by Terry Frost
Addressing Hammer, Captain Slain said, “Well, Colonel. I would imagine the entire Daakie world is looking for these two. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are trying to locate Colossus as we speak, to see if their prince and Junal stowed away on our ship.”
Before Colonel Hammer could reply, Junal said, “Even if we were hidden on Colossus they would not find us. Before deciding to leave Daak my prince asked me to remove the transponder. I didn’t want to remove it, but I love him, and he pleaded that I remove it for us.”
“Where was the transponder placed and how did you remove it?” Hammer asked.
“It was between his third and fourth toe, and I used my ‘stogard’ to remove it,” Junal said while pulling the Jedi blade from her waistband.
Slain looked at the stogard and asked if he could wield it.
Just before handing the stogard to Slain, Jak said, “Be careful Captain, you don’t want to poke out an eye. At least that is what my mother always said when I wanted to play with sharp objects.”
“You never had a mother, Colonel,” Slain said while snickering.
Junal handed it to the captain and he palmed it then made a few short strokes with it in his hand and said, “I have to get me one of these” then handed it back to the Venic.
“I suggest we get back to the Colossus and figure out what we are going to do with these two runaways. Everyone buckle up and lets head back. I, for one, don’t ever want to see Planet Ogre again,” Hammer said.
“Planet Ogre. So, why did you name it after an Ogre?” Slain asked
“When we get the time I’ll tell you all about it. Now, put your foot on the accelerator and let's go.”
“The Striker does not have an accelerator, Colonel. It is driven by…, Jak stopped him and said, “I know Commodore, I was just joshing the captain. Within the next minute, they jumped back to their last known coordinates of the Colossus.
Captain Slain brought the Striker out of hyperspace five miles from the Colossus then slowed the big Battlecruiser and called the bridge. “USC Striker requesting permission to land.”
Rear Admiral Petrov was in control of the massive ship and said, “Glad you’re back, Captain. Do you have good news for us?”
“Affirmative, Admiral. But wait till you see what I brought back with me, and I don’t think you or Admiral Allen is going to be too pleased. I suggest you both meet us in the hangar, sir.”
Slain got it turned and headed it to the hangar bay. Once safely stopped he looked out his right side cockpit window and saw a rare situation at floor level. That rare situation was having both Admirals waiting for them to debark from the Striker.
Commodore Jeeves was the first to come down the steps followed by Major Hoser and Captain Slain. When they were standing next to their superiors, Allen asked, “Where is Colonel Hammer, Captain.”
“He should be coming any second, Admiral. And he will be bringing the surprise I told Admiral Petrov was on board.”
A second later Colonel Hammer appeared and behind him was Prince Gorvik and Junal.
“Holy shit,” Allen said.
When Hammer and his two stowaways were positioned in front of Admiral Allen, Allen asked, “Care to tell me why these two are with you and not back on Daak? No, check that. You and your captives can answer my questions in Room Forward. Now follow me.”
Everyone else but the two Admirals, Hammer, Gorvik, and Junal went about other business as the group returned to the lift and headed up to Room Forward. On the lift, Allen said he couldn’t wait to hear their story, and also said he was interested in finding out about the blue planet.
As the entered Room Forward, Allen motioned for the three marooned people to take a seat. He asked if they needed something to drink before he began his interrogation. They declined the offer and waited for the butt chewing they figured was coming, at least for the young couple.
“First of all, I guess you two might have been able to board my ship by the only way you could have, and that was during your uncle’s visit. Is that a good guess, Prince Gorvik?
“Yes, Admiral. That is how we came to be on your ship.”
“How is it you found yourself stowed away on Colonel Hammer’s hornet?”
“We knew we had to leave the Zurgut the first chance we could get, but just as we came down to the hangar bay we heard some of your people walking our way. I saw the Colonel’s hornet and thought we would hide in it until it was safe to hunt for a better location.”
“Colonel, when did you know they were on board your fighter?”
“During a battle maneuver, sir. I made a quick turn to face off with an oncoming Hive fighter and that’s when I heard someone in the back of my hornet, Admiral. Shocked as I was to see them, I didn’t have time to debate their reasons for being on board.
“I asked the prince if he could fight and he said he could, so I had him man the cannons. He did quite well Admiral until we became overrun by a swarm of their fighters and took some damage.
“I had lost a thruster and if I continued to fight them we would not be here today. So I turned the hornet for the blue planet thinking I could lose them in the stratosphere, but oddly enough they didn’t follow, and after being marooned on the planet it didn’t take long for me to understand why the Hive fighters did not pursue us. By the way, Admiral, I did give the planet a name. I named it Planet Ogre. You do know what an ogre is, don't you, Admiral?”
“I know what a damn ogre isn’t, Colonel, and there isn’t such a thing as ogres.”
“No disrespect, sir, and you may be right about no such thing as ogres on Earth, but there sure as hell is such a thing as ogres on Planet Ogre.”
Gorvik offered, “I do not know what Humans do or do not call ogres back on your world, Admiral, but Colonel Jak Hammer called the huge ugly beasts ogres, and that is what they will be called by me, should I have the unfortunate chance to ever be on their planet again.”
“Enough about ogres. I need to inform you, Prince, that only a few hours ago Caid Tikik and Burseq Maalik was on this ship searching for you two. They had completely swept your world looking for a signal from your implanted transponder.
“Your uncle, the king, ordered them to come find us to see if we captured you and Junal and forced you to come with us. I also should tell you they were not happy about the two of you not being on this ship.
Allen looked away for a few seconds, then looked back at the nervous-acting young aliens and said, “Well, Admiral Petrov, I guess we need to turn Colossus around and head back to Planet Daak, so we can deliver these two to King Gaakin.
“No, hold that order for a little while. I think I want them to visit with USC’s Morgan Piner.”
“Once the young couple has been evaluated by Morgan, and I get her analysis, then I will decide what I’m going to do with you two,” Allen said
The thought came to Allen that Piner being an empath might very well be able to tell him just how much in love the young aliens are in. Allen would not be considered soft by any means, but something tells him that if he takes them back, he feels sure nothing but a scolding will happen to the prince, but it could cost the beautiful Junal her life, and he will not be responsible for that.
Admiral Petrov, would you contact Lieutenant Baffy and tell him to come to Room Forward to escort these two to Miss Piner’s office? I will let Morgan know they are coming.”
“Aye, Admiral.”
The young couple had been in the doctor’s office for thirty minutes and were still waiting. Lieutenant Baffy was ordered to stand guard outside Piner’s office door. While on Colossus, the young couple will be chaperoned everywhere they went until Admiral Allen made up his mind on what to do with the pair.
Before meeting with the pair, Morgan wanted to talk to Colonel Hammer about the young couple first. Once satisfied she had all the knowledge Hammer had, she left him and went to her office. When she walked into the office she took a seat across from the couple.
As she began searching the young cou
ple's innermost feelings for each other, she sat a moment and just smiled at them to see their reactions to her silence. It was quite obvious the young prince wasn’t a patient being. On the other hand, the young Venic girl was anything but impatient, but Morgan could sense she was nervous.
Morgan finally offered her hand to Prince Gorvik and said, “I’m Doctor Piner and I take it you are the Daakie, Prince Gorvik. I’m pleased to meet you.”
“Yes, I am Prince Gorvik, and I’m pleased to meet you too, Doctor.”
Reaching for Junal’s hand she said, “And you could only be the lovely and stunningly beautiful Junal.”
Blushing, Junal said, “Thank you, and I’m also pleased to meet you, Doctor.”
“Let’s begin with what I have been told by the charming Colonel Hammer prior to meeting with you both.”
“Excuse me, Doctor. Did you say charming Colonel Hammer?” Gorvik asked.
“Yes, that is what I said.” Then she looked at Junal and asked, “Don’t you find Colonel Hammer to be charming, Junal?”
A little shy and apprehensive to answer the question with her love sitting by her, she finally said, “Yes, I guess you could say, Colonel Hammer, in his own way, is charming.”
Morgan noticed Junal’s subtle squeezing of the prince’s hand.
The prince made a snorting sound which was taken by Doctor Piner to be a show of the young man’s disagreement.
Morgan visited with the young pair for around thirty minutes, then thanked them for allowing her to ask them what she told them were extremely important questions. When she stood up so did Junal and the prince.
Morgan turned her head towards the door, walked the couple to it, opened it, and said, “Lieutenant, you can escort the young man and young lady to their quarters if you please. I assume they are separate quarters, are they not?”
“Yes, ma’am, they are individual quarters.”
Chapter 34
“I’m telling you Jeeves, the damn things were ogres. And by damn those hairy creatures were frikin Sasquatches. I guess you don’t believe me when I tell you a damn six-foot tall pill bug crawled right over the top of my hornet either.”
“I believe you left out the fireflies as big as beach balls,” Jeeves said with an actual smile on his face. He had been practicing facial expressions that required particular muscular movements for each reaction.
“Will you look at that? You can actually smile now. How long have you been practicing that little trick?”
“I would estimate near the time you went missing.”
“Well, stop it. It doesn’t look natural. More like a muscular malfunction than a smile.”
“That is your opinion, Jak. Doctor Victoria Stavens said my smile was adorable, and I tend to agree with her.”
Jak rolled his eyes and thought no one shows almost all their teeth when they smile, Jeeves. It kinda freaks me out actually.
“I have to say that I’m impressed with your effort to learn how to smile, but enough about that, let’s go see how close Commander McManus is coming along with the completion of Perseus’s repair. We could be of some assistance.”
****
Admiral Allen and Rear Admiral Petrov were in Allen’s Ready Room listening to Doctor Piner’s analysis of the prince and the Venic woman Junal’s emotional state of mind. It may be just Allen’s imagination, but it seems that every time his second in command is near Doctor Piner, Anatoly sits more rigidly, and is always super attentive as if he is trying to impress the good doctor.
I could be mistaken, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t just see a twinkle in Morgan’s eyes while looking and talking to him Allen thought.
“So tell us, Doctor. What do your senses tell you about our two young refugees?” Allen asked.
“Refugees would an excellent description of Junal and Prince Gorvik, Admiral. I sensed they both feel as if there is no other way for them to be together other than to escape the world they were living in.
“They do share an unmistakable, deep-rooted love for each other and there is no denying it. Are you familiar with the centuries-old tale of Romeo and Juliet, Admiral?”
“Yes, I’m familiar with the story, Morgan. It has been a part of a required curriculum for junior classes around the age of sixteen. What does that tragic story have to do with our two refugees?”
“It is my professional opinion that it has everything to do with Romeo and Juliet. Prince Gorvik and Junal will do anything to be together. So much so that they would die so they could be together in what they believe to be an afterlife.”
“Well, shit. Oh, sorry, Doctor. That analysis is anything but what I wanted to hear.”
Allen looked at Anatoly and asked, “What do you think I should do?”
“If what she says is true, and we take them back to Planet Daak, I believe that hardnosed Caid Tikik will recommend they dispose of the problem by killing the young Venic woman. They may not tell Prince Gorvik that is what they are planning to do with her, but that won’t matter.”
“What he says is true, Admiral. While talking to the two young lovers, Prince Gorvik said the very same thing. He told me he knows that if you take them back they will tell him Junal must go back to Obon and never see him again. Then he said he knows that would be an untruth, and knowing she had died would cause him to kill himself.”
“Don’t you both think this is nothing more than two young people experiencing their first taste of love. Hell, I fell in love more times than I have fingers when I was young, and each time thought I wanted to die, but I’m still here.”
Doctor Piner stood up and pulled down on her blouse as if somewhat perturbed and said, “You asked me to analyze them and I did as you requested. You have my opinion and now if I may, I have other duties to perform.”
The two admirals stood up and walked Morgan to the door and as the door slid open, Allen said, “Thank you, Doctor.”
“You are most welcome, Arvin.”
When the door closed Arvin and Anatoly walked back to the table and when seated Allen said, “Kinda struck a nerve with the good doctor, huh?
Petrov tilted his head as to mean (maybe) then said, “You know if we don’t take them back and for whatever reason, the Daakies find out we lied about having their prince, it could mean war.”
“That is something we don’t need. I have all the confidence in the world when it comes to Colossus’s weapons capabilities, but even with all her firepower, we would not win a war against a military as powerful as the Daakie.”
“So what are you going to decide to do?”
“I’m going to have a long chit chat with just the prince. Junal will not be invited because I think it best if she doesn’t participate. I’m going to try to make him understand the responsibilities that come with being born to rule as a king of his world.”
“I sure would like to be a fly on the wall and listen to that conversation. I do wish you luck, Arvin.”
“Meanwhile I want you to take us back to the Calphor System. There are planets and many moons we still need to scan. I will be back at the helm after my talk with Prince Gorvik.”
As soon as Anatoly left the admiral’s Ready Room, Allen called Lieutenant Stern Baffy.
“Lieutenant, please escort Prince Gorvik to my chambers.”
“Yes, sir.”
Baffy pushed the intercom to the Prince’s room and said, “Prince Gorvik, this is Lieutenant Baffy. I’ve been ordered to escort you to Admiral Allen’s chambers. May I come in?”
The door slid open and the prince was pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back. Baffy could tell the young prince had been walking and wondering.
Gorvik turned towards the Lieutenant and asked, “Did they admiral request that I come without, Junal?”
“I don’t know anything about Junal being there or not. Please follow me.”
When they got to the admiral’s room Lieutenant Baffy pushed the intercom button and announced he and the prince were there. The door slid open and Baffy
saw his commander standing at a small table in front of a small couch.
“I’ve escorted the prince as you ordered, sir.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant. Please wait outside if you would.”
“Aye, aye, Admiral.”
If the prince was the least bit nervous it didn’t show.
“Please take a seat.”
Gorvik sat down on the small couch as Allen took a seat in the chair across the table from the prince.
“As I’m sure you are aware, I’ve been trying to decide what to do with you and Junal. After talking to Doctor Piner, she has made my decision even more confusing. While I am not confused about is the feelings you have for Junal. I am, however, confused on the issue of you not totally grasping your obligation and responsibility to the citizens under your uncle’s rule, and soon to be under your rule.”
“I understand what I’ve been groomed for, Admiral. I just don’t want to do it if I can’t have the woman I desire to rule by my side.”
“Understand that I know all about the power of love. If you don’t understand our word for feelings or desire as you call it, we call it love. Love is one of the most powerful emotions we Humans can experience in our lifetimes.
“Love has caused many kingdoms to crumble and has caused some kingdoms to flourish in our world over many periods of time. Prince Gorvik, your situation is not just about love. It is about duty, honor, respect, and the promise of caring for millions of the Daakie race. That promise has been a part of the fabric of your bloodline.
“My uncle has eight more of my brothers that can assume the throne if I don’t.”
“Though that may be true, they are not old enough to rule, and you are the only one old enough.” I’m not sure if I should tell you about this, but as the commander of my people on this mission, I have to think of them, and need to use all my knowledge to make sure that happens.
“Admiral, we Daakie can live as much as 600 periods, and by the time my uncle is ready to relinquish the crown there will be one or two of my brothers that will be groomed and old enough to rule.”
