"And you are the most amazing person I've ever met, Tamara Carlisle!" replied Harris.
"You know what they say about Spacer girls, don't you?" said Carlisle, as she opened the door.
"Um...no I don't."
"They don't need gravity," she replied.
She closed the door.
Over the course of the next few hours, Harris found out that the saying was absolutely and delightfully true!
Epilogue
On board private ship Carpathia, in deep space somewhere in the Santana Quadrant, February 8, 2599.
Nearly a month had passed since the liberation of the Santana Nexus and the escape of the Carpathia from the aftermath. The luxury ship headed away from the jump point for the Lazarus System. It had been a busy few weeks with little time for any rest. Fahada was by herself in her customary quarters. She felt an enormous sense of relief, the escape from the Santana Nexus had been harrowing. She found herself in the unexpected and unaccustomed position of being the leader of these people. The sudden, unfamiliar burden had kept her very busy but all of the activities associated with leadership had the advantage of not allowing her the time to think about the abrupt change in direction her life had taken.
The Sheik of Barsoom, shortly after he revealed himself to be Prince Merrikh of Jasmine, was suddenly, finally and undeniably dead. The man that she had dedicated her life to was gone, forever. Perhaps the Sheik had somehow known what was going to happen to him. She thought of her new husband, Captain of the very ship that had carried them both away from certain death. One of the old man's last acts had been to make sure that she was taken care of. She had been putting off this next activity, perhaps because it seemed so final. With a heavy heart, she opened the letter that her beloved Sheik had given her on the day she was married, a scant five weeks ago.
"My dearest Fahada,
If you are reading this letter, it means that I am no longer among the living. If my plans for the Santana Quadrant had been successful, all would have been revealed and I would have requested that you return this letter because it was no longer needed.
I am telling you this because I and a few others have kept secrets, secrets that were necessary to protect ourselves and to protect our loved ones. What you do not know is that I was married shortly after my escape from the final battle of the Succession War. Though it seems difficult to believe, my wife and I had a quiet life for a good many years as I slowly and carefully gathered my allies and my resources to launch my campaign to right the wrongs of this Universe. We had a son but we did not dare to raise him ourselves. Instead we left him with trusted friends and he was nurtured and cared for by them until he grew up. He himself got married and had a son who died early in life. He also had a daughter. She was cared for by the same trusted friends who had raised my son.
The daughter of my son is you, Fahada.
Yes, you are my granddaughter!
To you I leave all of my worldly goods, including my beloved Carpathia. The man I chose for your husband is a good man and is as dedicated to my vision as anyone you are likely to meet.
Do not let my Revolution die with me.
Your loving Grandfather, Sheik of Barsoom, Prince Merrikh of Jasmine.
Fahada leaned back in her chair, the letter in her lap, and contemplated what the next phases of her life would be like. The letter changed everything. She smiled as all of the pieces came falling into place. She had visited the infirmary earlier that day. In spite of only being a married for a few weeks it had been revealed to her that she was pregnant. The child was male and though it was very early, he appeared to be healthy and normal.
With Prince Merrikh dead, Fahada's son would be the sole and rightful heir to the throne of Jasmine. His parents, dedicated to the late Prince Merrikh, would see that the heir had a very special upbringing. Perhaps the Universe could be set right after all.
It was just going to take some more time...
The End.
Note from the author:
Thank you for purchasing and reading Junkyard Dogs Three: The Santana Nexus. Take a moment, if you would be so kind, to write a review for the book. Short or long, it doesn't matter. Tell me what you liked about The The Santana Nexus and what you didn't. Your time and effort will be greatly appreciated.
The Santana Nexus (Junkyard Dogs Book 3) Page 40
