“Like this,” she said, and she laid a big wet kiss on him, then she mounted him. “Momma’s gonna get you now, Marine,” she whispered, beginning to move her hips.
“Then get me, Momma. Get me good.” He thrust her and she did everything else. She knew how to work him, driving them both crazy, and she took her own sweet time. He took her hands and she moved a little faster, grinding and rocking her hips against him, calling out his name, “Oh John, Oh John!” She tightened her grip on his hands, threw her head back and forth, her long auburn hair flying all around them. He joined her in a fabulous orgasm.
“Good God, I missed you,” she whispered breathlessly, as she rolled off him. They lay together, kissing and petting each other for some time, before resuming their lovemaking.
They slept soundly until the morning light flooded their bedroom.
Mason’s implants, replaced two days before Thanksgiving, were thrashed. Dr. Brandt replaced all brain and spinal implants, and he was in microsurgery for over six hours. At least his bionic eye and ear implants were still okay. She cautioned him about his next replacements. Not only the interior components would be replaced, but their housings, as well, and required a five to seven day stay in the hospital. They would need the extra time to reweave with his nerve, spinal and brain tissue, and those processes required several surgeries. He promised to be careful going forward; but everything depended on what his duties encompassed.
Grandma and Grandpa Cohen babysat again while the Masons attended the High Council dinner, very proud their daughter received an invitation, and was asked to deliver the keynote speech at the opening of their annual meeting in Brussels.
The cocktails and appetizers started while the High Councilmen discussed the Great Vault Project with Admiral Mason. They wanted her to make the Great Vault discovery her speech topic in Brussels, and effectively announce its existence to the entire world. Instead of guarding tonight, Mason was an invited guest, and he sat next to his Admiral.
The Joint Chiefs and Admiral Hanson eventually joined their dinner. After the initial conversation about the Great Vault Project finished, the Commandant congratulated Mason on receiving the Medal of Valor. “Amazing job delivering Sukesh, Mason. And I hear you took the XR-8 up to hyper-space 14. Good job, Prime Marine!” The Commandant exclaimed.
“Thank you, Commandant. The XR-8 is amazing, sir. She handles like a dream,” Mason admitted.
“Also, Admiral Hanson brought your Lieutenant Lo to demonstrate the prototype hand scanner to the Joint Chiefs today. It performed perfectly! I understand you designed the basic schematics for it, Mason,” the Commandant added.
“Yes, Commandant. I’ve been trying to build it for months, using an old hand-held scanner of mine, and a medical scanner I borrowed from the Head Nurse on Mars X. Lieutenant Lo is the top tech on Mars X, so I asked his help to complete the project, and Admiral Hanson gave the project her blessing. She endorsed it from the time we talked with her about the scanner, sir.” Mason nodded at Admiral Hanson.
“Another great idea from my former Prime Marine, Commandant, High Councilmen. His presence is sorely missed on Mars X,” Admiral Hanson said.
“Yes, I’m sure about it. Nevertheless; we will be turning the manufacturing over to the group in Taiwan. Hopefully, we should have new hand-held scanners in the field within the next 2-3 months, with the Prime Marines receiving the first units. Lieutenant Lo was promoted today to Lt. Commander, and has been assigned to Admiral Westerly’s research group to incorporate the technology into the bio scanners,” the Commandant informed them all.
“Then, no hybrid or altered person will ever be allowed to set foot on a Space Forces ship or base again. We’ll be able to stop them in their tracks, identifying the transformed agents instantly,” Admiral Hanson stated.
“The bio scanner will also enable identification of any officer or crewman who has been subjected to altering of their DNA without their knowledge, as so many of them have, Admiral Hanson. It will be a much faster reverse engineering process if the DNA altering is detected early on, rather than waiting for the tell-tale neck markings or scales to develop,” Admiral Mason accurately surmised.
“You are absolutely correct, Admiral Mason. We want to develop and implement the technology into the bio scanners to completely turn around the aggressive, forced transformation of unwilling men and women, and tip the scales in our favor again,” Admiral Kensington offered.
“Balancing the equation,” Mason said quietly to Admiral Mason. She smiled in appreciation of his reference to her late husband Admiral Baines, the mathematics genius, who frequently referred to “balancing the equation,” when attempting to thwart the Yellow Man.
“It is imperative to be able to recognize the enemy. Both the hand-held scanners in the field and the bio scanners at entry points on our ships and bases will greatly enhance our ability to discover who among our own forces have been altered or transformed. Whether or not the process was with their full knowledge and approval will be a matter for the security personnel to determine. Those personnel who were forcibly altered will be reverse engineered back to 100% human by Admiral Mason’s genetics specialists as soon as possible. The traitors will be dealt with separately,” Admiral Worthington disclosed.
The discussion soon turned to Sukesh, who pled guilty to hundreds of charges against him, daring them to publicly hang him. “If I may offer my opinion, High Councilmen, Admiral Worthington; he will gather ten times the support and sympathizers if he is hanged. He will become a martyr for the ONE. Sukesh can communicate with the Yellow Man, his agents and supporters through telepathy. We have no idea how many supporters he has, but I am certain their numbers will grow exponentially if he is hanged. Sukesh is challenging Earth Command, sir,” Mason said quietly. “I recommend he be put in stasis immediately, to avoid further communication with his sympathizers,” Mason added.
After their dinner was finished, Mason felt a familiar feeling. The Yellow Man suddenly shimmered onto the vid screen. Mason felt the Yellow Man’s presence all evening.
“We are ONE. You have taken our agent Sukesh, and we want him returned to us. He was traded to us to study,” the Yellow Man said. He stood beside his green and yellow big lizard commander, and made no attempt to smile.
“He has committed many high crimes against our people, our Space Forces; he has caused much devastation and death. He must atone for these crimes against us,” Li Yun said.
“The ONE do not want Sukesh killed, or injured in any way. He is with us now, part of the ONE, and should be returned to us,” the Yellow Man said firmly.
“That is simply not possible,” Madam Li Yun said flatly. “We want peace with the ONE, and want to be left in peace now,” she said.
The Yellow Man laughed out loud, a hideous laugh inhuman in its tone. “You do not understand. Sukesh has gathered many to his cause. He is their Master. He communicates with his followers even now! You will bring much more devastation and death if you keep him; untold destruction if he is martyred. You are safer if he is returned to us. The ONE is offering to help you live in peace, by taking Sukesh from you now,” he said, offering his screwed-face smile.
She was silent for some time. “The High Council must deliberate your words and your offer. If Sukesh is returned to the ONE, will he be allowed free reign again, to kill us, to cause more chaos and destruction?” She asked.
“He will not. He will be contained. The ONE offer this to you, and you have our word. Deliberate, but do not harm Sukesh.” The Yellow Man shimmered out.
Their dinner was over. The High Councilmen stood and left immediately, leaving the Joint Chiefs, Admirals Mason and Hanson, and Major Mason at the table.
General Ling commented, “Seems you and the Yellow Man think alike, Major Mason. Sukesh as a martyr would be worse than he has ever been, and more deadly.”
“Martyrdom has its purpose, history has shown us time and again. Self-sacrifice is an effective act to inspire new converts, as well as rally
existing supporters, and call them to action. We should be extremely careful,” General Moshe warned.
“I would like to petition the Joint Chiefs for security for Admiral Mason and my family. The Yellow Man now knows who captured Sukesh, and Sukesh knows what the Yellow Man knows. Sukesh is very vengeful. My family requires protection, Admirals, Commandant, Generals,” Mason said very seriously. He could not be the Prime Marine for Madam Li Yun and leave his own wife and family unprotected.
“Absolutely, Major Mason. I agree with you 100% on this point,” Admiral Worthington said emphatically. “You protect the High Council, and we will provide protection for your family. For all of our families, in fact. We are at war.”
Mason thanked him, saluted their table, and left to follow the High Councilmen, after his comm link beeped, calling him to their service.
XXXII
For the safety of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral and Major Mason, and their families, security was heightened for them all. They received offers to move into URE-provided housing and leave their homes, but no one was ready to move at Christmas time. Each family was provided a security droid to stand guard inside their home, invisible shield screens for their doors and windows, and alarm systems inside their homes. Rachel felt more secure.
The High Council and Joint Chiefs wanted to capture, court martial, and hang Sukesh, to make an example of him to the world. They felt it would help end the invasion. Now, they realized they should have had him killed in some type of staged accident. They were not about to give him back to the ONE, and let him continue his unbridled reign of terror and vendetta; but they could not let him telepathically communicate with his sympathizers and the ONE.
The decision was made to induce coma and closely monitor his brain waves, to detect any and all telepathic activity. Sukesh was put into a brain wave analyzer while restrained and tranquilized, and his brain activity measured and analyzed. Then he was sedated and the same measurements taken. He was phenomenal; there was very little difference in those two tests. Finally, he was put into a coma, and his brain activity drastically subsided. They determined to keep him in that state for the safety of everyone involved.
Sukesh was transferred to the military prison section at Mars Penal Colony, in “the pit,” a subterranean, solitary confinement cell more than 12 levels underground. He was fed and monitored 24/7. Their only other alternative was cryonic hibernation, which Mason recommended. They would regret not doing so; Sukesh could still communicate telepathically with his sympathizers.
Christmas at the Mason household was very merry, with it being Mason’s first Christmas there with them. Caitlin baked breads and cookies, filling their house with wonderful smells. Mason bought the biggest tree he could find that fit in their living room, and everyone helped decorate it. Christmas dinner was ham and roast prime rib, with all the trimmings. The Grandparents were overjoyed when Rachel announced they were home from Mars to stay. The boys were growing so fast. The floor under the Christmas tree was piled high with gifts for everyone, and the holidays were wonderful.
In his final report as XO for Mars X, Mason recommended First Sergeant DuMonde for Officer Candidate School. She accepted the advice of Admirals Mason and Hanson to switch to the Space Forces from the Space Marines, in order to expedite her Officer Candidate School entrance. Mason was happy she was being treated much better in the Space Forces OCS than he had been treated at the beginning of his OCS in Quantico.
Mason’s gear arrived from his one bedroom apartment on Mars the next day. Before New Year’s, Mason received Victor’s agreement to adopt him, and filed the paperwork. Adoptions took considerable time to be approved.
Mason traveled one, sometimes two weeks per month. He loved getting to come home more often. The trip to Brussels was getting close, however. The High Council General Session would last for three weeks; he would arrive one week early and stay for the duration, and then take them to various places afterwards. At least he would see Rachel for a few days, since she was delivering the keynote speech.
Mason flew Madam Li Yun and three other High Councilmen to Brussels in the XR-8. Madam Li Yun took the Presidential Suite; the other High Council members, full suites. Mason was in the smaller private suite next door to Li Yun. The pre-meeting week was jammed with guest appearances and interviews, or “Fluff,” as Li Yun referred to the events. Admiral Mason arrived with her boys and Nurse Lacy two days before the opening of the meetings.
The General Session opening ceremony was shown live from dozens of stationery vid cams. Mason had never seen so many people crowded into a city before. High Council members were escorted in an underground tram from the hotel to the Grand Assembly in the URE Government Building. Space Forces and Army security personnel, and Space Marines, all fully armed, were everywhere, as were European Regional security forces and local Brussels police. Admiral Mason was also brought via the underground tram, and waited for her place in the opening procession. Everyone stood as the trumpets sounded.
First, the red, white, blue and gold URE flag was marched in by a color guard representing each branch of the military services; then the European Regional flag was brought in by the Paris Space Forces Officer Candidate School color guard. Both flags were set together, the URE flag twice as large and mounted higher than the regional flag.
Next in the procession were the High Councilmen, in traditional formal purple uniforms, each followed by armed Prime Marines. The formal uniforms replicated those worn by the original High Council members, with very high collars, ornate, and with heavy gold necklaces bearing the URE seal. The three guest speakers were escorted into the room, their seats perpendicular to the High Councilmen. Mason was directly behind Madam Li Yun, fully armed with laser rifle, side arm, and sword. The United Republics of Earth anthem played. At the anthem’s conclusion, the High Councilmen sat, as did the audience.
High Councilman Arepas opened the meeting with a twenty-minute prologue. Then, he introduced the Great Vault Project Director, Admiral Mason. She was poised, eloquent, and spoke with confidence and authority. Her speech was accompanied with several visual recordings, including three dimensional inside vids of the Great Vault chambers themselves: the chamber with the drawings, the stacks of knowledge crystals, and the research labs. She did a tremendous job of presenting the discovery of the ancient records to the world, and generated much excitement in the project. Admiral Mason received a standing ovation from the two thousand people in the auditorium.
While he watched her deliver her speech, Mason wondered: did Head Nurse Commander Rachel Cohen ever see herself doing this, making the keynote speech to open the General Session? Speaking to the entire world; the entire solar system? It was thirteen years ago he first met her on the Hesperia. Mason certainly never saw himself as the Chief Prime Marine for the ruling body on Earth, sworn protector to the most powerful woman in the solar system. Or as the husband to Admiral Rachel Mason. How things had changed. He stood silently, watching and listening to his Admiral, his chest swelled with pride. Their destinies truly were entwined.
The subsequent meeting days were, for the most part, tedious and boring as hell. As the URE’s ruling body, the High Council heard petitions, settled Regional Governors’ differences, and passed new regulations and laws when necessary. The last three days saw the Joint Chiefs join the High Council in session.
The announcement of the retiring Joint Chief was made: Admiral Kensington from the Space Forces would retire in one month. Also revealed was the immediate retirement of Admiral Wilson, and he did not appear happy about it at all. The debacle at SS4 was squarely on his shoulders, and now he paid the price for his arrogance and errors in judgment, proclaimed in a very public setting. Replacing Wilson was the new Joint Chief of the Navy, Admiral Langford, a career man no one knew in the Space Forces circle. He spent most of his naval career fighting pirates on Earth’s seven seas. He sounded perfect to Mason.
On the last day of the General Session, an interesting announcement was made by High
Councilman Adams. He announced the opportunity for any current Army, Navy or Air Force officer or enlisted personnel to apply for the Space Forces, and receive expedited entry into their field of specialty, if accepted. Former military members who served within the last five years would also be considered. Both categories, former and current, would receive a transfer or rehire bonus from $5000 to $20,000, depending on their field of specialty.
This was a very unusual announcement. The Space Forces prided themselves on being a higher level of military service than their Earth-bound brothers and sisters. The physical training was more rigorous, and the intelligence testing criteria more stringent. Space Forces and Space Marines were required to test in the top 15%, whereas the Earth-bound test results required the top 25% of all candidates. The High Council just let everyone know the URE was going to war, and needed boots in the solar system ASAP.
Earth Command possessed the right to call up troops from any branch of service and send them anywhere, but never sent Earth-bound soldiers, airmen and sailors into space before. No such offer was made to transfer into the Space Marines, however. They would still remain the best of the best, with the highest requirements and testing criteria for entry, and Mason was pleased.
Mason arrived in Houston after the General Session ended, to a happy family and a wife elated to have him home again. Admiral Mason was now the shining star of the Space Forces Medical Corps. She was offered several new positions as a result of her very high-profile engagement, and wanted to discuss her choices with her husband.
The first offer was a “gimmee:” permanent directorship of the Genetics Specialty Research Facilities throughout the entire solar system (most of which she already controlled); directorship of the URE Genetics Specialty Research facilities in New York, a civilian position; adjutant Joint Chief of Staff, representing all non-combatants; or the Chief Consultant to the Genetics Testing and Experimentation facilities in Geneva, Switzerland, a joint Space Forces and URE position.
Vengeance of Sukesh: John Mason (Legend of John Mason) Page 42
