh of relief as he said, “Thanks.”

“I have reports there are Invaru in the system and supporting your fleet,” the King said.

“Yes, we have Invaru allies,” Jon said.

“The Invaru are our enemies and I want them out of this system post haste,” the King said. “I’m issuing orders that my ships are to fire on any Invaru ship they see as they’re breaking a treaty.”

“I invited them and if you fire on them while they’re under my protection you’ll have one less ship. That I can promise,” Jon said. “I’m issuing orders that my fleet is to protect the Invaru vessels from all Eutharan hostiles. If you want to keep playing this game I’ll keep playing. I would rather we get along and stop this fighting. I’m here to help you don’t you understand that?”

“I understand you think that’s what you’re doing but you’re interfering in things that you have no right to interfere with,” the King said.

“I suggest you have your fleet dock so we can refit them with the necessary modifications to combat this new enemy,” Jon said. “I’m extending a hand here to help you out.”

“Like I said, they weren’t after us,” the King said. “They followed you and the Invaru here. I don’t need your help in any case.”

“Except the two ground hits on Euthara that happened during the battle,” Jon said. “They took out two industrial sites as far as we can tell. I thought industrial sites were against the law on Euthara.”

“There were no ground strikes during the battle,” the King said. “Rebels attacked two military bases and managed to detonate the ammo caches on those bases.”

“Do you need assistance?” Jon said. “These rebels sound pretty dangerous.”

“From you?” the King said as he let out a small chuckle. “No, we have it under control.”

“I don’t think I have met anyone quite like you,” Jon said.

“I doubt you will ever meet anyone like me,” the King said.

“I hope you’re right,” Jon said. “If I ever met anyone so stuck up on themselves like you are I might have to push them out an airlock. You’re beyond arrogant and you wouldn’t know what was good for you if it reached up and slapped you in the face.”

“You’re pretty arrogant yourself, young man,” the King said. “Thinking you know what’s best for everyone around you and then trying to push yourself on everyone around you.”

“You might be right, but the difference between you and I is that I’m out here and I know what’s going on,” Jon said. “While you, on the other hand, are hiding on your little planet in the ass end of space oblivious to everything going on around you. Not caring to do anything about your people dying off while the universe falls apart around you. I on the other hand choose to do what I can to help those around me. One of these days, very soon, it’s going to reach up and bite you in the ass.”

“My people are doing fine, and I know what’s going on around me,” the King said.

“I would say an eighty percent decline in births isn’t fine,” Jon said.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” the King said. “The birth rate has been increasing. It’s something we closely monitor.”

“You’re either hiding something or have blinders on and can’t see the forest for the trees,” Jon said. “When I get to the bottom of what is happening here you had better hope you’re not involved.”

“Are you threatening me?” the King said.

“No, I’m informing you,” Jon said. “I have the power to make your life miserable, and I have yet to exercise that. Even if you don’t acknowledge it, your planet still falls under the Ga’sahde treaty. That treaty specifically says that no one entity can revoke the treaty. It has to be done by vote by a specially created council. I’ve done my research and you disbanded the council, which is voted in by the people of the planet as a whole, the moment you took the crown. A year later you dissolved the treaty, which is unlawful by its very nature. Which means that you still answer to me and I’m allowing you to play your little game while I figure out what is going on. So, you see, you’re on borrowed time any way you look at it. You keep pushing me, and you’ll find out how much of a pain in the ass I can be.”

“You have no power here, I’m letting you have your little Embassy and play your little games,” the King said. “I’m doing that in the hopes you get bored and go away.”

“I control the space above Euthara and that means I control the air space. I can give a single order and no air craft will leave the ground without being destroyed,” Jon said. “Your ships up here are a joke,
Atlantis
can take them by herself. If you think I’m pulling your leg just give me the word and I’ll put it all into effect then we can talk. I’m pretty close to being finished with playing games with you. I have much more important matters to deal with, and I’m only doing this to try to get along with you for the sake of Deatra.”

The King sat back and didn’t say a word for a second as he let everything Jon said sink in. “I don’t think you have it in you to do that,” the King said.

Jon arched an eyebrow as he spoke, “Really? You don’t do you?”

“No,” the King said. “You’re weak, and I have all the cards.”

“Do you?” Jon said. “You really want to push this to the next level?”

“Do your worst,” the King said.

“You’re an idiot,” Jon said. Jon reached up and hit the com button on the screen. “Command this is Commander Hunter, institute lock down procedures Alpha one immediately.”

“I’m sorry Sir,” a female voice said. “Did you say Alpha one?”

“Yes, Alpha one,” Jon said.

“Yes Sir,” the female voice said.

Jon turned his attention back to the King. “You have ten minutes to ground all your fighters or they’ll be shot down. I’m issuing you orders to have all your ships in orbit stand down and prepare to be boarded or they’ll be fired upon,” Jon said. “The princess is to be released right now and transported to the Embassy or I’ll drop a landing party on your front lawn.”

“Once again you have no authority here Commander Hunter,” the King said. “I don’t recognize you or the Ga’sahde.”

“Regardless you have your orders,” Jon said. “I’m going to quell the rebels for you and then there will be an official inquiry about the events taking place on Euthara.”

“Speaking of the Ga’sahde,” the King said.

“Representatives will be landing at the palace momentarily,” Jon said.

“They’re banned under penalty of death from landing on Euthara,” the King said. “Which brings me to my next point, we found one wandering around in the forest and she’s in custody. She’s to be put on trial for crimes against this planet. I warned you what would happen if they landed and got caught.”

Jon's face froze as he tried to make words come out. Rage ripped through him as the King smiled. “You hurt her and it’ll be the last thing you do in this life,” Jon said in hushed tones.

“Oh, I intend to execute her in public,” the King said. “You never know though she could be aboard any ship or fighter and you could kill her by accident.”

Jon hit the com again and spoke quickly, “Cancel that order return to green status.”

“Sir?” the female voice said.

“Just do it!” Jon said as he flipped the com off.

“Good, I’m glad we have an understanding,” the King said. “The Duke will be returned to me by the end of the day and the Titan will be back in Eutharan hands by tomorrow mid day.”

“You’re playing a deadly game,” Jon said. “I assure you that you’ll not win.”

“Oh, I think I will,” the King said. “After the Titan is returned I want you and your people to pull back from this system. Then and only then will I let the Ga’sahde go and we both know who she is.”

“Pick a city,” Jon said.

“The time for games is over boy,” the King said. “Go play savior for someone else.”

“Pick a city,” Jon said.

The King sighed, he didn’t know what game Jon was playing now but since he insisted he chose the worst of the four cities. “Euroth,” the King said.

“Euroth it is,” Jon said. “That city is mine now.”

The King laughed as he spoke, “You can’t win.”

Jon continued non pulsed, “If you harm one hair on my sisters head I’ll kill half the nobles in that city. If Deatra isn’t returned to me by mid day tomorrow I’ll execute one noble every hour until she is. If I run out of nobles I’ll move on to the next closest city and start again until you comply. Eventually all that will be left is you and when I get there you will be next.”

“You don’t have the man power,” the King said.

“We’re already moving into position,” Jon said. As soon as the King named the city Jon transmitted the go codes to Nefeit and Mark and troops were already in motion. “This will not be a long drawn out fight. Oh, and the first noble to die will be the Duke.”

“I’m not playing games,” the King said. “Do as I have said or she’ll be put on trial and die at a public execution.”