Tears started to form in Nefeit’s eyes and if you had looked over her shoulder you would have seen Arianna was tearing up too. “My love, I…” Nefeit started to say.
Again Jon held up his hand to stop her. “I only have limited time, so please let me finish,” Jon said. It was clear to everyone that Jon was weakening as the attack continued on the bond.
“I can give you something…” Ariel said as she took a step in Jon’s direction.
“No, please stay back,” Jon said as he stepped back. “There is nothing to be done. It is really up to Deatra, if she can break the hold the Duke has on her. But, right now it doesn’t look good, she’s strong but I do not know if she is that strong. Please return to Kelly as she needs you I’ll be over there in a minute.”
Ariel nodded and returned to taking care of Kelly. Both of the girls started talking quietly as Jon gave Kelly a brief smile from across the room.
“It sounds like you are saying goodbye,” Nefeit said.
“I am,” Jon said as he turned his attention once again to Nefeit.
Tears freely started rolling down her face now. “I’ll call in some troops, and we will breach medical.”
“You can’t die!” Arianna said. “Impossible!”
Jon gave a half grin as he spoke, “Nothing is impossible, I understand you all believe in these prophecies, but nothing is set in stone. I have said all along I don’t believe in them and this is just more proof that there are multiple directions events can take.
“As far as calling in more troops. We have all the troops we need here and we still can do nothing. I’m not willing to sacrifice Deatra or Opellissa, which is what would happen if we breeched. So, for now this is good bye and I had to show up here to do what is needed to ensure your survival.”
Nefeit wiped some of the tears away and got a confused look on her face. “I don’t understand,” Nefeit said.
“You will,” Jon said. He paused a slight shiver went through his body and he grunted slightly in pain. “Nefeit, I release you from the bond and allow you to travel your own way from now on.”
Something snapped in Nefeit as though a weight was lifted and suddenly the small headache she had disappeared. “No…” Nefeit fell to the floor as she realized she could no longer sense Jon or the other women. She felt naked and alone.
“I’m sorry, it has to be this way,” Jon said as he turned and walked towards Kelly.
Nefeit just started sobbing and Arianna, still in disbelief, crouched down to comfort her.
When Jon reached Kelly he stopped just out of her reach and smiled down at her.
“You made it,” Kelly smiled and reached out for him.
Jon shook his head and explained what was going on to Kelly, who was crying by the end.
“But, you always get out of these situations,” Kelly said. She was grasping at small threads of hope, and she knew it.
“Not this time,” Jon said. “I have to do what is right. I am very sorry for the death of your husband and my friend. I made a promise to myself to do everything to protect you no matter the cost. The cost this time is me and I’m willing to accept that.”
“I have forgiven you for that long ago,” Kelly said. She wiped some tears from her cheeks. “We knew the dangers of the job, and this might sound bad, but I love you as much as I loved Bill. Just in different ways I think, and also then in the same ways.”
Jon smiled as he accepted what she was saying to him. It meant a lot to him and gave him some peace. “Thanks,” Jon said. “That really means a lot to me.”
“It’s true all of it,” Kelly said.
“Kelly, I release you from the bond and allow you to travel your own way from now on,” Jon said. “I have to go now, time is short. I love you both, more than you will ever know.” Nefeit looked up just in time to see Jon shimmer and fade away.
Just as Jon disappeared what had been undone suddenly snapped back in place and the bond was established once again.
“It didn’t work,” Nefeit said. Kelly nodded her agreement as she grunted and another contraction hit her.
“What do you mean?” Arianna said.
“The bond has snapped back in place, I can feel him again,” Nefeit said.
Arianna stood up as she spoke, “You,” she pointed to one of her guards. “Are in command, if anything happens to these women I’ll have your ass.”
“Yes Ma’am!” the guard snapped to attention and saluted her.
Without another word Arianna ran out of the room and headed back towards Main Medical and Jon.
Ghost released Jon from her embrace and stepped back as she faded. The room spun around Jon as he fell and friendly hands caught him and gently laid him on the floor. The room slowly stopped spinning for him as a Medic worked on him.
“Did it work?” Terri asked.
Jon nodded as he sat up and took a sip of a water that was offered to him.
“That stressed him pretty bad, any longer and it might have killed him,” the Med Tech said.
“I’m sorry,” Ghost’s voice said from Jon’s suit. “I warned you it would strain you.”
“It was a risk I was willing to take,” Jon said as he slowly got to his feet.
Ghost had interfaced with Jon’s nanites by using his armored suit. Technically she was now partially living in his suit. She would never be completely removed from his suit now that she had interfaced with it like she had. Even parts of Atlantis were now alive in the suit.
Ghost had accessed the holo emitters to bring Jon to his wives. With Atlantis’ help they had broken partially through the black out and was able to establish the connection. The power required strained the nanites and suit systems to the brink of breaking. It was the only way he could get there and had taken the step when he found out Kelly was in labor. He had to protect them no matter the cost to himself.
“Sir,” Ghost said.
“Yes Ghost?” Jon said. He stepped forward to look once again at the Duke as he worked on Deatra. Waves of pain and nausea washing over him in stronger waves as time went on.
“I am able to now monitor all people in this section in close proximity,” Ghost said.
“And…” Jon said.
“Opellissa is alive, but has a couple broken ribs,” Ghost said. “Nothing life threatening.” Ghost hesitated before she proceeded. “You Sir, are dying. Your systems have already begun to break down. I do not think you have very long to live.”
People around Jon looked around at each other and exchanged various looks as they worked through their emotions.
“If we got him to Medical on another ship,” Terri said.
“Yeah,” Breq said. Breq accessed his communication device. “Captain Patel take us into orbit and head for the space station. Call in a Medical Emergency and have all Medical Staff standing by.”
“Aye, Sir” Patel said.
“It won’t help,” Ghost said. “There is nothing here that can deal with his injuries. His best bet would be Ghost Station, and you are to far away to make it.
Jon let out a cough that made everyone stop talking. Really the cough sounded more like a death rattle. Blood misted the window in front of Jon that was now supporting him from falling over. A small trickle of blood ran from his left nostril and began dripping from his chin, spattering when it hit the floor below.
Someone handed Jon a piece of cloth and he pressed it to his nose to staunch the flow of blood. When Jon looked up everyone was focused on him with a look of worry. It surprised him to know that so many people really cared about him. In a way it relaxed him and made it easier to accept his fate.
“What?” Jon said a half grin on his face. “We all knew what was coming.”
“Andie needs immediate medical attention if she is to survive,” Ghost said.
“I’m going to end this,” Jon said.
He looked down to where Opellissa was laying and felt the bond strengthen. It was the key to cutting the string that tied them together. “Opellissa, I release
you from the bond and allow you to travel your own way from now on,” Jon said quietly.
Opellissa convulsed as her body reacted to the bond. It was a stronger reaction to the link dying than Kelly or Nefeit had displayed. It also caught the attention of the Duke, who looked down to Opellissa and then up to Jon.
The Duke’s eyes narrowed as he spoke, “What did you do?”
Jon looked up at the Duke as another fit racked Jon’s body. When the fit stopped and Jon was able to speak again he said, “Nothing.”
“LIES!” the Duke yelled. “Now you pay the price.”
Andie floated up from the floor as the Duke motioned at her. The Duke made a motion with his hand and Andie flew through the air towards where Jon was. She slammed into the glass partition and let out a moan of pain.
Andie opened her only eye that was not swollen and looked at Jon. She smiled slightly and then frowned. “I’m sorry,” She said. A tear filling her eye, it rolled down her cheek.”
Jon raised his hand and put it next to her face as he spoke, “For what?”
“Failing you,” Andie said. Tears started flowing freely. “For blaming you, even though I never told you, for Bill’s death.”
“It’s ok,” Jon said. He held back the tears and sadness as he tried to be strong for her. He knew it was the final few she had. He heard a few sniffs from behind him as others were not so strong.
“No, it wasn’t,” Andie said. “Bill chose his route and knew the dangers. To blame you, even if privately, was not right. I want to thank you for everything you did to keep our hope alive and to protect us.” Andie smiled again and raised her hand putting it on Jon’s through the glass.
“Oh, please,” the Duke said.
A snap filled the air and Andie’s eye rolled back into her head as her life fled her body. It was only then that Jon gulped as the sadness threatened to break through.
Andie’s body slid down the window to the floor as Jon said, “I accept everything you said. I want to thank you for sticking by me through thick and thin.”
For a second a brief smile crossed Andie’s face just before her body gave up her last breath. Andie crumpled into a heap below the window, and Jon could once again see the Duke and Deatra.
Deatra’s eyes were open and tears fell freely as she followed Andie’s body to the floor. “Bastard,” She said in a hushed voice. It was all she could manage under the current restrictions the Duke had her under.
The Duke looked at her and smiled as he shrugged.
“I can promise you, this spotlight you are enjoying right now will fade and someone will make you pay for this,” Jon said as he leaned heavily on the window.
Opellissa’s body convulsed again, and the Duke looked at her. She was still under his influence and unconscious. The Duke frowned as he tried to figure out what was going on. Maybe she was fighting his control or Jon did something to her. Either way if she gets up she’ll die, he didn’t need her.
“You guards,” the Duke pointed to three of the guards in the room. “Guard her, if she gets up kill her.” The Duke indicated Opellissa as he finished speaking. Then he frowned when the guards didn’t move.
“I said guard Opellissa,” the Duke said again.
This time when they didn’t move Deatra let out a small chuckle and the Duke spun on her. “What are you laughing at?”
“You think you are the only one with powers over others?” Deatra said. “Your guards will not help you as long as I can think for myself. I have frozen them in place.”
The Duke laughed as he spoke, “Good a strong talent. I chose right to choose you over your sister. It doesn’t matter, keep the guards held in place.”
He turned and began working on Deatra again. She gritted her teeth as the pain flared up again and set her mind on fire. “I wasn’t holding them in place for Opellissa,” Deatra managed to say through her clenched teeth.
At that second a fist slammed into the side of the Duke’s face and sent him reeling across the room. A foot swept his legs out from under him, and an elbow slammed into his chest slamming him into the floor.
The Duke’s visions was filled with black from the fist that slammed into him and it took a second for him to get his bearings to react. As he slammed into the floor he reached out for the mind of the person who was attacking him. He grasped at empty air and he started to panic. His vision began to clear as a hand grabbed the front of his shirt and picked him up from the floor, the Duke gasped in surprise.
Oojoung grinned at the Duke as he slammed his fist into his gut, which knocked the wind out of the Duke. “Duke’s mind games and playings will not work on Oojoung,” Oojoung said as he held the Duke up.
Oojoung reach out and grabbed the Duke by the throat and picked him up off the floor. Which was a feat for Oojoung considering the Duke was much larger than him. He closed his hand slowly as he started to strangle the Duke.
“Time’s up for evil Duke person,” Oojoung said. “No, more hurtings to people Oojoung loves.”
The Duke’s mind spun as his air slowly got cut off. Damn Buranis and their immunity to mind control. It wasn’t impossible to do just very hard to do and only the strongest was able to do it. This is why the Invaru made them front line troops during the war. Then it dawned on him what to do.
The medical cart slammed into Oojoung with a satisfying thud. It knocked Oojoung down and stunned him briefly. Oojoung shook his head as he regained his feet and turned towards the Duke. Oojoung dodged out of the way of a monitor that had been tore from the ceiling.
Oojoung made two leaps, the first to dodge another medical cart and the second to spear the Duke, taking him to the ground. Oojoung ended up on top of the Duke and proceeded to pound on the Duke.
Jon smiled as he watched Oojoung take the Duke down. “Hope, we have some hope,” Jon said. “Not everything is lost.”
It was at that moment the Duke realized he could pick up Oojoung with his powers and toss him across the room, and that is exactly what he did. Oojoung flew through the room and slammed into the glass in front of Jon. Only this time it shattered, and Oojoung went flying through.
Breq pulled Jon out of the way at the last second. “Thanks,” Jon said.
Breq nodded as he said, “No problem.”
Terri however, was not as lucky, as Oojoung’s body slammed into her. Terri felt ribs break and heard a grunt of pain from Oojoung as they fell into a heap. Ignoring the pain Terri extracted herself from Oojoung, who was unconscious, and rolled him over. Terri gasped as a large piece of glass came into view. It was embedded in Oojoung’s chest along with several other deep cuts that were bleeding heavily.
Terri looked up at Jon said, “Jon I have to get him to my ship or he’ll die.”
Jon nodded, “Go.”
As people realized the glass was now gone and started to react Terri and Oojoung faded from view. Jon turned his attention back towards the Duke and saw the Duke was now back at Deatra’s side.
“Hold,” Jon said. “No one do anything.”
“I’ll kill her,” the Duke said. “Back off and leave now or I’ll do it.” The Duke wasn’t doing so well Oojoung had done a number on him, and he could feel himself weakening. He had to move fast if he was going to complete his task.
“Just give it up,” Jon said. “You can’t win, so just stop the bloodshed.”
“I can and will win,” the Duke said. “I’ll kill her if you do not leave.” As if to make his point Deatra grunted in pain as the Duke motioned at her. The Duke glared at Jon, occasionally turning his gaze to those around Jon, as if daring them to make a move.
Jon motioned people to fall back, he knew the Duke was telling the truth. Jon didn’t move as those around him retreated.
“I’m not moving,” Jon said.
“Fine you can stay and watch to your dying breath,” the Duke said. He turned his attention to Deatra while he kept Jon in his peripheral vision. “Release my men.”
Deatra shook her head as she spoke, “Not on
your life, well maybe if you gave up your life.” Deatra felt something start burning her from the inside. The feeling coursed up through her body, it was actually a pleasant feeling.
“How about on his life?” the Duke said as he motioned towards Jon.
Jon’s throat suddenly felt tight and it was almost impossible to breath. Jon felt his weight lift as his feet cleared the floor. He reached up and clawed at whatever was holding his throat closed, but his fingers passed through air.
It was then that Jon heard Arianna yelling that the bond had established itself back to Nefeit and Kelly. Panic filled Jon as he knew everything he had done was for nothing. He started struggling harder as he thought of the women he loved dying.
“Do it,” Deatra said as the heat filled her body. She felt power surge through her mind as her senses became amplified. She didn’t know what was going on, but she knew the Duke’s hold on her was slipping.
“You’re the worst kind of murderer,” Jon managed to get out.
The Duke laughed, “I thought that was obvious.”
“You’re willing to kill two innocent children?” Jon said. “All to gain power, soldiers I understand, but children.”
“I have never killed children,” the Duke said. “Well maybe one or two, but I try to avoid it. Even I have some scruples.”
“You’re killing my bond mate Kelly,” Jon said. “She is carrying two unborn children that are not even mine.”
Deatra gasped as the sensations through her body strengthened.
“No, you’re killing her,” the Duke said. “You can break the bond, I know you know how.”
“I tried,” Jon said. Heat washed his body as he suddenly started to feel much better. “It established itself again.”
“Oh, they rejected the disconnection,” the Duke said.
Then it dawned on the Duke what was going on with Opellissa. He looked down her prone form and then back to Jon. “That’s what you did,” the Duke said.
Jon nodded his head as he struggled to break free from the hold the duke had on him.
Euthara Page 42
