by Ron Francis
“What’s that look, Jess?” she asked as she sat down next to him.
“What look?” Came the wry reply.
“You know what look. Did you accept a job from Enosal or Valinor? What’s going on? You look content.”
He thought about giving her the run around a little bit longer, but decided not to keep her in suspense. “I had a talk with Kimi.”
“And?” she excitedly interrupted.
“And we’re together now. No more waiting, no more missed signals, we’re actually together.”
“Jess, that’s great, and it’s about time.” She hugged him, but she could also sense some unease.
“Jess, how are you feeling, I mean about the death match, I can guess how you’re feeling about Kimi.” She began, knowing she would have to drag the answers out of him.
“I feel great, Suzy, thanks to you.” He could see the dubious expression on her face and amended his statement. “I mean, I feel alright, but far better than I have any right to expect. You don’t need to worry about me. I will say that I could probably use a vacation, or maybe just a couple weeks in the lab. I know this galaxy drive idea is possible. Really anything not fighting related would be fine with me for a while.” He laughed like it was a joke, but his eyes said otherwise.
“Jess, how are you feeling about everything that happened?” She pushed, knowing there was more to it than he was saying.
“Alright, I guess. I haven’t thought about it that much.”
“Jess, it’s me you’re talking to. I know there’s a little more processing than that going on.”
“What are you getting at? I don’t know what you are asking me.” He replied, a little frustrated that her questions were forcing him to think about things he didn’t want to think about yet.
“Jess, if you’re not ready to talk about it, that’s fine. Just remember that I’m here when you are.” She stood to leave and he gently grabbed her hand and pulled her back down.
“Suzy, I’m still really just trying to make sense of it all, I guess. I mean the spectacle it became and the scope of it. I don’t want to be remembered as the man who killed Garrinoras or the first human in a Zinnebailan death match. I still don’t even really understand why it had to be me.”
“What do you mean?” Suzy was very interested now. She wasn’t sure what she had expected when she approached him, but it wasn’t this.
“I mean, it doesn’t seem like it was enough for Kaldor and Ginderbar just to avoid war. They wanted to avoid war and end the threat Garrinoras posed once and for all. Even then, I felt like that’s all they wanted from me. They didn’t care what this would do to me, or even if I survived, they only wanted Garrinoras gone. I guess I understand that on some level, but why put me through it? Why not just rescue Cassie, take him out in the process and be done with it? With King Dominus being willing to send two hundred ships here, there’s no way the Zinnebailans would have still tried to start a war. I feel like they used me to just eliminate a thorn in their side.”
“Jess, I had no idea, I’m sorry you feel that way. Do you think Enosal and Valinor were in on it?”
“I don’t know. I know they’re my friends, but they weren’t the only ones involved in the process. They could have gotten swept up in the strategy of it all without thinking about how it might negatively affect me. They never even entertained another option. I believe Wennagal was sincere when he contacted me, but even then, he only wanted the easiest possible way to get his captain back. Even when he knew I wasn’t one hundred percent… I don’t really know what I’m trying to say here, Suzy.”
“No, Jess, it’s alright. Sometimes you need to work through your feelings and sometimes it helps to do that out loud.”
“Suzy, I killed a man that was begging for mercy. I know he was still trying to reach for his blaster, but it was out of his reach. I’m also pretty certain he would have still tried to find some other way to kill me if I did let him live, at least that’s what I tell myself. What does that make me? Am I a murderer? Am I no better than he was? Where does that leave me?”
“Jess, you’re a hero, and you killed a monster. There’s not one person in this galaxy that would say you murdered Garrinoras. Even the Zinnebailans don’t count a death match as murder. You saved the sector from war and saved millions of people. Don’t you ever think otherwise. I am truly sorry they asked you to do it, but he needed to go, and you know I would never say that lightly.”
“Maybe you’re right, Suzy, but I don’t want to be an executioner. This wasn’t like me dropping soldiers that were chasing the Princess through the city, this was one-on-one. One of us was to be the executioner and one of us was to die.”
“Jess, I’m glad you are alright, physically, and I’m here to help you if you want it until you’re more settled emotionally. I don’t know what I would have done if he had beaten you.”
“I’m sorry I put you in that situation, Suzy. Just promise me, you’ll never let me do something like this again, even if the crew wants me to.”
“You have my word.” She put her arms around him and he leaned into her shoulder. She kissed his forehead and helped him up. “You look beat; it’s time for you to go get some rest.”
“Doctor’s orders?”
“Doctor’s orders!” She smiled as she walked arm in arm with her friend, her leader, her brother. He had done so much for her; she vowed to be there for him when he needed it.
“Let’s stop in the galley so I can say goodnight to Kimi.” He had really hoped to continue his time with Kimi, but he had gotten so tired so quickly. He understood that it was likely to be this way for a couple days until he fully shook off the effects of the pod.
______
Early the next morning, Endeavor was off to a reception on Sollana. Jesse really wanted to explore the Hyperian Sector, but his crew had been able to do that quite a bit while he was still recovering from the Pandaran affair. Still, he decided at some point he was going to spend a week on Trinnus. I really want to find out how the Moving City works. I know that at least Collin wouldn’t mind the detour. We will need to stop for a day on Hyperia to see the King and ask his permission to go to Trinnus. I doubt he would say no. The ship seems almost empty now that we are back down to a crew of nine. That’s weird, my crew has almost doubled since coming to this galaxy yet it still feels kind of empty. As he was lost in thought, he noticed Josiah, Reece, and Xanu heading his way. It looked as though they had just finished training.
“What’s up, Jess, late morning? Josiah queried.
“Yeah, I still don’t feel like I’m back to normal.”
“Suzy thinks that since you have been injured so much, you are starting to experience diminishing returns from the recovery pod. She doesn’t think you’ll be right for weeks.” Reece added.
“Well hopefully, I won’t need to be,” Jesse offered. “How’s the training going?”
“We’ll make a Rocket Rider out of Xanu yet, Jess,” Josiah replied enthusiastically. Jesse knew he thought of their young crewmate the same way he thought of his brother Matthias. Xanu even reminded him of Matthias now that he thought about it. He knew they had to be getting pretty close for Josiah to mention him in the same sentence as the Rockets.
They made it to Sollana for a wonderful reception. Reece was honored and everyone was happy for him. Sollana wanted its own hero among the crew of Endeavor. They said their goodbyes and promised they would try and return, then they left for Hyperia.
“That was some reception, Reece.” Suzy began as she sat down next to her recently honored crewmate. “Congratulations, you deserve it. I’m a little surprised that you didn’t want to stay a little while and get to know some of your adoring fans,” she joked.
“Believe me, I thought about it, but I really do like Hyperia.” He winked and she laughed,
“You mean you really like Princess Rayelle and Collette.” She corrected with a dubious lo
ok.
“What, you don’t think I can get Collette?”
“I think Collette had eyes for Jesse.”
“Yeah, but he’s with Kimi now and I’ll gladly be there to comfort the disappointed friend of the princess,” He replied with mock sincerity.
Suzy just shook her head with a mixture of playfulness and disbelief as she left the room.
“What?” he called after her, trying not to laugh.
Jesse lay on his bed, halfway between sleep and consciousness when he thought he smelled jasmine. He wasn’t sure if it was real or a dream, just as he still wasn’t sure if his relationship with Kimi was real or a dream. He opened his eyes to see Kimi sitting in his chair reading. He took a moment to just look at her and he couldn’t believe how lucky he was. Everything he had survived when he had no right to, everything he had done to miss the opportunity, and yet he was alive and she was here. He briefly wondered what she was reading when she suddenly realized he was watching her and put the data pad down to come sit next to him on the bed.
“What were you reading?”
She looked almost embarrassed as he gently prodded her for an answer. “I was reading your notes on the matter conduit and the possibility of recreating it.”
“Really? What did you think?”
“I think I’m in trouble.”
“What, what does that mean?”
“That project figures to be my main competition for your time and I don’t understand any of it.” She laughed playfully as he took her in his arms.
“So, you were scouting out the enemy.” He chided as he kissed her.
“Like any good soldier,” she replied and then kissed him back.
After four days, they arrived at Hyperia to a hero’s welcome. The death match was broadcast to the entire monarchy and if it were possible, Jesse was an even bigger hero to the Hyperian people now. He exited Endeavor and made his way over to the waiting King and Queen. The crowd gathered at the spaceport heartily cheered the arrival of the victorious, Colonel Marcos.
Jesse was the first to disembark and he enthusiastically greeted the King and Queen.
“Congratulations, my friend, your defeat of Garrinoras in the death match will be talked about for years. His death almost instantly brought the tensions down in the Lawless Sector, and it looks like they will be avoiding war. You have saved millions of lives.” He paused as he embraced him and allowed the Queen to do the same. “You are now one of the most famous men in the entire galaxy and we are humbled that you chose to come back to Hyperia to celebrate your return to health.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty; it is good to be back. And, from what I understand, it was your fleet that kept the sector from a long and costly conflict.” Dominus just waved off the comment as if it were no big deal; Jesse then watched as the King greeted each member of his crew and then they were on their way to the palace for lunch. Jesse rode alone with the King; he had an important matter to discuss.
“Your majesty,” he began, “I was wondering if my crew and I might spend a few days on Trinnus, studying the workings of the Moving City. Our last trip there wasn’t quite as long as we had hoped,” he laughed as he remembered the harrowing chase and last minute escape.
“Jesse, you certainly have a gift for understatement. Of course you may go back. I’ll have the city’s chief engineer awaiting your arrival.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty, I am really looking forward to this.”
“It is nothing, my friend. We shall be having lunch in a short while.”
“I am looking forward to that, too, Your Highness,” he replied. The speeder pulled to a stop and the King got out, followed by the Colonel, and they were on their way to more Hyperian hospitality.
The next morning, they left Hyperia to spend a week on Trinnus. Jesse had an empty notebook, and a head full of ideas. He couldn’t wait to study the tech that moved a city.
______
Jesse was thoroughly enjoying his time on Trinnus. He really was enjoying studying the inner workings of the moving city. I can’t believe how well thought out it all is. They had been there four days, and he was going to need at least two more. His crew were enjoying themselves, but all of them except for Collin were ready to go. They were, however, happy Jesse had found something to so completely occupy his time that wasn’t dangerous. Everyone except Kimi, that is.
“Don’t take it personally, Kimi, it’s only for a couple more days,” Suzy was saying as she tried to cheer her up.
“I know, and believe me, I am grateful that Jesse is not engaged in a dangerous undertaking, but I want to spend time with him. I’ve waited too long…”
“Remind him when he gets back for dinner.”
“You think he is going to skip lunch? Again?”
“Sorry, but yes. Why don’t you surprise him?”
“Because crawling around in the dirt under the city and then being ignored when he finds a shiny rock is not my idea of a romantic time.”
“I can’t say I blame you. At least enjoy the day with us, then smack some sense into your boyfriend’s head later.” Kimi smiled at that and Suzy figured she didn’t need to say anything else.
They met up with Josiah, Reece, Xanu and Tanna and mere planning on having lunch in the fully restored Market Gardens. Jesse, Collin and Bessa were planning on meeting them, but were running forty minutes late already. Josiah was musing that at least no one had tried to kill them this time as Jesse’s transmission came in, letting them know Bessa and Collin were on the way, but that he would be skipping lunch.
“He must really be having fun under the city,” Josiah concluded.
Just then, Collin and Bessa approached the table. “Jesse might be even more enthralled with the workings of this city than he is with battle,” Bessa began to a round of laughs.
“I guess will just have to think of some more effective means of tearing him away from his work.” Kimi added to another round of laughs along with some raised eyebrows. They continued eating and laughing while Jesse was working on understanding what he was seeing.
Jesse was really impressed by the power distribution he had been studying, but he loved it all. There was a large underground river that not only provided much of the power needed, but also had been rerouted to flow completely around the eleven-kilometer city center. This easily provided the source for the two large streams he had seen flowing through the city. It also created a natural entrance and exit for the water; it was genius. Above the river, a large roadway had been constructed in a loop surrounding the entire city center as well. This way, no matter where the city was in its rotation, all of the eight thoroughfares leading into the city center always led to the loop. Speeders could navigate their way into the city center from there. He loved everything he saw here, and was thinking about the possibility of building a moving city on one of the coalition planets when he received a transmission.
“Jesse, it is almost dinner time, you’re not ditching us again, are you?” He could almost hear Suzy’s smile as she spoke, she really was happy he wasn’t doing anything dangerous. “I think Kimi is sharpening one of her swords just in case you miss another meal.”
“What a coincidence, I just finished working and I happen to have some free time,” he teased. “I’ll be back to the hotel in ten minutes, Suzy.”
“You better, I would hate to think you were becoming someone who would like to spend his life underground.”
“No, just someone who wants to be underground for two more days,” he joked. “I’m on my way. Tell the crew to hold on just a few more minutes. I’ll tell Kimi I’m sorry about the last couple days when I get there.”
“Good, because we are all getting hungry, and we also miss our commanding officer.”
“I’m leaving now; I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
When they arrived at the restaurant, Jesse surprised all of them by having a separate table reserved for Kim
i and himself. They were also happy to see the copious amounts of apology flowers adorning Kimi’s table. The kiss she gave him let everyone know he was forgiven.
